A Little Love for Y'All
If you all haven't seen this, be sure to check it out. There's lot's of cool stuff up for grabs, including one of our amazing Aussie Millions prize packages.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Aah...
It's a lazy Sunday here in Dublin town in the middle of a three-day weekend. It's a much needed and much appreciated break. It's also the weekend where the clocks go back, which means it got dark at about 5Pm. Not so fun. But still, I have another day off from work, and that's not all bad at the moment.
Making today even better is that I actually got to watch good 'ol American football at a reasonable hour. And it was my team, Big Blue - the New York Giants - who did their best to give the lowly Dolphins a chance to win their first game of the season by giving up a touchdown in the last two minutes. Alas, the Dolphins suck even more than my G-Men, and couldn't figure out a way to come over the top and take their victory. Go Giants!
As for other things... there's not much to say. I was actually social this weekend and went to a friend's house party for a few hours. Of course, a house party here is just an excuse to hang out with all of the people I spend my time with at work during the week, but at least there's free-flowing booze and opportunity for mayhem. In all, it was a worthwhile excursion to the 'burbs.
On the poker front, I'm continuing my up and down ways. I had a good live night on Friday, and have have a some nice sessions at the $5-$10 tables on FTP over the past couple of days. My luck on Paddy has gone south, however, and I'm currently in the hole over there. I'm not too worried though, as the games are soft and I should be able to recoup.
With that in mind, I'm just counting down the weeks until Thanksgiving and a return trip to the States. It's hard to believe it's been more than six months since my last trip back. I'm missing the "normalcy" of home, and can certainly use a dose of the U.S. to keep me going. I'm also looking at some other trips, including possible excursions back to Germany and London in the coming weeks. Anything to get away from here for awhile.
So, that's the ramble for the day. Maybe I'll do it again soon.
It's a lazy Sunday here in Dublin town in the middle of a three-day weekend. It's a much needed and much appreciated break. It's also the weekend where the clocks go back, which means it got dark at about 5Pm. Not so fun. But still, I have another day off from work, and that's not all bad at the moment.
Making today even better is that I actually got to watch good 'ol American football at a reasonable hour. And it was my team, Big Blue - the New York Giants - who did their best to give the lowly Dolphins a chance to win their first game of the season by giving up a touchdown in the last two minutes. Alas, the Dolphins suck even more than my G-Men, and couldn't figure out a way to come over the top and take their victory. Go Giants!
As for other things... there's not much to say. I was actually social this weekend and went to a friend's house party for a few hours. Of course, a house party here is just an excuse to hang out with all of the people I spend my time with at work during the week, but at least there's free-flowing booze and opportunity for mayhem. In all, it was a worthwhile excursion to the 'burbs.
On the poker front, I'm continuing my up and down ways. I had a good live night on Friday, and have have a some nice sessions at the $5-$10 tables on FTP over the past couple of days. My luck on Paddy has gone south, however, and I'm currently in the hole over there. I'm not too worried though, as the games are soft and I should be able to recoup.
With that in mind, I'm just counting down the weeks until Thanksgiving and a return trip to the States. It's hard to believe it's been more than six months since my last trip back. I'm missing the "normalcy" of home, and can certainly use a dose of the U.S. to keep me going. I'm also looking at some other trips, including possible excursions back to Germany and London in the coming weeks. Anything to get away from here for awhile.
So, that's the ramble for the day. Maybe I'll do it again soon.
Friday, October 19, 2007
Chop, Chop
After one of the most frustrating week's of poker I've had in a long, long time, I managed to turn things around last night in a live 50 + 5 buy-in (that's in Euro) tournament at my local card room.
After showing up a little buzzed at the start of the 9PM event, I managed to limp my way through the first three levels to hit the break with about 20 BB. Not great shape, but not horrible either. I pretty much maintained this level through the next two hours and then, finally, got things going when I cracked Aces after flopping a set of 3s. Sweet.
That double up gave me enough cushion to cruise to the final table where, suddenly, I started getting hit by the deck. Aces, twice (and cracked once). Kings, twice. A-K vs. A-Q, and it holds, etc. By 3AM, we were three handed and I was solidly in second place. We talked about ending the tourney there, but couldn't reach a deal, so we played on until the short stack busted after trying to steal the blinds with Q-6 off-suit.
Once we reached heads-up play, we didn't even bother dealing. We worked a deal and called it a night. All in all, I can't complain. I played tight (for me) and managed to survive through a long stretch of dead cards without losing too many chips. More importantly, I somehow managed to get paid on most of my big hands throughout the night.
I won't say the night redeemed my awful week, but it certainly helped to lessen the pain of all those bad beats I've been taking.
After one of the most frustrating week's of poker I've had in a long, long time, I managed to turn things around last night in a live 50 + 5 buy-in (that's in Euro) tournament at my local card room.
After showing up a little buzzed at the start of the 9PM event, I managed to limp my way through the first three levels to hit the break with about 20 BB. Not great shape, but not horrible either. I pretty much maintained this level through the next two hours and then, finally, got things going when I cracked Aces after flopping a set of 3s. Sweet.
That double up gave me enough cushion to cruise to the final table where, suddenly, I started getting hit by the deck. Aces, twice (and cracked once). Kings, twice. A-K vs. A-Q, and it holds, etc. By 3AM, we were three handed and I was solidly in second place. We talked about ending the tourney there, but couldn't reach a deal, so we played on until the short stack busted after trying to steal the blinds with Q-6 off-suit.
Once we reached heads-up play, we didn't even bother dealing. We worked a deal and called it a night. All in all, I can't complain. I played tight (for me) and managed to survive through a long stretch of dead cards without losing too many chips. More importantly, I somehow managed to get paid on most of my big hands throughout the night.
I won't say the night redeemed my awful week, but it certainly helped to lessen the pain of all those bad beats I've been taking.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Give a Beat, Get Two in Return
Last week, I told you about this sick hand. Now, I've got two more for you and neither of them are as pretty.
Hand #1 takes place in a $1-$2 game with a live $5. UTG raises to $20 and gets four callers. I pick up Aces on the button and pop it $100 more. Early position calls. So far, so good.
On a flop of A-K-J rainbow, EP - who has me covered - pushes all in. I insta-call and show top set. He tables A-Q and says "I've got outs."
Son of a bitch if the damn bastard didn't, hitting his 10 on the turn for Broadway. When the board failed to pair, I called it a night and went home where even more fun ensued.
Later in the evening I'm playing $20-$40 Limit online when I pick up Q-10c on the button. I raise and get one caller. The flop brings a Q and the turn brings another one, giving me trips. The betting caps on the turn, and the river brings an A. My opponent bets, I raise, he flat calls and tables pocket rockets for the house.
Call it unlucky or call it Karma, but right now I'm just calling it painful. And expensive.
Last week, I told you about this sick hand. Now, I've got two more for you and neither of them are as pretty.
Hand #1 takes place in a $1-$2 game with a live $5. UTG raises to $20 and gets four callers. I pick up Aces on the button and pop it $100 more. Early position calls. So far, so good.
On a flop of A-K-J rainbow, EP - who has me covered - pushes all in. I insta-call and show top set. He tables A-Q and says "I've got outs."
Son of a bitch if the damn bastard didn't, hitting his 10 on the turn for Broadway. When the board failed to pair, I called it a night and went home where even more fun ensued.
Later in the evening I'm playing $20-$40 Limit online when I pick up Q-10c on the button. I raise and get one caller. The flop brings a Q and the turn brings another one, giving me trips. The betting caps on the turn, and the river brings an A. My opponent bets, I raise, he flat calls and tables pocket rockets for the house.
Call it unlucky or call it Karma, but right now I'm just calling it painful. And expensive.
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Now I Understand
If you liked my previous post, you'll love this...
The Licensed Vintner's Association
If you liked my previous post, you'll love this...
The Licensed Vintner's Association
Sunday, October 07, 2007
A Little Poker
OK - I'm in a productive mood, so I'm making this a double-header posting session. Who knew I had it in me?
Anyway, for everyone who complains that online poker is rigged and that you never see the kinds of hands in live games that you do online, I want to share a hand from a live session I played last night.
The scene: $1-$2 NLH w/a live $5 straddle.
Your hero: The straddler, holding K-10 off-suit.
Two players call the straddle from middle position, and short-stacked rock in SB raises to $30. Solid BB calls, as do I. Everyone else folds.
The flop: A-Q-J rainbow, giving me Broadway.
SB pushes all-in for $140 and BB raises to $400. I shove all-in for a total of $600 and BB goes into the tank before calling (he had me covered by about $80).
Hands are turned up revealing that SB is holding Pocket Jacks and had flopped a set, while BB is holding A-Q off-suit, and had flopped two pair.
The turn brings a 10 and a solid sweat as any other Broadway card now costs me the pot or chops it with the BB.
The river is a blank, giving me the win and a nice $1,300 pot.
Online, this hand would sparked a ton of chatter between both the players and the railbirds who would again point out how unlikely that three players in the blinds would get into a hand like this. Honestly, how can the game not be rigged?
But this was a live hand I'm talking about, dealt in a real card room by a professional dealer after a thorough shuffling of the deck. It was as random a hand you could hope for and yet, one of the most unlikely combination of cards was dealt to three players sitting in succession at the table.
Does this mean live poker is rigged? Not at all. In fact, it took hours of play before this hand happened, but the fact remains that this hand - or one like it - would have happened sometime soon. It's just a matter of time, and that's what many online players forget.
One of the key differences to remember about live and online play is that that online, you're dealt many more hands per hour, which means your going to see many more "action flops" along the way. It's a simple correlation.
So, the next time you take a bad beat or think how the hell could those players have been holding those cards, remember this hand because, in the end, it doesn't matter where you play. Big hands are going to happen and you're going to win some of them and lose others. Enjoy them when they end up in your favor and try not to bitch about them too much when they don't.
Now, if I can just win a hand online...
JK
OK - I'm in a productive mood, so I'm making this a double-header posting session. Who knew I had it in me?
Anyway, for everyone who complains that online poker is rigged and that you never see the kinds of hands in live games that you do online, I want to share a hand from a live session I played last night.
The scene: $1-$2 NLH w/a live $5 straddle.
Your hero: The straddler, holding K-10 off-suit.
Two players call the straddle from middle position, and short-stacked rock in SB raises to $30. Solid BB calls, as do I. Everyone else folds.
The flop: A-Q-J rainbow, giving me Broadway.
SB pushes all-in for $140 and BB raises to $400. I shove all-in for a total of $600 and BB goes into the tank before calling (he had me covered by about $80).
Hands are turned up revealing that SB is holding Pocket Jacks and had flopped a set, while BB is holding A-Q off-suit, and had flopped two pair.
The turn brings a 10 and a solid sweat as any other Broadway card now costs me the pot or chops it with the BB.
The river is a blank, giving me the win and a nice $1,300 pot.
Online, this hand would sparked a ton of chatter between both the players and the railbirds who would again point out how unlikely that three players in the blinds would get into a hand like this. Honestly, how can the game not be rigged?
But this was a live hand I'm talking about, dealt in a real card room by a professional dealer after a thorough shuffling of the deck. It was as random a hand you could hope for and yet, one of the most unlikely combination of cards was dealt to three players sitting in succession at the table.
Does this mean live poker is rigged? Not at all. In fact, it took hours of play before this hand happened, but the fact remains that this hand - or one like it - would have happened sometime soon. It's just a matter of time, and that's what many online players forget.
One of the key differences to remember about live and online play is that that online, you're dealt many more hands per hour, which means your going to see many more "action flops" along the way. It's a simple correlation.
So, the next time you take a bad beat or think how the hell could those players have been holding those cards, remember this hand because, in the end, it doesn't matter where you play. Big hands are going to happen and you're going to win some of them and lose others. Enjoy them when they end up in your favor and try not to bitch about them too much when they don't.
Now, if I can just win a hand online...
JK
The Road to Hell
If it's really paved in good intentions, then I'm cruising down four lanes of freshly paved blacktop in a '67 Coupe de Ville convertible with the top down, a pint of Jack Daniels, and Elvis cranking on the stereo.
But hey, at least I'm enjoying the ride.
If you're a frequent visitor to this page (and really, why would you be), you'll know that I haven't posted much of anything recently. My bad. It's just that, well... oh... it doesn't really matter.
Anyway, here's the quick rundown of what's going on:
So, yes this is a new post in a newly formatted blog. Whether it's the first of many remains to be seen. I don't make resolutions, so I'm not going to promise anything about the frequency of my posts. I'll try to do more, but there's a wide open highway in front of me and I've got a lot of driving left to do.
JK
If it's really paved in good intentions, then I'm cruising down four lanes of freshly paved blacktop in a '67 Coupe de Ville convertible with the top down, a pint of Jack Daniels, and Elvis cranking on the stereo.
But hey, at least I'm enjoying the ride.
If you're a frequent visitor to this page (and really, why would you be), you'll know that I haven't posted much of anything recently. My bad. It's just that, well... oh... it doesn't really matter.
Anyway, here's the quick rundown of what's going on:
- I'm still in Dublin
- Dublin is still, for the most part, cold, rainy, and dull
- Work is still taking up a huge part of my time
- I've done a good amount of travelling over the past few months, including visits to London (work), Rome (vacation), and Berlin/Hamburg (work)
- I've got a bunch of photos from various trips and things that I'll get around to posting one day soon
- I'm planning a trip back to the States for Thanksgiving
- I actually did something fun last night and went to see the Police at Croke Park here in Dublin (they rocked, by the way)
- Oh... and I'm 40
So, yes this is a new post in a newly formatted blog. Whether it's the first of many remains to be seen. I don't make resolutions, so I'm not going to promise anything about the frequency of my posts. I'll try to do more, but there's a wide open highway in front of me and I've got a lot of driving left to do.
JK
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