Take it away Boother36:
“All in all, it was even better the second time around!!! It was a huge mine field to navigate through, so I feel fortunate to have made it back to the final table. While I wish the outcome would have been different, looking back I really am lucky to have made that far again.
We started play at 5:00 PM on Saturday night with 296 players and played till about 11:30 PM. That got us down to 82 players.
The average chip stack was about $50K at that time and I had $81K. Not too bad for the end of day 1. Ken and Gary (from my poker club) were up there playing in the tourney too. The 3 of us made a KILLING on a BJ table late Saturday night. But that’s a story for a different day!! (Ed. Note: Got to hear that one! Faldo can’t win at blackjack if I got 20 every time.)
Play resumed at 9:00 AM on Sunday. Steady, conservative, tight play got me into the money at 30 players. My cards turned dead shortly thereafter and I was able to fold my way from 25th or so to the final table. We ended up playing for almost 2 hours with 9 players. My demise came about when I went after stealing the monumental antes and blinds ($4K/$30K/$60K).
I had Js10s in middle position. I went all in for just over $400K (ave chip stack was $495K at that time). Of course, the SS had to have AJ and called. Nothing hit my hand and I ended up losing about 2/3rds of my chips on that hand.
The very next hand I got KsQs and went all in again for about $140K. Play folded around to the BB (the 2nd chip leader), and after properly analyzing that he should call my “barely more than min raise amount” with any 2 cards, he did so. He had Kd2c. Even though I had him dominated, as luck would have it a 2 comes on the river!! Just like that, I was out (9th - $10,588).
With this run of luck I have had at this venue, I can’t wait for the HPT to get back to the Soaring Eagle!!”
Thanks Boother, for the report. And again, great job!
For those of you that have never been there, The Soaring Eagle Casino in Mt. Pleasant has always ran a nice poker room. Faldo and Thai Food haunted that place profitably for years. Then, just before the Chris Moneymaker boom, they closed the poker room.
Excuse me for the joke, but the Indians timing on that was worse than Colonel Custard. They had a great poker room, clientele and experienced dealers. But decided they would make more money with more slots (probably true).
Then – BANG! They had to rebuild it. I played there a few times after the re-start, but it was not the same or as busy. But it is obvious it is back now – and better than ever.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
Boother36 Finishes 9th in the 2009 Heartland Poker Tour Mt. Pleasant Event!
That is back to back final table 9th place finishes for Boother36 in this prestigious event. Wow!
The total prize pool was $426,528, and 297 players in the Main Event. Boother battled thru them all for the second year in a row to make yet another final table, and take home $10,588.
I think…hell, I know it is a much greater feat to make back to back final tables, than it is to win one and never be heard from again.
Congratulations to Boother36! I hope he sends me some key hands to post.
The total prize pool was $426,528, and 297 players in the Main Event. Boother battled thru them all for the second year in a row to make yet another final table, and take home $10,588.
I think…hell, I know it is a much greater feat to make back to back final tables, than it is to win one and never be heard from again.
Congratulations to Boother36! I hope he sends me some key hands to post.
Douge2’s Humor Corner – XXVII
Devine Intervention Required
"Anyone with needs to be prayed over, come forward, to the front at the altar," the Preacher says.
ThePunk75 gets in line, and when it's his turn, the preacher asks: "Punk, what do you want me to pray about for you?"
The Punk replies: "Preacher, I need you to pray for my hearing."
The preacher puts one finger in The Punk’s ear, and he places the other hand on top of The Punk's head and prays and prays and prays, he prays a blue streak for The Punk.
After a few minutes, the Preacher removes his hands, stands back and asks, "Punk, how is your hearing now?"
The Punk says, "I don't know, Reverend, it ain't til next Wednesday!"
A Free Pointer
Duder1123 met Helen while on vacation, and Duder fell head over heels 'in love' with her and after a couple of weeks during which Duder took Helen out to various dance clubs, restaurants, concerts, etc. He was convinced that it was true love.
And so....on the last night of his vacation, the two of them went to dinner and had a serious talk about how the relationship would continue.
"It's only fair to warn you, I'm a total golf nut," Duder said to his newfound lady friend. '"I eat, sleep and breathe golf so if that's going to be a problem, say so now!”
Helen took a deep breath and responded: “Since we're being honest with each other, here goes ... You need to know that I'm a hooker.”
“I see”, Duder replied. “That is a problem, for sure.” He spent some time looking down at the table, deep in thought.
Then he added, "You know, it's probably because you're not keeping your wrists straight when you tee off.”
"Anyone with needs to be prayed over, come forward, to the front at the altar," the Preacher says.
ThePunk75 gets in line, and when it's his turn, the preacher asks: "Punk, what do you want me to pray about for you?"
The Punk replies: "Preacher, I need you to pray for my hearing."
The preacher puts one finger in The Punk’s ear, and he places the other hand on top of The Punk's head and prays and prays and prays, he prays a blue streak for The Punk.
After a few minutes, the Preacher removes his hands, stands back and asks, "Punk, how is your hearing now?"
The Punk says, "I don't know, Reverend, it ain't til next Wednesday!"
A Free Pointer
Duder1123 met Helen while on vacation, and Duder fell head over heels 'in love' with her and after a couple of weeks during which Duder took Helen out to various dance clubs, restaurants, concerts, etc. He was convinced that it was true love.
And so....on the last night of his vacation, the two of them went to dinner and had a serious talk about how the relationship would continue.
"It's only fair to warn you, I'm a total golf nut," Duder said to his newfound lady friend. '"I eat, sleep and breathe golf so if that's going to be a problem, say so now!”
Helen took a deep breath and responded: “Since we're being honest with each other, here goes ... You need to know that I'm a hooker.”
“I see”, Duder replied. “That is a problem, for sure.” He spent some time looking down at the table, deep in thought.
Then he added, "You know, it's probably because you're not keeping your wrists straight when you tee off.”
Sunday, November 22, 2009
The Blind Struture of a Tournament is an Important Factor
There is a term called “The Patience Factor” (PF) in tournament poker. It is the time it takes for a player to get blinded out if they never play a hand.
The concept is, the faster you would get blinded out – based on the blind levels and how fast they go up – the FASTER you have to play the tournament.
In other words, if you buy into tournament (not that I would recommend it) and you get 2000 chips – and the blinds start at 250 – 500 and go up every 5 minutes – you may want to open your starting hand selection a little. Ok, a lot! You just won’t have time to wait for AA, read players or establish an image. The blinds will take your chips. It will basically be bingo poker and may the best hand win.
If you buy into a tourney with a starting with 2000 chips and the blinds start at 1 – 2 and go up every half hour, then you have found a poker tournament where skill will be much more of a factor.
Let us take a look at the tourney structure at the Premier Poker Lounge where NPP recently held our get together:
Blinds increase every 15 minutes and you start with 7000 chips:
25 – 50
50 – 100
75 – 150
100 – 200
200 – 400 50 ante
300 – 600 75 ante
400 – 800 100 ante
500 – 1000 100 ante
1000 – 2000 200 ante (the most patient player just went broke in 2 hours, 6 minutes)
I won’t bore you with the math, but this calculates to a PF of 4.23 – which translates into a Skill Level for the tournament of 2.5 out of 6, with “Six” being the tournament where poker skill would be a more prevalent factor.
As a measure stick, lets look at our Tuesday tourney on PokerStars. On-line tourneys use a different scale since the hands are dealt so much faster. We start with 1500 in chips, but the PF = 8.51 – which translates into a 4.4 skill level.
Keep the blind structure in mind before plunking down your money for a tournament. Be aware whether you should be in more of a gamble mode or is there time allowed for play. There is no “bad” or “good”, unless you prefer one or the other. But you better adjust your play based on the PF.
Are you LISTENING Faldo?
The concept is, the faster you would get blinded out – based on the blind levels and how fast they go up – the FASTER you have to play the tournament.
In other words, if you buy into tournament (not that I would recommend it) and you get 2000 chips – and the blinds start at 250 – 500 and go up every 5 minutes – you may want to open your starting hand selection a little. Ok, a lot! You just won’t have time to wait for AA, read players or establish an image. The blinds will take your chips. It will basically be bingo poker and may the best hand win.
If you buy into a tourney with a starting with 2000 chips and the blinds start at 1 – 2 and go up every half hour, then you have found a poker tournament where skill will be much more of a factor.
Let us take a look at the tourney structure at the Premier Poker Lounge where NPP recently held our get together:
Blinds increase every 15 minutes and you start with 7000 chips:
25 – 50
50 – 100
75 – 150
100 – 200
200 – 400 50 ante
300 – 600 75 ante
400 – 800 100 ante
500 – 1000 100 ante
1000 – 2000 200 ante (the most patient player just went broke in 2 hours, 6 minutes)
I won’t bore you with the math, but this calculates to a PF of 4.23 – which translates into a Skill Level for the tournament of 2.5 out of 6, with “Six” being the tournament where poker skill would be a more prevalent factor.
As a measure stick, lets look at our Tuesday tourney on PokerStars. On-line tourneys use a different scale since the hands are dealt so much faster. We start with 1500 in chips, but the PF = 8.51 – which translates into a 4.4 skill level.
Keep the blind structure in mind before plunking down your money for a tournament. Be aware whether you should be in more of a gamble mode or is there time allowed for play. There is no “bad” or “good”, unless you prefer one or the other. But you better adjust your play based on the PF.
Are you LISTENING Faldo?
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Boother Returns to the Heartland Poker Tour
This last weekend, Boother36 played in a qualifier for the Heartland Poker Tournament held this weekend at the Soaring Eagle Casino in Mt. Pleasant. He got it done!
Now Boother returns to the tournament where he had a final table appearance in the past (posting in CardPlayer Magazine).
The Main Event tournament starts on Saturday at 5pm at the "Eagle".
Boother, good luck and take care of those mopes!
Remember, "Friends don't let friends play poker like Faldo."
Now Boother returns to the tournament where he had a final table appearance in the past (posting in CardPlayer Magazine).
The Main Event tournament starts on Saturday at 5pm at the "Eagle".
Boother, good luck and take care of those mopes!
Remember, "Friends don't let friends play poker like Faldo."
Bigbrimar Scores Two Final Tables in Two Days
Bigbrimar is on a roll! He picks up a 2nd and a 7th place finish, back to back in the PokerStars 360 player SNG tourneys.
Anyone who has played in them knows what a minefield they are. But at NPP – with the sharpshooters on this team – we all learn to “dodge bullets, baby!”
Nice job Bri.
Anyone who has played in them knows what a minefield they are. But at NPP – with the sharpshooters on this team – we all learn to “dodge bullets, baby!”
Nice job Bri.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
BigDaddyTman Wins in His 1st NPP Tourney!
He becomes the 46th tournament winner on NPP, and only the 7th to ever to win in his first tournament. I think we just added another thoroughbred to this already “lights out” league!
BigDaddy bested eighteen others, including our point leader, three Final Seat holders and two other new players; Birdy333 and MTSuper7. Welcome to NPP – all three of you.
As I watched the final table action, all I could think about was how good the poker being played was. It was strategically and mentally better played than the televised WSOP main event table. That is a fact!
On to the action:
17 min: Wingsfancurt (19th) gets no nub as his (Ad 8d) (54%) loses to Biglou93’s hand of (Ah 3h) (27%), when a [3] hits on the river.
28 min: Family pot odds forces Rennzzo (18th) to go when he hits his straight on the turn (JT), but Meatsword hits his full house (33) as kings’ pair on the river.
32 min: Midway2933 (17th) gets double-teamed by Meatsword and Tomservo2 and Tom hits his flush.
38 min: Derf-63 (16th) sees his flush lose to BigDaddyTman’s quad Aces!
40 min: K9isadog’s (15th) (AQ) can’t catch ThePunk75’s (99).
43 min: LittleRedElf (14th) semi-bluffs with (KJ) and a board of [75TQ] and his straight draw. But Funtoon can’t go anywhere with (T5) and the two pair hold up.
53 min: T3chlady (13th) sees her (AQ) (76%) lose on a flop of [QJ7] when Absea98 (20%) with (KJ) hits a [J] on the turn for trips. The Lady’s bad luck continues.
1st Break (Three new players make it! A record!):
Meatsword 4020
BigDaddyTman 3655
Jenski6 3410
Absea98 3300
ThePunk75 3125
Funtoon 2500
Tomservo2 2315
Birdy333 1850
Biglou93 1840
Budda627 930
Tigercub8189 790
MTSuper7 765
61 min: A short-stacked (SS) Budda627 (12th) sees his (A5) run into BigDaddyTman’s (AK).
62 min: A SS MTSuper7 (11th) sees his (KQ) run into Birdy333’s (AA).
75 min: A SS Biglou93 (10th) has to try when his (83) catches part of the flop, but BigDaddyTman flopped a straight. No nub for the short stacks so far.
79 min: A SS Funtoon (9th) moves in with (KQ), but can’t catch BigDaddyTman’s (AQ).
87 min: ThePunk75 (8th) loses with (99) as BigDaddyTman’s (Ad Jd) hits a [J] on the flop. That is five knockouts, and you know he is not done.
89 min: Birdy333 (7th) has to try with (A5), but runs into Meatsword’s (AK).
91 min: A SS Tigercub8189 (6th) goes with (A7), but Tomservo2 has (KK).
117 min: Meatsword (5th) cripples his stack as his (AQ) runs into Jenski6’s (KK), and he goes out by her hand soon after.
2nd break:
BigDaddyTman 11105 (rare air here for a newbie)
Jenski6 10951
Tomservo2 4069
Absea98 2375
140 min: We played a while after the break before Tomservo2 (4th) goes with (77), but BigDaddyTman has (QQ). Tman’s 6th knockout and he decides to club down #7 and #8 in short order.
141 min: Jenski6 (3rd) goes with (KQ), but BigDaddyTman has (KK).
142 min: No need to check the Heads Up chip totals as it was a run away. Absea98 (2nd) limps along with (T5) (92%) and nails a flop of [JTT]. BigDaddyTman tries to shove Absea off the hand with (93) (7%). Of course he calls.
But the turn-river is [87] and BigDaddyTman takes it down with a straight.
Congratulations to BigDaddyTman on a special achievement, and joining The Walk of Fame. And congratulations to Absea98, who has made the Total Points race for the last two NPP Final seats very interesting.
1st – BigDaddyTman
2nd – Absea98
3rd – Jenski6
4th – Tomservo2
5th – Meatsword
6th – Tigercub8189
7th – Birdy333 (well done – points in 1st NPP event)
8th – ThePunk75
9th – Funtoon
Standings are on the right side of the blog. In the interest of full disclosure - I am using the bracketed seat winners to show where the point cut-off is to win a seat in the finals. Not that it still is not fun to play, but FYI.
BigDaddy bested eighteen others, including our point leader, three Final Seat holders and two other new players; Birdy333 and MTSuper7. Welcome to NPP – all three of you.
As I watched the final table action, all I could think about was how good the poker being played was. It was strategically and mentally better played than the televised WSOP main event table. That is a fact!
On to the action:
17 min: Wingsfancurt (19th) gets no nub as his (Ad 8d) (54%) loses to Biglou93’s hand of (Ah 3h) (27%), when a [3] hits on the river.
28 min: Family pot odds forces Rennzzo (18th) to go when he hits his straight on the turn (JT), but Meatsword hits his full house (33) as kings’ pair on the river.
32 min: Midway2933 (17th) gets double-teamed by Meatsword and Tomservo2 and Tom hits his flush.
38 min: Derf-63 (16th) sees his flush lose to BigDaddyTman’s quad Aces!
40 min: K9isadog’s (15th) (AQ) can’t catch ThePunk75’s (99).
43 min: LittleRedElf (14th) semi-bluffs with (KJ) and a board of [75TQ] and his straight draw. But Funtoon can’t go anywhere with (T5) and the two pair hold up.
53 min: T3chlady (13th) sees her (AQ) (76%) lose on a flop of [QJ7] when Absea98 (20%) with (KJ) hits a [J] on the turn for trips. The Lady’s bad luck continues.
1st Break (Three new players make it! A record!):
Meatsword 4020
BigDaddyTman 3655
Jenski6 3410
Absea98 3300
ThePunk75 3125
Funtoon 2500
Tomservo2 2315
Birdy333 1850
Biglou93 1840
Budda627 930
Tigercub8189 790
MTSuper7 765
61 min: A short-stacked (SS) Budda627 (12th) sees his (A5) run into BigDaddyTman’s (AK).
62 min: A SS MTSuper7 (11th) sees his (KQ) run into Birdy333’s (AA).
75 min: A SS Biglou93 (10th) has to try when his (83) catches part of the flop, but BigDaddyTman flopped a straight. No nub for the short stacks so far.
79 min: A SS Funtoon (9th) moves in with (KQ), but can’t catch BigDaddyTman’s (AQ).
87 min: ThePunk75 (8th) loses with (99) as BigDaddyTman’s (Ad Jd) hits a [J] on the flop. That is five knockouts, and you know he is not done.
89 min: Birdy333 (7th) has to try with (A5), but runs into Meatsword’s (AK).
91 min: A SS Tigercub8189 (6th) goes with (A7), but Tomservo2 has (KK).
117 min: Meatsword (5th) cripples his stack as his (AQ) runs into Jenski6’s (KK), and he goes out by her hand soon after.
2nd break:
BigDaddyTman 11105 (rare air here for a newbie)
Jenski6 10951
Tomservo2 4069
Absea98 2375
140 min: We played a while after the break before Tomservo2 (4th) goes with (77), but BigDaddyTman has (QQ). Tman’s 6th knockout and he decides to club down #7 and #8 in short order.
141 min: Jenski6 (3rd) goes with (KQ), but BigDaddyTman has (KK).
142 min: No need to check the Heads Up chip totals as it was a run away. Absea98 (2nd) limps along with (T5) (92%) and nails a flop of [JTT]. BigDaddyTman tries to shove Absea off the hand with (93) (7%). Of course he calls.
But the turn-river is [87] and BigDaddyTman takes it down with a straight.
Congratulations to BigDaddyTman on a special achievement, and joining The Walk of Fame. And congratulations to Absea98, who has made the Total Points race for the last two NPP Final seats very interesting.
1st – BigDaddyTman
2nd – Absea98
3rd – Jenski6
4th – Tomservo2
5th – Meatsword
6th – Tigercub8189
7th – Birdy333 (well done – points in 1st NPP event)
8th – ThePunk75
9th – Funtoon
Standings are on the right side of the blog. In the interest of full disclosure - I am using the bracketed seat winners to show where the point cut-off is to win a seat in the finals. Not that it still is not fun to play, but FYI.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Faldo’s Advice Column for Women – part III
I get letters all the time asking for the time tested and true advice that can only be given by Faldo. Here is a sample of some of the letters I answer daily:
Dear Faldo,
My husband comes home from work on Fridays and absolutely refuses to do anything all weekend but watch the Cubs or the Lions on TV and lay around in the hammock he's got stretched between two trees over our patio next to the lawn.
What do you think of a man like that?
Signed,
Aggravated in Ferndale
Dear AIF,
You raise a myriad of troubling issues in one short sentence. First, how did a Ferndale man get hooked on the CUBS in the first place?! I don't know where to begin with that one. He's just asking for a lifetime of heartache and broken dreams! Of course, he is used to the pain, because of the f’ing Lions!
I'd recommend a good sports therapist immediately for this unhealthy addiction.
Next, why is the hammock strung over the patio instead of the lawn? This is a definite safety issue. I'd recommend installing a good, thick lawn such as Conquest sod turf, which will provide a comfy landing zone for those unfortunate summer time snoozing accidents.
Since your husband doesn't like to be disturbed on weekends, I recommend you do this during the week. Mornings are best, as the sod will take more readily with a little dew. Get yourself a sturdy pair of Wells-Lamont gardening gloves while you're at it, as they'll cut down on blisters.
Happy to help,
Faldo
Dear Faldo,
My husband, Matchy, has a mutual friend, Bill, whom I am also very close to. Recently, Bill tagged along with Matchy and his fishing buddy, BigBriMar, as they spent the day at the lake together.
It was a couple of days later that Bill, who is kind of a chatterbox, told me that while they were drinking beer and cleaning the fish Albert confessed to an affair with my best friend, Helen. I've been just sick over this ever since Bill told me. But I am holding everything in, since I don't know who to confide in.
Now my husband won't have anything to do with Bill and I feel bad about that, too. I feel like I'm going to bust if I don't talk to somebody! I'm wondering what your take is on all this?
Signed,
Sick Of Holding Everything In
Dear Sick,
I don't blame your husband for not talking to Bill. First, no one wants a blabbermouth in the boat. Angling is difficult enough without someone scaring the fish with their constant blather.
Second, Bill obviously cannot hold his beer or his tongue. That's a bad combination for someone seeking male friendship. I'd recommend Matchy and Bigbrimar find another fishing partner.
By the way, did they have any luck? I'm always looking for new waters to troll. I can replace Bill as your close friend too, and comfort you in your time of stress. Just wear something sexy when I come over. You will feel better about yourself.
You can see that I am sensitive and caring.
Faldo
Dear Faldo,
My husband comes home from work on Fridays and absolutely refuses to do anything all weekend but watch the Cubs or the Lions on TV and lay around in the hammock he's got stretched between two trees over our patio next to the lawn.
What do you think of a man like that?
Signed,
Aggravated in Ferndale
Dear AIF,
You raise a myriad of troubling issues in one short sentence. First, how did a Ferndale man get hooked on the CUBS in the first place?! I don't know where to begin with that one. He's just asking for a lifetime of heartache and broken dreams! Of course, he is used to the pain, because of the f’ing Lions!
I'd recommend a good sports therapist immediately for this unhealthy addiction.
Next, why is the hammock strung over the patio instead of the lawn? This is a definite safety issue. I'd recommend installing a good, thick lawn such as Conquest sod turf, which will provide a comfy landing zone for those unfortunate summer time snoozing accidents.
Since your husband doesn't like to be disturbed on weekends, I recommend you do this during the week. Mornings are best, as the sod will take more readily with a little dew. Get yourself a sturdy pair of Wells-Lamont gardening gloves while you're at it, as they'll cut down on blisters.
Happy to help,
Faldo
Dear Faldo,
My husband, Matchy, has a mutual friend, Bill, whom I am also very close to. Recently, Bill tagged along with Matchy and his fishing buddy, BigBriMar, as they spent the day at the lake together.
It was a couple of days later that Bill, who is kind of a chatterbox, told me that while they were drinking beer and cleaning the fish Albert confessed to an affair with my best friend, Helen. I've been just sick over this ever since Bill told me. But I am holding everything in, since I don't know who to confide in.
Now my husband won't have anything to do with Bill and I feel bad about that, too. I feel like I'm going to bust if I don't talk to somebody! I'm wondering what your take is on all this?
Signed,
Sick Of Holding Everything In
Dear Sick,
I don't blame your husband for not talking to Bill. First, no one wants a blabbermouth in the boat. Angling is difficult enough without someone scaring the fish with their constant blather.
Second, Bill obviously cannot hold his beer or his tongue. That's a bad combination for someone seeking male friendship. I'd recommend Matchy and Bigbrimar find another fishing partner.
By the way, did they have any luck? I'm always looking for new waters to troll. I can replace Bill as your close friend too, and comfort you in your time of stress. Just wear something sexy when I come over. You will feel better about yourself.
You can see that I am sensitive and caring.
Faldo
Saturday, November 14, 2009
NPP @ PPL was a Great Night!
I’ve heard it said that “You can’t put a price on a good time!” And that is what we had.
Although I did have a young lady in Las Vegas tell me at the dice table after I said that – “Well I can.” I wonder what she meant by that?
It was nice to see flesh and bones behind the screen names. And I didn’t think it was possible, but NPP players are even nicer people 'in person', than they are - on line.
A hat tip also to the Premier Poker Lounge, as they were ready for the NPP invasion, and they ran a smooth tournament, with healthy cash games afterwards.
Now on to the action. If I miss something or someone, please forgive me and comment with corrections. Faldo is tired, hung over and a little rushed getting these results posted:
(1) Derf-63 was the first NPP casualty. His (AQ) got cracked by (A8). I thought this kind of stuff only happened on PokerStars?
(2) Wingsfancurt was out next as his(AT) could not catch an (AJ).
(3) Mikeniks-Faldo got a little too aggressive with (KQ). On a flop of [AA8], I moved all-in and – of course – my uncanny hand reading ability somehow failed to see that the villain was holding (AT).
(4) T3chlady had the same bad luck experience at PPL as she does on PokerStars, as her (AA) lost to (A2) with a flop of [22Q]. You got to be kidding me?
(5) Mistermusic5 was out around here somewhere. Not only did I not get the hand, but I didn’t get to meet ‘Scott’ either. Next time, for sure.
(6) McGuiness007 was literally blinded out as he ran card dead all night.
(7) LittleRedElf’s cards were not much better and finally his (Ah 8h) lost to (AQ).
(8) ThePunk75 got a crusher exit as he flops two pair with his (K9) only to watch his opponent hit a straight on the river.
(9) Tomservo2 also could not buy a break as his (AQ) lost to an (A6) and a flopped [6].
(10) Theedouble*d got deeper (twss) in the tournament, but just went card dead a little later than McGuiness007 did. Basically had to shove, and got no nub.
(11) A short-stacked (SS) Boother36 had to try with (6s 4s) and ran into (JJ).
(12) A (SS) Beerhog sees his (Ks Qs) lose to (AT). But he did get the first NPP cash of the night by bubbling and getting his entry fee back.
(13) And the hero of the night was K9isadog who brought NPP home a bronze medal with a 3rd place finish! I didn’t get the details as by this time the long day and the adult beverages had taken their revenge on your reporter.
Thanks again to everyone who attended and who made this a fun evening. We will do it again and I think we can grow the attendance.
Although I did have a young lady in Las Vegas tell me at the dice table after I said that – “Well I can.” I wonder what she meant by that?
It was nice to see flesh and bones behind the screen names. And I didn’t think it was possible, but NPP players are even nicer people 'in person', than they are - on line.
A hat tip also to the Premier Poker Lounge, as they were ready for the NPP invasion, and they ran a smooth tournament, with healthy cash games afterwards.
Now on to the action. If I miss something or someone, please forgive me and comment with corrections. Faldo is tired, hung over and a little rushed getting these results posted:
(1) Derf-63 was the first NPP casualty. His (AQ) got cracked by (A8). I thought this kind of stuff only happened on PokerStars?
(2) Wingsfancurt was out next as his(AT) could not catch an (AJ).
(3) Mikeniks-Faldo got a little too aggressive with (KQ). On a flop of [AA8], I moved all-in and – of course – my uncanny hand reading ability somehow failed to see that the villain was holding (AT).
(4) T3chlady had the same bad luck experience at PPL as she does on PokerStars, as her (AA) lost to (A2) with a flop of [22Q]. You got to be kidding me?
(5) Mistermusic5 was out around here somewhere. Not only did I not get the hand, but I didn’t get to meet ‘Scott’ either. Next time, for sure.
(6) McGuiness007 was literally blinded out as he ran card dead all night.
(7) LittleRedElf’s cards were not much better and finally his (Ah 8h) lost to (AQ).
(8) ThePunk75 got a crusher exit as he flops two pair with his (K9) only to watch his opponent hit a straight on the river.
(9) Tomservo2 also could not buy a break as his (AQ) lost to an (A6) and a flopped [6].
(10) Theedouble*d got deeper (twss) in the tournament, but just went card dead a little later than McGuiness007 did. Basically had to shove, and got no nub.
(11) A short-stacked (SS) Boother36 had to try with (6s 4s) and ran into (JJ).
(12) A (SS) Beerhog sees his (Ks Qs) lose to (AT). But he did get the first NPP cash of the night by bubbling and getting his entry fee back.
(13) And the hero of the night was K9isadog who brought NPP home a bronze medal with a 3rd place finish! I didn’t get the details as by this time the long day and the adult beverages had taken their revenge on your reporter.
Thanks again to everyone who attended and who made this a fun evening. We will do it again and I think we can grow the attendance.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Bigbrimar Makes a Final Table on PokerStars!
Bigbrimar finished 7th in a 360 player NL Holdem event on Tuesday, winning 13 times his entry.
Nice job Bri!
Meanwhile, Faldo stopped by PPL to make sure they know NPP will invade on Friday. They are prepared.
I played in the Wednesday tournament and did the following:
Donked off a quarter of my stack.
Bet into a flush with a straight DRAW to donk off another quarter of my stack.
Got bluffed out of a pot right at break for another quarter of my stack.
Then got all in dominated - (AJ) vs (AQ sooooted) - for the rest of my stack.
Oh yeah, my “A” game is ready for Friday.
Nice job Bri!
Meanwhile, Faldo stopped by PPL to make sure they know NPP will invade on Friday. They are prepared.
I played in the Wednesday tournament and did the following:
Donked off a quarter of my stack.
Bet into a flush with a straight DRAW to donk off another quarter of my stack.
Got bluffed out of a pot right at break for another quarter of my stack.
Then got all in dominated - (AJ) vs (AQ sooooted) - for the rest of my stack.
Oh yeah, my “A” game is ready for Friday.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
ThePunk75 Wins His 4th NPP Tourney and Takes Control of the 4th Quarter!
They say it is not over until the Fat Lady sings. Well, she is warming up in the wings. We still have four tourneys left (that is eighty 1st place points still possible), but catching ThePunk75 now could be asking a lot.
But not to worry. We still have two Total Points seats still available to win and that race is super close! Remember, should ThePunk75 clinch the 4th quarter seat, he drops out of the Total Points race – like, LittleRedElf, Faldo, Theedouble*d and Tomservo2 have.
ThePunk75 beat nineteen other NPP’s on route to his 3rd win of the year and 4th overall.
On to the action:
2 min: Biglou93 (20th) calls the blinds with (66). The flop is [35T], and Budda627 calls Biglou’s standard bet. The turn is another [T] and the river is a [6] – it all goes in, and Budda has (T3). Lou getting no nub again tonight.
19 min: A short-stacked (SS) K9isadog (19th) has to go when his (T9) hits a [9] on the flop, but LittleRedElf hits his straight.
37 min: A SS Jenski6 (18th) has to go when her (QJ) hits a flop with a [J]. Tomservo2 calls with (As Ks) and the river is an [A].
40 min: Wingsfancurt (17th) (77) calls Absea98’s all-in (KK). But Absea can only get a split pot as ThePunk75 also called all-in with (KK)!
45 min: Kensik (16th) sees his (JJ) lose a coin flip to ThePunk75 with (AQ), who hits his [Q] on the turn.
53 min: Douge2 (15th) was late to the table due to personal stuff, but is a hard-core NPP’er and made the game. A SS Douge2 goes with (Kh Jh), but can’t catch ThePunk75’s (AQ).
60 min: Theedouble*d (14th) tries to double up before the break with (Kc Qc), but the PokerStars Break Monster is waiting for him as he gives Funtoon (AA)!
1st Break:
ThePunk75 4120
LittleRedElf 4065
Budda627 3715
Duder1123 2841
Funtoon 2760
Absea98 2555
Midway2933 2380
Akensi 2080
Tomservo2 1820
T3chlady 1580
Rennzzo 1082
Tigercub8189 760
Derf-63 242
68 min: A SS Derf-63 (13th) loses to Midway2933’s flush.
70 min: A SS Duder2814 (12th) loses to Tigercub8189’s A-high.
73 min: Tomservo2 (11th) is all-in after a flop [QAQ] while holding (AK), but Budda627 is waiting (QQ)! Ouch!
77 min: Midway2933 (10th) is out next, but I can’t catch the hand.
94 min: A SS Funtoon (9th) moves in with (T3) when a after a flop of [78A], a [3] hit the turn. But ThePunk75 is holding (75).
97 min: Rennzzo (8th) loses with (AK) against ThePunk75’s (KK).
103 min: A SS Tigercub8189 (7th) calls AIPF with (A9), but ThePunk75 has (KK) again!
107 min: A SS T3chlady (6th) has to try with (A7) (63%), but Absea98’s (K6) (36%) hits a [K]. Luck was not with The Lady tonight.
115 min: Absea98’s luck (5th) doesn’t hold up as he sees his (QJ) (64%) lose to LittleRedElf’s (97) (36%), as LRE hits a runner-runner straight!
117 min: A SS Budda627 (4th) goes with (QJ), but ThePunk75 has (KQ).
2nd break:
ThePunk75 15050
LRE 11318
Akensi 3632
123 min: A SS Akensi (3rd) goes with (Q6), but LittleRedElf has (A5).
Heads up: LRE 12950 - ThePunk75 17050
125 min: LRE 11000 - ThePunk75 19000
130 min: LRE 8600 - ThePunk75 21400
132 min: LittleRedElf (2nd) goes with (AK) (71%) and is called by ThePunk75 with (AJ) (24%). But a [J] hits the flop and LRE cannot catch up.
Congratulations to ThePunk75 on another NPP win, and yet another strong showing by LRE.
1st – ThePunk75
2nd - LittleRedElf
3rd – Akensi
4th – Budda627
5th – Absea98
6th – T3chlady
7th – Tigercub8189
8th – Rennzzo
9th – Funtoon
Standings are on the right side of the blog.
But not to worry. We still have two Total Points seats still available to win and that race is super close! Remember, should ThePunk75 clinch the 4th quarter seat, he drops out of the Total Points race – like, LittleRedElf, Faldo, Theedouble*d and Tomservo2 have.
ThePunk75 beat nineteen other NPP’s on route to his 3rd win of the year and 4th overall.
On to the action:
2 min: Biglou93 (20th) calls the blinds with (66). The flop is [35T], and Budda627 calls Biglou’s standard bet. The turn is another [T] and the river is a [6] – it all goes in, and Budda has (T3). Lou getting no nub again tonight.
19 min: A short-stacked (SS) K9isadog (19th) has to go when his (T9) hits a [9] on the flop, but LittleRedElf hits his straight.
37 min: A SS Jenski6 (18th) has to go when her (QJ) hits a flop with a [J]. Tomservo2 calls with (As Ks) and the river is an [A].
40 min: Wingsfancurt (17th) (77) calls Absea98’s all-in (KK). But Absea can only get a split pot as ThePunk75 also called all-in with (KK)!
45 min: Kensik (16th) sees his (JJ) lose a coin flip to ThePunk75 with (AQ), who hits his [Q] on the turn.
53 min: Douge2 (15th) was late to the table due to personal stuff, but is a hard-core NPP’er and made the game. A SS Douge2 goes with (Kh Jh), but can’t catch ThePunk75’s (AQ).
60 min: Theedouble*d (14th) tries to double up before the break with (Kc Qc), but the PokerStars Break Monster is waiting for him as he gives Funtoon (AA)!
1st Break:
ThePunk75 4120
LittleRedElf 4065
Budda627 3715
Duder1123 2841
Funtoon 2760
Absea98 2555
Midway2933 2380
Akensi 2080
Tomservo2 1820
T3chlady 1580
Rennzzo 1082
Tigercub8189 760
Derf-63 242
68 min: A SS Derf-63 (13th) loses to Midway2933’s flush.
70 min: A SS Duder2814 (12th) loses to Tigercub8189’s A-high.
73 min: Tomservo2 (11th) is all-in after a flop [QAQ] while holding (AK), but Budda627 is waiting (QQ)! Ouch!
77 min: Midway2933 (10th) is out next, but I can’t catch the hand.
94 min: A SS Funtoon (9th) moves in with (T3) when a after a flop of [78A], a [3] hit the turn. But ThePunk75 is holding (75).
97 min: Rennzzo (8th) loses with (AK) against ThePunk75’s (KK).
103 min: A SS Tigercub8189 (7th) calls AIPF with (A9), but ThePunk75 has (KK) again!
107 min: A SS T3chlady (6th) has to try with (A7) (63%), but Absea98’s (K6) (36%) hits a [K]. Luck was not with The Lady tonight.
115 min: Absea98’s luck (5th) doesn’t hold up as he sees his (QJ) (64%) lose to LittleRedElf’s (97) (36%), as LRE hits a runner-runner straight!
117 min: A SS Budda627 (4th) goes with (QJ), but ThePunk75 has (KQ).
2nd break:
ThePunk75 15050
LRE 11318
Akensi 3632
123 min: A SS Akensi (3rd) goes with (Q6), but LittleRedElf has (A5).
Heads up: LRE 12950 - ThePunk75 17050
125 min: LRE 11000 - ThePunk75 19000
130 min: LRE 8600 - ThePunk75 21400
132 min: LittleRedElf (2nd) goes with (AK) (71%) and is called by ThePunk75 with (AJ) (24%). But a [J] hits the flop and LRE cannot catch up.
Congratulations to ThePunk75 on another NPP win, and yet another strong showing by LRE.
1st – ThePunk75
2nd - LittleRedElf
3rd – Akensi
4th – Budda627
5th – Absea98
6th – T3chlady
7th – Tigercub8189
8th – Rennzzo
9th – Funtoon
Standings are on the right side of the blog.
Sunday, November 08, 2009
The Top Ten Events in Poker History
Here are Faldo’s top ten. You can find the list that gave me the idea for this post at the 2p2 forum or The Poker Grind website. But here is my list and order:
10. The book “Super System” by Doyle Brunson
After winning the WSOP back to back in 1976/1977, Doyle grabbed some of the greatest poker minds in history and co-authored a book with them. Each was an expert at a particular game of poker, and they put their expertise down on paper. Doyle says to this day, it cost him millions of dollars more at the poker table, then he ever made with the book! The book originally sold for the outlandish price of $100, and is still worth every penny.
9. Western Movies
Unless your father played poker, as a boy you probably first saw poker being played by your cowboy heroes and the western villains of the day. Western saloon scenes nearly always contained a poker game. I think without the movie reminders of the ‘Gambling, Action, Bluffing, Power and, excuse me ladies - Man’s Game’ poker really is, the game might have went the way of Pinochle.
8. The life and times of Benny Binion
Benny founded the World Series of Poker and catered to the wants and needs of all the big time poker players. He was single-handedly responsible from pulling poker from the back rooms of pool halls and bars, and into the main floor of a casino.
7. William E. Baxter Jr. vs IRS/USA
Anyone who fights the government intruding on citizen’s lives, I just got to thank! Legendary sports bettor and poker player Billy Baxter single handedly took on the United States government over the way gambling income was taxed. After years of court battles, he won the case, and saved gamblers untold millions of dollars. You da man, Billy!
6. Televising of the World Series of Poker
CBS started televising it in 1973 and ESPN picked it up in 1988. As television does, it brings something right into people’s living room – safely. Many Bridge, Canasta, Euchre and Pinochle players took up poker, simply because it looked like fun – and there were no televised events of their current card game. Now that the game is on the boob tube, people could now have poker celebrities to watch, styles and looks to copy, and of course dream of being on TV themselves.
5. “Rounders”
I remember seeing this movie the first time and thinking “Cha-ching! This should get some new blood to the tables – both at home games and at the casinos.” By far, it was the most realistic movie of all time about poker, poker players and what they live thru. Yes, even what the golf pros, the frat boys and the Greek restaurant owners go thru. The movie is over a decade old and quotes from the movie are still remembered and said at poker tables daily. I know this movie sent millions of people back to the green felt and shuffling chips.
4. Invention of the Hole Card Camera
If televising poker gave it a much needed kick start, being able to see the hole cards while watching poker – kicked it thru the goal posts 70 yards away. Now, you could see what the players were betting and whether or not they were bluffing. You could root for ‘your favorite player’ to make the right decisions. It made it a spectator sport closer to a regular spectator sport, as now the viewer could see everything. Again, more viewers equals more new players.
3. Online Poker
Now that you have an influx of people wanting to learn the game, where do you go to learn? I think we all remember the first time we sat down at a private poker game and the first time we sat down at a casino poker game. You might get a little encouragement from your buddies at the ‘kitchen table’, but walking into a casino to play poker for the first time, makes you feel like a Hooter’s waitress in uniform standing in the lunch line at Jackson Prison. You know all eyes are on you. But now a newbie can sit down in the comfort, safety and anonymity of their own home and learn without the embarrassment, ridicule or scorn from other players. What was first seen as competition to casino poker, became their breeding ground for new customers!
2. Chris Moneymaker Winning the 2003 WSOP Main Event
I don’t think this needs much detail to explain. This single event - coupled with event numbers 6 thru 3 - became poker’s Perfect Storm. Online poker brought the player to the WSOP, the televised event with hole card cameras captured how a Rounder’s dreamer could win the top prize in poker and become rich and famous. Let the search for home poker chips, tables and cards begin! Along with nearly every casino opening poker rooms.
1. Dave the Dog and Faldo Starting Niks Poker Palace
You are here reading, so what would you expect the #1 event in poker to be? Duh?
Dave said one day after golf, while eating chicken wings at Hooters, and after many many beers and cigars, “You seem to know a lot about poker, and you can write a little. Why don’t we start a poker blog? I will set it up and be the webmaster, and you can be the writer.” I was drunk enough to say yes. Dave also came up with the idea for the NPP tournament on PokerStars, since he was just starting to suffer a 'kitchen pass' shortage from his wife-warden, and the NPP home games were no longer in his future.
As it has turned out golf and Hooters were no longer in 4Putt's future either. But I digress.
The rest as they say - is poker history.
10. The book “Super System” by Doyle Brunson
After winning the WSOP back to back in 1976/1977, Doyle grabbed some of the greatest poker minds in history and co-authored a book with them. Each was an expert at a particular game of poker, and they put their expertise down on paper. Doyle says to this day, it cost him millions of dollars more at the poker table, then he ever made with the book! The book originally sold for the outlandish price of $100, and is still worth every penny.
9. Western Movies
Unless your father played poker, as a boy you probably first saw poker being played by your cowboy heroes and the western villains of the day. Western saloon scenes nearly always contained a poker game. I think without the movie reminders of the ‘Gambling, Action, Bluffing, Power and, excuse me ladies - Man’s Game’ poker really is, the game might have went the way of Pinochle.
8. The life and times of Benny Binion
Benny founded the World Series of Poker and catered to the wants and needs of all the big time poker players. He was single-handedly responsible from pulling poker from the back rooms of pool halls and bars, and into the main floor of a casino.
7. William E. Baxter Jr. vs IRS/USA
Anyone who fights the government intruding on citizen’s lives, I just got to thank! Legendary sports bettor and poker player Billy Baxter single handedly took on the United States government over the way gambling income was taxed. After years of court battles, he won the case, and saved gamblers untold millions of dollars. You da man, Billy!
6. Televising of the World Series of Poker
CBS started televising it in 1973 and ESPN picked it up in 1988. As television does, it brings something right into people’s living room – safely. Many Bridge, Canasta, Euchre and Pinochle players took up poker, simply because it looked like fun – and there were no televised events of their current card game. Now that the game is on the boob tube, people could now have poker celebrities to watch, styles and looks to copy, and of course dream of being on TV themselves.
5. “Rounders”
I remember seeing this movie the first time and thinking “Cha-ching! This should get some new blood to the tables – both at home games and at the casinos.” By far, it was the most realistic movie of all time about poker, poker players and what they live thru. Yes, even what the golf pros, the frat boys and the Greek restaurant owners go thru. The movie is over a decade old and quotes from the movie are still remembered and said at poker tables daily. I know this movie sent millions of people back to the green felt and shuffling chips.
4. Invention of the Hole Card Camera
If televising poker gave it a much needed kick start, being able to see the hole cards while watching poker – kicked it thru the goal posts 70 yards away. Now, you could see what the players were betting and whether or not they were bluffing. You could root for ‘your favorite player’ to make the right decisions. It made it a spectator sport closer to a regular spectator sport, as now the viewer could see everything. Again, more viewers equals more new players.
3. Online Poker
Now that you have an influx of people wanting to learn the game, where do you go to learn? I think we all remember the first time we sat down at a private poker game and the first time we sat down at a casino poker game. You might get a little encouragement from your buddies at the ‘kitchen table’, but walking into a casino to play poker for the first time, makes you feel like a Hooter’s waitress in uniform standing in the lunch line at Jackson Prison. You know all eyes are on you. But now a newbie can sit down in the comfort, safety and anonymity of their own home and learn without the embarrassment, ridicule or scorn from other players. What was first seen as competition to casino poker, became their breeding ground for new customers!
2. Chris Moneymaker Winning the 2003 WSOP Main Event
I don’t think this needs much detail to explain. This single event - coupled with event numbers 6 thru 3 - became poker’s Perfect Storm. Online poker brought the player to the WSOP, the televised event with hole card cameras captured how a Rounder’s dreamer could win the top prize in poker and become rich and famous. Let the search for home poker chips, tables and cards begin! Along with nearly every casino opening poker rooms.
1. Dave the Dog and Faldo Starting Niks Poker Palace
You are here reading, so what would you expect the #1 event in poker to be? Duh?
Dave said one day after golf, while eating chicken wings at Hooters, and after many many beers and cigars, “You seem to know a lot about poker, and you can write a little. Why don’t we start a poker blog? I will set it up and be the webmaster, and you can be the writer.” I was drunk enough to say yes. Dave also came up with the idea for the NPP tournament on PokerStars, since he was just starting to suffer a 'kitchen pass' shortage from his wife-warden, and the NPP home games were no longer in his future.
As it has turned out golf and Hooters were no longer in 4Putt's future either. But I digress.
The rest as they say - is poker history.
Saturday, November 07, 2009
If You Need a Poker Reload – Do it NOW!
[Update on NPP night at PPL on Friday, Nov. 13 at 7pm: Faldo, Boother36, Derf-63, K9isadog, T3chlady, ThePunk75, Theedouble*d, Tigercub8189, Tomservo2, UMichpoker, Wingsfancurt are IN!]
Our ever growing and intrusive government is getting ready with Round 2 of putting the kibosh on internet poker.
The UIGEA legislation passed by a slight majority Republican Congress back when Bush was in the White House goes into effect December 1, 2009. Many of us have received notices from banks telling us e-checks will no longer be available for use to ‘gambling sites.’
Well, Republicans (chasing the votes they lost when they did this when they were in power) Sen. Kyl and Rep. Bachus are trying to get the SUPER majority Democrat Congress to over-turn that bill. For those of you who don’t follow politics that closely, the Democrats alone have the votes in Congress to pass anything they want. Notice if you will the takeover of entire industries – in THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!!!!!
Home male prostitute ring manager Rep. Barney Frank D-Taxachusetts, is in favor of swallowing and packing the UIGEA bill too (reference intended).
But, in order for the Republicans to get what they want, they will have to vote for the Socialist/Communist takeover of healthcare, complete with Medicare cuts, Death Panels, forced compliance, taxes/fines and completing the bankruptcy and changing this nation forever.
Barney Frank, who is almost single-handedly responsible for the mortgage and bank industry meltdown, now wants to run your healthcare and manage your doctors.
As it looks right now –
Former citizens - now the serfs of this nation- may be able to fund and cash from poker sites, but will die sooner (with pain pills if you voted Democrat and without pain pills if you vote anything else);
Option B: You will not be able to fund poker sites, and may still be forced into just another socialist cesspool nation.
Anyway, load up your favorite poker sites now while you still have the chance.
You better do a lot of things while you still have the freedom to do them. – Faldo
Our ever growing and intrusive government is getting ready with Round 2 of putting the kibosh on internet poker.
The UIGEA legislation passed by a slight majority Republican Congress back when Bush was in the White House goes into effect December 1, 2009. Many of us have received notices from banks telling us e-checks will no longer be available for use to ‘gambling sites.’
Well, Republicans (chasing the votes they lost when they did this when they were in power) Sen. Kyl and Rep. Bachus are trying to get the SUPER majority Democrat Congress to over-turn that bill. For those of you who don’t follow politics that closely, the Democrats alone have the votes in Congress to pass anything they want. Notice if you will the takeover of entire industries – in THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!!!!!
Home male prostitute ring manager Rep. Barney Frank D-Taxachusetts, is in favor of swallowing and packing the UIGEA bill too (reference intended).
But, in order for the Republicans to get what they want, they will have to vote for the Socialist/Communist takeover of healthcare, complete with Medicare cuts, Death Panels, forced compliance, taxes/fines and completing the bankruptcy and changing this nation forever.
Barney Frank, who is almost single-handedly responsible for the mortgage and bank industry meltdown, now wants to run your healthcare and manage your doctors.
As it looks right now –
Former citizens - now the serfs of this nation- may be able to fund and cash from poker sites, but will die sooner (with pain pills if you voted Democrat and without pain pills if you vote anything else);
Option B: You will not be able to fund poker sites, and may still be forced into just another socialist cesspool nation.
Anyway, load up your favorite poker sites now while you still have the chance.
You better do a lot of things while you still have the freedom to do them. – Faldo
Friday, November 06, 2009
Faldo’s Advice Column for Women – part II
I get letters all the time asking for the time tested and true advice that can only be given by Faldo. Here is a sample of some of the letters I answer daily:
Dear Faldo,
I recently found poems and love letters indicating my husband of 23 years has been having sex with my best friend in our bedroom, if you can believe that!
Since I've found this out, I can't sleep, I have no appetite, and I'm so angry with both of them I don't know what to do. I hate to even confess this crossed my mind, but last Saturday I took his .22 revolver off the night stand and contemplated using it on both of them if I caught them that evening.
Thank God I did not, but I'm so overwrought I don't know what to do. What do you suggest?
Signed,
Overwrought In Ann Arbor
Dear OIAA,
Violence is never the answer. Talk to husband about your best friend and offer to join in as their love slave. If he turns you down, beg her to let you. I’m sure one of them will oblige you into this win-win situation.
Hope this helps,
Faldo
Dear Faldo,
I have a real dilemma on my hands. My husband, Phil, can't take his eyes off the neighbor girls. One is an 18-year-old buxom blonde and the other is a beautiful 25 year-old red head who just graduated from Princeton. Faldo, it's downright embarrassing to see this man oogling women half his age right in front of me! I've tried insulting him in front of company, making jokes about his behavior, punishing him in the bedroom, but nothing works.
What would you do if you were in this situation?
Signed,
Distraught n Hudson, MI
Dear DIH,
That is why women come to Faldo for advice. Logic escapes them.
Not having sex with your husband will make him 'check out the menu' even harder! Duh!!!
But you do present a dilemma.
My head tells me go with the red head, since she's older, more mature, and has a marketable degree. On the other hand, the busty blonde would be trainable.
Actually, you might as well approach both of them about a threesome. If the first one says yes, it is bonus time asking the other one! You might get a foursome out of the deal and your husband’s undying gratitude. Good luck.
Faldo
Bonus advice Ladies: If you are worrying about competing against other furnaces, then become the fuel!
Dear Faldo,
I recently found poems and love letters indicating my husband of 23 years has been having sex with my best friend in our bedroom, if you can believe that!
Since I've found this out, I can't sleep, I have no appetite, and I'm so angry with both of them I don't know what to do. I hate to even confess this crossed my mind, but last Saturday I took his .22 revolver off the night stand and contemplated using it on both of them if I caught them that evening.
Thank God I did not, but I'm so overwrought I don't know what to do. What do you suggest?
Signed,
Overwrought In Ann Arbor
Dear OIAA,
Violence is never the answer. Talk to husband about your best friend and offer to join in as their love slave. If he turns you down, beg her to let you. I’m sure one of them will oblige you into this win-win situation.
Hope this helps,
Faldo
Dear Faldo,
I have a real dilemma on my hands. My husband, Phil, can't take his eyes off the neighbor girls. One is an 18-year-old buxom blonde and the other is a beautiful 25 year-old red head who just graduated from Princeton. Faldo, it's downright embarrassing to see this man oogling women half his age right in front of me! I've tried insulting him in front of company, making jokes about his behavior, punishing him in the bedroom, but nothing works.
What would you do if you were in this situation?
Signed,
Distraught n Hudson, MI
Dear DIH,
That is why women come to Faldo for advice. Logic escapes them.
Not having sex with your husband will make him 'check out the menu' even harder! Duh!!!
But you do present a dilemma.
My head tells me go with the red head, since she's older, more mature, and has a marketable degree. On the other hand, the busty blonde would be trainable.
Actually, you might as well approach both of them about a threesome. If the first one says yes, it is bonus time asking the other one! You might get a foursome out of the deal and your husband’s undying gratitude. Good luck.
Faldo
Bonus advice Ladies: If you are worrying about competing against other furnaces, then become the fuel!
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
LittleRedElf Wins His 7th NPP Tourney of 2009!
LittleRedElf (LRE) survived a roller-coaster ride that most of the final table players were on also. What a great night of poker action, and if you missed it – it is a shame!
LRE bested twenty others for his 8th career NPP win. He continues to inch up the Walk of Fame!
Tonight’s action almost took a full three hours to complete! Not a record, but close (177 minutes is the record). It is a testament to the talent in this league. Pure and simple.
We welcome a new player to NPP tonight - Jenski6. From the looks of it, our stable improved yet again! Welcome to NPP Jennifer.
On to the action:
22 min: See? Over twenty minutes until the first victim! ThePunk75 (21st) raises and is called by Derf-63 and Midway2933. The flop is [46K]. The Punk pushes with (A7), hoping to take it down, but Midway calls with (A6) and it holds up.
37 min: Duder1123 (20th) sees his pair of Cowboys lose to Tomservo2’s American Airlines.
39 min: Kensik (19th) is knocked out, but the table closed before I could see it.
40 min: Tigercub8189 (18th) sees a flop with three others. He moves all in with (QJ) and a flop of [4JA], but is called by K9isadog with (A8).
45 min: Akensi (17th) repeats the process and sees a flop with (As Js). The flop is [3A5]. T3chlady bets four BB’s with (33) and only Akensi calls. The river card of a [J] traps Amy for all her chips.
49 min: Budda627 (16th) with (Ah Jh) can’t catch LRE’s (77).
51 min: Wingsfancurt (15th) sees a four-way flop with (KK) after min-raising. The flop is [737] and I smell trouble. Another min bet by Curt, a min-raise by Midway2933 and another call by Curt on the turn with the all-in loss on the river to Midway’s (74). Sevens crushing people!
Now the PokerStars Break Monster runs wild!
56 min: Theedouble*d (14th) bets his (QQ), only to run into LRE’s (KK)!
59 min: K9isadog (13th) sees his (JJ) run into T3chlady’s (QQ).
60 min: Midway2933 (12th) sees a flop of [T3Q] and moves in with (33), only to find LRE holding (QQ)!
A busy, busy break monster!
1st Break:
LRE 8295
T3chlady 4876
Tomservo2 4585 (same position as last week!)
Derf-63 3450
Jenski6 2666 (New player makes the break? Nice!)
Douge2 2028
Meatsword 1835
Rennzzo 1225
Absea98 1130
Funtoon 1115
Biglou93 295
Break Monster not done as right out of the chute:
61 min: A short-stacked (SS) Absea98 (11th) is all-in after a flop [Q5J] in it with (KJ), but Jenski6 calls with (Q5) and hits a full house on the river.
62 min: A SS Biglou93(10th) is out next, but I am watching the next hand and miss it as his former table closes down.
63 min: Rennzzo (9th) moves in with (QJ) but Jenski6 is holding (A6).
65 min: Meatsword (8th) goes with (Kd Kc) and a flop of [9c Ac Qc] and runs into LittleRedElf holding (As Qh), and Meat never catches up.
70 min: A SS Douge2 (7th) is AIPF with (99) (82%) and is called by Derf-63 with (65) (18%), but the flop is [534]. Reduced now to a coin flip situation, Derf hits his straight on the turn!
A long battle ensues for 35 minutes! With exactly the same number of players left when the long battle began last week. The six remaining players - during that 35 minutes - all took turns as both chip leader and short stack! Crazy fun to watch.
105 min: Four player pots were death tonight for someone. Derf-63 (6th) calls with three others. The flop of [64K] gets bets from Tomservo2 with (K7) and a call from Derf with (A4). With no improvement, Derf tries to push Tom off his hand, but it doesn’t work.
2nd break:
Jenski6 7871
Tomservo2 7610
Funtoon 7435
T3chlady 6116
LRE 2468 (Down, but not out!)
Even Faldo knows that LRE has exactly 2469 too many chips, in order for the other players to be safe!
126 min: Funtoon (5th) sees his (AJ) loses to Jenski6’s (TT).
140 min: T3chlady (4th) calls all-in with (22), but LRE has (TT).
144 min: Jenski6 (3rd) does the standard 3x BB raise and gets called by LRE. The flop of [Ad 6c Ah] gets two checks. The river [9c] gets all the money in! Jen’s (AK) comes up short to LRE’s (66).
Heads up: LRE 21500 - Tomservo2 10000
150 min: LRE 21500 - Tomservo2 10000
155 min: LRE 19000 - Tomservo2 12500
160 min: LRE 20800 - Tomservo2 10700
165 min: LRE 25000 - Tomservo2 6500
170 min: LRE 19800 - Tomservo2 11700 (and Tom had the lead some too!)
171 min: LRE min raises and is called by Tomservo2 (2nd). The flop is [Jh 7s 8c] and another min bet is called. The turn is [7h] and Tom moves it all in with (86). But LRE is holding (K7).
Congratulations to LRE on another NPP win, and a great battle put on by Tomservo2!
1st – LittleRedElf
2nd – Tomservo2
3rd – Jenski6 (a nice finish for a 1st time player!)
4th – T3chlady
5th – Funtoon
6th – Derf-63
7th – Douge2
8th – Meatsword
9th – Rennzzo
Standings are on the right side of the blog.
LRE bested twenty others for his 8th career NPP win. He continues to inch up the Walk of Fame!
Tonight’s action almost took a full three hours to complete! Not a record, but close (177 minutes is the record). It is a testament to the talent in this league. Pure and simple.
We welcome a new player to NPP tonight - Jenski6. From the looks of it, our stable improved yet again! Welcome to NPP Jennifer.
On to the action:
22 min: See? Over twenty minutes until the first victim! ThePunk75 (21st) raises and is called by Derf-63 and Midway2933. The flop is [46K]. The Punk pushes with (A7), hoping to take it down, but Midway calls with (A6) and it holds up.
37 min: Duder1123 (20th) sees his pair of Cowboys lose to Tomservo2’s American Airlines.
39 min: Kensik (19th) is knocked out, but the table closed before I could see it.
40 min: Tigercub8189 (18th) sees a flop with three others. He moves all in with (QJ) and a flop of [4JA], but is called by K9isadog with (A8).
45 min: Akensi (17th) repeats the process and sees a flop with (As Js). The flop is [3A5]. T3chlady bets four BB’s with (33) and only Akensi calls. The river card of a [J] traps Amy for all her chips.
49 min: Budda627 (16th) with (Ah Jh) can’t catch LRE’s (77).
51 min: Wingsfancurt (15th) sees a four-way flop with (KK) after min-raising. The flop is [737] and I smell trouble. Another min bet by Curt, a min-raise by Midway2933 and another call by Curt on the turn with the all-in loss on the river to Midway’s (74). Sevens crushing people!
Now the PokerStars Break Monster runs wild!
56 min: Theedouble*d (14th) bets his (QQ), only to run into LRE’s (KK)!
59 min: K9isadog (13th) sees his (JJ) run into T3chlady’s (QQ).
60 min: Midway2933 (12th) sees a flop of [T3Q] and moves in with (33), only to find LRE holding (QQ)!
A busy, busy break monster!
1st Break:
LRE 8295
T3chlady 4876
Tomservo2 4585 (same position as last week!)
Derf-63 3450
Jenski6 2666 (New player makes the break? Nice!)
Douge2 2028
Meatsword 1835
Rennzzo 1225
Absea98 1130
Funtoon 1115
Biglou93 295
Break Monster not done as right out of the chute:
61 min: A short-stacked (SS) Absea98 (11th) is all-in after a flop [Q5J] in it with (KJ), but Jenski6 calls with (Q5) and hits a full house on the river.
62 min: A SS Biglou93(10th) is out next, but I am watching the next hand and miss it as his former table closes down.
63 min: Rennzzo (9th) moves in with (QJ) but Jenski6 is holding (A6).
65 min: Meatsword (8th) goes with (Kd Kc) and a flop of [9c Ac Qc] and runs into LittleRedElf holding (As Qh), and Meat never catches up.
70 min: A SS Douge2 (7th) is AIPF with (99) (82%) and is called by Derf-63 with (65) (18%), but the flop is [534]. Reduced now to a coin flip situation, Derf hits his straight on the turn!
A long battle ensues for 35 minutes! With exactly the same number of players left when the long battle began last week. The six remaining players - during that 35 minutes - all took turns as both chip leader and short stack! Crazy fun to watch.
105 min: Four player pots were death tonight for someone. Derf-63 (6th) calls with three others. The flop of [64K] gets bets from Tomservo2 with (K7) and a call from Derf with (A4). With no improvement, Derf tries to push Tom off his hand, but it doesn’t work.
2nd break:
Jenski6 7871
Tomservo2 7610
Funtoon 7435
T3chlady 6116
LRE 2468 (Down, but not out!)
Even Faldo knows that LRE has exactly 2469 too many chips, in order for the other players to be safe!
126 min: Funtoon (5th) sees his (AJ) loses to Jenski6’s (TT).
140 min: T3chlady (4th) calls all-in with (22), but LRE has (TT).
144 min: Jenski6 (3rd) does the standard 3x BB raise and gets called by LRE. The flop of [Ad 6c Ah] gets two checks. The river [9c] gets all the money in! Jen’s (AK) comes up short to LRE’s (66).
Heads up: LRE 21500 - Tomservo2 10000
150 min: LRE 21500 - Tomservo2 10000
155 min: LRE 19000 - Tomservo2 12500
160 min: LRE 20800 - Tomservo2 10700
165 min: LRE 25000 - Tomservo2 6500
170 min: LRE 19800 - Tomservo2 11700 (and Tom had the lead some too!)
171 min: LRE min raises and is called by Tomservo2 (2nd). The flop is [Jh 7s 8c] and another min bet is called. The turn is [7h] and Tom moves it all in with (86). But LRE is holding (K7).
Congratulations to LRE on another NPP win, and a great battle put on by Tomservo2!
1st – LittleRedElf
2nd – Tomservo2
3rd – Jenski6 (a nice finish for a 1st time player!)
4th – T3chlady
5th – Funtoon
6th – Derf-63
7th – Douge2
8th – Meatsword
9th – Rennzzo
Standings are on the right side of the blog.
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
Faldo Finishes 3rd in Carbon Poker Freeroll Tourney
I got a ton of cards early, dodged a lot of bullets late and managed a final table in a 500 player tourney on Carbon Poker.
My SS all-in with (A5) got called by (87), who hit two eights – one on the flop and one on the turn.
It was my first time back to the site in a long time. I was pounded into powder the last time I was there. But after some poundings on PokerStars, I decided a change of scenery was in order. It worked obviously.
What I like about Carbon Poker is how after everyone is all-in, the winning percentages are shown. I think it is a great feature that should be copied by the BIG boys of the poker internet. It would certainly help your scribe when doing the NPP games.
What I don’t like about it is that you have very little time to make decisions and you cannot see the tournament lobby. At least I didn’t find a way to view the tourney lobby. I could see ‘Info’ and see where I stood and how many were left. But I could not see the payouts – which bugged me.
Maybe if you don’t have ‘running’ tournaments open on your main menu, you can’t find it to click on it. If anyone knows, tell us. Or I will have to just put ‘running’ back on and see if that works.
More NPP poker news and props to hand out: Tigercub8189 has a win and a 3rd in his last two 90 player SNG's he entered! Nice job there Cub.
My SS all-in with (A5) got called by (87), who hit two eights – one on the flop and one on the turn.
It was my first time back to the site in a long time. I was pounded into powder the last time I was there. But after some poundings on PokerStars, I decided a change of scenery was in order. It worked obviously.
What I like about Carbon Poker is how after everyone is all-in, the winning percentages are shown. I think it is a great feature that should be copied by the BIG boys of the poker internet. It would certainly help your scribe when doing the NPP games.
What I don’t like about it is that you have very little time to make decisions and you cannot see the tournament lobby. At least I didn’t find a way to view the tourney lobby. I could see ‘Info’ and see where I stood and how many were left. But I could not see the payouts – which bugged me.
Maybe if you don’t have ‘running’ tournaments open on your main menu, you can’t find it to click on it. If anyone knows, tell us. Or I will have to just put ‘running’ back on and see if that works.
More NPP poker news and props to hand out: Tigercub8189 has a win and a 3rd in his last two 90 player SNG's he entered! Nice job there Cub.
Sunday, November 01, 2009
Hold’em Hand Names
Some of these you know. I know some you don’t
A-A: American Airlines, Eyes of Texas, Pocket Rockets
A-K: Anna Kournikova, Big Slick, Santa Barbara, Walking Back to Houston
A-Q: Little Slick
A-J: Ajax or Foamy Cleanser
A-8: Dead Man’s Hand (Wild Bill Hickock was holding AA88 when killed)
A-3: Baskin-Robins (31 flavors)
A-2: Acey-deucey
K-K: Cowboys, King Kong
K-Q: Marriage, Newlyweds
K-9: Canine
K-3: King crab
Q-Q: Ladies, Siegfried and Roy
Q-J: Pinochle
Q-9: Quinine
Q-7: Computer hand
Q-3: The Gay Waiter
J-J: Hooks
J-6: Railroad Hand (sounds like a steam engine)
J-5: Jackson Five
T-T: Totem Poles, Tent Stakes
T-8: 4Putt (108, Dave's average score for 18 holes)
T-5: Barbara Hutton (dime store heiress), Dime Store, Woolworth
T-4: Broderick Crawford (A Highway Patrol radio call)
T-2: Doyle Brunson
9-9: Wayne Gretzky
9-8: Oldsmobile
9-5: Dolly Parton (who played in the movie ‘9 to 5’), Office Hours
9-2: Montana banana (because bananas will grow in Montana before this hand wins)
8-8: Infinity, Mighty Wurlitzer (number of keys on the piano),
8-6: Eubie (from the expression ‘you play those, u be broke’)
7-7: Hockey sticks, Walking sticks
7-6: Trombones (from the song ’76 trombones’), Union Oil
7-2: Beer hand
6-6: Route 66
5-7: Heinz (the steak sauce)
5-5: Presto, Speed Limit
4-5: Colt 45, Jesse James (the gun he was killed by)
4-4: Darth Vader (both black fours), Jane Manfield
3-9: Jack Benny (the age he always claimed to be)
3-8: Raquel Welch
3-3: Crabs
2-9: Twiggy (the model’s boob or hip size)
2-4: Lumberman’s Hand
2-2: Ducks
Hat tip to Card Player Magazine and Michael Wiesenberg for most of these.
Did we miss any?
A-A: American Airlines, Eyes of Texas, Pocket Rockets
A-K: Anna Kournikova, Big Slick, Santa Barbara, Walking Back to Houston
A-Q: Little Slick
A-J: Ajax or Foamy Cleanser
A-8: Dead Man’s Hand (Wild Bill Hickock was holding AA88 when killed)
A-3: Baskin-Robins (31 flavors)
A-2: Acey-deucey
K-K: Cowboys, King Kong
K-Q: Marriage, Newlyweds
K-9: Canine
K-3: King crab
Q-Q: Ladies, Siegfried and Roy
Q-J: Pinochle
Q-9: Quinine
Q-7: Computer hand
Q-3: The Gay Waiter
J-J: Hooks
J-6: Railroad Hand (sounds like a steam engine)
J-5: Jackson Five
T-T: Totem Poles, Tent Stakes
T-8: 4Putt (108, Dave's average score for 18 holes)
T-5: Barbara Hutton (dime store heiress), Dime Store, Woolworth
T-4: Broderick Crawford (A Highway Patrol radio call)
T-2: Doyle Brunson
9-9: Wayne Gretzky
9-8: Oldsmobile
9-5: Dolly Parton (who played in the movie ‘9 to 5’), Office Hours
9-2: Montana banana (because bananas will grow in Montana before this hand wins)
8-8: Infinity, Mighty Wurlitzer (number of keys on the piano),
8-6: Eubie (from the expression ‘you play those, u be broke’)
7-7: Hockey sticks, Walking sticks
7-6: Trombones (from the song ’76 trombones’), Union Oil
7-2: Beer hand
6-6: Route 66
5-7: Heinz (the steak sauce)
5-5: Presto, Speed Limit
4-5: Colt 45, Jesse James (the gun he was killed by)
4-4: Darth Vader (both black fours), Jane Manfield
3-9: Jack Benny (the age he always claimed to be)
3-8: Raquel Welch
3-3: Crabs
2-9: Twiggy (the model’s boob or hip size)
2-4: Lumberman’s Hand
2-2: Ducks
Hat tip to Card Player Magazine and Michael Wiesenberg for most of these.
Did we miss any?
Faldo’s Advice Column to Women
I get letters all the time asking for the time tested and true advice that can only be given by Faldo. Here is a sample of some of the letters I answer daily:
Dear Faldo,
I hope you can help me here. The other day, I set off for work leaving my husband in the house watching the TV as usual. I hadn't driven more than a mile down the road when the engine conked out and the car shuddered to a halt. I walked back home to get my husband's help.
When I got home I couldn't believe my eyes. He was in our bedroom with the neighbor's daughter. I'm 32, my husband is 34, and the neighbor's daughter is 22. We have been married for ten years.
When I confronted him, he broke down and admitted that they had been having an affair for the past six months. I told him to stop or I'd leave him. He was let go from his job six months ago and he says he has been feeling increasingly depressed and worthless.
I love him very much, but ever since I gave him the ultimatum he has become increasingly distant. He won't go to counseling and I'm afraid I can't get through to him anymore. Can you please help?
Sincerely,
Sheila
Dear Sheila,
A car stalling after being driven a short distance can be caused by a variety of faults with the engine. Start by checking that there is no debris in the fuel line. If it's clear, check the vacuum pipes and hoses on the intake manifold and also check all grounding wires. If none of these approaches solves the problem, it could be that the fuel pump itself is faulty, causing low delivery pressure to the injectors.
And of course he shut down, Sheila. With him out of work, you know how important it is that you get to work on time. You have to take better care of that car!
Get regular inspections of the car after work so this doesn't happen again. Make some great dinners for him after work for a couple weeks and he will be willing to accept your apology eventually.
Once you take all of these steps, and of course retract that silly ultimatum, I’m sure his attitude will improve.
Sincerely,
Faldo
Dear Faldo,
I hope you can help me here. The other day, I set off for work leaving my husband in the house watching the TV as usual. I hadn't driven more than a mile down the road when the engine conked out and the car shuddered to a halt. I walked back home to get my husband's help.
When I got home I couldn't believe my eyes. He was in our bedroom with the neighbor's daughter. I'm 32, my husband is 34, and the neighbor's daughter is 22. We have been married for ten years.
When I confronted him, he broke down and admitted that they had been having an affair for the past six months. I told him to stop or I'd leave him. He was let go from his job six months ago and he says he has been feeling increasingly depressed and worthless.
I love him very much, but ever since I gave him the ultimatum he has become increasingly distant. He won't go to counseling and I'm afraid I can't get through to him anymore. Can you please help?
Sincerely,
Sheila
Dear Sheila,
A car stalling after being driven a short distance can be caused by a variety of faults with the engine. Start by checking that there is no debris in the fuel line. If it's clear, check the vacuum pipes and hoses on the intake manifold and also check all grounding wires. If none of these approaches solves the problem, it could be that the fuel pump itself is faulty, causing low delivery pressure to the injectors.
And of course he shut down, Sheila. With him out of work, you know how important it is that you get to work on time. You have to take better care of that car!
Get regular inspections of the car after work so this doesn't happen again. Make some great dinners for him after work for a couple weeks and he will be willing to accept your apology eventually.
Once you take all of these steps, and of course retract that silly ultimatum, I’m sure his attitude will improve.
Sincerely,
Faldo
Friday, October 30, 2009
Faldo Finishes 7th in WPE Tourney
It was filled with 106 other players and Faldo managed to make a final table at the World Poker Exchange site. I won a bunch of coin flip hands to get there.
Then, when I had the advantage at the final table,(As Js) (69%) versus (Ah 4c), a [4] on the flop and a [4] on the turn – did me in.
In the next two tourneys I entered (on Cake Poker), I chased when I should not have – once drawing nearly dead. It was a turbo tourney and that did influence my decision. It never used to, but I am tired of minimum cashing and bubbling.
Here is the second one, in a normal tourney:
I had (Jc Tc) on the button and had called a min raise by the UTG and two calls by middle players.
The flop came down [Qc Ts 9c]. The UTG bet one-third of the pot and the other two players folded. Decision time as a call then fold on the turn would leave me with only 10 BB’s. It’s not death, but it is not good either. The Villain had me covered easily also.
Even if the Villain held (KJ) (56%) or trips, (54%) I had outs making it close to a coin flip. If I was going to call here, the correct move was to move all in – and maybe he folds.
I called (I think you spell ‘donkey’ – F-A-L-D-O).
The turn was the [2s]. And he bets all but a ½ BB of my stack. THAT usually is a tell he wants a call. There is no lock possible yet, so this bet is puzzling. But I have to guess he has something.
Here are the hands I put him on and the new percentages – (KJ) (75%) or trips (68%), so I am a 3 to 1 or 2 to 1 dog now. It is a close decision now due to my short-stack status, but I elected to call all-in and see I am up against even a weaker hand than I thought (QT) (66%),
I missed on the river and was gone, but all the more reason my all-in was needed on the flop. Lesson learned.
PS: If I had moved in on the flop, with the hand I actually was up against – I was a 51% to 47% favorite! So, moving in then was definitely the right play – and my call on the turn was not terrible, was it? Your thoughts people?
Then, when I had the advantage at the final table,(As Js) (69%) versus (Ah 4c), a [4] on the flop and a [4] on the turn – did me in.
In the next two tourneys I entered (on Cake Poker), I chased when I should not have – once drawing nearly dead. It was a turbo tourney and that did influence my decision. It never used to, but I am tired of minimum cashing and bubbling.
Here is the second one, in a normal tourney:
I had (Jc Tc) on the button and had called a min raise by the UTG and two calls by middle players.
The flop came down [Qc Ts 9c]. The UTG bet one-third of the pot and the other two players folded. Decision time as a call then fold on the turn would leave me with only 10 BB’s. It’s not death, but it is not good either. The Villain had me covered easily also.
Even if the Villain held (KJ) (56%) or trips, (54%) I had outs making it close to a coin flip. If I was going to call here, the correct move was to move all in – and maybe he folds.
I called (I think you spell ‘donkey’ – F-A-L-D-O).
The turn was the [2s]. And he bets all but a ½ BB of my stack. THAT usually is a tell he wants a call. There is no lock possible yet, so this bet is puzzling. But I have to guess he has something.
Here are the hands I put him on and the new percentages – (KJ) (75%) or trips (68%), so I am a 3 to 1 or 2 to 1 dog now. It is a close decision now due to my short-stack status, but I elected to call all-in and see I am up against even a weaker hand than I thought (QT) (66%),
I missed on the river and was gone, but all the more reason my all-in was needed on the flop. Lesson learned.
PS: If I had moved in on the flop, with the hand I actually was up against – I was a 51% to 47% favorite! So, moving in then was definitely the right play – and my call on the turn was not terrible, was it? Your thoughts people?
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Douge2’s Humor Corner – XXVI
Woodpecker Challenge
A Mexican woodpecker and a Canadian woodpecker were in Mexico arguing about which place had the toughest trees. The Mexican woodpecker claimed Mexico had a tree that no woodpecker could peck. The Canadian woodpecker accepted his challenge and promptly pecked a hole in the tree with no problem. The Mexican woodpecker was amazed.
The Canadian woodpecker then challenged the Mexican woodpecker to peck a tree in Canada that was absolutely 'im-peckable' (a term woodpeckers like to use). The Mexican woodpecker expressed confidence that he could do it and accepted the challenge. The two flew to Canada where the Mexican woodpecker successfully pecked the so-called 'im-peckable' tree almost without breaking a sweat.
Both woodpeckers were now terribly confused. How is it that the Canadian woodpecker was able to peck the Mexican tree, and the Mexican woodpecker was able to peck the Canadian tree, yet neither was able to peck the tree in their own country? After much woodpecker pondering, they both came to the same conclusion:
Apparently, you are a much better pecker when you're away from home.
This is a Major Concern
Beer contains female hormones.
Last month, scientists released the results of a recent analysis that revealed the presence of female hormones in beer. Men should take a concerned look at their beer consumption.
The theory is that beer contains female hormones (hops contain
Phytoestrogens) and that by drinking enough beer, men turn into women.
To test the theory, 100 men drank 8 pints of beer each within a 1 hour period.
It was then observed that 100% of the test subjects :
1) Argued over nothing.
2) Refused to apologize when obviously wrong.
3) Gained weight.
4) Talked excessively without making sense.
5) Became overly emotional.
6) Couldn't drive.
7) Failed to think rationally.
8) Had to sit down while urinating.
No further testing was considered necessary.
A Mexican woodpecker and a Canadian woodpecker were in Mexico arguing about which place had the toughest trees. The Mexican woodpecker claimed Mexico had a tree that no woodpecker could peck. The Canadian woodpecker accepted his challenge and promptly pecked a hole in the tree with no problem. The Mexican woodpecker was amazed.
The Canadian woodpecker then challenged the Mexican woodpecker to peck a tree in Canada that was absolutely 'im-peckable' (a term woodpeckers like to use). The Mexican woodpecker expressed confidence that he could do it and accepted the challenge. The two flew to Canada where the Mexican woodpecker successfully pecked the so-called 'im-peckable' tree almost without breaking a sweat.
Both woodpeckers were now terribly confused. How is it that the Canadian woodpecker was able to peck the Mexican tree, and the Mexican woodpecker was able to peck the Canadian tree, yet neither was able to peck the tree in their own country? After much woodpecker pondering, they both came to the same conclusion:
Apparently, you are a much better pecker when you're away from home.
This is a Major Concern
Beer contains female hormones.
Last month, scientists released the results of a recent analysis that revealed the presence of female hormones in beer. Men should take a concerned look at their beer consumption.
The theory is that beer contains female hormones (hops contain
Phytoestrogens) and that by drinking enough beer, men turn into women.
To test the theory, 100 men drank 8 pints of beer each within a 1 hour period.
It was then observed that 100% of the test subjects :
1) Argued over nothing.
2) Refused to apologize when obviously wrong.
3) Gained weight.
4) Talked excessively without making sense.
5) Became overly emotional.
6) Couldn't drive.
7) Failed to think rationally.
8) Had to sit down while urinating.
No further testing was considered necessary.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Wingsfancurt Wins His 1st NPP Tourney!
Maybe Wingsfancurt’s favorite team is off to a slow start, but he got off to a quick start in tonight’s tourney. He then went almost bust, before rallying and besting a field of another eighteen players to win his first NPP event.
We also welcome back WildWoode to the NPP tables tonight.
Your scribe was logged in and then called away to help my in-laws and got back too late to enter. Too late to enter because of Curt’s fast start! twss!
On to the action:
4 min?: Rennzzo (19th) and Theedouble*d (18th) are knocked out by Wingsfancurt in a double kill. I missed it as Faldo was trying to register late and was not allowed to as this must have just happened.
32 min: T3chlady (17th) continues to have no nub on PokerStars on NPP nights as her (QQ) runs into Wingsfancurt’s (KK). I told you he was on fire early!
33 min: Watching and recording the above hand, I failed to see Kensik finish (16th).
34 min: Derf-63 (15th) goes AIPF with (55) and loses to Vanettij’s (JJ).
41 min: Three see a flop of [Td 4d Qd]. Meatsword (14th) bets his (As Js) in a semi-bluff and gets called only by Wingsfancurt with (T7) and middle pair. The turn is a [7] and everyone checks. When another [Q] hits the river, Meatsword moves all-in with another attempt at a semi-bluff, but Curt calls him down – and out!
53 min: A short-stacked (SS) LittleRedElf (13th) sees his (AK) get run down by Budda627’s (Tc 5c) with a [T] on the flop.
57 min: Three see a flop of [5c Js Qc]. Wildwood bets (Ks Qd) and only Vanettij (12th) calls (As 6c). The turn is a [7h] and Vanetti bets and gets called. The river is a [5h] and Vanetti pushes all-in on a bluff and gets called out by the pair of Queens.
1st Break:
Wingsfancurt 7400 (looks like the Big 2 – Little 9)
WildWoode 6614
Tomservo2 2703
ThePunk75 2195
Absea98 2195
K9isadog 1935
Budda627 1555
Douge2 1340
Funtoon 900
Akensi 895
Tigercub8189 768
65 min: A SS Funtoon (11th) is all-in after a flop with an [8] in it with (T8) but WildWoode calls with (Q9) and hits a straight on the river.
72 min: Absea98 (10th) is out next, but I am watching the next hand and miss it as his former table closes down.
73 min: Budda627 (9th) moves in with (KJ) but WildWoode is holding (TT).
91 min: A long time until the next exit when a SS K9isadog (8th) goes with (KQ) and runs into Wingsfancurt’s (A9).
97 min: A SS Akensi (7th) calls a raise with (Ad Th) and moves all in on WildWoode (QQ) on a flop of [52Q]. Ouch!
A long battle ensues for 23 minutes! Great job guys!
2nd break:
WildWoode 13509
ThePunk75 7340
Tomservo2 2512
Douge2 2135
Wingsfancurt 1697 (how the mighty have fallen!)
Tigercub8189 1307
122 min: A SS Tigercub8189 (6th) checks his blind with two players. The flop of [347] gets Wingsfancurt (75) to bet enough to put Tigercub all-in, who calls with (K2).
124 min: A SS Douge2 (5th) loses to Tomservo’s straight.
133 min: A SS Tomservo2 (4th) calls all-in with (77) with a flop with an [A] in it, and WildWoode has (A5).
138 min: Wingsfancurt (K9) calls WildWoode’s (3rd) raise and they see a flop of [9JK]. WildWoode moves all in with (AJ), is called, and cannot catch up.
Heads up: Wingsfancurt 13600 - ThePunk75 14900
140 min: Wingsfancurt 20600 - ThePunk75 7900
The comeback is almost complete!
141 min: ThePunk75 (2nd) raises a pot committed amount and is called.
The flop is [263] and ThePunk moves it all in with (97). But the stop-and-go fails as Wingsfancurt is holding (TT).
Congratulations to Wingsfancurt on his first NPP win! He becomes the 45th tournament winner in NPP history.
1st – Wingsfancurt
2nd – ThePunk75
3rd – WildWoode
4th – Tomservo2
5th – Douge2
6th – Tigercub8189
7th – Akensi
8th – K9isadog
9th – Budda627
Standings are on the right side of the blog.
We also welcome back WildWoode to the NPP tables tonight.
Your scribe was logged in and then called away to help my in-laws and got back too late to enter. Too late to enter because of Curt’s fast start! twss!
On to the action:
4 min?: Rennzzo (19th) and Theedouble*d (18th) are knocked out by Wingsfancurt in a double kill. I missed it as Faldo was trying to register late and was not allowed to as this must have just happened.
32 min: T3chlady (17th) continues to have no nub on PokerStars on NPP nights as her (QQ) runs into Wingsfancurt’s (KK). I told you he was on fire early!
33 min: Watching and recording the above hand, I failed to see Kensik finish (16th).
34 min: Derf-63 (15th) goes AIPF with (55) and loses to Vanettij’s (JJ).
41 min: Three see a flop of [Td 4d Qd]. Meatsword (14th) bets his (As Js) in a semi-bluff and gets called only by Wingsfancurt with (T7) and middle pair. The turn is a [7] and everyone checks. When another [Q] hits the river, Meatsword moves all-in with another attempt at a semi-bluff, but Curt calls him down – and out!
53 min: A short-stacked (SS) LittleRedElf (13th) sees his (AK) get run down by Budda627’s (Tc 5c) with a [T] on the flop.
57 min: Three see a flop of [5c Js Qc]. Wildwood bets (Ks Qd) and only Vanettij (12th) calls (As 6c). The turn is a [7h] and Vanetti bets and gets called. The river is a [5h] and Vanetti pushes all-in on a bluff and gets called out by the pair of Queens.
1st Break:
Wingsfancurt 7400 (looks like the Big 2 – Little 9)
WildWoode 6614
Tomservo2 2703
ThePunk75 2195
Absea98 2195
K9isadog 1935
Budda627 1555
Douge2 1340
Funtoon 900
Akensi 895
Tigercub8189 768
65 min: A SS Funtoon (11th) is all-in after a flop with an [8] in it with (T8) but WildWoode calls with (Q9) and hits a straight on the river.
72 min: Absea98 (10th) is out next, but I am watching the next hand and miss it as his former table closes down.
73 min: Budda627 (9th) moves in with (KJ) but WildWoode is holding (TT).
91 min: A long time until the next exit when a SS K9isadog (8th) goes with (KQ) and runs into Wingsfancurt’s (A9).
97 min: A SS Akensi (7th) calls a raise with (Ad Th) and moves all in on WildWoode (QQ) on a flop of [52Q]. Ouch!
A long battle ensues for 23 minutes! Great job guys!
2nd break:
WildWoode 13509
ThePunk75 7340
Tomservo2 2512
Douge2 2135
Wingsfancurt 1697 (how the mighty have fallen!)
Tigercub8189 1307
122 min: A SS Tigercub8189 (6th) checks his blind with two players. The flop of [347] gets Wingsfancurt (75) to bet enough to put Tigercub all-in, who calls with (K2).
124 min: A SS Douge2 (5th) loses to Tomservo’s straight.
133 min: A SS Tomservo2 (4th) calls all-in with (77) with a flop with an [A] in it, and WildWoode has (A5).
138 min: Wingsfancurt (K9) calls WildWoode’s (3rd) raise and they see a flop of [9JK]. WildWoode moves all in with (AJ), is called, and cannot catch up.
Heads up: Wingsfancurt 13600 - ThePunk75 14900
140 min: Wingsfancurt 20600 - ThePunk75 7900
The comeback is almost complete!
141 min: ThePunk75 (2nd) raises a pot committed amount and is called.
The flop is [263] and ThePunk moves it all in with (97). But the stop-and-go fails as Wingsfancurt is holding (TT).
Congratulations to Wingsfancurt on his first NPP win! He becomes the 45th tournament winner in NPP history.
1st – Wingsfancurt
2nd – ThePunk75
3rd – WildWoode
4th – Tomservo2
5th – Douge2
6th – Tigercub8189
7th – Akensi
8th – K9isadog
9th – Budda627
Standings are on the right side of the blog.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Sometimes It’s Just Not in the Cards
I won’t go thru my own tale of woe since returning from my get away weekend with nature. I came back ready to start with a clean poker slate and a good attitude. Let me just say that the Dealer of Death was waiting anxiously for my return to the felt. It turned out to be a short visit in “Good Attitude” Village for Faldo.
But in my mail bag I found a hand I will review, instead of boring you with the stories of the TWO three outers that ran me down in consecutive tourneys. Oh wait, sorry, I just did.
Our Hero writes to say that he got crushed unfairly again. But was it that bad? Let’s look:
The blinds are 2500 – 5000, with a 500 ante, so we are late in the tourney and our NPP Hero has gone deep, as most NPP players do – twss.
Peeking to see (Ad Ah) UTG (under the gun, or the seat right in front of the blinds) our Hero bets 10000 of his 42000 stack. He is 2nd at the table in chips and I figure he is trying to coax AIPF (all in pre-flop) action from the smaller stacks.
All fold to the SB (small blind) with a stack of 20000 chips, who calls!?! An all-in or fold seems right here – unless the plan is to move all in after the flop – hit or miss. But already short-stacked and putting half his chips in, it looks like he is hoping for a call from the BB to get some pot odds with (Kh Td).
Everyone’s strategic moves matter not as the big stacked BB Villain (73000) questionably moves all-in with (6d 6h). But the blinds are high and I don’t know where these stacks are in relation to the rest of the field or tournament situation. Maybe the Villain is doing what he has to do to win it all. Maybe squeaking in the money is not on his mind as he loves being a bubble boy or being one of the big stacks.
Well, this action is just what our Hero wanted – yes? Well, for sure yes heads up and I think he has to call here, regardless. Our Hero had to know the SB was calling. But facing even two players, instead of one, (AA) falls in value.
It is a tournament and you have to go for the gusto. Here are the percentages pre-flop:
Hero (AA) – 69%
SB (KT) – 12%
BB Villain (66) – 19%
Our Hero would have been 87% vs SB and 81% vs the BB heads up respectively.
But our hero is just a little better than a 2:1 favorite here. So when the [6] spiked on the flop and turned our Hero from the solid favorite to a 9:1 dog, it was not the worst bad beat the world has ever seen.
Of course it hurt that Hero was deep in the tournament and that the hit was done by the only stack at the table that could not only bust him, but who played aggressive (or stupid) and hit. If it was another SS at the table, it would have been more understandable - and not fatal.
But as Faldo is trying to remind himself – on a daily basis – if you are going to whine about the evil deeds of the dealer of the cards, don’t play. Sometimes, it is just not in the cards for you.
So I will buy another ticket to Good Attitude Village, and I hope our Hero does too.
But in my mail bag I found a hand I will review, instead of boring you with the stories of the TWO three outers that ran me down in consecutive tourneys. Oh wait, sorry, I just did.
Our Hero writes to say that he got crushed unfairly again. But was it that bad? Let’s look:
The blinds are 2500 – 5000, with a 500 ante, so we are late in the tourney and our NPP Hero has gone deep, as most NPP players do – twss.
Peeking to see (Ad Ah) UTG (under the gun, or the seat right in front of the blinds) our Hero bets 10000 of his 42000 stack. He is 2nd at the table in chips and I figure he is trying to coax AIPF (all in pre-flop) action from the smaller stacks.
All fold to the SB (small blind) with a stack of 20000 chips, who calls!?! An all-in or fold seems right here – unless the plan is to move all in after the flop – hit or miss. But already short-stacked and putting half his chips in, it looks like he is hoping for a call from the BB to get some pot odds with (Kh Td).
Everyone’s strategic moves matter not as the big stacked BB Villain (73000) questionably moves all-in with (6d 6h). But the blinds are high and I don’t know where these stacks are in relation to the rest of the field or tournament situation. Maybe the Villain is doing what he has to do to win it all. Maybe squeaking in the money is not on his mind as he loves being a bubble boy or being one of the big stacks.
Well, this action is just what our Hero wanted – yes? Well, for sure yes heads up and I think he has to call here, regardless. Our Hero had to know the SB was calling. But facing even two players, instead of one, (AA) falls in value.
It is a tournament and you have to go for the gusto. Here are the percentages pre-flop:
Hero (AA) – 69%
SB (KT) – 12%
BB Villain (66) – 19%
Our Hero would have been 87% vs SB and 81% vs the BB heads up respectively.
But our hero is just a little better than a 2:1 favorite here. So when the [6] spiked on the flop and turned our Hero from the solid favorite to a 9:1 dog, it was not the worst bad beat the world has ever seen.
Of course it hurt that Hero was deep in the tournament and that the hit was done by the only stack at the table that could not only bust him, but who played aggressive (or stupid) and hit. If it was another SS at the table, it would have been more understandable - and not fatal.
But as Faldo is trying to remind himself – on a daily basis – if you are going to whine about the evil deeds of the dealer of the cards, don’t play. Sometimes, it is just not in the cards for you.
So I will buy another ticket to Good Attitude Village, and I hope our Hero does too.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Faldo Goes to Deer Camp
Sorry for the lack of posting. Faldo went with his son, Bronco76 and Tigercub8189 to my other brother’s hunting cottage, for a little deer hunting. Leaving the oval felt jungle for the Michigan woods for a while.
Yes time to live off the land. Time to get back to survival mode. Time to man up and check your skills against nature. This was wilderness living at its supreme and most intense. After all, no internet and no TV!!!!! Cell phones worked, but I had turned mine off and left it in the car.
Friday was a rainy night. Visiting with the other eight hunters inside the main lodge, it was venison stew, sardines, beef jerky, baked beans, green beans and beer for dinner. Back at my other brother’s (Lion.357) house trailer on 12 acres. The kerosene heater got plenty of fuel added to the air as the night rolled on after that dinner. It was more beer and stories – then lights out.
Lion failed to see anything hunting Saturday morning. Got back to the lodge and checked in. No hits, but a big deer was spotted by several guys, but no shot available with their bows.
Back to our camp, we worked dropping carrots, beets and other bait for the animals and gather/cut/split wood for the Saturday fire. Beer was iced and readied – and sampled.
Evening hunt was also unsuccessful, so we did what all survival men do in that situation. We drove to town to the only bar and had burgers and watched football for a while. That big buck was confirmed being seen by half the hunters in our group, but no one had a shot. Then it was back to camp for the bonfire, beer, cigars and story-telling in the light on and off drizzle.
Sunday was a beautiful morning, and the radio crackled at 9am at our camp. Someone said they shot and hit that big buck! It was time to go tracking. This is what I really call roughing it. I was going to have to hike thru the woods, with only two cups of coffee and one package of instant oatmeal in my stomach. The inhumanity of it all!
The track was the easiest I had ever been on. First off the hunter with the hit said he got the deer near perfect. That coming from some hunters, that could be a story or a mistake, but not with this guy. If he said he got it, he got it. Even though the broad blade arrow had passed right thru, you could tell it was a lung shot. We waited until we all gathered at 10:30am and started out on the blood trail.
What started out as small drops every ten yards for the first 100 yards, turned into big drops every five yards and then pretty much a straight line of blood. Plus, the size of the deer had left a pretty big tunnel thru the underbrush in the woods and rubbed blood on the trees.
Less than 300 yards from the shot, there he was. He was only a 4 point rack, but weighed in at 220 pounds on the scale! As the successful hunter processed his deer, a few celebratory beers were had – with jokes/insults thrown in. That deer will be in the stew next camp.
The hunt was over for the weekend. Back to our camp, we all pulled out our rifles, shotguns and handguns for a little target practice. The big obsolete desktop computer I brought up just for this occasion, held up surprisingly well under the onslaught. The wood targets and water jugs didn’t last as long as that computer did.
That was surprisingly therapeutic to let loose on one of those machines. Anyway, time to clean up, pack up and head back to the unreal world.
Yes time to live off the land. Time to get back to survival mode. Time to man up and check your skills against nature. This was wilderness living at its supreme and most intense. After all, no internet and no TV!!!!! Cell phones worked, but I had turned mine off and left it in the car.
Friday was a rainy night. Visiting with the other eight hunters inside the main lodge, it was venison stew, sardines, beef jerky, baked beans, green beans and beer for dinner. Back at my other brother’s (Lion.357) house trailer on 12 acres. The kerosene heater got plenty of fuel added to the air as the night rolled on after that dinner. It was more beer and stories – then lights out.
Lion failed to see anything hunting Saturday morning. Got back to the lodge and checked in. No hits, but a big deer was spotted by several guys, but no shot available with their bows.
Back to our camp, we worked dropping carrots, beets and other bait for the animals and gather/cut/split wood for the Saturday fire. Beer was iced and readied – and sampled.
Evening hunt was also unsuccessful, so we did what all survival men do in that situation. We drove to town to the only bar and had burgers and watched football for a while. That big buck was confirmed being seen by half the hunters in our group, but no one had a shot. Then it was back to camp for the bonfire, beer, cigars and story-telling in the light on and off drizzle.
Sunday was a beautiful morning, and the radio crackled at 9am at our camp. Someone said they shot and hit that big buck! It was time to go tracking. This is what I really call roughing it. I was going to have to hike thru the woods, with only two cups of coffee and one package of instant oatmeal in my stomach. The inhumanity of it all!
The track was the easiest I had ever been on. First off the hunter with the hit said he got the deer near perfect. That coming from some hunters, that could be a story or a mistake, but not with this guy. If he said he got it, he got it. Even though the broad blade arrow had passed right thru, you could tell it was a lung shot. We waited until we all gathered at 10:30am and started out on the blood trail.
What started out as small drops every ten yards for the first 100 yards, turned into big drops every five yards and then pretty much a straight line of blood. Plus, the size of the deer had left a pretty big tunnel thru the underbrush in the woods and rubbed blood on the trees.
Less than 300 yards from the shot, there he was. He was only a 4 point rack, but weighed in at 220 pounds on the scale! As the successful hunter processed his deer, a few celebratory beers were had – with jokes/insults thrown in. That deer will be in the stew next camp.
The hunt was over for the weekend. Back to our camp, we all pulled out our rifles, shotguns and handguns for a little target practice. The big obsolete desktop computer I brought up just for this occasion, held up surprisingly well under the onslaught. The wood targets and water jugs didn’t last as long as that computer did.
That was surprisingly therapeutic to let loose on one of those machines. Anyway, time to clean up, pack up and head back to the unreal world.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Douge2’s Humor Corner – XXV
Mistaken Identity
Sirgash staggered into a hospital with a concussion, multiple bruises, 2 black eyes, and a 5 iron wrapped tightly around his throat. Naturally, the doctor asked him, “What happened to YOU?”
“Well, I was having a quiet round of golf with my girl Nixi, at a difficult hole. We both sliced our golf balls into a field of cattle. We went to look for them and while I was looking around I noticed one of the cows had something white at its rear end.
I walked over, lifted its tail, and sure enough, there was a golf ball with my wife's monogram on it, stuck right in the middle of the cow's fanny.
Still holding the cow's tail up, I yelled to Nixi, ‘Hey, this looks like yours!’
I don't remember much after that.”
Men’s Sensitivity Test
1. In the company of females, intercourse should be referred to as:
A. Lovemaking.
B. Screwing
C. Bumping uglies.
2. You should make love to a woman for the first time only after you've both shared:
A. Your views about what you expect from a sexual relationship.
B. Your blood-test results.
C. Five tequila slammers.
3. You time your orgasm so that:
A. Your partner climaxes first.
B. You both climax simultaneously.
C. You don't miss ESPN Sports Center.
4. Passionate, spontaneous sex on the kitchen floor is:
A. Healthy, creative love-play.
B. Not the sort of thing your wife/girlfriend would agree to.
C. Not the sort of thing your wife/girlfriend needs to ever find out about.
5. Spending the whole night cuddling a woman you've just had sex with is:
A. The best part of the experience.
B. The second best part of the experience.
C. Costs her $100 extra.
6. Your wife/girlfriend says she's gained five pounds in the last month. You tell her that it is:
A. Of no influence on your affection for her.
B. Not a problem, she can join your gym and do double workouts.
C. A conservative estimate.
7. You think today's sensitive, caring man is:
A. A myth.
B. An oxymoron.
C. A moron.
8. Foreplay is to sex as:
A. An appetizer is to an entree.
B. Primer is to paint.
C. A long line is to an amusement park ride.
Evaluating Results:
If you answered "A" more than 7 times, you are 4Putt after marriage.
If you answered "B" more than 7 times, check into therapy. You're a little confused.
If you answered "C" more than 7 times, you are NPP material.
Sirgash staggered into a hospital with a concussion, multiple bruises, 2 black eyes, and a 5 iron wrapped tightly around his throat. Naturally, the doctor asked him, “What happened to YOU?”
“Well, I was having a quiet round of golf with my girl Nixi, at a difficult hole. We both sliced our golf balls into a field of cattle. We went to look for them and while I was looking around I noticed one of the cows had something white at its rear end.
I walked over, lifted its tail, and sure enough, there was a golf ball with my wife's monogram on it, stuck right in the middle of the cow's fanny.
Still holding the cow's tail up, I yelled to Nixi, ‘Hey, this looks like yours!’
I don't remember much after that.”
Men’s Sensitivity Test
1. In the company of females, intercourse should be referred to as:
A. Lovemaking.
B. Screwing
C. Bumping uglies.
2. You should make love to a woman for the first time only after you've both shared:
A. Your views about what you expect from a sexual relationship.
B. Your blood-test results.
C. Five tequila slammers.
3. You time your orgasm so that:
A. Your partner climaxes first.
B. You both climax simultaneously.
C. You don't miss ESPN Sports Center.
4. Passionate, spontaneous sex on the kitchen floor is:
A. Healthy, creative love-play.
B. Not the sort of thing your wife/girlfriend would agree to.
C. Not the sort of thing your wife/girlfriend needs to ever find out about.
5. Spending the whole night cuddling a woman you've just had sex with is:
A. The best part of the experience.
B. The second best part of the experience.
C. Costs her $100 extra.
6. Your wife/girlfriend says she's gained five pounds in the last month. You tell her that it is:
A. Of no influence on your affection for her.
B. Not a problem, she can join your gym and do double workouts.
C. A conservative estimate.
7. You think today's sensitive, caring man is:
A. A myth.
B. An oxymoron.
C. A moron.
8. Foreplay is to sex as:
A. An appetizer is to an entree.
B. Primer is to paint.
C. A long line is to an amusement park ride.
Evaluating Results:
If you answered "A" more than 7 times, you are 4Putt after marriage.
If you answered "B" more than 7 times, check into therapy. You're a little confused.
If you answered "C" more than 7 times, you are NPP material.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Faldo Updates His Online Poker Room Review
As you know, I am a proud PokerStars Affiliate Member. PokerStars is the leader in the online poker industry. And when all the other big boys like Party Poker and Paradise Poker cut their USA players loose, PokerStars stood firm – for poker AND freedom – and stayed with us.
Therefore, I will always be with PokerStars – until I am bad beat into bankruptcy - but I digress.
That being said, if you want to multi-table tournaments in a window of stake ranges, playing it all on one site limits your options. Because PokerStars is the best and the biggest, I can usually get in two tourneys and sometimes three in my price range at the same time. But sometimes I can’t.
Full Tilt Poker is the 2nd best site I use. I will give you some stats in a minute to prove this out, but it is the next best option – far and away.
That leaves the rest of the pack. I have decided to play at four sites exclusively, and with the first two obviously carved in stone, I have to pick two more. My choices are between:
Bodog Poker
Cake Poker
Carbon Poker – Merge Gaming
Ultimate Bet – Cereus Gaming
Poker4ever – Everleaf Gaming
WorldPokerExchange
In my review of close to three hundred poker sites, I am down to these six choices. Lets look at some data shall we?
Site – Week Average # of Cash Game Players (tourney data not available, darn!)
Bodog – 910
Cake – 1860
Carbon – 425
Ultimate – 2450
Poker4ever – 100
WPE - 50
And for comparison;
PokerStars – 23800
Full Tilt – 12100
For reasons of full disclosure, Bodog Poker is the wildcard. They are a sports book too, and you have to have more action than Bodog to be considered for the 3rd spot. Bodog by default earns spot #4. Sometimes Faldo requires horse, fights and sports odds – for news information only of course - so, ummmm, they are #4 darn it!
The data don’t lie. My choice now is between Cake and Ultimate Bet due to the larger volume of traffic and business. This means less chance of my account disappearing and a greater chance for more 100+ player tourneys that I like to play in.
For reasons I will not get into here, the celebrity pitch-people for both of these sites are – in my opinion – a reason NOT to pick either one of them. But pick one I feel I must.
If any readers want to chime in with opinions about the tourney play on either site, I am all eyes. I will review their tourney blind structures, payout structures and shear number of weekly tourneys in my budget range.
I will also send emails to both sites requesting information on why they should be my #3 site. Stay tuned for the results.
Therefore, I will always be with PokerStars – until I am bad beat into bankruptcy - but I digress.
That being said, if you want to multi-table tournaments in a window of stake ranges, playing it all on one site limits your options. Because PokerStars is the best and the biggest, I can usually get in two tourneys and sometimes three in my price range at the same time. But sometimes I can’t.
Full Tilt Poker is the 2nd best site I use. I will give you some stats in a minute to prove this out, but it is the next best option – far and away.
That leaves the rest of the pack. I have decided to play at four sites exclusively, and with the first two obviously carved in stone, I have to pick two more. My choices are between:
Bodog Poker
Cake Poker
Carbon Poker – Merge Gaming
Ultimate Bet – Cereus Gaming
Poker4ever – Everleaf Gaming
WorldPokerExchange
In my review of close to three hundred poker sites, I am down to these six choices. Lets look at some data shall we?
Site – Week Average # of Cash Game Players (tourney data not available, darn!)
Bodog – 910
Cake – 1860
Carbon – 425
Ultimate – 2450
Poker4ever – 100
WPE - 50
And for comparison;
PokerStars – 23800
Full Tilt – 12100
For reasons of full disclosure, Bodog Poker is the wildcard. They are a sports book too, and you have to have more action than Bodog to be considered for the 3rd spot. Bodog by default earns spot #4. Sometimes Faldo requires horse, fights and sports odds – for news information only of course - so, ummmm, they are #4 darn it!
The data don’t lie. My choice now is between Cake and Ultimate Bet due to the larger volume of traffic and business. This means less chance of my account disappearing and a greater chance for more 100+ player tourneys that I like to play in.
For reasons I will not get into here, the celebrity pitch-people for both of these sites are – in my opinion – a reason NOT to pick either one of them. But pick one I feel I must.
If any readers want to chime in with opinions about the tourney play on either site, I am all eyes. I will review their tourney blind structures, payout structures and shear number of weekly tourneys in my budget range.
I will also send emails to both sites requesting information on why they should be my #3 site. Stay tuned for the results.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Theedouble*d Wins His 3rd NPP Tourney
He bested a field of another twenty players playing tough poker others to do it.
Faldo didn't play as I was feeling a little under the weather. I can tell I am trying to catch a cold, but I am resting, sleeping and eating well enough (vitamin C and soup) to keep me from getting really bad.
The mood in the tourney tonight was light and friendly in the conversation, but deadly serious on the felt.
On to the action:
25 min: Douge2 (21st) hits a pair of 7’s on the flop and when a possible flush appears on the river, he makes a bluff attempt. But Duder1123 is holding (AA) and not going anywhere.
31 min: Vanettij (20th) sees his (77) run into Akensi’s (AA).
32 min: Midway2933 (19th) is knocked out by Biglou93’s (QQ).
41 min: Meatsword (18th) sees a flop of [A99] while holding (AK), but K9isadog holds – what else? – (K9). Ouch! Rennzzo takes the short-stacked (SS) Meat out two minutes later.
51 min: Quite a hand here. A short-stacked (SS) Wingsfancurt (17th) goes with (AA) and gets – not one, not two, but – five callers! A flop of [2s Jd 9c] gets Tigercub8189 (16th) all-in with (TT) and K9isa dog and Akensi call that. The turn is [Kd] and K9 gets a double kill and wins a big pot with his (QT) straight.
52 min: A SS Duder1123 (15th) goes AIPF with (Kd Td) and loses to ThePunk75’s (QQ).
54 min: Kensik (14th) sees his (88) lose to Tomservo2’s (QJ) with a [Q] on the flop.
56 min: Akensi (13th) goes out against Rennzzo’s (77).
1st Break:
K9isadog 5167
ThePunk75 5030
Theedouble*d 4285
Absea98 3090
T3chlady 2660
Derf-63 2265
Biglou93 1974
Budda627 1794
LittleRedElf 1648
Rennzzo 1367
Tomservo2 1135
Funtoon 1085
62 min: Theedouble*d (7c 6c), Budda627 (Tc 8h) and Rennzzo (8c 3d) split a pot three ways. They all read Faldo’s poker book “7-2 is OK!”
70 min: Biglou93 (12th) sees his (QQ) run into Theedouble*d’s (AK) and an [A] on the river.
72 min: Derf-63 (11th) is AIPF with (Kh Jh) but finds Funtoon with (A9).
74 min: A SS LittleRedElf (10th) has to go with (99), but takes Faldo’s bubble spot as K9isadog has (KQ) and hits a flop of [QQK].
77 min: Budda627 (9th) moves in with (88) but T3chlady is holding (QQ).
90 min: A SS Rennzzo (8th) (K4) gets two callers and K9isadog’s (K9) take it down.
97 min: Absea98 (7th) has his (Ah Kh) (69%) get run down by Theedouble*d’s (Q5) with a [Q] on the turn.
109 min: K9isadog (6th) gets too aggressive (impatient?) with his (QT) on a flop of [KT3] but cannot catch T3chlady’s (KJ).
2nd break:
T3chlady 12761 (can she hang on for her first NPP win?)
Theedouble*d 12234
Tomservo2 3680
ThePunk75 1785 (what is with the T’s?)
Funtoon 1040 (et tu, Toon?)
It goes wild right after the break as the small stacks go for it.
121 min: Funtoon’s (5th) (KJ) loses to Theedouble*d’s (QQ).
122 min: ThePunk75 (4th) is all-in with (K5) but Theedouble*d’s (QJ) hits a [Q] on the turn.
123 min: Tomservo2 (3rd) runs into T3chlady’s (AA). Nuff said.
That was fast!
Heads up: Theedouble*d 16500 - T3chalady 15000
125 min: Theedouble*d 22500 - T3chalady 9000
130 min: Theedouble*d 20000 - T3chalady 11500
135 min: Theedouble*d 22700 - T3chalady 8800
137 min: T3chlady (2nd) is AIPF with (33) and Theedouble*d calls with (AT). The Lady’s pair get counterfeited as two pair hit the board and DD’s ace plays.
Congratulations to Theedouble*d on another NPP win.
1st – Theedouble*d
2nd – T3chlady
3rd – Tomservo2
4th – ThePunk75
5th – Funtoon
6th – K9isadog
7th – Absea98
8th – Rennzzo
9th – Budda627
Standings are on the right side of the blog.
Faldo didn't play as I was feeling a little under the weather. I can tell I am trying to catch a cold, but I am resting, sleeping and eating well enough (vitamin C and soup) to keep me from getting really bad.
The mood in the tourney tonight was light and friendly in the conversation, but deadly serious on the felt.
On to the action:
25 min: Douge2 (21st) hits a pair of 7’s on the flop and when a possible flush appears on the river, he makes a bluff attempt. But Duder1123 is holding (AA) and not going anywhere.
31 min: Vanettij (20th) sees his (77) run into Akensi’s (AA).
32 min: Midway2933 (19th) is knocked out by Biglou93’s (QQ).
41 min: Meatsword (18th) sees a flop of [A99] while holding (AK), but K9isadog holds – what else? – (K9). Ouch! Rennzzo takes the short-stacked (SS) Meat out two minutes later.
51 min: Quite a hand here. A short-stacked (SS) Wingsfancurt (17th) goes with (AA) and gets – not one, not two, but – five callers! A flop of [2s Jd 9c] gets Tigercub8189 (16th) all-in with (TT) and K9isa dog and Akensi call that. The turn is [Kd] and K9 gets a double kill and wins a big pot with his (QT) straight.
52 min: A SS Duder1123 (15th) goes AIPF with (Kd Td) and loses to ThePunk75’s (QQ).
54 min: Kensik (14th) sees his (88) lose to Tomservo2’s (QJ) with a [Q] on the flop.
56 min: Akensi (13th) goes out against Rennzzo’s (77).
1st Break:
K9isadog 5167
ThePunk75 5030
Theedouble*d 4285
Absea98 3090
T3chlady 2660
Derf-63 2265
Biglou93 1974
Budda627 1794
LittleRedElf 1648
Rennzzo 1367
Tomservo2 1135
Funtoon 1085
62 min: Theedouble*d (7c 6c), Budda627 (Tc 8h) and Rennzzo (8c 3d) split a pot three ways. They all read Faldo’s poker book “7-2 is OK!”
70 min: Biglou93 (12th) sees his (QQ) run into Theedouble*d’s (AK) and an [A] on the river.
72 min: Derf-63 (11th) is AIPF with (Kh Jh) but finds Funtoon with (A9).
74 min: A SS LittleRedElf (10th) has to go with (99), but takes Faldo’s bubble spot as K9isadog has (KQ) and hits a flop of [QQK].
77 min: Budda627 (9th) moves in with (88) but T3chlady is holding (QQ).
90 min: A SS Rennzzo (8th) (K4) gets two callers and K9isadog’s (K9) take it down.
97 min: Absea98 (7th) has his (Ah Kh) (69%) get run down by Theedouble*d’s (Q5) with a [Q] on the turn.
109 min: K9isadog (6th) gets too aggressive (impatient?) with his (QT) on a flop of [KT3] but cannot catch T3chlady’s (KJ).
2nd break:
T3chlady 12761 (can she hang on for her first NPP win?)
Theedouble*d 12234
Tomservo2 3680
ThePunk75 1785 (what is with the T’s?)
Funtoon 1040 (et tu, Toon?)
It goes wild right after the break as the small stacks go for it.
121 min: Funtoon’s (5th) (KJ) loses to Theedouble*d’s (QQ).
122 min: ThePunk75 (4th) is all-in with (K5) but Theedouble*d’s (QJ) hits a [Q] on the turn.
123 min: Tomservo2 (3rd) runs into T3chlady’s (AA). Nuff said.
That was fast!
Heads up: Theedouble*d 16500 - T3chalady 15000
125 min: Theedouble*d 22500 - T3chalady 9000
130 min: Theedouble*d 20000 - T3chalady 11500
135 min: Theedouble*d 22700 - T3chalady 8800
137 min: T3chlady (2nd) is AIPF with (33) and Theedouble*d calls with (AT). The Lady’s pair get counterfeited as two pair hit the board and DD’s ace plays.
Congratulations to Theedouble*d on another NPP win.
1st – Theedouble*d
2nd – T3chlady
3rd – Tomservo2
4th – ThePunk75
5th – Funtoon
6th – K9isadog
7th – Absea98
8th – Rennzzo
9th – Budda627
Standings are on the right side of the blog.
Monday, October 19, 2009
A Little Poker Knowledge is a Dangerous Thing
Here is some limit poker advice, but remember this stuff is not carved in stone. The type of opponents, the trend of the game and your table image are factors no one can predict when shelling out practical poker advice. But this stuff is usually correct. Just, not always – and that is the beauty of poker:
Position is most important with three or four players in the hand. Having position is still an advantage heads up or in a multi-way pot, but it is close to critical with three or four players competing for a pot.
The boundary line between having a large number of opponents in a hand and a small number of opponents is – three.
Do not overlook the chance that you will hit your ‘dream hand’ and still lose. For instance, drawing for an over card with lets say (AT). You could hit your [A] and still lose to (AQ) or (A-rag) that hit two pair.
If you would not call a raise from the button with the hand you are holding in the small blind – fold.
An unpaired hand will make a pair, straight draw or flush draw only 1/3 of the time.
The turn card is where money is made. A bet here can chase out add to your profit two ways – taking a pot down without a showdown and getting extra $ from inferior hands.
However, when facing a raise of a bet on the turn, the bettor usually can beat top pair.
Beware of ‘tainted’ cards that improve your hand, but could have strengthened your opponent’s hand even more.
Chances of flopping a flush is just .8 %. But if you had let’s say (Qd Jd) and the flop is [8d 6d 4d], slow-playing is inviting the (Kd) or (Ad) to snap you off.
The chance of flopping a straight with two connected cards is not much better at 1.3%.
Position is most important with three or four players in the hand. Having position is still an advantage heads up or in a multi-way pot, but it is close to critical with three or four players competing for a pot.
The boundary line between having a large number of opponents in a hand and a small number of opponents is – three.
Do not overlook the chance that you will hit your ‘dream hand’ and still lose. For instance, drawing for an over card with lets say (AT). You could hit your [A] and still lose to (AQ) or (A-rag) that hit two pair.
If you would not call a raise from the button with the hand you are holding in the small blind – fold.
An unpaired hand will make a pair, straight draw or flush draw only 1/3 of the time.
The turn card is where money is made. A bet here can chase out add to your profit two ways – taking a pot down without a showdown and getting extra $ from inferior hands.
However, when facing a raise of a bet on the turn, the bettor usually can beat top pair.
Beware of ‘tainted’ cards that improve your hand, but could have strengthened your opponent’s hand even more.
Chances of flopping a flush is just .8 %. But if you had let’s say (Qd Jd) and the flop is [8d 6d 4d], slow-playing is inviting the (Kd) or (Ad) to snap you off.
The chance of flopping a straight with two connected cards is not much better at 1.3%.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Bigbrimar Finishes 3rd in PokerStars Tourney
NPP players continue to cash …and it is not surprising. Not with the talent filled group you have to cut your teeth against every week in the league.
Bigbrimar landed just two from the top spot out of 360 players and raked in 40 times his entry for his final table appearance.
Nice job Bigbri! (ah…twss)
Bigbrimar landed just two from the top spot out of 360 players and raked in 40 times his entry for his final table appearance.
Nice job Bigbri! (ah…twss)
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Faldo Says “Yay” or “Nay” to Common Dealer’s Choice Games – Part XI
There are other poker games besides what is dealt in casinos and tournaments. The casino games are there because of their speed and simplicity in dealing. More hands equal more rake for the house.
But there are some fun, entertaining and challenging poker games you can deal in a home game, which make you have to think outside “the flop” sometimes.
The description of the following games in this series is Faldo’s opinion only. Other may like my take on a game and some will not. That’s fine. It’s all good. Here we go:
Proctor and Gamble
Each player receives four down cards. Betting round. Then three window cards are placed on the board, and turned over one at a time with a betting round in between each flip of a card. The last card flopped and all like it are wild.
It is a pure gambling game as you won’t know how many wild cards you will have in your hand until the end, but you do know you will have one.
Faldo says ‘Nay’. Exciting game but too much gamble for Faldo.
Push
This is a high-low game. Every player receives a down card. Then the player on the dealer’s left gets an up card. If he wants it, he keeps it. If not, he can push it to his left and gets the next card. Obviously it would probably help you if the person on your right was going in the opposite hand direction of you. Only the up cards can be pushed.
If the dealer pushes a card, it goes in the muck. Betting starts after everyone has their first up card. This continues until everyone has four up cards. Then, there is one ‘buy round’ or exchange option, where every player can throw away a card and ‘buy’ a replacement. Ah yes, a chance to get rid of the down card! Although you can replace an up card if you decide that is what you want to do.
Then a final betting round and a then a showdown or a ‘declare hi or low’ – dealer’s choice.
Faldo says ‘Yay’ to this one. Sounds like fun for a group of semi-drunk friends to rip on each other for cards passed or kept.
Round the World
Same game as Omaha Hi-Lo except there is only a four-card window and the cards are turned over one at a time, with a betting round after each one. This might be a game of choice should your table swell to nine players or more and you don’t wish to break up the table. The number of cards dealt to each player could be reduced also – from four to three.
Faldo says ‘Yay’, but standard Omaha Hi-Lo is just as good a game. But this game will make you learn to appreciate ‘the flop’.
But there are some fun, entertaining and challenging poker games you can deal in a home game, which make you have to think outside “the flop” sometimes.
The description of the following games in this series is Faldo’s opinion only. Other may like my take on a game and some will not. That’s fine. It’s all good. Here we go:
Proctor and Gamble
Each player receives four down cards. Betting round. Then three window cards are placed on the board, and turned over one at a time with a betting round in between each flip of a card. The last card flopped and all like it are wild.
It is a pure gambling game as you won’t know how many wild cards you will have in your hand until the end, but you do know you will have one.
Faldo says ‘Nay’. Exciting game but too much gamble for Faldo.
Push
This is a high-low game. Every player receives a down card. Then the player on the dealer’s left gets an up card. If he wants it, he keeps it. If not, he can push it to his left and gets the next card. Obviously it would probably help you if the person on your right was going in the opposite hand direction of you. Only the up cards can be pushed.
If the dealer pushes a card, it goes in the muck. Betting starts after everyone has their first up card. This continues until everyone has four up cards. Then, there is one ‘buy round’ or exchange option, where every player can throw away a card and ‘buy’ a replacement. Ah yes, a chance to get rid of the down card! Although you can replace an up card if you decide that is what you want to do.
Then a final betting round and a then a showdown or a ‘declare hi or low’ – dealer’s choice.
Faldo says ‘Yay’ to this one. Sounds like fun for a group of semi-drunk friends to rip on each other for cards passed or kept.
Round the World
Same game as Omaha Hi-Lo except there is only a four-card window and the cards are turned over one at a time, with a betting round after each one. This might be a game of choice should your table swell to nine players or more and you don’t wish to break up the table. The number of cards dealt to each player could be reduced also – from four to three.
Faldo says ‘Yay’, but standard Omaha Hi-Lo is just as good a game. But this game will make you learn to appreciate ‘the flop’.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Douge2’s Humor Corner – XXIV
Keeping With Tradition
An old Italian Mafia Don is dying. He calls his grandson to his bedside. " Guido, I wanna you lissina me. I wanna you to take-a my chrome plated .38 revolver so you will always remember me."
"But grandpa, I really don't like guns. How about you leave me your Rolex watch instead?"
"You lissina me, boy.. Somma day you gonna be runna DA business, you gonna have a beautiful wife, lotsa money, a big-a home and maybe a couple of bambinos "
"Somma day you gonna come-a home and maybe finda you wife inna bed with another man.. "Whatta you gonna do then? Pointa to the watch and say, “Time's Up”?
Actual Headlines Found in Newspapers!
“Coed Excited Dad Got Head Job”
“Tiger Woods Plays With Own Balls, Nike Says”
“Stats Show Teen Pregnancy Drops After Age 25”
“What Constitutes a Millionaire?”
“One-Armed Man Applauds Kindness of Strangers”
“Camouflage Army Vehicle Disappears”
“Fish Needs Water Feds Say”
“County to Spend $250,000 to Advertise Lack of Funds”
“Caskets Found as Workers Demolish Mausoleum”
“Poison Control Center Reminds Everyone Not to Take Poison”
“Crack Found in Man’s Buttocks"
"Obama Watches College Football Game - Wins Heisman Trophy"
Ok, the last one is not a real headline.
An old Italian Mafia Don is dying. He calls his grandson to his bedside. " Guido, I wanna you lissina me. I wanna you to take-a my chrome plated .38 revolver so you will always remember me."
"But grandpa, I really don't like guns. How about you leave me your Rolex watch instead?"
"You lissina me, boy.. Somma day you gonna be runna DA business, you gonna have a beautiful wife, lotsa money, a big-a home and maybe a couple of bambinos "
"Somma day you gonna come-a home and maybe finda you wife inna bed with another man.. "Whatta you gonna do then? Pointa to the watch and say, “Time's Up”?
Actual Headlines Found in Newspapers!
“Coed Excited Dad Got Head Job”
“Tiger Woods Plays With Own Balls, Nike Says”
“Stats Show Teen Pregnancy Drops After Age 25”
“What Constitutes a Millionaire?”
“One-Armed Man Applauds Kindness of Strangers”
“Camouflage Army Vehicle Disappears”
“Fish Needs Water Feds Say”
“County to Spend $250,000 to Advertise Lack of Funds”
“Caskets Found as Workers Demolish Mausoleum”
“Poison Control Center Reminds Everyone Not to Take Poison”
“Crack Found in Man’s Buttocks"
"Obama Watches College Football Game - Wins Heisman Trophy"
Ok, the last one is not a real headline.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Boother36 Wins a Premier Poker Lounge Tourney
Boother36 took care of business last Friday at the Premier Poker Lounge in Hartland at the Grille23 Restaurant and Tavern.
I would have liked to have posted this sooner, but since cashing in a tourney is like breathing to Boother36, he didn’t feel the need to tell Faldo about it. I had to drag it out of him by threatening him with NPP Committee sanctions!
And I begged him for the story too. Here it is:
“I had a free Friday night so I thought I would checkout the recently re-opened PPL card room at Grill 23 in Hartland.
They had a $40 buy-in tourney that started at 7 PM. I wanted to get there early to check out the cash game action, but ended up running late. Good thing though, since there was no cash game running before the tourney. Some of the regulars claimed that a special weekend tourney at the Howell Eagles club was stealing players?!?! A 1 table cash game was rolling at 11:00 or so when I left.
They ended up with 14 players for the tourney. My luck seemed to be running ok at the beginning. I was able to stay above starting chip stack without risking too much. But my luck turned for the better once they combined down to the final table.
The first hand at the final table, I end up flopping the nut flush. I have a guy betting into me, eventually going all-in. He was the first of 5 people I knocked out at that table. I did have one huge suck-out when I got priced in for all my chips after the turn, only to hit my hand on the river.
I guess the slate is now clean for all those times I have gotten screwed by said river!!! At the end of the tourney, I ended up chopping for 1st (they only paid the top 2 spots!!).
I thought the card room was very nice and they ran a good tourney. Not crowed at all, but the staff was very friendly. I truly believe that the staff (and the owners) know that players want to feel comfortable and play in a friendly atmosphere. They did everything they could to make you feel that way!! I think I will be back….as soon as this weekend possibly….” - Boother36
Boother joins Beerhog, K9isadog, Matchy and Faldo as NPP winners of PPL tourneys. Nice job Boother. And just because you win tournaments more often than Faldo folds his blinds, is no reason not to report your poker wins to me.
Don’t make me send the NPP Committee after you again!
Faldo may make an appearance this weekend too. I am planning an official NPP Night at PPL in November. Let’s try to get Please pick a night (Thursday – Friday –Saturday) by commenting here.
I would have liked to have posted this sooner, but since cashing in a tourney is like breathing to Boother36, he didn’t feel the need to tell Faldo about it. I had to drag it out of him by threatening him with NPP Committee sanctions!
And I begged him for the story too. Here it is:
“I had a free Friday night so I thought I would checkout the recently re-opened PPL card room at Grill 23 in Hartland.
They had a $40 buy-in tourney that started at 7 PM. I wanted to get there early to check out the cash game action, but ended up running late. Good thing though, since there was no cash game running before the tourney. Some of the regulars claimed that a special weekend tourney at the Howell Eagles club was stealing players?!?! A 1 table cash game was rolling at 11:00 or so when I left.
They ended up with 14 players for the tourney. My luck seemed to be running ok at the beginning. I was able to stay above starting chip stack without risking too much. But my luck turned for the better once they combined down to the final table.
The first hand at the final table, I end up flopping the nut flush. I have a guy betting into me, eventually going all-in. He was the first of 5 people I knocked out at that table. I did have one huge suck-out when I got priced in for all my chips after the turn, only to hit my hand on the river.
I guess the slate is now clean for all those times I have gotten screwed by said river!!! At the end of the tourney, I ended up chopping for 1st (they only paid the top 2 spots!!).
I thought the card room was very nice and they ran a good tourney. Not crowed at all, but the staff was very friendly. I truly believe that the staff (and the owners) know that players want to feel comfortable and play in a friendly atmosphere. They did everything they could to make you feel that way!! I think I will be back….as soon as this weekend possibly….” - Boother36
Boother joins Beerhog, K9isadog, Matchy and Faldo as NPP winners of PPL tourneys. Nice job Boother. And just because you win tournaments more often than Faldo folds his blinds, is no reason not to report your poker wins to me.
Don’t make me send the NPP Committee after you again!
Faldo may make an appearance this weekend too. I am planning an official NPP Night at PPL in November. Let’s try to get Please pick a night (Thursday – Friday –Saturday) by commenting here.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
ThePunk75 Wins His 3rd NPP Tourney
ThePunk75 bested fifteen others tonight to capture his 3rd NPP tourney win. He had to climb the mountain as your noble scribe took a big chip lead early.
This puts him in 1st place, not only in the 4th quarter seat race, but also the Total Points seat race. It is looking good for ThePunk to get to the Finals. But it is not over yet.
There were no new players tonight and Faldo is not happy about that. Anyway, excellent poker was played by the regulars.
On to the action:
14 min: Mikeniks-Faldo (JJ) re-raises a LittleRedElf raise (15th) that is called by Tomservo2 (16th) and the Elf. The flop is [Q7J] and they cannot get away from their (KK) and (AA). A rare double knockout of two of NPP’s most dangerous players! PokerStars nub for Faldo.
41 min: No casualties for a while until Douge2’s (14th) pair of Aces loses to Midway2933’s flush.
45 min: A short-stacked (SS) K9isadog (13th) has to go when his (Th 8h) hits a [T] on the flop. But he runs into ThePunk75’s (AA).
51 min: A SS Duder1123 (12th) pushes with (65) and a flop of [Qs4c6s] but Midway2933 (Ks 2s) hits his flush - again.
56 min: T3chlady (11th) goes AIPF with (55) but ThePunk75 calls with (AQ) and hits a [Q] on the flop. Ouster #2 by ThePunk.
1st Break:
Mikeniks-Faldo 6131
Midway2933 5280
ThePunk75 4972
Theedouble*d 2015
Budda627 1820
Rennzzo 1582
Tigercub8189 1120
Derf-63 580
Funtoon 485
Absea98 15
63 min: A SS Funtoon (10th) sees his (AK) lose to the SS (A2) of Derf-63 with (Kd 2d) and a [2] on the river.
64 min: Majorly SS Absea98 (9th) run into Mikeniks-Faldo’s (AK).
67 min: Derf-63 (8th) loses as his (Ah Th) cannot catch ThePunk75’s (KK). Ouster #3.
72 min: Budda627 (7th) has his (JJ) run into Theedouble*d’s (KK).
80 min: A SS Tigercub8189 (6th) goes with (A4) and runs into ThePunk75’s (AJ). Ouster #4.
85 min: Midway2933 (5th) bluffs at it, but Theedouble*d had two pair.
99 min: Theedouble*d (4th) had to go with (As 4s) with an [A] on the flop. But ThePunk75 is holding (AK). Ouster #5 for ThePunk!
109 min: Rennzzo (3rd) tries with (A7) but Mikeniks-Faldo is holding (AK).
110 min: Heads up: ThePunk75 15000 – Mikeniks-Faldo 8700
115 min: Heads up: ThePunk75 16500 – Mikeniks-Faldo 7200
2nd break:
ThePunk75 20571
Mikeniks-Faldo 3429
120 min: Heads up: ThePunk75 14500 – Mikeniks-Faldo 9200
121 min: We both limp into a flop of [8h 5d Qh]. ThePunk75 checks and Mikeniks-Faldo (2nd) bets the pot and gets called. I put Punk on a pair - of what I have no idea, but I figure I am behind with my (6h 4s).
The turn is a pretty [7], but unfortunately for me it is the [7h] and ThePunk is holding (4h 2h). Ouch, as the money gets all in there.
Congratulations to ThePunk75 on another NPP win.
1st – ThePunk75
2nd – Mikeniks-Faldo
3rd – Rennzzo
4th – Theedouble*d
5th – Midway2933
6th – Tigercub8189
7th – Budda627
8th – Derf-63
9th – Absea98
Standings are on the right side of the blog.
This puts him in 1st place, not only in the 4th quarter seat race, but also the Total Points seat race. It is looking good for ThePunk to get to the Finals. But it is not over yet.
There were no new players tonight and Faldo is not happy about that. Anyway, excellent poker was played by the regulars.
On to the action:
14 min: Mikeniks-Faldo (JJ) re-raises a LittleRedElf raise (15th) that is called by Tomservo2 (16th) and the Elf. The flop is [Q7J] and they cannot get away from their (KK) and (AA). A rare double knockout of two of NPP’s most dangerous players! PokerStars nub for Faldo.
41 min: No casualties for a while until Douge2’s (14th) pair of Aces loses to Midway2933’s flush.
45 min: A short-stacked (SS) K9isadog (13th) has to go when his (Th 8h) hits a [T] on the flop. But he runs into ThePunk75’s (AA).
51 min: A SS Duder1123 (12th) pushes with (65) and a flop of [Qs4c6s] but Midway2933 (Ks 2s) hits his flush - again.
56 min: T3chlady (11th) goes AIPF with (55) but ThePunk75 calls with (AQ) and hits a [Q] on the flop. Ouster #2 by ThePunk.
1st Break:
Mikeniks-Faldo 6131
Midway2933 5280
ThePunk75 4972
Theedouble*d 2015
Budda627 1820
Rennzzo 1582
Tigercub8189 1120
Derf-63 580
Funtoon 485
Absea98 15
63 min: A SS Funtoon (10th) sees his (AK) lose to the SS (A2) of Derf-63 with (Kd 2d) and a [2] on the river.
64 min: Majorly SS Absea98 (9th) run into Mikeniks-Faldo’s (AK).
67 min: Derf-63 (8th) loses as his (Ah Th) cannot catch ThePunk75’s (KK). Ouster #3.
72 min: Budda627 (7th) has his (JJ) run into Theedouble*d’s (KK).
80 min: A SS Tigercub8189 (6th) goes with (A4) and runs into ThePunk75’s (AJ). Ouster #4.
85 min: Midway2933 (5th) bluffs at it, but Theedouble*d had two pair.
99 min: Theedouble*d (4th) had to go with (As 4s) with an [A] on the flop. But ThePunk75 is holding (AK). Ouster #5 for ThePunk!
109 min: Rennzzo (3rd) tries with (A7) but Mikeniks-Faldo is holding (AK).
110 min: Heads up: ThePunk75 15000 – Mikeniks-Faldo 8700
115 min: Heads up: ThePunk75 16500 – Mikeniks-Faldo 7200
2nd break:
ThePunk75 20571
Mikeniks-Faldo 3429
120 min: Heads up: ThePunk75 14500 – Mikeniks-Faldo 9200
121 min: We both limp into a flop of [8h 5d Qh]. ThePunk75 checks and Mikeniks-Faldo (2nd) bets the pot and gets called. I put Punk on a pair - of what I have no idea, but I figure I am behind with my (6h 4s).
The turn is a pretty [7], but unfortunately for me it is the [7h] and ThePunk is holding (4h 2h). Ouch, as the money gets all in there.
Congratulations to ThePunk75 on another NPP win.
1st – ThePunk75
2nd – Mikeniks-Faldo
3rd – Rennzzo
4th – Theedouble*d
5th – Midway2933
6th – Tigercub8189
7th – Budda627
8th – Derf-63
9th – Absea98
Standings are on the right side of the blog.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Premier Poker Lounge Now Open Wed thru Saturday
Premier Poker Lounge at Hartland, MI's - Grille 23 - on Old US-23 just south of M-59, is now open Wednesday thru Saturday, 6pm to close.
Wednesday: $25 buy in 5,000 chips
Thursday: $25 buy in turbo tourney 5,000 chips.
Friday: $30 buy in 7,000 chips.
Saturday: $40 buy in 12,000 chips
The cash games are going nightly.
October 17th, there is a special Saturday night event. Live band and special prizes.
Watch for the PPL Fall Poker Series, November 25, 27, 28, 2009.
As always you can check out the PPL link on the right side of the blog.
Wednesday: $25 buy in 5,000 chips
Thursday: $25 buy in turbo tourney 5,000 chips.
Friday: $30 buy in 7,000 chips.
Saturday: $40 buy in 12,000 chips
The cash games are going nightly.
October 17th, there is a special Saturday night event. Live band and special prizes.
Watch for the PPL Fall Poker Series, November 25, 27, 28, 2009.
As always you can check out the PPL link on the right side of the blog.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Faldo Says “Yay” or “Nay” to Common Dealer’s Choice Games – Part X
There are other poker games besides what is dealt in casinos and tournaments. The casino games are there because of their speed and simplicity in dealing. More hands equal more rake for the house.
But there are some fun, entertaining and challenging poker games you can deal in a home game, which make you have to think outside “the flop” sometimes.
The description of the following games in this series is Faldo’s opinion only. Other may like my take on a game and some will not. That’s fine. It’s all good. Here we go:
Death Wheel
This game was invented by that great poker mind, Hlam14, aka, Herbavor. Four cards are dealt to everyone (‘bonus’ 5-card option is available to the dealer, providing there are enough cards in the deck.
A wheel of six cards face down is place on the table and betting begins. Players make their hands using all the cards in their hands and adding any three cards ‘touching’ (on either side of the main card you choose) on the wheel.
Cards are turned up on the wheel two at a time and betting occurs after each ‘flop’. The dealer will flop two cards on each side of the wheel, then the other two cards on the opposite side he just flopped, and then finally the single two cards at the top and bottom, closing the wheel.
You can also deal an eight card wheel, turning two cards on the right, two cards on the left, then the top and then the bottom for 5 total betting rounds. Or turn four, two, two. Whatever, just so the dealer announces before dealing.
This game can be played high, low or Hi-Lo. In Hi-lo games, you players must simultaneously declare whether you are going Hi, Lo or both ways (go both ways, you have to win both ways or your hand is folded).
This game started out as a crowd favorite at NPP home games, with plenty of action – and then mysteriously, the players turned on the game. So much so, NPP players banished Herbavor to Iowa, banning him from NPP games. Now he is forced to live with the corn(hole) people.
Faldo still says ‘Yay’ to this game.
Gridlock
Don’t remember who brought this game to NPP (maybe Faldo), but a player at NPP got the nickname Gridlock (Jwr22 on the Walk of Fame), because it became the ONLY game he would deal in the home games!
Four cards are dealt to everyone (‘bonus’ 5-card option is available to the dealer, providing there are enough cards in the deck).
A window of nine cards placed in a tic-tac-toe formation on the table and the betting begins. Three cards are turned over on a top or side row, and another round of betting. Then three cards are turned over on the opposite end of the row or column selected, with another betting round – and then finally the center row or column with a final betting round.
The game is played high, where you use any two cards in your hand and any three in a row, column or on the diagonal (nine flops!). The twist is, the player left holding the highest card of the suit of the middle of the grid, gets half the pot – so obviously Aces are a premium card to hold.
Faldo says ‘Yay’.
But there are some fun, entertaining and challenging poker games you can deal in a home game, which make you have to think outside “the flop” sometimes.
The description of the following games in this series is Faldo’s opinion only. Other may like my take on a game and some will not. That’s fine. It’s all good. Here we go:
Death Wheel
This game was invented by that great poker mind, Hlam14, aka, Herbavor. Four cards are dealt to everyone (‘bonus’ 5-card option is available to the dealer, providing there are enough cards in the deck.
A wheel of six cards face down is place on the table and betting begins. Players make their hands using all the cards in their hands and adding any three cards ‘touching’ (on either side of the main card you choose) on the wheel.
Cards are turned up on the wheel two at a time and betting occurs after each ‘flop’. The dealer will flop two cards on each side of the wheel, then the other two cards on the opposite side he just flopped, and then finally the single two cards at the top and bottom, closing the wheel.
You can also deal an eight card wheel, turning two cards on the right, two cards on the left, then the top and then the bottom for 5 total betting rounds. Or turn four, two, two. Whatever, just so the dealer announces before dealing.
This game can be played high, low or Hi-Lo. In Hi-lo games, you players must simultaneously declare whether you are going Hi, Lo or both ways (go both ways, you have to win both ways or your hand is folded).
This game started out as a crowd favorite at NPP home games, with plenty of action – and then mysteriously, the players turned on the game. So much so, NPP players banished Herbavor to Iowa, banning him from NPP games. Now he is forced to live with the corn(hole) people.
Faldo still says ‘Yay’ to this game.
Gridlock
Don’t remember who brought this game to NPP (maybe Faldo), but a player at NPP got the nickname Gridlock (Jwr22 on the Walk of Fame), because it became the ONLY game he would deal in the home games!
Four cards are dealt to everyone (‘bonus’ 5-card option is available to the dealer, providing there are enough cards in the deck).
A window of nine cards placed in a tic-tac-toe formation on the table and the betting begins. Three cards are turned over on a top or side row, and another round of betting. Then three cards are turned over on the opposite end of the row or column selected, with another betting round – and then finally the center row or column with a final betting round.
The game is played high, where you use any two cards in your hand and any three in a row, column or on the diagonal (nine flops!). The twist is, the player left holding the highest card of the suit of the middle of the grid, gets half the pot – so obviously Aces are a premium card to hold.
Faldo says ‘Yay’.
Friday, October 09, 2009
Faldo Wins Cake Poker NL Holdem Tournament
Ok, got to set this up. I get up at 3am to release the beer I had watching football and baseball on the TV a few hours ago. Returning to the sack, I just toss and turn. So, I put on some coffee and decide a little poker action is in order.
I find tourneys on PokerStars, Cake Poker and Full Tilt and settle in – one on each screen. Before I take two sips, I am out of both the Cake and FT tourneys and crippled in the PS one. Yes, I was ahead in all three hands! Well, now there is no way I can sleep now!
Punch a heavy bag for an hour, yes! Sleep? Not so much.
So I get into three more on the same three sites. By the way, my desperation all-in fails in the first PS tourney also.
The second set of tourneys goes much better! I finish 32nd in the PokerStars tourney out of 431 players – tripling my buy-in.
I make the final table in the other two tourneys! I finish 4th in the Full Tilt tourney out of 230 players. A deal was suggested but one player said no. Shortly after he turned down the deal, I get (AQ) in the big blind and call the standard raise as only the SB folds. The flop is [AJJ] and we all know what someone has (JT), as I go from 2nd in chips to badly short stacked by this cold deck hand.
I felt it – I really did - but how do you fold that? I couldn’t do it. Anyway, still made 24 times my buy-in there.
Now to concentrate on the other final table where I am in 6th of 8 left. I get the chip lead with four left. A nice run of cards and some luck as many short stacks had to try with not so much and I had them or hit my over card.
Well the luck ran out and the same dealer must have came over from Full Tilt as I get (T7) in the SB and we all check in to see a flop of [77T]. Bingo – I thought! I call the all-in by the guy 3rd in chips with (AT). Yes, a [T] on the turn and an [A] on the river! Thought it was going to be another 4th place for me.
But some all-ins held up and then they let me steal unchallenged until my stack was back to dangerous.
Then my (TT) won to get the lead back. Then my (AK) took out (QsJs), and finally – heads up – my (A9) flopped trip 9’s against the villain’s (88) and I win my 12th internet tournament and 2nd of 2009.
I bested 107 other players and made 32 times my buy in.
I find tourneys on PokerStars, Cake Poker and Full Tilt and settle in – one on each screen. Before I take two sips, I am out of both the Cake and FT tourneys and crippled in the PS one. Yes, I was ahead in all three hands! Well, now there is no way I can sleep now!
Punch a heavy bag for an hour, yes! Sleep? Not so much.
So I get into three more on the same three sites. By the way, my desperation all-in fails in the first PS tourney also.
The second set of tourneys goes much better! I finish 32nd in the PokerStars tourney out of 431 players – tripling my buy-in.
I make the final table in the other two tourneys! I finish 4th in the Full Tilt tourney out of 230 players. A deal was suggested but one player said no. Shortly after he turned down the deal, I get (AQ) in the big blind and call the standard raise as only the SB folds. The flop is [AJJ] and we all know what someone has (JT), as I go from 2nd in chips to badly short stacked by this cold deck hand.
I felt it – I really did - but how do you fold that? I couldn’t do it. Anyway, still made 24 times my buy-in there.
Now to concentrate on the other final table where I am in 6th of 8 left. I get the chip lead with four left. A nice run of cards and some luck as many short stacks had to try with not so much and I had them or hit my over card.
Well the luck ran out and the same dealer must have came over from Full Tilt as I get (T7) in the SB and we all check in to see a flop of [77T]. Bingo – I thought! I call the all-in by the guy 3rd in chips with (AT). Yes, a [T] on the turn and an [A] on the river! Thought it was going to be another 4th place for me.
But some all-ins held up and then they let me steal unchallenged until my stack was back to dangerous.
Then my (TT) won to get the lead back. Then my (AK) took out (QsJs), and finally – heads up – my (A9) flopped trip 9’s against the villain’s (88) and I win my 12th internet tournament and 2nd of 2009.
I bested 107 other players and made 32 times my buy in.
Thursday, October 08, 2009
Douge2’s Humor Corner – XXIII
Relieving the Pressure
During a commercial airline flight, a travel weary Faldo was seated next to a young mother with a babe in arms. When her baby began crying during the descent for landing, the mother began nursing her infant as discreetly as possible.
Faldo pretended not to notice and upon landing, he gallantly offered his assistance to help with the various baby-related objects.
When the young mother expressed her gratitude, Faldo responded, “Gosh, that's a cute baby…and he sure was hungry!”
Somewhat embarrassed, the mother explained that her pediatrician said breast feeding would help alleviate the pressure in the baby's ears.
Faldo sadly shook his head and said, “And all these years I've been chewing gum.”
Getting the Last Drop
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 a 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 Obama Administration.”
During a commercial airline flight, a travel weary Faldo was seated next to a young mother with a babe in arms. When her baby began crying during the descent for landing, the mother began nursing her infant as discreetly as possible.
Faldo pretended not to notice and upon landing, he gallantly offered his assistance to help with the various baby-related objects.
When the young mother expressed her gratitude, Faldo responded, “Gosh, that's a cute baby…and he sure was hungry!”
Somewhat embarrassed, the mother explained that her pediatrician said breast feeding would help alleviate the pressure in the baby's ears.
Faldo sadly shook his head and said, “And all these years I've been chewing gum.”
Getting the Last Drop
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 a 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 Obama Administration.”
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
Rennzzo Wins His 3rd NPP Tourney and 2nd This Year
Besting a field of twenty others, Rennzzo got back in the NPP Finals picture.
It was an exciting night with the Detroit Tigers trying to get in the playoff in the background. But the Tigers were as successful as Faldo making a final table on Tuesday.
Two new players joined us tonight; Midway2933 and WildWoode. Welcome to NPP guys!
Returning to the NPP felt tonight was Biglou93, fresh off the golf course. Welcome back Lou!
On to the action:
33 min: UMichPoker (21st) sees her (JJ) run into Budda627’s (AA).
35 min: Tomservo2 (20th) goes out and I didn’t see it – losing my own hand on my table.
36 min: K9isadog (19th) sees his (AQ) run into Kensik’s (AA).
37 min: Midway2933 (18th) sees a four way flop of [5s Qs Qd]. Everyone checks the flop, but the turn of [Jc] sees WildWoode bet, Midway raises, Vanettij re-raises and only Midway calls to see the river [Jh]. Midway calls the all-in and loses to the bigger full house. A cooler hand, which is how newbies at NPP are usually treated.
38 min: A short-stacked (SS) LittleRedElf (17th) goes with (Qh 9h) and a flop of [7s Jd 9s] only to lose to Vanettij’s (99) trip 9’s.
47 min: A SS Theedouble*d (16th) gets all his money in with (A8) and Douge2 calls it with (AQ).
54 min: A SS Biglou93 (15th) goes AIPF with (A9) and loses to Budda627’s (77).
1st Break:
Vanettij 4913
Budda627 4258
Akensi 2725
Rennzzo 2640
Kensik 2420
ThePunk75 2085
Douge2 2016
Tigercub8189 1910
Mikeniks-Faldo 1890
Funtoon 1820
Absea98 1460
TresStooges 1370
Meatsword 1115
WildWoode 878
62 min: A SS WildWoode (14th) goes with (33) and runs into Akensi’s (KK).
63 min: TresStooges (13th) goes with (AK) and a straight draw, only to lose to Vanettij with (Ac 8c), who hits his flush draw instead.
73 min: Meatsword (12th) sees his (As Js) run into ThePunk75’s (AQ).
83 min: Funtoon (11th) calls an AIPF with (KJ) but finds Budda627 with (JJ).
91 min: A SS Mikeniks-Faldo (10th) has to go with (44) and cannot catch Douge2’s (99). Two weeks in a row pocket nines end my night, and two weeks in a row someone first destroyed my stack, then took me out. Derf-63 had the honors last week.
95 min: A SS Tigercub8189 (9th) moves in with (KJ) after a flop of [5QK], but runs into Akensi’s (KQ).
97 min: Absea98’s (8th) (AT) cannot catch ThePunk75’s (AJ).
109 min: Vanettij is cold-decked (7th) as his (KK) finds Akensi holding (AA)!
2nd break:
Akensi 8528 (can she hang on for her first NPP win?)
Rennzzo 7505 (everyone else left has two NPP wins)
Douge2 5009
Kensik 4024
ThePunk75 3345
Budda627 3089
It got wild after the break. Five all-ins survived with some crazy turns and rivers.
128 min: Budda627 (6th) commented on how nuts it was, so PokerStars decided to right the ship on him as he goes with (Ah Th) but cannot catch Douge2’s (JJ). PS didn’t get him for lipping off did they?
132 min: Kensik (5th) loses his all-in to Akensi’s straight.
134 min: Akensi (4th) is all-in with (TT) and Douge2 calls with (QQ).
140 min: ThePunk75 (3rd) makes a move with (QJ) and a flop of [K3Q], but Rennzzo has (K9).
Heads up: Rennzzo 17500 - Douge2 14000
145 min: Same stack amounts.
150 min: Equal stack amounts!
155 min: They both limp in on a flop of [3c Kc 6d]. Rennzzo bets here and Douge2 (2nd) calls. They check the [9d] turn. Douge moves in with a river [Qc] with (K6), but Rennzzo has made his flush (Ac 4c).
Congratulations to Rennzzo on another NPP win.
1st – Rennzzo
2nd – Douge2
3rd – ThePunk75
4th – Akensi
5th – Kensik
6th – Budda627
7th – Vanettij
8th – Absea98
9th – Tigercub8189
Standings are on the right side of the blog.
It was an exciting night with the Detroit Tigers trying to get in the playoff in the background. But the Tigers were as successful as Faldo making a final table on Tuesday.
Two new players joined us tonight; Midway2933 and WildWoode. Welcome to NPP guys!
Returning to the NPP felt tonight was Biglou93, fresh off the golf course. Welcome back Lou!
On to the action:
33 min: UMichPoker (21st) sees her (JJ) run into Budda627’s (AA).
35 min: Tomservo2 (20th) goes out and I didn’t see it – losing my own hand on my table.
36 min: K9isadog (19th) sees his (AQ) run into Kensik’s (AA).
37 min: Midway2933 (18th) sees a four way flop of [5s Qs Qd]. Everyone checks the flop, but the turn of [Jc] sees WildWoode bet, Midway raises, Vanettij re-raises and only Midway calls to see the river [Jh]. Midway calls the all-in and loses to the bigger full house. A cooler hand, which is how newbies at NPP are usually treated.
38 min: A short-stacked (SS) LittleRedElf (17th) goes with (Qh 9h) and a flop of [7s Jd 9s] only to lose to Vanettij’s (99) trip 9’s.
47 min: A SS Theedouble*d (16th) gets all his money in with (A8) and Douge2 calls it with (AQ).
54 min: A SS Biglou93 (15th) goes AIPF with (A9) and loses to Budda627’s (77).
1st Break:
Vanettij 4913
Budda627 4258
Akensi 2725
Rennzzo 2640
Kensik 2420
ThePunk75 2085
Douge2 2016
Tigercub8189 1910
Mikeniks-Faldo 1890
Funtoon 1820
Absea98 1460
TresStooges 1370
Meatsword 1115
WildWoode 878
62 min: A SS WildWoode (14th) goes with (33) and runs into Akensi’s (KK).
63 min: TresStooges (13th) goes with (AK) and a straight draw, only to lose to Vanettij with (Ac 8c), who hits his flush draw instead.
73 min: Meatsword (12th) sees his (As Js) run into ThePunk75’s (AQ).
83 min: Funtoon (11th) calls an AIPF with (KJ) but finds Budda627 with (JJ).
91 min: A SS Mikeniks-Faldo (10th) has to go with (44) and cannot catch Douge2’s (99). Two weeks in a row pocket nines end my night, and two weeks in a row someone first destroyed my stack, then took me out. Derf-63 had the honors last week.
95 min: A SS Tigercub8189 (9th) moves in with (KJ) after a flop of [5QK], but runs into Akensi’s (KQ).
97 min: Absea98’s (8th) (AT) cannot catch ThePunk75’s (AJ).
109 min: Vanettij is cold-decked (7th) as his (KK) finds Akensi holding (AA)!
2nd break:
Akensi 8528 (can she hang on for her first NPP win?)
Rennzzo 7505 (everyone else left has two NPP wins)
Douge2 5009
Kensik 4024
ThePunk75 3345
Budda627 3089
It got wild after the break. Five all-ins survived with some crazy turns and rivers.
128 min: Budda627 (6th) commented on how nuts it was, so PokerStars decided to right the ship on him as he goes with (Ah Th) but cannot catch Douge2’s (JJ). PS didn’t get him for lipping off did they?
132 min: Kensik (5th) loses his all-in to Akensi’s straight.
134 min: Akensi (4th) is all-in with (TT) and Douge2 calls with (QQ).
140 min: ThePunk75 (3rd) makes a move with (QJ) and a flop of [K3Q], but Rennzzo has (K9).
Heads up: Rennzzo 17500 - Douge2 14000
145 min: Same stack amounts.
150 min: Equal stack amounts!
155 min: They both limp in on a flop of [3c Kc 6d]. Rennzzo bets here and Douge2 (2nd) calls. They check the [9d] turn. Douge moves in with a river [Qc] with (K6), but Rennzzo has made his flush (Ac 4c).
Congratulations to Rennzzo on another NPP win.
1st – Rennzzo
2nd – Douge2
3rd – ThePunk75
4th – Akensi
5th – Kensik
6th – Budda627
7th – Vanettij
8th – Absea98
9th – Tigercub8189
Standings are on the right side of the blog.
Monday, October 05, 2009
Faldo Finishes 7th in PokerStars Ante Tourney
It was another final table out of 360 players for Faldo on Sunday. I also slipped in a 20th place finish on Cake Poker in a 284 player tourney, cashing also.
The ‘Ante’ tourney is a little different type of format. The blinds stay at 5 and 5 chips. But antes continue to increase. So in effect, except for position, the blinds are meaningless. Since my style of play makes Dan Harrington’s play look like Gus Hansen on steroids, I was a little concerned getting in this thing.
In short order, everyone was paying 100 chips for their cards and two guys had to throw in an extra 5 for the blinds. Big whoop! In my example here, the pot started with 910 chips, and it was only $5 to call.
Obviously, the entire table limps in, and it is up to the good player to drive people out to leave dead money in the center.
But many hands saw 7 to 9 players see a flop due to no raises – which meant it was as big of flop bingo as our NPP home game favorite “Triple bed Omaha Hi-Lo.” I think my experience in this area helped me. Niks Poker Palace - always a training ground!
Regardless of the texture of the flop, usually someone hit something, which made it both a dangerous game, and an excellent re-raise or bluff opportunity game.
To run this deep, I did get a few breaks along the way to survive. I had to move with (QJ) and flopped the nut straight. A big stack tripped up and another short stack had the flush draw and was there too. When they missed, I tripled up.
Then with three tables left, I had to go with K9 and was called by A5 and AT-suited, and spiked an international buy card [9] on the river to take that down.
Anyway, I managed to add 12 times the entry to my bankroll with my 2nd final table in October already!
The ‘Ante’ tourney is a little different type of format. The blinds stay at 5 and 5 chips. But antes continue to increase. So in effect, except for position, the blinds are meaningless. Since my style of play makes Dan Harrington’s play look like Gus Hansen on steroids, I was a little concerned getting in this thing.
In short order, everyone was paying 100 chips for their cards and two guys had to throw in an extra 5 for the blinds. Big whoop! In my example here, the pot started with 910 chips, and it was only $5 to call.
Obviously, the entire table limps in, and it is up to the good player to drive people out to leave dead money in the center.
But many hands saw 7 to 9 players see a flop due to no raises – which meant it was as big of flop bingo as our NPP home game favorite “Triple bed Omaha Hi-Lo.” I think my experience in this area helped me. Niks Poker Palace - always a training ground!
Regardless of the texture of the flop, usually someone hit something, which made it both a dangerous game, and an excellent re-raise or bluff opportunity game.
To run this deep, I did get a few breaks along the way to survive. I had to move with (QJ) and flopped the nut straight. A big stack tripped up and another short stack had the flush draw and was there too. When they missed, I tripled up.
Then with three tables left, I had to go with K9 and was called by A5 and AT-suited, and spiked an international buy card [9] on the river to take that down.
Anyway, I managed to add 12 times the entry to my bankroll with my 2nd final table in October already!
Sunday, October 04, 2009
Boku87 Steals Faldo’s Gimmick!
Some player by the name of Boku87 is attempting to turn $5 into $100,000 in just twelve months, playing poker on PokerStars.
This is a brazen attempt to copy Faldo’s challenge that I proposed on the same site.
I told PokerStars to promote Faldo as I would try to turn an initial deposit of $50 on PokerStars into $55 by the year 2020. Talk about stealing my thunder!
Seriously, if this guy pulls this off, I think I have to take up Keno.
Ok, ok – I will have to take Keno up – AGAIN!
This is a brazen attempt to copy Faldo’s challenge that I proposed on the same site.
I told PokerStars to promote Faldo as I would try to turn an initial deposit of $50 on PokerStars into $55 by the year 2020. Talk about stealing my thunder!
Seriously, if this guy pulls this off, I think I have to take up Keno.
Ok, ok – I will have to take Keno up – AGAIN!
Saturday, October 03, 2009
Random Questions Answered by Faldo – Part III
Feel free to email me questions to add to the list, or leave them in a comment. Also, feel free to answer them yourself in the comment section. I like to learn more about you people too!
When was the last time you puked from drinking too much?
In the late 1980’s. I came home from partying after winning a softball tourney. I took a shower, then ate a huge bowl of cold spaghetti left over from the dinner I missed. As I settled in to pass out, the room started that spin we all know. I didn’t make it to the bathroom and the white carpet now had a problem. I swore to my wife I would never do that again, and I have not.
If you could ask one question to any three people and get an honest answer, who and what would you ask?
Of B. Hussein Obama – Why do you want to be dictator?
Of Ben Franklin – How long did you really think our republic would last when you wrote the Constitution?
Of Daniel Negreanu – How do you play poker really?
Who is your favorite actress of all time?
Meryl Streep is the best actress I ever saw. Favorite – don’t have one.
What is your favorite cigar?
Licenciado – a mild/medium Dominican, in the natural color Connecticut wrapper.
Are you a T guy or an A guy?
Actually, I am an L (legs) guy. Great legs usually make a great A out of themselves anyway.
If you could have a super-power, what would it be?
Mind reading.
Would you rather play poker against someone better than you, worse than you or luckier than you?
Worse – just once. I am already always playing against the other two types of players all the time.
Do you have any good friends who are liberals?
I don’t think so. I have some acquaintances (and know a lot of women) who don’t have a clue politically and vote Democrat without thinking. But a true liberal friend who – by definition - is at least a socialist? No.
Afterthought:
And here is a thought for any liberals reading. How can a liberal be a poker player in the first place? If you lose, that is not fair – is it? Shouldn’t the other players give back the chips they won?
And if you win, you either have more talent and skill - or were a winner in life’s lottery (lucky) – and that is not fair either, is it? Shouldn’t you get taxed so the chips you won can be re-distributed to all who played?
How can a true liberal even think of playing a pure capitalist game like poker? I’m just sayin’ – liberals are only liberal with other people’s chips. Not their own.
When was the last time you puked from drinking too much?
In the late 1980’s. I came home from partying after winning a softball tourney. I took a shower, then ate a huge bowl of cold spaghetti left over from the dinner I missed. As I settled in to pass out, the room started that spin we all know. I didn’t make it to the bathroom and the white carpet now had a problem. I swore to my wife I would never do that again, and I have not.
If you could ask one question to any three people and get an honest answer, who and what would you ask?
Of B. Hussein Obama – Why do you want to be dictator?
Of Ben Franklin – How long did you really think our republic would last when you wrote the Constitution?
Of Daniel Negreanu – How do you play poker really?
Who is your favorite actress of all time?
Meryl Streep is the best actress I ever saw. Favorite – don’t have one.
What is your favorite cigar?
Licenciado – a mild/medium Dominican, in the natural color Connecticut wrapper.
Are you a T guy or an A guy?
Actually, I am an L (legs) guy. Great legs usually make a great A out of themselves anyway.
If you could have a super-power, what would it be?
Mind reading.
Would you rather play poker against someone better than you, worse than you or luckier than you?
Worse – just once. I am already always playing against the other two types of players all the time.
Do you have any good friends who are liberals?
I don’t think so. I have some acquaintances (and know a lot of women) who don’t have a clue politically and vote Democrat without thinking. But a true liberal friend who – by definition - is at least a socialist? No.
Afterthought:
And here is a thought for any liberals reading. How can a liberal be a poker player in the first place? If you lose, that is not fair – is it? Shouldn’t the other players give back the chips they won?
And if you win, you either have more talent and skill - or were a winner in life’s lottery (lucky) – and that is not fair either, is it? Shouldn’t you get taxed so the chips you won can be re-distributed to all who played?
How can a true liberal even think of playing a pure capitalist game like poker? I’m just sayin’ – liberals are only liberal with other people’s chips. Not their own.
Friday, October 02, 2009
Faldo Says “Yay” or “Nay” to Common Dealer’s Choice Games – Part IX
There are other poker games besides what is dealt in casinos and tournaments. The casino games are there because of their speed and simplicity in dealing. More hands equals more rake for the house.
But there are some fun, entertaining and challenging poker games you can deal in a home game, which make you have to think outside “the flop” sometimes.
The description of the following games in this series is Faldo’s opinion only. Other may like my take on a game and some will not. That’s fine. It’s all good. Here we go:
Murder
A two-card game with three substitutions – played high and low. Aces are high only, so the best high hand is AA and the best low is 3-2. The twist is a pair of 7’s scoops the entire pot.
The dealer sets up the bet amounts and the cost for each substitution, if he wants to charge for that. A fast and possibly an expensive game.
Faldo says ‘Yay’.
New York Stud
Dealt the same as Five-card Stud except a Four-flush is added to the line-up as a real hand and it beats a pair.
It can also be dealt to include Bobtail straights (four-card straights), which also beat a pair, but not a Four-flush.
Faldo says ‘Yay’.
Pip Poker
Deal it as you want - Draw or Stud - but the hand value is simply based on the size of the cards. Aces count as 1 and face cards count as 10.
Faldo says ‘Yay’.
Pistol Stud
Same as Seven or Five Stud except betting starts on the first down card.
Faldo says ‘Yay’.
But there are some fun, entertaining and challenging poker games you can deal in a home game, which make you have to think outside “the flop” sometimes.
The description of the following games in this series is Faldo’s opinion only. Other may like my take on a game and some will not. That’s fine. It’s all good. Here we go:
Murder
A two-card game with three substitutions – played high and low. Aces are high only, so the best high hand is AA and the best low is 3-2. The twist is a pair of 7’s scoops the entire pot.
The dealer sets up the bet amounts and the cost for each substitution, if he wants to charge for that. A fast and possibly an expensive game.
Faldo says ‘Yay’.
New York Stud
Dealt the same as Five-card Stud except a Four-flush is added to the line-up as a real hand and it beats a pair.
It can also be dealt to include Bobtail straights (four-card straights), which also beat a pair, but not a Four-flush.
Faldo says ‘Yay’.
Pip Poker
Deal it as you want - Draw or Stud - but the hand value is simply based on the size of the cards. Aces count as 1 and face cards count as 10.
Faldo says ‘Yay’.
Pistol Stud
Same as Seven or Five Stud except betting starts on the first down card.
Faldo says ‘Yay’.
Thursday, October 01, 2009
Douge2’s Humor Corner - XXII
Top Ten Signs You’re Choking
• Beads of sweat are breaking out on your tongue.
• You’re panting like Oprah rolling a boulder up Mt. Everest.
• In a past life, you were a wildebeest with its windpipe clamped in a lion’s mouth.
• Your face is redder than a baboon’s butt.
• Your eyeballs are bulging like Marty Feldman in King Kong's death grip.
• You’ve got all the mellowness of a hypertensive hummingbird crossed with a jackhammer.
• Crack junkies tell you to lighten up – you’re making them look bad.
• Between you and 101 Dalmatians, you’re the one peeing more.
• You’re trembling like Robert Downey Jr. with a cop in his rear-view mirror.
• Before each shot, your caddy gives you the Heimlich.
Obituary
A woman goes into the local newspaper office to see that the obituary for her recently deceased husband is published. The obit editor informs her that there is a charge of 50 cents per word.
She pauses, reflects, and then says well; then, let it read "Fred Brown died."
Amused at the woman's thrift, the editor tells her that there is a seven word minimum for all obituaries.
She thinks it over and in a few seconds says, "In that case, let it read,
'Fred Brown died: golf clubs for sale.'"
Top Ten Signs You’re Obsessed with Golf
• Even your work gloves have a ball marker on the wrist.
• You mow your backyard to 11 on the Stimpmeter.
• You don’t know who the Vice President is, but you’ve got Davis Love’s sand save percentage memorized.
• You name your kids Arnold, Jesper and Chi Chi, and that’s just the girls.
• Tees in all your pockets, even your jammies.
• Getting married at 10? You can still get in a quick 9 holes at 8.
• You have all the machinery foldouts from Turfgrass Monthly pinned to your wall.
• You get a titanium rod inserted permanently so you can’t bend your left arm.
• After two days without golf, you get the shakes and have to phone 1-800-HEADCASE so they can talk you down.
• When you stand at the urinal, you use the overlapping grip
• Beads of sweat are breaking out on your tongue.
• You’re panting like Oprah rolling a boulder up Mt. Everest.
• In a past life, you were a wildebeest with its windpipe clamped in a lion’s mouth.
• Your face is redder than a baboon’s butt.
• Your eyeballs are bulging like Marty Feldman in King Kong's death grip.
• You’ve got all the mellowness of a hypertensive hummingbird crossed with a jackhammer.
• Crack junkies tell you to lighten up – you’re making them look bad.
• Between you and 101 Dalmatians, you’re the one peeing more.
• You’re trembling like Robert Downey Jr. with a cop in his rear-view mirror.
• Before each shot, your caddy gives you the Heimlich.
Obituary
A woman goes into the local newspaper office to see that the obituary for her recently deceased husband is published. The obit editor informs her that there is a charge of 50 cents per word.
She pauses, reflects, and then says well; then, let it read "Fred Brown died."
Amused at the woman's thrift, the editor tells her that there is a seven word minimum for all obituaries.
She thinks it over and in a few seconds says, "In that case, let it read,
'Fred Brown died: golf clubs for sale.'"
Top Ten Signs You’re Obsessed with Golf
• Even your work gloves have a ball marker on the wrist.
• You mow your backyard to 11 on the Stimpmeter.
• You don’t know who the Vice President is, but you’ve got Davis Love’s sand save percentage memorized.
• You name your kids Arnold, Jesper and Chi Chi, and that’s just the girls.
• Tees in all your pockets, even your jammies.
• Getting married at 10? You can still get in a quick 9 holes at 8.
• You have all the machinery foldouts from Turfgrass Monthly pinned to your wall.
• You get a titanium rod inserted permanently so you can’t bend your left arm.
• After two days without golf, you get the shakes and have to phone 1-800-HEADCASE so they can talk you down.
• When you stand at the urinal, you use the overlapping grip
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