Journal:
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November 18th, 2007
I'm Back From Break.
It was a short summer but a wonderful few months away. Summer ended with Lisa and I visiting Sedona, Arizona and taking time to recharge ourselves. Coming home I vowed to play a better game. A smarter game. Fewer hands and stronger hands. It appears to have made a difference. In the past 11 days I have placed 3rd in one tournament and chopped first place in another. You have heard of the expression, a chip and a chair. Well, I was down to my last chip, a one hundred dollar chip and came back to chop first place. Yes, you do need to get lucky and I did. I also played smart after getting a small stack. I have also had a run at hitting the high hand. This is where the casino pays off the high hand in any 2-hour period. Four times in 11 days the cards fell my way. It started with a queen high straight flush on Monday, then quad nines on Wednesday, followed by quad sixes both on Friday and Saturday. In total I pocketed an additional $1300 in high hand money. This is the way to come back from a summer vacation. I read through parts of SuperSystem2 and Harrington on Hold 'em once again. With every read I learn something new. Something that didn't make sense at first glance, but now seems all too obvious. I believe this comes with more playing time and experience. After all, how many times can you make the same mistakes before realizing that you have to change your game. We have all experienced this aspect of poker. So I'm back and looking forward to playing more this fall and winter. I hope the cards are treating you kindly.
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July 30th, 2007
Summer Break.
After Michael's friend, Rep Porter, finished 39th in The Main Event and collected a cool $237,000 it was time to put away the cards and enjoy the great Pacific Northwest. These long warm summer days are the best for finding a sandy beach or an outside deck for happy hour. So with that I will wish everyone a grand summer and hope to see you again soon in the fall for more poker madness.
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June 30th, 2007
Final Table and More.
I made the call to Michael at 4:00 a.m. on the 23rd. He had just made the final table of event #36, Omaha Split, and I wanted to congratulate him. It was clear to me that a change of flight plans was in order. I landed in Las Vegas, rented a car and headed for the Rio. I walked in and found the ESPN staging area just as Michael was being intoduced. A few hours later Michael was eliminated in 7th place and received a check for $44,744.00!! The celebration was on. My own play did not have as happy an ending. I made the 1st break of event #41 only to go all-in with a set of 10's. I was called by a pair of J's and was busted out when the turn card brought another J. A similar fate was waiting for me at the Venetian. Playing in the Deep Stack Tournament, I once again made the 1st break. I came back strong with the nut flush. only to get busted out by a full house when a J was turned on the river. I made a few dollars on the live tables, mostly playing 2-5 no limit. I got to play with a few Seattle regulars and ofcourse most of the pro-players were there. Action 24/7 at the Rio during The World Series is a given. Outside the temperatures reached 107 degrees. Vegas is hot in more ways then you think.
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June 14th, 2007
World Series Of Poker.
My plane ticket has been punched and I am off to the series on June 23rd. I look to enter event #41 and also play at the Bellagio and Venetian. My buddy Michael, who just returned from Vegas and cashing in the two events he entered, will be going back down as well. Event #1 was won by a young gun from Seattle. $727,000 is not a bad way to start your tournament. Life changing money to be sure. I have been playing in my local low stakes tournament daily and have been playing well of late, making the final table in my past two appearances. I'll be updating you when I return from Sin City.
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May 28th, 2007
Happy Memorial Day Jim.
Playing this morning at Goldie's, it was nice to see a regular player hit the Monte Carlo. Jim held tight his Qh-Jh when the the flop brought the Ah-Kh. I could see him edge closer to the table when the turn showed a 10, however it was a diamond and I could see Jim fall back just a little in his seat. No fear for the river brought the 10h and completed his royal for a $4500 payout. It was a great way for Jim to celebrate Memorial Day. Oh by the way, Jim asked everyone not to call his wife!
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May 22nd, 2007
Back to Back Once Back at Goldie's.
The latest version of high hand poker gives a $100 every hour on the hour to the high hand. Sitting at a $3-$6 table, I hit quad 10's at 12:35 p.m. and it held for my first payout. Shortly after 1 p.m. I hit aces full of jacks and this hand also paid me the $100. I stayed around for yet another try between the 2-3 hour, best alas it was dealer Annie playing on her own time that hit quad K's for the high hand. Annie also received a $500 bonus for hitting her quads. Nice way to start a day!
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April 22nd, 2007
Pendleton Poker Round-Up Spring 2007.
I drove down to Pendleton, Oregon with my friend Michael to play in the Round-Up and get a better idea of how my game was progressing. I entered two tournaments. The No Limit and the Limit, #1 & #2 events. The first day saw 636 players. I finished 135th. I played well and was happy with the result. I went immediately after the tournament and played the 2/5 no limit table and won $500, which also made me very happy! The second day saw 460 players at the limit tournament. We started at noon and in the 9:00 p.m. hour I was out in 14th place, in the money. It was a great run and I enjoyed the results. This has given me something to build on. If you have not attended the Round-Up in the past, this event is held every spring and fall. I suggest you get on-board and reserve a few days to play. I will see you there.
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April 6th, 2007
A Good Week!
Placed third in the Saturday tournament, split high-hand on Wednesday, hit the high-hand on Thursday and caught a Monte Carlo payoff by hitting quad 4's. Becoming a regular at Goldie's and enjoying meeting familiar faces. Like Norm from Cheers, Goldie's is a place where everyone knows your name. I have confirmed my trip down to Pendleton, Oregon in two weeks and plan to play in the no-limit and limit tournaments. Happy Easter, Happy Spring, Happy Passover to all.
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March 29th, 2007
Columbia City Theater: Seattle's Historic Vaudeville Theater
I know that many of you enjoy coming to The Poker Poets site to read about poker, and I also know from your feedback that you like good music and attending concerts around town. There is an old venue, made new again that needs your attention. It is the Columbia City Theater. I thank Pete, his partner and staff for bringing together great productions for our entertainment. Built in 1919, this theater is a must see for all you historical buffs. Visit their website at www.columbiacitytheater.com Schedules are updated weekly. Many good restaurants line the street in Columbia City, so get there early and enjoy!
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March 16th, 2007
Two final tables and then this!
Having just finished in the money twice, I wasn't prepared for the beat I took today. Holding pocket 7's and calling the big blind, the flop came A-A-4. Short stacked, I pushed my remaining chips all-in. I showed my 7's and I see that I am way behind his A-K. Looking for a way out of this mess the turn hits a 7! I now have a full house and for the moment I have his set of A's beat. That is until the river brings the case Ace and completes his quads. Wow!
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March 13th, 2007
Quad 7's, then Quad 9's, then $200.
Hitting two sets of Quads within the 2-hour high hand period was a thrill. Collecting the $200 high hand payout was even better. I hit quad 7's on the flop. With pocket 9's the flop came A-A-9. The turn gave me quads. No one had an ace, so I pushed everyone off their hands when I bet out. It was still a good pot to win. A very good day.
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March 12th, 2007
This Boat Be Sinking.
Playing in a live game, I look down at pocket 9's and bet preflop. I am called. The flop brings 7 - 9 - K. I bet and I am called. The River is another K. I hit my boat and bet out. I am raised, I reraise and the action is capped. The River is a Q and I think long and hard before checking. Player bets and I call. I turn my pocket pair and show the full house. Player turns his K - Q for the nut boat. I lost a lot of chips but maintained my cool. Player to my right said that he would have lost it. I see a couple of heads nod and I feel good that I could recognize this as a bad beat and move on quickly. By the end of my day I am up a few dollars and had a story to tell. It was a good day.
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March 1st, 2007
Truly A Day To Forget.
Having just collected a $200 high hand the day before, March 1st came in like a lion and bit me. Going through two racks in two hours wasn't what bothered me. What bothered me was that all of my good hands were beat. My set of sixes lost to a flush draw. My two pair lost on the River to a one outter. I was out kicked on several hands and when the board hit K-K-K, my pocket sevens were beat by a pocket pair of eights. Had this been tournament play, I may have won a few of those hands. However when you play low limit poker, 4-8, it is difficult to push players off their hands. I am still playing too many hands and will try to be selective the next time out. Tomorrow is tournament Friday. See you there!
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February 27th, 2007
Florida Was So Sweet and Warm.
Just returned from eight days in the sunshine, walking the beach and visiting family and friends. Our friends in the Tampa area arranged a poker game our second night in. Wild cards and wild games. We ended the evening one dollar ahead, not counting all of the pizza and cake we ate. Naples was our favorite beach. White sand, shells everywhere and fewer people. Great memories.
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February 14th, 2007
Valentine's Day High Hand.
On the very first hand, at 2:04 p.m., I am looking at a pair of pocket Queens. The flop brings the third Queen and turn completes my quads. I now play for the remaining 116 minutes hoping that my hand holds. I hear the pit boss say "this is the final hand" at 3:58 p.m. and I listen for each of the four dealers to say "table down". At 4:01 p.m. I am standing at the cage with my ID as 5 crisp hundred dollar bills are counted out and placed in my palm. Back to Back weeks of high hands. Lisa and I have a very nice Valentine's dinner. Thank you Goldie's!
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February 8th, 2007
High Hand.
$500 every other hour at Goldie's paid to the player with the high hand. Five minutes after arriving at the table, I looked down at pocket Queens. The flop was Ac - As - 4d and I raised. The turn was the Ah. I bet and was called. The river Kh did not help my hand. I checked and showed my Ace's full. I won the pot and held on for 90 minutes to win the high hand and $500. It was a good day!
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February 1st, 2007
Turn! Turn! Turn! From 1st to worse in two easy moves.
Had I been playing in a no-limit tournament I am sure that I could have bet out and won the pot, however this was low stakes limit poker that I was playing. Sitting on the button and holding a Jd - Qh I decided to just call the big blind. With three players holding cards the flop came 7s - Qc - Js. Check, check and I bet. I was called twice. The Turn brought an 8h. Check, bet and I raise. Once again I was called twice. The River brings the Ks. Bet - Bet - Bet and I read the bad news. My two pair were best after the flop, but then the 8 on the Turn filled in one player's straight. The River filled the third player's flush draw and I went from the best hand to the 3rd best hand in quick order. I liked playing two face cards, Q & J, from the button as it did not initially cost me a whole lot.
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January 17th, 2007
Spring Poker Round-Up 2007
I'll be in Pendleton, Oregon at the newly remodeled Wild Horse Casino in April to play in the Poker Round-Up. It will be great seeing friends from Washington and California coming together in Oregon to what I hear is a great tournament. Look for my review in April.
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January 5th, 2007
First Tournament in 2007
Third Place. 55 players. There were several positives. Third place money was one and having another player compliment me on my play was another. Holding a 10h-9h, the flop came Jd,Jh,9d. I caught two pair and decided to check. Player #2 bet out 1K and I quickly went all in for 4K. Player2 thought about it and decided that I had caught a set, so he folded his pocket aces! When I showed him my hand, he told me that I had made a good bet. With the short stack and holding a 6h-Jd, the flop came 6d-7h-2c. The Big Blind called All-In and I called. He held 6s-10d. I led going to the River when he hit his second 10 and knocked me out. It was the correct call and I played well today.
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December 31st, 2006
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
I made the final table in my last tournament of the year, coming in 6th place from a field of 62 players. In my last cash game of the year, I increased my stake by over 200%. I can say that I ended the year on a winning note. I have learned a great deal about the game this past year and I look forward in bringing my skills to yet another level in 2007. I am reading the table and its players much better, but I am still playing too many marginal hands. Cheers to all!
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December 22nd, 2006
HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!
Lisa and I spent time in Sedona, Arizona this month. It truly is a magical place. We visited Boynton Canyon, Cathedral Rock, Chapel of The Rocks, Jerome, Oak Creek Canyon and Los Abrigados, where we stayed. I didn't have a chance to play, but I did read up on the game we love and it helped. Once home I made the final table in the first tournament I played. We wish you all a very Happy Holiday Season, New Year in Peace & Health.
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November 22nd, 2006
Straight Flush and I lose!
I walked into the casino and was given a seat in the big blind position. The table checked around to me and as I looked at my 3s - Kc I decided to check and see a flop. Calvin, our dealer, turned the 4s - 6s - 7s at which point I knew that I was going to see the next two cards. The Turn hit the 5s and my straight flush. I bet out and was raised by a young man to my left. I just called. The River did not improve my hand and I bet out again. I was raised and this time I re-raised.
The betting was capped off and as I turned over my 3s I could see that my friend held the 8s, the nut straight flush for the win. All I could do was shake my head and say "nice hand".
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November 13th, 2006
From pocket 7's to a Straight Flush!
Everyone has a favorite dealer and Annie is mine. Looking at my black pocket 7's and seeing the board flop the 6c - 8c - 9c, one can understand my excitement. The turn did not help my hand but then the River hits the 10c to complete my straight flush, winning the pot and the High Hand. I happily shared 10% of the High Hand payout with Calvin. It was a Gold(ie's) kind of a day.
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November 7th, 2006
Goldie's Casino
I would like to thank Sandy and the staff at Goldie's for initiating the high hand payout. Two weeks ago I hit quad aces and this week I double dipped, sharing in the pot with quad tens and again with aces full of threes. The casino is always happy to offer free breakfast at their daily no-limit tournament, which starts at 11 a.m. I have become a regular at Goldie's, sitting right next to Norm and Cliff! So if you find yourself in Shoreline, stop in and tell them The Poker Poet sent you.
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October 26th, 2006
Runner - Runner, Back to Back!
It was great making the final table again and coming in the money, but what really got me excited was seeing something that I had never seen before. A woman, we will call her Lucy, was the short stack at the table and decided to push all of her chips in on a very questionable call. Her jack-nine was dominated, but then she hit a jack on the turn and a jack on the river to win the pot. Laughingly, while Lucy was gathering all of her chips, and before you could say nice catch, she pushed all-in again. This time her pocket 7's were dominated by a pocket pair of 10's. The flop brought a K-6-3. No help to lucy. The turn hit a 5 and the river a 4 to fill the straight and win her yet another pot with that runner - runner combination. Lucy was eventually knocked out in 5th place.
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October 21st, 2006
Cracked Aces!
This is NOT a bad beat story, but a poker story. Play long enough and you will see just about everything, all kinds of hands, all kinds of players. Such was the case when I sat down in my last tournament. With the button in front of me, I looked down and found pocket rockets. The blinds were 50 and 100 dollars. The player first to act bet out $400. He was raised to $800. The bet came around to me and I reraised to $1600. I was called by both players. The flop came out Q-9-6, all hearts. The first player goes all-in for $3600 and is called immediately by player #2. The hearts were a concern to me but I decided to make a stand and called all-in. We then showed our cards. First player has 10s-10d for a pair of 10's with no heart. The second player has Ad-7d for no pair and no flush draw. I have no idea why he has called. I turn my As-Ac and see that I have a nice lead. The turn card is the 2h, putting four hearts out on the table. Since none of us have a heart, I am thinking that I am in good shape. There is one and only one card remaining that can beat me and that is the 10c. If the 10h hits, we all split the pot with the same flush. The 10c comes on the river and I walk quickly away from the table without saying a word. Play long enough and you will see all kinds of hands.
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October 18th, 2006
Going After It!
As I stated last month, passive play can jump up and bite you. This lesson was once again given to me, when during my last tournament I first slow played a pair of aces and then in the very next hand slow palyed a pair of nines allowing the river to beat me and knock me out of the tournament. Had I played both hands and pushed out, there is no doubt that I win both hands and advance. When the cards present themselves, Go After It!
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October 9th, 2006
Columbus Day Special: Two Final Tables.
Eighth place in the morning and third in the afternoon. I played well today, going all-in with the best hand for most of the day. Best Play: I held Queen/Nine suited and called the big blind. The flop came Queen-Queen-Nine.
I slowed played my hand and waited until the big blind hit his flush on the river and moved all-in. I called and took down the pot.
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October 6th, 2006
The Final Table.
It's always nice to get back to the final table in tournament play. On my last hand of the day everyone had folded around to me. Holding ace/duece I moved all in. Both the small and big blinds called. Once the cards were turned over I was happy to see that I was holding the best hand. Unfortunately, my lead did not hold and I placed eighth.
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October 5th, 2006
Lesson: Never eat a full meal and play poker at the same time, even if they comp you!
I watched a player as he enjoyed his free meal and forgot to look at his cards. His mucked hand turned over and showed a pair of lovely ladies. He shrugged and went back to eating his now costly breakfast. The opposite is also true. Never come to the table hungry as your stomach will distract you. A friend told me that bringing a few energy bars to the table works well, especially when playing in tournaments. Good advice.
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October 1st, 2006
Coming in 14th place and out of the money can be a positive thing, if you had played well. Such was my fate on Friday as I took my seat, one of 49 players that day.
Short stacked and looking at an ace/nine of diamonds, I decided to make my stand. I had the best hand going to the flop, but the cards did not assist me in my quest to make the final table. When the cards beat you, well that's poker but when you beat yourself, that's another thing entirely. Lisa, Ian and I went to see Paul Simon after the tournament and we enjoyed many classic songs, with The Boxer being our favorite. Good memories. Great music.
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September 26, 2006
Everyone should have a favorite watering hole. Mine is Club Hollywood Casino in Shoreline, Washington. The Red Crane Restaurant has some of the finest food in town and the Happy Hour is simply the best.
Come this Friday I will be playing the cash game. Paying the high hand $499 every other hour is enough to attract some of the best local players. I will be looking for quads!
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September 25, 2006
I made a classic mistake in my last tournament. Holding pocket tens and seeing a flop of eight-six-four, I checked and allowed the player to my left to raise and dictate the action.
A 3 came on the turn, and instead of leading out with a bet I checked once again and allowed my opponent to see a free river card. He hit his jack, beat my tens and took down a pot that should have been mine. Passive play can hurt when you are holding top pair and fail to act. Lesson learned.
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August 26, 2006
The ferry ride to the Island lasted only 20 minutes, but once there I was transported back to a place that I spent almost 18 years of my life.
There were still no traffic lights, deer were plentiful and town closed up by nine. One local ice cream parlor was for sale and the soaring real estate prices were a reminder that this was anything but a sleepy little community.
Andy greeted me with a cold beer and we shared a few good laughs. Tug, his dog, would bring me his chewed up ball to throw and once I did there was no stopping his persistent behavior. Bob showed up with his friend Tim and the four of us sat around the card table playing everything from Pineapple to Follow the Queen. Wild cards allowed for those five of a kind hands and the memories of playing with these guys for over 25 years came flooding back. Most of us were single back then and playing into the early morning hours was expected. At least one bottle of scotch graced the poker table and the stakes never reached much higher then nickel-dime-quarter. Still, it was not just about the money. It was a brotherly bond that over the years saw many family members come and go. From Walt, Blake, Bill and John, to Lou, Ray, Gary and Tom. Thank you all for sharing this ride with me.
Had I not won eighteen dollars that night it still would have been a summer highlight. It is always good to remember your past so that you can create your future and reach your dreams.
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