Summertime is gone

Date: Tue, Aug 31, 2010 Live Tournament

Well, I was gonna read my last post as to what I said so I wouldn't repeat myself, but I forgot to. Oh well! But the fishing guests left on the 22nd. Shutdown....I mean "shooter shutdown" happened (reason for that, is that I wanted to get rid of alot of my booze for shooters), and I did. Then the staff that stayed for shutdown left. Then there were 10, then 7, and now for the past few days its been 6. It is wonderful with that few people here, really quiet.
Last saturday, I went out for a boat ride to the north end of the lake. It was rainy, and windy. The boat ride back (took about 2 hours, normally 1.5 hours) We were in 4-5 ft waves, my back was sore the next day.
Went again a couple days later (yesterday) and it was super calm weather! I also got my new PB pike as well. Measured 44.5x18" Its a fatty!
Going out fishing all day on friday.....Can't wait!
As for poker.....still haven't plyed! I'm not planning on plying until the Dakota Dunes big tourney the first weekend in Oct. I usually do good the first few tourneys when I get back. I still haven't decided if I'm gonna ply the regular sunday tourney just before that (the last one in Sept)

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Summer/long overdue update

Date: Wed, Aug 18, 2010 Live Tournament

Aug 18............................
Today is day 101 that I haven't plyed any poker. It is also day #95 of my work week. I am here til near the end of september for bear camp. I will be working almost 130 days in a row. I will be in need of a well deserved break when I get back.
I have done alot of fishing since being here. And with bear camp, there will be alot more in store! YAY!

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Past month (very little poker related)

Date: Tue, Jun 15, 2010 Live Tournament

I have been at the lake for the past 30+ days. In these 30+ days, I have seen 2 different snowfalls that have dropped an accumulative 7 or so inches of snow on us, in addition to roughly a 22 hour power outage. The first guests showed up June 10th. Since being here, I have went from cooking for ~12 people to 10 to 8 to 5. There was 5 of us here at one point. It was a great, and quiet time. Then we were up to about 12, then a few more stragglers throughout a few days, then all of a sudden on the 4th of June there was over 50 of us here.
I haven't played any poker since May 9th. I can truthfully say that I haven't missed playing, and I have had the urge to play a few times but haven't. I have however, been following the WSOP. I was hoping that durrrr won that event.
Dunno if it is a good thing or a bad thing, but I have drank everyday being up here. Which by my usual standards, is very high. I actually finished a bottle of wine off by myself in about 3 and a half hours without feeling a buzz.
I have also started exercising the first day of guests showing up here. I started with a bike ride that turned from a 30 minute ride into a 'so-called' 3 hour ride. Funny story behind that.......Since we are in the middle of the wilderness (bears, wolves etc) we are to tell someone that we are going for a run/bike ride. Well I did.....I said "if I'm not back in an hour consider me dead" then did a little laugh. I came back about 25 minutes later, then me and 2 other staff went fishing (they also had to break a new motor in) Well, I didn't say that I came back, they sent a search party out for me. Oops.
We are also desperately needing rain. Since the snowfall, we have had less than an inch and a half of rain. Which is bad seeing as there are all the trees around us, and it is really dry right now. So we don't need a forest fire. I really really hate shore days (when the guests can't go on the lake due to bad weather, and I have to cook lunch for all the staff and guests), but I would rather deal with one shore day than have to deal with a forest fire near by (where the camp could possibly be shut down), but before a camp shut down would happen, there would be a fire ban put on by the government Environment section.
Today is the 15th, it is just another 16 days til I can play poker again.

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AQ is the last hand

Date: Mon, May 10, 2010 Live Tournament

So, I plyed a few more SCOOP tourneys this past week. In particular all the low events on tues (PL 5 card draw, HU tourney, then the $11 NLHE) and in all of them I busted fairly close to the bubble, except for the HU tourney, where I had the first round bye, but busted in the 2nd round. Then plyed the knockout tourney on thursday, and lost a big pot in the early going w QJ on a QJx flop and the guy had JJ. Then plyed the shootout on saturday and lost 66 to a guys 98. Then the FLHE saturday evening (this one I went fairly deep, but still busted shy of the money)
For the SCOOPs I am atleast up money (due to the 6max tourney)
As for AQ as the last hand, I went and plyed the Dunes tourney last night for the last time for the summer since I'm heading to the lake this coming friday. And I lost a big pot w AA when I folded to an all-in on the turn on a board of 4c3c3h-5c. Still putting him on A3. Then an orbit later down to 1750 in chips on BB of 100, guy raised to 300, two calls, I shove a AQhh, big stack (the possible A3 guy) calls it. Has 44, and he holds.
That is my last hand of poker until minimum July 1.
So by that, you prolly won't see many posts here either.
Til then.....Bye!

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SCOOP update

Date: Sun, May 2, 2010 Live Tournament

Plyed the first tourney I was registered in. The medium ($215) 6max. they had 6783 runners, I finished 167 for $841.09. Dece, but I wanted first of $203k. But I am atleast up for the SCOOPs. Pretty good from the blog tourney a few months ago (which was a freeroll)
Next one is Tues the HU event.

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Summer SCOOP

Date: Fri, Apr 30, 2010 Live Tournament

Found out this past week that I might be going up early to the lodge. They asked me if I would be willing to go up early, and I said yes. Thursday I found out that it is 95% sure I'm going up on the 15th of May as opposed to June 4. Which is an extra 20 days of working. I am excited to get up to the lake. I have almost everything purchased for it, just a few little things to buy. I am planning on drinking ALOT as I have already spent about $700 on alcohol. And if you know me, I don't drink that much to begin with. But that is for the whole summer. Reason why its so much is because it is alot of wines and premium vodkas (I like my vodka and caesars) Speaking of caesars, I am planning on making a caesar slurpee sometime this summer. Lets hope that works out well. LOL.

And now onto poker news, since Vegas I have played two or three times. The one day I played a couple of the rush SNGs, and a couple days played a bit of cash on Ultimate Bet (I want to either run that account up or go busto) I don't have much in there anyways.
Now the SCOOP events I'm playing are:

May 2 - 11am(MT) - SCOOP-01-M $215 (NLHE, 6max - $1M guaranteed)
May 4 - 3pm(MT) - SCOOP-07-L $16.50 (NLHE, Heads Up - $100k guaranteed)
May 6 - 3pm(MT) - SCOOP-12-L $27 (NLHE, Knockout - $100k guaranteed)
May 8 - 12pm(MT) - SCOOP-16-L $22 (NLHE, Quadruple Shootout, 10max - $150k guaranteed)
May 8 - 6pm(MT) - SCOOP-18-L $22 (FLHE, Turbo - $25k guaranteed)
May 11 - 6pm(MT) - SCOOP-26-L $11 (NLHE - $100k guaranteed)

Event 1 - I won my ticket via the blog ME a few months ago
Event 7 - Actually won a seat into one of the HORSE SCOOP events, and just unregistered and then registered for this one instead
Event 12 - Bought into it
Event 16 - Got a $22 ticket from Pokerstars by doing 5 different things in the past couple months (the 4 blog posts and becoming a fan of theirs on Facebook)
Event 18 - Won a $5 FLHE satty
Event 26 - Finished 4th in a competition that the PokerRoad Forums were running during March Madness where a few people put up stakes to the top 6 people. Top 3 were $24+2 stakes, and 4-6 were $10+1 stakes. I finished 4th, and got a stake from someone and he said (before the games started) his stake is 70 player/30 backer, so I hope I can make him some money.

One of my buddies is running a $200 HU tourney this saturday, I wish I could play it, but after deciding to take a break I am not, he asked if I wanted a horse, I said I would but I'm also working that day. So that is out. Oh well, even though I'm trying so hard to push for a HU tourney at the Dunes (I know that will never happen :( I told him maybe next time.

I'll try to update before I leave for the lake, on a recap on my SCOOP tourneys. Hopefully, there will be a really good post where I finished with a very nice chunk of change.

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Badugi

Date: Sat, Apr 24, 2010 Live Tournament

Someon asked me a couple days ago how to play Badugi. This is another one of my favourite games, I was getting pretty good at it a few years ago, then kinda stopped playing it, and now I suck. Haha. Its a 4 card lowball with pairs and flushes counting against you, with Aces low. So by that I hope you understand that the best possible hand is A234 rainbow. I've found videos help me to learn stuff so here is How to Play Badugi
Again thanks to PokerStars for doing up the video.

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8 Game

Date: Sat, Apr 24, 2010 Live Tournament

This is one of my favourite games. Not one of my best, but it is one of my favourite.
It goes through 2-7 Triple Draw, Hold Em, Omaha 8/b, Razz, Stud, Stud 8/b, PLO, NLHE. I could explain it more in detail but this is How to Play 8 Game Mix. Thanks to Poker Stars for generously doing that video up.

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Update

Date: Sat, Apr 17, 2010 Live Tournament

Well, Vegas was good and bad. Bad I lost, but what else is new? haha. The good....Can't say yet.
But after that run in Vegas, I have decided to quit playing poker for awhile (my current date is July 1), reasoning is I just need to get my head cleared of it. There are a few times I will play til then. They are a few of the SCOOP events that I am already registered in. A couple of them are the 16.50 HU SCOOP-L and the 22 FLHE SCOOP-L, I also have a 215 entry (from that blog championship), I just dunno what event I'm gonna ply yet. And I should have another 22 entry coming (the previous couple posts)

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A new event in the SCOOP

Date: Sat, Mar 27, 2010 Live Tournament

Was just released today that there is a new event that Pokerstars announced would be in their SCOOP Poker Tournament series.
It is Connect 4.

When I first heard that, I was ecstatic. As I am a beast in Connect 4. It is like this, Moorman1 is to MTT as TDoodle is to Connect 4. Since Xmas time I am something like 49-8. Half of those games were against kids aged 7-16, the other half against an adult.
Thank You Poker Stars!!!

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The Great Debate

Date: Tue, Feb 23, 2010 Live Tournament

Ever since the invention of fire (well, maybe not that long), since the invention of the modern day deck of cards. There has been a debate of whether poker is a game of luck or skill.
People who don't play, think that it's all luck and gambling, especially since its played in casinos.
People that play it (especially the ones that have winning records) will say its skill with a little luck tossed in. In the short term, there IS more luck involved, however, when you play live and play against the same people quite abit, you get to know each of their individual tendencies. From their betting patterns, their tells, and even the way their breathing and/or pulse can and will change to their individual holdings. When you play online, you are blocked of one thing.... you can't see your opponent. So you are to rely on your reads of their betting patterns and their timing tells.
A great example of this would be Annette_15, when she won a 180 man SNG without looking at her cards the entire time. Well not entirely true, she supposedly looked at them once.
Another example is look at the leaderboards of Sharkscope, the winning players have a consistent 40 degree angle (minimum). They must be doing something right....they just can't run goos all the time.
Which is why playing poker is clearly a game of skill.

Like a great man once said..... "Why do you think the same five guys make it to the final table of the World Series of Poker EVERY YEAR? What, are they the luckiest guys in Las Vegas?" -Mike McDermott (Rounders, 1998)

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Past 2 weeks

Date: Mon, Feb 15, 2010 Live Tournament

Lets start off with how my NY resolutions are going....
1 ) Run like a god - however, someone says that will be broken within 5 minutes, and I don't doubt that at all. - Since this one is beyond my control, no comment
a) stop complaining about how bad I run - I am still doing this, however, not as much
2) Stop saying FML so much, I will keep saying it, but I won't say it as much. In the past 2 weeks, I have actually started it and haven't said it quite abit - This one I say roughly 2-5 times a week, which isn't bad IMO
Speaking about FML, when I was going to work on Valentines day, I saw something that made my day....
I saw a licence plate that said FML, here is a pic of it (I blurred out the numbers though) the quality of the pic isnt great.
3) Stop (atleast not as much) complaining about bad beats, (In January, I was doing it still quite often, but in February I have complained about I think 2 maybe 3) and letting them get to me. - This one I have done really well with, I'm not tilting as much and as easily
a) Especially if I get it in with the dominating hand and lose (ie AK v A7 and lose), and you know who you are, you should try this as well..... LOL - See previous note
4) By the end of the year to be regularly playing the $30 HU SNGs and DoNs. - Still too early
5) Get my first 5 figure score - Still 10 1/2 months to go, I'm not worried yet
6) Start going to the gym....and go regularly, to get into shape - BIG FAIL, I did a couple times in January, and since then, not so much, However, when I go back to the lake this summer, I am planning on buying a bike and taking it with me
7) Get an overall positive outlook on life - meh. LOL. I don't know what to say here, its not fantastic, but its not shitty.

Onto other stuff:
- Played the tournament last sunday (Super Bowl Sunday) and they got 47 runners, and I finished 2nd for 981. In the first 4 levels I was being a bully at the table, raising roughly 5 out of 7 hands PF, and built my stack up to 6000 then within 15 minutes dropped back to 3000, then in 10 minutes brought it back to 4500 at the first break. When we were down to four the blinds were ridiculous for the stacks, So we did a 4 way chop of 981 then left 400 for the eventual winner (I was hoping to get HU to ply HU, and I did and when we got HU he had me outchipped roughly 3 to 1). I should have said that 3rd and 4th each takes 981, then 2nd gets an extra 100 then 1st gets 300. Oh well. Hindsight is 20/20.
- Dropped my contract off at the office beginning of Feb, so I tentatively leave for the lake on June 4, but they asked if I would be willing to go up early, so I said I would. Right now, it is unsure as to when I will go. There might be a side "task" (if you wanna put it that way) for me while I'm at the lake....Details to come soon.
- I was planning on going to ply in the first $1K event at the WSOP on May 29, and that would take me to fly back on the 3rd of June and leave the 4th. But instead I'm planning on Vegas Apr 10 for 4-5 nights. Also planning on plying in a $340 HORSE tourney at the Venetian Deepstacks when there.
- Haven't plyed many DoN's lately, but plyed quite afew HU SNGs, and as of writing I am on a 10 game win streak. I'm trying for a Sharkscope star for longest streak (dunno if I can make it to 66 wins, as the leader has 65 wins)
- LOST. WTF? They need to answer some questions soon. Atleast this is the last season and they should be answered.
- There was something else, but I can't remember. If I remember, I will post it next time (hopefully, I will do it sooner rather than later)

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WBCOOP 2010 Recap

Date: Sun, Jan 31, 2010 Live Tournament

I registered for all the events, ended up having to work mon-thurs. Played the 8game tourney on friday, and busted out in the first NLHE level when a guy had K8 beat my AK.
Played saturday in the NLHE event, I busted out about 50 away from the money when my AA lost to TT.
Played the Main Event sunday planned on plying and then hopefully trying to make it to the Dunes tourney by 6, didnt end up happening when I ended up finishing 17th (out of 2062) Payouts were: 1st: 3100 SCOOP entry, 2-9th: 2100 SCOOP entry, 10-36th: 215 SCOOP entry. I lost a few key pots a guy open shoves I call w AQss, he has KJ, QJx-T-A. very next hand, I raise w AQ guy 3bets, I shove and call, he has AK. I now am shortstack (still between 25-30 BBs) I fold for a long time then 3X w TT, guy shoves and I call he has KQ. Binks Q on river. GG me.

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WBCOOP 2010

Date: Tue, Jan 19, 2010 Live Tournament

I have registered to play in the WBCOOP PokerStars World Blogger Championship of Online Poker! You too can Play Poker Online at PokerStars.com and take part in the WBCOOP which is open to all Bloggers by registering on WBCOOP to play.

Registration code: 807208