It's not quite time to break out into song. I'll reserve that for my Phil & Friends concert (with Trey and Mike G too!!) coming up at SPAC on July 2nd with Kim. Rather, Im wondering where the hell spring and early summer went to. I've been very remiss about updating my blog, to the chagrin of my small but loyal base of online readers who have chided me on the virtual felt to get my ass in gear and write. Little do they no that IG is really hard at work on the Great American Novel. LOL. No Great American Novel for IG.. My writing would go more towards the genre of Chick Lit which I have a fondness/weakness for and would probably be able to pull off sucessfully without plagarizing as one young Harvard student found out the hard way. I can be the Online poker worlds Bridget Jones.
May turned into a rainfest. At one point we had 12 out of 13 days with precipitation. Unreal. June hasnt been much better. I rattled off this statistic to Jayke in one of our phone convos and said that I was about to have a religious experience and build an ark... Not exactly the type of Religious epiphany I am hoping to have... Anyway the weather is just making me really cranky and dreaming of the Promised Land (Oh now, another GD song comes to mind). Im ready to pack my bags and move to Vegas. When I get there I will be the gal with Mayonnaise legs wearing SPF 48 and a floppy hat to avoid mature wrinkles. Hell, Im a forty something so they are no longer pre-mature!!
Coupled with my crankiness from lack of sunlight, getting cheap airfare to Vegas was an ordeal for me. There was none to be found unless I wanted to turn this into a marathon journey. Originally, the idea was for me to fly into Chicago, perhaps spend a day there with Jayke and then the two of us would fly out to Vegas on July 9th in time for the Poker Cartel meet and greet Sunday night. Oh the best laid plans of mice and men. Did I mention that Jayke is on the Golf course 24/7 between lessons, working outings etc etc? Did I mention that Albany International(!!!???!!!) is not really a major airport and that there are no cheap flights out of here??? As I logged onto Southwest Airlines and saw the promo fares, fun fares, advance fare etc availablity disappear before my eyes I about went into convulsions. Plus Jayke hadnt been on IM nor did he answer my emails to firm up what the heck we were doing. Finally, I left a message on his cell to call me asap or I was pulling the plug on the July trip and I would go with my buddy Caffeine during the Main Event. After midnight on an early day in June we successfully figured out travel arrangements with me sitting at the computer sans contacts or glasses and Jayke driving home from work on the interstate with trucks whizzing by before he got stuck in a major traffic jam because of construction. Did I mention, I was PMSing during this time too. When IG gets like that she can turn into Regan in the Exorcist. Yes my head does rotate 360 degrees!!!
So, now we are flying into Vegas on July 8th me connecting thru Midway where I change planes and Jayke gets on, that is if I can get the clubs out of his hands and him on the plane. To say I am excited is an understatement. A whole bunch of our online pals will be there and it is going to be one hell of a good time. SO conjuring up my fav show 24, I will say Vegas is in T15 days.
No WSOP events for me this year, I really feel I need more live play before ponying up $1000 for a buyin. I didnt have time to try to many satellites. My schedule changed at work to where I work 4-9 hour days Monday thru Thursday 9:30 AM to 7 PM and a 4 hour day on Friday 9:30AM to 1:30PM. This has eaten into my midweek playing. Frankly, I just cant get home at 7:30 PM EST and jump feet first into a tournament. So, I check out the mail both snail and email (usually 80+ await me), feed and play with Bailey for a bit. And play one of my league games be it a freeroll or small buy-in.
Instead, I want to do and see all the tourista Sin City things... See the Bellagio Fountains (which Ive heard are very romantic), the Siren/Pirate battle where we are staying at TI, The gondola ride at the Venetian, The Volcano exploding at the Mirage, Fremont Street Experience. Hit the Big mall right near TI. Maybe play some par 3 golf or mini golf and either impress Jayke with my skill or embaress him with my lack there of so that I am relegated to caddy. And goal number one.. not over eat at Vegas Buffets!! No chance of that. I've lost a bit of weight to where I can just fit in my Wetsuit, but I am still not at Marathon weight. I still have my curves and that makes me happy.. I will give Credit much like Anna Nicole Smith to...........TRIM SPA BABY!!! And lots of Green Tea. I mentioned, to my cruisemates and running partners Eileen and Karen, in early June when we were planning to meet for lunch, that I was at triathlon weight and would hopefully be at running weight when I saw them (which was today and goal not reached yet) and by Vegas I would look like Nicole Richie because of the stress of planning this trip.
Time for IG to get her beauty rest. And I bid you Goodnite.
Friday, June 23, 2006
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Pokerstars Second Blogger Championchip
I have registered to play in the PokerStars World Blogger Championship of Online Poker!
This Online Poker Tournament is a No Limit Texas Holdem event exclusive to Bloggers.
Registration code: 1222675
Sunday, April 09, 2006
Vegas Baby!!
Its a done deal, Jaykedog & I are booked at Treasure Island July 9th thru the 13th, which coincides with the Poker Cartel Invasion and Poker101A trip to Vegas. ITH will be out there later in the month and we'll just miss the blogger convention. As of right now I'll probably fly into Chicago (my kind of town!!) and out with Jayke. Ive pretty much decided not to buy-in direct to the Ladies event nor the NLHE event beginning on the 10th. Instead, I will play the Cartel sponsered tourneys and some of the lesser buyin tourneys at various Vegas Casinos. In fact, Sun Honey (Roxy) told me that I should be able to get my live Omaha Hi/Lo jones satisfied for a nominal buyin. I got may hands on a video poker program to learn optimal strategy, Im brushing up on my Blackjack...Hello Andy Bloch can you help a gal out!!!???? and Jayke will teach me to shoot craps. Of course we will have to play variations of our numbers 66 (JD) and 99 (IG). So, Im bearing down now and going into Overtime mode at work. I dont want to take money out of my online accounts to finance this junket so I'll just have to work more overtime. Jayke is going to sock away all his $$$ from giving golf lessons for the cause too.
I failed at attempt #4 for a WSOP seat thus ending my chances to freeroll into an event. Last nights event on Pokertime (prima) saw me suffer the typical Prima bad beats early on then I was literally card dead for the remainder of the tourney. I played no poker all day and didnt play anything else while playing the satellite. I had a 1 in 35 chance to win the spot and finished a run of the mill 16th. I will admit to playing one hand poorly (an aborted flush draw) and the couple of hands I did play well I played well. But all in all I was left with that horrible feeling of a pit in my stomach. I either have it on Prima or I dont. And I swear sometimes the hands are juiced for the bigger stacks or the person who makes the first aggressive move. But like the phoenix that I am I will rise again. Eventually, I am going to win one of those seats. For me its kind of like the Boston Marathon. I could care less if I actually ever play in the event, I just want to be one of the "elites" who has made the qualifying standard. Of course getting extremely lucky would be acceptable too.
So now we are at T3 Months for Vegas and T2 months for the US OPEN PGA event at Winged Foot. Jayke will be attempting to qualify starting in May on pretty much his home course. If he fails to qualify and or misses the cut we have good old Dave Matthews to entertain us. In fact, I have put off getting tickets for DMB because something tells me I may be standing on a golf course in Mamaroneck, NY come Father's Day Weekend this June.
I did finish up the weekend on a high note. I managed to earn a token into the $10k guarantee on Titan (worth $33) on a $2.20 buyin and I finished 5th in the PWH year end finale (first was an entry into the 100k guarantee, I earned some cash). I was chip leader for a good part or the tourney and managed to stay in the top two till we got down to about 8... Then I bobbled from 5th to 1st and all the places in between. Whenever I had a decent hand like AK against the small stack and forced them to decide for all their chips or I called an all in I could not win a coin flip. I swear I only win when I am attacking with the short stack. Ive had some pretty dramatic comebacks in a couple of my last MTT wins that have given me alot of confidence in my short game (and Im not talking Golf babe!!). Ive improved my STT play too and my bluffing is much better. There is just too much in this game to work on. I am an awesome read on folks I have experience with but a new loose cannon who I havent dealt with before often gives me trouble the first couple of times I come across them. I need to see them get caught bluffing and show down hands before I can put them on their hands. I guess my Mantra should be........IF YOU PLAY THEM THEY WILL COME!!! (with their chippies)
I failed at attempt #4 for a WSOP seat thus ending my chances to freeroll into an event. Last nights event on Pokertime (prima) saw me suffer the typical Prima bad beats early on then I was literally card dead for the remainder of the tourney. I played no poker all day and didnt play anything else while playing the satellite. I had a 1 in 35 chance to win the spot and finished a run of the mill 16th. I will admit to playing one hand poorly (an aborted flush draw) and the couple of hands I did play well I played well. But all in all I was left with that horrible feeling of a pit in my stomach. I either have it on Prima or I dont. And I swear sometimes the hands are juiced for the bigger stacks or the person who makes the first aggressive move. But like the phoenix that I am I will rise again. Eventually, I am going to win one of those seats. For me its kind of like the Boston Marathon. I could care less if I actually ever play in the event, I just want to be one of the "elites" who has made the qualifying standard. Of course getting extremely lucky would be acceptable too.
So now we are at T3 Months for Vegas and T2 months for the US OPEN PGA event at Winged Foot. Jayke will be attempting to qualify starting in May on pretty much his home course. If he fails to qualify and or misses the cut we have good old Dave Matthews to entertain us. In fact, I have put off getting tickets for DMB because something tells me I may be standing on a golf course in Mamaroneck, NY come Father's Day Weekend this June.
I did finish up the weekend on a high note. I managed to earn a token into the $10k guarantee on Titan (worth $33) on a $2.20 buyin and I finished 5th in the PWH year end finale (first was an entry into the 100k guarantee, I earned some cash). I was chip leader for a good part or the tourney and managed to stay in the top two till we got down to about 8... Then I bobbled from 5th to 1st and all the places in between. Whenever I had a decent hand like AK against the small stack and forced them to decide for all their chips or I called an all in I could not win a coin flip. I swear I only win when I am attacking with the short stack. Ive had some pretty dramatic comebacks in a couple of my last MTT wins that have given me alot of confidence in my short game (and Im not talking Golf babe!!). Ive improved my STT play too and my bluffing is much better. There is just too much in this game to work on. I am an awesome read on folks I have experience with but a new loose cannon who I havent dealt with before often gives me trouble the first couple of times I come across them. I need to see them get caught bluffing and show down hands before I can put them on their hands. I guess my Mantra should be........IF YOU PLAY THEM THEY WILL COME!!! (with their chippies)
Sunday, April 02, 2006
Awesome week!!
Wow, I really had meant to keep on top of this but living life has a way of intefering with the best intentions. So, this will be a quick recap of a pretty uneventful winter.
I got off the Snide in Omaha Hi/Lo. After many final tables, seconds etc. I have now won two Omaha Hi/LO tourneys to go with the NL's and Omaha Hi's. I even got a chance to throw out some questions to GANK on Omaha strategy thru Caffeine who is going to Ganks poker school and who was looking for Q&A one Sunday nite. I must say the answers to the questions helped me reel in the win. I also was pleased to hear that Gank (Bret) listens to the same tunes that I do when playing. I think i should plug:
http://www.gdradio.net/
So far, three shots at a WSOP seat and... NO ENCHILADA. The first attempt for the Online Poker Tour 2005 wins was held on Poker Host, a site I loathe. Not only do I feel that Poker Host is unreputable but the software is horrible. I am not a fan of the Dobrosoft platform. A few disconnects while playing got me so frustrated that I went on mini TILT. Jayke tried to calm me down but there is no reasoning with a stubborn Italian gal. I began to play extremely aggressive which did double me up nicely a couple of times but proved to be my undoing. The sad thing was I didnt care. Needless to say I feel OPT could have found a better host site for the finals and Ive kind of decided to move away from the DONKFEST of the OPT (although I have done some of the money events). Instead, Ive joined the Bluff Tour which I passed on last year due to the $30 buyin level which I didnt think I was ready to undertake.
My other two WSOP sats came on Absolute Poker and Titan Poker thru Poker Analysis. I made a critical mistake in the AP game and that was giving it too much focus. I was playing the CD tour finale and was at the final table. Sitting in 2nd chip position with about 5 left. First prize is $750 almost 3/4 of the value of the WSOP seat. I mention I have a WSOP satellite coming up in 20 minutes and its time to make a move. Well, I take on the big stack with my smaller 2nd stack with a decent hand but of of position and run into his bigger pockets. Ouch...payday $135 instead of $400-$700. Yes, IG has an Achilles heel, its called bad timing. SIGH... Of course the WSOP sat turned out to be anticlimatic with me going out about halfway in the field. The Titan Satellite saw me raking hands and losing $30 in about half an hour at .25/.50 NL the day of the event to qualify . I figured that attempt was the equivalent of a $40 buyin that my bankroll suffered. Ive since learned NLRG play is not the same as tourney play. The losses came when my flopped set got outdrawn by a str8 when I was all in and on the other hand, my big pockets got setted. I did learn a valuable lesson.... Value bet your hands in the ring games. Dont heave your chip stack in... DUH...We all know at some point in a tourney you may be forced to make a decision for all your chips, not so in NLRG play...
I got staked in two Pokerstars 180 person sngs.. The first one out in 26th short of the cash but the second I made 15th and the money. I would have been bound for the final table and a nice payday had my AK not been sucker punched by Ace-5. Did I mention I hate AK? Did I mention I hate AQ?
Fast Forward....Poker Analysis (El and Syn you guys rock) had a WSOP gig going thru PokerTime (prima site). 4 $5.50 buyins with the top 5 moving on to play for a $2500 WSOP package and four $50 freerolls where the top three move on... In the final buyin I am at the final table 9th of 9,with an okay stack but killer blinds.. Im dealt AA in the BB.. Angie has raised big from EP. She gets called by Stachyruk. I go over the top all in with the bullets...Not a squeezeplay. Both call. Angie JJ, Stach 33 (omfg) and I get tossed when the three hits the river. POKER IS NOT FAIR!! Now down to final freeroll. Guess what... Im at a table with sitouts----6 of them and two live players. The Euros have gone to daylight savings time before us, and all the tourney start times have adjusted on Prima for BST....We know poker isnt fair and life isnt either. I knock out one of the live players and that leaves me up against a good friend Catzeyez/Alika (Bonnie). I have double her chips. We are directly across from each other and sitouts between. Since she was on my right and acted first if she folded, I raise the blinds to steal. This pattern began to repeat itself with me actually folding a couple times to the ghosts. I wasnt going to jeopardize my final table shots and if she raised me I folded. We did see a couple of flops which I was more then happy to drop if the flop didnt hit me. On the flip side If i raised, she laid down (and a few times I did raise with junk just to keep my stack ahead of hers. There were murmurs from others that what we had going on wasnt fair. As I said life isnt fair. We had nothing going on. Unfortunately, for CE she took someones remarks to heart that we were colluding and called off all her chips bubbling in 4th. I finished number two and now have attempt 4 going for a seat on April 8th. I had turned off my table chat because the PAers who missed the game were upset and asking questions and making remarks and it was distracting. So apparently, I missed the remark that CE took to heart about our table. As it turned out a similar situation had unfolded at another table until one of the live wires got moved and the other player was left with ghosts. El made it all good and has scheduled another Freeroll. Instead of 32 playing for the seat there will now be 35.
That was Monday. Tuesday I took an off night and drove down to Poughkeepsie to see RatDog with BFF (Best Friend Forever), Kim and my old Blackjack buddies/cruisemates: Tom and John and another dude Lou. John has moved onto Poker also, but pretty much is playing live in AC. A night of spacedancing with Kim and Chinese food eaten outdoors pre-concert on a day where you know Spring is around the corner proved to be a good break from the poker Grind.
Wednesday nite, I'm missing Jayke as Golf season is in full swing and he has decided to avoid the Sunday donkeyfest of freerolls by playing 36 holes of golf. We didn't talk Monday or Tuesday with me out of town but reconnect Wednesday nite and he rails me in my buy-in. Long distance isn't easy especially with a time difference.. Im in the Poker Analysis $20 buyin on Absolute Poker. Ive bitten the bullet and moved up. Mark Seif (he may be my lucky penny) is playing with us once again. Last August I had my first big cash as well as a win in a tourney that he played with us as a guest. Tonite he plays again (his schedule has forced him to cancel a few of the other times hes supposed to join us ) I play some of the most spectacular poker of my career to finish 2nd for $180+ out of 36 (not a bad turnout for our first $20 buyin. Mark even comes back to give me a shout out and cheer me on. Being the last woman standing does have its merits!!... On to Thursday nite and we have a $10 buyin on RVP.. I double up really early on a lucky turn.. I hit two pair on the flop and so does my aggressive opponent on my left. MY A9 in the sb vs the BB AQ.. flop AQ9, I bet big. Reraise all in. HMMMMMMMM. I dont figure Grady for a set of Aces or queens, not even nines, Actually I make a stupid call not realizing Im probably beat. As luck would have it the turn boats me with a 9. Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee... Poker isnt fair. I'm chip leader..........Lou Krieger is playin with us tonite we both final table. I go on to finish fourth ahead of Lou, for a not so good payday but I do double my investment. Maybe I should just play in events that Mark and Lou are in. I won my first Pa buyin when Lou Played and my first $100+ tourney cash/win when Mark played. A remark is made that I think Im being bulleyed by any guy that goes over the top of me. As Jayke would say WHATEVER. I must admit thats a call i dont want to make anytime soon but there is a reason its called gambling.
And I forgot to mention that I was accepted to No-Limit-Ring game school. Two lectures so far and I think im proving an adept student.Im getting it. My world has been turned upside down on MTTs vs NLRG. Apples and Oranges baby!!! The guys bring one thing Ive parked. EGO. Thankfully, DM is an ex-Marine and he wont take shit from his students. Im a sponge gratefully absorbing his knowledge and grateful that he has chosen me to learn what he was taught. All I know is the pro that taught him is well known to us all and whose name wont be disclosed. I can live with that, there are some things I dont need to know!!!
Time to finish the taxes (final review and transmit to the IRS). Big refunds coming. BooYeay!!! Later today I'm booking room reservations for Jayke and I at TI (Treasure Island) for July 9th thru the 13th. Were going when Poker Cartel will be out there. Should get to meet Shya and Jokers as well as El Ing. Still on the fence about a direct buyin to the NLHE event on the 10th. Do I really want to spend up to three days playing poker when my Phil Laak is with me... I dont think so....But if I win big I can get him tee time at ShadowCreek as a thank you for railing me for $500. There you go Babe. You wanted me to mention you more so I have...XOXOXOXO!!
I got off the Snide in Omaha Hi/Lo. After many final tables, seconds etc. I have now won two Omaha Hi/LO tourneys to go with the NL's and Omaha Hi's. I even got a chance to throw out some questions to GANK on Omaha strategy thru Caffeine who is going to Ganks poker school and who was looking for Q&A one Sunday nite. I must say the answers to the questions helped me reel in the win. I also was pleased to hear that Gank (Bret) listens to the same tunes that I do when playing. I think i should plug:
http://www.gdradio.net/
So far, three shots at a WSOP seat and... NO ENCHILADA. The first attempt for the Online Poker Tour 2005 wins was held on Poker Host, a site I loathe. Not only do I feel that Poker Host is unreputable but the software is horrible. I am not a fan of the Dobrosoft platform. A few disconnects while playing got me so frustrated that I went on mini TILT. Jayke tried to calm me down but there is no reasoning with a stubborn Italian gal. I began to play extremely aggressive which did double me up nicely a couple of times but proved to be my undoing. The sad thing was I didnt care. Needless to say I feel OPT could have found a better host site for the finals and Ive kind of decided to move away from the DONKFEST of the OPT (although I have done some of the money events). Instead, Ive joined the Bluff Tour which I passed on last year due to the $30 buyin level which I didnt think I was ready to undertake.
My other two WSOP sats came on Absolute Poker and Titan Poker thru Poker Analysis. I made a critical mistake in the AP game and that was giving it too much focus. I was playing the CD tour finale and was at the final table. Sitting in 2nd chip position with about 5 left. First prize is $750 almost 3/4 of the value of the WSOP seat. I mention I have a WSOP satellite coming up in 20 minutes and its time to make a move. Well, I take on the big stack with my smaller 2nd stack with a decent hand but of of position and run into his bigger pockets. Ouch...payday $135 instead of $400-$700. Yes, IG has an Achilles heel, its called bad timing. SIGH... Of course the WSOP sat turned out to be anticlimatic with me going out about halfway in the field. The Titan Satellite saw me raking hands and losing $30 in about half an hour at .25/.50 NL the day of the event to qualify . I figured that attempt was the equivalent of a $40 buyin that my bankroll suffered. Ive since learned NLRG play is not the same as tourney play. The losses came when my flopped set got outdrawn by a str8 when I was all in and on the other hand, my big pockets got setted. I did learn a valuable lesson.... Value bet your hands in the ring games. Dont heave your chip stack in... DUH...We all know at some point in a tourney you may be forced to make a decision for all your chips, not so in NLRG play...
I got staked in two Pokerstars 180 person sngs.. The first one out in 26th short of the cash but the second I made 15th and the money. I would have been bound for the final table and a nice payday had my AK not been sucker punched by Ace-5. Did I mention I hate AK? Did I mention I hate AQ?
Fast Forward....Poker Analysis (El and Syn you guys rock) had a WSOP gig going thru PokerTime (prima site). 4 $5.50 buyins with the top 5 moving on to play for a $2500 WSOP package and four $50 freerolls where the top three move on... In the final buyin I am at the final table 9th of 9,with an okay stack but killer blinds.. Im dealt AA in the BB.. Angie has raised big from EP. She gets called by Stachyruk. I go over the top all in with the bullets...Not a squeezeplay. Both call. Angie JJ, Stach 33 (omfg) and I get tossed when the three hits the river. POKER IS NOT FAIR!! Now down to final freeroll. Guess what... Im at a table with sitouts----6 of them and two live players. The Euros have gone to daylight savings time before us, and all the tourney start times have adjusted on Prima for BST....We know poker isnt fair and life isnt either. I knock out one of the live players and that leaves me up against a good friend Catzeyez/Alika (Bonnie). I have double her chips. We are directly across from each other and sitouts between. Since she was on my right and acted first if she folded, I raise the blinds to steal. This pattern began to repeat itself with me actually folding a couple times to the ghosts. I wasnt going to jeopardize my final table shots and if she raised me I folded. We did see a couple of flops which I was more then happy to drop if the flop didnt hit me. On the flip side If i raised, she laid down (and a few times I did raise with junk just to keep my stack ahead of hers. There were murmurs from others that what we had going on wasnt fair. As I said life isnt fair. We had nothing going on. Unfortunately, for CE she took someones remarks to heart that we were colluding and called off all her chips bubbling in 4th. I finished number two and now have attempt 4 going for a seat on April 8th. I had turned off my table chat because the PAers who missed the game were upset and asking questions and making remarks and it was distracting. So apparently, I missed the remark that CE took to heart about our table. As it turned out a similar situation had unfolded at another table until one of the live wires got moved and the other player was left with ghosts. El made it all good and has scheduled another Freeroll. Instead of 32 playing for the seat there will now be 35.
That was Monday. Tuesday I took an off night and drove down to Poughkeepsie to see RatDog with BFF (Best Friend Forever), Kim and my old Blackjack buddies/cruisemates: Tom and John and another dude Lou. John has moved onto Poker also, but pretty much is playing live in AC. A night of spacedancing with Kim and Chinese food eaten outdoors pre-concert on a day where you know Spring is around the corner proved to be a good break from the poker Grind.
Wednesday nite, I'm missing Jayke as Golf season is in full swing and he has decided to avoid the Sunday donkeyfest of freerolls by playing 36 holes of golf. We didn't talk Monday or Tuesday with me out of town but reconnect Wednesday nite and he rails me in my buy-in. Long distance isn't easy especially with a time difference.. Im in the Poker Analysis $20 buyin on Absolute Poker. Ive bitten the bullet and moved up. Mark Seif (he may be my lucky penny) is playing with us once again. Last August I had my first big cash as well as a win in a tourney that he played with us as a guest. Tonite he plays again (his schedule has forced him to cancel a few of the other times hes supposed to join us ) I play some of the most spectacular poker of my career to finish 2nd for $180+ out of 36 (not a bad turnout for our first $20 buyin. Mark even comes back to give me a shout out and cheer me on. Being the last woman standing does have its merits!!... On to Thursday nite and we have a $10 buyin on RVP.. I double up really early on a lucky turn.. I hit two pair on the flop and so does my aggressive opponent on my left. MY A9 in the sb vs the BB AQ.. flop AQ9, I bet big. Reraise all in. HMMMMMMMM. I dont figure Grady for a set of Aces or queens, not even nines, Actually I make a stupid call not realizing Im probably beat. As luck would have it the turn boats me with a 9. Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee... Poker isnt fair. I'm chip leader..........Lou Krieger is playin with us tonite we both final table. I go on to finish fourth ahead of Lou, for a not so good payday but I do double my investment. Maybe I should just play in events that Mark and Lou are in. I won my first Pa buyin when Lou Played and my first $100+ tourney cash/win when Mark played. A remark is made that I think Im being bulleyed by any guy that goes over the top of me. As Jayke would say WHATEVER. I must admit thats a call i dont want to make anytime soon but there is a reason its called gambling.
And I forgot to mention that I was accepted to No-Limit-Ring game school. Two lectures so far and I think im proving an adept student.Im getting it. My world has been turned upside down on MTTs vs NLRG. Apples and Oranges baby!!! The guys bring one thing Ive parked. EGO. Thankfully, DM is an ex-Marine and he wont take shit from his students. Im a sponge gratefully absorbing his knowledge and grateful that he has chosen me to learn what he was taught. All I know is the pro that taught him is well known to us all and whose name wont be disclosed. I can live with that, there are some things I dont need to know!!!
Time to finish the taxes (final review and transmit to the IRS). Big refunds coming. BooYeay!!! Later today I'm booking room reservations for Jayke and I at TI (Treasure Island) for July 9th thru the 13th. Were going when Poker Cartel will be out there. Should get to meet Shya and Jokers as well as El Ing. Still on the fence about a direct buyin to the NLHE event on the 10th. Do I really want to spend up to three days playing poker when my Phil Laak is with me... I dont think so....But if I win big I can get him tee time at ShadowCreek as a thank you for railing me for $500. There you go Babe. You wanted me to mention you more so I have...XOXOXOXO!!
Sunday, March 26, 2006
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I play poker at Poker.com
I play poker at Poker.com
Saturday, January 07, 2006
IG named RPO Player of the month 12/05
I came home to find Congrats and IM's for a title I had no idea I was even in the running for. River Poker Online forum run by HippieChick and Rambeno came up with some monthly awards. I figured my best shot was Best forum hippie albeit I had major competition from Jaykedog and HippieChick herself. DCI was the first to let me no about the title and then Jayke came thru and finally I got to my email:
Here are your MONTHLY AWARD WINNERS for the month of December:
RPO's Player of the Month - Irongirl
With so many final table appearances in our tournaments for the month of December, Irongirl has earned Player of the Month status. Great job and we hope to keep seeing you in those final tables.
Needless to say I was pretty shocked and of course very pleased that my hard (but fun) work is paying off. I was disappointed that I was the bubble girl for the Poker Analysis Elite 9 (tying for tenth with Shyababy) and I was runner up for Most Improved player of Poker Analysis losing to Mitchell who of course made a final table at a WSOP circuit event. But as DCI said, "my view of most improved is different, IG was always good." Well, Im a much better player now then I was at the beginning of 2005 but I am still not where I want to be yet.
So, I took the plunge and applied for No-Limit Ring game school being offered by Poker World-Home my other main forum. They are accepting 27 students and I think I have a good shot at being selected. I dont want to say any more then the opportunity is really once in a lifetime and the cost cant be beat. As stated in my goals for 2006. I want to add no-limit ring game play into my equation.
Back to the Poker Analysis Elite 9 topic. This has been the topic of mucho conversation in some of our MSN chats. A few of us are in concurrence that at least 4-5 of the names have no business being there. No weight was given to those members who truly are Pure cash game players. Most of those members dont post in the boast and brags that they made $600 in a session at $10/$20 or whatever. Do you really need the IRS reading about your successes even if you are incognito? To much weight was given to no-limit tourney play and not enough to the other disciplines. Since, I dont pull any punches, I will say that I am a better Omaha and Omaha Hi/Lo player then almost all the top names other then Tilter. As Caffiene Addict said a few weeks ago in a league game... "Another Omaha Hi Lo final table and IG is here". And I am not saying that my name should be on the list, although a few people told me I was reamed. But I will say, I am better then several names on the list and frankly I dont need any attention being drawn my way. I'm getting enough invites to private events and buy-ins and recognition elsewhere, that I don't need a title under my name. I learned along time ago to leave my EGO checked at the door. There is no place for it in Poker. Besides, as I said to Jayke last night, "there is going to come a time and it may be sooner rather then later, that we leave most of the leagues behind".
Here are your MONTHLY AWARD WINNERS for the month of December:
RPO's Player of the Month - Irongirl
With so many final table appearances in our tournaments for the month of December, Irongirl has earned Player of the Month status. Great job and we hope to keep seeing you in those final tables.
Needless to say I was pretty shocked and of course very pleased that my hard (but fun) work is paying off. I was disappointed that I was the bubble girl for the Poker Analysis Elite 9 (tying for tenth with Shyababy) and I was runner up for Most Improved player of Poker Analysis losing to Mitchell who of course made a final table at a WSOP circuit event. But as DCI said, "my view of most improved is different, IG was always good." Well, Im a much better player now then I was at the beginning of 2005 but I am still not where I want to be yet.
So, I took the plunge and applied for No-Limit Ring game school being offered by Poker World-Home my other main forum. They are accepting 27 students and I think I have a good shot at being selected. I dont want to say any more then the opportunity is really once in a lifetime and the cost cant be beat. As stated in my goals for 2006. I want to add no-limit ring game play into my equation.
Back to the Poker Analysis Elite 9 topic. This has been the topic of mucho conversation in some of our MSN chats. A few of us are in concurrence that at least 4-5 of the names have no business being there. No weight was given to those members who truly are Pure cash game players. Most of those members dont post in the boast and brags that they made $600 in a session at $10/$20 or whatever. Do you really need the IRS reading about your successes even if you are incognito? To much weight was given to no-limit tourney play and not enough to the other disciplines. Since, I dont pull any punches, I will say that I am a better Omaha and Omaha Hi/Lo player then almost all the top names other then Tilter. As Caffiene Addict said a few weeks ago in a league game... "Another Omaha Hi Lo final table and IG is here". And I am not saying that my name should be on the list, although a few people told me I was reamed. But I will say, I am better then several names on the list and frankly I dont need any attention being drawn my way. I'm getting enough invites to private events and buy-ins and recognition elsewhere, that I don't need a title under my name. I learned along time ago to leave my EGO checked at the door. There is no place for it in Poker. Besides, as I said to Jayke last night, "there is going to come a time and it may be sooner rather then later, that we leave most of the leagues behind".
Saturday, December 31, 2005
Happy New Year 12/31/05
In the old days it was Happy New Weir!!! Most New Year's Eves were spent going to see Maxcreek play somewhere in CT or RI with old beau Rob; his bro Chris; and of course Woodstock (Jeff); and my life-long best friend Kim. We then would follow up the Creek by listening to the radio broadcast of the Grateful Dead's New Years show. One of my biggest regrets is that I never made it out to California to see a live New Years show. I did see the dead play at Irvine Meadows several times in the 80's. No Dead tour this year, but Phil and Friends is playing tonite at the Bill Graham Auditorium in San Francisco
Well now that I am clean and sober (16 years on January 2nd) I dont go running out to bars to party. Last year I was in bed early with a bad cold and laryngitis. I wound up losing the last part (about $22) of my original $50 party poker deposit over the course of the new years holiday playing limit holdem. Shortly thereafter, I won my first no-limit MTT. In retrospect, my learning curve was short and sweet. Ive probably invested no more then $135 total and turned that into over $2000. In fact I withdrew off my original investments and have been building my bankroll up from profits.
Today I capped off the year with a win in a small tourney for the Ladies of Holdem. Yesterday I did my first $20 buy-in since the Carribean Sun Poker $25 buyin I did in July which was a fiasco. I played on AP and played absolutely flawlessly. I built a nice stack early on and then went card dead. That was coupled with the fact that I got moved 4 times and each time I was moved I was reblinded. In other words, I had just sat thru my blinds on my original table and was literally back in the blinds at my new table. This didnt happen just to me, but it was pissing me off and I lost quite a good chunk of my stack. I remained patient and regained the chips I lost in the middle rounds. 79 entered the tourney. Top 12 moved on to the AP challenge and the top 9 paid. I get dealt AA I raise to $1600 4x BB. I get reraised all in. I love it... the dude had been on a blind stealing frenzy and I knew I had him. He flips over QQ. FLOP is blanks... Turn blank.. and horror of all horrors the third Bitch comes out and sends me packing 16th. If it hadnt been for the river I would have been set up nicely for the Final table and a very nice payout. The good thing was it showed that I can easily handle that level buy-in now and I'm definitely ready to move up. Even though that event didnt have the outcome I wanted. I went on to final table in two other tourneys last night both which were league championships.
So time for some New Years goals. We wont call them resolutions:
1)Become a ring game no-limit player. I intend to accomplish this by hopefully being selected for a 40 week school thru one of my forums. Limit holdem causes me great AGITA as we Italians say. I know it should be my bread and butter but I hate the chasing that goes on in limit. So, no-limit shall be my ticket.
2)Make 10K from MTT's. Lofty goals but I did net out $2k last year and that was when I was predominately a freeroller. I only began steady buyins in July and have adjusted nicely. Hopefully, the first week or so of January will see me attempting a deep stack on Pokerstars ($10 buyin no limit). I also hope to book my first $1000 payday.
3)Make my first trip to Vegas. Been to lots of states, Canada, the Caribbean and Mexico but never to Sin City. I hope to be out there during the WSOP. I hope to be playing in at least one of the events and it doesnt have to be the main event. I still have two definite satellites that can earn me seats. OPT finals still are unscheduled but the PA seat will be played for on TITAN on 2/2/06.
4). Continue to improve. Take the time to study hand examples and really work thru them, work on my blind stealing, work on my short handed and heads up play (although Poker Princess my good pal had about enough of the blind stealing today in the tourney I won). The problem is most of the gals are seat of the pants players and arent into the discussing of hands. Jdawg and I often discuss Harrington hand examples and of course Jaykedog and I are always talking poker (among other things). As much as I love my poker gal pals, the guys keep me sane and are the ones to talk football and poker with.
5)Begin running again and perhaps have Lasik surgery on my eyes. Have to look good for the cameras if I happen to wind up in front of one!!!! I hate my contacts and look like a librarian in my glasses. My sister said to me over Christmas, "I never knew Deadheads could be so vain." That was coupled with my mom telling me that I might want to cover up my cleavage.. My sister's reply to that was... "Mom, women spend about $5-$6 grand to get boobs that look like hers"
Well now that I am clean and sober (16 years on January 2nd) I dont go running out to bars to party. Last year I was in bed early with a bad cold and laryngitis. I wound up losing the last part (about $22) of my original $50 party poker deposit over the course of the new years holiday playing limit holdem. Shortly thereafter, I won my first no-limit MTT. In retrospect, my learning curve was short and sweet. Ive probably invested no more then $135 total and turned that into over $2000. In fact I withdrew off my original investments and have been building my bankroll up from profits.
Today I capped off the year with a win in a small tourney for the Ladies of Holdem. Yesterday I did my first $20 buy-in since the Carribean Sun Poker $25 buyin I did in July which was a fiasco. I played on AP and played absolutely flawlessly. I built a nice stack early on and then went card dead. That was coupled with the fact that I got moved 4 times and each time I was moved I was reblinded. In other words, I had just sat thru my blinds on my original table and was literally back in the blinds at my new table. This didnt happen just to me, but it was pissing me off and I lost quite a good chunk of my stack. I remained patient and regained the chips I lost in the middle rounds. 79 entered the tourney. Top 12 moved on to the AP challenge and the top 9 paid. I get dealt AA I raise to $1600 4x BB. I get reraised all in. I love it... the dude had been on a blind stealing frenzy and I knew I had him. He flips over QQ. FLOP is blanks... Turn blank.. and horror of all horrors the third Bitch comes out and sends me packing 16th. If it hadnt been for the river I would have been set up nicely for the Final table and a very nice payout. The good thing was it showed that I can easily handle that level buy-in now and I'm definitely ready to move up. Even though that event didnt have the outcome I wanted. I went on to final table in two other tourneys last night both which were league championships.
So time for some New Years goals. We wont call them resolutions:
1)Become a ring game no-limit player. I intend to accomplish this by hopefully being selected for a 40 week school thru one of my forums. Limit holdem causes me great AGITA as we Italians say. I know it should be my bread and butter but I hate the chasing that goes on in limit. So, no-limit shall be my ticket.
2)Make 10K from MTT's. Lofty goals but I did net out $2k last year and that was when I was predominately a freeroller. I only began steady buyins in July and have adjusted nicely. Hopefully, the first week or so of January will see me attempting a deep stack on Pokerstars ($10 buyin no limit). I also hope to book my first $1000 payday.
3)Make my first trip to Vegas. Been to lots of states, Canada, the Caribbean and Mexico but never to Sin City. I hope to be out there during the WSOP. I hope to be playing in at least one of the events and it doesnt have to be the main event. I still have two definite satellites that can earn me seats. OPT finals still are unscheduled but the PA seat will be played for on TITAN on 2/2/06.
4). Continue to improve. Take the time to study hand examples and really work thru them, work on my blind stealing, work on my short handed and heads up play (although Poker Princess my good pal had about enough of the blind stealing today in the tourney I won). The problem is most of the gals are seat of the pants players and arent into the discussing of hands. Jdawg and I often discuss Harrington hand examples and of course Jaykedog and I are always talking poker (among other things). As much as I love my poker gal pals, the guys keep me sane and are the ones to talk football and poker with.
5)Begin running again and perhaps have Lasik surgery on my eyes. Have to look good for the cameras if I happen to wind up in front of one!!!! I hate my contacts and look like a librarian in my glasses. My sister said to me over Christmas, "I never knew Deadheads could be so vain." That was coupled with my mom telling me that I might want to cover up my cleavage.. My sister's reply to that was... "Mom, women spend about $5-$6 grand to get boobs that look like hers"
Monday, November 21, 2005
Jennifer Tilly has the Coolest T-shirts
Thats right IG is jealous of the vintage(?) T shirts that Jennifer Tilly always seems to be wearing. WSOP saw her sporting a Grateful Dead Skull and Roses T that made this old Deadhead proud. I've seen her in a Madonna T-shirt and a Psychedelic Furs T. Just too cool. Wonder where she gets them from? I must also give Jennifer props for snagging a younger man. I dont have much luck with the men my own age, Probably because I look about 8 years younger then I really am. The ones that do hit on me are usually married or have more issues then Time magazine. Goal for 2006: Pull a Jennifer Tilly by winning a WSOP bracelet and snagging a dude 14-15 or 10 years my Junior!! Women live longer then men right?
So Jennifer, if you and Phil (Laak) happen to be goggling your name and you happen to come across my blog please stop by to tell me where you get your shirts. I can trade you for old vintage Tye-dye from the 80's!!
Last Sunday, I made three final tables and bubbled in 11th in another one. A 6th, a 7th and a 10th. The 7th place finish was for the Shark Army tour and was held on Bodog (check out www.sharkpokertour.com )I was kind of devastated about that one because the top three places earned spots into the $100k guarantee Bodog has each weekend. The buyin is $100+ $9. Pretty sweet prize. Plus first and second got some nice cash. I was the mid tourney chip leader after my AA held against a A9 and AK. I normally dont like multi-way pots playing my pockets but I knew one of the players from PA and figured I had him and I actually did put the other dude on AK. Good read by me. My aces held and I moved into the lead which I held for a while. Then I went completely card dead right around bubble time. I couldnt defend my blinds or attempt to steal with the short stacks moving all-in once they made the cash. I found myself down to about 22nd place and in a bit of a pickle. I had JetSet up and was talking to Jaykedog about my sucky hands 53os, 92os, A2. I then doubled up which got me back in the game and on to the final table. I made a valiant attempt at a comeback. I doubled up off Sharky, when I was about to blind out with 10-2os in the SB (figured I'd go out honoring Doyle) Sharky had 23 in the BB and I caught a ten. Then on the next orbit my luck didnt hold. Same scenario pretty much I made a move on him with A2 or A3 figuring I had him covered with the Ace. I did he had 65os with a spade. I hit two pair but he hit a spade flush and my luck didnt hold. Ouch but that's poker. I called it a night after that...I will get a second shot at a similiar tourney scenario when PA plays there in December. Top three will move onto the $100k.
In more news I now have a second shot at a WSOP seat. Next month I should play for a $1000 seat thru OPT. El and Syn from poker analysis have worked a deal with AP that they will award a PAer with a $1500 seat. By virture of earning 100 points in the buyin league this month I have booked my spot in the satellite. The field should be relatively small. 9 total from the freeroll league. The buyin league 100 pt baggers for the next three months and a few other surprize seats to be awarded. I cant imagine there being many more then 50 or so in this. Ideally I keep playing the buyins to prevent others from securing their spots. Not nice but heck this is poker!!
So Jennifer, if you and Phil (Laak) happen to be goggling your name and you happen to come across my blog please stop by to tell me where you get your shirts. I can trade you for old vintage Tye-dye from the 80's!!
Last Sunday, I made three final tables and bubbled in 11th in another one. A 6th, a 7th and a 10th. The 7th place finish was for the Shark Army tour and was held on Bodog (check out www.sharkpokertour.com )I was kind of devastated about that one because the top three places earned spots into the $100k guarantee Bodog has each weekend. The buyin is $100+ $9. Pretty sweet prize. Plus first and second got some nice cash. I was the mid tourney chip leader after my AA held against a A9 and AK. I normally dont like multi-way pots playing my pockets but I knew one of the players from PA and figured I had him and I actually did put the other dude on AK. Good read by me. My aces held and I moved into the lead which I held for a while. Then I went completely card dead right around bubble time. I couldnt defend my blinds or attempt to steal with the short stacks moving all-in once they made the cash. I found myself down to about 22nd place and in a bit of a pickle. I had JetSet up and was talking to Jaykedog about my sucky hands 53os, 92os, A2. I then doubled up which got me back in the game and on to the final table. I made a valiant attempt at a comeback. I doubled up off Sharky, when I was about to blind out with 10-2os in the SB (figured I'd go out honoring Doyle) Sharky had 23 in the BB and I caught a ten. Then on the next orbit my luck didnt hold. Same scenario pretty much I made a move on him with A2 or A3 figuring I had him covered with the Ace. I did he had 65os with a spade. I hit two pair but he hit a spade flush and my luck didnt hold. Ouch but that's poker. I called it a night after that...I will get a second shot at a similiar tourney scenario when PA plays there in December. Top three will move onto the $100k.
In more news I now have a second shot at a WSOP seat. Next month I should play for a $1000 seat thru OPT. El and Syn from poker analysis have worked a deal with AP that they will award a PAer with a $1500 seat. By virture of earning 100 points in the buyin league this month I have booked my spot in the satellite. The field should be relatively small. 9 total from the freeroll league. The buyin league 100 pt baggers for the next three months and a few other surprize seats to be awarded. I cant imagine there being many more then 50 or so in this. Ideally I keep playing the buyins to prevent others from securing their spots. Not nice but heck this is poker!!
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