Friday, December 31, 2010

ThePunk75 Makes a Final Table on Full Tilt - Faldo on PokerStars

Faldo finished 6th in a 90-player SNG, but ThePunk75 has a real final table finish and a year in review:

"The Punk (BaDonkaPunk on Full Tilt) makes final table and finishes 5th (488 players) in an Omaha 2.5k Guarantee Rush Rebuy on Full Tilt. First hand of tournament I tripled up with flopped top set that held. But it was all downhill from there as I ended up having to do a double rebuy after suck-out after suck-out after suck-out (hey its Omaha it happens). But after that double rebuy, my hands started holding again. It helps hitting quad jacks twice.

At the final table I was sitting about 6th in chips and there was one player with something like 1.4 million, the next closest guy in chips had about 450k. Plus the mega stack was directly to my left, so it wasn't going to be easy dodging the chip leader. He re-popped my preflop raises 3 times and I had to fold each time. The 4th time I reraised all in with AA78, and he had something like AQ64. I doubled up and was in business. I was crippled, while in BB I held AQ22, and faced a preflop pot bet. The player had about 25k after that bet so I shoved my stack in; I had about 70K over him. He showed AK78 or something. Of course two aces hit the board and his K gave him the winning hand. The very next hand I have A922 and shoved the monster stack called from SB and hit one of his cards to take me out. My cash was 32.5x my total buy in.

My total ROI for the year jumped from 4% to 13%.

2010 was a good year for The Punk.

On PokerStars I posted a 105% ROI for the year in MTT. A staggering 476% in pot limit Omaha. I doubled my bankroll, of which a healthy withdrawal got me a new 55" LED TV.

On Full Tilt, I posted a 13% ROI for the year in MTT’s. But several bad ring game sessions left me down for the year overall there.

One of the things that I feel I greatly improved this year is reading betting patterns. Another is using the semi bluff and bluff to take down pots. I was never a huge fan of either and it was a micro attribute of my game. This year I began using both more and more; for the most part it was positive results.

For 2011, it’s continual improving my play and hopefully more final tables."

Punk

Great year Punk and thanks for the story! - Faldo

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

New Year’s Day Approaches – Any Poker Resolutions?

Reflecting back on your poker year of 2010 is usually a good idea. As long as it is honest reflection.

My 2009 resolutions for 2010 were met – most of the time. I still did some dumb things, but they were at a much reduced rate this year. I give myself a solid B overall on the “improvement” list.

I gave myself a “C” for improved attitude when playing on line. Every once in a while the ‘old’ Faldo would lose it due to suck outs and bad beats, but over all, a great improvement. I am beginning to understand bad beats are GOING to happen. So accept it or don’t play. It’s sinking in slowly.

I also mentally handled the couple of "running cold" streaks I hit - very well. When you keep records as well as I do, you see that these downturns have happened before and will happen again. Overall, I get a “B” for SO-BB.

But I give myself a “D” for whining over the “shoulda, woulda, coulda”. This is where I fold (66) in middle position with a slightly small stack after the bigger stack UTG guy raised it up with (AJ) and the small blind calls all in with (33). And of course neither of them can improve and the small blind picks up MY much needed chips. And of course a [6] hits the flop………and the river!!!!

I dub this the “Of course I hit EVERY flop, turn and river AFTER I fold” syndrome. Now that I think about it, I may just have reversed where I directed most of my negative energy. The “hit” syndrome got a “C” last year and the “SO – Bbeat” got an “F”.

This new year I will work on reflection when this happens. Why - exactly - did I fold? And I better have a good reason. Was it the ‘right’ play or is this more of the “no guts” leak in my game? Did I have a line on the UTG player? Did I know the SB’s stack was in “do or die” mode? If not – WHY NOT?

This will be more useful than mentally accusing the poker site of dropping cards on the board - JUST TO TORTURE ME!!!!

Sorry, I digress. Or is that regress? So on average, attitude was a “C” grade.

Goal for 2011 is an “A” in SO-BB and a “B” in not whining over what could have been. I know me – an “A” in not whining is not possible until 2012. Talk about a stretch goal!

I gave myself a “B” for working on improvements. I graded myself harsh here but I am not giving + or – scores and I know I was not an A, as I should have been. Playing took up that study time and …that is not a terrible use of it. Hands played helps too.

I give myself an A on bankroll management and a B on game selection. I still play sometimes when distracted or not 100%.

So C (B+D), B, A, B = B

Goals for 2011:
1) Play more Ring Limit Play – should be most profitable
2) Play more SNG Play – most profitable (except on Tuesday night where I get slaughtered like a fish in a sushi bar)
3) Play less Big Tournament Play – the time for the other two has to come from somewhere
4) Get a final grade of at least a “B” next year
5) Win a Boother36 card protector

You may notice that “winning money” is not a goal, nor should it be. If I work on my needed improvements, making a little coin will be a side benefit.

PS: Faldo Health Update: Doing fine – going home today after final procedure and tests. God bless my NPP family for all the kind wishes!

PSS: Heads Up Tourney is up to date on the right side of the blog.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Douge2’s Humor Corner – LV

Canadian Humor

A man in a Florida supermarket tries to buy a half a head of lettuce. The very young produce assistant tells him that they sell only whole heads of lettuce. The man persists and asks to see the manager. The young man says he'll ask his manager about it.

Walking into the back room, the assistant said to his manager, “Some asshole wants to buy half a head of lettuce.” As he finished his sentence, he turned to find the man standing right behind him. So he added, “And this gentleman has kindly offered to buy the other half.”

The manager approved the deal, and the man went on his way. Later the manager said to his protégé, “I was impressed with the way you got yourself out of that situation earlier. We like people who think on their feet here. Where are you from, son?”

“Canada, sir,” the young man replied.

“Well, why did you leave Canada,” the manager asked?

The young man said, “Because sir, there's nothing but whores and hockey players up there.”

“Oh, really??” said the manager. “I’ll have you know my wife is from Canada!”

“No shit?” replied the assistant. “Who'd she play for?”


Late Night Talk Show Humor

The liberals are asking us to give Obama time. We agree . . . and think 25 to life would be appropriate. - Leno

America needs Obama-care like Nancy Pelosi needs a Halloween mask. – Leno

Q: What does Barack Obama call lunch with a convicted felon?
A: A fund raiser. - Leno

Q: Have you heard about McDonald's' new Obama Value Meal?
A: Order anything you like and the guy behind you has to pay for it. - Conan O'Brien

Q: What's the difference between Obama's cabinet and a penitentiary?
A: One is filled with tax evaders, blackmailers and threats to society. The other is for housing prisoners. – Letterman

Q: What was the most positive result of the "Cash for clunkers" program?
A: It took 95% of the Obama bumper stickers off the road. - Letterman

Q: If Nancy Pelosi and Obama were on a boat in the middle of the ocean and it started to sink, who would be saved?
A: America! - Fallon

Q: What's the difference between Obama and his dog, Bo?
A: Bo has papers. - Kimmel

Sunday, December 26, 2010

The Faldo Challenge on Ultimate Bet

We have reached the half-way point of the Faldo Challenge. What follows is the report card.

Copying the challenge of Chris "Jesus" Ferguson, Faldo attempts to grow the $9 he had left in UB as high as he could in a year's time.

Chris Ferguson's challenge on Full Tilt was to grow $0 to $10,000 in a year. He made it in like 10 months, having first cashed in some freerolls.

Faldo is trying to beat this lame accomplishment. Let's see how Faldo is doing.

Faldo must wager at least $9 every month, in any form he chooses; ring, Sng or MTT's.

For December, Faldo wagered $10.54 to garner a net profit of $3.19.

Add this to the $25.94 that was the bankroll, and Faldo has the UB account up to $29.13

Who doe this Ferguson donkey think he is messin' with? Faldo is on the backstretch and poised to run him down.

Friday, December 24, 2010

Re-live the NPP 2010 Final



Merry Christmas from the NPP Tournament Director - Victoria Moore

NPP Heads Up Tournament Update

The Elite Eight is set, with one of the matches already played:

Odds2win777
Suetman1

ThePunk75
K9isadog

Sirgash
Theedouble*d

Derf-63---------------Derf-63
Wingsfancurt


The Faldo Bracket looks like this:

LittleRedElf
xxxKdogxxx

Tigercub8189 awaits the winner of :
T3chlady
Bigbrimar

……..Pre01 awaits the loser of
……...Sirgash-Theedouble*d

……..Wingsfancurt awaits the winner of:
Yecats423
Absea98

I will be sending emails out to all. Try and get your tourney scheduled by Sunday, the 26th. Faldo will not be available to set tourneys until maybe Thursday, the 30th. Any matches set between the 26th and the 30th will have to be with Sirgash’s assistance – IF and when he can do it.

Faldo will have email and phone, but not PokerStars availability.

The 2011 season will be starting on January 4, so please be recruiting and talking the league up!

Thursday, December 23, 2010

The Community Card Review – XVIIl

It is hard for me to type pure lies, but I got to do it. Yes, it is an Obama speech:
“The budget debate has less to do with big government vs small government and has more to do with smart government. It’s not about being pro-government or pro-business, it’s about being pro jobs.”

Obama and the Communist-Democrat Party have launched a full out assault on capitalism, the private sector and every business.

Did you hear about the article by the head of the American Communist Party who stated that the Democrat Party is fulfilling their Manifesto? Oh, that didn’t reach our mainstream media? Shocking.

Socialized medicine, tax plans and environmental policies of the Democrats assume businesses have unlimited piles of money lying around being wasted on luxuries. Democrats believe in their bones that businesses are naturally immoral, corrupt and greedy. It’s the Communist model of capitalism.

[Repeat lesson inserted:] businesses do not pay taxes – you do. Businesses just add the cost of the tax to the product or go out of business. Remember that when you hear a Democrat lie. Uh, speak.

The Democrats are all about big government and anti-business/private sector. Business has to fend off Big Government and Big Labor Unions (another Communist Manifesto idea) just to survive.

Lying speeches do not create jobs, and Democrat policies - by design - destroy businesses where people HAVE jobs, and stop any growth for more jobs.

It’s common sense, folks.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Faldo Goes 0 for 6 – Setting Up Matches

A big night was on tap at NPP for the Heads Up Tourney with six matches scheduled at our usual night and time. Somehow Faldo found a way to screw it up (twss).

I had the tournaments there, but somehow did not send the tournament acknowledgement or the PASSWORD to 8 of the 12 players! It was either a email issue or a total malfunction of the “system” between Faldo’s chair and the computer keyboard. I vote for the latter and how it happened is still a mystery.

Faldo remembers typing the emails. What button he hit after that appears to be the question.

The other two matches were ready to go, but only one opponent for each tourney appeared. One’s internet went down AFTER registration, and the other never confirmed the tourney (email again?).

What a mess! And Faldo was not at his post on the email and chat to fix it. I thought I could take a Tuesday night off because of my careful attention to details and unwavering commitment to excellence.

Yeah, right!

Anyways, Sirgash got the Nixi44 and LittleRedElf match scheduled and I re-scheduled the Dert-63 and Wingsfancurt tilt. Thanks Sirgash, for salvaging what you could. The rest I am still working on.

Well, re-working on. Sorry folks. I had a system to make sure I completed each task for each tournament right up to the end – so I didn’t forget anything.

But somehow I

Monday, December 20, 2010

Douge2’s Humor Corner – LIV

Every Last Nickel

A father walks into a restaurant with his young son. He gives the young boy 3 nickels to play with to keep him occupied. Suddenly, the boy starts choking, going blue in the face. The father realizes the boy has swallowed the nickels and starts slapping him on the back. The boy coughs up 2 of the nickels, but keeps choking. Looking at his son, the father is panicking, shouting for help.

A well dressed, attractive and serious looking woman in a blue business suit is sitting at the coffee bar reading a newspaper and sipping a cup of coffee. At the sound of the commotion, she looks up, puts her coffee cup down, neatly folds the newspaper and places it on the counter, gets up from her seat and makes her way, unhurried, across the restaurant.

Reaching the boy, the woman carefully drops his pants, takes hold of the boy's testicles and starts to squeeze and twist, gently at first and then ever so firmly. After a few seconds the boy convulses violently and coughs up the last nickel, which the woman deftly catches in her free hand. Releasing the boy's testicles, the woman hands the nickel to the father and walks back to her seat at the coffee bar without saying a word.

As soon as he is sure that his son has suffered no ill effects, the Father rushes over to the woman and starts thanking her saying, "I've never seen anybody do anything like that before, it was fantastic. Are you a doctor?"

"No", the woman replied. "I'm with the IRS."


Dad’s Always Right

A teenage boy had just got his driver's license and inquired of his father as to when they could discuss his use of the car. His father said he'd make a deal with his son: “You bring your grades up from a C to a B average, study your Bible a little, and get your hair cut. Then we'll talk about the car.”

The boy thought about that for a moment, decided he'd settle for the offer, and they agreed on it.

After about six weeks his father said, “Son, you've brought your grades up and I've observed that you have been studying your Bible, but I'm disappointed you haven't gotten your hair cut.”

The boy said, “You know, Dad, I've been thinking about that, and I've noticed in my studies of the Bible that Samson had long hair, John the Baptist had long hair, Moses had long hair...and there's even strong evidence that Jesus had long hair.”

To this his father replied, “Did you also notice they all walked everywhere they went?”

Sunday, December 19, 2010

2010 Total Point Totals

Faldo had a request from a player whom shall remain nameless. He asked if the final point results from the 2010 season can be re-posted.

We at NPP headquarters receive secret requests all the time and pride ourselves on our candor, honor and unparalleled security, so our members can keep their requests discreet. Not only does NPP honor every secret request possible, but we do it without fanfare, without need for praise and without payment.

But don't worry about us as we throw some mort twigs on the fire for warmth. Here is the (brrrrrrrrrrrrrr!) list:

K9isadog 355
ThePunk75 308
Suetman1 298
Theedouble*d 272
Mikeniks-Faldo 253
LittleRedElf 250
Absea98 250
T3chlady 238
Douge2 220
Meatsword 213
xxxKdogxxx 205
Tomservo2 197
Derf-63 188
Tigercub8189 186
Wingsfancurt 154
Funtoon 137
Odds2win777 135
Pre01 125
Fourbetbluff 122
Yecats427 103
BigDaddyTman 95
Mistermusic5 84
Vanettij 78
Eyekall 76
Rjmech 69
Gdub28 60
Tommydoo 60
Budda627 57
Nahanni74 51
Pingsticks 43
Akensi 41
Pistolboy70 41
Merhibka 41
Kensik 37
Biglou93 30
Fusciardi 27
Rennzzo 25
Mowin4116 21
Sirgash 18
Douche_Splat 17
Drowninagain 14
BKrywko1 13
Midway2933 12
TresStooges 11
Bendandsnap 11
Tarolliz 10
Bigbrimar 8
Nicklittle 8
Jenski6 7
JDChridati 6
Birdy333 5
RKidder51400 3
Tigertown369 3
Amyada 3
Tigerbig 2
CSB33 2
SpartanFlash 2
Phil976224 2
Owetheshark 1
Duder1123 1
Aqualung85 1
Deadriver6 1
Ksloflyer 1
Grypdg 1
Nixi44 1
Burgessk89 1

I might be missing a few due to spreadsheet space (cut off at around 64 people), but this is everyone (nearly) who played this last year. If you know some of the folks who dropped out, please ask them why?

Especially you erf-Day-63! After all, this is the “ist-lay” that you “anted-way.” Please inquire to NPP Security for the code breaking clearance.

Note: The Heads Up Tourney is on the right side of the blog.

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Douge2 Humor Corner LVIII

Actual Bumper Stickers

“Breast Inspection Next Truck Cab…please have’em out”

“I am not an alcoholic. I am a drunk. Alcoholics go to meetings.”

“Driver carries no cash….he is married.”

“Wife and dog missing. Reward for dog.”

“4 out of 3 people have trouble with fractions.”

“Drugs Lead No Where….but it is the scenic route.”

“The shortest sentence is ‘I am’. The longest is ‘I do.’”

“Where in the hell is Easy Street?”

“Keep honking…I’m re-loading.”

“Work harder…millions of Democrats live off your taxes.”


You Know You Are a Redneck if….

1. You let your 14-year-old daughter smoke at the dinner table in front of her kids.

2. The Blue Book value of your truck goes up and down depending on how much gas is in it.

3. You've been married three times and still have the same in-laws.

4. You think a woman who is out of your league bowls on a different night.

5. You wonder how service stations keep their rest-rooms so clean.

6. Someone in your family died right after saying, 'Hey, guys, watch this.'

7. You think Dom Perignon is a Mafia leader.

8. Your wife's hairdo was once ruined by a ceiling fan.

9. Your junior prom offered day care.

10. You think the last words of the Star-Spangled Banner are 'Gentlemen, start your engines. '

11. You lit a match in the bathroom and your house exploded right off its wheels.

12. The Halloween pumpkin on your porch has more teeth than your spouse.

13. You have to go outside to get something from the fridge.

14. One of your kids was born on a pool table.

15. You need one more hole punched in your card to get a freebie at the House of Tattoos.

16. You can't get married to your sweetheart because there's a law against it.

17. You think loading the dishwasher means getting your wife drunk.

Note: Heads up tourney bracket is on the Right Side of the blog!

Friday, December 17, 2010

Beerhog Wins a PokerStars Tourney and ThePunk75 Makes a Final Table

The NPP Stable continues to impress!

If you play at NPP, it cannot do anything but help your game. Where else can you play this guaranteed high level of competition every week for such a low price?

Beerhog spanks 990 players and wins 220 times his entry with his win.

Meanwhile, ThePunk75 sends in this report:

“I took 5th place (127 players) in a Pot Limit Omaha 1 rebuy - 1 add-on last Tuesday night after the NPP league game ended.

I was one of the short stacks at the final table but had enough to be patient and see if I could move up the money scale. A double KO quickly happened, but unfortunately that created two monster stacks with a 10-1 advantage over the rest of us.

It’s difficult enough to battle one mega stack, two was nearly impossible. I managed one double up, then had AJ109 raised preflop one monster stack called from BB flop come JJ6, I bet out, BB calls. Flop comes a 4 and there is enough in pot for me to shove and BB calls and shows AJ42, a turned full house, and the river is a blank.

With one rebuy and the add on, I won 6x my overall buy-in.”

Great job guys!

Note: The Heads Up Tourney is on the right side of the blog.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

K9isadog is the 2011 NPP Player of the Year!

Well, K9isadog crushed the NPP field during the season. It was only fitting that he finish by winning the Championship Tournament. He faced the NPP year’s best six players, and bested them – all at the same table. He was the best at NPP this year – no question!

We had a nice group of fans and players at the rail to cheer (jeer?) the combatants. It was a fun night. We even picked up a few more for the Heads Up tourney.

On to the action:

41 min: A testimony to how important this tourney is and how good this group of players is. Forty-one minutes to the first exit.

Late arrival xxxKdogxxx (7th) has to go with (TT), but loses the coin flip as Absea98 catches up with (AQ) as an [A] flops.

45 min: Faldo takes a huge chunk out of K9isadog’s stack as he has to fold after some heavy betting. This makes his win even more impressive. Faldo falls short when he tries to make a comeback.

50 min: Faldo gets hurt as his (AA) loses to LittleRedElf’s (77) when a [7] flops.
57 min: Faldo (6th) has to go with (44) and loses his coin flip to LittleRedElf (again) with (AT) with an [A] on the turn.

1st break:
Suetman1 3113
ThePunk75 2672
LittleRedElf 2549
K9isadog 1306
Absea98 860

70 min: Absea98 (5th) has to go with (As Qs) but cannot catch LittleRedElf’s (TT).
73 min: LittleRedElf (4th) sees his (TT) run into K9isadog’s (AA).
89 min: Suetman1 (3rd) has to go when her (As 8s) pairs with an [8] on the flop. But ThePunk75 is holding (99).

Heads up: ThePunk75 5935 - 4565 K9isadog

93 min: K9isadog has a monster chip lead at this point. The exciting poker happened actually before the ending. Can K9 and the Punk explain the “real” final hand to us – in their own words and thoughts – in the comment section please?

A short-stacked ThePunk75 moves in with (T4) and cannot catch K9isadog’s (A6).

Congratulations to all the finalists on a great season and …really special salutes to K9isadog, who lead the league “wire to wire” – then stood at the finish line to slap us as we went by! Great season K9!

NPP Player of the Year – K9isadog
2nd – ThePunk75
3rd – Suetman1
4th – LittleRedElf
5th – Absea98
6th – Mikeniks-Faldo
7th – xxxKdogxxx

See you in the Heads Up tourney or on January 4! Recruit players and read/comment on the blog. Merry Christmas everyone!

Saturday, December 11, 2010

The Community Card Review – XVII

Black leaders showed up at the White House to meet with their half kin to discuss jobs…or the lack of them…for Black liberal urban communities. Forget the rest of the people and areas.

This meeting reeks of racism. I don’t remember Bush having meetings to discuss jobs for “only” white Texans. But, there I go making sense again. Liberals somehow are allowed to be racists and bigots.

The Urban League, Reverend Sharpton and the NAALCP (L – for liberal) wanted to know “What’s up Homie? Yo’, where’s the bling-bling for the Hood?”

They asked for more bailout money for minorities, targeting help for urban black areas with them in charge of dolling out the taxpayer money.

How about a “truth” bailout for the black communities? How about these truths?

Obama and the Democrats have had almost two full years with no resistance possible from the super-minority Republicans in Congress, to pass anything they wanted. And they have!

Still, there are no jobs – in the Hood, or anywhere else for that matter. We have had over a trillion dollars in spending by Democrats of all colors, and still – no jobs!

Another truth is that Obama, the Black Leaders and all other liberals, have no clue where jobs come from – and don’t want to learn either. They have no idea how business works or how jobs are created. They are simply agitators looking for a handout thru an extortion racket called Race Relations.

Another truth. Those of you sitting around waiting for Obama, Reverend Sharpton, Nancy Pelosi, the government or any Democrat to do something to make your life better; keep waiting.

They all will be worm food – and you will still be waiting. You see, liberalism-democrat-socialist-communism fails – every time it is tried.

Friday, December 10, 2010

ThePunk75 Wins a Full Tilt Tourney – While T3chlady and Bigbrimar Cash in on Poker Stars

ThePunk75’s reports:

“On Sunday night I took down a 98 player MTT over at Full Tilt for 32x my buy-in.

It was a come from behind victory for me as at the start of the final table I was the short stack. Short stack is a little misleading as I still had around 20 BB so I could be patient and perhaps wait out some other players to butt heads and move up the pay scale.

Which is exactly what happened as two players quickly went out and with about 15 BB's left it was time to make a move. I got one double up but took a couple hits which brought my stack down to just over 10 BB.

With about 8k left and (33) UTG I push it all-in. Four players call (seriously) flop comes [83x]. One player bets out and gets one to fold and one caller. Turn comes another [3], Quads for me!. Same player bets out again and get a fold. At that time I’m thinking wouldn't it be sick if that player had (88). Well he did. A one-outer on turn quadrupled me up. Ouch! (TWSS).

Now I was top 3 in chips (but still 2-1 from chip leader) and ready to steam roll the others. At 4 players left I had (AJ) raised preflop a short stack reraised all-in and I called (AJ vs KQ) and rag board left me the chip leader with 2 more to go.

A couple hands later I raise preflop with (5d 4d) and BB calls. The flop comes [8d 4c 2d]. I bet out and BB just calls. Turn comes [6d] which gives me a flush draw plus double gutter straight draw. BB checks I bet out again he re-raises all in and I call. He has (AT) no draw or anything. River is a blank and my pair of 4's hold.

Heads up now and I have a 2-1 chip lead over the other player and it ended two hands later I had (KT), preflop raise and a call from BB and flop come [KQ10]. BB shoves on flop and I call. He has (QJ) and 10 outs. But the turn and river are blanks and my flopped two pair wins.

Congratulations Punk and thanks for the report!”

Meanwhile, over at PokerStars, T3chlady cashes in two tourneys, besting over 2000 players in one for a 22nd place finish and 8x her buy-in. Then she follows that up with a 15x buy-in cash besting over 3500 players! Way to go Lady!

And Bigbrimar is still making noise. He made a final table in a 360-player MTT finishing 9th. Nice job Brian!

Now, lets remember to get your RSVP’s into Faldo for the Heads-up tourney!

Wednesday, December 08, 2010

NPP Heads Up Tournament - 2010

The tournament will start December 17th, 2010. Get your RSVP in as soon as possible.

Send an email to npokerp at yahoo dot com to get in. Or you can enter by commenting on this blog posting.

The NPP Committee draws the bracket. It is done in a super secret location, where full concentration can be given to the fairness and accuracy of said draw – in between lap dances.

Players can comment on the site or thru email to schedule their match. Faldo makes tourney match up dates and times based on the emails, and then emails the passwords to the players for their match.

Players can set their own price for the match, but the NPP standard for every round is will be $1.20. Emails ONLY confirming a different entry fee must be received from both players - by Faldo - before Faldo will make it something different.

As the matches get completed, Faldo updates with a new post. Players are responsible for reading the site, finding their next opponent, getting contact information from Faldo, and making sure the correct results are posted.

Faldo has forfeit power for lack of response or delay of play – even if he is in tourney.

Eligible players is anyone who played at least one round at NPP during the season. ‘Seniority’ (total numbers of rounds played) might be a consideration taken - in order to make the bracket manageable. No one will be left out, but play-in gomes will go to the lower seniority players if need be.

The tournament should try to be completed before new league season begins, however this is not a requirement.

Faldo’s secretary did a fine job of drafting the tourney rules. Get your entry in by commenting on the blog – or better still – writing Faldo at npokerp at yahoo dot com.

Number of entries allowed and the cut off point for entries is solely in the discretion of the NPP Tournament Committee – when they are not on stage that is.

Tuesday, December 07, 2010

Tommydoo Wins 2nd NPP Tourney in Four Starts! – Absea98 Wins 4th Quarter!

The final table is set! What an exciting ending it was. Details to follow in this write-up.

The final table will be: Absea98 (a former finalist), K9isadog (who destroyed the league point wise), LittleRedElf (perennial qualifier), Suetman1 (Mrs. Absea’s first visit to the finals), ThePunk75 (another returning finalist) and xxxKdogxxx (1st year / 1st attempt qualifier).

This is an absolutely brutal final table of talent to have to overcome. Good luck to all of you!

Be sure to sweater this game and support your league! Please recruit for next year and I will be posting the Heads Up tournament format soon.

Only fourteen players entered tonight as most missing in action could not secure a seat and are saving their nickels for the Heads Up tourney and next year.

On to the action:

24 min: Theedouble*d needs to have a 1st or 2nd place finish to take an at-large seat without assistance, so he was pushing the action.

A flop of [5c 9c Jd] has the short-stacked (SS) Theedouble*d (14th) raise LittleRedElf’s bet and only Meatsword calls. The turn of [6d] has DD push with (J3), but Meatsword hits his flush (8c 6c) on the river.

Meatsword also has to have a big showing tonight to overtake Absea98. So a lot of Turbo-type betting took place.

26 min: Wingsfancurt (13th) sees his (QQ) get run down by Derf-63’s (KT) with a [K] on the flop. Derf-63 actually was eliminated from title contention as soon as Absea98 entered the tourney. Ouch!

28 min: Absea98 (12th) and his early exit made it interesting. A host of players now had hope.

A family pot and a flop of [Kc 5s Tc] got a bet from Odds2win777 and three callers, including Absea98 (K3). The turn of the [3c] gets Absea pot committed and he falls to Douge2’s flush (Qc 9c).

37 min: T3chlady (11th) loses when her (Ad Td) loses to a flopped Spade flush by Odds2win777.

57 min: Suetman1 loses all but $10 of her chips when she loses a coin flip with (AK) to Meatsword’s (66). No matter, she locked up a seat when Theedouble*d fell early. She still fought on and made the final table!

1st break:
ThePunk75 5050
Derf-63 3680
Odds2win777 2875
LittleRedElf 2135
Tommydoo 2050
Douge2 1870
Meatsword 1800
Tomservo2 1150
Suetman1 240
BKrywko1 150

61 min: BKrywko1 (10th)
62 min: A SS Tomservo2 (9th) goes with (As 5s) and a flop of [924], but cannot catch LittleRedElf’s (74).

68 min: A SS Meatsword (8th) goes with (6d 3d) and runs into Derf-63’s (A6).
69 min: A SS Suetman1 (7th) finally gets a hand, (AK), but the hard driving ThePunk75 makes the call with (35) and makes the baby straight on the river.

No matter. Welcome to the NPP Finals Mrs. Absea98! We have to watch and see if your husband will join you.

71 min: Derf-63 (6th) moves with (66), but ThePunk75 is holding (AA). Ouch!
73 min: Douge2 (5th) with (K3) and a [K] on the flop, gets out-pipped by Tommydoo with (KT).

75 min: Odds2win777 was still in the hunt for the 4th quarter seat, but he was going to have to finish ahead of ThePunk75 to do it.

Odds2win777 (4th) gets the best of it with (AJ) against the hard charging - but locked in a seat – ThePunk75’s (K7). But a [7] on the flop ends the dream for Odds2win777. But a great season anyway!

77 min: LittleRedElf (3rd) (Ad Kd) gets ambushed by Tommydoo with (8s 5s) and a [5] on the flop.

Here is the deal: If ThePunk75 – 11000, wins, then he takes the 4th quarter seat, leaving Theedouble*d the last one, and crushing Absea98 from the league lead’s last seat.

If Tommydoo – 10000 wins it, then ThePunk75 and Suetman1 take the at large seats, shutting out Theedouble*d and Absea98 takes the 4th quarter league title by ONE point.

It doesn’t get any closer than this!

90 min: Tommydoo 12000 - ThePunk75 9000
95 min: SAME
100 min: SAME

103: ThePunk75 (2nd) has to ship it with (AQ) on a flop and turn of [792A]. Tommydoo is holding (92)!

Congratulations to Tommydoo on his 2nd NPP win!

1st – Tommydoo – 24 points
2nd – ThePunk75 – 19 points
3rd – LittleRedElf – 15 pts
4th – Odds2win777 – 12 pts
5th – Douge2 – 9 pts
6th – Derf-63 – 7 pts
7th – Suetman1 – 5 pts
8th – Meatsword – 4 pts
9th – Tomservo2 – 3 pts

Every one else earned one (1) point. Standings are on the right side of the blog.

Sunday, December 05, 2010

Douge2’s Humor Corner – LVII

Government Assistance

A modern day cowboy has spent many days crossing the Texas plains without water. His horse has already died of thirst.

He's crawling through the sand, certain that he has breathed his last breath, when all of a sudden he sees an object sticking out of the sand several yards ahead of him.

He crawls to the object, pulls it out of the sand and discovers what looks to be an old briefcase. He opens it and out pops a genie. But this is no ordinary genie.

She is wearing a FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) ID badge and a dull gray dress. There's a calculator in her pocketbook. She has a pencil tucked behind one ear. “Well, cowboy,” says the genie, “You know how I work. You have three wishes.”

“I'm not falling for this,” said the cowboy. “I'm not going to trust a FEMA genie.”

“What do you have to lose? You've got no transportation and it looks like you're a goner anyway,” she says.

The cowboy thinks about this for a minute and decides that the genie is right. “OK!, I wish I were in a lush oasis with plenty of food and drink..”

***POOF*** The cowboy finds himself in the most beautiful oasis he has ever seen and he is surrounded with jugs of wine and platters of delicacies.

“OK, Cowpoke, what's your second wish?”

“My second wish is that I was rich beyond my wildest dreams.”

***POOF*** The cowboy finds himself surrounded by treasure chests filled with rare gold coins and precious gems.

“OK, Cowpuncher, you have just one more wish. Better make it a good one!”

After thinking for a few minutes, the cowboy says, “I wish that no matter where I go, beautiful women will want and need me.”

***POOF*** He was turned into a tampon.

Moral of the story:

If the government offers to help you, there's going to be a string attached!!!

Friday, December 03, 2010

The Community Card Review - XVI

In the Netherlands they have a concert promoter who came up with an idea to sell out his Summer Music Festival at $200 a ticket! And he did not discount a single ticket. That’s right, sold out at full price – in record time too.

He never told the customers the exact date of the concert, only the month. He never told them who would be performing or when.

In spite of his secrecy and his greed, he sold his Music Festival a full 10 months before the event!!!

What was his marketing strategy? Well, the government of this European nation gave it to him on a silver platter. You see, the government decided to levy a 40% tax on all concert and show tickets starting next year.

All the promoter did was to advertize that if music lovers wanted to save 40% on this event, buy the tickets now.

Some bought for the tax avoidance. Some bought as an investment to sell at a probably 20% profit later. Some bought as a protest to the upcoming tax increase in the first place.

Back in the U-SSR-SA under Obama, in the state of New York, cigarette taxes are the highest in the nation. It is already estimated that one-third of the cigarettes smoked in New York are black market purchased.

Organized crime and an underground economy is thriving because of the People’s Republic of New York tax policies and Democrats voted for by a majority of the citizens. Truth be known, 80% of those Democrat voters pay ZERO income tax at all.

What should be clear to everyone is that taxes force behavior changes. How many of you would play in a poker game with a 50% pot tax (rake)? 40%? 30%? 20%? 10%? How any liberal can play poker without their head exploding at the pure hypocricy of it all, is beyond me. Only liberals can do that. After all, the lucky and the most talented win the money. It should be too UNFAIR of a game to any liberal.

In spite of all of the evidence, their own experience at being expert tax cheats themselves, and the voters denouncing their polices in November, Democrat lawmakers and czars insist on raising taxes on all Americans at every turn.

Only the mentally ill Democrat voter and the dictatorial Democrat politician refuse to accept the fact that every single tax harms every single citizen to some degree.

Taxes are a necessary evil and should be applied with great thought and extreme reservation.

Democrats – and their voters are pure evil.