Thursday, December 29, 2005

whiskeytown takes One weeks off!!!!

hell with the world....

I've got something coming up - Jan 10th - to be exact....a gig... but I'm editing this post cause I'm starting back up - sort of creepy and George Orwellian of me, isn't it - :) -

In fact If I were a court official looking at this for specific incriminating evidence I'd take this post as evidence that all posts can and were tampered with just to screw with ya :)

you guys don't need me till then do you?

of all the times I've ever tried to keep a journal or regular writing project going, it fizzles - this blog has done very well, on the other hand - though I began wondering the other day how much of the lauded honesty would go south if I actually won a bracelet and had people coming here.

but I'm feeling isolated from the world and I'm on a downswing and don't feel like bitching about it - I have some new DVD's and a Star Wars Battlefront 2 for Xbox, - I'm going to explore that for a few days. I'm fucking DREAMING poker hands again - and when I do that, my performance always goes in the toilet - I'm back in firm 25% results after what was a nice 5 week run..

last time I went on vacation I caved after two days, but I think I'll take two weeks off....

at least from blogging - see ya after Jan 10th unless I cave in - which I usually do.

------------

I don't know why, but that line "my weariness amazes me, I'm branded on my feet" - that's in my head a lot tonight....so what the hell...

Mr. Tambourine Man, by Bob Dylan

Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me
I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to.
Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,
In the jingle jangle morning I'll come followin' you.

Though I know that evenin's empire has returned into sand,
Vanished from my hand,
Left me blindly here to stand but still not sleeping.
My weariness amazes me, I'm branded on my feet,
I have no one to meet
And the ancient empty street's too dead for dreaming.

Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,
I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to.
Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,
In the jingle jangle morning I'll come followin' you.

Take me on a trip upon your magic swirlin' ship,
My senses have been stripped, my hands can't feel to grip,
My toes too numb to step, wait only for my boot heels
To be wanderin'.
I'm ready to go anywhere, I'm ready for to fade
Into my own parade, cast your dancing spell my way,
I promise to go under it.

Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,
I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to.
Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,
In the jingle jangle morning I'll come followin' you.

Though you might hear laughin', spinnin', swingin' madly across the sun,
It's not aimed at anyone, it's just escapin' on the run
And but for the sky there are no fences facin'.
And if you hear vague traces of skippin' reels of rhyme
To your tambourine in time, it's just a ragged clown behind,
I wouldn't pay it any mind, it's just a shadow you're
Seein' that he's chasing.

Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,
I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to.
Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,
In the jingle jangle morning I'll come followin' you.

Then take me disappearin' through the smoke rings of my mind,
Down the foggy ruins of time, far past the frozen leaves,
The haunted, frightened trees, out to the windy beach,
Far from the twisted reach of crazy sorrow.
Yes, to dance beneath the diamond sky with one hand waving free,
Silhouetted by the sea, circled by the circus sands,
With all memory and fate driven deep beneath the waves,
Let me forget about today until tomorrow.

Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,
I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to.
Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,
In the jingle jangle morning I'll come followin' you.

RB

Tuesday, December 27, 2005

this SNG grinding is a bitch....I may put my cash back and just resume where I was - small bites to build the BR...

I don't konw if I ever confessed to this....but I have never seen the Sopranos - I'm thinking of writing up reviews of each season.

I like doing a lot of these at once. For one, you just get the whole season out of the way - like reading a long novel - it rocks...and you can just get the whole story in at once without any serious issues or waiting 10 weeks for the new season or watching reruns.

I'm seeing where shows like Deadwood come from. I'm THINKING of watching Rome - but I'm not sure - with this HBO on demand, I can get most shows. I'm also thinking of going thru Six Feet Under. These cable shows have some incredible writing to them.

I got about two episodes of Season One left - this'll rock.

RB

Sunday, December 25, 2005

dang...

the Pokerstars 530 is going on today - I could cover that - easy - and still have enough dough to play some more SNG's afterwards.

I KNOW it's a mega massive tourney that will go for 9 hrs - (when I'll have no sleep) and I KNOW it's $530 and my BR requirements require tact.

but jeez....$100000 overlay added? - fruck....(for those of you that don't know math- that's an extra 200 players added with no chance of them making the money) - that's a LOT of spare ch-ching....

I WANT to do it - whether I should is of questionable dubious worth...

I suppose I could call it my Xmas present...

mostly I'm pissed cause it would require an EFT that takes 8.9 percent of the money I withdrew slowly last week - LOL.

fruck it - there will be other $500 tourneys -

RB

Saturday, December 24, 2005

well, if you can get this...

I've been home for 6 hrs recovering from a bad run of SNG's - the boss let two guys go home after a half night - and it was MY turn - kewl, eh?

dragged up a ghost of an album called Deluxe, by Better Than Ezra - New Orleans Band - wonder how they're doing - They had their own studio too - I hope it didn't get destroyed...

So I go to the website, and that stupid Howie Day (who just got arrested) and had that stupid catchy single "Collide" - I'm like - nah....but yep - the frontman for BTE co-wrote it.

When I was in my 20's - that band ACTUALLY became a bit of a blueprint for my music. I was going for power trio stuff - well written songs - some nice distortion - and in the end, they fade, and here I am about to put out a morose motherfucker of an album that'll make Nebraska look like a Beach Boys album.

I've gotten a lot better about not getting into TOO much self-pity on here. I'm looking up - etc, etc - but when I write songs, it don't matter - if I'm writing them, they tend to be dark - even the fun dancy ones...all dark...

Remember "The Green Mile"?- Remember Coffey? - you know, big ol black guy who takes away people's illness and spits it back out in the form of what looks like ash?

you may have felt the same - when you're sick and coughing and as you go for one last hack or sniffle you imaging hacking the last of the virus out of your body as you try to get better?

That seems to be the way it is with me and songs - if I can spit them out, they're harmless, but if I keep them in, they're poison.

so they're sad songs - but good ones.

RB

I just noticed something...

with a few exceptions, I feel like the poker blogger community is as excited by Christmas as I am this year...

meaning...not at all - LOL

so I just won't mention it at all this year :)

RB

Friday, December 23, 2005

SO....WHY is WT getting better at poker a bad idea?

I dunno - maybe it's because I was supposed to go on a date this week - LOL - girl from snowboarding class -

first the snowboarding got postponed then the movie the next day - I told her to call me back when she was free - lobbing what is probably an excuse to never talk to her again right into her lap.

And part of me was like "dang" - but part of me is psyched - I'm ready to build the BR up for the $215's and I'm ready to kick some serious ass in the music writing and in the poker scene this year.

First off, I don't relate to many people - esp. stupid people and ESP. stupid women. I don't care how good the hoochie is - if the girl irritates me with her very presence I can't take it - and I don't know where this particular redhead was gonna fall - but it was obvious to me early on that there was a bit more there then the sweet 31 yr. old IT girl - LOL.

But I'm just not gonna care - I've got other things I could be doing - so THAT bugs me since I've been wanting a relationship for the last couple years and now it feels like it could be a hinderance to me...

I'm gonna conserve my vacation days for gigs and things I REALLY want, and not just a day off to stay home and play SNG's -

I build very big obstacles to hurdle over - but if I didn't I don't know if I'd want to jump over them....

RB

Thursday, December 22, 2005

Here's a supposed update from Steve Lipscomb on 2+2

this has the potential to be bad and bite them in the ass if it's true.

RB

He was surprised by the fortune cookie.

He tossed two of them in the garbage – If he believed in fortunes, they weren’t on slips of paper with lucky numbers on them that never hit. But the cookie, unnerved by the disposal of it’s brothers, sat there and waitied.

And it seemed truly that fate must have intervened on behalf of this fortune cookie and it’s message, for all the garbage around the desk was cleaned up and yet three days later, the cookie suddenly appeared with it's fortunes inside.

So away with the plastic wrapper – away with the mysteries and cloak of the sugary crust - open up and spill the words/lucky numbers that will guide my steps..

-

-

-

Cookie was empty – no fortune in it.

Stupid fucking cookie.

RB

What do guys in hotels – esp. artist’s do…I’ll tell ya – it’s pretty simple.

They pace back and forth practicing their answers for interviews –

When people ask them “what does that lyric – that sweep of the brush – that photograph mean, and we rehearsed our answer, too ashamed to tell them it was driving back from picking up Chinese food last night when “xxxx- ” came to mind.

xxxx- is a lyric – a good one that I see hasn’t been found on google so I’m not adding it now – let me get my ASCAP membership up to date…

And of course, to be unique – good luck – millions of voices are clamoring to be heard. How can we be any different?

If I ever get big enough to have my own t-shirt endorsement deal at a final TV table, I may turn it down and pimp myself –

No one else is gonna do it for me

RB

He paces back and forth across the room, telling and retelling the story, till finally he sits down and just starts typing...

--

calypso music on my PC? - The Americana channel has been hijicked - When I was in my 20's, I had long black hair with strands of grey starting. I imagined me being a long haired rock and roller till I was 40 and then joining an Irish band and spending the rest of my days playing celtic music.

Even today, when I say I wanna be a writer, what I mean is I want to be a SONGWRITER - poker writer, too, of course - writer of musings and essays, but mostly just a songwriter.

Everything I write lately comes in snatches - two lines here, two there - reshape an idea and steal a bunch of lines from an unwritten song for the new one. It's tedious and backbreaking and I did one last year and one the year before.

This year I'm poised to have 4 done in 3 months....and they're not bad - a bit hokey - One could probably say a bit too radio-singlish for Americana Radio - if there WERE radio singles for Americana stations, which there are VERY few nowadays :) -

I was supposed to go on a date this week - I never did....she sorta postponed and if she never calls me back (and she may not) then I'm not worried. She would have cut into some things I want to work on.

I'm not sure I believe in the word, but if there was ever a primed time of my life for what could be called a "Comeback" - this may be the year.

2005 WAS better then 2004. I think 2006 can be up there with the best of them if I give it 110% on the poker/music front - maybe...

RB

Wil has this commentary and comments with Chris Ferguson on a potential WPT boycott.

I'll add my own two cents here as a feared old wizard of the blogger community who is feared more for his cackle then his opinion....

About fucking time

We were going thru this 2-3 years ago with that group that tried to start up tourneys for PLAYERS, not for casinos - and several pros have expressed concern that their image can be used without their permission cause they signed away certain rights.

That WPT really seems to be shooting itself in the foot - It's amazing to me the idiocy of these TV folks - If a player at a final table can sell a piece of himself for wearing a SHIRT - then he has the right to negotiate it - and if he/she doesn't want their image used in...

well, fuck it - nevermind -- I'm wrong - it's their tourney. They can do whatever they want. There's enough competition right now out there where if someone didn't wanna play a WPT event they wouldn't have to.

Can I tell you a dream of mine? - Big ass dream...

Big, big big ass dream that'll never happen cause I'm such a fucking loser :)

Win a big tourney or two - become an expert satellite player and win seats to the EPT events -

buy plane tkts. - fly in the day before and fly out the day after. Then if you bust, you just get to spend a couple days exploring Europe.

That's what I need to do - Pokerstars - SPONSER ME!!!! - LOL.

but alas...that bottom line :) - it's pretty high for me....I need millions to be assured of my comfort and relax enough to quit my day job.

Or night job, as it may be...

I'm hungry - later.

-------------------

Just read Felicia's blog - she's preparing her best/worst of lists for 2005 - if I were you guys I'd start buttering up early -

I was gonna send her my "Your Blog Sucks" shirt for next year's tourney...LOL -

Ok, I'm hungry - later
RB

my sleep pattern went in the fucking crank yanker - don't know how I'm gonna get thru tonight.

So at 6am, I get up and start 4 tabling 5.50 SNG's to get past that first level -

This is what my email looks like....



probably not optimal strategy, but I'm whittling away that 100 bucks - almost within reach actually.

EDIT: - I knew I was obsessive compulsive, but jeez....

4 more - made the money in all 4 and a couple that I lost I lost with the best hand when the chips went in.

If I go by those arbritary numbers I set for myself, I have broke the $150 limit and can now play $10 SNG's -

hooboy - we're in the money?

(I don't like where this is leading - I shall elaborate more tonight at work - I expect things to be quiet this week)

RB

Wednesday, December 21, 2005

word of warning...

when you do something stupid that takes 25 years off your life, it doesn't come from the end of it...it takes it from the middle -

I went from 30 and cute and young to 33 and grey haired and old age -

that shit skips around on you and it's not supposed to be...it's supposed to be the end of my life that gets shaved - not the best part in the middle...

that's bullshit, man.

RB

I'm cashing out $411 from Pokerstars and leaving myself 50 -

Then I'm gonna try this BR building method...

$50-$150 - $5 SNGs
$150-$250 - $10 SNGs
$250-$400 - $20 SNGs
$400-$600 - $30 SNGs / 1 or 2 $10 MTT a week
$600-$1000 - $50 SNG / 2 or 4 $20 MTT a week
$1000-$1500 - $50 SNG / 1 or 2 $100 a week / $20-$50 MTT 5-10 MTTs a week
$1500+ - Keep only $1500 in the account / any earnings take out / only MTTs

---------

word I'm hearing is prepare for disappointment - they're saying the results the original poster had those results aren't sustainable...

But I'll tell you what...I made 30 bucks today - so I ain't saying it ain't possible....I'm just saying it may not be likely

----------

My other accounts with 80-100 bucks in them I'll use for tourneys - until further notice though, my only games are 5.50 SNG's at pokerstars - that first $100 is gonna be a bitch to clear.

RB

Tuesday, December 20, 2005

Ok - this is cool - not only am I at the top of the page, but I actually look a bit happy

I first traded emails with Amy when I was asking her questions about the Austin Music Scene and TVZ - was glad to meet up with her this time around.

I have a picture of me and her - it's taken my a yr. to shoot this roll of film on the disposible camera - it will probably take me another year to develop the damned thing.

RB

I suck at scheduling - never good at it - suck at it - blow - whatever...can't seem to care what one day is for another around here anymore. Certainly don't care that Christmas is Sun.

BUT, I did remember that Wil Wheaton moved his Fri. tourney to Tues. - so that'll rock.

Maybe I'll even win something someday again - def. goes in spurts.

EDIT - in addition to my usual depravity - I have added a large thin crust Meat Lover's pizza and 24 buffalo hot wings to the mix...

I'm gonna pay for this probably with my life....meh - maybe they'll throw a goodbye post up for the guy who's arteries gave out in the middle of the Bonus Code Iggy Invitational.

RB

Monday, December 19, 2005

so this is how the book starts.... or rather the book I'm going to write someday, I'm sure...

Blog taking up one half of the screen - poker tables on the other half. And if you guys could see the picture on my desktop, which is probably not too SFW, though not obscene, then you'd see, it's perfectly clear.

I can't think of a single goddamn reason to ever walk into a casino ever again.

Here's a spot where my tourney game can grow unchecked by issues like buy-in's since the limits can get so low when you start out - you can ALWAYS afford a SNG in 5 min. - no loitering - no noise like Loudmouth -

Internet poker has large $100 buyin tourneys where one or two wins a year can fund a bankroll - a big bankroll online can open so many doors to the big tourneys without any risk to a good satellite player.

I am in danger of becoming a recluse - me thinks - I turn the lights down, turn up the irish music, light a candle, take a toke, start a game table, and off we go.

I can't do any of this in a real casino - man....

Only the warmth of the strip and the reams of loose 1/2 cash keep me going back to Vegas - I'll be more likely to fly to Vegas this year then go down to my local Canterbury room.

I'm going to get more ambitious in my debt repayment plan. - I thought I might have to subside my poker playing again at $300/mo. till I got my back up to speed. As of now, that's not necessary.

I find myself setting a lot of arbritary and artifical goals for me to hit. when I break this point in the BR I'll start playing higher buyin games, and plot it out and plan it right - then cash in and start over again like a contest. In fact, this blog started out in it's original form as the Open Internet Challenge update page.

I come from a wargaming background. To me It's seize objective, and progress to the next objective, and progress till you've seized all objectives. In a poker tournament, you proceed from conflict to conflict with the ultimate goal of winning the war. That's why tourneys feel so right for me.

For a long time there, I was stuck on the last one objective needed to progress my game - obscenely stuck and now I feel I've moved forwared so I'm revising and redefining objectives and repeating that scene last week with Loudmouth isn't one of them.

I forgot to tell the ending of that story....no - I left it out.

When I got to my room after it was all done I cried for about two minutes, said a quick prayer, washed my face, and tried to get some sleep.

Just cause I CAN do it doesn't mean I want to.

Long story short - cash in the 800 Live BR on an Ipod and build a PC to play poker on TV with wireless keyboard and mouse - (LCD TV's rock)

keep playing low limit online and set objectives for myself - catch the new Wil Wheaton tourney on Tuesday, since I no longer work the nights he's running it....and just hold up - keep playing the SNG's and occasional tourney and grind it out....

light the candle, turn down the lights, and chill till Spring starts up again.

Kinda dangerous though....A life like this, esp. in a lazyboy recliner starts making being single seem bearable, almost positive.

that CANNOT be a good thing. But somehow I think that too much of this will do what it has done in the past, and drive me back to Canterbury where the limit players are fish and the food is warm, and the conversation is good.

so I won't worry....I go thru these phases...LOL

RB

Man...I love micro-anything...tourneys or SNG's -

maximum value for any big hand is an all-in push. At least in the MTT's. I'm signed up for a 3.40 on Pokerstars - turbo/10 handed instead of 9 - first prize 15 bucks, then 9 then 6 - (Meh - I was bored and didn't have to wait for a big one. Figured I might multitable two or three.)

so I get AA the first hand.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t20 (10 handed) converter
Hero (t1500)
SB (t1500)
BB (t1500)
UTG (t1500)
UTG+1 (t1500)
UTG+2 (t1500)
MP1 (t1500)
MP2 (t1500)
MP3 (t1500)
CO (t1500)

Preflop: Hero is Button with Ac, As.
2 folds, UTG+2 calls t20, 1 fold, MP2 calls t20, 1 fold, CO calls t20, Hero raises to t1500, 1 fold, BB calls t1480 (All-In), UTG+2 folds, MP2 calls t1480 (All-In), CO calls t1480 (All-In).
Flop: (t6030) 3s, 4h, Qd (4 players, 3 all-in)
Turn: (t6030) Jc (4 players, 3 all-in)
River: (t6030) 2c (4 players, 3 all-in)
Final Pot: t6030

Results in white below:
BB has 9c Qc (one pair, queens).
MP2 has 5s 5c (one pair, fives).
CO has Kc Ad (high card, ace).
Hero has Ac As (one pair, aces).
Outcome: Hero wins t6030.

I'm going to admit to something I don't think I've heard any other poker blogger admit to...

Take it for what it is...a simple admission of the truth.

When I look at my page stats for the week, and I see the spike from 90 hits per day to 500 hits per day - that makes me feel good - yah. Worth the trouble it took to make a $20 t-shirt that said "Your Blog Sucks"

Speaking of which....I gotta figure out what to do with this thing. I'm wearing it now cause I'm out of clean laundry - it should go somewhere it pisses off the most bloggers - LOL...

and I've been reading and adding new blogs to my lists - (see right) and if I met you, mail me a link to your blog and I'll read it.

One guy in particular - for some reason I thought he said his blog was "openings" but I can't seem to find it on the main link pages I use. Comment in this post...(I've turned off moderation - I'll just delete the spam.)

I see views are starting to peter back out again - LOL - thanks guys - hope ya stick around.

RB

Sunday, December 18, 2005

Polar Bears drowning and resorting to cannibalism...

Here's the link - traced from Slashdot

It astonishes me the blind naiviety of these Republicans who insist they aren't convinced that Global warming is happening. Every year we get another story or two like this and they still have their hands over their ears going "LA LA LA - I CAN'T HEAR YOU." Even more naive is the notion that it can't affect us or that we can buy our way out of any issues it causes.

The house has smoke all thru the ground floor - the ceiling is burning two stories up out of sight and all Republicans can say is "Well, we're not convinced this smoke is our house. And we're not convinced that there hasn't been smoke here before and that this is natural geology - and we're not convinced the fire will spread to the ground floor if the building is on fire.

fucking idiots - naive, blind, fucking idiots

I've been listening to Gillian's cover of Townes Van Zandt's "Poncho and Lefty"

Maybe one of the finest set of lyrics ever - so many open ended questions - what did Lefty do...did he sell out Poncho? Sure feels like it... Townes just said it wasn't about Poncho Villa - but he said the Pope and the President were in town the night he wrote it - LOL -

Only real agreed upon fact is that first line - I agree with Steve Earle - I think that Townes wrote the first lines about himself.

------------------------------

Living on the road my friend
Was gonna keep you free and clean
Now you wear your skin like iron
Your breath's as hard as kerosene
You weren't your mama's only boy
But her favorite one it seems
She began to cry when you said goodbye
And sank into your dreams

Pancho was a bandit boys
His horse was fast as polished steel
Wore his gun outside his pants
For all the honest world to feel
Pancho met his match you know
On the deserts down in Mexico
Nobody heard his dying words
That's the way it goes

All the federales say
They could have had him any day
They only let him hang around
Out of kindness I suppose

Lefty he can't sing the blues
All night long like he used to
The dust that Pancho bit down south
Ended up in Lefty's mouth
The day they laid poor Pancho low
Lefty split for Ohio
Where he got the bread to go
There ain't nobody knows

All the federales say
They could have had him any day
They only let him slip away
Out of kindness I suppose

The poets tell how Pancho fell
Lefty's livin' in a cheap hotel
The desert's quiet and Cleveland's cold
So the story ends we're told
Pancho needs your prayers it's true,
But save a few for Lefty too
He just did what he had to do
Now he's growing old

A few gray federales say
They could have had him any day
They only let him go so wrong
Out of kindness I suppose

made 10th in that tourney I was playing - bubbled again with A/rag -

I believe that hand is my biggest leak in bubble play - I'm gonna stop playing it for a while - in late position it's great - but in EP as a blind steal anything that calls it dominates - too damned dangerous...I'd rather have KQ suited then A6 - or JT offsuit - anything but that lameass A6 offsuit.

Did I tell you guys what I wanna do? I'm gonna take about $500 out of the BR - (most of what I took off Loudmouth and his buddy) and buy a nice 60 GB Ipod - and some speakers and the FM transmitter, of course :) - it'll become more common then my cell phone - I leave that bastard off a lot - LOL.

-----------------------------------

had a great little SNG run today - 10th in the 180 player, two 1st's and a 2nd - with one first in my first $20 - gonna play a couple more 20's after this 6.50 turbo with 45 players. I like to practice on everything - LOL.... -- close to the money in this one - that rocks...

----------------------------------
I love Gillian Welch tonight...

O me O mi O, will you look at Miss Ohio
She's running around with the rag top down
She says I wanna do right but not right now.

------------------------------------

whoops -- took KTsooted vs AQ when we were 11 handed - flopped a 10 so I was a 78% fav post flop but lost to that Q on the turn.

that's poker....on to the $20 SNG's -

pax
RB

Saturday, December 17, 2005

I'm trying to limp into the money in one of these $180 SNG's - tired of always bubbling - a quick post will help.

I just had a cool thought. I brought back 10 nice chips from the Imperial Palace poker game. I shuffle them as I make decisions online.

I can see myself 25 years from now talking on an ESPN special about my favorite poker game.

And I'll say "Well, siree, there was this rough and tumble poker room on the strip. It was between all these big flashy casinos with their fancy poker rooms. And it wasn't as clean, and sometimes fights broke out.

But that was the where the worst players in Vegas came to play....and I loved to go down on weekends and filet them myself - a man could make a living playing 1/2 NL -

back in the outlaw days of poker....chasing the fish and whales of Low Limit -

At the Imperial Palace - "

and I'll talk about it the way Dean Martin might talk about the Sahara or Sinatra might talk about the Sands.

I'll be talking about a poker room and a strip that now is only in my memory as the strip is now rows and rows upon rows of luxury condos - probably bought by the new Hollywood and the richest of our society.

I'm sorry - that story sucks....

RB

Last year, I declared a "war on Stupidity"

I was tried in absentina for War Crimes - They said I was promoting Genocide...

meh.

RB

Thursday, December 15, 2005

I just had an interesting thought.

Listen to Johnny's Cash's cut of "Walk the Line" - the real recorded version from the 50's. (that is, if you have it) - He sings high - drops a step down, up, down, and then down a full octave reciting the same verse.

That's when it's deep and booming and out of place within the song. And then I wonder if that wasn't some representation of something more malovent.

"because you're mine, I walk the line"

"because you're mine...."

"because I love you and obsess over you and I'll never be happy without you and you'll never be as happy as you are with me."

"because I own you - just like Ike owned Tina and you'll never leave me because if you do I'll kill you"

---------------------------
I don't think for a second Johnny Cash thought that way about June, though he was certainly persistant...LOL. But it wouldn't surprise me in the least to find out he had some dual meaning when he drops down that full octave at the end.

RB

Wednesday, December 14, 2005

The following events occurred from 3-9am, Sunday Morning, Sun, Dec 11th and were reconstructed from notes and memory and were cut/pasted and put in this post.

It's very long and gets personal, but I believe it focuses on what has been up till now the best night of poker I have ever played.

I don't mean best to mean "most profitable" - I mean when I don't make mistakes - when I make the right calls and laydowns. When I do what the right play is regardless of results.

I don't have to explain this to you. You know what it means the night you've feel you've played your best game.

This takes place in an average sized poker room on the Strip – around the poker tables. - 3am Sun. morning -

two tables left and two drunk guys who enjoy ragging a guy and his girlfriend nearly start a fight - the 2nd I've seen since I got there - you know how it is - when two guys think they're cool, they get a laugh out of the fact and rip into whoever they feel like in the name of fun - they're on 2/4 and I'm on 1/2 NL - no biggie - the fight was de-fused, They took some cheap shots at the guy and his girl - probably said some crude stuff about how she needed to give him some sweet stuff or how he needed to go down on her or something… - I wasn't at the table - just saw the little shit step out of the poker room boundary trying to call the boyfriend out. He’s tall and skinny with his hair shaved pretty much all the way around but for maybe a quarter inch – Honestly, I think the boyfriend looks a HELL of a lot tougher, but unknown to him, loudmouth has a big, bulky friend two seats over at the same table who is not saying a word yet, but I KNOW if there was a fight outside it would be 2 vs. 1

They could be a California kids or cowboys in civilian garb, which is what the loudmouth calling the boyfriend out on reminded me of. They go sit down when the floor woman, a tough old broad, starts shouting at them – Security shows up a min. later and they never address the kid who stepped away from the table except briefly to make it clear that no one fights tonight – (whereas the night before 8 guards took a drunk out in cuffs.)

He later says he was joking and that he was bluffing and he's a lover, not a fighter but he was going to call the guy out. I think they antagonized the BF enough to the point where the BF made the first verbal threat and then the loudmouth stood up and walked out side the rope while the BF stood up, and in the end everyone sat down but Loudmouth was just calling out the BF and showing him down and he thought he looked like a winner. The boyfriend, BTW, didn’t know the big guy across from him was loudmouth's buddy.

Honestly, I don’t know if he was just full of shit or looking for fist action, but between him and his buddy, they could have handled any one guy. Sidekick alone probably has some bodies to his count on his own with that scar on his forehead.

Oh yah – it’s not enough to be an obnoxious ass at the table nowadays. You need the Andy Richter-ish sidekick – except this was Frankenstein – bulky with a scar on his head. Not pretty.

Eventually the two guys come to my table cause no one at the 2/4 game wants to play with them anymore and we’re the last one standing. – the 2/4 game has dissolved and all I hear are smart ass cracks about looking like a guy from Ferris Bueller's Day Off - I previously made no secret of my disdain for their shit when they walked by the table and one of them brought up the resemblance - and they tore into me with the Ferris Bueller crap -

it's true, BTW - I look like Cameron - LOL - but there's a difference between saying it and being an unbearable prick about it. I also look like Russell Crowe, I guess, and it’s been mentioned to me, but that’s not what I hear – they just keep going “Bueller” like Ben Stein does in the movie and lay into me pretty hard.

But I don't care - I got $250 in front of my from a $100 buy in and they've got short stacks of $60 so I'm going to wait for a hand and just play - I joust with them verbally a bit at first but it gets old fast and I'm getting tired of it. Then they run a couple bluffs and I pull out the Walkman to imply that I’m trying to ignore them. I’m hoping by not talking to them I can make it go away. They start making fun of my fucking CD Walkman – LOL. –

Let me diffuse this now….I know what’s gonna happen – YES, it’s a CD WALKMAN, but it’s CHEAP and held 12 burned mp3 albums – so it was enough for this trip.

They’re asking if the needle skips if they bump the table or was it my Grandpa’s - I’m not trying too hard right now – I’m listening to the Hank Williams anthology.

A nice one comes in…AQ diamonds. Loudmouths act after me and I think I raised to 10 and got a call from the Loudmouth. I may have checked trying a check-raise but in the end, skinny loudmouth was in and the Frankenstein sidekick was out and there couldn’t have been more then $20 in the pot.

Flop comes T44 - two diamonds - I bet 20, he calls –
Turn J of diamonds - I bet 20, he raises all in, and I call with about $80 more, leaving me $130....He has a J7 offsuit.

River is a J – hooboy. Yah. I lose to someone who caught a 4 outer and then a 3 outer. His friend gives the ol hi-five and says how great he played, and he's shouting and laughing cause he laid down J4, taking away two of his bud’s outs. They ask me how it feels and I’m boiling and trying to keep it down and they’re goading on how I’m steaming – I go “Nice hand – nice hand” but I’m trying it Phil Ivey style – I can’t smile anyways cause it would look fake. I have to deadpan it and tune out all the questions about how bad it hurt to lose to a two outer.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Ok – sidetrack - Let's do the math on Poker calc.

Preflop, I'm about a 68% fav to win.
Postflop that goes to 87% fav.
Turn - when I got the J of Diamonds...I actually still went UP to a 91% fav. If it had been a diff. suited jack, I would have suddenly become a dog favored to win at 38%, and it's not the lock that any other card would have given me on the pot, but my chances actually haven't gone down, I’m just now a 91% favorite.

NOW - Let's see what the odds are IF his buddy had J4. I set up poker-calc to replay the hands imaging that there is now a dead J and dead 4 - (you can't set it up as a third player cause the calc. adds them into the winner column...LOL - I just had to learn how to do this - in Poker Calculator, it's done by right-clicking the cards on the game grid, BTW.)

Anyways, here's a chart.

- - - - - - - - - - With 4 outs- - - - With 2 outs
-----------------I--------------------------------
Preflop - - - - - - - -68% - - - - - - - - -71%
PostFlop - - - - - - 87.3% - - - - - - - -89.8%
Turn - - - - - - - - - 90.9% - - - - - - - 95.2%

side note....I expected the preflop/postflop percentages to be a bit more dominating and higher in the 2nd category.

No matter how you read it - it's one of the worst beats ever - except sidekick boy was looking at me when he said it. He was smiling and gloating and talking for me to hear.

And whether it’s true or whether I wanted to believe it, I told myself He didn’t muck J4 offsuit - He's trying to put me on tilt. I honestly don't know if it's cause they're drunk assholes stuck in high school or cause they think they can really be Phil Hellmuth and win money, but they're gunning for me now. This is serious go time. This is war.

They're asking if I'm a local and imply they're not - they ask if I think I’m a pro - remember, I’m not drinking and am stone-faced now – staring at the center of the table all the time. They ask why a pro is playing ½ NL – Actually, I almost think it’s possible in Vegas if you’re a shark with a big BR looking for drunks on the weekends to easily survive on the ½ NL games.

He jokes he got a $55 hand job last night if I wanted a referral and how bad it must feel to lose to that hand. I turn into a stone and stare at the dealer/board and don't say a word except to stare in the eyes of my fellow players and I’m sort of seeing a half disgust and one or two almost have a look of pity in their eyes…LOL.

Then they ask when I had my last girlfriend and they start saying - "Oh it's been a while" - and then they go "Oh, we got to you on that one” and laugh like two stupid high schoolers.

and they know they did cause I didn't say a fucking word and I didn’t change a fucking thing but I KNOW my face must turned red at that point. I FELT the blood rise to it, cause this is going on and on and and we go from 15 hands/half hr to 8 - and in the middle of one of these ridiculously long hands, I get tired and call the clock and the ringleader says he's going to wait the full minute before folding just cause I called clock on him. Probably still ended the hand two minutes faster then if I hadn't but he was in my face about it.

Floor can’t do anything – cause no one’s threatening anyone – which is fine. – but of course, the play lag is unbearable and the environment at this time is almost unreal for the 4 players at the table who have been playing fairly tight and not really getting involved a lot.

This was a rough time. I almost lost it.

So for my own mental health, and for my tilt-free composure, I realize I need help. I grab my mp3 walkman and threw Kate Rusby on there - In the past Kate has soothed loud voices inside my head, but today I need her to drown out the voices at the table. I take one song and put it on repeat and crank it – it makes it possible to drown things out and I just stare and focus at betting action so I don’t miss anything.


And I listen to her voice wash over me – it’s a lullaby, really, is what she wrote, a reminder of better days – Yes, I look like Cameron from Ferris Beuller’s Day off. Yes, I have not gotten laid in Las Vegas ever and I’m slumming in ½ NL on Sun Morning 5am where there had to be better places to be.

But I didn't lose that hand – I played it perfectly. I may be run down with the best of them to runner, runner, - I may get bluffed occasionally off a winning hand or get drawn out on and there’s a good chance I won't get my $120 back from him it cause I'm down to $130 on a $100 max buy-in NL game and my arch enemy has at least $240 now and his bud has about $100.

But I don’t tilt. That doesn't happen. Not tonight

Ok - Next problem...Let's me start now with the table setup and dynamic to give you a clue of the battlefield.

Seat 1 - Good guy from Canada - solid player – a bit tight, but solid
Seat 2 - good guy from somewhere - also solid and was there for hrs. with a stack between $100 and $200. – He asked for the address of this blog so if he reads this, gives me a shout out

Seat 4 - Me
Seat 5 - really drunk kid who looks like Shane Mcgowan and has some cash. He's drunk and obnoxious as drunks are, playing sloppy, but he's not part of the initial duo that’s giving me shit – his biggest concern is literally getting the waitress to bring him more booze, not coming after me.

Seat 6 - Main Skinny Ass punk Loudmouth. –
Seat 8 - a quiet older guy who REALLY tightened up when the fireworks started
Seat 9 - Big sidekick loudmouth - The Andy Richter of the dynamic duds. – just as loudmouth but sorta mean looking, really - J - maybe he was the guy who’s head/body was later carved up for the Frankenstein Monster – Not pretty.

Occasionally there's a tight passive player who wanders in and out but it doesn't disrupt the general dynamic - they will be acting after me more times then they will be acting before me. As we start out, if I'm in a hand, the dynamic duds generally take control of it from the other players and when they’re heads up will joke about just each putting in 5 bucks and checking it down with each other and the drunk in seat 5.

It's starting to look like the drunk in seat 5 is joining up with Loudmouth and the Sidekick The duo is 6 and 8 but the drunk in seat 5 is getting into it, But at one time Seats 5 and 6 got up for a smoke break and talked out of earshot and I think something not kosher was discussed. He's going along with their needling and they bring him in as a sort of ally. I can't prove it or do a damn thing about it without either breaking the game or making it unbearable by bringing the floor over, but I feel there is soft playing going on. In any case, I’m outnumbered, but I KNOW I’m the better player.

This is just like deep stack tourney play with a couple unpredictable assholes on the Internet and a guy who types LOL a lot when either one says something. I’ve lost a couple big pots but have 60 times the BB and am in no danger whatsoever and can continue to buy-in at $100 increments for the next 6 bad beats if need be.

This can be done.

It starts with seat 6 repopping me a lot. Twice I limped with hands and I get repopped, lay it down, and he shows the bluff. I’m getting a feel for the game and their postflop play now that things are serious and they think I’m on tilt. Maybe I am on tilt – I tell myself if I can get in cheap with 6/8 suited and hit a flop I can outplay them post flop - but I don’t have enough confidence in my hands to commit my stack yet so I lay them down – But about the third time he repops, he encounters a reraise from another player and he quickly lays it down

A bulb then goes off – I still got $130, and I decide to limp with any hand when I'm in position where I've already had two or three limpers and there's still one or more of my foes to act. One thing about having loudmouth almost on my immediate left - I am almost at a point where I can literally command a raise out of him with a semblance of accuracy just by limping – so I want him in there with a lot of opponents.

I also loosen my preflop starting requirements for limping - I'm trying to encourage lots of $20 repops by my foes and shown bluffs. I want to bring the whole table down on them. I’ve got $700 more cash if I need it – let’s see what a few $2 limps will accomplish.

Sure enough, a couple of the smart guys still at the table started slow playing big hands and got some nice hands in – that toned down the aggression by the dynamic duds a bit. It won't put an end to soft playing or later, attempted chip dumping, but I'll get to that. After they dropped about 20% of their stacks I could start playing my regular hands again without issues and stopped limping with crap. Probably cost me about oh, 12 bucks total cause I would never commit post flop. One problem solved.

Seat 5 is now overjoyed, BTW, cause the waitress wasn’t coming fast enough and he wanted a 2nd beer when he got down with the first one. Apparently the waitress wasn’t fast enough – heh. She can’t give it to him, but seat 1 gets a beer and hadn’t drank it and graciously offered it to seat 5 who set it on the carpet next to him out of prying eye sight. He’s happy now. – LOL –

In retrospect, I think Seat 1 was salivating for a nice juicy bite – unfortunately he didn’t get one, to my knowledge – and was getting offended but wasn’t saying much –He joked about disgracing his country with his play cause he didn’t get more chips on a table this bad but he was more then complimentary when I took a pot down from the bozos. Most folks at the table stayed out of it verbally though. But I may have missed some stuff cause I was tuning everything out – LOL.

So loudmouth and the sidekick kept trying to get me to talk to them - to start something up - and I stared at the board like it was a car crash and I turned up the headset to 11. I've got other opponents at the table wondering how I do it and I let a couple of them in on the walkman. I’ve got this one peaceful song replaying over and over. The song, BTW is called “Sleepless Sailor” by Kate Rusby – it’s on her album “10” and I highly recommend it.

and somewhere about 5:30am, this hand happened.

I get AQ suited again. - I can't recall if I raised preflop or if it was diamonds - I think I limped trying to get them to move on me.

flop comes with an A - I bet 20, he calls
turn K - I bet 20, call
river J - I bet 25 - he raises to 75 - I think for 20 seconds, sigh a deep breath, and I call – If I lost, I know I lost with the best hand, best flop, and played the hand fine and just got run down again, but he mucks without even showing. I've got my $260 back that he took from our first encounter

Then the damnest thing happens – the tilt brothers go on tilt. - - They’re still needling and being loud and as cocky as hell, but ya know, they’re losing now occasionally.

And then I feel like it’s time to start in. I tell him he’s right that I need an Ipod – I’m going to buy one with the money he gave me. I’m not winning pots vs the duo but others are, and when another guy takes a pot from one I toss a tip to the dealer. Then the unthinkable – sidekick busts out

He came to the table with 30 and loudmouth gave him 30 more and I knew if one busted the other would eventually pass chips to the other and I was ready… I called the floor and asked for a ruling and she was firm – no way chip passing or moving is occurring. If he leaves and rebuys, he’s got to rebuy for the same amount or he’s out for 2 hrs. - Well, this gets them pretty indignant and so forth and but she's putting her foot down. Personally, I’m still not sure there wasn’t some other cheating going on then soft playing, but it don’t matter. I’m enforcing the rule and calling them on out for one reason only – to piss them off even more.

And now I’m starting to talk. - “Sorry, man – chip passing is a no-no between players – what if you were colluding? - rules are rules – got to obey the rules, bro, but yeah, go to the ATM and buy back in for your buddy.” in a condescending way like the way a bureaucrat might manipulate the law or the rules for ill-gotten ends. Nothing ever happens and sidekick spends 30 minutes busted behind his friend before apparently saying goodbye and walking off – I missed it thru the walkman but I made damn sure I buttoned all the pockets on my jacket and was cautious of getting an elbow to the head for a few minutes.

Bear in mind, the floor people are now in on this with me. This whole thing is sort of pissing off the floor cause it’s disruptive, and we got this one old dealer – a fun sarcastic guy named David who said he only got in 8 hands that table when he usually gets 15 - and dealers who are getting half the normal amount of tips cause these dicks are talking so much time up they're slowing the game down.... so they’re with me on this and hey, all we’re doing is enforcing the rules…The money you have on the table stays in front of you.

The table’s real bad now – obnoxious – we get a new player – older fellow – who I try to talk out of sitting down – he seems nice and I don’t want him to get a bad impression of live poker. He just smiles and sits down anyway. Oh…boy…did I read him wrong. We never butted heads but it became extremely obvious to me he was NOT a kindly old gentleman just trying out Vegas poker for the first time. - J - I imagined a local retiree there to make comp dollars and watch Sunday football or something while being mean with big hands. I’m not convinced the best player departed the table when I got up from it.

Finally our Loudmouth friend is gone.

He never said a goddamn word to me when he got up and walked from the table. No smartass cracks – no parting jabs – he slinked into the darkness

Well, at this point, I want to leave, and I stand up and I say - "Gentlemen - I can't beat you - you're too good for me" and get ready to go. A dealer walking by says that's the most honest thing he's ever heard anyone say in the Card room – :).

but the other 5 are encouraging me to stay and I feel like I can take off the headphones and just relax again in a nice game of poker with some decent guys if I want to. Maybe they all thought I was the next fish to gut – LOL –

but all I have for all that work of 4 hard hrs are my $100 buy-in and about $175 in profit – about what I had before the dynamic duo joined our table. - their chips are on the drunk guy's stack in seat 5 and at one time I think he . Well, he was enjoying the whole thing and laughing with them even though he wasn't part of the original duo...so he's guilty too, right? And he’s slowplaying

So I sit back down and do 180 degrees on my attitude. I make it clear, those guys pissed me off, but I got nothing against you, bro.

Our “hand” - I have 68 diamonds - freebie in BB – drunk limped UTG.

flop - comes 457 with two hearts – I flop the nuts. I bet 20, he calls
turn - comes - 9 hearts – There are now three hearts on the board and I make a blunder – I slow down and check – he checks also. Have to hope it’s not expensive.
river - K clubs - I bet 25 - he pushes enough to get me all-in.

I do something I almost never do - I turn to him and start talking, fishing for a tell. He's drunk so he won't be quiet - He says he doesn't think I made the flush or that it's a small one. He's talking about how I didn't make it.

Previously we had an encounter where I flopped bottom set and he pushed me all in – I was afraid of a bigger hand and draw then I could beat, but then he said "Your kicker's no good" - I instacalled and snapped off his AK - so he's not saying things to be deceitful. I think he not sure if he has me beat but he knows I don’t have a big hand cause I checked the turn and slowed down when he repopped it and so he’s trying to say that I have an inferior hand to him. He has a light smile, and I have to believe from my evaluation of his play (generally hideous at least cause he was drunk) that I am dealing with a guy who probably really does know how to play poker when not drunk of his ass.

An all-in at the river and he wants me to believe I'm losing and I don’t think he wants a call. I spend 30 seconds wondering if it's cause he has 23 of hearts - I'm scared of a really small flush - but I think he'd like any flush and would want a call if he had that.

I call - he had flopped a set of 5's – I drag the pot.

And after that redeeming call and excellent play, Here’s where it gets dark….

He rebought while I complimented him PROFUSELY and SERIOUSLY on how good a bet that was and how it was so close and how I only called cause I could rebuy cause I had $600 in my wallet from a lucky run last night. I massage his ego and let him know he's a good poker player - I don't mock him or put me up or get too condescending – I’m a good actor when I want to lay praise on a drunk. I’ve been convincing people I like their band for years. I tell him that I'm tipping the waitress for that next beer she's bringing him.

I feel a bit ashamed for acting like a Casino boss to the drunk guy. I am buttering him up and acting like a Casino host for the sole purpose of tearing his money away from him. I relax and tell myself he's in his mid 20's, def. close to alcoholic - (you know the look - Shane McGowan pale face with a double chin) - and this is just $400 bucks...I'm not taking money from children. Truth is, that’s all the guilt I feel on it – he makes his choices and I make mine. People offered to put drinks in my hand too but I didn’t drink them and as you might guess I once had problems with alcohol myself.

But a man makes his own choices. I doubt floor would remove him anyways. So I make mine and I keep him happy.

We ran into each other one more time - I caught a 9 outer to run down his diminished stack. He rebought for 60 more but I was drained. The money won would not be easy with 3 or 4 other players looking at it – I guess they milked him for another hr. or two as I understood later. Truth is, I don't have any energy left to do anything but collapse – but I run down to the internet pc’s and come on here and start a quick post with the rough draft of this – I can save it and it’s here when I get home in a draft fold.

and I took back all the chips I lost and more. Every last cent and cashed out $360 in profit. - I must tipped away at least 40 - I felt bad for all the floor and dealers cause you know it costs the dealers tips when we're at 8 hands an hr. cause everyone's a comedy star nowadays. I made a point of getting a couple of them an extra 5 and the floorpeople an extra $10. And the guys left at the table will make more money with me gone – LOL.

I can’t think of a night where I was more on. I saw the hands, I saw the cards, and I stopped the tilt factor from playing. That’s our most dangerous enemy, and he had reinforcements that night.

And then there’s that dark side again. I readily encouraged a man who clearly had an issue with alcohol to continue carrying on acting like a man on the way down a road I know is bad news. – he had that shallow pasty face and the double chin going – I knew he was in danger…and I didn’t walk from it,

but I didn’t starve any kids either and I didn’t kill any civilians..

This is poker. I’m not there to get drunk or be an ass or listen to your comedy routine. At the end of the day, I’m there to take your money.

RB

Tuesday, December 13, 2005

as we lead up to my mega super duper post - I'd like to give credit to another cocksucker.

Mon. 2am Aladdin tourney - 20 players - and one dude bought in for his friend who's not there - he shows up 45 min late - 21 - pimply - tons of attitude with him from Jersey - he's a prick - wants to play me in NL when I make a crack and I want him out of the game. He keeps trying to get me in a NL game and I'm wondering why since I don't think he's that good.

We get to one table - we draw cards and he's picking them up, not liking the seat, throwing it down and grabbing another one - a player complained to the floor and we redrew but he wouldn't tone it down. 8 handed, and he's in the BB and he makes this big gesture "I'm all in" and we're like - Dude - you haven't seen your cards, you're out of position - STFU.

WELL - a player min raises just past him...one call with AK suited near me, and the kid's gonna muck - well - the first Min raiser insisted the floor come over and the floor rules that IF the kid said he was all-in - even out of position, then he was making action taht affected other players and he HAD to push all in - I loved it. He had 79 and ran into the min-raiser's KK and an AK suited - actually AK took it down - it was great - and he was gone in 8th.

I tell him to go back to the Bellagio and keep my NL 1/2 seat warm and I'll see him there - mostly to make him go away - after the previous night that I'm writing about, I have no intentions of joining a game with such a prick. He goes "I don't play 1/2 - I play 10/25" - but finally he vanishes.

Later I ask his bud if he really played 10/25 -

"well, yah - well, dude - his dad's a millionaire and he's loaded so yah, his family is rich."

:) - daddy's money - I'm impressed - Hope they gutted the prick - I suspect they did.

RB

I am reading a few post WPBT reports, and I'm hearing comments about seeing the sun rise before going to bed and blah de blah de blah.

One word for you....One word only.

Rookies

:) - I'm a vampire, babe - (helps when that's the job shift too - LOL)

RB

Ok - drop what you're doing - including reading this blog.

And then go over to Felicia Lee's blog - (link on the right) and leave her a well-wishing or a comment.

RB

highlights and downers of the Vegas Trip.

HIGHLIGHTS

* played the best night of poker in my life
* seeing a fight EVERY night, including one where he was taken out in Handcuffs
* winning at craps for the first time in my life - (I was copying a friend's bets, BTW - I can't play this game)
* watching the smartass mouths leave the table with no chips
* not being hungover and not seeing myself in every alcoholic.
* Meeting Charile Shoten, Barry Greenstein, Joe Sebok, Nolan Dalla, Michael Craig, Wil Wheaton, and Amy Calistri -
* having the floor at the IP say I busted in 71st but won the best dressed award in his opinion for "Your Blog Sucks". The shirt was as much fun to wear as I thought it would be. - How will I top myself for the next WPBT - well, ..I'm starting to think "Nickelback Sucks" is a good place to start.

DOWNERS

* no quality bar time with Iggy or Pauly, - we both had discussed a live meeting of the minds over a glass of something - didn't write your numbers down, guys...you both travel a lot and near Mpls. and there is some primo Minnesota Weed around and I might know where some of it is...just a little incentive to you to give me a call next time you're in Minneapolis
* No Felicia or Glenn...we missed you!!!! -
* Giving away a lot of profit rebuying in those $60 tourneys. At my last MGM tourney I busted the 4th hand when AA got cracked by AJ with a murderous flop of KQT. In the end I made my expenses back on the trip (about $300) - but dropped the extra $300 in profit I had made -

meh...you live, you learn - I'm dying in my latest Pokerstars tourneys too with some bad, bad shit - still used to the NL reach into your pocket and rebuy dance. May have gotten too loose with my calling requirements after making a couple really good calls in Vegas. I'll tighten up for this next one.

RB

Hey guys - I'm back....

Here's the dealie - I don't have any "your blog sucks" t-shirts for sale - LOL - just make your own.

If anyone in LV gets the Las Vegas Sun, please look for me - a reporter with a camera asked my name and I assume he got a shot of me and if I'm a poker player with my picture in the Las Vegas Sun (now part of the Review Journal) - I want a copy - ain't seen nothing onsite.

I missed hanging with Pauly, Iggy, and I really wanted to hang with Wil Wheaton, who I probably scared off with my impression of geek fan - truth is, I wanted to meet him more then anyone - even the pros who didn't show like Clonie and Jesus, and the ones who did, like Barry Greenstein. I've just admired his work and writing for years before he became a poker player when he was just "CleverNickName" on Slashdot, and then on his blog.

But I really am not that big a Trekkie - only have the first season of the original series on DVD and I don't TIVO it or anything - but from reading his blog I always got the feeling Wil and I would have hung playing D&D and wargames and chatting computers together if we were both on level footing in the same High School - anyways...I'm not as bad as the girl who I met two years ago at a friend's prop building party with a Wil Wheaton Posse T-shirt - LOL. But Wil is cool again so us old hardcore fans must fall away as the harem builds anew - LOL. j/k

But I had a friend who wanted to hang...and I just wanted to get some food, crash at his place, and dick around - not hang around till 7pm watching people win games I couldn't win, drink drinks I couldn't drink, and I sorta am a wallflower in giant crowds of people - still can't believe I found the courage to approach Barry, Nolan Dalla, and Wil cold turkey.

Instead after the tourney, a fun off-strip craps game with a $1 pass line and 10x odds, and my 5 hr run with Rich at Green Valley Ranch, LOL - I went back to the IP and got into a 1/2 NL game at 3am -

I am documenting it, It's running 10 pages of a Word document and counting - I believe it to be the most important night of Poker I have ever played.

But I got two hrs of shit sleep on an airplane and I've been typing for 3 hrs....seems like every blogger is in recovery mode right now....LOL - so I can buy another day or two of grace, right?

Good to meet ya all - I've got a few photos and I'm happy and I'm gonna like Charlie's book and Phil's DVD and I'm gonna try to get ahold of them both and tell them so. I'm gonna try to bookmark some blogs of folks I met - and if we did, drop me an email or comment and I'll add it on there - I'm usually pretty hard to please though, and links go away fast...this isn't really a link page for you guys - it's the bookmarks I use when I go visit bloggers - LOL.

But I must recover a bit - fall asleep in the recliner with a bong and 4 TIVO'd episodes of Law and Order in HD - and three Netflix DVD's of "Sex in the City" - (I'm still trying to figure out how women think - LOL.)

then I shall tell the whole story - anyone wanna volunteer to edit a post for me for once? - LOL I'll probably need an editor on this one.

pax
RB

Sunday, December 11, 2005

busted in 71st - no biggie - knew that A10 offsuit wasn't gonna be good but I called anyways...meh -

I could have sold a few "your blog sucks" tshirts - LOL -

some other interesting things happened, but I feel like playing right now - 2am in Vegas is not time to be blogging - LOL.

RB

Saturday, December 10, 2005

no, you can't get rid of me that easy - even on the crux of our dominating blogger tour, rumor of which has apparently made the LV rounds, I am still here, your loyal servant - updating the blog.

Or I could just be bragging cause I'm up $330 and counting after 24 hrs, no thanks to tourneys...I already think my aggressive play is gonna have to be modified - when they don't fold, you can't bluff - working on it -

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I LOVE vegas at 5am - you get the whole world to yourself - passing thru the hallways at Bellagio - you can appreciate the beauty without the noise, tourists, or pressure to be buying shit -

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Saw my first full blown Poker confrontation that ended with a guy taking on 10 security guards and losing - :) - This was about 4am at the Imperial Palace and a friend of AlCantHang was there, so I have a witness - hilarious -

A drunk loudmouth was all in and showed his cards to someone who had chips but was still in the sidepot - This is an obvious no-no - but here's what it comes down to...

"Yes...you showed your cards and you're not supposed to do it - don't do that, sir"

but NNOOOOO - he has to make a big fuss but he just goes SO over the top it was unreal to see - He told the boss to go fuck off a few times - - and then he gets in the face of people telling him to cool down and slaps one guy a couple times.

It's incredible - it just got worse and worse - security gets there and they've got him cornered and 10 guys around him....NOW you should stop being an asshole and leave the premises nicely...oh no...that's not what he does -

No - let's put up a fight and get taken down hard by 8 security guards - I LOVE it...

there's a story that will stay in vegas... :) - Yah I got drunk and stoopid and lost a fight with 8 security guards, got charged with assault (a guy he slapped wanted to file charges) and hung out in Jail - and all I had to do was NOT BE AN [censored]!!!!! - LOL

I of course, being 8 feet from the action, grabbed my two stacks of Red - I didn't want the brawl knocking my chips and me losing my $100 profit - (hey, I KNOW what's the smart thing to do, babee...protect the dough - LOL)

best show I've ever seen in Vegas :grin:

RB

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allrighty - off to 2+2 and the WPBT - they're gonna kick my ass...

pax
RB

Friday, December 09, 2005

This is what it all comes down to -

I've made about 4 trips to Vegas - first one was painful - number two was ok - 3 and 4 were decent enough too send me back.

I'm going down with about 700 - (what I went down with the first time I went) - if I win enough to finance another trip (+300 or so) then I'll save all the BR money and keep going this winter till it runs out. My best results are on 1/2 NL, so that's what I'm going for.

If I lose a lot, then I take what's left - spend it on a present, and put a halt to all live playing in Vegas till I'm out of debt - but after plan out of debt comes plan buy a house.

I can play/build/maintain a bankroll without $300 expendetures that bite me in the ass right from the get go...so this is just sort of icing - puts more pressure on this trip.

But I don't think in this past year I've ever been a better poker player then I am now - I am ON this game and I am seeing it again - I'm seeing who can be picked off with a bluff, and who can be value bet. Concepts I read and gloss over for years are now crystal clear.

I'm gonna walk out of that town with more then I walked in - $300 for travel costs - $700 in my pocket...I want over 1K when I leave. NL tourneys (only the best, of course - like the Aladdin Nooner) and 1/2 NL at the MGM is what I'm gonna shoot for.

pax
RB

Thursday, December 08, 2005

30 hrs. till ground zero - woo hoo!

I'm gonna tell you guys something - I'm not scared of going to the city of free booze - (even without my weed crutch) - why?

Never told you guys this, but I think this is what did it...

I was reading Pete Hamill's "The Drinking Life" - he's a writer, for real - newspapers and articles and lots of books - this just happened to be a childhood and alcohol memoir.

There's a point where he accepts it's destroying his gift for writing....

and shortly thereafter, after that and a story with a drunk girl on my bed and a broken taillight that I'll tell you about some other time ;) -

that was it....all I want is to be a writer - of stories, observations - songs...if it takes that from me it's not worth it. So I was done and it has been unbelieveably easy...but of course, I have another mood altering crutch - with less dangerous yet still slightly unknown defects - but I can go 4 days without it in a heartbeat.

So Vegas, bring it on - I will be clear for this one, boy.

RB

did a visual checkup today after my snowboarding lesson - (part 2) - looking for patterns of discoloration - LOL.

I can honestly say I have never taken the beating in my life that I took last night - I have never been body slammed a dozen times into the ground in an hour....on my back most of the time - a couple were going pretty good downhill trying to work on my backwards/toe drag or whatever that is...

suffice it to say - I actually have brusies ON MY ASS - where I have NEVER had them before...

snowboarding sucks. But now I can go down a hill more or less without falling and I don't really wanna quit till I get good enough to quit and pick it up again whenever...

RB

Wednesday, December 07, 2005

this is bad....

my good buddy Rich told me about Launchcast - basically 135 streaming stations that are ad-free and customizable -

they got one called Vintage Country...I don't mean Johnny Cash or Willie Nelson, I mean Hank Williams, Ernest Tubbs, and the Louvin Brothers...

I can see myself spending a lot more time in front of the computer this month, and it ain't just the picture on my desktop that's doing it - LOL.

RB

Tuesday, December 06, 2005

for reasons totally unknown to me, out of complete boredom...

I have signed up for my first Omaha Hi/Lo rebuy tourney....had a few draws to the nuts that died and a few sets that surprisingly held up vs 4 players with 3 spades on the board...

ah well - I'll probably skip the rebuy/add on part anyways...LOL

I have an idea for a book, but I'm not revealing it to anyone....sorry - when it's published you'll know. - LOL

RB

Monday, December 05, 2005

I have problems - when playing tournaments, I tend to think in Sextonese.

What is that? - When you make a play, but instead of thinking in your head "This is a good play" - instead you hear Mike and Vince giving the commentary on why it's a good hand or bad or why the raise was terrible or not...

So all I ever hear when playing poker is WPT commentary - how terrifying - LOL

Got a 6th place finish today - in a tourney of 540 - $10 buyin - that means I am coming back up to speed...

RB

Sunday, December 04, 2005

I watched a special today on Brian Wilson and how he resurrected "SMiLE" from the graveyard of unreleased albums.

I think I've always just thought of the Beach Boys as this aging baby-boomer group - bad songs like Kokomo is their contribution today - no real relevance. Nothing except a few catchy tunes about surfing.

I don't think I realized the extent to which Brian Wilson was a composer and what he was trying to do with Smile - it was hated by all the other BB's - but then on the other hand, many people, including Paul McCartney, thought Pet Sounds was the ultimate album and this was to be it's followup - the American Sgt. Pepper's

It sounds like he was hearing stuff others couldn't imagine, and he could record 10 different musicians and fuse them together whereas they couldn't hear all the other parts he wanted to contribute to the tracks till it was all done, then they went "whoa..."

Think I'll go out and buy it - I know it's a different sort of trip for me....but what the hell - Brian Wilson went thru crippling depression and if he can write an album called "SMiLE" - (the irony not lost on his friends) then I can probably listen to it - esp. if it's one of the greatest albums of all time.

Anyone else taken the time to listen to it? You can pretty much sample the tracks on www.smilethealbum.com if you give them an email to register to -

I'm trapped - listening to "Good Vibrations" which is of course, re-recorded. (It was originally intended as the closer to SMiLE)

I think it's a bit easier when you realize certain songs are about fire, for example - LOL- and then you start listening to the sonic image in a different way.

pretty cool - actually

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this is something else here....this is a fucking train wreck you HAVE to see

A certain player on Ultimate Bet is known for playing the high stakes NL - he has dumped a TON of money recently - this guy's pokertracker stats (probably datamining) puts him at about 800K down...

holy mother...I hope I don't make THAT much money and piss it all away...

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Not much time for poker this week probably - I have three days off - One for cleaning the band practice space and going to see Walk The Line, and one for Snowboarding - that gives me basically one day before work, then two days vacation as I prep. for that grand Vegas run again....

There will be PLENTY of time for poker - LOL - I'll be playing it for 4 days and probably it'll be the donkfest I know and love, so rock on one last time b4 the end of the year babee..

I see now I'm on the Imperial Palace's mailing list - that's cool - I could use some more $29/39 room deals - esp. since I never had a problem with the place, being that's where I first stayed in vegas, babee... I hope I have a high balcony room again - I liked that one over the pool, though I fought the worst urge to throw myself from 16 stories towards the pool in what would be a suicidal cannonball - LOL.

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I feel like wanting to say more, but sometimes saying less is best, right?

RB

Friday, December 02, 2005

they say one of the signs of bipolar is mania states with a dose of meglomania - I.E. - believeing one's own self is God. If so, then I suspect the WPBT will be a battle of gods - (lower case gods)

I am great and you are puny - there - that's out of the way...

I'm actually looking forward to the WPBT and showing up on time and smacking down bitches who play the hammer - I see their faces already - in glee, tossing down the hammer - me in glee tossing down KK and seeing their joy fade - robbing dreams of glory and riches and grandeur....

If I wasn't a spiritual person, I would be SUCH an asshole - LOL.

RB

according to this post Amy Calistri is coming to see us at the WPBT event.

I don't think the Imperial Palace is gonna be able to handle all of us.

RB

Thursday, December 01, 2005

I admit it - I like Full Tilt's new Ad -

In it, Mike Matusow is making faces and shouting "The only thing bigger then MY MOUTH is the 100% signup bonus at full tilt"

While this is funny and acknowledges a number of things, there is one stated thing it doesn't announce but makes abundantly clear.

Mike Matusow has become a poker Celebrity - one of those we hold up high and gets lots of new admirers while the detractors hate him even more. He has a bankable personality and you can be damned sure he'll be at the next WPT badboys of poker.

But he's also a guy who has tempered tremendously - and has been as low as you can go, so I think he's gonna like these highs a lot more....

I'm rooting for him - unless he becomes a mega asshole again - LOL.

RB

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EDIT - Full Tilt is down - been down for about 12 hrs as near as I can tell.

RB

24 hrs. post sleep and post nap..

fuck...ow - snowboarding hurts...period.

LOL
RB