My Little Poker Blog

Saturday, December 31, 2005

End Of Year Post

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The Man Of The Weekend Bill "Teddy Bear" Rini

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Jaxia and Dr. Pauly



My New Computer Rocks!

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My New Paper Weight Which Kicks Ass!!

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New Card Protectors

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Baby Lions at the MGM

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Come On Mr. Otis

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Mr. Spaceman

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Degenerates Rows

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L.A. Crew

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D telling Pauly that he's running low on chips and to meet him in the bathroom for the exchange at the break

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I only used five products in my hair this morning

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Grub at the MGM

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View on the way to Vegas

Wednesday, December 28, 2005

Guest Post by Human Head

As aforementioned, I have taken it upon myself to post on my food blog those friends that are far superior writers to me. Thus, without further hacking at my keyboard I present to you the HUMANHEAD. I’m not sure his real name either to be honest, but he’s a great writer who I ran into a few times in Vegas for Poker…did I mention his wife is hot…but hands off fellas’ he's a big guy. In any case, I’ve posted his take on the fine Restaurant named 3950 that can found at the Mandalay Bay in Vegas. Enjoy!

Tuesday, December 20, 2005

Guest Post On My Food Blog

As most of you know, I’m a hack when it comes to writing about my food, poker and city adventures. Thus, I have started to post up guest writers on my food site. The problem with having friends that are great writers is that you tend to feel a bit dwarfed and humbled at your limited writing abilities. Yet, what I have come to do is value, appreciate and try to promote my friends gifted writing styles. With that being said, I welcome you to read a recent post by one of the more sarcastic, humble, and degenerate gamblers I know. He goes by the name of BG and he knows food, horses, bad break-ups (my sarcastic humor) and is an underground scribe whose real name I don’t even know…so without further ado, I present to you Boy Genius. Please click on my food blog to the right.

Monday, December 19, 2005

Cheap Ass End Of Year Post

peace

Picture provided by Dr. Pauly (his site is to the right)

I wanted to write a post of some things in Vegas like how Helixx hit a full-casa on me with Da Hamma and collected the chips and left the table. Ouch! Talk about losing street creed with the kid. No, I know you had a plane to catch, MOFO.

Pauly is having some great posts and Derek had a funny recap on Vegas which made me laugh. I was there when he lost three hands in a row to some professional donkey. I don’t want to bring it up because it’s one of those ugly tilts that probably still resides inside (read soxloves badbeat story in A.C.), so I can’t say something to needle him.

Also, I didn’t invent the dollar for a bad beat story. The Fucken Rock Star known as Pauly did. Yet, I borrowed it like he borrowed some of my favorites…cough!cough!

But remember people, “The Rooster” always gets to tell you one bad beat story for free to see if he wouldn’t mind paying you a dollar next time you listen to him. Thus, it’s more of a test drive to see if I like the way you console me. Leave it to Grubby to tell me that he charges by the length of the bad beat story…he’s more of a case by case consultant and the charge will vary according to story. At least F-Train patted me on the shoulder which may have earned him another visit if I get sucked out in A.C. sometime soon.

Well boys and girls…I’m not going to post anymore for the rest of the year. Nope, I’m going to relax and just enjoy life. Serious, I am not playing poker the rest of the year. I will be reading a ton and blogging on my other sites about food and nights in the city. I wish you all the best this coming year on the felt. I will be back to the stud games at the Taj in no time so be on the lookout for me. I’m also going to try and get something going at the Showboat in terms of visiting those games.

Oh, I take that back…I will have one more post on this site.

In closing, have a good one and toss me an email if you have some time. Oh, do any of you deal yourself cards on the nightly. I deal myself about an hour a night. What I wanted to know if everyone else’s fingers start to cut after so much shuffling? I notice that my pinky is starting to cut a lot. O.K. just a lame thought that came to mind.

Friday, December 16, 2005

Conversations In Vegas

I wish I could tell you all the great conversations I had this weekend. Yet, I feel some of them were private in that they need not travel outside the realm of where they took place. Yet, I would like to re-cap three that just really got me thinking.

1. Wow! If you haven’t read the post that Otis put up you should go check it now. I could tell there was something else on the young man’s mind the whole weekend, yet I attributed it to an artistic fit as I like to call them. Many of my writer friends and artist in the city often get them. I didn’t ask, “Otis, what’s wrong?” We have respect for one another and enjoy one another’s company, but that would just be crossing the line in my view and when an artist is struggling with their inner demons, you let him/her be.

Yet, there was a conversation I had with Otis that just blew me away. Maybe it touched me because it was coming from an older sibling. I told Otis how his brother came over the top on a good hand I was holding late in the tournament and how he was a good solid player.

That’s when Otis chimed in…”yeah, he’s tough, and did you know he’s the brains in the family.” I was like, “really.” Otis went on, “yeah, I love my brother to death and I look up to him for not only being so damn smart but just being a good person (all the time looking directly at this brother at the table, he’s staring at this brother; no, more like marveling at him).” Otis went on, “Yeah, shit, I wish I had a bit of his talents and brains and who knows where I could have ended up.” I thought this might be a cry for, “Otis, you are a smart guy.” But Otis was there pouring his heart out about how great and smart his brother was compared to him. I was dead silent for Otis was in that zone where all childhood memories come flooding back and all the pain and happy times just culminate into this deep appreciation and love.

See, my older sister often talks about me in such a way. I have always found it a bit uncomfortable to hear things like that from someone who I looked up to growing up. Now, well now I see that her love for me is so grand and I never seen it for so many years. There are times when she just hugs me and starts crying, like I said, it’s a lot to handle psychologically as well as emotionally (and no, the Rooster doesn’t cry…he laughs it off).

If some alien from another planet were to land on earth and tell my sister in private that’s it’s either her or me to die first…she would jump on the opportunity to die first. I would do the same thing, but it’s the manner in which it would be done. My sister would do it because I’m her little brother and she loves me and there is nothing greater in her eyes. Me, well I would do it because she is my sister and little Mexican boys are taught to defend their sister’s from harm. Well I heard my sister voice in Otis, it was if he would jump in front of a bullet for his brother with no questions asked, get hit and wink at his brother with a smile. Oh yes, I’m being drastic, but the love that I seen there between two brother was that immense, so immense that I feel ashamed that my broken words are trying to capture the moment and they do it no justice…and for that I’m sorry. But to see that love in person was truly a great moment.

2. This involves everyone’s favorite little guy, Iggy. What can one say; when one of the best players in our crew speaks I have to listen. So I’m telling Iggy that there is a game at the Taj that I would like to take a crack at. Let me step back a second.

Iggy and I had several meaningful conversations this weekend. But like I said, not all is meant to be blogged. Thanks for the words, Iggy.

So I’m telling Iggy about this game at the Taj. It’s a big game but I’m willing to take half my roll in there to see what comes about. Not sure how many of you have been to the Taj, basically, they have a waist high rail that blocks you from the high stakes games so you can see the games going on. I’ve only played on that side three times, and all three times I was very outmatched and outplayed, but thanks to some suck-outs I ended up +500 there.

In any case, they have this mixed game that takes place there on the weekends. You can see the same three Asian girls playing in it with this one Caucasian brother…with them as the mainstay and a bunch of random individuals sit in. So this game is a big limit-mixed game (I always try and push my luck at the limits I play when I’m in the zone). I mentioned that I think if I bought in for half my roll that I would be fine. Iggy then did the math quickly in his head and he said, “in order to play comfortable you would have to at least buy-in for much more than what you were thinking.” He went on to tell me with my bankroll that he wouldn’t do it. I really thought about that conversation a lot. I just wanted to take a crack and see what would happen. The game looked passive with not many people pushing with raises or extra aggressiveness. Yet, I was thinking back to my big loss a few weeks ago and how that pretty much devastated me after so many winning sessions, so how could I handle losing half my bankroll after a series of losses at those limits.

In the end, Iggy was right. The cost for a quick glory run wasn’t worth it. I would have to win some CJ like tournaments before I could make a run at that table. So now I have this New Year coming up and the need to double my bankroll to get to the level where I can play that game comfortably. Even if it is just a one time stab. Thanks for giving me the heads up, Iggy. I would have probably walked in there and seen my bankroll cut in half due to hesitating on pulling the trigger due to my bankroll endangerment.

3. Conversation with The Heads after the tournament. Nuff said.

Thursday, December 15, 2005

Next Two Days in Vegas

I wish that I could give the next two days in Vegas justice. If the truth be told, writing about the tournament reminds me of why I don’t play them. Serious, it’s like on prom when you get all excited to take the girl of your dreams (for the record, The Rooster had the hottest prom date) and you have her in your arms and you are ready to close the deal and she tells you that it’s that time of the month. So very close but yet so very far. At that time you don’t know that it’s o.k. to have sex with a girl when she is on her period…or at least that what Daddy and Donkey Puncher tell me. So yes, you are so fookin close, but yet so fookin far.

Well after a long night of talking and playing cards well into the night with Bill “Teddy Bear” Rini I wake up on time for the tournament, thanks to The Proud Geek. I walk over to the tournament and decide to listen to every speaker…no, this doesn’t include Joe Speaker for he just wants to talk about his new haircut. I loved that such great writers and speakers were present. I got to hear Charlie speak which was cool. I think he’s one of the best guys in poker and I loved what he had to say. Time for cards to be in the air and everyone draws their seat.

The table behind me is what we will call murders row. Otis, CJ and that crew. My table wasn’t that easy of a table either (you all know who you are). Yet, I figured I would stick and move until I got enough chips to make some big moves on people. Yet, within 10 deals I get Rockets and double up. It’s from there that I start to swing my stack around (look at my picture below for my prediction). It’s the first time that I start to see the power of a big stack in a long-long time. I don’t play no-limit hold’em ever so it was neat kind of playing king of the table for a while. In any case, I digress from my moment in the sun. I ended up getting busted in 12th place when my A-9 ran into Gracie’s A-10. Yep, two places out of the money. Like I said, I had her in the room and naked and she went cold on me.

I just wanted to clarify something with people (esp. those that didn’t get a chance to know me on a personal level). I really wanted that jacket that Poker Stars was giving away. To be honest, sometimes I play for the prizes more than the money. I guess in the end I just play to win. Thus, if you thought I was taking the tournament a bit too serious, you are probably right (Chili told me I should smile), but I play to win any tournament or game I enter. I don’t know, I know we are a community of friends, and I totally understand that, but I’m just agro like that and I don’t feel that I should apologize but I am. Thus, wanted everyone to know in bloggerland that I have a personality! I was spent after I got busted but I suppose I shall give some highlights on another post where I write about my brush with fookin Hollywood royalty that goes by the name of Will.

I was spent after Sat. and went on a bad run at the Castle when I was put all-in by a Cowboy who hit his 10 on the river busting my nut-flush. What can one say, it hurt. Nuff said.

I finally got to play that Asian game that Otis loves to play so much. It’s a tough game to beat, I learned this the hard way as Grubby, F-Train, Jaxia, Pauly and me all got busted by the dealer. But it was fun sitting with friends and just enjoying the day.

I was tired so I went home to sleep. Remember, I didn’t sleep the whole entire day before because I was playing cards with Bill and that crew.

Sunday was the sports book and that was really fun to experience. I never got my lessons on reading the race sheet…cough!cough! So I suppose I will just have to wing it with the whole look at the horse type of method. It was fun wrapping things up at the sports book and just running around taunting all those that were rooting against America’s Team.

I will go in depth in a later post about highlights and stuff. Here are some of the topics:

1. Tournament breakdown.
2. Iggy talking sense to me when I wanted to go for big dollars
3. O8 Tournament breakdown
4. How two bounties changed my game at the time and mentally in the future

Tuesday, December 13, 2005

First Two Days in Vegas

I just got off the phone with Geek and Proud at the IP room we shared. I needed to notify him that I left my cell phone in the room and I needed him to send it to me. He sounded wide awake and I told him sorry for calling so early. Yet, since he sounded so wide awake I enquired about his session at the MGM that he was playing in when I left last night to come back to NYC. He proceeded to tell me that he had just gotten back from the session. I mentioned to him that I had already flown home (four hour flight), went to my apt. and dropped off my stuff, took a shower, and got to work during his session. I think it finally dawned on him how long he had been sitting there playing poker. And this is the best way to describe this weekend.

There is so much to write that I don’t even know where to start. Maybe I will do my highlights.

First Session at IP: Hear BG talk about the old man who looked at the guy with the mop by the urinal and told him, “Son, I can’t take a piss with you standing there looking at me.” For some reason the room had gone quite when BG said that to our table and everyone caught it at the surrounding tables and started to bust up. Without a doubt one of the funniest moments of the trip. Did I mention that BG got the hammer dropped on him two times within five deals…he wasn’t too pissed, but I did hear him talking to himself under his breath a bit.

Second Session at MGM: My first time playing at the MGM and take note of how big the poker room is. I sit and play with Maudie and Iggy at my table. Of course Iggy is bouncing around being the rock star celebrity (I don’t think he can sit at one table for more than one hour…too much party poker and multi-tabling). Maudie and I sit and play some tough poker against one another with neither of us backing down with some nice pots in front of us. Most people get out of our way and let us shoot it out. I win the first big one and Maudie wins the next two big pots. There was one point when I could tell that Maudie and I were just plain tired and needed to get away from the table. We went for a walk around the casino and took note to how big the place was. I wanted to start to play a stupid game of, “how much do you think this place brings in type of thing?” But that would have run too long. We get back to our table and Maudie is running hot. I’m up like 320.00 at the time and decide to call it quits.

From here everyone is off to Storm the Castle. I’m tired and go home.

Call at 9:00 am in the morning from F-Train. Where you at? We are here at the Castle drinking, you should stop by. I’m a bit thrown off. What? Iggy is still awake? Wait…he plays poker at the MGM, goes to the airport with Grub to pick-up Pauly, Derek and F-Train, now he’s still at the castle drinking. Oh my. I would tell you the jokes that were said with the four individuals at the bar…but umm…well let’s just say stuff shouldn’t be blogged. Here is some trivia for you…who is a blogger who holds a school record in a football category at a division II school? Tough one.

Third Session: F-Train is so high on tired that he can’t sleep. Thus, he agrees to hit The Orleans Tournament with me. I think he knew nobody was awake at 12:00 in the afternoon so why not join. He showed and it was Al, DonkeyPuncher, Drizz, and Al’s friend who kept raising me (I know the name…just can’t remember it…Ludlow?). In any case, I lasted third longest of our group. I played o.k. but I did play some bad hands here and there. Then I went and lost some money in the 2/4 game they were spreading there with F-Train who couldn’t get cards to save his life.

Third Session: Mixed games at the MGM went off smooth. This was a blogger convention and everyone showed which was nice. I also wanted to thank everyone who came and thanked me for setting these games up. There was a long list of bloggers who wanted to get on the list and I could see their names on the waiting list and it made me feel really happy to see so many people interested. Not to mention, I think the MGM was really surprised to see so many people wanting to play and the games were going on all night…well into the morning.

Forth Session: This is just an extension of the third session but at the 2/4 table where I was sitting next to this girl. It was late and low and behold!!! F-Train shows up to the table. He looks like he’s about to fall down and for some reason I think he has a prop bet with someone for the stay up longer bet. Sorry Aunt Maudie, this guy just won’t sleep. As he starts to fall asleep at the table we have this guy who yells hammer when he throws his cards down. I guess he was sitting with some bloggers and picked it up from Pauly. He’s from Canada and we have a discussion about the Canadian Hammer which is 8-2 off-suit (there was some discussion about if it was 8-2 off or 9-2 off). He kept the table going and there was banter all around for everyone. Bill Rini looks like he hasn’t slept in a bit either but he pulls up a seat next to me and we start to chat.

Con’t Forth Session: I think of Bill Rini as someone who always imparts good vibes. I know he can be a bulldog from time to time if you rip off his site without asking, but when you sit and talk to him you can really learn a lot. I love to sit and talk to Bill for 10 minutes and see where his game is and what he’s doing to bring it along. O.K. it always helps that he turned under 50.00 bucks into a nice amount at blackjack and I want that good card luck to rub off, but serious, I learn so much talking to Bill about his game and how he improves it mentally. He has this Zen quality when he talks about his game and I can just really get the points…they are simple, yet complex in thinking. If you have ever spoken with Bill about his game you will know what I mean. Last trip to Vegas him and Iggy were speaking about ramming and jamming at the 10-20 limit and I learned so damn much in that little chapter of conversation, I think I learned how to be aggressive from that conversation of those two cats.

My hand of the weekend: Bill and I move to the HORSE game that has now turned into triple-draw, Stud HI/LO, and Omaha O8. Triple draw on my third draw I get the nutz and want to yell…no cavities!! But I just spread it out and collect the pot. The dealers were really happy to be playing and dealing in that game, I can only imagine that hold’em gets boring to deal day after day.

In the cab with Bill we take note that we have to be up in two hours for the tournament on Sat. and this is where I’m going to end this post. The nuggets of information I steal from Bill that night are valuable and I will take them with me when I decide to play bigger limits in Texas Hold’em. I will hit you with more at a later on tomorrow. I’m dizzy trying to remember how things fell into order and stuff.

Wednesday, December 07, 2005

I can’t write like Joe Speak, The Head, Dr. Pauly, Spaceman and Otis…does that make me suck…NO! But how can I get my site more hits than any other blog? Well Al thought he had the only known picture of Iggy…wrong!! Here is the only known picture of Iggy.

Iggy

Did I mention that people wear funny hats while in Vegas.

No Words Needed

Here Either

Ladies, you have your choice…I’m sure you will go with my guns…those others are so damn small. This picture of Blood is after 100 push-ups and some of that clear cream stuff. In the blogger circles we secretly call him Mark/Barry/Ralphie.


arm


Only if you play in the WSOP


jov_0779

Some people have visions of Frank, Sammy and Dino when they are in Vegas. Yet, after our last visit there is only one performer everyone wants to see..Cough!cough!

joaquin

Tuesday, December 06, 2005

08 Tournament

Dems is Quads Beeeatches!!!!

http://www.doubleagent.com/video.php?v=782&ct=37


Enjoy the video on Double Agent. This site is a cool site that my friend Andrew Simon runs. There are some funny ass clips here and more Poker clips for your enjoyment. You have to love what Mihn is saying under his breath.

Also, I had told Pauly some time ago about the Orleans’ Omaha 08 tournament on Friday at noon. He started to laugh and said, “Dude, I don’t want to play the tournament when I could be with all the bloggers at the IP”

I felt ashamed for even suggesting it…like a boy when he shits his pants in grade school and tries to keep running around with the other kids as if nothing has happened. Pretty soon people start giving him odd looks and he ignores them thinking that nobody has noticed…then everyone starts calling him “shit-boy” and he has nowhere to run and hide for the deed has been done. Ummm…not that this ever happened to me, I’m just saying…haha!

But wait after all is said and done and much counseling, “shit-boy” finds that he has some people in common and friends that might want to play with him. They become the “shit-boy posse” and play games that not many people like to play like, "lets see who can take a bigger shit” game. It’s not too popular amongst their peers, but it’s a game that they understand and enjoy. Thus, I give you a list of my Omaha 08 posse which have given me a verbal agreement to play in the Orleans tournament.

SirFwal
Drizz
Donkey Puncher


Who else want to be a part of the posse? We will be meeting in the lobby of the IP 11:00 for the tournament which starts at 12:00 in the afternoon. Read my post below for blind structure and such.

Monday, December 05, 2005

One Last Vegas Post

If you see me with this many chips in front of me...you best stay away. This picture was brought to you buy Dr. Pauly.

Whipping the Big Stack Around

Another Vegas List!!!!

I have gotten a few discreet emails from fellow bloggers asking me to write more on what to expect in Vegas and game selections and such. So here is another list:

1. I would choose a table when playing with bloggers where there are a lot of higher stake players. I would probably like to play where Iggy, Otis, F-Train, HDouble and Pauly play. Reason being is simple; they are more likely to play hands till the end for the fun of it. You probably thought this would be murders row…right? Well think about it…these guys play higher limits live and these games are fun for them. The ebbs and flows at their regular tables are different than these tables and a bit of a strain mentally. Remember, when running bad at their tables it can cost you over 500.00. Not to mention, even if they know they are beat they will pay to see your cards, what’s another 4 dollar bet to these guys…they just want to sit with a drink, crack jokes, and relax at a table. Words of warning, don’t laugh, point, or make fun of these guys if you win a hand against them…they started at these limits and can go into A-Type player mode at any time…just keep the conversation light and funny and you will win some nice pots when they raise with nothing.

2. I would try and play one hand or a midnight tournament at the Horseshoe. This is where all the hype began and it’s the Mecca of Poker. So why wouldn’t you want to play at the Mecca? It’s like being a boxer and saying you don’t ever want to fight in the Garden. Shit, take a picture in front of the Wall of Champions.

3. If drinking isn’t your thing, don’t sit at any table with anyone from Al and BigMikes crew…nuff said.

4. If you want to talk poker there will be tons of people talking. I suggest you try and grab a second with someone who you’ve read and like what they say. Have a deck of cards on you and pull them out and ask them question of how they would play a hand. Simple enough but you learn tons. Don’t ask lame questions like…how do I play pocket Jacks…you can get that from 2+2.

5. You will meet some characters and really nice guys. I met this one guy named Paulo (I think he’s Gracie’s friend)…we called him the Jesus of the bloggers (when you see him you will know why)…I think this guy doesn’t even have a blog…he might now. In any case, just a great guy who is always up (serious, this guy is always up…never sleeps) and always has a smile on his face.

6. Ask before you take pictures of people. Nuff said. Read my previous posts about some of us being wanted for crimes in other states…cough!cough!

7. There are some bloggers who are very shy. You will know who they are when you meet them. Some are very artistic in nature and need room to be alone…it’s not them being mean or anit-social, it’s just in the nature. Living in NYC for so many years I have acquired some of these type of folks as friends, and I always thought it was them being rude or/and being pissed at me…but I learned over the years it’s just the way they are built.

8. Tip the dealers and waitresses these people are working class folks who put up with too much crap as it is from drunk tourist throwing cards…let’s show some class so they will want us back at the IP again.

9. Come by and say hello to me…and if you want to go out on the town…I’m down.

10. Say hello and thanks to two people. Bill Rini and Poker Prof. These two guys have been working hard on ideas and organization for this event. They will probably be too humble and say, “no, thank you for coming.” I say bullshit!! buy those guys a drink. You might also want to say hello and thanks to the IP poker room head guy…he got us the cheap room rates.

In any case, that is my top 10 of things for Vegas that you should do and think about.

Friday, December 02, 2005

NEW BANNER!!

Yo MOFO’s check out my new banner. My buddy Yuri at SURPRISEPOKER.COM hooked up me with this banner that he made from scratch. What can I say, the boy has skills. I will doing a write up soon about his site and why it’s great for the holiday season if you can score a tournament win and get a gift card...to top it off it’s free. In any case, just sit back in your seat and admire the work...check the top right picture out...yep, those are my babies changing one after another.

Thursday, December 01, 2005

OMAHA HI-LO Split Next Friday

Quick Post for Next Friday in Vegas:

http://www.orleanscasino.com/gaming/poker-new-hold-em-omaha-hilo-fss.html

OMAHA HI-LO FRI. NOON / HOLD'EM SAT. NOON
$50 BUY-IN / $20 REBUY
$300 BUY-IN CHIPS / $600 RE-BUY CHIPS
PLAYER CAN RE-BUY ANYTIME DURING 1ST HR.
20 MIN. REBUY LEVELS. / 15 MIN. LEVELS.
HOLD'EM / SUNDAY NIGHT ONLY
$60 BUY-IN / $50 (ONE REBUY)
$400 BUY-IN CHIPS / $800 RE-BUY CHIPS
PLAYER CAN RE-BUY ANYTIME DURING 1ST HR.
20 MINUTE LEVELS
LEVELS SM. BLIND LG. BLIND LIMIT
1 5 10 10-20
2 10 15 15-30
3 10 20 20-40
END OF RE-BUYS / 15 MIN BREAK
4 15 30 30-60
5 25 50 50-100
6 50 75 75-150
7 50 100 100-200
8 75 150 150-300
9 100 200 200-400
10 150 300 300-600
10 MINUTE BREAK
11 200 500 500-1000
12 400 800 800-1600
13 500 1,000 1,000 - 2,000
14 700 1,500 1,500 - 3,000
15 1,000 2,000 2,000 - 4,000
16 1,500 3,000 3,000 - 6,000
17 2,000 4,000 4,000 - 8,000
10 MINUTE BREAK / OPTIONAL
18 3,000 6,000 6,000 - 12,000
19 5,000 10,000 10,000 - 20,000
20 7,000 15,000 15,000 - 30,000

Remove $5 Chips
Remove $25 Chips
Remove $100 Chips

AC with Pinky

The one thing about being blogger in general (visit my other blogs on the right food and city blog) is that you get people asking…are you going to blog this? Those who know I blog anyways. Most of my friends ask me not to blog our crazy times in the city because...plus, who wants to hear about how I threw up all over the stripper then decided to paint the side of my cab with puke? That stuff is boring and better left on the streets of the NYC.

Anita at Emory MBA Graduation

Yet, when Anita “Pinky” Agarwal asked me if I was going to blog our A.C. trip I had to do it. After all, how can I turn down my favorite Indian and best friend in the whole world.

So in short here is a recap:

11:30 – Pinky picks me up at the New Brunswick train station in Jersey and we head to A.C. We fight over the music that should be played so we throw on Gretchen Wilson!!

1:00 – We pull up to the Taj, where the sand turns to gold (this is my line that Matt Damon stole from me when we use to hit the Taj back in the day and he used it for his poker movie...I think it's called rounders).

1:30 – Pinky loves to walk along the boardwalk so we walk in search of Pizza. I pay 8 bucks for two slices…A.C. pizza prices suck! Nuff said.

2:00 – I want to show Pinky a bit of blackjack so we walk into Bally’s...their country casino wing of course. They are playing Timmy McGraw over the speaker nad i think...gambling and country music...if the FatMan were here we could die and go to heaven...word! This is my type of place. We get killed for 40 quick bucks in blackjack. We then move to another table and get killed by another dealer...damn Asian dealers...no pun intended Mas and General.

2:30 - I decide to sit Pinky next to me for a few hands at the Taj to show her how 7 Card Stud is played. I inform her that contrary to popular belief, 7 Card Stud is the real Cadillac of Poker. The old man to my left hears me say this and looks at me and nods. The 10-20 game at Taj is a bit fast for a newbie, so we sit at the 5-10 table in hopes of seeing some action. I pick up the first pot uncontested and Pinky looks tired of sitting there. She goes off to play video poker.

4:00 – I’m up about 100.00 bucks and text Pinky to come back to the table because I’m starting to run hot. Not to mention, I just want to make sure some old man at the blackjack table hasn’t got her sitting on his lap showing her how to play blackjack.

4:15 – Pinky arrives and she looks hungry. I pack up my 85.00 bucks after a vicious suckout-donkey-oldman move....haha! But I figure that I'm ahead which makes up for pizza, parking and tipping. Not to mention, there is enough for dinner.

4:30 – Pinky wants to show me video poker. I inform her that the Hangs from PA. tried to teach me this game in Vegas and the machine sucked my money out of my pocket.

5:00 – We play video poker and win nothing.

5:30 – I decide that Pinky should shoot the dice and I take her over to the craps table. Well as you can guess (as happens to all first timers), Pinky runs over the table with 15 straight throws. Stupid guy at the end didn’t want to put his 100.00 dollar chips down or else he would have won over a thousand easy. We are up like 200.00 or something like that.

6:00 – Pinky is getting into this gambling thing and her face is lit up (which I'm happy to see because she dispises poker). I try and teach her my blackjack method...nope...down another 40.00. I'm starting to think my blackjack method only works when John "The General" Lee is around.

7:00 – Dinner at the Showboat and there are all these young kids around...house of blues and a few concerts. I notice all NJ girls...word! I never knew that the Showboat had such a poker room.

8:00 – Pinky sees a game she finds interesting...Caribbean Stud. Ouch! Up and down...up and down...we finally ended up down like 50.00 bucks here. Pinky keeps complaining how the dealer never qualifies when she has three of a kind...I tell her House has the Gold, and thus, makes all the rules.

9:00 – Rooster goes back to the Stud Table...Pinky sits listening to IPOD while watching horse races.

9:30 – Rooster feels bad that Pinky is sitting alone and then packs up chips +15.00 one win/one loss...good to go.

10:00 – Pinky is happy to go home and we fight about music home...I think we settled on Destiny’s Child. Yes, The Pinky loves Grubby like music.