Results not good

May started off with a modicum of promise and it looked like the long awaited breakthrough that my backers were praying for would eventuate. Alas, it was not to be. Variance kicked me in the junk once again. I really feel despondent, but my backers still have confidence in my weak tight trapping style. Can things get any worse?

5 cases when it's OK to use the "f" word

For a good cause

PokerStars is running the Ocean's Thirteen Darfur Charity Tournament this Sunday afternoon at 3:30pm ET.

Date: May 27th 2007, 15:30 ET
Buy-in: $10 plus rebuys.
Prizes: Top 4 receive tickets to June 5th premiere in Los Angeles plus 2 nights hotel and $2k for travel/spending. Top 18 receive autographed copy of "Oceans 13" DVD. Total prize pool will go to charity. PokerStars will match the donation.

The tournament is open to all players. Good luck!

Mother of all heaters

Saw this on FTP last night. I have no idea how long it took Lommasasa to win his 8 buy-ins, but it is an impressive feat nevertheless.

Poker Hall of Shame II

If you ever happen to run into Gudaehan, know that you are facing one of the biggest scumbags to ever sit at a table.

A pox on you

Matt Q has tagged me with this "Seven Random Things" meme. While I view this as a total disregard for my privacy, I will not risk possible ostracism by my fellow bloggers and proffer the following snippets :

1. fuel55 raves on and on about presto being gold. Wait till he turns presto like I did this year.

2. I haven't drunk any alcohol since 1987. I still have pangs of guilt that I declined Al's generous offer of a Soco shot at the 2005 WPBT in Vegas without explaining why.

3. Of all instruments, I learned to play the piano accordion as a kid. I would've preferred the guitar.

4. I can juggle 3 balls with one hand in my pocket. I can also juggle 3 balls with no hands in my pocket.

5. My favorite sport is soccer. A close second is Aussie rules football.

6. I have lived on 4 continents and speak 4 languages.

7. I have memorized the first 200 digits of Pi and can recite them both forwards and backwards. Also, my good memory is only surpassed by my fertile imagination.

And if you think I have the temerity to tag anyone, think again.

Set over set

In the March 28 issue of Card Player, Phil Hellmuth discusses a hand featuring set over set. In a sidebar entitled Poker Odds, presumably written by CP staff, the following is stated:

In a 10-handed game in which two players have been dealt pocket pairs, the chance of both players flopping sets is less than 0.1 percent.

I have no desire in calculating this probability and will accept their 0.1 percent. What I do find particularly funny is the redundant pre-condition of "in a 10-handed game". It doesn't matter if it's 10-handed, 5-handed or heads-up; if two players have been dealt pocket pairs, the chance of both players flopping sets is the same.