What, again?

I have registered to play in the PokerStars World Blogger Championship of Online Poker!

All bloggers can play in this exclusive online poker tournament.

Registration code: 044900

Yup. Again. I have once again registered to compete against my fellow bloggers in the World Blogger Championship of Online Poker. My hope is to do a bit more like my first year than the years that followed it. I know there are a few of you out there who know how to play. To you I say, log in and join the fun. There is no cost, and the possibilities are huge! Or, if not, log in and watch me play.

I need to bust some mad rhymes, yo

We get a few "back home" channels here in Korea. One of them (naturally) is ESPN. I don't think it's the flagship ESPN; maybe it's ESPN 8 (the Ocho). I am currently watching a show on this channel called Hip Hop Hold'em. Wow.

I used to watch Celebrity Poker Showdown very regularly, until they replaced Phil Gordon with Phil Hellmuth. (Who'd have thought Hellmuth could be so bland?) This show is roughly the same concept, only all the people associated with it are associated with the Hip Hop scene. Even down to the "tournament director" who calls all the action: Ed Lover. The biggest complaint (and one I heard often) about CPS was that the celebrities really played badly; the quality of poker just wasn't there. I'm here to tell you, they were all WPT finalists compared to the poker on this show. the betting strategy seems to be based on ego rather than any logical or sane ... well, betting strategy.

I've got to find a way into hip hop so I can get on this show.

814 is the loneliest number...

That was kind of a big barrel of suck. I just busted out of this year's blogger tourney in 814 (out of 1337). I did better than Wil, but still not even halfway through the field. There were several hands I should have played better. I spent almost the entire time below my starting stack and usually around 100 places off the bottom.

But, it cost me nothing, and I had some fun playing (and sweating Wil's table), so I guess I came out ahead in the end, no?

Poker in the Office

It appears to be that time again. PokerStars is having another blogger freeroll tourney. Yay! For free, because I have a blog, I have a chance (ok, not much of one, but still) at some pretty big prizes. And hey, if you've had a blog for 2 months and keep it "regularly updated," you can enter, too.

And how's this for cool: it's being held on my birthday! Doesn't that automatically put me in the money or something? (No? Awww...)

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: 6733312

Define 'Irony'

I bought a 'Poker Tip of the Day' calendar last weekend to keep on my desk here at home. (Of course, a Dilbert one sits at my desk at work.) Anyway, the tip for this weekend defines 'Narrowing the field' as:

"Betting or raising in the hope that you will drive some players out of the pot whose hands are currently weak (worse than yours), but who might improve their hands if allowed to stay in."

So, all weekend, I've sat on the Play Money 5/10 No Limit Hold-Em tables seeing the definition of narrowing the field on tables where it is impossible to do so.

Stop the world. I'm leaving.

Putting unrelated riders onto "must-pass" bills; putting their own bottom line or narrow viewpoint ahead of the interest of the nation; what do we pay these bozos for again?

Congress passed a port security bill on Friday. Attached to that bill was a provision outlawing all gambling (other than horse-racing and the lottery) over the internet. I must have missed the port-side terrorist threat that gambling incurs. Anyone care to explain? Heck, I missed the threat entirely. Why does it need to be illegal at all? What makes it different from live gambling (which is regulated by the States)?

Unfortunately for us all, there is the Law of Unintended Consequences. The Law of Unintended Consequences holds that almost all human actions have at least one unintended consequence. In other words, each cause has more than one effect, including unforeseen effects. Some of the consequences are listed in this blog entry.

That doesn't even include the effect of government meddling needlessly in its citizen's lives once again. We need less government, not more; more autonomy, not less. A great many individuals in this country are too stupid to come in out of the rain, but that does not mean the government needs to ban showers or walking under an open sky. The Constitution was written to establish that we need a government to handle some few matters that the people individually were not capable of, or were unsuited to, and everything else was left to The People. As far as I can tell, every single Founder tried their best to keep the government out of the everyday lives of the people. "As long as they're not hurting anyone else, let them do as they will," they might have said. What the Hell happened?!

--Beav

Fear will keep the local players in line...

A funny thing happened at my 45-seat Sit-N-Go a minute ago. I was looking at my hand history window, when I realized that the cards had been dealt and I would soon have to act. I hurriedly click in the window for the table, and (to my horror) accidentally hit the "Call" button with T5o in early position. The table folds around to the blinds who both call. The flop comes down and completely misses me. The small blind checks, followed by the big blind. I take a chance and bet the pot. Fold, fold - I take the pot. With a hand I never would have gone in with intentionally. Sweetness.

--Beav

Daddy!

Today was a good day.

I sucked raw eggs in my blogger tourney. (Let someone put me on tilt, and crippled myself to him.) Looked like an idiot marching around. But I went to brunch with my friends here, and then had a cookout with them. I've gotten (and given) many "Happy Father's Day"s. Most of all, I talked to my dad, wife, and sons today. Ryan gained conversation skills somewhere about a week after I left. Tristan is now making fun cooing sounds and is ticklish. Dad is trying to market his rock band, cut a demo, and what not. (Yeah, my dad started a rock band!)

Really made it Father's Day.

I love my life.

--Beav (not to mention the people in it)

Guess What?

I'm doing it again. The PokerStars blogger tourney I entered last year (and placed 133 out of 1473) is happening again! Of course, I signed up as soon as I heard, and will be looking to improve my game. Luckily, it happens on a Sunday; if it were during the week, I might have had conflicts with class. We'll see how I do, and how I do in the unofficial-he-doesn't-even-know-it-last-longer with Wil. I have a lot of respect for him as a poker player (and writer, actor, need I continue), so that's the bar I've set for myself...other than finishing "in the money." Here's hoping!

--Beav (So, a full house beats a straight flush, right?)

edit: I had to take the banner away; it was mucking up the format of my blog. So, the important info from it is as follows. Date and time are Sunday, June 18th at 4 PM Eastern. It's on PokerStars, and if you've had a blog for more than 2 months, you qualify to register. Go check it out!

...Poker in the Rear

I've been playing on Poker Stars lately. Just a few Sit-N-Goes a day. Today, I made the best 2 hands I've ever had.

I'm the short stack with 954. Blinds are 100/200 with 25 ante. I have Js 6d and decide that this is where I have to make my stand. It comes around to me and I go all-in. I get one call, and here comes the flop. 789...all diamonds (Whoa, I've got a shot). The turn: Ks (come on...). And the river: 5d! Straight flush - Holy Crap! My desperation play turns into the best hand I've ever had.

Another Sit-N-Go; I've got 2990, which is 2nd best at my table. I'm on the button and I look at A9o. It's early in the tourney so the blinds are still 10/20 with no ante. I get one limper ahead of me, so I bump it up to 100. Meli calls, and Chuck doubles it to 200. We both call it and wait for the flop. It comes KKA, and I'm feeling cautiously good about it. Meli checks; Chuck says "let's go beaver" and bets 200. This worries me a little; it sounds like he's trying to goad me into calling. After a bit, I decide to push him a little, so I bump it up to 1500. Meli drops quickly and Chuck pauses, then calls. The pause makes me feel better; if he's got a K, he likely would have called quickly or re-raised me. Then the turn: A! I'm ecstatic; even if he's got a K, his full house would be crushered by my full house. He bets his last 570, and now I'm almost convinced he's got the last A, and we're gonna split it (oh well). I quickly call, and it turns out he's got JTc. The river comes and it's another A, and I've got quads! Holy Shit! I laughed in amazement through the next 2 hands.

Probably not the best hands I've ever played, but as hand ranks go, only one other rates with them. Pretty sweet for a rank amateur who won't yet trust himself to play for money.

--Beav ("Go Fish!")

Holy crap!

Well, just got busted out of my blogger tourney...in 133! Out of 1473! 99 finished "in the money." I could have (maybe) made it. My final hand, I had JKo in the small blind, and for some reason decided I could call all-in. A pair of 8's beat the crap out of me, and I had to relinquish my seat. But 133! I had no expectation of outlasting anyone, much less 1300+ people. (Including Wil Wheaton who is responsible on two levels for me even being there.)

And I got to see the coolest hand ever! Some dude went all-in w/ A6. Here comes the flop: A A A! Seriously! I was so glad I didn't go in on that hand. Unbelievable.

See ya, folks! Have fun!

--Beav

You'll never guess what I did!

I have registered to play in the
Online Poker Blogger Championship!

This event is powered by PokerStars.

Registration code: 3961007

Pretty sweet! The entry is free to anyone who has a blog, and the prizes are cool (and big for the big winners). I figure you can't win if you don't play, so what the heck! What have I got to lose...

--Beav

What? I'm trying...

I'm almost ashamed to admit it, but I've taken up poker. After reading Wil's blog, and being confused by the poker-speak, I registered with PokerStars.com to get the lowdown...and started playing (though not with real money). I now understand *most* of the lingo, and have even used it. I'm also starting to understand betting strategy (but just starting). It's fun. I am Beaver1224 (funny that) on PokerStars, if you are at all interested.

Oh, here's something interesting...I'm going to work the phones on the Jerry Lewis Telathon on Labor Day. Between 2:30 and 4:30 PM (EDT), I should be doing my volunteer work for them. I think it'll be fun, and definitely a cool thing. Who knows, they always pan over the volunteers so maybe I'll even be visible. (My big break!)

I think my son may have an eidetic memory. Just a couple days ago, we found a Hot Wheels car we hadn't seen in months. It has "K9" on it and I told him (months ago, remember) that it was a police car with a dog in it. So, we found the car, and he says "My dog car!" I'm very happy about his apparent intelligence, but sometimes it can be a little scary.

See you on the flip side!

--Beav