Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Matchy Returns to His Winning Ways and Takes the NPP Internet #9

Eight players – great job!!!
I mentioned I was drunk and got sick prior to the poker game. I was hoping to get some sympathy from my buddies and some soft play as a result. Uh, no.

On further review I think it was the chicken wings that made me sick and not the beer. On to the game:

Artic Blast (8th) was the first one out on hand #20. I was not in a ‘follow the action’ frame of mind and I must of wrote down the wrong hand number – so how this happened is a mystery to me. Your humble correspondent hit the ‘stress relieve oil’ much much harder than usual.

Momo (7th) was the next victim as his JJ fell to Rownder’s AK with an Ace on the flop.

Sev4Sev (6th) got the bad beat of the night when his KK loses to Rownder’s JJ with a J on the river.

I was short stacked as usual by this time as I played my usual game. The only difference this time was I always thought I had four cards and two pair every time. I survived one all in with KJ against an A3. JA3 on flop but a K on the river. Whew!

Didn’t help as I was gone (5th) when my AJ ran into Mathcy’s 99 and I did not improve.

Rownder (4th) was next to go with another bad beat of sorts. His KT was raised by Boother with KJ suited. The flop was 32J with two of Boother’s suit. Boother got all of Rownder’s money in by the river where a J appeared.

Cigar4John’s night ended (3rd) when his 55 ran into Matchy’s AA.

That left Matchy and Boother (2nd) and Matchy won it when his AQ caught a Q on the river to take down Boother’s 99.

1st - Matchy
2nd - Boother
3rd - Cigar4John
4th - Rownder
5th - Nik Faldo
6th - Sev4Sev
7th - Momo
8th - Artic Blast

Standings to be posted Friday and Saturday the NPP game posting. – Nik Faldo

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Pakistan Girl Was to Be Poker Debt Bride

KARACHI, Pakistan -- Police are seeking 10 men, including several tribal elders, accused of pressuring a Pakistani woman to hand over her teenage daughter as payment for a 16-year-old poker debt, officials said Tuesday.

In the latest case highlighting how conservative customs threaten women's rights in Pakistan, Nooran Umrani alleges that, despite paying off her late husband's debt of $165, she was threatened with harm if she failed to hand over her daughter, Rasheeda.

The 17-year-old was to be surrendered as a bride for the son of Lal Haider, the man who won the card game years before, Umrani told reporters on Monday in Hyderabad, 100 miles northeast of Karachi.

Umrani said her husband was a gambler who ran up the debt at a poker game when Rasheeda was 1 year old. He promised Haider that he would get Rasheeda in lieu of payment when she grew up, the mother said.

read the full article

Saturday, February 24, 2007

Nik Finishes 2nd in Bugsy's Club Tourney

Almost my second tournament win on this site. There were 131 entries into this Omaha HiLo/8 Pot Limit tourney.

I survived 5 all-ins in the early going to stay alive. Two of my all-ins were with flush draws and second nut lows. One hit the flush - the other scooped. Two other all-ins, my small trips and small straight survived all callers.
And other one, somehow my two pair and 2nd nut low scooped.

I only won about eight hands in the first two hours. But luckily, they were at the right time.

When we got down to 20 players, I went on a roll. When we got to 15-handed, I called a bully, who was stealing constantly. This was gutsy because they were only paying 12 places and the last 7, not very much. But with A23K, and the Ace suited, I decided to playback big time. He called.

The flop was two of my suit, 45Q. I checked hoping he only had a low and would also check, but he raised the pot and it was decision time. But since my stack was now totally crippled, it was not that tough a decision. I went all in again!

The guy turned over QJTA and no flush. He went all in with a pair of Q's. I have to hit, but he didn't have just a low.

The turn was an 8. Split! The river was a 6! That gave me ammo to take second! Won 5o times my entry fee.

Poker Funding Review

http://www.compatiblepoker.com/youteller.cms.htm

youteller looks promising...

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Sev4Sev Wins NPP Internet Tourney #8

Depressing. Here I am in Cleveland rushing back to the room to play some poker with my buds and only three make it. Well, as Sparky Anderson said, "If they don't want to go, nobody is going to stop them."

Early on Boother and I traded money while 747 was taking Cigar4John's. But on hand #44, C4J got some back. On hand #72 C4J's two pair of aces and jacks beat 747 pair of aces and we were all about back to even.

With the blinds 50/100 the hand that crippled my night was I had QQ and raised 400 and was called by 747. He has something. The flop was a T94 rainbow. 747 makes a 250 bet. I got the overpair and re-raise to 500 to see where I am. I find out as 747 goes all in. Decision time.

I decide he has KK or AA or TT, and fold. He said he had JJ. Nice hand and play by him and a bad read by me. I still have some chips to play with but I will need to double soon or I'm done.

On hand #89, Boother (4th) goes all in with 88 and is called by Cigar4John's AT- suited. John improves and Boother is out.

On hand #102, I get healthy as my all-in with K3 suited beats 747's QJ.

Two hands later I am crippled again as I now have 747 covered and go all in when I spike an Ace on the flop holding A5 with a flop of AJ7. But Sev4Sev is holding J7. Ouch!

I (3rd) survive until hand #111 when my all-in with KJ gets fourflushed when Sev4Sev's 55 makes five clubs.

C4J and 747 are left and C4J has a 3 to 2 lead. Sev4Sev turns it into a 4.5 to 1.5 advantage. 747 has C4 J all in but C4J hits a full house to stay alive - and now only a 2 to 1 dog in chips.

But Cigar4John (2nd) trip 3's loses to 747 Ace-high straight and then C4J's A2 suited loses to Sev4Sev's J7 when it hits two pair. Is that two knock outs with J7????
Congratulations 747.

Nik Finishes 3rd in Jungle Poker Qualifier

Long time between final tables but back I was in this Omaha Pot limit tourney on Jungle Poker. This was a qualifier for a shot at a $1000 first prize on Saturday.

There were 451 entries. On hand #2 I was dealt AKQ5 with the A5 suited. Two players raised before it got to me and I called. But a raising war between 4 players broke out and five of us were all in. I hit my straight and that gave me the chips to control tables the rest of the way.

You may have remembered I qualified for this Jungle Saturday tourney before but missed the tournament. I found out the problem. The qualifier tourney info says the Saturday tourney starts at 17:30 pm - which for those of you in Ann Arbor, MI - means 5:30 pm.

Well, the tournament starts at 4:30 pm - which is the time displayed on the tournament board. This is a major screw up and I don't think the site is aware of it. I'll tell them, and we will see.

Anyway, wish me luck. After I win or get knocked out - I'm heading to Boother's for his game.

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Boother Wins NPP Internet #7

A snowy snowy night. So it was a great night to be indoors and at the felt on Poker Stars with friends. We only had five players this night, which was a shame.

We actually only had four early on as Rownder had computer problems. Rownder swore the puter was heading out to the curb after the game, so Thai Food, swing by there and pick up a curbside 'Fixer upper' before the snow ruins it.

Onto the game:

Matchy (5th) fell first when he flopped a flush holding JT of spades. Unfortunately for him, I was holding A5 of spades. I hate when that happens to me.

Rownder (two 1sts and two 2nds in the last four tourneys) and Momo hooked up next. I think it was a mis-read or Rownder sick of his computer problems as he went all in with A9 suited when an Ace came on the flop. Momo called with AK and when Rownder did not improve, he was crippled.

Rownder's (4th) night ended when Boother took him out a few hands later.

Momo (3rd) was the next out when his KQ ran into my TT.

That left Faldo and Boother. We were fairly close in chips, with Boother having about a 4 to 3 advantage. The crucial hand came when I found myself with a flush draw and an inside straight draw and tried unsuccessfully to get Boother to fold. I had to fold and now I was short stacked.

I went all in (2nd) with 98 and Boother correctly called with KJ and it was over. Nice job Boother!

The next internet game is Feb. 20 - same game (NL Holdem) and same password.

The next NPP live game is March 10 at 6pm. Get the RSVP's in.

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Rownder73 Continues to Rule - Wins NPP Internet #6

Hola from Saltillo, Mexico. I was out at possible suppliers to the company I work for and they took us out to dinner - which in Mexico is later than dinner in the States. Then the tequila and the very heavy beer consumption started.

Anyways, sorry I missed the game. Great turnout guys! That is what I like to see. This is what it is all about. Hope the insults and trash talk was flowing. We would of been in double digits in entries with me, Beerhog and Fourputt in there.

But I see not much else changed as Rownder crushed us all again.

Beerhog wanted to play but I could not get to my emails until this morning. Catch you next week.

Fourputt sends his regards also. His wife inadvertently tied him to the kitchen sink when she put the apron on him. That's a shame.

1st - Rownder73
2nd - Boother36
3rd - Cigar4John
4th - Matchy
5th - Bronco76
6th - Momo
7th - Sev4Sev
8th - ArticBlast

I'll go with Holdem again. Same password for next week. Adios! - Nik Faldo

Saturday, February 03, 2007

Ways to Deposit and Withdraw at Online Sites

Copied from the Cardplayer Magazine Newsletter:

“The end of NETELLER’s participation with customers in the U.S. may be a blow to the convenience of online poker, but there are other ways to get money in and out of online sites.

For players who depended on NETELLER, and who use sites that also offer ePassporte, they can get their money into their bank accounts by first setting up an account with ePassporte, making a deposit at their preferred site to activate it, and then withdraw.

People who have money in their NETELLER accounts can withdraw their money to their bank accounts.Here’s a list of four of the most popular sites and the ways they still accept deposits and withdraws from Americans in America:

PokerStars
PokerStars accepts ePassporte, Visa, MasterCard, Western Union, and players can actually send checks to the site. EPassporte is a company that issues virtual Visa cards that can be used at sites everywhere, but its processing fees are a little excessive. Each deposit of $100 costs $5 and it costs at least $2 to make an EFT. But to make the service more convenient, players may want to order an actual Visa card from ePassporte for an additional $35, which gives players direct access to their funds at retail locations everywhere and can be used to withdraw money from ATM machines. As of the middle of January, ePassporte is the only option American players have at PokerStars to electronically withdraw their winnings.Players can use their Visa and MasterCard to deposit at PokerStars, but can’t withdraw to them. PokerStars also accepts Western Union, and players can mail checks to the site.Many players will be making friends with the mailman this year, because PokerStars can mail checks to its players. This takes 10 to 14 business days.

Full Tilt
Full Tilt also accepts ePassporte, but it has another alternative in Click2Pay.Click2Pay charges a 3 percent processing fee if players deposit with their credit cards, but if players set up direct deposit with their bank accounts, it’s free of charge. Same goes for withdrawing, and the site claims that a bank transfer takes up to three business days. Click2Pay’s customer service may be lacking, though. We tried to get hold of them over the phone for an entire day, but the call never went through.

Doyle’s Room
EPassporte is the only service that players can use to both deposit and withdraw money at the site. Players can deposit using Visa and MasterCard, but can’t withdraw with them. Doyle’s Room will be happy to cut and mail a check.

Ultimate Bet

Ultimate Bet accepts ePassporte, Visa, MasterCard, and ATMOnline. ATMOnline is another “eWallet” that players can connect to their bank accounts to make withdraws and deposits. While still servicing U.S. customers, it warns that it will probably change its policy after the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act goes into effect later this year. Setup is free at ATMOnline. Deposit is free if using a bank account and it charges 7 percent if a credit card is used. Withdrawal from sites to the ATMOnline account costs $15, but withdrawal to bank accounts is free. The company charges $10 to mail checks."

I have also found that these US serving poker sites have these methods available:
Absolute Poker = ePassport, Click2pay
Bugsy's Club = ePassport
Jungle Poker = Instadebit
World Poker Exchange = Instadebit

Netteller has been dragging their feet as far as releasing my money to my bank account. I wish they would cut it out - they are scaring me. - Nik Faldo

PS: Damn my hypocritical, hands around my throat fucking government!

Thursday, February 01, 2007

NPP Internet Tourney Standings Have Tightened Up!

The first month of Internet Tourneys are in the books and the race couldn't tighter. The only way not to be in the hunt for NPP Internet Tourney Player of the Year is to not play!

Still plenty of time to catch the leaders. I myself may be miss next week as I will be in Mexico on business and may not get to the hotel in time and I hear the internet is hit and miss anyway.
So guys, get to the tourney on Tuesday and yuck it up!

Here are the standings:

24 pts - Beerhog
24 pts - Nik Faldo
24 pts - Rownder73
19 pts - Matchy
15 pts - Boother
11 pts - Cigar4John
10 pts - Momo
1 pt - Fourputt
1 pt - SpartyToJo
1 pt - Artic

As you can see, a couple good rounds and even a newbie can still get in the hunt. - Nik Faldo