Meat Market Hold em Hold Up

This is just too funny so I thought I’d share….

Talking with the butcher at the meat counter while getting some steaks the other night and when I said, “see you next week”, he said he’d be on vacation next week so I wouldn’t see him. When I asked where he was going he pulled up the arm of his white smock and showed me a tattoo of a royal flush on his bicep, (dang that must of hurt)!! Said he’s not going anywhere but is taking the week to play a bunch of poker at the local casinos.

I’d connected with another Texas Hold ‘em junkie!! We chatted about poker for the next half-hour – too funny!!

He told me about a great no limit tourney every Friday night at Hawaiian Gardens Casino with a $150 buy-in, $30,000 guarantee and no rebuys. I’m heading over there this Friday and will let you all know how I do… oh ya, he also said they’ve got the best ribeye in town over there… steak and poker baby!!

Annie Duke and Dan Harrington – All In For Kids

Just volunteer last night at a charity poker tourney for The Alliance for Children’s Rights and had a blast! It was their 5th annual “All In For Kids” event and was a smashing success.

Chatted with Annie Duke and Dan Harrington who were gracious enough to donate to the charity and come play.

Annie Duke beat the field of over 80 people to win and then generously donated her entire winnings, (over $7000), right back to the charity – what a class act!

No Luck in No Limit

Just got back from playing the Nooner No Limit Hold Em tournament at the Bicycle Club Casino… was hoping my 5 week break from playing would help me come back feeling fresh and changing my luck – but, no… my jacks ran into kings and I got knocked out early!

I thought a break would make me feel better at the table but I have to admit I felt a little rusty and less confident. Guess that means I need to play more. 

I Hate Pocket Aces!

Just got home from the Commerce Casino and I’m still steaming!

I got pocket AA’s THREE TIMES within 5 hands and lost each and every friggin’ time to straights, (2 on the river and 1 on the turn)… the lasted time busted me and I left… you could probably see the steam coming off the top of my head! Earlier tonight my full house lost to quad 2’s…

Today I hate this game… another day I’ll be in love all over again… that’s poker…

Poker Gods Were Smiling – 8th Place

Just got back from my weekly afternoon poker tourney at The Bike and I’m happy to report I had a good game. Started with a field of 145 and made it to the final table and got busted out in 8th place!

Started off at my first table playing with poker legend Robert “Chipburner” Turner… really nice guy who’s been playing forever. When our table broke I didn’t play with him again until we met at the final table. He got busted out in 9th – on a bad beat, of course… he was getting short-stacked and went all in with pocket KK’s… got called with some donkey holding Q-10 off suit… flopped trip K’s only to have the dork with Q-10 hit a straight on the river – sorry to see you go, Robert!

I got blinded out soon after in 8th…

At least the poker gods were with me today and I didn’t get busted out with pocket QQ’s or pocket AA’s like I have the last 3 weeks.

Yet Another Bad Beat Story

This week my ‘Thursday Play Day’ was supposed to be an afternoon on the links working on my golf game but my golf buddy had to cancel at the last minute.

Fortunately she emailed me at 12:30pm to cancel… that gave me 30 minutes to make the 25 minute drive to the Bicycle Club for their 1pm tourney… I had wrapped up work early to play golf so I figured why not jump in the car and play a little poker!

To make a long story short, (and post yet another bad beat story)… I flop the nut straight, don’t try to slow play, and bet out… get a caller who flopped a pair and ends up with friggin’ quads on the river…

No Surf – Poker Instead

Surf was on the small side today and I’m nursing a sore throat anyway so I did my second favorite sport, (after surfing of course), and played some poker at the Bicycle Club Casino.

They’ve got a Hold ‘em tournament every day that starts at 1pm and it’s only $40 to enter. They usually get 150 – 200 people so the jackpot can be a couple grand for 1st place, (they pay out the last 18 spots – but you don’t get into any significant money unless you finish in the top 3).

Been in a rut the last 6 months and can’t seem to get past the last 5 tables… Today was no exception…

Two hours into the tourney I looked around and noticed we were down to 5 tables, (we started with 15), looked down at my short stack, looked at the guy under the gun who raised, looked at everyone who folded in between us and pushed all in from the small blind with my 8-7 off suit… unfortunately he turned over pockets JJ so I was in a tough spot… especially when J came on the flop!

Took my beating then headed over to the 2-4 limit game where I can usually make my $40 back and get myself at least even for the day’s play… guess the poker Gods were not with me today as I took bad beat after bad beat… In the last hand a guy with 7-4 calls my pre-flop raise with A-Q only to end up with a full house on the river after I flopped a Q… that’s poker!

Small surf on tap again for tomorrow… but I’ve got a 4pm tee-time for after I get off work, (love these longer days!), so I’ll play on the links instead of the felt. 

Pray for surf!