Poker and Basketball

This week I got back into the Monday night Muck Em.  The week before my daughter had been diagnosed with Influenza, I was exposed and I did not want to spread it to anybody else so I stayed home.

This week I came ready to play.  The cards were ready for me too.  I won the very first hand I have played this year with a pair of kings.  Nobody called my bet on the flop.  I caught several boats, sets, straights and all at the opportune times.  By the time we got to the final table I had a sizable chip lead.  The cards went dead.  Compared to what I had been getting.  I sat on my stack and watched as other players were taken out.

When we got down to 5 left I started looking for a spot to make a move.  I found a couple of spots and maintained my stack.  The blinds were starting to get to where I could not sit any longer.

When the bubble busted I was sitting with a slight lead.  From there one of the players continued on his run he was having since break.  He had been down to 1 bb at break and had went on a heck of a streak.  He took out the other 2 players and had me covered in chips. 

We played back and forth for nearly another 20 minutes.  I looked down at pocket 3's and thought I would do a semi-steal attempt.  He called.  The flop came out low.  He had called my raise so i figured he might have high cards.  I thought he had me covered so I announced all in.  He thought for a while and called.  It turned out I had a few more chips than he did.  I turned over my 3's and he showed 2 6 for a pair of 2's.  The board ran out not improving his hand and giving me the win. 

I collected my my hundo from finishing 3rd last year and collected more than that for my 1st place finish.  Nice start to the year.

We had our first basketball games on Saturday.  The boys played really well.  We lost 11 to 16 the first game and 12 to 32 the second game.  We fell apart at half time the 2nd game.  We were down 10 to 12 and looked like we had a chance.  Then I had a couple of kids start arguing and pushing each other on my team.  Another 2 kids forgot their positions and started running all over chasing the ball.  We are looking good.  We have 2 players that are scoring all of the points.  We need another player to step up and become a scoring threat as well. 

After practice this week I think we will have at least 3 kids scoring this Saturday.

Coaching Basketball

I'm back from a busy Christmas weekend.  We traveled to Grandma's in Colby, KS, then to Mom and Dad's on Christmas Day.  The next day we went to Kearney, NE to spend time at Holiday Inn with my wife's family for a couple of days.  We made it back home yesterday. 

I am more tired than before we left.  It's nice to be back in our own bed's. 

Basketball practice started last week.  I am coaching the 1st and 2nd grade team here.  The kids show a lot of promise this year.  We have a lot to learn and they are learning quickly.  When my boys first got into sports, I was asked to coach and reluctantly did it.  As my kids are getting older, I find myself volunteering when we sign them up.  I really love coaching.  I ask my kids every time if they want me to be their coach and so far they have said yes.  If they did not want me to be, I would step aside. 

Basketball is really fun to coach.  There is so much to the game and these boys are just learning.  Every basket made is like winning a championship.  Even in practice.  Last week we executed a play (passing to the post and shooting) and made a basket.  The kids were jumping up and down and high fiving.  If we take that kind of energy into a game, I will be one happy coach.

Last year was rough.  We didn't win a game.  We barely ever scored.  I learned a lot, the kids learned a lot.  This year I have a few players returning.  That will make a huge difference.  Last year was our first year in this league that allows 1st and 2nd graders to play.  We had all newbie's playing against kids that had played the year prior.  That may not help us win this year, but it will not hurt our chances. 

I have been working with the boys on a lot of things we didn't or couldn't last year because we had to learn the fundamentals.  We have a few kids that we work with on the side on the fundamentals, but we are able to focus a lot of our practice time on drills and play that will help us in the game.

Last Monday was the next to last game of the year for Monday Night Muck Em.  I got there late due to basketball practice.  I was the last one there and the first one out.  The players right behind me in points standing did not do well either.  The players ahead of me did o.k.  I still have a shot at 1st or 2nd in points for the year tonight depending on if they take a dive and I pull out a win.  I have 3rd locked in even if I am the first one out.  After tonight I will have 1 to 3 extra Benjamin's in my pocket.

Time For Change

This weekend I decided I was going to try to win my way into America's Card Room's 1 million dollar event.  First I had to take care of some things around the house, then I was going to win my way into the game, run hot, and take down the whole thing.

I ran into a problem.  The site froze as I started to play.  It stayed frozen all night into the next day.  I never did finish the tournaments I was in to win a seat.  I'm not sure if it is working yet today or if they refunded my entry fees.  All I know is that I am not $200,000.00 richer.  I guess I will have to way for the holiday millions lottery raffle to pay off.

Monday night I was able to make it to the game and even finished 2nd.  It's been a while since I had a high finish.  That should secure my 3rd place spot for the next 2 weeks.  It also put me in a spot I could contend for 1st if I could pull out a couple last of the year wins. 

I will be coaching my boys in basketball again this year.  We start practice next week and play until the end of January.  As if that will not keep me busy enough, I am also looking into buying a business.  I have been working with the economic development department for the state to get cash flow projections, a business plan put together and look at loan options.  On top of that I have been traveling back and forth across the state, and getting ready for Christmas.

I am looking into buying a marina.  I would be fulfilling a life long dream of mine in doing so.  I would be giving up a lot in doing so as well.  Things that I have become accustomed to, like time off, travel, family time.  The marina has a lot to offer and is set up truly turn key.  They have it running like a top now and making a good profit. 

It's amazing how all of the different jobs I have had will play a role in operating this business.  I have had experience in Marketing, bookkeeping, management, H.R., payroll, purchasing, customer service as well as restraint, housekeeping, maintenance etc.  It feels like I have been doing all of these things for a reason and this is supposed to be my reason.

There's still a lot of hard work to be able to pull this off and a short timeframe to do so.  I may not post a lot in the near future while I am trying to pull everything together.

Good News for Poker Players

Update From Poker Players Alliance

Weekly Update from Rich Muny, VP of Player Relations

 I have terrific news to share with you. Following a major fight on Capitol Hill, the last “must pass” bill moved forward without Sheldon Adelson’s online poker ban attached! Chances of Adelson succeeding in the lame duck had been estimated to be as high as 50/50 by former Congressman Jon Porter (R-NV), so it is clear the poker community won a major battle for our game this week.

I wish to thank you and everyone who stood strong and refused to allow Sheldon Adelson and his cronies to usurp our rights.

That being said, a victory lap is premature. After all, the lame duck session is not quite over. We all still need to remain vigilant while continuing to let our lawmakers know that we oppose this bill and that we are paying attention. And, as 2015 will see a tenacious fight at the state and federal levels for our game, the action we all take now will help lay the foundation for next year.




I was excited to see this news when I looked to see if there was an update on the poker players alliance homepage.  I still like to play online every once in a while.  My hopes of the good ole days of playing with people across the world have all but vanished.  There is still hope that some day there will be a poker boom again in the United States where I can play more than just a few tables at a time.  I don't need 3 screens now for the few games I can get going. 

There was no Monday Night Muck Em for me this week.  My kids had a Christmas program at school that night so I skipped the poker.  There were quite a few others that did as well, so I should still be ranked in the top 3 for the year.

I am considering playing a local game tonight that I rarely go to.  We are out of town a lot on the weekends or have something going on Friday nights.  I have no plans and I have not played at all this week.  It may be time for some pokerz.

Monday Night Muck Em

This last week I have spent time with family, giving online poker players a break.  Last night was our Monday night Muck Em game.  As the game started I played quite a few hands and tightened up as the blinds went up.  Partially because I stopped getting good looking cards.  They turned ugly.

Finally I got 2 face cards and ended up almost all in with them when the board hit middle of the road.  The other player called on the flop with 22.  The board double paired counterfeiting her pair and giving me a decent chip stack.  I took advantage of the blinds once, when they both commented how they got blind hands.  I was on the button so I raised and took advantage of their comments.

With 6 players left I was late position when I looked down at pocket Q's.  I raised the pot 3X to 6000 chips.  I got 2 reluctant callers, one of which was all in.  The first card out was an ace.  I was able to check it down with the other player who had pocket J's.  The all in player had AK.  Two weeks in a row I have been slobbered with high pocket pairs by an ace hitting first thing on the flop. 

Again I started to bounce back until I decided it was a good idea to call an all in with K7 for another half a blind when I was the big blind.  He had Q 10.  I caught my K on the river but it was the 4th diamond that fell and I did not have one.  He did.  The next hand I was all in, in the small blind with A9.  Only the button and big blind were in the hand.  The big blind was all in as well.  I had A9c.  The flop missed me but paired the BB's 6.

With 4 weeks left for points this year, I am still in 3rd.  I have a lot of players on my tail now as the three of us on top have not been finishing great.

I'm getting myself where I want to be towards the end of the game.  I just need to close out.  K's and Q's are killing me.

For the year I have been ahead money wise for a few months now in the Muck Em game.  Each time I place in the top, is profit.  It would be nice to have a few more scores before the end of the year to increase that profit.

Caution! Pair of Suited Aces



 

Last week we were having some internet connection issues while I was playing.  I raised on this current hand on the button only to see this flop.  A flush draw with a pair of suited aces.  That's gotta be a winner right?  Apparently the internet failed a couple hands before and A3 was the hand I had the previous hand.  When I looked at the hand history, I apparently raised with J4o. 

 

This weekend I traveled North to visit family and friends at Dad's 60th birthday party.  Mom and Dad had hired a band and turned their shop into party central.  It was a lot of fun.  I had a 2 day hangover.

 

Monday night we had our Muck Em game.  I was playing tight again, trying to get points.  At the final table I was sitting with a decent chip stack.  I could fold to the bubble easily.  I was in the big blind and a decent stack from the other side of the table raised.  I look down at pocket K's.  I push and get a reserved call.  I have him slightly covered.  He turns over AQ.  First card out is an ace.  Crapsickles.  With one blind left I made it 3 more orbits and got a little life back.  Unfortunately nobody else was going out. 

 

On the last hand I was sitting in late position and nobody had bet.  I go all in for 3 1/2 bb's with K9o.  The big blind insta called.  She had pocket 7's.  I hit a 9 out of the gate, but the turn brought a 7.  No points for me.  One player slightly under me and one person over me in points had good finishes.  I'm still sitting in 3rd in points for the year.  I will need points to hold on now.

 

Last night I played quite a few double or nothings and a couple of tournaments.  No luck.  Every time somebody pushed with an ace they caught it.  Every time I needed one it never came.  No fair.

 



Flopped Royal

 

This weekend I got my third Royal Flush.  It was in a double or nothing game and I did not win a lot with it, but I did win the game eventually.  I got my first ever royal in a tournament at the Riviera in Las Vegas.  We were on the bubble.  I had nut flush on the turn and called an all in bet.  He had hit his boat.  I thought I was crushed until someone out of the hand calls for my royal flush card and it hits on the river.  I ended up getting a 2nd place finish.  It was my 2nd tournament cash in Vegas and was awesome to say the least.  Had I been in the cash game I would have gotten 1000.00 for hitting a royal flush.  No matter what, it was special to me.

 

The second royal flush I had was on pokerstars.  I don't remember any specifics other than I hit one again.  

 

This hand did not help the rest of my day.  I ended up a loser for the day after playing a bunch of 1 and 2 dollar tournaments mixed with a couple 5.50 and 11.00 tournaments.  I only had 1 final table and finished 9th in the 2.20 nightly.  The 2.20 nightly seems to be my game lately.

 

Monday night I went into the game feeling a little more confident after playing so many hands over the weekend.  It was pretty slow going at the start.  I won one big hand with a 10 8 when 1 player went all in and 2 others called on my big blind.  With a 10 high flop I shoved the rest of my chips out and was called by pocket 7's.  The all in player had AQ and did not hit.  I held against the 7's and scooped a big pot.

 

From there I tried to get in a couple of pots but they were raised dramatically and I would have to fold and wait for my opening.  That opening never came.  With 5 left and 4 getting paid I had to make a move.  Finally I got an AK.  I went all in and was called.  I caught and doubled up keeping me alive a little longer.  It didn't take long to get down to 3 players.  With 3 players left, I got cards any time I needed them and came back from being down to 1 chip to being in contention to win. 

 

Chips moved around the table over and over again.  Nobody would go out.  Then it happened.  The low stack went all in and both of us called.  I lost the hand but so did the small stack.  I was crippled at that point.  I won the next 3 hands and was back to even.  The last hand I had K6 and moved all in again.  This time he had A5.  He won the hand with A high. 

 

With 6 weeks left in the points race I am still in third.  I made a move though as the 2 players below me and the 2 above me did not end up in the points.  There is still some room to win this thing with a little luck and some solid play.