What Comes Around, Goes Around

Now I know many people love Absolute Poker because of the many bonuses they offer and the weak fishies that play there... However, I could care less for the absolutely BS poker company. You are probably wondering, "Why am I saying this if the facts above are true?" Well, its not the crappy-ass software they have had for awhile but their support to me. Let me explain:

First off, I was looking for RB (rake back) as that is the thing to go for nowadays. This occurred in November of 2005. I brought my query to AP support memeber Lindsay. I told her that I had an account BUT never made an initial deposit and that my account had been idle over a year and was wondering if I could receive the RB from them. She okayed my question so I talked with an RB site and they confirmed everything. I made the deposit and started playing. A week into play, I still noticed that I haven't received any RB from AP so I email both parties back. Lindsay reassures me that I will be getting RB and to keep on playing. I do and more days pass and I still haven't received anything. I email my both parties again and now Lindsay isn't responding and would never respond again.

I am frustrated and cease play from the untrustworthy site. I email another member of AP support and they now say that they won't let me receive RB after a guarantee from one of their staff. I respond to them by saying that I even saved the mails from Lindsay but I didn't get a response back... I never contributed another cent of rake to this (AP = Absolutely Poor) poker site...

There are two things I can't stand from a poker site: (1) Support that doesn't help or respond (a Party Poker special may I add) and (2) People that lie. Absolute has done them both and therefore is on my ban list!

Now on to the goods news I just read from an article about the "karma" for AP involving them ponying up money for the players of their skin of Goal Poker. However, its sort of a good-bad deal as this gesture makes them come off like heros when I know that they are the scum of the poker world. Here's the article written by Dan Druff of NPW (not sure what that stands for):

Some of you (fortunately not many of you) may have an account on Goal Poker, which is an Absolute Poker skin based out of Europe. If you have any money there, it is time to stop playing and cash out now.

I cannot give details at this time, but I will shortly. Goal Poker is in grave danger of going under, and your money will likely go with it.

Here's one detail I'll let you guys in on:

During the WSOP, Goal generously gave a few seats away to the main event through freerolls. One problem: They never actually bought the seats, and the players were left high and dry! The panicky players complained to Absolute, who fortunately did the right thing and put these people in at their own expense. Absolute should have terminated their relationship with Goal at this point, but for some reason, they didn't.

As bad as things looked then, it has gotten worse. Again, I can't go into details at this time, but you would be wise to cash out every single dollar immediately. Fortunately, Goal is still processing cashouts at this time, but that could change any day.

Finally, take this situation as a reminder that you are not wise to leave large sums of money on poker sites. The smallest sites and skins are the most dangerous, as they could literally go under at any moment. The smaller sites also often have a dishonesty factor to them, where they are not reputable and will find flimsy excuses to freeze your account and funds. Your money isn't even completely safe on a larger site. While rooms like Stars and Party are rock-solid financially and are unlikely to steal your money, you are still susceptible to hackers and keyloggers, who could dump your chips and leave you with no recourse. It's best to consistently cash out and only leave the minimum of what you need to play

Although this is a small kink in AP's armor, I am glad some karma came around and bit them in the ass. More to come perhaps (and hopefully)...

TNA Impact Tonight

If you are a wrestling junky and still haven't discovered TNA, how the hell can you call yourself that?! Tonight's TNA Impact could mark the debut of one Kurt Angle. I know Angle has had neck problems and personal problems but the word around is that he is backk with his wife (Karen) and it appears the neck is good (has to be if you wrestle in TNA). So at 11pm tonight ladies and gents, turn your tubes to Spike TV for your "60 minute adrenaline rush" as Mike Tenay puts it.

WSOP Main Event Final Table and Kurt Angle Thoughts!

WSOP Main Event Final Table

Well, I wasn't impressed with this year's WSOP Main Event coverage (I guess the duo of Lon and Norm doesn't help. Why does Lon always get so excited when somebody hits bottom pair...), seeing the luckbox Jamie Gold and his antics wasn't a pleasant thing for me. You might be surprised that I say this as I am a liker of Mike Matasow and a BIG fan of Phil Hellmuth. Mike has been brutal before (i.e. 2 years ago saying Raymer had little Chiquitas), but I don't recall him being a complete jackass in the middle of a hand nor telling his hands to his opponents. And of course, you have Phil Hellmuth who is quite as can be after making a bet and is a sore loser (which is ok and big reason why I like him. Who's antics are better than Phils?!). Boy when Jamie Gold took that one beat of AK losing to K10, he really exploded. But when you keep getting Q-Q going up against J-J after that beat, all is golden I guess...

Speaking of Phil Hellmuth, I bet you the hand Allen Cunningham busted out on (after making some impecable reads on Gold folding top pair a few times when it was no good and calling down with an Ace high for the winner!! Not easy against a monster chip leader that kept on getting lucky) when he saw Gold flip over the KJ, he said that I think I'm gonna puke... which translates to Phil's remark, "That maniac put all his money in with K-J?!" (vomit bucket ready)

Kurt Angle going to TNA... Yeah baby

Just when you thought Kurt Angle was done with wrestling, Angle will be moving to the big boys of wrestling TNA, which will also be moving to prime time in November. Angle left the WWE "for personal reasons" it stated (trying to get back with wife, bad neck, etc) but all appears to be well now. He made a shocking video appearance at the TNA No Surrender PPV on Sunday. I for one am very happy as a clam to see not only Angle back, but in the best wrestling business today. I haven't read the spoilers for Impact yet, but I sure damn hope to be surprised and see his debut the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling!!

BPT Event # 1 and Feast of Love Take 2... Lights, Camera, Backround!

BPT

Well, I was probably at least 30 mins late for the inaugurial event of season 2 of the BPT. I guess you could say I pulled a Beerman, who has been known to be late for a few of these, but his reasons are legit at least. Just kiddin Mike and promoting your site ;-) Your coverage is great and if your great poker skills somehow short you to win this nice Aussie Millions package, Mike will be blogging his way there.

I lost about half my chips but manage to steal blinds. The fatal blow came when I got dealt Route 66 in the BB. The button and SB call my BB of 300 and I push my just less than stack of 1500 in. Button folds (he said he really wanted to call so I was surprised he didn't) and SB makes a questionable call with KQ off. Flop comes 6-K-3 giving me a set but my opponent isn't completely dead pairing and having the Q of spades for the flush draw. He gets there on the river and I'm out in 22nd.

Feast of Love

I didn't have to get up at 4:00 this time as I got a later call time. Got to about NW 4th and Glisan at about 7:15, 15 mins early and they had a shuttle ready to take all the extras. Amazingly, the parking structure they told us to go to was almost empty so I was skeptic if I was in the right spot but the gentleman working there said so.

It was pretty much a similar shoot to that that occurred at Reed College. Students going wild after a football game while the actors try to drive through trying to get their friend to the hospital. I didn't get the thrill of almost getting hit by a car again, but got up close to the actors car (an old crappy Volvo) acting fanatic! Once again, Greg Kinnear (and his double stunt driver who looks like Greg's bro) is an animal behind the wheel as he made other peoples dreams/adrenaline go up by almost hitting them with the Volvo!

On a sidenote, Morgan Freeman was once again MIA (missing in action) although I heard that all his scenes were done shooting before yesterday. Too bad...

The BPT is Back at poker.com!!

The BPT aka "Blogger Poker Tour" (arguably "The Best Poker Tour") is making its return tomorrow at poker.com and is bigger and more bad ass!! What is the BPT you ask? Well junior, it's a series of $500 FREEROLL events hosted by poker.com open to people with a consistent poker blog. Last year, numerous prizes were given away like poker.com gear, iPods, poker tables, a new computer, and of course the main prize, a seat at the 2006 WSOP Main Event!!

I was really surprised on how small the fields for these tournaments were. Well, since the first series of freeroll tournaments, the traffic has substantially increased so I am expecting some stiff and fun (that sounds funny...) competition. The prizes are legit as well as I had my share of cashes (3 cashes, including 2 in the top 5. I won the BPT Event III last year) and scored some nice poker swag as well (shirt, cards, card holder, key chain, sandals). Still not convinced, ask player EgonOlson who won his seat to the WSOP through a minute field... for free!!

Well ladies and gents, boys and girls, children of all agaes (well people above 18 I guess): Season two is going to try to top that with more luxiourious prizes including more poker.com customized tables, more Ipods, and of course the grand prize, a trip to Australia and a seat into the prestigous Aussie Millions event in January!

Remember, these events are absolutely free with no slouch prizes. What other chance are you going to get to win a trip to Australia and play in the Aussie Millions for free?! Need to make a new account at "pokerdotcom"... use this link here
To register for the BPT, you can use this link here.

Good luck everybody!!

Stars 1.5 Million Guarantee

Haven't posted much about poker lately because of bad sessions and bad luck and nobody wants to hear another bad beat story right...? ( ;-D )

Well, I'll be brief on this, but first, I would like to thank Ellen from PA Forum for putting a satellite together in which I happened to win my seat to this prestigious event.

2500 in starting chips and 30 minute levels. Never could get out of the gates. Bluffs didn't work and when I had K-K a few times in multi-way pots, an ace would hit. I somehow make it to hour 2 and near the end of it, I'm down to 1250. Blinds are 75-150. I get those dreaded Kings again in the BB and and its folded around to the cutoff who raises to 450. I decide to just call 300 so I could possibly throw my hand away if an Ace or a scary flop came. Flop came J-8-2 rainbow. I check, she bets and I push all-in and she instantly calls and turns over 8-8 for a set. Jesus Christ how I hate pocket Kings... King on turn wow and it holds up! I steal some blinds with my then decent stack with mediocure hands and then get an AK and double threw that. I somehow get my stack to over 1400 going into the 3rd hour.

Well, that didn't last long as my KQ from the small blind took on a raise from mid position. He has a semi-low stack and I called his 3x raise. Flop comes 2-10-K. I made a mistake by check raising making me pot committed (should have led bet and fold to his raise) and he flips over 10-10 for the set and it holds. Jesus, I these kings of hell. (There was also one hand where I had KQo and the flop came 6-K-6. I bet and got raised and my opponent showed 7-6 for trips. Why didn't apply this same strategy here?!).

So now I have about 7000 in chips and 2 hands later I get an AK of spades and pot for 3x on the cutoff. I get a call from the button (who had chips but had been really tight lately) and the BB. Flop comes A-K-8 with 2 clubs. There is 2700 in the pot and I bet 1800. Only the button calls. I figured the button to have a weaker ace like A-5, A-6, A-7. No way I'd put him on 2 suited cards the way he'd been playing. Turn is a 6 of clubs. I bet and we eventually get all our chips in and he flips over 10-9 of clubs and the river doesn't improve me and go out in about 1300th out of 4495 peeps.

Fuck, I feel deflated and very shitty after hanging in and playing awful the 1st two-and-a-half hours and then playing well for about 40 mins or so to get my stack up and then to play the 2nd shittiest poker of my career (other than the 1st 5-6 hours in Day 1 of the WPT World Poker Challenge this year). For those poker junkies out there, how would you have played the AK hand I mentioned above? I mean I overbet the flop and he still called and the way he played, I don't think he would be chasing a flush and if he had a set, so be it with my top 2 their? It's time to take a break from the tourny world until I find a way to improve my luck (any1 have any ideas?) What can you do when you get your money in as the favorite and your hand doesn't hold after playing for over 3 hours (or more)?

Hope you enjoyed reading kiddies.

Dancing with the Stars and Farewell Trish

I meant to touch on the topic of WWE Diva Trish Stratus yesterday, but I was catching the likes of Joey Lawrence, Emmit Smith, Mario Lopez, and Jerry Springer on Dancing with the Stars. Opps, did I just admit that, but really, it is a great great show. I didn't see the 1st season of the show but since Jerry Rice and Stacy Kiebler were on the last season, I had to watch and you know what, the dancing is damn empressive. Bruno the judge is hilarious and his comment toward Mario about having some extra batteries in his pants made almost piss myself! Ah, Mario Lopez stoll the show last night. I remember a certain episode of Saved by the Bell where Mario danced the ballet and it was very funny and impressive. Mario appeared to be the goof in his extras before the dance but in the end, it pulled it off as I thought he would and got the highest score. At a boy AC Slater... I mean Super Mario.

Jerry Springer's performance was obviously not the best but his dancing and facial expressions reminded me of George Hamilton from last season which is a very good thing. Bruno even gives Springer the remark of being similar to Hamilton and I'm thinking I should be a judge on that show. If only they'd get rid of that snotty Carrie Ann judge...

On to Trish Stratus now... When I first saw this beautiful diva enter the WWF (now WWE), I thought she was just an eye-candy attraction. But little would the cacoon become a shinning butterfly in the ring dominating the women's division and holding a record 6-time Woman's Championship. Monday night marked the last appearance of Trish on cable TV. Although not as eye-tearing as Agassi's speech, Trish said her goodbye to the fans and this Sunday will mark her final match at Unforgiven in her hometown of Toronto where she'll try to go out a 7-time champion. Best of luck in the future careers Trish!!

Kiss Goodbye

The final chapter in the great Andre Agassi's tennis career has been written after following to legend "B. Becker"... Borris Becker... no wait, "B" as is young up-and-coming star Benjamin Becker.



What was a very emotional scene and speech delivered by the poker legend brought tears to my eyes. Best of luck in the tennis after life Andre!!

Just a Living Agassi and the Winner of his 2nd Round Match

Wowzers!! I didn't think that Andre Agassi's match on Monday vs Andrei Pavel could be topped but then again... it's the US Open, the New York mojo, and of course, Andre Agassi! This was suppose to be Andre's "last match" as he would be taking on a sizzling player and the number 8 seat Marcos "Who's your Baghdaddy" Baghdatis. But wait a tic, Andre comes out scorching hot taking the first two sets 6-4, 6-4. Baghdatis would finally break and take the 3rd set 3-6 and it would look like Marcos was getting the momentum to come back.

Fourth set however, Agassi jumps up to a 4-0 lead. Two points away from advancing and then dejovo happens from Monday where the 4-0 lead is like a one point lead in basketball. Only this time, it would be Agassi losing a 4-0 lead and Baghdatis would rally and end up winning the set and 5-7. What kind of bizarre thing are the tennis gods playing when there are two 4-0 leads that can't hold.

All the momentum in the world has now shifted to Marcos Baghdatis. Agassi starts the 5th set losing serve after a Baghdatis break but then, Baghdatis starts getting cramps. Oh, the tennis gods must be shinning down on Andre. Agassi would take the break point in the immediate round. Baghdatis would get some minor relief from his trainer and the serves would hold up with the score 5-5. It's Agassi's serve and Baghdatis would get the point to a Deuce before reaggravating his cramps. Unbelievable, Baghdatis would still hit winners and hard-earned some break points before finally faultering after the 8th Deuce.

The end finally comes as Baghdatis' legs cannot hold up and loses serve next point and our Hero Andre Agassi advances. As much as we all want Andre to do well for his finale, Marcos Baghdatis definitely deserved to win this match. The tennis world will definitely be seeing more of him, but for now, its onward for Andre as he plays "B. Becker" as Jonny-Mac put it. Best of skill and luck Andre!!