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February 27, 2005

Interesting hand....

There was a hand that was worth mentioning from the final table last night. 10 Players at the final table, one short stack, and a couple other stacks that were low.
Short Stack is first to act, and moves all in pre-flop for 2300 ( blinds are 300-600 ).
The big stack folds.
Second High stack calls the 2300.
Next player folds.
4 player moves all in over the top for 4800.
Next player folds.
I'm sitting on pocket 6's.... three all in bets in front of me... I gotta give it up...
Big Blind Calls the 4800!
Player that called the 2300 CALLS the 4800!

4 player's in the pot... two all in!!

Short Stack has Pocket 7's
Next player has AKs
Next has Pocket 10's
Big Blind has Pocket Q's!

I had Pocket 6's, and another player that folded has Pocket 10's!!

5 Pocket pairs in one hand! what are the odds!

Pocket Q's held, btw....

Posted by fatbill at 01:32 PM | Comments (0)

Played well last night...

Went to the club again last night, and got involved in a three table texas holdem tournament. The competition in these is pretty stiff, as it seems to bring out some of the best in the club to play in, which is why I belong! ;-)

I feel, that in poker, as in most competitive endevors, playing against people that are 'as good' or 'better' than you ALWAYS pays off. It may not pay off immediately monetarily, but it pays off in experience gained, and bringing out the best in your game.

Anyways.... it was a rebuy ( ONE ONLY ) so it lasted till the wee hours. Once we got down to the final table, I was in decent shape, but not among the chip leaders, so I had to tighten up quite a bit. I had made my ONLY big mistake just before we merged, by NOT seeing a flush hit the board, and making a big bet with the nut straight.... While this was an error on my part, it DID wake me up for the remainder of the event!

Most of the final table I was getting rags after rags, until I finally hit a couple big hands and doubled up. When it got down to the final 5 ( 3 places paid ) it got REAL tight, with the chip leader ( 2-1 over everyone ) started using his stack to his advantage. I got a big hand ( AA ) and made an ALL IN call over the top against a bigger stack... my Rockets held, and I was in good shape, and crippled his stack. He went out a couple hands later, as the blinds got to him and he was forced to make a call. Took out the 4th chip spot with pocket Qs to her flush draw, which fortunately, she did not hit...

The remaining three of us went back and forth for an entire level, until the chip leader called the short stack's all in, and lost... momentem changed and my cards started falling short for me... the couple good hands that I had ( AKs, and AJs back to back ) could not get any action, even though I was the short stack.... ended up pushing them in when the board hit two pair for me, only to get cracked by the chip leader hitting the wheel... such is poker!

Posted by fatbill at 12:12 PM | Comments (0)

February 26, 2005

Played a little Texas Holdem

We were bored, so we headed over to the Poker Club to see if there was any Texas Holdem action.... It took a while, but after 9PM there were enought people to get some games going. It was nothing exciting, but I was able to get in on a few single table events.

Played in a 'friendly' early, while we waited for players to arrive... this one was for club credit's, which are always nice to have. Dealer did not seem to like me, judging by my cards, and I ended 4th.... a sign of things to come....

Played in another single table ( 6 man event ) which is a cumlative qualifier for the 6 man event at the WSOP.... you guessed it... 4th again... same dealer... same cards....

The last game I attempted was a single table WSOP main event qualifier... different dealer... pretty much same run of cards, but I managed to squeeze off a 3rd so I got a free pass into another one...

All in all, it was a fun night, but not very productive... but at least not an expensive one! ;-)

Posted by fatbill at 10:49 AM | Comments (0)

CI Host Sponsors Dutch Boyd

Read the story here

" C I Host, a global leader in Web hosting and data center operations, has stacked the deck with guerilla marketing. Today, it announced television sponsorship of ESPN World Series of Poker contender Dutch Boyd during circuit competition. First stop -- Harrah's Rincon San Diego casino. "

I think this is going to be seen more and more, as Poker Rooms and Other prominent companies realize the value in the Poker popularity!

Posted by fatbill at 10:35 AM | Comments (0)

February 24, 2005

Poker Club President gets Jail Time

Luck has run out for a man who hosted poker tournaments in the Rochester area.

The president of the “Texas Hold 'Em Club” of Rochester, is now in jail.

Read the Full Article Here

“If everybody puts in their money and the winner takes all that's fine,” Monroe County assistant district attorney, Jennifer Sommers, said.

“It's when a house is taking 5%, in this case Mr. DeFranco taking 5% off the top, you run into legal ramifications."


Interesting decision and ruling....

Posted by fatbill at 01:07 PM | Comments (0)

WPT event draws Celebs!

WPT Invitational Draws Poker and Hollywood Stars

COMMERCE, California – (PRESS RELEASE) -- The World Poker Tour's annual star-studded WPT Invitational today at the Commerce Casino brought out Hollywood's new crop of poker aficionados including such personalities as Ray Romano, Camryn Manheim, Jon Favreau, the Masterson Brothers Danny and Chris, Brad Garrett, Dean Cain, Mimi Rogers, Mena Suvari, Ed Asner, Norm MacDonald, Lou Diamond Phillips, Stephen Collins and 30 others. While the last celebrity "survivor" will take home a $5,000 donation for charity, there is plenty more at stake for the 236 total players in the tournament that concludes tomorrow -- a $200,000 prize pool and a seat at the WPT World Championship in April. The winner will also receive the elegant and prestigious Argentium(TM) Silver trophy, designed especially for the WPT Invitational.

Posted by fatbill at 01:04 PM | Comments (0)

February 23, 2005

Went looking for a game...

So we were bored last night, and decided to head on over to the club ( metropokerclub.com ) and see if anything was shakin, or if we could scare up a game or two. Luckily there were a dozen or so like-minded addicts there, and we were able to get in a couple of 'friendly' games. I was not all that fortunate in either....

First game, I made headway early, and took the chip lead, only to get pounded a couple times with good hands I could not let go... finally got knocked by my son. I went all-in with a pair of Jacks, after the flop came up three undercards. He called me with two diamonds ( there were to on the board ), on a flush draw... of course he got lucky, and hit the flush, EVEN after I made a set.....

The second game went worse than the first.... not great cards, and I was forced to go all in with an ATo.... got my ass knocked to two pair... EARLY EXIT for me!

Looking forward to playing this weekend at the club... lots of satillites planned, and the Plazma's should be up and working by then!

Posted by fatbill at 10:59 AM | Comments (0)

February 22, 2005

Local Poker Clubs

There is a recent article in CardPlayer Magazine by Bob Ciaffone ( Poker Coach ), that talks about 'grassroots poker' and how it is being played everywhere these days! The article touches on how Texas Holdem Poker Tournaments are being played in bars and clubs around the country for 'prizes'. Mr Ciaffone, goes on in the article to mention a club that is in the Detroit area called the Metro Poker Club. I happen to be a member of that club!

Playing in local games with friends has always been popular, and it serves the dual purpose of allowing friends to get together, AND to play some cards. These games are generally controlled stakes 'fun' games.

Playing in a more orgainized structure, like a local club is a lot more intense! Something like the Metro Poker Club where you play for tournament seat prizes is a pretty incredible experience! Not only do you gain tournament play experience, but you generally play against more people that KNOW and APPRECIATE the game, than in some 'fun' game.

The Benefit? You learn more, and you learn faster.... especially if you are as competitive as I am! ;-) I would MUCH rather play against GOOD players, than against sloppy players. WHY? Good players will test your SKILL... sloppy players simply test your patience! ;-)

Posted by fatbill at 10:37 AM | Comments (0)

February 20, 2005

Blinded by the paint..

I was recently involved in a 100 person charity game that made me rather upset early on in the tournament, due to players lack of experience and game play i found myself playing cards mad. So i was forced to leave the tournament room to clear my thoughts. The tournament was run very well, but people were acting as if they never played the game before, moving out of turn, arguing about make believe rules and so forth. I was playing rather crazy the first couple hours due to this frustration. These guys didnt know how i played, so i let them wonder by mucking my hands when making outrageous raises. They prolly thought i had aces everytime ;-). Further in this article ill explain some of my situations in game play....

I got the pleasure of having the chip leader at my table, raising every hand. Most likely because he was the big stack at the tourney, and having a hot run of cards. Well i had pocket 5's and i wanted to play them as he raised before it was my time to act, so i moved all in over the top of him (thinking i had the best hand). Only to find out he wasnt bullying, he had A-Jos. Well my 5's held up and doubled my stack, we like to call that a C.D.U (courtesy double up). But that was only the beginning of my streak. So after i doubled up on the chip leader i was in position to sit and wait and just play my position as the blinds gained slowly on me.

After milking the game for what it was worth, i found myself at the final table, which were my intentions prior to even getting my seat card. The final table was brutal at the beginning seeing as i was the short stack at the table, but that wouldnt last for too much longer. I began to get strong cards, and getting calls on my all in's which definitely made me happy. I'd have to say that I didnt make any mistakes the whole game, until reaching my death at the table.

I got A-Kos and was raised pre-flop so i moved in against pocket 10s, and caught my set to my liking. Then i looked down to see A-Q of diamonds, sitting and debating i just called the blind to see what the big blind wanted to do, talk about a way to get a read. Well i was raised 1500 leaving him left with 1200, which made me wonder...if he had a pair he would have moved all in, RIGHT? So i knew i was ahead. My read was correct as i put him all in and was immediately called, as he was holding A-J of clubs. The hand wouldn't break me, but it did take a big chunk out of my stack as he hit the flush to take down that pot. BUT HEY, THATS POKER! I prolly lost around 2/3s of my stack on that one hand alone. So i knew with only a few thousand left i would have to wait for cards to come to make my move....WELL the hand came, and i was knocked out. Just as the title says, i was blinded by the paint(paint meaning face cards). As i was last to act the pot was raised all in by one player, called by another player before me leaving me last to act....Well i had k-Qos, and i couldnt lay the hand down. Knowing i could have let them play and wait for another hand, I let the cards blind me and make me think i was making a good call. WELL I WAS WRONG, the only mistake i made all night took me right out of the tournament....and it is replaying in my head second after second. The first raiser had BULLETS, and i couldnt dodge them placing me in 8th outta 100 people. Not to shabby, but i should have let them play that hand and folded.....I will learn from my mistakes though, and try my hardest to never get blinded like that again.

Posted by wilcone at 09:47 PM | Comments (0)

Full day of poker....

We played that texas holdem tournament yesterday... 100 players were entered. It was reasonably well run, and in a nice facility.

Play was pretty sloppy, and most people had no clue about the rules, let alone the intracacies of the game..... it was frustrating at times...

Unfortunately, I didnt last but a few hours.... Called all in when I flopped the top TWO pair, only to find out that the other guy flopped a gut shot straight.... thats poker...

My son did VERY well.... but I'll let him tell his story! ;-)

Since I was out of the tournament early... I decided to go play in another game. Left my son to continue play in the tournament, and went to play in the weekly cash game we frequent.

After a couple hours of play, and just getting rags after rags, I FINALLY got pocked aces!! Unfortunately, someone got pocket Kings on the same hand, and as always seems to happen, a king flopped... my aces busted!
Next hand ( I'm very short now ) I get AJs... so I move the small stack in.... guy calls me with ( you guessed it! ) Pocket Kings.... AGAIN... and sure as shit.. a king flops.....

NOT my day to play poker! LOL

Posted by fatbill at 09:24 AM | Comments (0)

February 19, 2005

Decided to to play....

My son and I decided at the last minute, to go to the poker club that we belong to, and see what kind of action there was...

We got there JUST as a small game ( 19 players ) was getting underway, so we decided to join in. It was a re-buy tournament style, with unlimited re-buys thru the first three rounds... Had to re-buy once, cuz I got short stacked playing looser than normal...

Played a GREAT hand late in the first round after the re-buys were over! Had pocket K's.... only led out a bet of double the blinds to try to get some action... board flopped J rag, rag.... guy in first position bet out strong, trying to represent something... he'd been playing VERY loose all night, and making large bets to steal pots for hours. I was not letting him go, but I just checked! ;-)
Turn and river flopped rags both times... he led out big on the turn.... which I called.... he put me all in at the river... I called... I read him right.... he had shit, and I doubled up and took the chip lead! ;-)

I played pretty tight with my big stack for the next hour or so, until we consolidated to one table... son made that table also, but was pretty short stacked, whereas I had a marginal chip lead over the table....

Cards were absolute crap at this table, and I got ZIP, as I watched my chip lead dissappear via the blinds and ante's....

Down to 4 players, and I'm still in good shape... second in chip count... got dealt JJ in the big blind! Small blind came in at 3K ( 3times the blind ).... put him on a couple over cards, probably one an ace... he's traditionally a very loose player, and aggressive as hell.... I called.

Flop was 776 rainbow.... he bet out 5K ( blinds are 1k now ).... after thinking for a few, I called....

turn came 6..... he bet another 5K..... I called...

River came rag.... he called me all in.... FUCK... I had to call! I knew he did not have a set.... which he didn't!!

Unfortunately he had Pocked Aces... and took me out....

Would you have laid em down at the all in call??

Posted by fatbill at 10:59 AM | Comments (0)

February 18, 2005

Charity Poker Tournament

Well, we are going to play in a charity poker tournament tomorrow!

100 Entry cap, with a %50 + $5 buy-in....

Interesting format for this... 500 chips to start, but the blinds start at 1 and 2... should be an entertaining event... but will probably take all damn day at that rate of blinds! LOL

Posted by fatbill at 08:16 AM | Comments (0)

More Poker Games?

Found this article in Yahoo!

Take Two signes with World Poker Tour for Game

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Video game publisher Take-Two Interactive Software Inc., working quickly to expand its sports business, on Thursday said it signed a deal with the World Poker Tour for poker video games.

Take-Two said poker games for consoles, handheld and PC formats were under development at two studios for Take-Two's new 2K Sports division, part of the 2K Games publishing label.

Posted by fatbill at 08:15 AM | Comments (0)

February 16, 2005

Finally my luck is back...

I thought after a month of cold cards my luck maybe had run out on me....to not disappoint me the " Poker Gods " showed there love once again. I started out low stack after being crippled by a set in the beginning of the game, but that was only the begining. I began to see my stack dwindle as my cards once again became cold. Finally seeing A-8os i moved in, and was immediately called by pocket 9s by the chip leader....i made my impact after i caught 4 clubs to make my flush, doubling my stack to put me right back in the game. And they say luck isnt involved.

After only being 3 handed i felt it was time to make a move after a long period of no action. As i was first to act with a very tight table i moved all in with 4-6os, hoping to see them fold as i was first to act in the hand. I was again immediately called by the same chip leader who again had pockets, but this time he had KINGS! Being so embarrassed of my All in i hesitantly showed my cards. The flop came 3-5-7 giving me a straight, and the winning hand yet again. After dodging two bullets prior to being heads up with the chip leader i felt that the poker gods were on my side. We battled heads up for a little bit until the final hand came to be. I looked down at a A-8os yet again, so i raised all in. Being heads up i figured he would fold...i guess you could if you werent holding the big slick! But like i said, when its your night its your night. I flopped an 8 to give me the winning pair and the victory. Although i knew i won on luck, it didnt matter to me.....without luck your never going to make it anywhere in any tournament.

Posted by wilcone at 03:09 PM | Comments (0)

February 15, 2005

Poker Mania

As I prepare for this weekend's tournament, I've been reading some of the articles out there on poker and something struck me! There really IS poker mainia!

There is a slated new poker movie which will feature a WSOP story line.

I'm reading more and more about 'charity' events being held in my area, and they are getting lots of print in the papers. How long before will it become perfectly legal and be able to run outsite of the 'charity' umbrella? ( here an orgainization has to have a 'charity' license, and can get up to 4 a year ).

The tournament I'm entered in this weekend is one such event. They expect ( and cap it at ) 100 player's for this. Should be an interesting play....

Don't get me wrong! I'm all for it! The more 'charity' events that are run, will eventually turn the game into a mainstream happening..... can legal changes be far behind?

Posted by fatbill at 08:33 AM | Comments (0)

February 14, 2005

Poker getting more Mainstream?

GAMBLING: NBC to air poker tourney

Network's sports division plans to film event at Golden Nugget

NBC Texas Holdem Tournament article here

'NBC Sports plans to announce today that it will produce its own Las Vegas-based poker tournament -- a move that could be a prelude toward landing the World Series of Poker on network television. '

Posted by fatbill at 08:42 AM | Comments (0)

February 13, 2005

Weekly Game...

My son and I go to a local game every so often, where there are usually between 10 and 20 people eager to play texas holdem. It's a friendly bunch, and usually a fun game.

Last night, cards ran I C E Y for me.... down to 7 players out of the original 16, and I didnt see a face for over 2 hours. Probably got 5-10 8 times.... it was not fun. The blinds were such that I had to wait and pick my spot, HOPING for something worth playing... it never came.... oh well... thats poker!

Thankfully my son finished in the money! ;-)

Posted by fatbill at 10:48 AM | Comments (0)

February 12, 2005

Card Player Magazine in the news

Found this article about Card Player Magazine ( great read, btw )

Poker magazine becomes a bigger player

The lead in:

'If there are quite a few people remaining who still believe that the explosion of poker in the past year is just a fad, then they have neither followed the sport or played it or, above all, invested in it.
'

Posted by fatbill at 07:18 AM | Comments (0)

February 11, 2005

Party Poker Bad Beat Jackpot

Found this press release at Yahoo! news... interersting...

You can find the link here

A snippit from the article:

Enjoy your favorite games at Party Poker and have a chance of winning a huge jackpot.

When you download the Party Poker client from http://www.partypoker.com and are signing up for the first time, you will be prompted for a bonus code. Please choose your favorite bonus code offered below:

Bonus Code #1 = JackpotA
Receive $25.00 in playing chips when you sign up and deposit $50 or more.

Bonus Code #2 = JackpotB
Receive up to $100.00 free with a 20% matching sign up bonus on your first deposit.

*Type the code exactly as seen.
**If you are having trouble deciding whether to take the $25 bonus or the 20% bonus, here is a hint to maximize your bonus. If you plan on depositing $125 or more, choose the 20% option, otherwise it would be more beneficial to choose the $25 option.


Bad Beats in online poker???

naw.... ;-)

Posted by fatbill at 10:35 AM | Comments (0)

February 09, 2005

2005 Tournament Schedule

We put together a pretty comprehensive list of all the Texas Holdem Poker Tournaments throughout the word and have it on the site now.

Take a look HERE


If you are aware of any OTHER major events NOT on that list, let us know!

Posted by fatbill at 11:52 AM | Comments (0)

Poker Articles

We added about 22 Texas Holdem and Other informative artiles to the site.

You can see them in the menu to the left under ARTICLES! ;-)

Let us know what you think!

Posted by fatbill at 11:49 AM | Comments (0)

Poker in the News

Interesting article at Yahoo! yesterday regarding the growing popularity of Poker, and gambling in general.

Full Yahoo! Article

Good quote from that article:

"Poker has jolted the industry," says Mike Sexton, a professional poker player who consults for PartyPoker.com, which is expected to haul in $1 billion in revenue this year. "Playing poker is a skill and considered cool," he says. "It's acceptable whether you're sitting around a table with friends or in front of a PC."

Posted by fatbill at 11:38 AM | Comments (0)

February 08, 2005

Welcome to Texas Holdem Blog

Welcome to our Texas Holdem Blog!

My son and I are avid Texas Holdem Poker players, both online and off.

It would not be unusual for you to see us in one of the listed poker rooms at any time of the day or night.

We both belong to a private Poker Club, where we play Tournament Texas Holdem. These Texas Holdem Tournaments are primarily satelittes for major poker events, like WPT or WSOP tournaments.

We were fortunate enough to go down to Tunica, MS recently and participate in one of the satelitte events leading up to the Jack Binion Poker Open in January. We also played in a small tournament at the Binions Horseshoe, in Las Vegas.

Posted by fatbill at 08:06 PM | Comments (0)



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