Ivy League November

If you've been following this blog, you may have suspected that I ended October with a zero bankroll and a conspicuous absence of backers. On October 30th I was contacted by a Harvard University statistics professor, whose specialty is time series analysis and forecasting. He had been following my monthly progress and apparently had modelled my equity curve using spectral analysis, and was using it as part of an undergraduate course he was teaching. Not wishing to interrupt the "flow of data" and knowing I was broke, he offered to put up $7,200 for November, predicting that it would last me exactly 26 days based on my previous playing patterns and table limits. In fact he calculated 7 different time series which would most likely simulate my bankroll, and was so confident in his forecasting model that he offered to let me keep any money left after 26 days.

The following chart shows his 7 likely outcomes, with my actual results in thick red. Uncanny, eh?

Thanksgiving

We give thanks to iceballgofish and all the other jackasses who, with their generous infusion of both money and mediocrity, keep the online poker economy afloat. We give thanks.

2 cents worth

Realizing that I had still not participated in any of the Battle of the Blogger Tournaments, I spent most of yesterday frantically trying to sell 50% of myself for the near approaching Mookie. I managed to convince 5 derelicts to put up the $11 entry fee and, after finishing in 17th place for an $11.20 payout, am pleased to report that they each made 2 cents profit on the deal. I could have finished much higher but for the following hand, where my aces were cracked on the river by Mike_Maloney's queens.




I lost most of my stack, but at least am consoled by the fact that the villain went on to win the event. I also enjoyed the music and guest commentary on Buddy Dank radio, despite the repeated exhortations for silence by a very agitated librarian.

Bodonkey tonight

Recognition at last

I am both humbled and honored to announce that my Violin Concerto No. 3 in D Flat will be added to the Fountains of Bellagio Music List. Those who have visited Las Vegas are familiar with the stunning nature of this unprecedented aquatic accomplishment.

Unbeknownst to many, I do have other interests apart from poker and community service, the foremost being musical composition. The opening piece of my concerto, a two-handed pizzicato, is shown below:

Clearing up the desk

Dillo thought he'd ruin my weekend by tagging me. I hereby present the rules of the game :

A). Link to the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog...
B). Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself...
C). Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs...
D). Let each person know that they've been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

I have no intention of doing anyone the disservice of tagging them, but will reluctantly disclose 7 random facts about myself:

1) I suffer from randoskaphobia, a morbid fear of revealing random facts about myself.

2) I am left-handed.

3) I can pick my nose with both hands.

4) I have never used scissors, clippers or any other instrument to cut my toenails. I use my fingernails to do the job.

5) I like poppy seed cake.

6) I often repeat myself.

7) I can pick my nose with both hands.

Light at the end of the tunnel?

I was hoping October would be the month I finally emerge from my downward slump. Alas, it was not to be. I am currently poring over the stats to see if I can identify any areas of weakness. I am also looking for new backers.

Aristocrat Gaming - expired domain name?

One of the major players in the gaming industry is Australian based Aristocrat Gaming. I make it a habit to regularly visit their website (as I do the others) to keep abreast of any developments in the gaming world. Tonight, however, it seemed that they had let their domain name expire on 10/20/2007, as I was apparently redirected to Network Solutions' site. Or could it be related to this?

The Importance of Table Selection

Please add loupoul to your donktard watchlist. Joining a table with any of these half-wits already sitting there is table selection at its finest. You will experience the occasional suckout, but when the dust settles be sure to turn up the speakers to catch the last braying sounds of their avatars as they inevitably leave the table penniless.



Full Tilt Poker Game #3864877320: Table Harwood - $0.25/$0.50 - No Limit Hold'em
Seat 1: Frogmom09 ($50)
Seat 2: loupoul ($32)
Seat 3: TheTalisman ($12.25)
Seat 4: samlucky1 ($66.05)
Seat 5: NDirish80 ($54.55)
Seat 6: MrSubliminal ($41.35)
Seat 7: SFBayPokerDcom ($53.90)
Seat 8: Meijeroen ($49.25)
Seat 9: Zuluhed ($24.55)
MrSubliminal posts the small blind of $0.25
SFBayPokerDcom posts the big blind of $0.50
The button is in seat #5
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to MrSubliminal [5d 5h]
Meijeroen folds
Zuluhed folds
Frogmom09 folds
loupoul calls $0.50
TheTalisman folds
samlucky1 folds
NDirish80 folds
MrSubliminal calls $0.25
SFBayPokerDcom checks
*** FLOP *** [Jh Td 8s]
MrSubliminal checks
SFBayPokerDcom checks
loupoul has 15 seconds left to act
loupoul checks
*** TURN *** [Jh Td 8s] [5s]
MrSubliminal checks
SFBayPokerDcom checks
loupoul bets $1.50
MrSubliminal raises to $6
SFBayPokerDcom folds
loupoul calls $4.50
*** RIVER *** [Jh Td 8s 5s] [Qc]
MrSubliminal bets $13.50
loupoul raises to $25.50, and is all in
MrSubliminal calls $12
*** SHOW DOWN ***
loupoul shows [Kh 9h] a straight, King high
MrSubliminal mucks
loupoul wins the pot ($61.50) with a straight, King high
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $64.50 | Rake $3
Board: [Jh Td 8s 5s Qc]

Gin Rummy - where Stuey Ungar started off

The following is a paid review :

"In mid-1960s a Las Vegas-based Gin Rummy tournament was promoted by mailing flyers to players. The post office objected on the grounds that it was illegal to promote a "game of chance" (a lottery) through postal services. This case ended up in court. After listening to the testimony of experts that included statisticians and several prominent players, the US District Court of Las Vegas on February 23, 1965, ruled that Gin Rummy is indeed a game of skill."

(from "How to Win at Gin Rummy", Pramod Shankar, Ph.D., First Carol Publishing Edition, 1997, page 76.)

Gin Rummy is recognized as a game of skill, so much so that even PayPal is an accepted form of payment at RummyRoyal, the top site to play online Rummy games. (For the 8 US states which currently do not approve of skill-based real money tournaments, only practice mode is available. Please check with your legal jurisdiction.)

RummyRoyal brings you the first online Gin, Kalooki (Kaluki) and Traditional Rummy rooms! They offer real money ring games and tournaments as well as free games, assuring you are provided with the ultimate gaming experience.

Not familiar with a particular variation of Rummy? No problem! Comprehensive and well-designed tutorials are available to guide you through the basics of each game. Even I could pick it up.

RummyRoyal is the first and only online Rummy community where you can experience a real multiplayer online Rummy game with sessions of up to four players at a time. Join thousands of players from all over the world in exciting real money multiplayer ring games and tournaments. And don't forget to check out their promotions!

Battle of the Blogger Tournaments II

Impresario Al has certainly outdone himself with the latest Blogger Tournament setup, featuring some incredible prizes from Full Tilt. Read more about it here.

Bob Lassiter

Bob Lassiter (September 30, 1945 - October 13, 2006)




A year has passed. I'll never forget you, tampa, my good, close, personal friend.

Shhhh!!

As you all know, I mainly play live poker. This is because I have no internet access at the shelter, and needless to say I don't own a PC or laptop. In fact I have maintained this blog by regularly posting from a public library, no small feat I can assure you. I wish to take this opportunity to thank the kind staff at the Sunrise Library for their support over the last few years.

So if you are a blogger and reading this, chances are high that it's not from a public library. If that's the case, I encourage you to take part in Bodog's Poker Blogger Tournament in which Bodog is adding a total of $600 in bonus money.

Date : October 9, 2007 (and each Tuesday through November 6, 2007)
Time : 8:35pm ET
Tournament Name: Online Poker Blogger Tournament
Entry Password: bodogblogger
Buy-in + fee: $10 + $1

Blogger Freeroll

I have registered to play in the PokerStars World Blogger Championship of Online Poker!
This Online Poker Tournament is a No Limit Texas Holdem event exclusive to Bloggers.
Registration code: 3936578

Profit targets in NL cash games - part I

Conventional wisdom has it that our current winnings should not be a factor when standing up from a poker session, and that we should stay at the table as long as conditions remain favorable and tiredness will not affect our play. After all, isn't poker one long session?

I will show in an upcoming post that, under certain circumstances, it is better to book a profit.

On an unrelated note, I spent a few days camping on Mount Charleston. As you can witness, the recent heavy rains have resulted in some luxuriant growth.

1 out and the armchair theorists

Apparently Change100 made a slight error in one of the many hundreds of hands she reported at the WSOPE under severe constraints of time and pressure. Instead of 14 outs, she wrote 15 outs. This was noted in a thread on 2+2 and Change100 responded :

Excuuuuse me for saying fifteen outs not fourteen in the 30 seconds I had to write up that hand before some other dude across the room went all in.

Vanessa indeed said she was a favorite, and I believe I reported that in quotes, though I might not remember it exactly, seeing as I wrote up hundreds of hands that day.

You guys really need a new hobby. I dare any of you to try my job for one day and see how you fare. Tournament reporting is nowhere near an exact science, but we do the best we can.

Dmadmonks, a very low-limit nobody with no significant posting history other than a few inane one liners, replied with :

not our fault you suck at your job

Now such a stupid remark does not even warrant a response, but I like Change100, so I had to add my 2 cents worth :

That's why she's being paid to jet around the world covering events in Europe and Australasia (and of course the US) while you futz around at online $0.25/$0.50 Pot Limit Omaha.

The flush chaser

Live $1-$2 NLHE. A rainbow T 8 6 flop gives me the nut straight. Not feeling particularly threatened, I check the $10 pot, hoping others will bet for me. It is checked around. Turn is 8c. Seat 3 bets $10, seat 4 calls and I raise it to $50. I only get 1 caller, seat 10. The river is Kc, making a possible runner runner flush. I go all-in and lose my $200 stack to seat 10's Q3c. I put him on 3 8's at best. The flush chaser is a genial 20 something year-old tourist who is the only one at the table wearing shades. He seems pleased with his catch and thankfully no-one comments on his play.

About 20 minutes ensue and, having rebought, I have about $200 in front of me (in the 5 seat). The 3 seat is UTG and raises to $15. I call with 88, seat 7 calls as does flush chaser in seat 10. The flop is

J 4 8 rainbow

UTG makes a continuation bet of $30, I smooth call, seat 7 folds and flush chaser calls. The turn is

Jc

There are now 2 clubs on the board and the pot is about $150. UTG checks, I look at flush chaser somewhat worried, saying "Just in case you have 2 clubs, I'm betting $100", and push a stack of reds over the line. Without batting an eyelid he puts me all-in and I call for my remaining $55. The river is

9c

Flush chaser jumps up from his seat with a loud "Yeah baby", and proudly exposes A3c. Afraid that he may have overreacted, he adds as an afterthought "Shit man, this is the second time. I'm sorry man." If there's one thing I despise it's slowrolling, so I table my 88 face-up immediately after he shows but it takes a few seconds and the rest of the table to bring him down to earth and break the bad news that his flush isn't enough.

Flush chaser remains silent for the rest of the session.

How to screw up your image for life

On rare occasions poker brings out the best in human behavior. More often than not, it brings out the worst. I just witnessed an undignified exhibition of douchebaggery by an ex-dealer named Kyle Morris on ESPN's 2007 WSOP Main Event coverage.

After cracking Daniel Negreanu's aces with K9s, Morris acts like a 10-year-old when he jumps up and loudly asks the crowd for approval and applause. An ex-dealer should know better. In a subsequent hand, Morris rivers a flush against Negreanu's straight and by his actions and table talk, probably starts believing that he actually is a match for Daniel.

Earlier, Negreanu makes a reference to Rocky 3 as a source of inspiration, so when he is finally eliminated and leaves the table, Morris cannot hold back and lets go with "Sorry Mr. Balboa, try again next year."

One can only be left with the impression that Kyle Morris, who finished 540th for a $25k prize, is a little pipsqueak with a big chip on his shoulder.

Poker Tables at Cardroom Supply

The following is a paid review :

At the shelter we play poker on a cardboard box. I dream of the day when I'll be able to entertain my few friends on a real poker table using real chips. Judging by what Cardroom Supply has to offer, this day may not be that far off. They are one of the largest poker product dealers around, having been founded in 2003 by Lee Weber, and offer a wide range of poker accessories including Kestell and Weber poker tables, gaming chairs, Kem and Copag cards, and a variety of poker chip sets.

Cardroom Supply offers a wide selection of tables in different wood grains and colors which will match both any decor and budget, from the standard folding table to the higher end expandable tables made out of solid wood such as birch or mahogany.

They are offering free shipping on all purchases over $100, and if you purchase any table over $250 before the end of September, you will receive a 500pc 11.5 gram suited poker chip set free of charge.

If you're in the market for anything related to poker accessories, do yourself and ultimately your poker playing friends a huge favor, and check out Cardroom Supply for all your poker product needs.

What's happening?

I'm currently reading Anthony Holden's Bigger Deal, kindly sent to me by Decker. It's an entertaining read and I'm learning tidbits I never knew about the poker world. I highly recommend it.

On the philanthropic front, some local Las Vegas businessmen have taken pity on our living conditions here at the shelter and have pledged to replace our antiquated and uncomfortable bunks with some state-of-the-art stuff, pictured below.