Hella Hold'em

Has anybody noticed that Viffer looks like Goose in Top Gun? I didn't see it until they started interviewing him on The Big Game, after he rivered a pot against Giang. The mouth hanging open all the time has to go, but when nicely composed, he totally looks like Anthony Edwards.

I finished in the middle of the pack in the online poker league I played in. I'm debating playing the next season. The problem is, the games are on Monday nights at 8pm, and I work until 7pm. By the time I get out of work and home, I'd be lucky to be home in time. I'd most certainly miss at least a few minutes. But a few minutes isn't that bad, and I could probably make it home for the start of some games. We'll see.

I've warmed up a bit to The Big Game. The commentary has gotten better, and like my initial impression, I do like all of the statistics they provide. I really enjoyed the week with Nadia.

I am, however, getting sick of the colon cleanse and hair restoration commercials.

I've got a trip to San Diego coming up. Looks like the Barona Casino is about a half hour away. Any opinions of their poker room? Or other nearby poker rooms?

Ahh well. My little micro SnG on Full Tilt has ended anti-climatically. Such is life.

Ding a ling! I won me another league tourney on Full Tilt Poker :)

My play in the poker league this season has clung to the pendulum of extremes. I either place in the top ranks, or bust out first. I suppose I like it that way - much less wasted time on the losing runs. With just 3 games left to finish out the season, I don't think there's any shot at placing in the top 3 (even if by some miracle I won the remaining games), but I'm pleased with the games I have done well in.

Last night, I was not expecting to win the thing. I knew I'd go deep, as I caught some cards early on and had a healthy stack. But somewhere around the 3/4 mark, I coughed up far too many chips on a hand where I was clearly beat but tried to push my opponent off of his hand. I gave up on the river when it became clear that his hand was much too strong to fold (I had second pair), but easily lost over half of my stack with the over-zealous pushing.

Then, the luck train rolled through and I split an all-in where I was a huge dog when the board came a straight, and from there on out I was back in business. It's strange how there is actually some form of momentum in poker, even though the cards coming down the line are completely random.

When it got down to 3 players, it was a tight race. We traded chips for what seemed like an hour, until finally I took out the 3rd place player and went heads-up with a 3:1 chip lead. My opponent basically blinded out, with no real massive swings, and I took the game.

I think the thing that contributes the most to my "good" poker days is, ironically, running. All of my wins in this league so far this season have come after I'd had a great run. I've only been running for 10 weeks (having just completed the Couch to 5K training program last week), but it really does seem to help me focus and think much more clearly. My brain feels "on" after a good run, and what better to do with an "on" brain than play poker?

I'm pretty proud of my play on those "on" days this year, and I'm pretty proud of completing the Couch to 5K program - so here's my shameless badge of honor (for the running part, anyway):



I'm running in what will technically be my second 5K race this weekend on Father's Day. I did a 5K at the zoo during Week 5 of my 9-week Couch to 5K training, and ran/walked it for a finishing time of 46:48. I am hoping to run the entire 5K on Sunday and beat my previous time. (Hey, it still counts as a Personal Record, even if it's only my second race!) If anybody finds themselves out in Oswego, IL on Sunday morning, come check out PrairieFest and cheer on the runners (and me!)

Maybe getting off the couch and beyond my degenerate ways is helping my poker game. I'll take it! All I know is, I feel better than I ever have before - both in life and in cards. Who knows what the future holds! But I'm looking forward to it :)

As I've mentioned, I'm playing in an online poker league this year. It's part of the reason I took the summer off from going to school (because the league plays on Monday nights, and my classes would conflict). It's a good thing; I need a break from school. I work full time at a school, and I work part time at another school, and I go to school half time. That's enough school for me. It's been a crazy three years. Time for a brief break before I go back to real school in the fall.

I've decided to pursue another master's degree - this time, a Master of Fine Arts in a digital media program (that I will configure to focus on photography). Assuming I can get financial aid ('cuz lord knows I don't have the cash to afford such luxuries!), I'll start the program in the fall. I've already been accepted (which was pretty exciting, since they only accept 15 students per year into the program). Fingers crossed that all goes well!

The poker league will be done by fall, and I'm not sure if I'll do it again. There are pro's and con's to being in an online poker league.

Pro's:

• It's online, so it's convenient. I was able to make our games even while I was vacationing in New Mexico or out of town at a conference.
  
• It provides a regular schedule for playing poker, which can often get relegated to the back burner when life gets nuts. Having those regular games scheduled and having paid a league buy-in are good incentives to make it to the game.
• It's an interesting dynamic to have a long-term series of small competitions, where any one bad night can be negated by better performances later on.
  

Con's:

• It's online, so it's easier to blow off. I'm not going to see these people to get ragged on when I miss a game.
  
• Being online, I also find that if I'm not in the mood to play, or I've got other things going on at the time, I just shove my chips and log off. If I had to travel to a game and was then playing live with other people, in an environment with chips and cushy table rails and whatnot, I might take it more seriously.
  
• The season is several months long, and it's hard to keep the eye on the prize over such a long stretch of time.
  

I haven't done particularly well this season. I'm around the middle of the pack points-wise, after having missed one game and blown off a couple others. I did win one tournament, which was fun, but I haven't dedicated myself to the cause as I should have.

Still, I'm glad to have a reason to play cards a couple times a month, because it keeps me in the game when life might otherwise find other things for me to do.

Have you ever played in a poker league? Was it a good experience?

It's a crazy game, that poker....

I'm currently playing in a league game on Full Tilt. I haven't done much this season, though in my defense I've had to play on the road (literally - while in the car heading to New Mexico) and in other less than desirable circumstances. But tonight, I have the joy of playing from home sweet home - with a full belly, working broadband, and no distractions.

We'll see if things go any better.

On the way home from work tonight, I got the urge to turn the Jeep around and head to the casino. I haven't had that itch in a while. It was hard to ignore! But I did. Had a league game to get home to!

I'm applying to an MFA program in photography. If I thought I was busy before, just wait till I get in! I've been taking undergrad classes at work in photography for almost 3 years now. I've accumulated over 40 credits.... figured it's about time I get serious. The degree will help me in my current job as well as in my freelance work.

Other than that, there's a whole lot of unwatched poker on my TiVo! I have to catch up on High Stakes Poker. The rest is for bored off-season days, but HSP is a keeper. I think the new season started....

That's about all my news. Time to go try and survive the suckouts from this 45% VPIP, loose-passive table....