What's up?

Been busy working my job and tax business, playing full-time dad to my kids, and enjoying the last 6 months since I started dating an ex again.  Can't complain about life too much - still playing once a week (Won season points champion this past season), and going to Vegas in November for first time since 1999 - holy shit!

Hope everyone has been good - more updates to come.

I guess it has been a long time since I've posted!

Been "off the grid", so to speak, but the last 19 months have not been bad to me at all:

- Enjoyed 2 trips to Atlantic City the last 2 Junes.
- Saved, arguably, my best season in World Tavern for last season - which is also the last season I will be playing full-time for the near future (playing once a week, if that, for the time being because of the next reason) in this league.
- As of September 1, because full-time single parent to my teenagers, as their mom moved an hour away. Luckily, we have a good relationship - been very happy to spend as much time over the last few months with my kids as I've gotten to spend with them.
- Still working at Compuware, even if we've been sold and no longer publicly traded.

There will be retrospectives about prior tournaments, and some great Atlantic City stories and pictures to come in the near future. Hopefully there will be a little bit of charity poker action going on, as the action is pretty sparse in these areas now. Happy 2015, everyone!

This is what we play for...card protectors, trophies, plaques (and money, too).  Played last Thursday over at Airway Lanes, took the thing down after becoming massive chipleader with 4 to go. Key hand is as follows - critique as you wish:

Blinds 3000/6000, loose player (only player to being close to having me covered at this point) raises to 16K from cutoff.  I look down and see 6-6 in the SB.  I think about 3-popping here, but with 120K to start the hand, I decide to slow it down a bit and see what happens.

7-6-2, rainbow flop, and with 35K in the pot, a check seems smart.  Opponent bets 25K, and I think to myself that this could be the tournament here...but smooth-call. Turn is a Q...I, at this point, am thinking a check-raise all-in is in order, and when opponent bets 25K, that happens.  Opponent goes in the tank for a minute, realizes he may be up against a set, but decides he can't fold his 2-pair...Qs and 7s...and calls.  Blank on river, and here I'm sitting with about 70% of the chips in play, where eventually I suck out on the river to win this puppy.

AC next weekend...hell yeah!

Another vacation or 2 to plan...

Tax season and year-end have just been killing me, but occasionally I find some time to get out there and get some live action at the tables...both in charity rooms and in World Tavern action.  Last 2 outings at 4 Aces saw a 9-way chop for first ($298 each - $40 buy-in), and min-cash ($85 in a $40 buy-in).  World Tavern has been a couple weeks of extremes...either make a very deep run, or get out real early. 

Thankfully, the last week has mostly better (with exception of game at Blarney Stone - I only played to play in All-Star Championships this week...and now I may not play that, meh), punctuated with a win in Sunday's game, and a 3rd in last night's All-Star Championship at Overtyme.  Based on last night, qualified for National TOC in Atlantic City in June 2014, and for National All-Star Tournament in Vegas this November ($50K cash pool) - going to try to save up to go to both, but with new living arrangements happening for me, may not be possible.

Sometime around August 1, I expect to move out of the house I've been in for 15 years, and officially start the next phase of my life, even if my divorce isn't officially over until September/October, or even later.  No matter - I've been pretty happy with how Laura (new girl I've been dating since Janaury) and I are doing as a couple, and looking forward to seeing where our relationship might lead to in the future.

More importantly, I did get 50-50 parenting time with my kids, which was the biggest thing I wanted out of this entire process.  Yeah, things will be tight with me, financially, for a little while...but I'll adjust my lifestyle accordingly, and since I'll be in control of my own finances, I'll be better off, in the long run. 

Atlantic City, and World Tavern Open, is here June 1st - cannot wait!

What's this? A post?

Been working hard during tax season, but getting out and playing.  Let's review the last couple of months of play:

1) Qualified once again for the WTP National Tournament of Champions...actually, did it twice.  Since I was already qualified, I chopped our finishes so a couple other players could go to Vegas, if they choose.

2) 5 cashes in last 5 weeks at charity rooms - ROI is over 100% for the year, just no major cashes.

3) Qualified for WTP Winter National Championship in Atlantic City in June - since I'm qualified for Fall Championship, I think I am going to AC this spring.

4) And finally, because I was bored as hell last night, goofed around with 5 MTTs on Stars simultaneously.  Busted out first of first tourney...all-in pre-flop with AA vs KK and 22 - deuce on flop, and gg me. Stud tourney was good for 4th out of 190+ players, and also took a 9th in a 900+ player turbo tourney.  11th place in a 1200+ player turbo tourney, but that didn't compare to binking a PLHE event to cap off a good night. Forgot how easy it was to actually play 4+ tables at once, frankly...

Until next time...

Time for an update...

Since I last posted, had the following happen:

- Reached 9 wins last season in WTP, but didn't get the elusive 10th win.  Sewed up the tavern points title early, and qualified for Nationals in Atlantic City in June. 3rd in Tavern Championship, but took 1st in the Tournament of Champions - qualifying me for the 2013 National TOC in Vegas next October/November.

- Took over as tournament director at Overtyme this season, and decided that I didn't give a rip this season how I did.  When you're in charge of 30+ players and 2 games per evening, the play almost always suffers - but that's cool.  Been having a blast running my game, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

- Making my coin in the live charity tournaments - 4 cashes in 5 November events - including a 2nd and a 3rd on consecutive nights for a $600+ profit last weekend. Even with a dry spell for summer and most of fall, ROI still sitting at about 150% for the year, which is not shabby.

- Personal note: Divorce is going relatively smoothly right now, hoping to be done sometime in March...physical custody of kids will be an issue, however, but hopefully Kelley and I are able come to an agreement on the particulars very soon. 

Until next time..

A small update

Running a game this season has actually been enjoyable, although the small size of the game has been frustrating. Potentially taking over the Overtyme game next season, and it would be great to get back out that way. Based on what happens with my divorce over the next few months, who knows...I could be living closer to there.

7 wins this season, and already clinched a number 1 ranking (well, at least a tie for it) at our tavern, thus qualifying me for the Fall National Championship in Atlantic City next June. More importantly, have stepped up my game a couple of notches the last month at various locations, and that has not gone unnoticed by some of the better players in the league. Doesn't always lead to results (suckouts have a way of doing that), but the reads and decisions have been spot on...trying to get to 10 wins the next 3 weeks is going to be fun, if I can keep this up!

It's been a while...

Seems like every post lately has been of this variety. Too busy at work, not playing as much poker, so no real need for many posts. Couple of quick updates:

- Running a World Tavern game now over at Total Sports over in Harrison Township. Much closer to home, and a much smaller game - but I do miss the fine fellows and folks over at Overtyme. I think one day next week I will try to head out to the Lodge (Keego Harbor - Wednesday night) or one of the other locations to see some of the Waterford folk.

- Played in a couple small home games at parties. Tourneys and cash still profitable, so that's good.

- Running hot at Total Sports now, and I think I figured out why. Not overthinking things, and remembering the type of players that usually play in our league. Not having 3 or 4 beers a night doesn't hurt, either.

- A couple of weeks ago, my wife and I started the painful divorce process. You know the drill, try to remain civil and make it as amicable as possible...and hope it actually happens that way. We shall see, I suppose. No details will be forthcoming as to why it's happening, since this is not the place for that stuff. Besides, my most important concern are my two boys. Wish my family luck in this whole process.

Hope to be able to get out there to the charity rooms/casinos and play some in the near future, but (obviously) I have other issues that take precedence. Until next time...

May...and early June, update

Kind of a rough month for me, poker-wise. Made some nice coin in a couple of home games, but World Tavern was not quite as successful...although I did get a couple of TOC finishes, despite some bad play and plenty of bad luck. Variance is a bitch!

Closed out the season at Overtyme in the same spot I started - atop the tavern rankings, and as such qualified for a 2nd national championship tourney in Vegas this November. The season may not have been as consistent, or as good (1 win the entire season, versus 6 last season), but seeing as I got some hardware and a seat in Nationals, it's still a successful one.

Next week is Tavern Championships, and then TOC event...and then it's off to a new season. May be a 2nd night added in, or a new location...we'll see what happens. July 15 is our State/Regional tournament - might be interesting to see how I play, seeing as I'm already qualified for the National tourney.

April poker update

As usual for April, poker play was a bit sporadic, and cash tourneys were few and far between. Ran pretty bad (for me) in World Tavern the first few games after our regional championship - although I can't really complain about my actual play. That usual "play well, don't get results" syndrome.

Went to a home game a couple of weeks ago, and cashed in 2 of the 3 tourneys (30+ in first 2 games, 13 in 3rd game) for neat little profit of $155. Couple that with more than a few Canadian beers, and it was a good night.

Last week, finally saw a turnaround in my World Tavern results...will detail some below.

First game had 38 players, so a nice little 10.5K for first was in play. Started out the first level a little slow, even semi-open folding J-J pre-flop when faced with raises by both tight UTG and tight button players...mad props to me given for laying it down after players in all-in showed K-K and A-A...but really, wasn't terribly hard to put it down there. Got a nice little BB special when my 6-2 flopped trips, and got paid off 2 streets by 2 people. Soon after, took down a huge pot after my slowly-played A-K flopped trip kings against a PF raiser holding A-J who decided to bet 3 streets at me...nice!

Really took off after Q-Q knocked out a player holding A-Q, then proceeded to knock out 3 more players in the next 4 hands before the break...sat at 74K at the break, which is a ridiculous amount to have in this tourney. Played pretty consistent poker for next few levels, and by time of final table merge, sitting at 125K.

Once down to 9, proceeded to either bust out or cripple 6 of the other 8 players, and after a short heads-up period, I scored my first WTP win of this season...only 9 weeks in, ugh.

Second game, yo-yo'd up and down the first hour, including losing half my chips on an A-Q vs A-K hand where my preflop 3-bet with A-Q was called by a loose player holding A-K. A king on flop with a couple of hearts slowed me down considerably after my continuation bet was smooth-called after the flop. Luckily, check-check on next 2 streets saved me some chips...although this paid off for me on the next hand I'll detail out.

Shortly after the break, got A-A UTG at 500/1000 level, and raised to 3500. Old man William thinks about calling me, Loose Lois calls, and we have a 3-way flop. 9-6-J rainbow doesn't scare me, and a bet of 5500 seems right. Lois folds, William thinks for a minute and shoves to put me at risk. Fairly quick call, and William flips over 7-7. No help on turn or river, and William is crippled. I look at him and say, "I think that A-Q hand I had a while back set that play up, didn't it?", which got a smile and a nod from him. Ability to recall prior hands, no matter how far back, is a great thing to do - didn't work out for him this time, but I liked his thinking.

Got down to another final table, and after another roller-coaster run (including flopping a straight with K-Q and having Big Larry bluff-shove me with 4-2 - real tough to play those hands, heh), was on the short-end of a fairly long HU battle with Andy - but I'll happily take a 2nd to go with my 1st. Can never say that I've clinched anything, but I've certainly strengthened my hold on the season points lead - haven't been below first since the first rankings came out after week 4. 2 national championships to play in during November? We'll see!