Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Time to Go

Well fellas, this is it. In less than 12 hours I'll be in the air heading to America's Playground, the great city of Las Vegas. Damn, I don't think I'll sleep tonight.

The news I wanted to share with everyone from the last post is this: The fine - and insane - gentlemen from WickedChopsPoker have decided to sweat lil ole me for the Main Event. If anyone has read them you know they are very talented & demented writers of one of my favorite blogger sites. They also had an email "contest" for Main Eventers, with 5 winners being profiled & "sweated" during the tournament. Well, I was one of the lucky ones. I'm definitely looking forward to meeting those guys. So if you're interested in my progress be sure to check there.

I've signed up for PocketFivesLive.com & will be tracked there, too.

I want to thank all you guys for your support & encouragement...it means a great deal to me. I'll try to update when I can, as I don't own a laptop, but I hear all the site's suites have laptops so maybe it won't be so bad.

Since I'm staying at the MGM I will frequently haunt their poker room. And I know that place is a favorite of Miami Don & Carmen. So if you guys happen to read this & they don't, please let them know that if a short, buzz-cutted, burger-bellied guy walks up & introduces himself as "Stump" or "SugarLand Stump", it's me. And if you can name the restaurant where Carmen works leave me a comment. I'd really like to meet the people whose blogs I read damn near every day. Thanks guys.

I'll talk to you guys later & wish me luck! Take care! Viva Las Vegas! WOOHOO!!!!!

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

Getting Ready for Vegas

Well I withdrew most all of funds from the online sites last night to have more bankroll for Las Vegas. Total I should be taking somewhere near $1500 to play with, which is plenty for my low-limit ass. I should be playing in the Caesars tournament at noon Friday followed by either some 10/20 limit or 1/2 NL. If/when I get ahead I might try to satellite into one of the Bellagio Cup II $1,000 events. We'll see.

Saturday is going to be for sightseeing & checking out the Rio to see how crazy it is. I'll also be getting a feel for the place, like where the nearest restrooms are in relation to my table, where the food is, etc. All the important things before I play Sunday. Plus, I have two friends from Houston that qualified & are playing Saturday so I'll have to sweat them for a while.

I also have some pretty exciting news which I will share with all 3 of my readers at a later time, maybe later today or tomorrow.

I don't have a laptop so I probably won't be able to give updates like I'd like to. But I hear many of the internet site suites have laptops which we can log onto so I'll try to update that way.

Wish me luck. I'll try to post again - with the exciting news - before I head out. Ya'll take care.

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Not a Lot to Report

Like the title suggests there's just not much going on. I'll try to find some highlights.

I've received information from PartyPoker about what's going to happen once I get to the MGM Grand. They tell me a bag should be awaiting me in my room with various shirts & hats. Woohoo! I guess I don't need to pack much!

There is a reception for the players on Thursday night at their suite (I guess at MGM) where I guess we meet other online lucksacks, er, players & hopefully a muckity-muck or two.

There is another party scheduled for Saturday night at Studio 54 in the MGM. That ought to be pretty cool & my wife is looking forward to that. There is a dress code at Studio 54 so I guess my fat ass needs to try on the last coat & slack combination I wore, which was a few months back at my grandfathers funeral. "Aw Stump, there's no WAY you gained any weight since then!" Yeah, right!

I'm sad to report I won't be doing any drinking at the Studio 54 party because I play the next day. Why they decided to have a party in the middle of the start dates, I have no idea.

I'm sorry I haven't played in any blogger events lately, I've been busy with the family while my daughter's been in town. I know you guess miss my donation to the prize pool; I promise to donate again soon. Unfortunately it won't be at the Mookie tonight, I'm playing in a friend's tournament at his house. Last time I played there I took it down, so let's see what happens.

I played in a $100 home tournament this past weekend. We started with 5000TC, blinds at 25-25 & 45 minute levels. I love this set up! Any tourney with long blind levels I'm in. So what do I do? I push my above-average chip stack(around 7500 w/100-200 blinds) with JJ into KK in the 3rd level & IGH. I'm such a donkey. I raise & one of the only two other solid players at my table reraises. I talk myself into thinking he has AK & I'm willing to race this early in the tourney. If he has AK & I win this race I'm in GREAT position to win this thing. No way he has AA, KK, or QQ. Yeah i know he's a solid player but who cares? I'm not sure where I'm at in the hand so let's just shove it all in & if he calls I guess I'm screwed. <------Now what the hell kind of thinking is that?

I promise to everyone I know & love that I WILL NOT THINK LIKE THAT IN THE MAIN FUCKING EVENT! And if I do I will never, ever play poker again. That's just plain disgusting.

Well, I guess that's all from here. Get back to ya soon. Take care.

Friday, July 14, 2006

Sicknesses

It's been a couple of days since my last post because I've been suffering from some kind of stomach virus. Fun times!

I played in a 1/2 NLHE home game Tuesday - before my adventures began - & took home an extra $225. I'm kinda proud of that score because that table was one of the most talented I've played. My friend hosts games once a week on the southeast side of town & it always draws talented players. I know jjok lives in that area, I need to get a hold of him to see if he wants in sometime. If you're reading this gimme a shout.

I've played very sparingly online the last couple of days but had some moderate success. Cashed in numerous SnG's on Stars & Full Tilt and bubbled twice in Busty Babe sats, once when my KK lost to 55 when a 5 spikes on the turn. Whaddyagonnado?

Thought about joining the 45 SnG Challenge put on by drewspop but I'll be in Vegas midway thru the challenge & won't be able to get a lot in. But I'll absolutely play in the next one, buddy! Good luck to all that are playing.

After reading all the write-ups from different peeps I might start saving up for the next blogger event in December. That is, of course, if I keep writting this & connect with a few more fellow bloggers. I've only been doing this for roughly a month so I've got PLENTY of time. Looking forward to being there.

I guess that's it. Ya'll take care.

Monday, July 10, 2006

I'm Not Dead...

...I just haven't posted in a while. Kinda bummed about some things that I guess I should have put out in the open in the first place. Nothing real big, just disappointing.

For one, I wish I could do better in these blogger events. For the third time in a row I go out before the first break. Frustrating! On the other hand I enjoy playing with you guys because 1) most of ya'll are better than me so I learn a few things, & 2) the smack talking is world-class.

Since it's been so long here are some brief highlights of what's been happening, poker related & otherwise:
  • My 12 y.o. daughter is in town so I'm trying to spend much time with her.
  • I still haven't heard about my start date for the WSOP Main Event yet, other than I should hear from Harrah's sometime this week via email. As soon as I know, ya'll will know.
  • Had a night of 2nd best hands - don't you HATE that - & dropped $200 this weekend at a home game.
  • I've read most of the blogger updates from Vegas & am absolutely jealous. I can't wait to get there in 2 weeks! Don't take all the money fellas!
  • Online deposited on UB, where I haven't played in forever & somehow got a 100% first-time bonus. Now I only play cash games there to try to bleed that bonus $$$ since it takes forever.
  • Redeposited on Full Tilt, even though I took it in the backside last time I was there. Variance is evening out as I am actually having success there now, winning two $26 busty babe tokens (why the hell are they called "busty babe tokens" anyway) & cashing in numerous SnG's. Also bubbled in a $10 MTT last night when my JJ lost to AK.
  • I've got a serious downswing going on Stars, losing $100 the last few days, mostly on SnG's & small MTT's. But I cleared the bonus there playing $1/$2 & $2/$4 O8B. Easiest way I've found to clearing a bonus is split games. Wait for a good draw to the nuts then either scoop or split it. Not much variance & you clear bonuses in no time. Easy.
  • I discovered I play better in cash games when I don't multi-table. Played $.50/$1 NLHE on UB last night. Sat down with my whole BR ($86) & left with $180. It's easier for me to pay attention to the play & keep notes on people when I don't multi-table. I know many of you are thinking, duh, about time you figured that out dumbass. But I am an action junkie & usually need 3-4 tables going at once. I've realized I can play like that in SnG's & small entry $$$ MTT's; but for cash & larger $$$ MTT's it's only 2-tables MAX.
  • The wifey & I celebrated our 1 year anniversary last weekend. I can't believe it's already been a year. I guess time flies when you're with the person you're supposed to spend the rest of your life with.
  • I have a meeting tonight with my old martial arts instructor. He is opening a new school not too far away - maybe 20 minutes - & I might get back into it. I put on black belt two years ago & haven't done shit else, except put on 30 lbs. & get in the worst shape of my life. Damn, I need to get back in shape! The discipline is Shoalin Kenpo for those wondering, mostly kung fu with a mixture of kenpo karate.
I guess I'm caught up now. I'll try not to let this blog go to waste anymore. Especially with the main event coming up, I want to keep everyone informed & hopefully tell some interesting stories. Ya'll take care.