Nahanni Wins NPP Internet #21

Seven of us took to the felt after the Memorial Day weekend. Must of been a heck of a weekend for some, because it was a quiet table. I tried to stir the pot a little and was dealt silence.

Even Beerhog was quiet! Probably watching the Pistons get thumped.

Onto the action. Artic Blast (7th) could never get any cards or flops (must of grabbed my PS seat by accident) and was soon short stacked. He finally had to for it with J4s. Boother took him out with 22 as the Blast did not improve.

Beerhog, (6th) who lost several contested pots also, was the next lowest. He made his move with J9 and was called by Nahanni with JT. A ten on the flop and it was over.

Duder (5th) got crippled as his AQ ran into a BB special, as Nahanni's K6 improved a ton on the flop of KQ6. The Dude exited a couple of hands later.

I think the most interesting hand of the night was next. Heavyweights Sev4TSev and Boother hook up and call standard bets. The flop is [Th 2s 3h]. There is a standard bet and call. The turn is a [6h]! The betting gets them both all in!

Sev4TSev (4th) has AT and Boother has JJ. The 2h on the river and we'll have no repeat champion tonight. I should not of folded my 2s3c I guess.

Break: Nik Faldo 4800, Nahanni 3400 and Boother 2300.

When play started back up, I hit a few flops against Nahanni to keep her stack from expanding much. I seemed to win from her what she took from Boother.

Nahanni had won a contested pot with Boother, so Boother was a little on the low chip side. Boother (3rd) goes all in with 99 and is called by Nahanni with KQ. A Queen on the river and Boother is out.

The chips are at the following levels for heads up. Nik Faldo has 5800 and Nahanni 3700. A very impressive comeback begins!

All I can say is I got run over. When I tried to make a move - I got re-raised! When I bet with the few hands I saw (if you call KQ a hand), she folded. It was like Annie Duke versus one of the Greeks in the restaurant.

It has become quite obvious to me (so I assume to the rest of you) that head's up is not my strong suit. For the seventh consecutive time - heads up in this tourney series this year - your humble host has been defeated. This is an ugly flaw I have in my game.

After Nahanni whittled me down to 1800, I (2nd) get all in with the first pair I saw 22 and Nahanni has 44. Good night Faldo! Great job Nahanni!

1st - Nahanni
2nd - Nik Faldo
3rd - Boother
4th - Sev4TSev
5th - Duder
6th - Beerhog
7th - Artic Blast

Monthly overall standings with tourney average points:

1st - Boother 98 / 5.4
2nd - Nik Faldo 89 / 4.9
3rd - Rownder 65 / 4.6
4th - Matchy 63 / 3.5
5th - Sev4TSev 60 / 6.0
6th - Beerhog 44 / 4.9
7th - Momo 32 / 3.2
8th - Cigar4John 28 / 3.5
9th - BonAir 21 / 3.0
10th - Hlam 14 / 2.8
11th - Artic Blast 12 / .9
12th - Nahanni 10 / 3.3
13th - Duder 1 / .3

DavetheDog, SpartyToJo and Bronco76 - not enough entries to make the list.

Nik Finishes 4th in Tropical Poker Tourney

Supposed to go play golf on this Memorial Weekend, but the rain kept me house bound.
So I had the wife clean my clubs, polish my golf shoes and wash the golf towel.

While waiting for my lunch to be made, I decided to enter a poker tourney. Tropical Poker had one that featured a 306 player freeroll field. A freeroll was in order in case;
A) the weather broke and it was time to golf
B) I had to renew the restraining order I have on Jessica Alba who is stalking me
C) Tiger Woods stops by for me to once again fix his putting issues

Anyway, finished 4th as my QQ lost to a bigger stacks AQ with the expected A falling on the flop.

On the bright side, I won a little free cash, the weather had cleared and my clubs and shoes were done.
Off to the course!

New NPP Review of On-line Poker Sites

Since my last review, so much has changed. Thanks to the Republicans making a last ditch effort to save an election, they pandered to the religious right. They went after internet poker by primarily attacking the internet banking sites that poker players used to move chips around.

I blame the greed of the internet banking and poker/gambling sites for all of the chaos. We already know the government politicians are greedy crooks and extortionists that would make Al Capone blush. The on-line gambling industry refused to let the politicians ‘wet their bill’ in the fountain of money.

Hence, you get laws that shut down your business. And henceforth, the industry fights back with the Poker Players Alliance, which is nothing more than the lobbying group in charge of making donations to politicians. Notice they are asking the players to pony up along with the sites. Basically, it’s yet another rake.

Nothing has changed from the protection money Doyle and the boys had to pay on the old interstate circuit.

Anyway my criteria for what makes a good poker site has changed. Here is the new list of things that are important.

1. Safety/size of site/ Players funds held in escrow (not that it makes a lot of difference as our government already has proven how it will screw it’s citizens for no reason)
2. Ease of deposit/withdraw (using ePassport – the biggest internet bank left now that Net-Teller and our government has jointly screwed poker players over).
3. Freerolls – I want extra play available for my rake money
4. Big Tourneys available for low buy-ins (still don't trust internet poker fully - not rational as the chance of getting cheated is greater at home games and casinos, but I still have a hard time spending more than $5 on an internet tourney)
5. Software playability (not very important anymore)
6. Service (yeah right)

Here is the list of the NPP best places to play internet poker:

1. Poker Stars
2. Absolute Poker
3. Ultimate Bet
4. Full Tilt Poker

Here is the second tier where I still play. I worry about their safety and pulling a Jet Poker on me and closing without warning.

5. Jungle Poker
6. Poker Poker (the biggest of this group)
7. Bugsy’s Club
8. Poker4Ever

Here is where I still have accounts and play, but they do not have ePassport as a funding/withdraw option, so if I go tap I am done with them.

9. Tropical Poker (love the site but can’t fund)
10. World Poker Exchange (love the site but can’t fund)
11. Bo Dog Poker
12. Sportsbook Poker

What shocks me is the number of sports books that do not use ePassport as funding options. I expect that to change by football season. – Nik Faldo

Sev4TSev Wins Heads Up Match Against Nik Faldo to Win NPP Internet #20

Only three signed up and only two played. I guess the message is loud and clear - the masses want NL Holdem! I'm sorry, but I owed the guys two HORSE tourneys.

Back in the beginning the winner of the previous week got to pick what the game was the next week. Both Beerhog and 747 requested HORSE after winning and I could not do it because the Poker Stars software had screwed up.

Once it was repaired I scheduled the two HORSE tourneys I owed the guys. They are paid off.

Well, 747 won this week and he picked NL Holdem for next week.

1st - Sev4TSev
2nd - Nik Faldo
3rd - Boother

Beerhog Hosts the NPP Boys - Great Game!

Well it was a who's who of NPP. I really didn't think we could get a game together for the month, but Beerhog decided to give it a shot.

In spite of two NPP regulars (Herbavor and LP) unable to attend, seven still made the game.

Beerhog, Gridlock, Thai Food, Tolly, Nik Faldo, Matchy, and Sev4TSev all made the game.

I was not the chip seller so I am guessing at how people did. I won a little and I think Thai Food was the big winner, but I could be wrong.

The tournament ended with a deal struck with Sev4TSev taking first, Nik Faldo second and Tolly third. Matchy did not play in the tourney.

Beerhog Finishes 4th In Poker Stars Limit 7-Stud Hi-Lo Tourney

Beerhog bested all but three of the other 263 players that got into this tourney. He won twenty-one times his entry.

Beerhog said, "It just takes too long...even with a case of beer - good beer anyway."

Great job Beerhog!

Two things;
Can you describe a key hand or two and secondly, how did you find a tournament against 263 blind 5 year olds on Poker Stars?

Just Another Reason to Get Good at Poker

We got the 4Putt Open in a few weeks (June 7 thur 10)and although I have written about this subject before - it bears repeating. Hope I listen to my own advice.

Good dealers can get out forty hands an hour. If you are playing in a $4/8 game the dealer will take around $4/5 per hand for the house. That comes out to $240 off the table in an hour, counting tips to the dealer!

If ten players sat down with $40 each and played an hour and a half, the entire table would be broke in an hour and a half.

Clearly the answer is to play at the highest level you comfortably can to limit the effect of the house rake on your bankroll.

Or play at NPP, Boother's and Beerhog's!

Beerhog Wins NPP #19

I missed the tourney due to a combo of stupidity and the internet blinking out at the wrong time! I was on in plenty of time but didn't register. The computer kicked me off because of a 12 hour sign in rule. By the time I logged back on the tourney had started and because of a full table PS did not allow a late entry.

I went out and had a few.

Anyways, the results.

1st - Beerhog
2nd - Boother
3rd - Matchy
4th - Rownder
5th - Hlam14
6th - Sev4TSev
7th - Duder
8th - ArticBlast

HORSE again next game. NPP will be dark May and June. Beerhog may have a game. Let's discuss. Give us the details Beerhog. - Nik Faldo

Sev4TSev Wins NPP Internet #18

747 doesn’t have the Point Lead, but he has the Highest Average Finish per Tournament Lead by a mile.

A field of ten made a go of it. Two weeks in a row of a double digit field. Great job everyone! To the action:

We have a habit of treating new players with corrosive gloves – both at NPP and on-line.
On hand #20, Nahanni (10th), in her second start, took another bad beat. By her own admission, maybe she did not play the hand correctly. Anyway, she and BonAir see the flop. [KJ3]. BonAir (K4) calls a smallish bet from Nahanni (AA). The turn has a 4. When Nahanni goes all in, BonAir takes her out.

Hand #33 saw Artic Blast (9th) lose to 747, who had (QQ). I did not see what Artic had and screwed up trying to get the hand number to review. I blame my wife – who was serving me a beer and bring me my slippers at the time – and distracted me. She will have to pay for that.

Hand #40 saw last tourney winner and short stacked Rownder (8th) with (KK) end up all in against 747 (QsTs). The flop of [ 2s 7h 5s] and a turn of 3s – ended the suspense.

Hand #43 saw Matchy (AK) get hurt by a shorter stacked Boother (77). It is basically a coin flip preflop. They get all in and the flop has an A in it. But a 7 on the river cripples Matchy.

Hand #50 sees a short stacked Matchy (7th) (AT) run into the KK of Beerhog.

Hand #65 saw a very rare 3 handed all-in! Hlam (6th) (KJ), Boother (5th) (66) and BonAir (KQs). BonAir hit the straight and wiped out two very dangerous players all at once.

Hand #68, BonAir hit a straight again. Unfortunate for Beerhog (4th), who saw his flopped two pair get rolled.

At the break we had
BonAir 7.2K,
Sev4TSev 6.1K and
perennial short-stacked Nik Faldo 1.5K.
Can Nik pull off a Rownder/Boother type comeback?????

Uhhhh, no.

I (3rd) got a run of high pairs, pairs and high suited cards and went all in about 6 or 7 times in a row, and got my stack close to 3K. Safer ground, but still safely behind. The decent cards continue and I get (44).

On hand #92 my all-ins continued and get called by BonAir (AsTs), who got tired of my little show of force.

Can Nik Faldo win a race for once on Poker Stars???? Uhhhh, no.

A T on the flop AND two spades. Just to rub it in, PS drops a T on the river. Uncalled for. A spade ok – but another ten is just cruel. Time 10:12

At 10:29, BonAir’s FH beats 747’s two pair and the chip lead is BonAir’s at 11K to 4K.

At 10:32, Sev4TSev hits a straight to take the lead 8K to 7K. He never lost it, even though they go at it for quite a while.

At 10:50, Sev4TSev (1st) raises pre-flop and is called by BonAir (2nd).
Flop [Ks 6d 4s]
There are bets and they are all-in.
Sev4TSev (AKs) and BonAir (KT). Trap city.
Turn, A and the unnecessary river card was a 4d.

1st – Sev4TSev
2nd – BonAir
3rd – Nik Faldo
4th – Beerhog
5th - Boother
6th – Hlam14
7th – Matchy
8th – Rownder
9th – Artic Blast
10th – Nahanni

Question: Beerhog is golfing on Tuesday. Is there a better night to do this, like Monday or Wednesday? Thursday and Friday is the weekend. We don’t want that. When we originally voted, Tuesday barely beat Monday, and there are only 3 players who played last night who voted at that time.

Time for a new vote.
Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday? – Nik Faldo

Watch Out for Ohio Products!

A dairy farmer in Michigan needed to get a new dairy cow. His dairy cow died, and needed to get a new dairy cow. He didn't know where to go. He looked in the newspapers and found an ad. Some Ohio dairy farmer was selling a cow.

So he called the guy up.The guy said, "Come down and take a look at it. It's a pretty young cow. I think you'll like it."

He goes down to the cow, looks at the cow, and likes the looks.
The Michigan guys says, "Look, I'm not going to buy this cow unless I can milk it."

"Well, go right ahead. Feel free."

With every tug (Pshew! Pshew! Pshew!), the cow expelled gas. Every time!

The guy from Michigan says, "Is that normal?"

"Yeah, and I can't explain it. But it doesn't matter. Look at the milk. The milk is fine," the Ohio farmer says.

"Okay, okay. I'll take it." So he packs the cow up and brings it home to Michigan, calls his best buddy down the road, another farmer, and says, "Hey, I just got this new dairy cow. You have got to come check this out. You won't believe it."

So the farmer comes by and says, "Okay, it's a good cow, but I have to milk it too. I'm not going to take your word for it that it's a great cow."

"Well, go ahead! Be my guest."

With every tug, the cow would expel gas, and the farmer's buddy says: "Did you get this cow in Ohio?"

"Yeah, I did! I didn't tell you that. How did you know that I got it from Ohio?"

"Eh, my wife is from Ohio."

Rownder Wins NPP Internet Tourney #17

A record tying twelve players showed up tonight for the game. Two new players showed up – Nahanni and Duder. Hopefully they will tell us their connection on this site. Or someone else can.

Which is usually the case at NPP, the new players were treated rudely once the game started. On hand #10 Duder’s (12th) trip 3’s were beaten by an ArticBlast flush.

Hand 16 saw a bad beat on a new player as Nahanni’s (11th) JJ lost to Beerhog’s 99 with a 9 on the flop.

Matchy (10th) went out on hand 24. I did not see it as he was on the other table and I did not get a report. Maybe Matchy can give us the gory details.

Now to one table. A short-stacked Momo (9th) went all in on hand 48 with a marginal hand and lost to Cigar4John, who called with a marginal hand.

Hand 51 saw Sev4TSev (8th) get trapped when he bet with Ah8h and was called by Beerhog with Ad3d. The flop was 8d 2d As. Sev4TSev hit the two pair. He went all in and Beerhog called and hit the 5d for the flush on the river.

Hand 59 saw a short-stacked ArticBlast (7th) get all his chips in with trip 7’s on the river. He was called by Cigar4John called with the same trip 7’s and had ArticBlast out kicked! Ouch!

Hand 61 – I was short-stacked and got all my chips in with QQ and got called by Cigar4John with AQ. That got me back in the game.

Hand 77 – Cigar4John (6th) made a play with 98s but was called by Beerhog with AQ. He didn’t need it but Beerhog got an A on the flop and a Q on the river.

Play really slowed down at this point. BonA1r (5th) lost on hand 131 with K7 against somebody’s KT. I messed up my notes somehow. Sorry.

Hand 148 saw short-stacked Hlam (4th) go all-in with K7s and was called by the other short-stacked Rownder with J9s. The flop was a teaser for Hlam with a 3-K-9. But a 9 on the river ended Hlam’s night.

The second break occurred after hand 184. Beerhog had 12K, I had 4K and Rownder had 2K.

I (Nik Faldo – 3rd) was the next one out on hand #234!!! Lots of back and forth as we all had the chip lead at some point. It was very exciting and a lot of fun. I finally had to go with KTs, was called by Beerhog with A5 and I got no help.

The last hand saw Beerhog’s (2nd) QT lost to Rownder’s AJs. Great job Rownder!

1st – Rounder
2nd – Beerhog
3rd – Mikeniks (Nik Faldo)
4th – Hlam14
5th – BonA1r
6th – Cigar4John
7th – ArticBlast
8th – Sev4TSev
9th – Momo
10th – Matchy
11th – Nahanni
12th - Duder