Tuesday, March 31, 2009

TrippAA Wins His 1st NPP Tourney in His First Attempt!

This is elite company. Only seven people have done this feat!

Faldo, SpartanToJo, Momo, Doneill, Hammer1010, Steveseam and now TrippAA. Considering the strength of the competition, this is very rare air!

In addition to TrippAA, NPP welcomes Bigbrimar and welcomes back Aqualung85.

Twenty-one players made it to the felt tonight. I was a little disappointed as I was hoping for a new record (28 or more) with the start of the new quarter and the cold weather outside.

Maybe the recruitment poster of me in a Speedo had a negative effect somehow. Is that possible?

Now on to the action!

6 min: CrackBuyer (21st) is out, but I did not see it.

15 min: 1st Qtr. seat winner, LittleRedElf (20th) has his (TT) run over by Akensi’s (QQ).
20 min: Theedouble*d (19th) is out next and I missed that one too.

24min: UMichPoker (18th) is doubled-teamed by ThePunk75 (KQ) and last week’s winner Fuscairdi (AK), and her (KJ) cannot catch up.

30 min: Kensik (17th) is next out and I missed that one too! Too busy getting bluffed out of my shirt by Sirgash!

45 min: Aqualung85’s (16th) return is bad beat into submission as his short-stack all-in with (QT) loses when Rennzzo’s (J4) flushes on the river.

54 min: Douge2 (15th) has his birthday night game cut short as his (Q8) pairs on the flop but runs into Rennzzo’s (KK).

58 min: Short-stacked Boother (14th) makes his play with (QJ) right before the break and finds Absea98 with (AA).

1st Break:
Absea98 4460
Smookie27 4040
Rennzzo 3805
Nixi44 3075
Tigercub8189 2920
TrippAA 2750
Sirgash 2680 (2000 are ex-Faldo chips)
Akensi 2335
ThePunk75 1490
Fuscairdi 1475
Bigbrimar 910
Mikeniks-Faldo 805
Biglou93 755

65 min: ThePunk75 (13th) hits his trips and moves in. Smookie27 calls and hits his straight on the river.

75 min: Biglou93 (12th) is gone and as I try to find the hand to catch up….
76 min: Fuscairdi (11th) goes all-in with (Ad Jd) and finds Nixi44 with (KK), and
77 min: Bigbrimar (10th) sees his (22) run into Tigercub8189’s (77), and
78 min: Sirgash (9th) has his wife spank his (KQ) with Nixi44's (TT)! Wow.

97 min: Action quiets for a while before Smookie27 (8th) sends his (Ac Qc) out to lose to TrippAA’s (55).

98 min: Tigercub8189 (7th) tries it with his (AT) but Nixi44’s (QQ) are not caught.

101 min: Mikeniks-Faldo (6th) tries to get into position for a win – at the wrong time! My battles with Sirgash (right side) and Rennzzo (left side) have not been good for me. These Button – blind or blind –blind confrontations are always a serious matter. Another phase of the game I suck at, but I digress.

I bet hard when my (Tc 9d) hits the flop of [Td Jd 8d]. Rennzzo calls me. I bet again and Rennzzo moves all-in on a blank turn.

I have to call and find Rennzzo is holding (AA). This will be tough no matter who loses this hand. I have an ocean of outs but don’t get any of them.

Short-stacked, my (Tc 7c) can’t catch Akensi’s (AT).

2nd break:
TrippAA 10170
Absea98 8820
Akensi 4740
Rennzzo 4090
Nixi44 3680

TrippAA takes over from here with a hot run of tickets!

122 min: Fireworks early! Rennzzo (5th) sees his (33) run into TrippAA’s (TT).

Crazy stuff ensues for the next 12 minutes as Akensi survives many all-in’s. Nixi44 could not break her, but she gets broke herself by TrippAA and his flopped trip 7’s.

134 min: Short-stacked Nixi44 (4th) bubbles now when her (J5) loses to TrippAA’s flopped straight!

135 min: A short-stacked Akensi (3rd) runs out of miracles as her (K3) is no match for TrippAA’s (Ad Qd).

Heads up: TrippAA 24000 - Absea98 7500

139 min: When you are hot, you are hot! Absea98 (2nd) goes with (AJ) and sees only a (QJ) for TrippAA. But the lady card flushes for Tripp to end the night.

Congratulations to TrippAA on his first NPP win and welcome to the Walk of Fame!

1st – TrippAA
2nd – Absea98
3rd – Akensi
4th – Nixi44
5th – Rennzzo
6th – Mikeniks-Faldo
7th – Tigercub8189
8th – Smookie27
9th – Sirgash

Standings for 2nd quarter and total points are on the right side of the blog!

Friday, March 27, 2009

Bugsys Club Poker Internet Site Goes Dark

It saddens me to report the death of one of the truly classy internet poker sites. The handling of their closure by their management shows the true depth of their commitment to the players (customers). From the Bugsy’s Club website:

“Firstly, we would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support of the Bugsy's Club Poker Room. Since Bugsy's Club was formed, our mission statement has always been that we will offer you 'The Best Poker Games in Town' and that 'We will take care of you Personally'. We are proud to say that these are goals we feel we have consistently exceeded, providing you with a great place to enjoy poker.

Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond our control with regards to banking facilities, it is with regret that we have to announce it is no longer viable for the Bugsy's Club Poker Room to continue our business operations.

However, we are delighted to inform you that Bugsy's Club have reached an agreement with the world's largest online poker site, PokerStars.com, to allow all Bugsy's Club players to transfer your account balance over to their site.

Through the agreement we have reached with PokerStars, your player balances will be transferred to them. Regrettably, your Bugsy's Bonus Points (BBPs) are not able to be transferred from the Bugsy's Club Poker Room.” – end

I won my first internet tournament on this site. The software worked well enough and the graphics looked a lot like the “Saloon” look PokerStars offers. I quit playing there as the player pool dried up and the tournament entries failed to reach 100 – and eventually could not reach 40.

I still resisted leaving, but when Tropical Poker closed leaving players with deposits in a lurch, I decided it was time to leave the micro sites I was on. So I left Bugsy’s Club, True Poker and Jungle Poker before they closed, possibly taking my money. I also left Doyle’s Room before they abandoned Michigan players anyway.

Jungle Poker did close a few months later, leaving their players hanging.

Bugsys Club did it the right way, as did another site I used to love – Pokertropolis. True Poker still is in operation.

This closing leaves Michigan players with only these sites left to play on (in Faldo's ranking order):

PokerStars - Simply the BEST!
Full Tilt Poker - Second best.
Ultimate Bet / Absolute Poker (same site - two names)
BoDog Poker - and sportsbook!
Cake Poker / Sportsbook Poker (same site - two names)
World Poker Exchange - and sportsbook
Spade Club (flat monthly fee site)
True Poker - Great graphics! Low on players and tournaments.

Tip of the hat to the management of the Bugsy's Club Internet Poker Room and good luck in your new endeavors. - Faldo

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Humor from Douge2

1. How Your Wife Collects Nik-naks.

George was fixing the front door and he found that he needed a new hinge, so he sent his wife Louise to the hardware store.

At the hardware store Louise saw a beautiful teapot on a top shelf while she was waiting for Nik, the manager, to finish waiting on another customer.

When Nik was finished, Louise asked, "How much for the teapot?"

Nik replied, "That's real silver and it costs $500."

"My goodness, that sure is a lot of money!" Louise exclaimed. Then she proceeded to describe the hinge that George had sent her to buy, and Nik went to the back room to find it.

From the back room Nik yelled, "Louise, you wanna screw for that hinge?"
Louise hollered back, "Well, no.....but I will for that teapot."


2. Holy @#$%!

A young minister was asked by a funeral director to hold a graveside service for a homeless man, with no family or friends, who had died while traveling through the area.

The funeral was to be held at a cemetery way back in the country, and this man would be the first to be laid to rest there. Not familiar with the backwoods area, the young minister became lost; and being a typical man, did not stop for directions. He finally arrived an hour late.

There was the crew, eating lunch, but the hearse was nowhere in sight. The minister apologized to the workers for my tardiness, and stepped to the side of the open grave, where he saw the vault lid already in place.

The workers gathered around, still eating their lunch. the minister poured out his heart and soul. As he preached, the workers began to say "Amen," "Praise the Lord," and "Glory," He preached and preached: from Genesis all the way to Revelations, and closed with a prayer and walked silently to his car.

The minister had done his duty for the homeless man and he hoped that the crew would leave with a renewed sense of purpose and dedication.

As the minister was opening the door and taking off my coat, he overheard one of the workers saying to another, "I ain't never seen anything like this before...and I've been putting in septic tanks for twenty years."

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Fusciardi Wins His 1st NPP Tourney – 1st Qtr. Seat in NPP Final Decided!

Nail biting time this round! A very exciting night with absolutely first class poker played!

Tonight twenty players decide who earns the first seat in the NPP finals – and everyone brought their ‘A’ game. I will tell you who won the seat as we flow thru the action. Patience!

NPP first wants to welcome two new players to the NPP family – Allinduces and Quagmire2752. It’s great to have you two aboard.

Now on to the action!

29 min: The play starts off slow and quiet as everyone seems to know what is at stake – a coveted seat in the NPP Finals. TheNewY2K (20th) hits his trips on the turn and moves in, only to watch Kensik make his flush on the river.

30 min: Now the action really picks up and the carnage begins as a short-stacked Absea98 (19th) (A8) and Allinduces (18th) (AJ) cannot overtake RKidder51400’s (AK).

35 min: In a bloody trips over trips confrontation, Bighousea2 (17th) (333) loses to Smookie27 (666).

39 min: Kensik (16th) makes his move when he pairs his hole (J) on the flop, but ThePunk75 has (KK).

42 min: Duder1123 (15th) sees his (99) make a heart flush on the river, but Fusciadi’s (AK) does too.

43 min: UMichPoker (14th) has her (AQ) run into RKidder51400’s (AK).

47 min: Mikeniks-Faldo (13th) is very short-stacked and calls all-in with an open ended straight draw, which fails to get there and loses to RKidder51400’s pair of tens. Now all current point leader Faldo can do is watch and wait to see if he gets passed by for the seat.

56 min: Akensi (12th) tries it with (Ad Qd) and ThePunk75, who must win tonight while keeping LittleRedElf and Rennzzo from finishing high, takes Amy out with his (TT).

58 min: ThePunk75 helps his chances immensely when his (Jh 4h) hits a [J] on the river to eliminate Rennzzo (11th) (AK). ThePunk is doing what he has to do to win the seat – maybe foregoing tonight’s prize money to get it. Impressive nub shown to NPP!

59 min: Biglou93 (10th) tries it with (AQ) and gets called by the ‘need to be’ over-aggressive ThePunk75 (A2) and Quagmire2752 (88). The pocket pair holds up.

1st Break:
ThePunk75 8145
Fusciardi 4950
CrackBuyer 4660
RKidder51400 4480
Smookie27 2980
Quagmire2752 2340
LittleRedElf 1070
Douge2 905
Tigercub8189 470

Here is the scenario: ThePunk75 must win the tournament, but at the same time prevent LittleRedElf from finishing higher than 4th, in order to take the seat away from LRE! It looks like it might happen at this point. Mikeniks-Faldo just needs LRE to not finish 4th either - to win his seat.

So it could be LRE alone with the seat - or Faldo and either one of these two fine players with a seat.

63 min: A short-stacked Douge2 (9th) has to make a move with (KJ). Smookie27 goes into the tank before calling with a flush draw (Jd 6d) – [5c Kd 7d] which gets there on the river [8d]. Ouch

67 min: Tigercub8189 (8th) finally goes all-in pre-flop with (5c 4c) and Quagmire2752 (66) and LittleRedElf (JJ) take him out. LRE is gathering chips!

82 min: Very tough poker being played! Quagmire2752 (7th) moves all-in with his two pair, only to find Fusciardi had hit trips! A beautiful job done by Quagmire, as 1st time players usually don’t make final tables here at NPP. Must be a player to watch, people.

But are not we all?

LittleRedElf moves closer to the 4th spot he needs should ThePunk75 wins this.

109 min: I could write a book on the fine poker played by everyone left at this final table in the last 27 minutes! Back and forth – up and down. LittleRedElf (6th) had climbed all the way to 3rd at one time.

After getting smacked hard by CrackBuyer, LRE has to try it and calls all-in with (Kd Td), but finds Smookie27 holding (KJ).

Faldo and ThePunk75 have the seats if Punk can win from here.

110 min: It is decided quickly as ThePunk75 (5th) has his (AT) run into CrackBuyer’s (JJ).

Faldo and LittleRedElf have won the 1st quarter seats!

118 min: RKidder51400 (4th) takes two tough loses in a row, spoiling a great game of poker played this evening! First her (33) makes trips on the flop, only to lose to CrackBuyer’s straight on the turn. Then, in the very next hand, her (KQ) is no match for Crack’s (AT).

2nd Break:
Fusciardi 11855
CrackBuyer 9745
Smookie27 8400

123 min: This was a fast close out. CrackBuyer (3rd) bluffs at the wrong time and runs into Fusciardi’s trip 9’s.

124 min: Smookie27 (2nd) has to try and play catch up and tries it with (Qs 8s) and hits his flush. The only problem is that Fusciardi is holding (As 3s).

Congratulations to Fusciardi for his 1st NPP win and making the Walk of Fame!
Congratulations to LittleRedElf and Mikeniks-Faldo for their seats in the NPP Finals in December.

1st – Fusciardi
2nd – Smookie27
3rd – CrackBuyer
4th – Rkidder51400
5th – ThePunk75
6th – LittleRedElf
7th – Quagmire2752
8th – Tigercub8189
9th – Douge2

Total Point Standings are on the right side of the blog.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Faldo’s Visit to Premier Poker at Mt. Brighton (The Jackal GC)

I stepped out away from the virtual felt tables to hit the real action. I stopped by the Premier Poker Lounge (PPL) at the Mt. Brighton Ski Resort and The Jackal Golf Club this weekend.

This poker room can truly boast about their seven tables, visitor seating, full bar and fine restaurant food.

But as a poker player, the best part was the smoothly and professionally run tournaments and live games with great dealers.

I was there for three of the four tournaments held this weekend, and all were run on time and in a fun atmosphere. Premier has more of a ‘home game’ feel there than any of the other charity poker rooms I have been to.

Now for the usual Faldo tales of woe.

Thursday was an unlimited $5 re-buy and then add-on available at 1st break. Twenty-two players entered – paying three places. My first hand at PPL and my (Ac Kc) all-in call got busted by a (Ah 8h) flush. This was an omen for sure.

Re-buy! The re-buy and add-on earned me the bubble spot of 4th.

Friday, Beerhog joined me for the FREEROLL, with a $10 double your chip option, re-buys and then add-on available at 1st break. Thirty people entered – paying three places. I finished 17th, while Beerhog made the final table before finishing 9th.

Saturday, Umichpoker (Michele) from the Michigan Poker News and NPP joined me for PPL’s big event – a FREEROLL with a $20 buy-in add on and a $20 add-on at 1st break – but NO REBUYS! This changes the table dynamics quite a bit. Sixty one players entered – paying five places.

Umichpoker made it to the 3-table mark, and I made the final table again, only to bubble - AGAIN – finishing 6th.

As the short stack, I re-raised a raise all-in with (55) and got called in two spots holding (KQ) and (A6). We are all about 33% at this point.

They checked it down as the board went [7 J 9]. I improve to 40% as does the (KQ) hand.

[J] on the turn and I move to 50%, leaving 25% for the two villians.

A [9] on the river counterfeit's me.

But NPP represented well as only five NPP entries managed made final table appearances in all three tourneys!

As for Faldo and the rest of his double bubble weekend, I am heading to my support group - BA - Bubbler's Anonymous: “Hi, my name is Faldo. And I bubble.” "HI FALDO!"

Thursday, March 19, 2009

NPP 1st Quarter Scenarios

The last round for the 1st Quarter is next Tuesday.

As is always the case, Mikeniks-Faldo has to earn his spot - but, by the same token - he is a wildcard. In other words, if I win a seat, so does the person who finishes second!

So if ThePunk75 can leap-frog Little Red Elf and Rennzzo - even if he doesn't catch Faldo - he wins the 1st Quarter seat in the NPP Final.

If Rennzzo can hold off ThePunk and run past LRE - he wins a seat even if he doesn't catch Faldo.

And if the final four standings don't change the order after Tuesday, then the Little Red Elf wins the seat - even if he doesn't catch Faldo.

So - what I am telling my pursuers is that catching Faldo is not as important as fending off the other two sharks in the pack.

Should be fun!

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Tigercub8189 Wins His 1st NPP Tourney of 2009!

The Cat was hot tonight! Down to only 170 chips at one point, The Tiger rallies to beat a field of seventeen!

Joining NPP on this St. Patrick’s Day evening was DerbyStatus. Welcome to NPP Derby.

This night was important as it is coming down to crunch time for the 1st Quarter Seat. Only one more round left after tonight.

Faldo is expecting a BIG recruitment push from everyone for the 2nd Quarter over the next two weeks. The league you save will be your own.

On to the action:

8 min: Well the battle for the league lead got started early. Little Red Elf (17th) raised with (QQ) and was re-raised by Mikeniks-Faldo with (KK). LRE just called. The flop had a [Q] in it with a two –flush. LRE checked and let me go all-in and called me. My [K] arrived on the river! A cold-deck save for me and a two-outer bad beat for LRE.

23 min: Suetman1 (16th) was out next and I did not see it.

39 min: DerbyStatus (15th) got the usual NPP greeting for new players. He flops two pair when Duder1123 flops trips, with both hitting the full house on the turn. Duder’s was bigger.

40 min: Smookie27 (14th) hit a straight on the turn to crush Mikenik-Faldo’s trips, but I hit my full house on the river. That is two river hits for me. No wonder I have the league lead. It can’t be skill.

56 min: ThePunk75 (13th) gets all-in with (AK) and is called by Sirgash with (AK) and Akensi, but she wins it with (AA)!

Break:
Akensi 4775
Mikeniks 4505
Tigercub8189 2945 (at one time was down to 170 chips!)
Biglou93 2345
Duder1123 2030
Douge2 1924
Absea98 1795
Kensik 1450
Rennzzo 1240
Sirgash 1100
Nixi44 765
Umichpoker 626

68 min: Umichpoker (12th) has to make a move and runs into Nixi44’s two pair.

70 min: A short-stacked Sirgash (11th) makes his move when his (A5) pairs the [5] on the flop, only to see Akensi call him AGAIN with (AA). Ouch!

76 min: Douge2 (10th) moves it all when he hits his two pair on the turn with (A8), but Biglou93 already has his two pair with (A9) and hits a [9] on the river for the boat.

77 min: Rennzzo (9th) goes out with (AK) as he is called by Duder1123 (66) and Kensik (QQ) and the ladies hold up.

79 min: Lots of three-way all-ins tonight as Absea98 (8th) goes all-in with (AK) and finds Nixi44 with (AK) and Duder1123 with (99). A [9] on the flop ended the drama.

82 min: A short-stacked Nixi44 (7th) is called by Duder1123 and Tigercub8189. Tiger wins it with (JJ).

85 min: Kensik (6th) gets snaked as his (KK) gets run down by Tigercub8189’s (JJ) with a [J] on the river. Bad beat of the night!

96 min: A short-stacked Mikeniks-Faldo (5th) tries with (J9) to move Biglou93 off his (AQ), but is not successful.

99 min: Akensi (4th) tries to hold on with (22), but Duder1123 holds (QT) and hits a [Q].

106 min: Another bad beat happens to Biglou93 (3rd) as Tigercub8189 small bets Lou into hitting his straight, where Lou moves all-in and Tiger calls him with his two pair. Tiger’s full house arrives on the river.

Heads up: Tigercub8189 – 18000 / Duder1123 – 7500. The battle is on!
110 min: Tiger – 16000 – 9500
115 min: Tiger – 13600 – 11900
120 min: Tiger – 15400 – 10100
125 min: Tiger – 15500 – 10000
130 min: Tiger – 12900 – 12600
135 min: Tiger – 18300 – 7200

138 min: Duder1123 (2nd) gets down to about 3000, but gets (KK) to try and double up. But it was Tigercub8189’s night as his (Q4) makes a 5-high straight! Congratulations Tigercub8189 on your first NPP win in 2009, moving up the Walk of Fame!

1st – Tigercub8189
2nd – Duder1123
3rd – Biglou93
4th – Akensi
5th – Mikeniks-Faldo
6th – Kensik
7th – Nixi44
8th – Absea98
9th – Rennzzo

League standings are posted on the right side of the blog.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Guest post by Dave Fourputt - Bring it on

I've been unfairly abused by this blog and can not be silent any longer.

Issues:

- Nik still whines about bad beats.
- Beerhog is mean to me. He also has never bought me a beer.
- Nik allows females (yeeeech!) to play in the weekly tournament.
- The weekly tourney should be on Thursday. Those of us trying to raise children know that this is the best evening (Friday is out since we are asleep by 10:00 PM)

I am monitoring the abusive comments, taking names and looking forward to taking chips from those that have crossed me.

XOXOXO hugs and kisses,

Dave Fourputt

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Kensik Wins His 1st NPP Tourney!

Kensik becomes the 35th player to win an NPP tourney. He did it by fighting thru one of the tightest tourneys played in this Quarter. The fact that this was the 1st ‘cut’ night (some players will not be able to get enough points to win the 1st quarter NPP Final seat), might have had something to do with it.

We may have set a record – or at least came close – as to the longest time before the 1st casualty was recorded.

We also welcomed a new player this week: Dirtmonkey06, the better half of Wwsatando, and Sirgash's sister. Although new to NPP, Dirt plays in the Wed MI Forum league, and that experience showed tonight. Welcome to NPP Dirt.

On to the action:

34 min: RKidder51400 finally exits, but I was in a hand and missed it.

35 min: Sirgash (20th) and Akensi (19th) both have their respective (KK) and (AJ) beaten by Dirtmonkey06’s (TT) with a [T] on the turn.

43 min: Mistermusic5 (18th) took a bad beat here, I heard.

51 min: Kensik’s (AA) beats TheNewY2K (17th) with (Ac Kc) and completely cripples Absea98 holding (JJ).
52 min: Tigercub8189 cleans up Absea98 (16th) the next hand.

55 min: No nub for league leader Mikeniks-Faldo (15th) tonight and my (AT) cannot catch Kensik’s (AK). My lead is in perilous danger and the sharks are schooling!

Break:
Dirtmonkey06 6990
Fusciadi 3445
Kensik 3435
LittleRedElf 3208
Jager244 2975
Wwsatando 2085
Thedouble*d 2010
CrackBuyer 1587
ThePunk75 1450
Rennzzo 1235
Suetman1 840
Nixi44 810
Tigercub8189 740
BigLou93 690

63 min: Rennzzo (14th) won’t catch Faldo tonight as his (99) loses a coin flip to Suetman1’s (AJ) with a [J] on the flop.

66 min: A short-stacked Biglou93 (13th) calls Jager244’s all-in with (Kc Jc) and finds bad news as Jager is holding (Ac Tc).

70 min: Wwsatando (12th) takes one in the chops as his suited Big Slick gets run down by CrackBuyer holding (A8) when an [8] drops on the flop.

71 min: A short-stacked Tigercub8189 (11th) moves all-in with (Ts 2s) and runs into Nixi44’s (KK).

77 min: Suetman1 (10th) earns first bubble by raising and getting called by Dirtmonkey06. The ladies see a flop of [4s 4c Kd] and it is checked down. The turn is a [Th], causing a bet by Dirt and a call by Sue. The river is a [9c]. Dirt bets her straight and Sue has to call all-in with her two pair.

86 min: Dirtmonkey06 continues wiping out smaller stacks as her (A9) overtakes the (AK) of ThePunk75 (9th) with a [9] on the flop.

I must give credit here to ThePunk75 – who has pointed in five straight rounds! Nicely done!

90 min: Jager244 (8th) sees his (A9) walk into Theedouble*d’s (AJ). This starts a twenty minute standoff with LittleRedElf staying alive with a VERY short stack (that’s what she said!) since Tigercub8189 exited early (that’s what she said!).

110 min: Theedouble*d (7th) sees his (KQ) lose the coin flip to Kensik’s (99).

111 min: LittleRedElf (6th) has to Big Blind play his (Q3) and loses to Dirtmonkey06’s (AQ). LRE is only one single point behind Faldo for the league lead!

113 min: Fusciadi (5th) loses a heartbreaker with (66) running into Crackbuyer’s (77).

2nd Break:
Dirtmonkey06 12549 (new player with the chip lead at both breaks!)
Kensik 9772
CrackBuyer 6759
Nixi44 2420

We go from four to one pretty quickly now.
123 min: CrackBuyer (4th) pushes all-in with (Ad 6d) and sees Kensik call with (K9). So far, so good. But a [9] hits the flop and Kensik overkills with a straight on the river.

Nines were hitting the board and killing people all night long.

124 min: Bad beat for Nixi44 (3rd) as she calls Kensik’s raise and sees a flop of [7h Kd As]. They both check, but a [5s] has them both pushing their chips forward like they were on fire. Nixi44 is holding (54) and Kensik (33). The two-outer [3] hits on the river.

It must be somebody’s night as only the two hot handed players - Dirtmonkey06 early {14650 chips} and Kensik late {16850} - remain. We don’t have to wait long.

127 min: Dirtmonkey06 (2nd) is all-in with (A5) and Kensik calls with (K8), and the winning [8] falls on the flop. Nice 1st round showing by Dirt!

And congratulations to Kensik and welcome to the Walk of Fame!

1st – Kensik
2nd – Dirtmonkey06
3rd – Nixi44
4th – CrackBuyer
5th – Fusciadi
6th – LittleRedElf
7th – Theedouble*d
8th – Jager244
9th – ThePunk75

Standings are on the right side of the blog. And even though the players under the gap cannot win a seat in round 1, remember total points scored in the entire season will also win a seat or two! So stay focused and play hard. – Faldo

Friday, March 06, 2009

Boother36 is Returning to NPP

Boother36 has been playing hockey on Tuesdays, so is missing the action at NPP. But he vows to return – as stated at his home game I attended last week.

Since he is a former NPP Player of the Year, all that can mean for the rest of us is…OUCH!

In the September 30, 2008 issue of Card Player magazine, on page 110, this was posted:

Heartland Poker Tour
Soaring Eagle Casino – Mt. Pleasant, MI
$1,500 No-Limit Holdem Tournament
Entrants: 301 – Prize Pool: $436,926

9th – Jonathan Booth, Howell, MI………$10,848

Congratulations to Boother on this result. More proof that Niks Poker Palace is the place to play to hone your skills!

Thursday, March 05, 2009

Déjà Moo: The feeling that you've heard this bull before.

This is only for the more sophisticated humorists among us….

1. Two antennas met on a roof, fell in love and got married. The ceremony wasn't much, but the reception was excellent.

2. A jumper cable walks into a bar. The bartender says, “I’ll serve you, but don't start anything.”

3. Two peanuts walk into a bar, and one was a salted.

4. A dyslexic man walked into a bra.

5. A man walks into a bar with a slab of asphalt under his arm, and says: “A beer please, and one for the road.”

6. Two cannibals are eating a clown. One says to the other: “Does this taste funny to you?”

7. “Doc, I can't stop singing The Green, Green Grass of Home.”
“That sounds like Tom Jones Syndrome.”
“Is it common?”
“Well, It's Not Unusual”

8. Two cows are standing next to each other in a field….
Daisy says to Dolly, “I was artificially inseminated this morning.”
“I don't believe you,” says Dolly.
“It’s true; no bull!” exclaims Daisy….

9. An invisible man marries an invisible woman. The kids were nothing to look at either.

10. Déjà Moo: The feeling that you've heard this bull before.

11. I went to buy some camouflage trousers the other day, but I couldn't find any.

12. A man woke up in a hospital after a serious accident. He shouted, “Doctor, doctor, I can't feel my legs!”
The doctor replied, “I know, I amputated your arms!”

13. I went to a seafood disco last week... and pulled a mussel.

14. What do you call a fish with no eyes? A fsh.

15. Two fish swim into a concrete wall. The one turns to the other and says, “Dam!”

16. Two Eskimos sitting in a kayak were chilly, so they lit a fire in the craft. Not surprisingly it sank, proving once again that you can’t have your kayak and heat it too.

17. A group of chess enthusiasts checked into a hotel, and were standing in the lobby discussing their recent tournament victories.
After about an hour, the manager came out of the office, and asked them to disperse.
“But why,” they asked, as they moved off.
“Because,” he said. “I can’t stand chess-nuts boasting in an open foyer.”

18. A woman has twins, and gives them up for adoption. One of them goes to a family in Egypt , and is named “Ahmal.” The other goes to a family in Spain ; they name him “Juan.” Years later, Juan sends a picture of himself to his birth mother. Upon receiving the picture, she tells her husband that she wishes she also had a picture of Ahmal. Her husband responds, “They’re twins! If you’ve seen Juan, you’ve seen Ahmal.”

19. Mahatma Gandhi, as you know, walked barefoot most of the time, which produced an impressive set of calluses on his feet. He also ate very little, which made him rather frail and with his odd diet, he suffered from bad breath. This made him (oh, man, this is so bad, it’s good): a super-calloused fragile mystic hexed by halitosis.

20. A dwarf, who was a mystic, escaped from jail. The call went out that there was a small medium at large.

21. And finally, there was the person who sent twenty different puns to her friends, with the hope that at least ten of the puns would make them laugh. No pun in ten did.

Hat tip to Douge2....I think.

Wednesday, March 04, 2009

Beerhog Returns …and Wins in a Roll!

Twenty-five players made it to NPP for Round 8 and an NPP legend stops by to add to his win total on the Walk of Fame, in his first appearance of 2008.

Beerhog was on fire tonight. [“That’s what she said.” – He also brought with him the joke line of the evening from the TV show “The Office”, which Faldo did not let go all night either. Go figure.]

We also welcomed a new player to the NPP stable – Fusciadi. On to the action:

2 min: Tigercub8189 made it into the tourney under the wire, as Sirgash (25th), fresh off his MI Forum League win, has his (QQ) run into RKidder51400’s (KK).

14 min: Douge2 (24th) bows out as he runs into Beerhog’s straight.

20 min: Didn’t see it as I was getting hands early, but Fusciadi (23rd) got the usual NPP greeting for 1st time players and is out early.

22 min: Smookie27 (22nd) was out next.
30 min: Mistermusic5 (21st) was next.

49 min: A short-stacked CrackBuyer (20th) tries it with (A9) but finds Suetman1 with (AQ).

53 min: Nahanni (19th) has her (55) crash into Beerhog’s (KK).
56 min: Tigercub8189 (18th) now wishes Sirgash would have lost quicker.
57 min: RKidder51400 (17th) runs into LittleRedElf’s (AA).

Break:
Beerhog 4890
ThePunk75 3740
Rennzzo 3490
LittleRedElf 3235
7Jokers 2570
Theedouble*d 2495
Kensik 2410
Biglou93 2150
Bighousea2 2110
Suetman1 1900
Absea98 1890
Nixi44 1600
Whilden 1485
Mikeniks-Faldo 1390
Gumby888 1275
Akensi 870

65 min: Mikeniks-Faldo gets a gift here and poor Suetman1 (16th) earns the “bad beat of the night” award. As you can see, my chip level was low and I have to make a move. I had picked up a few more chips in the play after the break.

I raise from early-middle position with (TT), hoping for folds or all-in raises to make the decision easy on my head. Suetman1 calls and we see the flop 3-handed as the BB called (I think it was ThePunk75).

The flop is [898] and I do not want Claudia’s AK or AQ to run me down, so I move all-in. My Ray Charles hand reading skills are on display again as she actually is holding (KK)! I ruthlessly hit my [T] on the river. Ouch!

66 min: Whilden (15th) was out next. I didn’t see it as I was still apologizing to Suetman1.

73 min: Akensi (14th) was next.
77 min: Biglou93 (13th) next.

79 min: Mikeniks-Faldo got some more dealer love as a Big Blind special nails Bighousea2 (12th). Just for clarification, I had taken some BB crushes by 7Jokers and Beerhog, so I was not getting all love all the time. [That’s what she said!]

I had (Th 6h) and got to limp in from the BB with three other players. The flop is [8h-T-6] – a beauty for me. I bet it and get called only by BigH. The turn is a beautiful [6]. I bet again and get called again. The river is a [3] and I bet again and get raised all-in!

I tank for a while before calling and my small full house crushes the Bighousea2’s Ladies.

83 min: Nixi44 (11th) has her (QQ) run into Beerhog’s (AA). That is scalp #3 for the Hog.

90 min: Interesting hand here. A short-stacked 7Jokers (10th) has to go all-in with (AJ). I see the stack and decide to try and remove not only a very dangerous player, but one that just outplays me regularly. All-in is the only way I can play 7Jokers. He is that good!

Beerhog calls too and we take the flop of [AT8] 3-handed. I check my (AQ) to see what Beerhog will do. He pimps me by betting to start a side pot with (KK). I take the bet to mean he has AT and wants 7Jokers heads up – when in reality – he wants my stack!

The problem I see with this strategy is that he is vulnerable to an Ace, which surely one of us can have. But he succeeds in making me fold and gives 7Jokers life.

The turn and river are cruel to 7Jokers (tying Suetman1 for “bad beat” honors) as the [Q] [J] give Beerhog a straight and his 4th scalp – and would have had Faldo’s too if I had called!

Note to Beerhog: Checking it down gets the same result. Comments anyone on the play of this hand? Forget the result, but was Beerhog right? Was Faldo a wuss folding? I can make a case for Yes Yes, No No, YN and NY.

102 min: A short-stacked and league point leader Rennzzo (9th) has to try it with (A2) and runs into Beerhog’s straight. Victim #5.

107 min: Kensik (8th) cannot get his (KJ) to catch Theedouble*d’s (88).

110 min: Theedouble*d and Beerhog were the two big chip leaders. But with lots of betting on every street of a board of [3 5 J 8 K], Beerhog captures a big pot and chip lead as he moves all-in and DD can’t call.

120 min: Theedouble*d’s (7th) luck does not improve as Absea98 hits an [A] on the river to eliminate DD.

2nd Break:
Beerhog 18610
Absea98 7275
Gumby888 4750
Mikeniks-Faldo 3570
ThePunk75 2835
LittleRedElf 460

It is a little early to be standings watching, but I know LittleRedElf, ThePunk75 and I are well aware of what the next hands can mean to us. Rennzzo will be replaced as league leader, but by whom and by how many?

128 min: Absea98 (6th) had lost a tough hand to ThePunk75 and has to try it with (K6). Gumby888 (5th) has to go with (As Ks), leaving the Beerhog in the think tank. He eventually calls with (55) and the pair holds up! Vicitms #6 and #7! LittleRedElf picks up valuable points on Rennzzo with that result.

129 min: LittleRedElf (4th) finally becomes Beerhog’s 8th victim as the Hog trips Aces.

132 min: I can’t avoid the Beerhog hot streak as Mikeniks-Faldo (3rd) tries with (Ac 3c) but can’t catch Beerhog’s (TT). 9th victim!

Heads up: Beerhog 28500 – ThePunk75 9000
135 min: EVEN!!!!
140 min: ThePunk75 27000 - Beerhog 10500

144 min: Back to near even when ThePunk75 (2nd) bets the flop of [2T7] and with (J5) and gets called. The turn is a [7] and he bets again thinking his over card might be good, but he gets called. The river is his [J] and thinking he has the pot, moves all-in. Beerhog has (75) for the win. Victim #10 tonight that I know of!

Congratulations to ThePunk75 for his 4th straight final table (Rennzzo has done it too this year) and to Beerhog on his triumphant return to NPP in 2009.

1st – Beerhog 20 points
2nd – ThePunk75 14 pts
3rd – Mikeniks-Faldo 10 pts
4th – LittleRedElf 7 pts
5th - Gumby888 5 pts
6th – Absea98 4 pts
7th – Theedouble*d 3 pts
8th – Kensik 2 pts
9th – Rennzzo 1 pt

League standings on right side of blog!

Sunday, March 01, 2009

Sirgash Wins Round 1 of the MI Forum League

In an exciting come from behind victory, Sirgash overtook Whilden on the last round of the 7 week league.

Sirgash HAD to win the last tourney while Whilden could not finish 4th or better – in order for the rally. Both players made the final table.

When Sirgash himself sent Whilden to the rail in 8th place, the stage was set. GvSu2009, who finished 2nd to Faldo Tuesday, was the heads up opponent. Try as he might, he could not take the chip lead away from Sirgash once heads up.

Congratulations to GvSu2009 for back to back 2nds, to Whilden for a great 7-tourney run in round 1, and of course to Sirgash for that exciting rally!

See more details on this tourney, this league and the start of the next round at the Michigan Poker Forum link on the right side of the blog.