Now That's More Like It!!!

If someone told you that in 1 week of poker tournaments, they had made 3 final tables, and was still down on the trip...you would look at them with that one left eyebrow arched up and that crooked smirk on your face, right? Of COURSE you would. And well...that is the case with this Monkey. But...and this is a nice, big, fat but...the deficit just shrank up considerably after last night.

I know that when I last wrote, I was about at the end of my wits. Then, I'm pretty sure...I went in the next day and watched my aces lose three times...twice busting out of the tourneys that it happened in. I was getting destroyed in cash game too, which just compounded my ills. I was flopping a straight on the third hand of a SNG...with a player having raised preflop and getting 5 callers. It was like..."wow, I just flopped the nuts...I'm going to have a nice chiplead right out of the gate...in a SNG...which, with a big chiplead to start, is nearly automatic for me to win." Well, the guy (original raiser) did, in fact lead out...and was again called by TWO other players...before I shipped all in...to which he auto-called (since he had flopped a set) while the others folded. He would river a boat. And I was out.

Then I got deep in the 7pm tourney. Things were going pretty smooth. It had that 'on my way to the final table' feeling about it. Then Miss Horseface raises UTG. We both start this hand with close to the same stack of about 40k. She raised (at 600/1200) to 3500. I re-raise her on the button to 8500 with JJ. She calls (with 77). The flop comes a very favorable 8-9-3. She bets out a rather ridiculous amount of 5000. I re-raise her to 17,000. Leaving...yes, you're following correctly here...about 14k behind. Any chances here that I'm folding folks? Try convincing her of that! She tanks for a long time...staring me down in a very amateurish way...then going all in, and cringing when I call.

"Oh no! I didn't think you had anything! I guess I made a bad read....."  I didn't say anything...but saw her two sevens and just waited for the dealer to reward her stupidity, which he did...with a seven on the damn river. Then had to listen to her empty apology. Yeah yeah...blah blah blah..I get it...your stupid! It always makes me just irritated as fuck when you have those fairly new players who want to mix in all these 'poker terms' and ill-timed phrases to explain their goofy-ass plays...when all they really meant to say was..."I am not good at poker yet, and I honestly have no idea what I was thinking there...I guess my stupid play just got lucky."  I would rather they say that. It's like the person who claims they aren't a bad student...they're just a bad 'test taker.' Oh, you mean that part that determines most of your grade? So what your saying is...you're stupid?  Don't tell me you 'made a bad read' when you don't even know HOW to make a read...or know what it is you are 'reading.' I could have been a fucking totem pole making that play and a good player would have known their 77 was trailing to an over pair. Everything about how I played that hand screamed 'HE HAS A FUCKING OVER PAIR HORSEFACE!'

Yeah, so whatever...I didn't win that night. That was three nights ago. Two nights ago...in the 7pm'er....my 2nd event of the day, after busting in the noon $400...where my AA lost to 22, I would finally put everything together. I don't remember much now...but I did manage to make the final table. And while I was dragging around one of the shortest stacks for most of the tourney...I went on a heater and pulled to 2nd in chips with 8 left. It was pretty much me and this Euro with the stupidest jacket I think I've ever seen. I couldn't help it...I was all over this guy about his jacket. It was...how do I explain this thing? Oh! Shit...this is easy! It looked like (but worse...shinier) the jacket those fellas on the race horses wear. It was so short...it came up to above his stomach. I asked him...if I knocked him out, if I could have his jacket so it would never get worn in public again? But this guy loved this stupid jacket. He thought it was really awesome. The jacket kind of became the focal point of the whole tourney and all the players. 

The 'jacket' would end up knocking me out in 5th for $1200. Which...not lying, never have I been so irritated about accepting $1200. I thought I had this guy, finally. He was chipleader, and I was just behind him...and the other three were dying a slow, blinding-out-death. I could have easily just sat there...dicked around eating my cucumbers in balsamic vinaigrette sauce...and waited to get 2 or 3-handed. But I didn't. So when I raised with AQ...and 'The Jacket' re-raised me...I just figured he was playing tough guy. I call. The flop comes A-Q-10. Nice. Right? He was first to act....and he just shoved all in! For like 300k. Pretty sure the blinds were only like 2500/5000. Well...I sure wasn't putting him on a set of aces...I mean...who would make that strange play? Maybe this guy. But if I was going to raise...then call a re-raise with that hand...and THAT was the flop? Folding would seem pretty stupid. I make the call....and with the chance to own 80% of the chips on the table with 4 (one on death watch-him!) players left...would probably waltz to the $5200 first prize. I made the right call. He turned over KK. Yes!!! I hadn't even gotten the excitement out of my soul before watching the dealer slapped a fucking jack on the turn. What the??? NOOOOOOOOO!!!!! I needed an ace or a queen on the river...and what he gave me instead was a four....and a complete reversal of fortunes. I'm out!?? No fucking way!!!?? So you will understand why $1200 felt like $12.

At least I was smart and opted NOT to go play cash game. I went straight to my hotel. I mean...it was a positive day...but. Well, I don't need to explain the 'but' I don't think.

Yesterday I decided to NOT play the $600 noon tourney. I had some paperwork to get caught up on. That and I slept until about noon, having gotten in at about 3am. I left my room about 2:45...and walked the whole 2.2 miles...on my continued mission of losing 10-15 lbs on this trip. Those walks are great. I got there at 3:25...only missing a little bit. Buy into the $200 3pm Big Bounty tourney. And at my first table...I get the 'guy who never folds after he has raised.' In his defense, I've had him at my table several times in the past few days...and he is a very solid player...and handles his losing hands (often times bad beats) with a lot of class. He is one of those guys who likes to min raise constantly. Well...he would cause me to have to fire a second bullet in this deal. After winning a few pots early....I then lost a pretty big one...turning a straight..then losing to an OMRG's flush. Then...on a board of 9-7-6....with two clubs...and me holding Ac9c....I bet...get called...turn the 10 of clubs...and get it all in against a guy who had limped in with 5-8 (flopped straight) and miss the flush. Now crippled, I double up two hands later...and grow that to 3500 a couple hands later. That's when never-fold guy raises to 600 UTG...gets two callers, and I ship 3500 with 10-10. He calls (with KJoff), the others fold...and he turns a jack and rivers a king. REBUY!

The second bullet went a lot better. I would collect 5 bounties in total. I had one beautiful suckout. Holding AdJd...and only 58k with the blinds at 6k/12k...I didn't have much choice when this super-aggro punk who'd been annoying me all week, and was on the female dealer's last nerve with his assholish attitude (he was in the 1-seat) raises to 25k...the older guy next to me (and who I knew was pretty tight) went all in for 47k. I had to move, knowing I was likely behind...but probably not going to see a better hand than this. So jackass over there...mulls the decision. Really? What's to mull? He raised to 25k...and there is now about 140k in the pot...and he only has to call both of us for $33k more...and he is sitting on about 200k. But he folds. Wow...how shitty was HIS hand? Well the all in guy has AQ. Ouch. But I flop a flush! Nice. And he was drawing dead. Even turned another diamond. That got me back into the game. And I really never looked back after that...although...I did drop to about 80k after that winning hand put me at $145k. The blinds were brutal...and if you weren't getting cards...you were dead. 

Well, I did get cards...pretty much all final table long. And it was about time...because I had really been pretty card dead the whole tourney. Making the most of the ones I did manage to get. I never got aces until we were three handed...and when I did finally get them, raised small on the button, only to get zero action. I had the same thing happen twice with KK....no action. We got three-handed and it was me, this really nice, jovial, older guy from Brisbane, Australia...a man whose name was John Jolley...pretty fitting. He was hilarious. At one point, he bluffed that asshole in seat 1 out of a HUGE pot...then showed him a worthless 8-2 offsuit after the giant douchebag folded. Which put him on super tilt. I was really entertained by him...and we struck up a good rapport right away. Which really came in handy later.

Super Douche finally busted, making his last 'bad move' of the tourney. Then the only annoying player left was the Asian kid who thought he was the shit. Between you and me and the guy in the corner playing with the mouse? (I have no idea what that just meant) Anyone who wears the t-shirt they just got from the event they are playing in? Is an assclown. Sorry. But they are. No one even semi-cool wears event 'schwag' AT the event. So this guy was 'one of those' guys. Well, after he decides at 6000/12000 to just bomb away his whole stack for 157k...in a blind vs. blind spot...with, ahem....5-7 off (which I had also folded) he got caught by the big blind with QQ. Or did he? Nope...he flops open ended, and rivers a straight...and knocks the guy out. Gross. And stupid. There is, as most players with a Poker IQ over a grapefruit could tell you...nothing to justify that play. Nothing. Jamming his whole stack to save his small blind, and pick up the BB and antes? Nice play.

So a short while later...after he blasted his whole stack into my BB...I remarked, keep it up with that kamikaze poker, dude...it's gonna bite you on the ass. So what does he do? Oh...well, first he takes the comment as a racial slur. Because, get it? He's Asian? See...what he was doing? Was playing a kamikaze style of poker. Period. Whether he was Asian or Croatian...it was straight up Kamikaze poker. So get over it, shit head. Then he rebutted by telling me "At least I don't sit around waiting for AA while blinding out of the tourney." Now...I won't lie...I've heard this 'accusation' quite a few times in the past. It's not totally inaccurate...though suggesting I'm waiting for only AA is kind of silly. But yeah...I am patient, and I do make proper decisions in the proper spots most of the time. I just don't think it's ever 'the right play' to just recklessly jam my stack in bad spots with bad hands.  This twerpy fuck wouldn't let up...and I wasn't even talking to him...just listening to him. He kept infusing the 'kamikaze' expression into everything he was saying.

Finally I just had to tell him...."buddy, let it go. Okay? I haven't said a word to you since...okay? I think it would be sensational if you would just zip it up." I had a chance to whack him AND another guy and get three-handed with me holding 75% of the chips. I raised with 5-5. Another player shoved an amount that I would have called...but then shit head goes all in for too much to call. I fold. He had AK. The shorter stack had A8. I would have held. Oh well. We get three-handed. He had been begging to do a deal since we got to 9. I told him forget it. In my defense, I was telling my table when we had 16 left and I was grinding 10 bb's that I wouldn't be agreeing to any chop deals if I was lucky enough to get deep again. And I sure wasn't doing it now...especially with his annoying ass. Well, the Aussie guy would bust him. I was pretty thrilled with that.

So we were heads up...and he had a slight lead on me. I won a few hands. We were pretty close to even...when I asked if he wanted to chop. It made sense. First was $5400. Second was $3200. A chop would give us both $4300. And neither of us would take the tax hit. (a finish over $5000 gets stung) He said he would do the deal...but lets play three more hands. Okay. So on that first hand? He limps into my BB. I don't raise with QJh. Why? Because this guy limped in a LOT with big hands. I checked. And the flop came J-7-4. He bets 40k.  I raise to 100k. He goes all in. Shit. Well, he'd done this a lot...with a lot less in his hand. Dammit, I call. He turns over KK. Oh shit! And it holds. And I think I've fucked myself out of the deal, and it just cost me $1100. But? He didn't go back on it. Which he could have easily done...since we hadn't played three more hands. How refreshing. A 'stand-up' guy at a POKER TABLE??? I was quite blown away by that move. Well, Mr. John Jolley of Australia won a big fan in Mr. Monkey. We collected our money...and I walked out of the Venetian, feeling like I had just shaken a big, damn anvil off of my back. 

So, I'm not sure what happened, but I just had two good nights in a row. I almost always follow up a decent/good day of poker with a disaster. But it didn't happen this time. I am still down for the trip...but man, oh man...what a time to pick up $5k on the bankroll (last two nights) with the Mega satellites into the $2500 Main starting today!? I was in danger of missing out on everything...having already burned all the cash I brought AND having hit the ATM three times already. So now...what I'm hoping for...is to play today's noon mega...win a seat...then play the later mega...and win that one...for another $2500 infusion to the bankroll. Then take tomorrow (Saturday) off...rest, watch college football...then come back and play Flight B (Main Event has two starting days, Saturday and Sunday) on Sunday. That would be the ideal scenario. Now...granted, things in this aggravating game seldom go according to plan...but you never know. 

I am really missing Carley and Squirrel...but I was miserable knowing that I'd been here for a week...had done nothing but lose my backer's money...and hadn't won ANYTHING to take home to my girls. So last night, and the night before...have me holding my head quite a bit higher...and has restored my confidence, at the most critical time in this trip. And Squirrel just loaded up Carley a while ago...and is headed for N. Alabama to spend the weekend with her family...who are SO excited to see Carley again. I tell ya, that kid is so loved, its not even funny. I hope nothing happens to me, health-wise...but if it does, I know, 100%...that she will always have nothing to worry about when it comes to being cared for. It makes me happy to know how many people besides me that care about her. I have been seeing her a lot on Skype...everyone was right...you will NEVER love something so much as you will your child. I can be having the worst day...and the world seems like its falling apart, and the minute I see her face...and look at her bright eyes...and that cute smile cross her face, I start to get teary-eyed with joy...and get a little flutter in my stomach. I made that! That little creature loves me. And depends on me. What a powerful feeling that is. 

On that note...a really, really good guy in poker, Leo Whitt...just had his son. He sent me a photo on my phone...cute little bugger, too. I could tell from his message that he was feeling what I was feeling...am STILL feeling...when I had mine. Congrats to Leo and his wife!

Well, that's about it for the day, I think. Hope you all enjoy reading some GOOD news for a change...its been pretty negative in here the past 6 weeks or so!

Monkey

Insane In the Brain!!!

The last three days have been a mental challenge. How much can one person take? Why does Venetian give me so many horrendous beats? Why does Venetian seem to house some of the absolute worst poker players on the planet? Where do they come from? How do they find this place? Where do they stay when they aren't at the poker table? Why do they wrap the concrete pillars that support the overpasses in Vegas with wooden pickets? Why is it called risoto when all it is, is rice?

I have very little time today. Being late for this event is not an option. Three days ago...I showed up on time. On the third hand, I limped with Ac9s. An OMRGwTP (new classification...Old Man Run Good with Tooth Pick) made it 300 (at 50/100) I called. Flop came all clubs...with a board of 9-4-5. Lovely. I checked. OMRGwTP bet 750. I raised to 1850. Welcome to Venetian. Four-bets are an endangered species. Despite having 12,000 chips....his next move as SHHHHHOOOVVVEEE. I called. He turned over two red aces. Nice hand sir. Turned a club. Bye Bye. Three hands later, I raise to 250 with AA. I get re-raised to 750, by a guy I know...a guy who is pretty aggressive and who takes photographs of constellations for entertainment. Back to me. I re-raise...to 2200. Boom. SHHHHOOOOVVVEEEEE. I call (duh). He has QQ. He loses. I now have 36k. In the 20 minutes of the event.

I knew this was trouble. It always is when I start like that at a Venetian event. This time, it was 'The Ukranian.' Can someone please tell me what the deal is with 'Russians' taking such offense at being called Russian when they are from one of the former Soviet republics? Last month, it was our friend from Belarus. Hell, it even has part of the word RUSSIA in that country. Well this guy...he was from Ukraine, and took great exception at being called Russian. Well...anyway, this fucker was my nemesis all day. He had no ability to fold. I'm not even going to bore you...I will just tell you I didn't even make the dinner break. I got down to 10 BB's...and this putz raised my BB...like he'd been doing ALL DAY. I called with A5. Flop comes A-4-7. Rainbow. I know he will c-bet, so I check. He does. He bets 2700 into a 4500 pot. I shove all in for 8800...or 6100 more. He calls....with KJ. Yep. KJ. Turn brings a ten...and I start that uneasy squirming in my seat before seeing the Q on the river. You.....gotta.....be.....fucking.....kidding.....me!!!! I didn't say anything. I got the glance of disgust from a few of the players...and that idiot with his embarrassed smirk.

I lost JUST in time to get into the 3pm $200 Big Bounty tourney. Literally was the last one let in. Got in at 200/400. Arrive at my table to find 'The World's Oldest Teenager' carrying on like a complete jackass. I have no idea what this guy's deal was...but he had a ton of chips. He was raising just about every hand...to amounts like 3000...and 5000. If there was a raise...to say 1200...and one or two callers...he would just move all in. It was ridiculous. So you had a lot of people simply flatting him for those huge amounts. Wasn't sure how the hell I end up at these tables. Any woman at the table, player, dealer, or massage girl...or cocktail waitress...was subject to his painful flirting. If you ever watched the sitcom 'Three's Company' then you may recall that bar they hung out at...'The Regal Beagle.?' This is the guy you might see hanging out there hitting on Janet and Chrissy.

I chose not to engage this guy...just observing...and praying for him to go down in flames. He would. I would help him with that...taking a stand with 99...in all in against him and another guy with QJc. Oh he was in great shape against my 99 with 7c8c...but after the flop brought a 7 and two clubs...he and the other guy somehow missed. I now had a massive stack. I would take the chiplead with 4 tables left (paying 13) and Mr. Smarmy would bust...well short of the money. I kept the chiplead til we got to 14 and were on the bubble. This is when...oh screw the description...we'll just call him, the 'Guy With No Brain'...who, let me just tell you...he thought 'Case Ace' was the name for AK. So a guy raises UTG...I re-raise with 10-10...and he decides, at bubble time...that 6-6 is the best hand. He shoves all in. I call....clean flop, clean turn...fucking 6 on the river.

cont.....

That is where I left off two or three days ago. This blog has been sitting there unfinished. And I have been on a sleep marathon fueled by depression, the depression supplied by the gut-wrenching run of bad luck I'm having out here.  Mix in the game on Saturday where Alabama fell to Texas A&M, which spawned every Crimson Tide-hating football jerkoff to let loose with their venomous rants as their wet dreams were realized, the mighty elephant had been defeated by Johnny Football. How I fall asleep at 9pm on Sunday night....at the conclusion of the most unbelievably lousy game I've ever watched between two 7-1 teams...and sleep until 11am the following day is beyond me. 

While I was sleeping I had the most bizarre dream of all time. Well, one of the most bizarre dreams. I was in Seattle for some reason. I took my dog, Jasper...my father...and friend who now I can't remember, to the water front. I guess we were there the day before...because now there was a current, requiring an anchor for the row boat  was taking just 20 feet off shore so I could fish. I didn't stay at the water long. But I left my friend and Dad and Jasper as I went for a walk. I end up at a mall. Working in that mall, is my ex-girlfriend, who was now a lawyer. There was a three-office collection of lawyer's offices, and one of them was hers. I stuck my head in the door and said 'Hi.' She dropped everything...got up...went and grabbed something, and came out into the open area of the mall area...carrying about 8 or 9 records, one of them being Prince's 'Purple Rain' album. What the?

I guess the last time we saw each other she had borrowed (or just taken?) a bunch of my records? Does anyone still own a record player? We barely talked. She was pleasant. All grown up. It was a very awkward conversation. What do you say when you are happily married and have nothing but bad memories of her? I sat there or awhile...on the bench. Not sure what I was doing. But I was slowly forgetting that I had left my father and friend (and dog) down at the water. I wander around the mall..and find a poker game. Huh? Yeah. I poker game.

It was my worst nightmare. I would sit down at a table with 6 players...and suddenly it would fill up...and up and up and up. They didn't play 9-handed. It was more like...11, then 12...and then 14-handed. People were like, on top of me. I was losing my fucking mind. One black guy sat on my left..with one of those big puffy jackets on...and he takes 50 chips out of my stack. "What are you doing? You just took 50 of my chips?"  Yeah! I'm buying some chips from you. Huh? Where is your $50? How do you want it? Huh? What do you mean 'how do I want it?' I mean how do you want me to pay you? "How bout giving me fifty fucking dollars?" Never mind...just give me my $50 in chips back. Then I got up..and moved to another table...one with only 5 players. "Anyone want to make it a 2/5 game?" Two players try to explain it to the others...then they agree. Suddenly there was a crowd of 40 watching the game....and every seat filled again. Crowding me. I moved to the other side of the table...sitting next to a girl who looked like Elisha Cuthbert. Who turned out to be an undercover cop (I think) trying to entrap me for inappropriate behavior. 

I get into a hand that is raised to $10 and called by 4 players. I look down at QQ and make it $65 to go. I get called by the whole table. The flop comes A-Q-4. I can barely see the flop though because there are so many people standing around the table, and I'm being pushed and shoved out of my seat. The betting never even gets to me...and I see a turn card of K...I try to protest, telling the dealer I never even got a chance to bet...when the second player goes all in...and after TWO players say fold...she pushes him the pot...and takes everyone's cards...except mine...which are still in my hand. I freak out. The dealer goes to the next table. What the hell!??? I call for the floor. Their is no floor. Its just a three-table mall game that is managed by the 3 or 4 dealers. And they don't care. Every time I try to complain to someone they just keep telling me I need to calm down.

It happens again, this time with A5 after I flop a wheel and try to slow play it. The dealer pushes the pot to the player on the turn...after I finally bet and the other player goes all in. I'm sitting there holding my cards. I try to plead my case. Sorry. You lose. I decide to take a walk. Elisha-look-a-like follows me. I find my stuff sitting on a bench, and suddenly realize I forgot about my friend and father. But its now 7. Holy shit. I try to call them, get no answer. And now when I get back to the table...they are doing a drag net...literally a net-dragging arrest of people...I thought it was a joke. Two undercover cops and a really hot looking blonde in fishnet stockings and high heels. Then when she tried to drop the net over me, I playfully laughed and told her I was flattered but was happily married. She told me she was arresting me for placing my hands on another woman. What?

I ripped the net off of me...and started to run away...grabbing all my shit...with Elisha Cuthbert girl telling me I better not try to run...that they would get me. What are you talking about? Fuck this place...and fuck you..and fuck this poker room. You people are all fucking nuts! I get away...running through the streets of Seattle (I think). I make it back to my house. Where my Dad and Dog are...and I see my friend across the street, taking stuff out of an SUV that he had obviously called to come get him and my dog and father. He wouldn't talk to me. I understood. Then I woke up. And on the TV...was...OMG...Elisha Cuthbert, in some movie on TBS.

Weird shit man...weird. And now...I have to go play the nooner at Venetian. It's safe to say I'm well rested. I don't even have time to tell you about the hour upon hour of poker tourneys I've played in the past 3 or 4 days only to go down in defeat at the hands of....'THAT PERSON.' Even played the Main Event at the Palms for the Heartland Poker Tour...at one of the toughest tables I've ever played at in my life...taking out Layne Flack and Sorrel Mizzi...while building my 25k stack up to 75k with only one level left in the night..before 'she' showed up.

'She' was described to me later, by one of the dealers of the tourney....as 'that' player who all the other players were trying to take out when she had dealt to her earlier. She looked like she could have been friends with Breeze Zuckerman. She looked every bit like Russ Hamilton had dressed in drag and snuck into the tourney, trying to get the flavor of big tournament poker back in his mouth. My table image was immaculate. I rarely got action after the flop. Most of my raises were met with folds. I even managed somehow to pull off a bluff for a 30k pot when I knew my 99 was no good on a board with an ace and a king. But now I was up against the female version of Jabba the Hut...and yes, I took her picture...but I won't put it on here. Text or email me...and I will send it to you.

I raise with pocket jacks under the gun. Jabba the Her calls on the button. Ugh. Already hate it. But the flop brings a fairly harmless 4s-2c-5s. I bet 11,000 into a pot of 15k. It calls. Flush draw? Likely. The turn brings the 4 of clubs. Two flush draws now. Two pair now. Could she have a set? Not likely. I have her firmly on something like A10s. So she is sitting on about 55k in her stack now. I bet 31k. She flats! And leaves 20 to 25k'ish in her stack. I now have just about the same...and the blinds at 1k/2k. Begging for a jack on the river. But no! The dealer lays a 3 out there. Fuck NO WAY!  Any shitty ace is now good. I check. And of course...she declares all in. I fold my jacks face up. The others at the table are like..."Oh wow...no way dude...that sucks." And I watch Fatzilla stack up all my chips...taking her to over 130k...and leaving me stuck on 10 bb's. I go card dead for two orbits...never getting one place to make a move...then with 5 minutes left in the night...I get Kc9c on the button and shove all in...getting a walk. Great. On the next hand...at cutoff, I get Qd10d and move in again...for 14k. I get called by the current chipleader...a guy named Terry who played like a maniac all day....with J8. Oh! He just flops J-8-J. And I'm out. 

That one hit me hard. I walk out of the dimly-lit room they were holding the tourney in, with the 1987-esque TV's that were hung about 30 feet in the air and gave everyone a sore neck and ruined their eyes while trying to watch it all day....and into the sportsbook area where their cash tables are. The first thing I hear is the asshole who spots my Alabama shirt and blurts out "Ohhh yeahhhh....hey hey...Roll Tide!!!!"  Why, sometimes, can't it be legal...to just pick up a two by four with nails coming out the other end of it, and just smack someone in the face when they really deserve it? Doesn't that seem fair?

This came on the heels of the previous day...while playing in the $1100 at Venetian...when...with only 24 players left, and my day going perfectly smooth (just like this one was) I call a small raise by the ultra-aggressive Asian guy who liked to celebrate each winning hand with a "that's what I'm talking about" expression...holding 55. The flop comes 4-6-7. Nice. He C-bets to an amount I can't remember now. I raise him about three times his bet. To which he hesitates, then calls. The turn is an annoying Q. He checks again. I bet very large again. He calls again...this time even faster. Shit. The river? A very satisfying (I thought) 8...giving me the straight. He checks to me. Damn (I think). I bet a pretty small amount now. He does what he's done several other times...goes all in. The move that is supposed to scare everyone off the pot. But I'm not folding. No way. I finally caught this prick. Didn't I? What? I didn't? He turns over....oh my fucking god...9-10. I literally threw up in my mouth. 

"You called my huge re-raise on the flop with a gut shot?" "Hell yeah! You bet I did!!! Yesssss!" I had nothing left to say. I just took my stuff over to an empty table, sat there for awhile and thought about how much I hate poker. Hate playing 11 hours only to lose like THAT! How I should have WON the Bounty tourney the day before that...going away...but couldn't beat 66 with my 10-10...couldn't hold with AQ vs. A4...getting wheeled...then losing with AK against 77...to end up finishing an annoying 6th for $900 when a win would have been good for $5000.

And now, I look at the clock and its noon. Damn. Which means I'm taking a cab. I guess. The one good thing about this trip is I am living on almost NO food, and drinking copious amounts of water, so I should have probably lost close to at least 10 lbs by now. I'm eating almost nothing but vegetables. The exercise had been nice...those 2.2 mile walks to the Venetian are definitely a workout. My Seahawks and Huskies...and even the Saints all won...taking the sting out of the Bama loss. And besides all that...Bama only fell to #4. A loss by ND to USC, a loss by Kansas State to the suddenly hot Texas Longhorns...and maybe Oregon falls to Stanford, Oregon St and either UCLA or USC in an upset...and guess who is back in the BCS title game? So all is not lost. And this damn poker trip isn't over yet either. And as I dialed up the Heartland website, and looked to see who made the money, and the final table...no where to be found was that giant lump of goo who took me out. I will look ANYWHERE to find joy in this thankless profession.

That's it. I'm finally leaving my room. Have a nice day everyone. 

MONKEY

A Humble Beginning....

My last couple of circuit events both started with an early cash. Not the case here in Vegas. Good freaking gawd. I was so happy when the first day here finally ended. It started with such promise. It was a beautiful sunny day. I was up early. Got all my weekly 'Tuesday Stuff' done...punched out a blog post, and even did some situps and pushups, before walking the entire 2.2 miles (so measured on my iPad map) to the casino, arriving at 8 minutes past noon...which is perfect, because anyone who arrives between 5 and 20 minutes late is almost always guaranteed of drawing seat 5...which is what I shoot for. Mission accomplished. Seat 5. 

I sit down and in one hour pounded about 6 or 7 Perrier's. Noticed right away that I was at a table full of complete maniacs. One guy, looked like a smaller version of Antonio Esfandiary. Oh they were all plenty friendly. No douchebags among the group. Just...well, fucking wild. Any two cards. Position was dictating the action more than any hand strength. I hate tables like this. In tourneys like these. Because it causes you to pick a strategy early. This tourney is a real eye-opener after only playing WSOP events the past year. Those structures are so long and drawn out...and start with the same amount of chips (close, anyway) as Venetian. Only thing is...they START at 50/100 here...and it never slows down. By just level 6...we were already at 200/400 and half the field was gone. After starting with 262 players, there were only 55 remaining at the dinner break! No offense to the nice folks at the Venetian...but these events they stage need to be renamed...because they are SO NOT a Deepstack event. They are borderline turbos. 

I realized a lot about how I'm going to have to play here this week. Not like I usually do...which is to see a LOT of hands in the first three levels, try to chip up...then just sit back and play relatively tight poker while maintaining an above average stack. Hell...you have a large majority of the players here opening for way too much, and their c-bet always seems to take the pot to a place where they can never leave. So any semblance of 'pot control' is non-existent mostly. Flopping a set with a draw-heavy board is a nightmare...because, while you want to (ideally) maximize value from flopping a set...your first bet usually returns the information you are seeking, 'is he on a draw?' Well...about the time you bet out 450 into a 600 pot...and this yo-yo makes it 3000....you are backed into a corner. You know you are ahead. And you know you could still improve. But now this guy, who has left 4200 behind his crazy raise, has pretty much told you that he isn't folding for the rest of his chips if you put him all in. And what are you going to do? Smooth call his 3k, then wait to see if the turn completes his draw? Then what? Check? So he can go all in? Or maybe he plays it really stupid, hitting his draw, then checking...hoping to draw you in on the river (best case scenario) only to let you either (a) fill up with a boat, and whack HIS ass or (b) missing your boat, or quads...and merely check-folding to Captain Obvious who will likely make some stupid river bet that you're never going to call?

It's a plethora of bad players playing bad poker. The propensity with which players will limp in for, say 100...then call when a late-position player makes it 600...is mind boggling. I had a couple of players that just mystified me yesterday. On my second bullet of the noon $300 tourney...I sit down at my new table...and on the first hand...this fool...and yeah, I'm calling him a fool, because he was a fool! I'm not showing you the picture I took of him. I am not naming him. So, for you haters who complain that I 'call people out' and 'make fun of people?' Suck it. This guy...wearing his camou ball cap, with the crooked bend...raises (at 100/200) to 900 UTG. Yup...900. Then does that stupid move where he lowers his head...so that you can't see his eyes over the bill of his hat. Then spreads his arms out in front of himself...and splays his fingers..like a 3-toed sloth. Cocks his head to the side. My stomach immediately turns. What a fucking turdball. I ask the guy next to me...."Really? 900? Utg? Is that common for this guy?"  

"Oh yeah. He's really aggressive. His stack has been all over the place the whole tourney."

Mmmmm hmmm...could have guessed that I guess. So...it folds around to the small blind...who decides to re-raise the guy. Now see...here is a perfect example of what this over-betting bullshit does to the game. Had this bozo made it 550 or 600...it would have allowed the small blind to re-raise to say, 1500. Or close to that. But his ridiculous bet meant that this guy had to raise probably more than he wanted to...so he makes it 2200. Now, I should add...that this guy makes this 3-bet while leaving only about 4200 behind. So...if you have .16 cents worth of common sense, you could deduce that this guy isn't probably going to fold his hand. Right? So what does dipshit do? He does his best Durr immitation...glowering into the eyes of his nemesis, looking to the dealer, and essentially whispering, "I'm all in."

He then accuses the guy who snap called with the aces of 'slow rolling' him. No...fuckbone...he wasn't slow rolling you. He just couldn't HEAR you say all in because you were trying to play to the cameras that don't exist. You jackhole. So genius smirks, knowing his 'big play' just blew up in his face. Yeah...he was sitting on A9 off. Nice play. He flops a nine...and I'm thinking...'please for the love of God do NOT let this idiot hit another 9.' He didn't, thank god. He doubled back up a while later...but then predictably made another moronic play to eliminate himself for good. It's these guys...who just play like shit...bust, laugh about it...and move on to whatever they are doing next that make me hate poker. I mean...we show up with the intent to play well (most of us), and to get deep, and to win money to get by in life. Then you have these pinheads...who play like fucking morons, and will take out a handful of players like me, before donking off all your chips in circus-like fashion to the rest of the table. 

I was SO card dead in that noon tourney. I never had a pair bigger than 99. And when I got really low...and a lady raising utg with three callers for 1200, I look at AK in the SB with 5400 chips in my stack. All in! She calls and we get heads up. She has 99. First card I see in the window is an ace...and I feel pretty good, and hopeful that I'm about to get up to about 12k and have a shot now. All that was wiped out when, after sliding out the flop...the second card was a damn nine. Son of a bitch. Busto. Nice hand maam. 

On to the Omaha 8 or Better. $300. And...a typical Omaha event. Get in. Determine the table sucks. Run over table. Go from 10k to 16k very quickly.  Get to Level 6...then at 300/600...when raising with hands like AA23....A2K3...AKK3...am getting called by shit like J-3-7-10.....4-6-K-Q....and losing them all. I've got a guy who raised...ALWAYS raised...whenever he had position to raise...and then calling my re-raise...with SHIT. Missing on the flop...but betting anyway, and CALLING the check raise. On one particular hand...I had Q-J-4-4...double suited...and just called his repetitive raise from the BB. The flop comes K-10-4. Nice. Open ended with a set. I check. He bets 600. I raise to 1200. He calls. For the record...on this hand? He has A-3-10-6. The best he has flopped is a gutshot...with an unlikely low draw. The turn is a 9..giving me the nut straight...along with my set. I bet 1200 again. He calls, still with nothing. River? A seven...which gives him an emergency low...allowing him to split what should have been all mine. Fucking stupid. This kind of shit kept happening over, and over and over. Lousy hands. Rosy outcomes. Very frustrating. 

I would bust out of the Omaha around 8:30 after two disastrous orbits where I got rivered three times to lose all of the pots. While that was going on...the Presidential election was in full steam...and taking place at the table was some of the stupidest political conversation I've ever been privy to. How are some people so incredibly ignorant of what is going on in this country? I honestly think that half of our society retreats to their homes after leaving the casino...which happens to be a gigantic stone, that they slide to the right...crawl into a hole, and slide the rock back over the top of themselves.

So yeah, I busted out of the Omaha, and was now stuck (3) buy ins for the day, all for $300. Not good, Monkey...not good. Oh speaking of monkey...I've made a decision to stop using my monkey on the table. It was noticed by about 4 dealers. "Where is your monkey, Monkey?" Had to explain that I've just decided to start trying to not be so...uh...noticeable while at the table. If people don't know who I am...which a lot of them figure out when they see 'my monkey'...then the harder it will be for them to player-hate on me later. To them...now, I will just be any other player. I've got to do something to get this fucking target off of my back, and I think maybe that is a good place to start. As I sit at these tables...I wonder, how many of those assholes that were posting shit on 2+2 are here? How many, who were so brave with their comments on there...are amongst this crowd? It makes me feel almost like I just want to destroy every single stack at the table...assuming it could be ANY of them.

I played the nightly. Fortunately I never had to rebuy. It was the usual shit show. Terrible, terrible play. Worse...but not by too far, then in the noon tourney. During the nightly, they were holding a charity tournament that John Elway was involved with. I always knew Elway had a big head...but man...I mean...that thing on his shoulders is like...just huge. Freakishly huge. Guy sure has had a helluva career though, hasn't he?

There were about 125 in the nightly. I would get down to 45...and like an idiot, fold AQ when this kid behind me shoved all in...at 600/1200 and me with 5800 in my stack. Stupid. I get in in later...flop trips...against KK (me QJ) and get rivered by a king. That sucked. So that was over. FOUR buy ins....

I go buy into a $100 sit n go. While waiting I buy into the 1/2 game for $300. I would lose all of that. Lose KK to A7. Lose 10-10 to AA. Lose 77 to 99. Call guy's reraise with AQ...flop Q-10-4...and check raise him all in...only to find him holding KK. Fuck. Nice session. 

Go play Sit N Go. Get a $20 last longer going with 5. Won't bore you. Won some hands. Lost some hands. Got a big stack. Lost that big stack. Was short on chips. Sucked out with AQ vs AK. Had 88 hold up against AJ. Won the last longer. Won the SNG. Pocketed $415 after tipping the dealer...and left the casino with my spirits lifted just a little bit, at least. Treated myself to a $12 cab ride back to my hotel. I was still sore from the 2-mile walk that morning! Plus I'm not big on walking on poorly-lit streets with 8k in my pocket. 

So...in summation? It's going to take some slick maneuvering to win a tourney here. I'm going to have to make damn sure to get to every tourney on time...well between 5-20 minutes late (ideally) and try to play somewhat aggressively early. You have to. If not...you will get eaten up by the structure. And if you are below 5000 when it gets to 200/400...which comes quick...they don't consider that a good shoving stack. If a guy has 18-22k and raises to say 1200...with something like KJ? And you shove 5200 with 10-10? He is almost NEVER folding. Not here. Not these guys. Nope. So you need....badly, to get your stack to a place where they can fear it. Otherwise? You are just praying. And I don't like playing poker where I am relegated to praying. When playing with good players, in tourneys with good structures? You can play a nice patient, plodding game. Some might find that 'super nitty' or 'boring' but there is a very simple formula to it, and its successful...over a long run. But you just can't play like that here. So if you are card dead for four levels? Or missing every flop and not even able to take pots down by bluffing because the guy either blasts out a 'too-big' bet on the flop, or check raises the shit out of you when you have air? You are fucked. Definitely a different game in this house. 

Okay, well...wow...that's about as much 'poker-talk' as you are ever going to get out of me in a blog post. Might have even gotten a little carried away there. It's 9am now. I might try to take a little cat nap before getting up and getting ready. Today is another $300 buy in..with a $200 Big Bounty tourney at 3 (or maybe 4?) if things don't go my way in the nooner.

MONKEY

ELECTION DAY 2012...and a Weekend Trip to Death Valley!!!

Wow! It's 7am, and I'm in Las Vegas watching election coverage. I have my wonderful daughter Carley to thank for being awake. First...of course, I gain two hours by being here. Secondly, I've completely readjusted my personal schedule...getting up now almost every morning at around 8 or 9 to feed the dogs, feed and change Carley...and just be up to entertain her...while Mama Squirrel goes to work to mostly stand around and look and listen to slot machines all day.

I got in to Sin City at around 11pm last night....after a long day of flying, with a 4-hour layover in Atlanta added in. I have to say, it was a great flight. On the second leg...despite having paid the $20 on Air Tran to take an exit row (more leg room) I got sandwiched in between two very large individuals, who both smelled like they hadn't bathed in weeks. I asked a flight attendant if it was too late (we were already in the air) for me to pay the upgrade fee to one of the numerous open 1st class seats. She told me I could. Whew! Then after being seated for awhile, and having my debit card out to pay the $99...she came by and whispered in my ear that she wasn't going to charge me. She apparently saw and smelled the two people in my row!!! That really made for a nice flight.

It's really been a busy week...despite not having gone anywhere...well unless you count Baton Rouge and a trip to Death Valley somewhere, which I guess I should! More on that later! But this week, I had a trip to New Orleans, once to play the 'big' cash game at one of Barth's bars...'Out of Bounds' in Metairie, and once to fly out of there to come out here for a 12-day event at Venetian. The cash game session at the bar was filled with promise, and at one point I was double my buyin...but a bad read against the table maniac ended up ruining my night and sending me home down an amount I'm not proud of.

The last time I was out here for a 12-15 day poker trip, which also came on the heels of an Alabama victory over LSU (the BCS Title Game) I went on a cucumber and blueberry diet...weighing in at 264lbs when I left town...and then going home weighing 249 lbs. Included in that was a lot of walking...so I decided NOT to rent a car for this trip. I am staying at the somewhat trendy Artisan Boutique Hotel...which does not have any semblance of a casino attached to it...which is kind of nice. It's about 1.5 to 2 miles from the Venetian...which should provide me with a nice 30-minute walk every morning. I stepped on Barth's scale yesterday when I left my car at his house and got a ride to the airport. I came in at 258lbs this time. If I could just lose 8 lbs out here it would be great.

So...who is going to be the President at the end of the day? It seems to be a tough call right now. The polls seem to be going one way or the other with neither candidate seeming like they will win by a lot. Being out of town has taken away my right to vote, as I'm only registered to vote in the State of Mississippi...so I won't be a factor. Which is probably a good thing, because I honestly can't commit to either one of these guys. I have enough things about each of them that I can't stand...that voting for either one of them would have instilled a feeling of irresponsibility in myself if that candidate should happen to win. 

I think its interesting that certain 'key' states are called MUST win states...that there is statistical data to suggest that winning those states amounts to a win for a particular side. I think that it really takes away the motivation for a lot of people to go out and vote. I mean...if you're some guy who is committed to a candidate, but you live in Wyoming,  a state that is barely noted by the 'voting experts,' what is your motivation to go vote? I think the Electoral College system is antiquated and needs to either be revamped, or just scrapped altogether. For the life of me, I can't begin to understand why the popular vote isn't the system we use. 

Whatever...I'm just glad I will be playing a poker tournament today, hopefully ALL DAY...at Venetian and won't have to watch the non-stop coverage of this thing. And I am SO freaking glad that after today we won't have to be hammered by stupid campaign ads. And finally, I won't keep getting 20-25 emails a day from the Obama people mooching campaign contributions. That has been going on for FOUR damn years now. This guy (IMO) spent more time trying to get re-elected then he did trying to be a good 1st term President. Its amazing how much I liked this guy in 2008...and how optimistic I was that he would really bring about positive change in our nation. Pffft. That was a bit of a pipe dream I guess. And the things he tries to take credit for kind of sicken me...since most of them are things that would have happened with or without him. Ahhh hell, whatever...someone is going to win, and someone is going to lose. I have no predictions. Let's just see what happens.

Everyone was afraid of the gorilla...except...of course, for Carley!!!

Earlier this week...Halloween paid us a visit. And as every holiday will be, for about the next 15 years...this one was ALL ABOUT Carley! We live in the type of neighborhood where you aren't going to see too many trick or treaters...a few neighbor kids, and then a handful of the poor people from the ghetto-like apartments down the street.  A lot of those 'kids' came by not wearing costumes, and being way too old to even be attempting to trick-or-treat. That kind of shit pisses me off. But of course Cheryl is always nice to EVERYONE...including them. So when she told them to 'help themselves,' they weren't shy about it...diggin in and pulling out several handfuls...while I was sitting there growling. Which...normally they may have heard and slowed down...but since this was my Halloween night costume (gorilla)? They probably thought it was just part of the act!

A Halloween gift from Ms. Pam...for our little pumpkin!

Daddy's sweet little elephant!!

Oh well...it wasn't that big of a deal I guess. The highlight of the night...was our neighbors across the street. She was dressed in all black, and was maybe a witch....he was a ghost, with a sheet tossed over his head. They were both sitting there in chairs...not moving. When the kids would approach...he would suddenly leap at them...BOOOO!!!! Lots of screaming, and running kids. It was hilarious. Me and Squirrel had set up a table and chairs in the garage and opened the door, leaving a dim light on to let them know we were 'open' for business. Squirrel had no idea I was going to put on my gorilla outfit...so when I came around the corner of the house...she freaked out! But what did Carley do? She snickered. Then just grinned. No fooling THAT kid!!!

Though Carley was at the last matchup of these two teams...watching from Mama's belly...she had to sit this one out...staying with her awesome babysitter, Ms. Pam. But she was decked out in her Bama colors for the day!!!

So the weekend came around...and it was time for some SEC football...in the form of the biggest game of the year. My good friend Brett Alello, who finished 2nd to me when I won my WSOP ring, and who lives in Baton Rouge...treated Squirrel, the Claw, and myself to the game. All we had to do was drive up there. Fortunately, a couple of our other friends, who have 4 kids and a giant 'Not-So-Mini-Van' joined us...and did the driving. It was a pretty smooth road trip since we left at 10am for a 7pm game. We got there in time to do about 4 hours of tailgating.

Road Trippin from Biloxi to Baton Rouge!!!!

My previous two trips to Death Valley left me loathing LSU fans. For some bizarre reason, they were being incredibly polite and really kind of friendly this time. I mean...there were some obvious exceptions, including two who I nearly came to blows with, one punk I actually backed him into a wall before his friends came and peeled him away from me and apologized for 'their drunk friend.' But for the most part...they were really acting classy...compared to past experiences. I think maybe the reason was that they didn't really feel like they had a chance in hell of winning...and likely went into the came without the usual swagger that they usually have. 

Squirrel was having some ugly episodes...she'd never been there before, so to her...she had no idea what 'bad' really was. The good news for her was that she had Claw with her...and that's a girl who does NOT take shit...from ANYONE. 

The girls...getting their Game Day 'drink on!'

THE CLAW meets THE TIGER!!!

I found me a bunch of 'Lil Tigers to play some ball with and prove that I am nowhere near as young and limber as I used to be!!!

Outside the stadium with our host, Brett!

                   In our seats...we were surrounded by LSU fans. Which I expected, since Brett is an LSU fan. We got along great with all of them. Why? Because we know how to act when in someone elses stadium. Basically. We would salute their big plays, and they ours. It was a mutually enjoyable game...until, well...the last drive. Then...you could see their mood change. Like someone had sucked the life out of them. And I can understand that. I mean...LSU probably (easily, actually) played their best game of the year...and Alabama was a little flat, and made a few critical mistakes that LSU knew they would need to get to have a chance to win. It was a great game. In front of a record crowd in Death Valley...and at the end of the day, the Crimson Tide had survived, and left 8-0...with three games left...the toughest, being at home next weekend against Texas A&M. 

Squirrel was a good sport all throughout the game...and when a guy in the row in front of us (who's wife was cool enough to shuttle me some of her bourbon!) would turn around every single time LSU did anything positive, and start chanting...'Not Here! Not in OUR house!' 'Our House!!!' Over and over...ad nauseum. So it was especially sweet when Bama engineered the last game-winning drive...leaving only seconds on the clock for LSU to work with...which they did nothing with. That was when the low-key got her revenge. She gently tapped the guy on the shoulder...and when he turned around...says "Thank you for the hospitality! Roll Tide!!!"

The view from our seats....

In the middle of the game...I realized I had left my iPad at the tailgating area. Usually they won't let you leave and come back in...but I found a nice older lady who was a security supervisor and she gave me permission. So began the most grueling workout of 2012...as I jogged all the way back to our tailgating area...where I found my iPad...in some woman's hand...who was reluctant to give it up...not believing me that it was mine. Okay...listen lady...I'm going to prove it to you...first, by entering my 4-digit unlock code...then, by showing you my desktop photo of my daughter...and allowing you to match THAT picture, to the one here on my iPhone. Believe me now? She still 'thought I should leave it there until the game is over and Chris (some guy who I guess had left his cooler there) comes back.' Ugh...yeah...that's not gonna happen. I practically had to pry it from her fingers. Then it was another long jog back to the stadium, where I went in the wrong exit...and had a bitch of a time finding my way back to the seats. At any rate...I finally made it. 

Check out this lady. It struck me as kind of a cool picture. Here are 93,000+ fans watching the biggest game of the year...and she is all alone, sitting on a bench just outside the stadium, reading a book. She couldn't have been any more content. I asked her if I could take her picture. Sure!

AJ McCarron to TJ Yeldon...Bama scores! Bama wins!!!!

Two extremely happy Bama girls!!!

Well, as you all know, Bama escaped with the win...and we waited quite a while before leaving the stadium...just so we could soak it all in, while letting the stadium empty out, and hopefully...the traffic to subside a little. Pffft. So much for THAT plan. We spent two hours in the parking lot just socializing...before we even TRIED to get out of there. And once we did get in the car...it took another TWO hours to get out of Baton Rouge. I'm not sure how you have a stadium, in the SEC...that has a transportation system that is THAT horrible. It's the worst I've ever seen...anywhere. Good thing we didn't have to be anywhere by a certain time. Carley spent the night with our babysitter, as we never made it home until about 4am. We slept 3 hours and picked her up at 7am.

To top off the weekend, ALL OF OUR favorite football teams won. Though, calling my Washington Huskies game against CAL a win is kind of done so with the shame that came with calling the win over Green Bay by the Seahawks a victory. It was one of the sloppiest, most embarrassingly bad games I've ever watched...but someone had to win, and I'm glad it was us...because with Utah being our only real 'tough' game remaining, we have a good shot now at finishing 8-4, making another bowl game..and continuing to  rebuild our program. In the NFL, my Seahawks continued to improve, and my free dinner 'anywhere in Vegas' at the hands of Gavin Smith is looking better and better...with them only needing to win a total of 7 games per our bet...before Gavin has to sit with me and watch me devour a gigantic meal consisting of oysters, and steak and most likely a fine red wine!!! And of course, last night...the Saints finally found their winning ways at home...dispatching the struggling Eagles. Drew Brees extended his incredible record of a touchdown pass in a game for...what? The 50th game? 51? He has to keep it up too...because he has Tom Brady hot on his heels!! So with the Saints now at 3-5, they still have their work cut out for them...but they aren't dead yet.

So...yeah, today begins a 12-day stretch of events in Las Vegas at one of my favorite venues of all time, the Venetian. So far their turnout has been pretty healthy. Its probably aided by the recently concluded Wynn Classic and an event at Caesar's. Also...I think a lot of people who were going to go to play the Borgata Open might opt for Vegas instead. I really wanted to go to Atlantic City for that event...but honestly couldn't get anything resembling a decent flight into there, due to the storm. On that note, my heartfelt condolences go out to anyone affected by SuperStorm Sandy (as they are now more accurately calling it...as it morphed from a hurricane into a beast of a Nor'Easter). I lived in NYC for five years back in the early 90's and still have friends up there. I've also made a lot of new friends up there through poker. Seeing the destruction...damn, its just amazing the power that water has when it pushes ashore. We've witnessed that kind of destruction down here in Biloxi and the whole gulf coast really...its horrendous. And once it falls off of the country's radar as being newsworthy, and the media has moved on to the next issue...the residents are just left with mountains of debris and broken dreams. I hope the northeast can recover quickly. Hopefully they aren't bogged down with a bunch of insurance delays like we were on the Gulf Coast after Ivan and Katrina.

That's about all I have for you...got a lot of other 'stuff' I need to tend to before I start my day, and walk it over to Venetian for my first event of this trip. I really could use a good trip. Especially with the holidays approaching. It's been a very 'negative e.v.' fall so far...I usually have a strong fall every year...with all my various financial ventures...but this year has sucked. Bad. And I still haven't gotten a tenant (5 months now) into my rental home in Pensacola...as I am stuck holding, waiting for the city sewer to hook into my lines over there (delays on permits and shit). I decided to 'gamble' and load up on oil stocks last week...predicting that after the election comes and goes...the fuel prices will skyrocket again. They always seem to go down leading up to the election...trying to sway voters...but then after, they stop caring...and the oil companies return to their greedy ways. At least that's how I hope it goes...at least for a month or two! (as a footnote, the price of oil escalated almost $3 a barrel in late trading on Election Day!)

Okay...hopefully, there will be some good news coming out of here this week!!!!

MONKEY