Lockouts, Legislation and Lawbreaking

We've all been seeing what's transpiring on Capitol Hill this week, and while I can see the obvious advantages of poker regulation in the LONG term, I'm mystified by the events taking place that will effect the online poker landscape in the short term.

From a personal standpoint, let's face it - a 15 month lockout for US players is a major buzzkill. Mind you, I don't play for a living, so I can't even imagine what daily grinders must be dreading (a real job, perhaps?). Granted, standing alone this bill is a longshot but tacked on to the tax legislation, this thing might just have a 1 in 3 chance of being tacked on, Safe Port Act-style.

I think the pertinent question is this...US-friendly sites have flaunted the law once already - since they are well aware that they are going to the back of the line in lieu of Harrah's, Mohegan, Foxwoods and every other brick and mortar that might join the ring, do we really think sites like FT and PS will really honor the law like they did in Washington state? If the UIGEA laws aren't enforceable, will these be worth ignoring?

I pose lots of questions without a clear answer, of course. The blogerati have their opinions spread all over my Google Reader, so all I can do is speculate and offer my own viewpoint. I'm not a 'casual' player - I take my game quite seriously - and put in a lot of volume on these sites that may go away in a month, two months. Aside from all the licensing, regulating and taxing, again the question remains - will the US friendly sites flee Party Poker style, hoping that by abiding US law they will profit in the long run,or will they stick around and take their chances, leaving us to play in an environment that, in reality, won't feel much different than when the UIGEA was enacted?

Like a brazened gold speculator, Harrah's has positioned themselves perfectly by acquiring the technology and putting WSOP.com up for free. Surely 'Harrah' Reid and his constituency were gladhanding in anticipation of something like this - but besides Harrah's, who still has brand awareness? PokerStars has two successful Tv shows running - Full Tilt patches abound on Poker After Dark - and American players will still swarm those free sites. Which poses an interesting scenario...

IF this bill passes (a big if), how will the offshore sites implement their free portals? Will we see more freerolls into big events? It would seem a certainty- otherwise attendance to WSOP, WPT, NAPT and EPT events will surely tumble, and those venues will suffer a big economic hit - does Senator Reid realize what THAT might do to his state's economy in 2011?

If the bill DOESN'T pass...will the Republican congress commence the UIGEA witch-hunt? Will we all be in bigger trouble? Will I be shackled and bound for multi-tabling 27-man SNGS? If that's the case, I guess I'll wait the 15 months.

To be continued...

WSOP-C trip

Hello to all as I travel back to New York City via WiFi to update you on the happenings of the WSOP Circuit event at Harrah's trip, hosted by myself and Jordan.

Before I even go into my episode, I debate whether to spring the conclusion on you or let it unfold in its entirety. I am opting for the latter....

I lollygag around a little bit on Friday before hopping on a 4:30 bus to Harrah's. Jordan would not be far behind on a 6pm train. Things got a little dicey on my bus, as halfway to AC a fight ensued between two passengers, and when one of them shouted "Don't make me stick you!" the bus driver immediately pulled over, called the cops(who arrived within 5 minutes) and took the men off, and we continued south. I know, crazy, right?

I arrive at Caesar's and decide to walk to the Trop in the brisk night air to meet Jordan. He arrives a bit later and we proceed to the room. After a quick trip to Harrah's to register for the event we decide it is necessary to drink free alcohol and dust off some cash playing Limit Hold 'Em. Both of us predictably fared rather poorly after a 4 hour session and several liquor+Diet Coke combinations. All I can really remember is that I beat J at showdown with a straght and that he owned a few people with some great drawing hands. Then, off to bed we went.

Tourney time! 11am and the cards were in the air. I can say I always get that exciting feeling at the beginning of a big buy-in, knowing all to well that out of the 1250 runners in the room (I lost the over/under on that one), only one of us will walk away completely satisifed, although one's satisfaction can be felt in levels...as you will see shortly.

My initial table was a fairly skilled group. Three players were obviously grinders of some kind - two of them sported Tournament Poker Edge patches, and another was in Full Tilt garb, ahoodie and all. The rest of the table was pretty soft. I had a maniac to my right who miraculously survied a lot longer than I thought he would. the blinds began at 25-25 and escalated to 25-50, 50-75, 75-150 and 100-200 every 30 minutes. During this period I won in a few spots with small pots and took my 10K stack to about 14K by the first break. The blinds continued to climb after the first break and here is where I remember two pivotal hands that I enjoyed.

Both were against one of the pros...the first against Tournament Poker Edge guy who looked like the guy from EastBound and Down. I have AK and raise his 575 open to 1700. He calls. The flop comes 6J4 with two hearts and he checks. I make about a half pot bet of 3700, and he tanks for a while, but eventuslly folds. This put me at around 16K.

My best bluff of the day came against Full Tilt guy. Holding Jacks, I raise his 500 bet to 1500, and he calls. I decide before the flop that regardless of what hits the board, I am going to punch it. He had been making this bet a lot in late position and getting no opposition. If the texture of the board was right and he made any sort of passive move, I was going to ship it. Ace-rag-rag flopped and he checked. I insta-shoved all-in. He folds, telling me later that he had QQ. Nice.

Our table breaks and we move, and I've got about 14K. There really wasn't a whole lot to say about this table. One fella there remembered me from a bluff I put on him at the Borgata Winter Event two years ago(nice memory!). I donk off 4K from a continuation bet where I got shoved on with AQ. He had AJ with a jack on the board, so that was wnjoyable. I shove with Jacks again, and get an AJ call and I hold, so now I am close to 20K, but as always, the blinds catch up. With about 10 minutes to go nd the blinds at 400-800 with a 75 ante, I have dropped down to about 11K. With another orbit knocking me down soon I knew that I would be needing to do a quality shove before long, and best to do it when I still have more fold equity. I get my chance with AK. Two limp and I shove. 99 calls me and though the A hits the window, the river is a 9 and I make my exit. On the way I pass Jordan who is extremely short stacked, and tells me he won't be long - I tell him I'll wait in the room at Harrah's, where we had moved to that morning due to the cheap rate I snagged there.

At dinner break, Jordan arrives with Ross/Alceste, who had also been playing, and was also short. Jordan had rebounded to about 12K, but was facing yet another moment to shove. I reminded him that a chip and a chair is all you need, and sure enough, before long he texted to announce he was on a major rush, and had rebounded , and while I'll let him document his rush in detail, Jordan prevails from near elimination and makes it into the money, ending at 2am with 97 players left!

Today I accompanied Jordan to the ballroom, inquired about the ME Satellite, which had (groan) 12 signed up. Lemon! I thought about the 1:15 tourney downstairs but they only had 15 signed up. Lemon! So, I play 2-4 limit, the slowest and cheapest game in the room, and try to chase the bad beat jackpot while I wait for Jordan.

CONGRATULATORY PARAGRAPH- Jordan goes on a rush again and makes it to 24th for a payout of $2.5K! Congrats to HoP. I wish I had taken him up on the action swapping.

So, back to the levels of satisfaction - though I didn't cash, I felt like I played optimally, and even better than optimally in some cases. I made the best possible decisions when they were warranted, and don't feel at all bad about the experience. Could I have predicted that one of the limpers was going to put me to a coinflip with a pair? Sure. But I had to get it in, and AK is the best you can hope for when you're facing 10BB.

Again, congrats to Jordan, and be sure to stop by his blog (link above) and hear his story!

Great video...

Cardrunners is running this one for free....really great stuff.

http://www.cardrunners.com/poker-videos/13-scariest-small-stakes-leaks-of-all-time-przytula/

I take down the PCL HU Final!

Very sweet, I must say. If you don't listen to the 2+2 Pokercast, you probably don't know about the Pokercast League. If you know about it, and don't play, you should! It spans twenty four events that usually run nightly Tuesday-Sunday at 10pm...you don't have to go to every one, as they take your 12 best finishes. Lots of money and prizes involved for winners, and the top 32 participate in the aforementioned tournament. While I actually qualified in the last cycle, I ended up 40-something but got selected as one of the wildcards. Amazingly enough, I won it! I admit, my HU game has been something I have been contributing a lot of time and study to...as for a while it was my weakest game - but tonight I really applied myself and didn't get myself too far down that I couldn't rebound back. I think the lowest I fell to was $800 or so in any match. My PT3 is hanging or else I would post some pivotal hands (I am seriously considering that one-click transfer to HEM they're offering) Actually, it's now working...so....actually my first guy wasn't there for the first 5 minutes so I blinded him down to about $900 before he finally showed...this hand was the crushing blow:

Poker Stars $5.00+$0.50 No Limit Hold'em Tournament - t15/t30 Blinds - 2 players - View hand 1049932

DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History Converter

Hero (BTN/SB): t2135 71.17 BBs

BB: t865 28.83 BBs

Pre Flop: (t45) Hero is BTN/SB with Q Q

Hero raises to t90, BB raises to t240, Hero raises to t2135 all in, BB calls t625 all in

Flop: (t1730) K 3 5 (2 players - 2 are all in)

Turn: (t1730) J (2 players - 2 are all in)

River: (t1730) K (2 players - 2 are all in)

Final Pot: t1730

Hero shows Q Q (two pair, Kings and Queens)

BB shows Q A (a pair of Kings)

Hero wins t1730

The next big hand was in the second game...while the flush scared me, when I binked I think the flush draw scared him too...

Poker Stars $5.00+$0.50 No Limit Hold'em Tournament - t10/t20 Blinds - 2 players - View hand 1049933

DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History Converter

Hero (BTN/SB): t1350 67.50 BBs

BB: t1650 82.50 BBs

Pre Flop: (t30) Hero is BTN/SB with 4 5

Hero raises to t60, BB calls t40

Flop: (t120) 6 2 J (2 players)

BB checks, Hero bets t80, BB calls t80

Turn: (t280) K (2 players)

BB checks, Hero checks

River: (t280) 3 (2 players)

BB bets t140, Hero raises to t700, BB folds

Final Pot: t560

Hero mucks 4 5

Hero wins t560

We went back and forth for quite a while, and when I picked up 55, I felt like if the flop was dry, I'd make a move.

Poker Stars $5.00+$0.50 No Limit Hold'em Tournament - t50/t100 Blinds - 2 players - View hand 1049934

DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History Converter

Hero (BB): t1325 13.25 BBs

BTN/SB: t1675 16.75 BBs

Pre Flop: (t150) Hero is BB with 5 5

BTN/SB raises to t250, Hero raises to t1325 all in, BTN/SB calls t1075

Flop: (t2650) 2 7 T (2 players - 1 is all in)

Turn: (t2650) 5 (2 players - 1 is all in)

River: (t2650) 8 (2 players - 1 is all in)

Final Pot: t2650

Hero shows 5 5 (three of a kind, Fives)

BTN/SB shows K J (high card King)

Hero wins t2650

So now I was in the small money, but felt like I had a chance to take this down so I plodded further. The next guy was someone I tangled with a lot in the PCL, and I had some good stats on him -- but of course they don't apply to HU NL, but I felt he'd try to call me down with some marginal hands...like here.

Poker Stars $5.00+$0.50 No Limit Hold'em Tournament - t15/t30 Blinds - 2 players - View hand 1049936

DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History Converter

BTN/SB: t1020 34 BBs

Hero (BB): t1980 66 BBs

Pre Flop: (t45) Hero is BB with A J

BTN/SB raises to t60, Hero calls t30

Flop: (t120) 3 2 4 (2 players)

Hero bets t90, BTN/SB raises to t210, Hero calls t120

Turn: (t540) 3 (2 players)

Hero checks, BTN/SB checks

River: (t540) 2 (2 players)

Hero bets t270, BTN/SB calls t270

Final Pot: t1080

BTN/SB mucks A 7

Hero shows A J (a flush, Ace high)

Hero wins t1080

I caught him with trip aces later and then it was down to the final four.

My next opponent was my toughest, and I think I just got lucky. He had me about 1800/1100, and based on his betting patterns I decided to raise him to 720 OOP with A10. To my surprise he called. The flop came J32 and I elected to push, he called and tables Q8, and I held up. A few hands later he was gone, and I found myself at the final table against the guy who actually took down the league this cycle. Interestingly enough, there were no exciting hands...he found himself down early, and I just played aggressively and hit some flops, and it ended in about 30 hands.

Nice padding to the PS bankroll. I'm sure a report of the Circuit Event in AC will be next. Stay tuned!

After a long absence...my return with some poker news.

Hello Dear Readers! If I have any left...

I have been quite remiss in penning a blog entry, but since this is primarily a poker-oriented blog, there hasn't been much new to report. Since the underground poker landscape in New York City has halted to a standstill (even if it recharged itself, I doubt I would return, for safety issues), I've been playing a good deal online as usual, mixing some tournaments wth .05/.10 cash games, as well as participating in my normal 2+2 events and Cardschat league events. Despite all that exciting online action, I do find myself yearning for some live poker action. Enter...

www.newyorkfreepoker.com

Now, I do find myself motivated by money, but this brand new installment in the New York Poker scene caught my attention. Basically, the gist is similar to the bar leagues that you see scattered all over the country that form a thin web to represent this thing called the WPT Amateur Poker League. You play in a free tournament, and if you win a tournament or place in the top third of the leaderboard you participate in a monthly tournament, which if you place high you get to a quarterly tournament, and then you go to Vegas. Or something like that. Honestly, I didn't really read that far. It was live, it was a place where I could feel felt again (locally), so I was going to go check it out, shitshow or no.

Well, upon taking two trains to Greenpoint, it was looking like it might fall on the shitshow end. Loud music, dark bar, tables crammed against each other...not a pretty sight. You were told to be there at 7 to sign up for an 8pm start...but no signup sheet to be found. I decided to be patient since this was their first attempt, and surely enough a signup sheet arrived, and quickly enough we were seated.

I thought it might be too dark to see my cards, or even hear the action, but the music was turned down and the lights came up slightly, so I was encouraged. I then learned the structure - 25 minute levels (not bad), but the blind escalation was of the atypical, speedy variety...25/50, 50/100. 100/200 THEN 200/400, 400/800, 500/1000...3000 chips to start...you get the idea. the 25 chips go away after two levels. The dealers worked on tips alone, and you were strongly encouraged to do so at the beginning, but I wanted to see how good they were. And they were quite good - excellent in fact, surprisingly. Too bad the level of play did not equal the skill of the participants at the table.

I was immediately like a kid in a candy store. Never before, in my entire life, has it been so blatantly evident that the poker prowess at a table was sorely lacking. Confusion about first to act, small and big blind, fumbling chips...but of course there were a couple of sharks in the water, as you'll see soon.

But I was the first shark to bite.

I start picking out the fish quickly...Two hands in, Older Guy and NonDescriptGuy tangle. Non descript calls 50, Older Guy raises to 200, NDG calls. Flop comes Q75 rainbow. NDG bets 100...Older Guy raises to 400! NDG calls. turn is a 3...NDG checks, OG makes it 400 again...NDG calls. River is a 4, NDG checks. OG does 400 AGAIN. Again a call. NDG tables Q4os? OG tables KJhh? King Jack??? He checks the nuts, he raises with nothing? Hallelujah!

I find my mark the very next hand. OG makes it 200, I raise to 600 with AsKc. He calls. Flop comes 6K5 rainbow. He makes it 200 again? Geez. I'm still gauging, so I call. After all, he could be coming in with anything, who knows! Turn is a brick, and I make it 700. He goes all-in. Well...this is a free tournament after all and I snap call.

He proudly tables JJ. River is an A, and I quickly double up.

By the way, raises were rare...limps abounded. And I identifed the other guy licking his chops while I sat back with a big stack...he was raising limpers left and right, picking his spots, and it was that point I said to myself, 'it will be the two of us heads up.' Of course I wasn't even thinking about the other two tables, and as people dropped like flies and I was moved, the environment was basically the same. One or two good players surrounded by people asking what the minimum bet was.

A few chip ups and double-ups later - I never contested a big pot without being clearly ahead- I find myself at the final table. Sure enough, the guy I mentioned earlier...we'll call him Phil Ivey With a Tie (or PIWT), was still doing well. With 8 left, there suddenly was a FIVE-WAY All-in. Stacks were light, except for PIWT, who flopped a set of nines and took all the chips, making him the clear chip leader. So we are down to 4. Me, the NDG who somehow made it here, Dude with Full Tilt Poker Shirt and PIWT. I was roughly even in chips with NDG, with FTP shirt and PIWT clearly ahead. PIWT busts FTP guy with a river 5 in a 55 v KQ battle on a flop of Q5X...and now PIWT has us dominated.

With blinds now at 500/1000 I call 500 in the SB with Jh9h - NDG checks. Flop comes J9X - bink! I calmly check. As he was wont to do when I watched him earlier, he led out for 5000...about 1/3 of his stack. I shove, he calls, and tables K9. No King comes, and as predicted, it's me and Phil Ivey With A Tie, heads-up.

Now, I will admit I'm no heads-up expert - but I've been working on it, and it's now one of the better parts of my game. He had be my about 10000 chips, but I was going to take it down. We both cheekily acknowledged that it wasn't all that hard to get here, without actually saying it, but it was fun. And I had fun playing with him heads-up...I don't really remember all the hands, but we exchanged stacks for about 20 minutes, when I nailed himwith calling 8-10 to his k10 and hitting two pair with about 80% of the chips, and that was that.

So., now I guess I don't have to go again and I get immediately invited to the monthly, but I imagine I'll go again...they are at different venues and I am hoping the other one is a bit lighter and quieter, but it's free and fun...who knows?

In more competitive action, Jordan and I will be going to the WSOP Circuit Event at Harrah's next month for the $350 Event #1. I am looking forward to some live action there, and maybe some cash the night before at the Trop. A report on that will arrive soon enough.

Fantasy Football, Phones and Wagers

Well, it's that time of year again.

This year I will be in three leagues - the stalwart Broadway Fantasy Football League(the BFFL, in it's 16th year) where yours truly is the commish, MattyEbs' Yahoo League, and the Mmm Mmm Good League, run by some other theatre folk. Actually, Mmm Mmm is interesting in that they don't use a kicker and instead allow an additional flex. I didnt draft particularly well in that league, but I am interested in participating.

I also got an HTC Evo 4G last week. The 4G capability is still not in New York, but otherwise my review of the phone is mixed, most likely due to my own phone proclivities. First off, the touch keyboard. As a longtime Treo/Pre user I've never had one, and a week into owning I feel like I have made no real progress in cutting down on mistakes. Also, there is no combined mail inbox. I keep three email accounts and I like to see them all at once...right now I have to go to them one by one. I could become accustomed to this but right now I am a bit frustrated by it. That said, there are some plusses - great camera and video, seamless access to my work remote desktop, app catalog that dwarfs the Palm offerings, and the promise of eventual 4G speed, but I am left suddenly empty, unfulfilled by the purchase today. I hope it will change, as it has set me back $200.

Also, I am in a bit more of a gambling mood than usual, so that means I am going to wager on some football this year on Bodog. Two years ago I made bets every week and ended up in the black, so I'm going to go at it again.

Not much happening in poker, as I have had to cut down on volume this past week, but I will be back to grinding soon!

Victory at the House of Dawn!

Well, I had no intention of bubbling this tournament for a third time, come hell or high water, and though the water high and hell nearby, I chopped 1st prize two ways with the hostess herself. A run-down of some of the highlights -

First off, no double rebuy to start, so all of us were stuck with 3K chips to start. The first three levels were uber-boring for me, chipping up once or twice with a PF raise and a CBet here and there, but nothing overly fancy or strange. Right before the rebuy period was over I risked all my chips with 66 and they held up, doubling me up heading into freezeout time.

Most of my tussles came against Mary tonight, and due to some antics by others she got rather angry, and I do not blame her. Basically folks, don't talk when you're not in the hand. Even if you think you have the best piece of advice in the history of the world to give, don't do it. We're now 5 handed I have about 8BB and my shoved KQ runs into Mary's AJ.King hits. So that tilts her a bit. She is now in shove mode as well and goes all in. I have an ace, action is to me and only me, and I say" Ouch...I have an ace." Someone still around says, "Oh, that's a definite call here." This tilts Mary completely. Now I know I should call, this is not news to me, but still, it's impolite and unprofessional and rude. I call, but Mary's hand holds up, and though she was plenty pissed off, play continued.

We lost one more, and blinds were getting steep. Dawn was the big stack, and the rest of us were varying levels of short. A lot of button-raising fold-fold had been happening - so it was only a matter of time before someone got caught. Mary limps her Sb into my BB and I check 56. The flop comes K56. I had been shoving a lot, so I was at a point where I felt if she was merely limping to trap me post-flop, re shoving her with two pair is going to be as good of a spot as any. Action is to her and she shoves, and I snap call. Two pair holds, and Mary is sent to the rail. I felt bad, although I know I shouldn't because it's poker, but I never like to see people I play with mad or angry, and doubly so if I'm involved in the hand in question. Granted, I did nothing wrong, but I still felt bad about it.

It was not long before the shortest stack busted, and Dawn and I stood fairly even, so we happily chopped $190 each. Nothing like a night where luck goes your way AND you feel great about how you played. Thanks always to Dawn for hosting!