Monday, October 31, 2005

Two and half hours and nothing to show for and other thoughts, Chritian: go to TNA!!



Was playing a satellite at PokBlue yesterday and just came up short. Started with about 100 chip slinging donkeys and 100 skilled tournament players (maybe 150 donkeys and 50 playa's). Got caught in the cookie jar early lost about a 40% of my chippies. I was fortunate to get and have my A-A hold up to regain my starting chip count. Got count up from 1,500 to about 3,700 and then went down hill from there. Then got a dreaded table change that yours truely didn't request (when I request one, they don't hear me, when I am doing fine and don't need one, they hit me... conspiracy theory of mine :-D). Was in middle of pack and got moved to a table where 6 out of the 10 people had a massive chip count. I hold my ground for a while but when the blinds got to high (400-800) and I having about 2800 in chips left, I raise with one of my unlucky hands (KQ) 1,600 in middle position and am re-raised (9-9) so I put it all in and go out in 20th place. Almost 3 hours and nothing to show: my day is ruined.

Just read some wrasslin news before my class and I discovered that "Captain Charisma" and Peep Show host Christian has quit the WWE. Ever since Christian became more vocal (moved away from The Brood), I started to be a huge fan of his. His humor that started with Edge & Christian's Five Second Flash Photography thing was classic. Can't count out all the TLC matches they had too. I considered E & C as the best tag team ever.

Back to Christian. IMO, Christian's single career was held back because of the WWE. He proved himself in those dangerous TLC matches and had developed one of the best mic skillz. How stupid was it that the WWE didn't pick up on this and pust the guy?! This guy probably works 10 times as hard as an HHH but gets the shaft. What do they do to reward the guy?! They move him to Smackdown where again he was underused. Shows you how much the WWE is going down hill the past few months.



I had the privilege to see him and one of my other favs Chris Jericho in a Ladder match about a year ago. Was the best match that I saw that day. Hope to see Christian around again and hopefully in TNA!! He didn't go out the way he should and should get the recognition from all his "peeps" and "Christian Coalition!!" Maybe Canada can start a "You screwed Christian" chant know for ya Vince!!

Happy Halloween everyone!!

Friday, October 28, 2005

What a Long and Dreadful Week of School; Hellmuth appearance


From the title, you probably know that I am glad this week is over. 2 midterms and a paper. Why does every goddam thing have to be cluttered along with other classes?! Next week doesn't get any better either; gotta get crackin on my marketing project.

Thursdays use to be my favorite days but now that I am at school from 10AM to about the end of time, otherwise known as8:30PM. This day is a nightmare. No Friends, always miss Survivor, and no wrasslin to watch (thank goodness it isn't raw or most importantly TNA IMPACT!). After getting destroyed by a 25 essay/short answer exam on Tuesday, I think I made up for the one last night or so I hope...

Get back home and check mail and log onto my UltimateBuddy (Thanks Shark; this is golden) and low and behold, poker great and etiquette player Phil Hellmuth is online playing at a Lowball 2-7 $150-$300 table HU. I for one am a terrible play chippie player at this game so maybe I could learn a few tips and strategies from my favorite poker player. (NOTE: Damn ub for not letting the observers chat.) In about a half hour, Phil's $10K goes down to $14.50. Phil berates the guy on making donkey rAAAis (god I wish I had the transcript from that; if any1 knows how, please share the info with me). Phil's spelling and grammar is not at his best when steaming. For all those people that thought online poker is rigged, guess again. Phil can take a beating despite being the great ambassador that he is with ub.

Ok Phil moves to NL holdem table and puts in $2000. Lots of people that just come in a sit and say hi to Phil. Some people wish him luck and admitted they wouldn't want to play against the likes of him. I would be one of them too. One guy plays one hand and takes over $1000 in one hand and runs like hell. Surprisingly, no negative or yellow remarks from Phil.

IMO Phil Hellmuth is the best and most entertaining poker player there is. Probably the most disciplined player (i.e. making laydowns) until the poker gods punish him with a bad beat. "Did you see that honey. I was suppose to go broke that hand, but they forgot one thing: I can dodge bullets." Very true. Too bad he wasn't able to avoid the Ko-jack bad beat. Phil entertains me when he is doing good and bad. Blowups are one of a kind and his slap on the hand and then fist pumps followed by a "Yes!" are classic. I've seen enough of the blowups Phil; get a dubya again: Heads Up Championship re-peat...

Tuesday, October 25, 2005

Shark Challenges Me to HU Blog; WSOP thoughts




First off, rough week of school. Exams, papers, and all holy hell you can think of this and next week. Probably no let up from here. SHIIIITTT!! Probably should be doing my homework now, but you guys are more important (for the 5 or 6 people that read this :D)

Ok; so my hero (Shark) has challenged me to a HU blog. Sorry for late response Steve. Don't think that I was intimidated. Just had a bunch of school shyt to do. I am a big dog as Shark has almost a whooping 6,000 hits according to his StatCounter to my unspectaclur 50 as I speak. Whoops; now I am intimidated. I think I'll throw in the white flag known as my Joe Boxers now.

Pokah tidbit. I have to say Steve Dannennman is a jackass. His bluff on my man Howard Lederer was great, but to run to the back like a little school girl that he his and brag about it, it just reminded me of how little girls gossiped back in middle school/junior high. Some people just have to grow up (Hellmuth, Matasow, and Bellande are exceptions thank you very much :-D).

Very shocked to not see ESPN move the TV table to the Matasow/Raymer table. If they just wanted to keep cutting to the table, don't you think it would of been wise to make the the feature TV table?

No poker playing today (as of yet) to busy watching WSOP and soon to be bull shyt called homework. Interested in playing online poker and want to help me earn a commission, click here I need all the help I can get to save some money for Nevada in the springtime.

Until next time.

Sunday, October 23, 2005

It's Official: The Blazers suck more than ever!

If you thought that the Atlanta Hawks or Charlotte Bobcats were gonna be the worst team in the NBA this year, think again junior. Portland's (I don't know if I can I support them anymore with such garbage management and coaching) beloved Blazers.

I actually get their late after a late dinner to celebrate my mother's b-day. We ate at a buffet called Todai. Had some good sushi and snuck 3 bowls of creme bolee for desert. Had to do it. It is how you get a $20+ buffet worth its price. My brother ate about 5 creme bolees!! Kobayashi (the hotdog eating phenom): eat your heart out!

My father and I get to the Rose Garden as the first quarter is about to end. We have complimentary 300 level seats but as the sneaky little bastard I am, I had this great scheme to stay in the lower level. Cautiously, we walk the around until we find an entry without an usher. Wahoo!! 100 level seats now. Who's your daddy?! Then look up at score: Blazers down 20. Shit!! Tom Peterson once said, "Free is a very good price" which I totally believed until I saw this car wreck trail of the Trail Blazers. Preseason may not count but believe me, this will be a common site for Blazer.

I didn't get to see Bonzi play the first half which was a downer. 3rd quarter, he tore it up. Blazers down 20+ most of the game and when Blazers tried to make a run, my Blazer Killa Bonzi caught fire. Rainbowed a 3 (best rainbow in the business) and slashed hard. I was the only one cheering him in my section. Very sad the Blazer fans are. They boo players because they have "off court" problems (initally is ok but not 5 years later). I say who gives a shit as long as they perform on the court. That is the attitude in Detroit (the right one may I add). While I put the blame all on management and coaching which if you are a Blazer fan (come on; you can admit it still; just preseason), is the right one if you critically think about it. Two names: Paul Allen (richest owner in NBA and still can't produce a winning team) and Bob Whitsit (my name for his "Whitshit"). So after 10 years or so, Allen fires the guy. 10 fuckin years to figure that out?!

No pokah stories today. Resting up from bad luck from the online poker gods. PokBlue satellite tomorrow and then I gotta hit the books like a mo'fo.

Friday, October 21, 2005

Bad luck

Weekend is here. Very bad times right now (will explain later) and this coming week with 2 huge tests. Why do all these exams have to be crammed together?

Some pokah tidbits. Your hero (me) made a killing the previous week before. I went up almost $400. Decided to move up from $2-4 to $3-6. Unfortunately this week, the fishies are getting there minute share of revenue back. All started with a hand where I get trip Aces but some lucky donkey hit running clubs (after hitting a 2 on the flop and was raised) and hit a flush with 2-7?! Lucky donkey, thanks for putting the money in. I knew your intent and charity was much appreciated. Ever since that hand, I've been running awful and unlucky. How about hold a K-10 and flop coming K-10-3; then turn hitting 10 only to run into my opponents K-K. What are the odds?! That's pokah. Maybe should quit the rest of the week. This always seems like a bad trend for me. I move up and get "Phil Hellmuth unlucky" by the donks. Back to $2-4 for for awhile.

Tomorrow (Saturday) I will be going to my first Blazer game of the season against the Kings. I don't like the direction the Blazers have gone the past decade and I am quite frankly, very disappointed. The one that really drew the line most was trading my favorite player Sheed (Rasheed Wallace). This guy is baddest ballah on the planet. MVP like and has an attitude like Mike Matasow and/or Phil Hellmuth. Will get to see Bonzi Wells again. I was always a big fan of him and he has become a "Blazer Killa" now since leaving P-town. Hopefully; he'll tear it up slashing to the hoop and raining jumpers. Bonzi has the best rainbow (high arc) shot in the business. It is not like splashing poker chips around but both are fun to do and watch.

Will play a satellite at PokBlue this Sunday but will probably rest from the ring games. A great chance to win a seat into a WPT event or WSOP main event. By just playing 4 hours a week, you win your way into a Satellite to win your seat. That's it. If you wanna try it out, click here or the banner.

That's all for now junkies. Have a good weekend.

Wednesday, October 19, 2005

WSOP 2005: Hellmuth's exit




Would of wrote this earlier, but there is a damn thing called school.

First off, I have to say that I am not a huge fan of the swearing penalty. I, myself have a potty mouth and I think it takes away from the game. Who the fuck (see; told ya I was bad :-P) invented this penalty?! That is why poker is a game for 21 and up donks! Everyone there is an adult and swearing is normal goddamit!!

Back to pokah. So I had to miss half of the 1st show (hopefully willcatch a re-run this weekend) and with my luck, Phil Hellmuth had to be at the TV table. Despite his Chicago WhiteSox luck (hey they haven't won it all yet...), he played the absolute best at the table. Mad props to the man!! Raising with AK vs. old man with AA and flop as the poker gods can only do to Phill 4-4-A. But what does Phil do... check-check. Whew. Turn Queen. Check to old man's big bet (more than half the pot) and folds (I would of put the old fart on KK or JJ with that kind of bet) HOLY SHIT!! What a monster laydown!! And to only lose the minimum as he could that hand! Who else could of laid that one down?! His quotes (if someone where to have please send me them; most appreciated). What do the pokah gods (if you really are out there, please stop messing with Phil :-D) do to reward him, that is right. His AK gets rivered by some donk who puts it all in with KJ with a Jack on river. Phil even calls him a "donk" or "donkey" (was hard to hear cuz I was laughing at the blowup) and then calls him a "suckah!!" And that lucky don't says Phil is a crybaby. What a fuckin hypocrite. Just the hand before, he was complaining about a "bad beat" that wasn't a bad beat (nut staight on flop; opponent hit a set and then boat on river) that happened to him. Total donk. If you ever play online lucky donk, give me your screen name.

As only Phil can, he steams off. God what a great wife Phil has. Phil you are lucky; she puts up with you and gave you courage and a good luck kiss. Things would change right? Oh wait... "If there weren't luck involved, I'd win everyone of them." I am starting to believe it. Of course Phil never bull shits. Maybe his steam break was too long as his chippies were short-stacked that he had to call "X-22" aka "Nose" Paul McGrille raise with my jinx hand AQ and lose to X-22's 7-7. Consillation prize; HUGE blowup!! Shakes X-22's hand in disgust and looks at donk and smirks / evil look: can't tell with sunglasses on (very classic). Then he goes to critiques X-22's bad play of moving all his chips in with 7s and of course the donk. Also mentions the "luck not involved" quote again. Just as good as the one against Annie Duke in the TOC last year.

Phil's blowups are great and fun to watch but goddamit, I would be even more happy if the guy would win. IMO out of Phil, Doyle, and Johnny, I thought Phil should have been the one to win 10 bracelets first. This guy plays his heart out (physically and emotionally) and seems to always be cursed. I have to agree with Phil, if it weren't for luck, you'd be da man!!

Sunday, October 16, 2005

A Shark Tale

Just got back from Spirit Mtn Casino. Quite an adventure trying to get there. Pops was nice enough to let me drive his '92 Lexus SC400 to the casino. Smooth and slick car and great ride. I always thought the drive to Spirit Mountain being I was always the passanger, but driving that beast would definitely made the drive faster. Only about an hour and half away. Unbelievable thing was that he was trying to give me directions and screwed up twice. You figure someone that goes to Spirit Mtn 2 times a month should know his way around. Hopefully, he "Johnny Chan" of Pai Gow Pokah would hit it big at the casino.

I get to the casino and hit the pokah room right away to check out the action. Amazingly, the room wasn't full. I look around the table to see if my mentor Stevie "Shark" H. is around. Looked at hats and baldies but no match. I leave my name on waiting list and come back in 5 minutes. Low and behold, I see a bald guy at the counter and it is the big Shark himself. Great guy; nothing I expected him to be but after reading his bloggies, I should have known better. He and his lovely wife, Patti (hope I am spelling this right) invite me to the buffet. Last time I had the buffet at Spirit Mtn. things weren't pretty or at least the food wasn't so kind to my stomach. So far so good. No "barfing down" this time.

During grub, Shark uses his charm with the the hostess, waitress, and wife. My favorite had to be talking about Evelyn Eg and Isabelle "No Mercy" Mercier (even smelly feet Annie Duke). There is nothing better when you can talk about hot women and boobs in front of your wife and get away with it. I wonder if Shark will be in the sleeping on the couch after this at the hotel? Better make it up at the poker table.

Off to the poker table. I got a 10 seater with $2-4. Lots of family pots and 2 donks to my right. Things appear to be decent. Chick next to me wins first two pots with K-K and K-10 (2 pair in end) and is immediately up big. Ok. Good cards on my side of the table. Things are bound to be good for me right? You guessed it... I should have been playing at a Blackjack table. I manage to win a semi-big hand with Q-8h. Four player and flop came J-8-5 with 2 hearts. On the button, I continually bet it but ended up missing my flushy and checked down at river just in case some1 had a Jack. No Jack and I am up about $15 after pot.

I see Patti walk by my table and ask her how she is doing? She said that she was getting killed at her table. Sheesh, that is no way to treat a pretty lady guys. About 30 minutes or so later, Sharky comes by my table and tells me that shes is "rasinhavok" and tearing up the table. You go girl!!

Back to me. Cards would just get worse. Janet Reno-god awful hands: most common hand of night had to be 3-7 (4 times). Dear Lord! Dealer after dealer; junk after junk. Dealer Mike, I think the best hand he dealt me was a 10 high! Damn, I'd seen better hands on one of Jake Hannah's endangered turtles!!

Ok next dealer after Mike (some hard to pronounce name) came and 4th hand in, dealt me A-A on the button. By this time I was slightly in the whole. It is raised early and folded to me in which I re-raise. Guy re-raises again and I just call (already saw A-A cracked by junk but was sure he didn't have 3-4os) Flop comes all rags. He bets and I call. Turn is Queen: he bets and I raise. He calls. I was sure that he either had KK or JJ and since he didn't raise back, I was pretty sure he had JJ. River came duece. Check-bet and I show the Aces and he mucks. So down $8 to about up $20.

No bad beat stories to tell tonight. How can I with all the Gus-like hands I got?

Total: ended up $18. 3 times in Spirit Mtn, 3 times up between $10-$20 in $2-4 FL games in 2 or more hours. I gotta lot to work on.

All in all a great night. Even if I lost money, the price was right to meet Mr. and Mrs. H. Steve is a great and down to earth guy and a kid at heart, and his beautiful but deadly at a poker table wife Patti. Wish I could have seen her take a bite at the table.

Friday, October 14, 2005

Playing with the Pros




Just got done playing a tourny that featured pros Dave Colclough and Tony G!! "I'll rip you in half." The same Tony G that was two-time final tabliest (is that a word?) of the WPT Grand Prix de Paris and winner of the 2005 European Poker Championship. This guy is a classic to watch. Up with Matasow at the poker talbe, this guy (though a gentlemen from what I hear) can trash talk like "Fitty Cent." Unfortunately, yours truely didn't get to play at the same table as Tony and was out early. Tony G, you gotta start making more final tables on the WPT and WSOP bud.

I had the privilege to play with Dave Colclough. Dave too was also a finalist at a WPT Grand Prix de Paris event. Didn't see that much aggressive play when he was at my table but he had chips that for damn sure. Being that I sat to his right and having a inadequate amount of chips compared to him, it was hard for me to tangle with him so I was intimitaded a little.

Tourny started with 124 players with a plethora of rebuys. 206 total rebuys at $25 a piece so $2,050 in rebuys to be exact. Good grief!! That's a bunch. Great players with very few fish trying to cash in big. I hung in the middle to bottom throughout the tourny. Ended up winning $100 in over 4 hours!! Hardest $100 I've ever earned.

I am flabergassed and out of ideas to write about. Maybe an update later but now, I am going to get some grub.

Wednesday, October 12, 2005

Televised WSOP Main Event: Day 1 and 2



Some great action displayed. Just wish ESPN would update their graphics as the WPT. I still enjoy watching the WPT better than the WSOP but one this is for sure with ESPN. You get your does of Phil Hellmuth!! :-D

Great action with some wicked beats. I feel very bad for Jennifer Harmen. To have a boat and then get rivered by an idiot drawing thinner than a dental floss thong bikini was beyond incredible. Pocket "whores" are usually pretty evil to me too. Why can't I have my mellow Asian's luck with the "bitches" like Johnny Chan? (see previous post) What is your secret Johnny? Should I start to bring an orange when I play now? :-)

Second sick hand most definitely had to be Sam Farha and the celeb who I am drawing a blank with his name now (Orlando something?) Hey did anyone notice that Farha didn't have the cigerrette in his mouth? Almost didn't recognize him. Anywho, Farha gets dealt A10 and Orlando gets 10-10. So same is close to a 3-1 underdog. Great Ceaser's Ghost, the flop come A-A-10. Very sure that Sam was gonna bust him on the very first hand and that was the case. Dear God!! I don't think I could of laid that one down and if I somehow made it to a big event and that happened to me on the first hand, I think I would of pulled a Hellmuth and beyond!!

Funniest moment of the show had to belong to Randy Jensen aka "Dream Crusher" (quote VVP). They guy had a jinx of going out on the first day of the WSOP for the past few years so what does he do... His head is shaved like a Budist (nice look) and reads a book and plays No Limit Fold'em Pokah. But what were to occur... You guessed it. He busts out playing only "one hand" (They didn't even show the hand on ESPN; just said he lost and showed him getting up leave. ESPN needs to show this IMO. It could of made for great humor thats for damn sure.

Speaking of Hellmuth, that is where the main action is. What the hell was ESPN doing not putting him at the feature table?! Hellmuth does his usually coming an hour or to late. Very classic. Arrives in style though. Arrives from huge stretch limo with UB gear and new Poker Brat shirt. YESS!!! I need to get me one of them!! Phil arrives in 1st class style and gives the camera a slick figure point. Back at ya Phil. Being the gentleman that he is, he comes to his table and shakes everyone's hand; even one person twice. One day, I hope to be shaking the great one's hands.

I am not a fan of Norman Chad but his flushy awards were great and dead on IMO. Norman, it might help if you shaved that mustache of yours or stopped called Marco Traniello (Jennifer Harmen's husband) "good looking" /"best looking guy in the room." Just a suggestion. Glad to see Perry Friedman win a Flushy. That guy was great. Was hopping that he'd win a bracelet but got the "cooler" as Hellmuth would say when three handed getting QQ (got that hand is truely a bitch unless your the man Johnny Chan) running uphill to Siedel's AA. And now the BIG Flushy. "Best Phil." Ivey and Laak make good Phil's too but you cannot overcome my man Hellmuth. Your antics are classic and priceless but what I really like about you is your ability to make tremendous reads and monster lay downs. No bracelets you deserve it more than anyone else, but I hope you can settle for the Norman Chad's Flushy and my kind remarks.

Sunday, October 09, 2005

Poker Superstars II: Group D: Match 1 and other comments


Long post: hope you don't fall asleep reading it.

Here is a pic from the 2005 WSOP of one of my favs Johnny Chan. Hopefully, one day that will be me during a WSOP/WPT event. Wads of money, bracelet, and of course, orange by my side.

Speaking of Johnny, anybody catch the Poker Superstars II on FSN? Johnny was there and he regulated. I must say, the 1st 20 minutes had to be the most boring poker ever, but hey, it was better than watching Hanging With Mr. Cooper star Mark Curry (dear Lord, he was the worst). For those who don't know what I mean by this, you are lucky. Curry was on the Celebrity vs. Pro edition of Poker Royale. Curry is up against David Williams. Williams goes all in and Curry holds top two and there are no draws out there that can beat him and figures I should fold. He even pulls a Scotty Ngyen and does a fake fold until everyone else convinces to call. Good grief!! This is stupidity at its finest. Could it get worse? You betcha. Next hand, he chases all the way to river bet after bet with Jack high. "He called with Jack high?!" Where's Elix Powers when you need him baby!!

Back to PSP II. Much respect to Sexton and Sklansky though but to win this type of tourny, you cannot always check or fold as my buddy Shark would say. Don't let my man Johnny run you over like he did. Get in there and splash around some time. They would of folded to a Marcel Luske (wish he was there too) splash of a chip.

Talk about a twist of fate (bad beat is not the right word technically). How about Huck Finn... I mean Huckleberry Seed moving in w/J-8 to my fellow Asian Johnny Chan's A-8. When the Jack hit the turn, Seed was disgusted with that like he was the one holding A-8. As the poker gods can be really cruel, the Ace hit on the river and Seed was happy!! That is about the happiest loser I've ever seen. Phil, take notes. I hope you were watching this! Then again, you are fine the way you are. :-)

Ok, 3 handed now. Blinds are gi-normus and Sklansky is first to act and short-stacked. He has AQ off and raises all-in. Sexton up next with AK off and he "calls." Alright, some action. The Orient Express dressed for success (gotta love Johnny's attire) gets dealt two filthy whores otherwise known as Queens. Hey what am I suppose to call them when Chan gets Queens. This is obviously his favorite hand as he cracked an A-A with a three-some of "whores" (lucky in poker and real life if the opportunity comes :-D) and was the last hand he held in capturing WSOP braclet numba 10!!

Back to hand. Chan's 3-some holds up. This hand clinched his victory. We even get a little Chan celebration after the hand. Priceless!!

Alright, I had some quotes of Hellmuth in my Inaugurial Post. I will continue that trend in my post. The quote today has to be from who else but Johnny Chan: "Cats have nine lives. Poker players need about 20."

Hope you enjoyed. I am pooped.

Inaugurial Post


Wooaahh!! A place where I get to share with you my poker experiences. Would love to receive from feedback from those that read this.

First off, I would like to thank Stevie (Sharky) H. for his hillarious blogs. To read his comical blogs, go to http://pokerroadwarrior.blogspot.com/. Steve has been a mentor and is a tremendous poker player himself. Playing his tournaments has made me a better poker player and more importantly, a good blog writer :-) But if my blogs are no good, take a bite at Shark :-)

Big day today, huge $30,000 Tourny and another one to have a chance at a WPT or WSOP Main Event seat.

TV Dinner for lunch: check. Ultra-pure Hawaii Watter: check-check. Good shit.

Bad shit now. Playing the $30K, maniac to my right keeps raising almost every hand. Sure, there is no problem with that. You gotta do this to be successfull. I know they call Gus Hansen "The Poker Tramp" (or at our pal Vince Van Patten does), but if you play online, ring games especially, they make Gus look like Dewey Tomko. (No disrespect to you guys. You guys are great players). So, maniac is cutoff (K2 of hearts) and raises. I am in BB with A5s). Flop is AK3 rainbow. I check and maniac makes the minimum bet of $150. I have $980 left and push all in. He calls immediately with middle pair and a backdoor flush draw. Great!! I'm gonna double up. SHIT!! Runner-runner heart and he knocks my ass out. I don't mind the don't calling. Basically he was willing to give me his chips. From the proverbs of a wise and brilliant poker-etiquette player Phil Hellmuth, "That is why I am the greatest player. Even the greatest players are willing to give me their chips... or at least they try." Can't count out, "If there weren't luck involved, I'd win every one of 'em." Man, I love this guy.

Ok, 1 tourny down and 1 to go. No more bad beats (or at least I won't post about it). Just happened as I was typing this up. Next time, 110% focus on game.

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