July 14, 2009: Full Tilting (Again)

A few weeks ago, I deposited $400 into my Full Tilt account and started playing online poker again. It's been quite some time since I last enjoyed the world of the online felt. Yee ha!

Since making that initial deposit, I've already taken my $400 out of the site - which isn't bad. In fact, that means that I'm playing exclusively with profits right now. That's always a good thing!

In this newest adventure, I'm concentrating my play at the Heads-up No-limit Omaha Hi games. I usually buy-in for $50 or $100 and test my luck. My patient play has frustrated some people, but so be it. I'm grinding out a steady profit right now.

I'm amazed at the number of people who will risk their $50 or $100 on a coin flip. Personally, I'm trying to avoid that strategy. I'm really focusing on getting all my money in the middle when I feel I'm solidly ahead - which seems like a stupidly simple strategy. Shouldn't that be the strategy of any poker player?

As I type this entry, I have nearly $500 in my account (remember, I've already taken my $400 out). I've played a fair amount of poker since starting up again, so I can't say that my hourly profit is particularly impressive. Regardless, it's nice to type the word "profit" in this entry.

If nothing else, I figured that I'd quick post this update before I got the chance to lose all this loot. :-) Here's what my account looks like right now. Hopefully, I'll be typing another entry in a couple weeks showing a significantly higher balance.

June 16, 2009: The WSOP

This past weekend I played in Event #27 of the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. Exactly 2,641 people anted up $1,500 to chase the dream of a first place prize of $639,331. Not surprisingly, I didn't take home the top prize.

Starting with 4,500 chips, not much happened during the first 2 hours of play. Entering the first 20 minute break, I had nearly the exact same number of chips that I started with. I scooped a couple small pots, but those were offset by a few losses in some other pots.

At 3:40pm (we started at noon), I was dealt pocket Q's. I proceeded to double-up to nearly 9,000 chips when another player went "all in" on a flush draw. Thankfully, my pocket Q's held up and things were suddenly looking pretty good.

The very next hand, I was delighted to find pocket Q's in my hand once again. The first player (he played very loose) immediately raised the big blind (200 chips) to 675 chips. The fourth player to act, I made the call and the biggest stack at the table (two to my left) also called. Three of us saw the flop.

It came 9-10-10. The first player immediately declared that he was "all in." I didn't believe him for an instant, so I raised "all in" myself. Unfortunately, the last player in the pot excitedly confirmed that we were both "all in" and declared that he was calling. Uh, oh!

Player #1 flipped over pocket 3's. I wasn't surprised to learn that I had him crushed. Unfortunately, my pocket Q's shrank when Player #3 flipped over 9-10. He had flopped the nut full house. Argh!

To my chagrin, I was suddenly chasing the last two Queens in the deck. Neither of them appeared on the turn or river and I was out of the tournament - just like that. Ooops!

So, just like that, I was down $1,500 for the trip. Thankfully, I found success in other games throughout the Las Vegas Strip during the weekend, and I came back to Milwaukee only down about $700. The cash poker games, in particular, were pretty kind to me.

I was able to find a photo of me playing in the WSOP. Here it is:

May 16, 2009: The Preakness Stakes

Theresa and I visited Baltimore this weekend. While there, we visited Pimlico Park and attended the Preakness Stakes this afternoon. We personally watched Rachel Alexandra become the first filly to win the race since 1924.

Unfortunately, I can't say that I won any money today. The filly went off at odds less than 2-to-1, so I wasn't motivated to bet on her. If I was going to win something, I wanted to win something. Oh, well.

In case you missed it, here's how it went: