I've added a button on my site to facilitate my trip. This is for donations. I don't really expect any, but I want to make sure I'm doing anything and everything I can to to get there. Any amount, no matter the size, is appreciated.
--Breakdown--
I'm still working on a goal amount. The plan is a 3-4 day weekend, around the a blogger event. I'd prefer the December event for two reasons:
1) more time to save
2) more time to focus on meeting and hanging out with bloggers (since a summer event usually is in the middle of the WSOP.
The goal amount, basically include airfare and hotel, food/drinks and gambling. I'm thinking, originally my thinking was $5000, but that's just a first number with no real research or input. Now I have yet to do any real research yet, but in talking with people, that's probably a bit high for 3-4 days.
$3000 might be a little closer to reality and probably even $2000. The biggest issue is that I don't want to get out there and have only a few bucks for gambling. So I want to be able to have at least $1000 strictly earmarked for gambling. Now I'm not a degenerate gambling and I don't really play table games, I mostly stick with poker, with such a large group of people, I'm sure I'll be "talked" into some PaiGow and Craps.
So that is my rough draft of a plan. I put it on the side, but again, if I'm falling way short of my goal by the time October rolls around, I will withdraw any donations and add that to my Foxwoods bankroll to try to get there in December. Again, it's the thoughts that count. Any amount is appreciated.
My Goal and Donations
Las Vegas Nevada Moves Further Away
Ok, so may the continent didn't split and everything west fo the Mississississississippi River isn't drifting out to sea. More than likely, I'm talking about my goal of making it to Vegas this year. Mind you not a huge setback since I'm more or less at the beginning of this goal, there's no way to get further from the goal. But with the loss at Foxwoods yesterday, I'm slipping back a little. And, now I have a decision to make.
For playing poker, I more or less have $180. Now if I go broke, I can usually scape up 50 or 60 to play in the not-so-monthly home game in the future. But with that full 180, it's pretty much not worth it to drive to Foxwoods. It's an hour drive (that's about $40 in gas, back and forth), and variance, it's hard to justify another trip. Now, my other option is the online route. Now recently I haven't played well online. But I think most of that is from me trying to take the few bucks I get in affiliate money and turn that into some sort of playable bankroll. Which usually means me not playing patiently enough and blowing it on one hand. That is much less likely with an actual (granted small) bankroll of say $100.00. Plus if I'm playing at the .05/.10 or .10/.25 level and start to play poorly, I can step back and take a break. When I have my entire bankroll at the table you play poorly you sit out and wait for the next month. So, my 7 readers (I know I have 7 because I re-added my blog to my Bloglines, and it had 7 subscribers- I guess I might have 6 readers and the 7th was me, previously), do I throw $100 onto FTP and try to build a bankroll that way, or do I hold on to it (which is a risk, cash burns holes in my pockets), and try to save enough to hit Foxwoods again? I've added a Poll to the site.
Live at the Bi... er Foxwoods.
Well I decided to make a short trip to Foxwoods with Slappy on Sunday (I don't know why I link to his blog when he hasn't posted since August 20th). It was fun, as live poker always is, despite not winning.
Here are some notes:
The First Table: Slappy and I are seated at the same 1/2 NL table. Tables been in session for a while as there are a few large stacks. Two big stacks get involved with VERY marginal hands. One guy gets lucky, rivering two pair to win a HUGE pot. The winner turns out to be extremely aggressive, often putting in large bets with absolutely nothing. Slappy wins a big hand early with just top pair (KQ) against him, aggressive guy mucks. I play a hand very poorly against he loser of that first hand. I have 66 and put in a small raise. I may have gotten a couple of callers. The flop is 883. I bet and only get one caller (the guy who lost that first pot earlier- who also seems to be playing ATC). Turn is a Jack. We both check. River is a 9. I check, he bets. I stupidly call and he shows J9. I lose about 25% of my stack.
My final hand was some what poorly played but I was losing patience and my stack was dwindling. On the car ride to Foxwoods, Slappy and I had a discussion about AQ and why it's such a poor hand. Of course, I'm dealt AQ. I raised and got a caller or two. Flop comes AJx. I bet and one guy min raises me. I almost immediately push. I could have folded, but I couldn't really call the min raise or re-raise without pushing all in. If I would have thought about it, I should have figured I was beat. The guy seems to be playing solid. I haven't seen him get out of line and despite his stacks of reds and whites (which probably a few hundred), he also has at least 3 $100 dollar chips. I should have figured him for not going crazy with anything. Would he really re-raise a preflop raiser with AT or anything I can beat? Unlikely. He shows AJ and I'm busto. I go for a walk. I come back a few minutes later and rail Slappy for a bit, but then I sign up for another table. One note: after I left Slappy informed me that the guy with J9 earlier went on a crazy rush for like 3 hours where he played EVERY hand (literally) and would constantly hit two pair and most of the time it was good.
The Second Table: I'm WAY off the list. More than 20 people ahead of me. So I figured I won't be sitting for a while. They suddenly start two fresh tables and I'm playing again. And since I'm not sitting with anyone I know, I pop my Ipod into one ear and let the Richard Cheese play. Everyone is relatively close. Some people buy in for max, others buy in for about a third of the max. I'm in the middle. The table starts off tight as things tend to do at a new table, while people try to figure things out. Old Cranky guy to my right shows a set early when everyone folds to his post flop bet. Fireworks suddenly errupt between two players in a set over set situation. I split a pot with the Cosenza when I a river jack gives me a straight. Another guy was had A10 too. But there had been a few other in the hand earlier, so it was slightly profitable. We had one guy who, if on the river, you even put your hands on your chips, if he didn't have anything, he'd fold immediately. I didn't get a chance to use this. But the Kid to my right used it frequently. Even showing a worse hand (which was stupid, but the guy didn't stop), when he put his hand on his chips, the Foldy Guy shows an ace for ace high and mucks. As soon as the cards hit the Kid shows J high. I took a hand early from the Kid, before he got overly aggressive. I had 6c9c and played it from the small blind. Lots of limpers. I check with the flop is JT5, two clubs. It limps and the Kid bets. I call, everyone else folds. Turn is a J. We both check. River is a T. I check. The Kid thinks and think, is tempted to bet, but finally he just checks. We both go to muck our cards, I realize he's about to muck his too (now I wasn't about to muck unless he showed his hand, but I was gretting ready to toss 'em. Him seeing me muck waits to see if I will. I show my 9 (actually the dealer makes me show both) for two pair with a 9. He shows 4d 2d for basically playing the board. And I take down a small pot. I got dealt pocket aces once. Raised and got a few callers. Flop is ragged, I bet, get one caller. Turn is a blank and I bet again and the last person folds. Another hand I'm dealt AK in the SB. There's a bunch of limpers so I make a larger raise. Surprisingly everyone folded. I flipped over the Ace. Most people assumed I had aces. I was showing a profit but played one hand poorly against the Kid. He showed a lot of aggression and would sometimes show his hand sometimes good, sometimes bad. I'm dealt Jd9d. I call a small raise in position from the Kid. The flop comes A9x. With two diamonds. It checks around, I bet, he calls. Turn is a 6, non diamond. The Kid checks again, and I check. the river is another card lower than a 9. I have 2nd pair. I puts in a $40 bet (a little more than pot). I thought about it for a few minutes and thought that with that bet size, 2nd pair could be good. I call and he shows A6. In the end, on this table I was down about 20. But with the exception of that one play, I played OK. I really need to amp up my aggression.
That's one of the nice things about the no-so-monthly home game. The structure is fast, but the buy-ins are cheap, so we get 5 or 6 tournaments in. This will give me a chance to try out some new styles and plays.
Interesting Note: I don't go to Foxwoods often. And I've had women at my table before. But my first table was almost half women when we sat down. My second table had fewer, and there were a bunch around the casino. Nice to see more women playing.
One final note: Another think I love about Foxwoods (possibly most casinos, but I haven't been to another casino in a few years), Hot Asian Dealers. Yummy!
One Week And Counting
Well I have my "monthly" home game next weekend, and I'm stoked! Granted, this "monthly" home game hasn't occured in close to 9 months. But it should be a lot of fun. A lot of guys who know each other somewhat well and we're all comfortable with each other. Playing poker with an incredibly fast structure. It's not really about the money since in the end it's a crap shoot. And we play so many $10 tourneys that you really need to win 2 to break even. But it's about poker and good times.
Now, should I have a Foxwoods Warm up tomorrow? I want to the the wife is giving me some guilt about it. Granted it's the remainder of my Xmas money, but it's really only enough for one buy-in @ 1/2. Unless I want to buy in for 100 or yikes, 40. BUt thats' unlikely. The max is 300, but I only have 200. Decisions, decisions.
One of the things pulling me to do it, is my new goal. Blogger event in 08. More than likely I'll hit the December one. As I figure there will be too much going on in the Summer one since it's usually during the WSOP. Don't get me wrong, I want to attend a WSOP at some point in the future, but for a first blogger event, I figure it should be a more relaxed atmosphere. But this could be the beginning of my journey.
Poker Jones
I am jonesin' for some poker. I need to play. Play chips doesn't do it. I'll have to give a whirl to some freerolls. I haven't checked my Railbirds. account. I'll have to check out that account to get into their freerolls. More cash and less people. Slightly better EV. I've been reading Super System 2 and want to try some adjustments to my play. Early on in a freeroll you either have to be HYPER-aggressive or super tight. You'll have plenty of people pushing all in for a quick double up, so you can either join them or wait for a hand.
What I really want to do is dump $50 into the FTP and jump in with all of it, and try to get a decent bankroll built quickly, then I can drop down a level to the micro limits.
I've also been eager to try some Sports Betting. Though with the NFL season over, that's the only sport I even remotely follow. But that will require cash on Bodog.
If we don't spend all the holiday money this weekend, maybe I'll head to Foxwoods on Sunday.
Bad Beat?
Is this a bad beat?
I got a good sum of money from my in-laws for Christmas . Enough for a full buy-in at 1/2 no limit at Foxwoods. Plus enough left over for their lower buy-in SnG. The Mrs got the same amount. Right away the Mrs. earmarked pretty much all of it (hers and mine) for household items. BAH HUMBUG!
Let's pray there's a quarter of it left over for my personal use.
I did win $40.00 from a stocking-stuffer scratch off. Now I just need to go to another state to cash it. But that will probably go into Full Tilt or maybe get me a Wii or 360 game.
Super Tilt!
What the fuck happened??? I have no idea. I managed to scratch some cash together (very little) and decided to stick with SnGs. I managed to win a few $1 ones. Then I played in two 4 person headsup Shootouts. First one, with in a few hands, I had KQ, I raised. Player called. Flop came out 333. I bet, he reaised and I pushed. He called with K7. The turn was a 5 and the river, a 7. I don't know why but I tilted. I started another one. 2 hands in I'm dealt 10-7. I call a small raise. Flop comes JTx. I bet, he insta-pushes. I don't even think long. I mean there's about 150 in the pot and I have to call almost 1500. So obviously I call with 2nd pair. He shows J9 and I'm out.
Now, I thought that might have been a turning point for me. I realized that when it comes to online, I do not want to be bluffed. And I KNOW I'm going to be bluffed from time to time, apparently I can't allow that to happen.
Well tonight was the Mookie. My last $11. 69 players started. Top place was about $200. I was ready to take first place and rebuild my bankroll. Build enough cash to go to Vegas in 08.
I proceed to play the worst poker in my life and bust out in the Gigli- 69th. While not a bad number, it's not good when there are only 69 players. I don't know what happened, I played so craptasticly. Mindless bluffs, calling flush draws (which is a leak in my game anyway). It was just ugly.
I need to re-evaluate my game. I need a game. I suck. Fuck you!
WSOP and the Summer
Well, after my last post, it's pretty clear that I have no readers, but I'll keep plugging away. Maybe eventually there will be readers. And they'll want to have access to all my wit and knowledge.
My goal f0r 2007: Attend a blogger event in Las Vegas.
Problems: I'm broke. I don't just mean my poker bankroll, in life. I really can't afford it. For a nice long weekend at a blogger event, I'm planning on needing about $5,000. That will include airfare and hotel, food, drinks, spending money. That number could be high or low, I'm not sure. How to do this? I have no idea. As my current poker bankroll is $0.00. That's not true. I have $11. Slappy transferred me money for the Mookie, but I was too tired to play last night. Next week. If I do win, I owe him half.
What it comes down to is that I'm going to have to win some kind of tournament. I need to start to develop a bankroll and take down a 24k guarantee or something.
I am jonesin' for Vegas.
An Unimpressive Weight Loss Challenge.
I'm a big, but can wear baggie clothes to hide it. I'm 6'1" and in general, I have a big frame. But there's no way around it. Like most Americans, I'm overweight. I'm roughly around 245. Weight Watchers says someone my height should be 180. I disagree with this, and not because I'm 245. For someone with my build, 180 would look sickly. However, I do think something closer to 200 would be better.
Last year, as some of you (by you I mean the one reader I have, probably someone who just googled "poker playlists") know, I tried a diet last year. I started out at 248 and got down as low as 225. But then I hit the snag where dieting, alone wasn't working, and I hate the gym and to excersize, in general. I tried jogging a few months back, but HATED IT! And as you can see by my current weight, I've put most of it back on.
What I'm thinking about, is, as an added incentive, turning this into a prop bet (similar to this guy and this guy). Basically, starting, Jan 1st, I plan on trying to lose 40 pounds (get to 205). I was originally going to do a straight year, where on Jan 1st 2009 I have to weight 205 or less. But as I'm not rich or confident that I can do this, I can't bet a lot of money, so I don't think anyone would want to weight a year to win a few bucks.
Now what I want to know, is how many people would be interested? This is not binding yet. I want to see how much interest and, well, if I even have any readers. But I want to know, if you'd be interested in the prop bets and what kind. Say 205lbs in 9 months, or have to be 205 on January 1st (which is probably harder since we have to make it through the holidays.
Why Do I Even Play?
Seriously? Not that I play often. I'm busted on FTP and funds are tight at home so no money to deposit. The only playing I get is the occasional stake from by buddy Slappy, or from the rakeback and/or affiliate cash I get. Which amounts to about $3.00 a month.
This month, I was actually starting to build on it. Got it up close to $10. To the point where I was able to sit down at a table and not have the ENTIRE bankroll on the line, but at least half.
The first session I donked off my stack on a flush draw. I figured it could help later as I was playing rather tight. I got reloaded with the rest of my bankroll and continued to play at the table. I limp with A8 suited. Antoher limper and the button makes a standard raise (he's aggressive). I call. Flop is 8 high with only one of my suits. I bet, he raises, I push, he calls with his Aces. I'm out again, destined to either play a freeroll (no way am I playing another Razz freeroll) or wait until next month (though the people I've signed up don't play much anymore), or I think Slappy will stake me in the Mookie tomorrow night. Maybe I'll take that down. I'll probably use some Xmas money for a deposit though.
