Frolf in Pasadena

Yesterday Nick and Ben picked me up and the three of us went to play frolf at a fantastic course in Pasadena. Pasadena seems like Boulder only surrounded by people and smog instead of a bubble. Nick and I tied and Ben finished one back so he bought the first round...only he didn't because he went to bed early. Ben if you are reading this you still owe us. In fact everyone went to bed early because they had their first day of school today (Tuesday). I slept over at Claremont and ate lunch before Nick drove me back to the hotel this afternoon.

Watching the WSOP on tv tonight brought back some (not so) fond memories. In the very first event Paul Sexton was at my starting table playing a lot like me (I even doubled him up with AQ vs AK for 75% of my chips at the time). I know after watching him and a dozen others that me making a big-money televised final table is inevitable and only a matter of time. Seeing Erik Seidel win the 2k NL reminded me that he got a ton of chips from Ross Boatman with 8% of the field left and Ross got most of those chips from me and another player with AA vs AK and KK with 20% of the field left.

I was planning on going back to the Bicycle Casino tonight to play poker but when I called they told me their biggest NLHE game had a $500 max buy-in which is (gasp) no longer exciting enough to get me out of the hotel room.

Tomorrow I fly home courtesy of hated America West. Next stop will probably be Atlantic City in mid-September. There is a slim chance it might be Vegas in a week or two for the WSOP Circuit but the Championship is only scheduled for 3 days which is unacceptable for a 10k event so I probably won't go out there.

Microcosm of my Career

A wild day of poker.

I went to the hotel brunch at around 1. Doyle Brunson and Billy Baxter were eating and discussing their online poker site with a couple younger guys just a table away. I ate leisurely while eavesdropping. Two women in their forties at another adjacent table asked me if I was old enough to be drinking the champagne that came with the brunch. I laughed and offered the usual “these young looks will start paying off in about ten years” line. I declined to tell them that I would be spending five thousand dollars to play in a poker tournament later that afternoon.

Ted Forrest was in the elevator on the way down to the cab. Now there is a guy who has seen some bankroll swings. Really the prototypical professional poker player and he looks the part as well. I rolled out of my cab at the casino at about 4:17, really feeling like a professional on a business trip and excited about my prospects.

I was back in a cab returning to the hotel fifteen minutes later.

My first WPT tournament lasted a grand total of four hands.

For those who don’t know poker that well:
I found myself in an unavoidable, unlucky, difficult situation. My opponent played the hand with great cunning and trickery and ate me alive.

For those who know poker-speak:
With blinds at 25-50 my 10k starting stack was already down to 9k. UTG raised to 150 and got four callers. I called with JJ on the button and so did the BB. The flop came J98 rainbow and everyone checked to me. I bet 1100 and one player called. The turn was a 3 and he checked. I bet 2000 and he moved all-in. I called my last 5500 and he had QTs, the nuts. The board didn’t pair and that was it.

I would really like to ask a world-class player how they would have played this hand. It was so hard for me to get away on the turn with that much money in the pot and top set. Middle or bottom set I think I would have folded. But since my opponent could have those hands, or two-pair, or even a hand like JT, I thought I had to call with that much money in there rather than fold what could be the best hand and try to come back with a short stack. I also felt like I had to protect/value bet my hand on the flop and turn. Perhaps I will ask Mr. Forrest his opinion the next time I see him in the elevator.

Twenty minutes later I was back in the hotel room on Party Poker. I got down about 1k and was starting to wonder if I’d ever win a big pot again.

Then the deck stepped up and hit me full-force right between the eyes.

(For those who don’t know the expression getting “hit in the face” by the deck is a very good thing in poker).

Eight hours later I had broken every significant cash-game record I’ve ever had including biggest pot, biggest stack, and biggest win. I won a truly obscene amount of money and feel great about getting knocked out of the tournament.

Someday I will break through in a WPT or WSOP tournament. Until then, there is always Party Poker.

On the Road Again

The blog is back and so is my bankroll.

After "hitting bottom" in Vegas a month and a half ago I returned to Boulder. I deliberately avoided playing any serious poker for about ten days in an attempt to refresh. I didn't want to come back to the game until I was fiending to play and feeling good about myself.

I eased back into the game playing $600 and $1000 buy-in tables on Party Poker. Right from the start I was able to win with ease and my confidence quickly returned. I played a lot of live poker with friends and also at Mark's home casino-imitation game in Westminster. One Friday night late in July I reached poker nirvana in Westminster with a flawless session. That night I went to bed with a smile on my face, content with poker and life.

The next day I rolled out of bed and hopped into the Party Poker Million Guaranteed, a monster $600 buy-in tournament with over 2000 entrants. With the help of aces, ace-king, ten-six offsuit, scared opponents foolishly trying to eke up the pay ladder, and Paul Wasicka, I was able to score a 6th place finish for 38k.

This enabled me to return to the alluring, sky-high realm of the 2k tables on Party Poker and I immediately dominated, setting all kinds of personal records including total bankroll during the next few weeks.

I have played very little poker the last couple weeks, losing both times I have played online. Today I flew into Los Angeles (America West...abysmal...I don't want to talk about it) for the Bicycle Casino's Legends of Poker WPT main event. I don't play until Day 1B, Sunday at 4:15. Last year this tournament had over 600 players and a million dollar first prize won by Doyle Brunson. Should be a similar-size field this year. I have a good feeling something big might happen.