Blahblahblah

I get the feeling there's something I want to say, but I have no idea what it is. So I'll ramble.

Congrats to Pokerbrian, Recess, LJ and IG and Crazdgamer for cashing the Hoy last night. I think crazd had one of those suckouts against me, so I'm glad my chips got used effectively :).

Congrats to Lucko for surviving day 1, even if you lost a whack on a flip at the very end.

Where's Fuel? I'm guessing not in day 2 since I don't see him on the lists. Sorry man.

Vegas in September is looking pretty likely. Just like last year, it will be 1 week before my birthday. Ending my 20's in Vegas... sounds appealing. Then I come back and get all my friends on a drunken boat cruise around Lake Ontario if all goes according to plan.

I never posted anything about the end of the BBT. I don't know why. Al, Mookie and Hoy put together something great and deserve high praise for it. My 8th place finish was a bit of a disappointment, as I really wanted top 5, but just couldn't pull it off in the last few events. Not that I don't already have a Wii and DS Lite. That said, coming 2nd in points/event and being +ROI for the tournament are both a plus. I think my ROI is higher than indicated since I tokened into a few MATHs and 2/3 of the Big Games. Then again, I think I spent an extra Big Game buy-in trying to token into the one I bought into, so maybe it evens out a bit. Anyway, enough about me. Bayne was a machine, and the 3 hosts did an awesome job. From what I hear, Al did most of the work. Crazy persuasive drunk that he is. See you in the Freeroll!

Speaking of Bayne, he said something a few days ago that I think bears repeating. It's not about getting the cards but getting your opponents to pay when you do.

Anyone else notice how general play in the poker world syncs up? To quote Eric Idle (as he introduced Not The Messiah and talking about Americans): "It's like millions of people are all marching in the same direction singing 'I Did it My Way.'" Seriously. When I started, everyone was playing Harrington-style, so I didn't. Now it's a world where a c-bet isn't taken seriously, so tournaments are played to the turn. I don't know how many times I've had the 3rd or 4th nuts, bet every street, an then seen my opponent turn over K-high on the river. Nobody believes anyone anymore. Good. There are a ton of other common patterns out there if you look for them. This is why people like Chad do well in these medium buy-in events, because he's mixing it up and nobody expects his cards. Well, that and he has some skills. Yet another reason to like the Blogger games - there's a bit of variety in all that donkish play.

I've said it before - If everyone played the same way, poker would be boring.

Thursday... I might cook again on Thursday.

I still feel like a tool. Those who are going out with me tonight know why.

Confidential to D: Everyone knows you have to apply lotion more than once.

I don't know who "D" is, that's how confidential that is.

Ever feel like dumping your entire bankroll into one game and seeing how it goes? Note, this doesn't count if your bankroll is $1.

What are the chances? I should quash any optimism I have in the next couple weeks before it gets crushed. Remember - low expectations means mediocrity will impress you.

Kat's game is much better than she's afraid it is. Just needs a win or two.

Recess is too fast a learner for my tastes. I'm going to have to start watching out for this guy.

When LJ figures out when to pick her spots, she'll be deadly.

I hate nothing more than seeing a string of premium hands early in a low buy-in event. It means I'm boned for the rest of the night.

There will be another blogger big score in the next week or so in one of the dailies. I can feel it.

After Wednesday, I'll be attacking some tournaments with vigor.

Now I have the Hill Street Blues theme in my head. This is unconnected to anything in this post.

How the hell do we KNOW when we're about to get screwed at the felt? You know, money's in or your almost committed and you just KNOW that the 4-flush is about to fill in, or one of the remaining 12 aces will hit.

Poker should get the point where it's ALL instinct. The odds, the cards, the tells, the aggression, should all be known without any real effort, so you can simply say, "You've got nothing." and push. Watching Doyle and Antonius the other night when Doyle called (and won) with nothing but pocket 3's on a board with paired nines and big raises from Antonius is a prime example.

P: "How can you make that call?"
D: "How can I make that call? How can you make that bet?! We're playing poker, not solitaire."

I think that was my favourite TV poker moment ever. I love that moment of clarity, when you know you're facing air and your low something is better than their high nothing.

Well, if I haven't said it in all this, then it sure as hell isn't coming out today.