Poker - she's got wood

for a change of pace - visit me over at Yes... a Blog

November 6, 2008 | 06:38PM  | maudie dot b - gmail d c | |

Five. 5. V. Sixty months. Six-hundred and twenty four weeks. One-thousand six-hundred and twenty five days. And change.

That's the time between the first post of this blog and this post.

Five years ago, I launched this experiment which, for all intent and purposes, was merely a test of some newly acquired web-design skills.

Five years ago, Web Logging (which took less than a nano-second to be truncated to Blogging) was a fairly nascent phenomenon.

Five years ago, the poker boom was rippling around the world following the million dollar triumph of Every Man - Chris Moneymaker at the 2003 World Series of Poker Main Event.

Paving the way to that moment, were the revolutionary broadcasts of the World Poker Tour which lifted poker out of the depths of ESPN late night, sporadic World Series summaries into the light of hole-card cams, celebrity and jaw dropping prize pools.

I was one of many who relished the spotlight being focused on the game. Having been a kitchen table poker hobbyist for many a moon, witnessing the game being welcomed to the party was a joy. I couldn't get enough.

My bookshelf soon swelled with purchase after purchase of poker strategy books - Super System leading the way, followed by Sklansky, Miller, Caro, Harrington, Schoonmaker, Hellmuth, Cooke, Carson... and that's only a partial list.

The internet provided a welcome opportunity to apply the skills gleaned from my reading - on the heels of the WPT phenomenon was the online poker rush. One twenty-five dollar deposit on Party Poker and I was hooked.

It seemed the perfect topic for my newly launched blog. Something to write about while I became familiar with the medium and tweaked the design. I'd found a couple of other blogs via a few poker forums I'd visited and so thought, why not, throw it up there and see what happens.

What happened is well documented. What was just a handful of us five years ago has grown into a metropolis of poker bloggers far too numerous to count. We gathered for tournaments in online poker rooms. Then we took it off the page and gathered in the mecca of poker - Las Vegas - where fast friendships were formed and a tradition was established.

A little more than five and a half years ago, my life was pretty routine. I was a confirmed couch spud, content with a solid work week, capped by weekend time with friends, evening time with the TV and my books.

Poker... well, poker knocked me out of that rut. This blog... this blog spun me down an unfamiliar, exciting, twisty and turny road that had me flying solo into a city I once vowed I'd never visit, to meet a group of people known only to me by vague screen-names and blog posts.

Because of this blog, in five years I've been to Vegas six times, to Cincinnati once, Philadelphia/Atlantic City twice, Kansas City, Tunica twice, Greenville-SC, Dallas-TX and Key West. I've formed lasting friendships with people I never would have known otherwise.

After five years, the tide has ebbed. Our blog voices have thinned a bit, and enthusiasm for the game has cooled, the passion tamed. The poker industry is experiencing some growing pains and it may be some time before we see which direction it goes.

I don't play as much as I once did. I no longer rush home to log online or to grab the bankroll and head to the casino. I no longer have the all consuming drive to play I once possessed. I also no longer have the desire to write about it. But, I still love the game. That will never change.

But, oh what has happened in five years time. I was speaking with a dear friend a while ago, a dear friend found by way of this blog, and we remarked how life changing this phenomenon has been. And, oh how glad I am for that.

I'll see you in Vegas in a few short weeks.

Keep those cards in the air!

Poker - she still plays on occassion

for a change of pace - visit me over at Yes... a Blog

August 24, 2008 | 02:33AM  | maudie dot b - gmail d c | |

The World Series of Poker is almost over. The Olympics is coming to an end. The Democrat National Convention is about to kick off. I played some poker this evening. All pretty extraordinary events.

WSOP

I've been catching a few of the events via ESPN's coverage. I have to admit - I watch to see who of the blogging crew I can catch in the background. Not an easy thing this year since it looks like ESPN did a good job of masking the idle masses on the rails.

I enjoyed seeing Eric Lindgren win his first bracelet. I'm looking forward to seeing the footage of the other "pros" who got their bling this year, as well.

I did not, however, particularly enjoy seeing Scotty Nguyen win the 50K HORSE. That was an absolute train wreck. I tuned in late and missed his chastising DeMichele for, what I guess was, grandstanding. DeMichele got the message, but Nguyen just wouldn't let it go.

The number of f-bombs from Scotty's mouth kept pace with the number of beers he sucked back. His own level of grandstanding was an embarrassment, not to mention inappropriate and (in my most humble opinion) bordered on angle shooting.

Both Otis and Amy have put up excellent posts which address the myth of poker pro as some sort of hero. ESPN seems to be tearing back the mask somewhat this year, exposing more of the reality of some sad and complicated personalities.

Scotty won his bracelet along with an abomination of a trophy that was created to honor Chip Reese. But, I guess it goes well with the bracelet which is it's own piece of gaudy excess. Which may be an appropriate metaphor for the whole world of poker. Gaudy excess.

Ah, but lest you think I've adopted a lofty, better than thou attitude - think again. I play a willing part in the gritty comedy-drama that is poker. The game is cast with an arc of characters who run from the holy to the damned. It's a story on every street with tragedy and triumph walking hand in hand 'neath the dim streetlamps. And it keeps me coming back for more.

Olympics

I will feel very sorry for the Chinese gymnasts if they end up getting stripped of their gold. They are amazing athletes who, no doubt, had little choice but to toe the party line and do as told. Shame on the system that put them in that position.

Why, tell me, do the women beach volleyballers play in bikini bottoms and sports bras and the men in baggy shorts and jerseys? What's up with that? I wanted my eye-candy! Kudos, by the way, to the directors in the command center for avoiding crotch and ass shots where they could - which couldn't have been easy.

Yeah? - shut up. If there's gonna remain a double standard in uniforms, I'm gonna remain a prude. Sue me.

The DNC

I got my text informing me Joe Biden was Obama's second at 2:39AM CST Saturday morning. Apparently, though, someone spilled the beans prematurely, preempting the "you'll know first by text/email" promise of the campaign. Big whoop. Obama is in danger of pushing his grandstanding too far. Acceptance speech in Staple Stadium? What - is Oprah gonna be there or something?

I Played Poker

In the last month I've dabbled a bit online at the micro limit tables on Full Tilt (which, by the way, stopped paying the $50 per month ad fee about a month ago - that happen to anyone else?). I found it kind of relaxing, in a way, to return to my roots at limit poker - the baby tables.

This evening, on a whim, I trekked to the casino to try out the $4/$8 limit game. I was pleased the $3/$6 had been eliminated and I was curious if the play would be any less precarious at the increased level. It wasn't.

The play was just as loose/passive as any $3/$6 table you'd choose to sit. Having played a no-limit live game for so long, it took me a few rounds to get my sea legs. I then played a patient tight/semi-aggressive game. I walked away with more cash than with what I started (no thanks to the luckbox in the seven seat) which made my post game Sonic corn-dog and diet cherry limeade super nice.

I'm booked for Vegas in December and counting the days. No job loss was gonna keep this swallow from returning to the glittery Capistrano of Vegas. No sirreebob.

In a recent post, Otis waxed sentimental about the site of the first gathering four years ago - the Excaliber. A flood of memories washed over me as I read that post. I'm still amazed I made that trip. Oh, how glad I am I did.

I remember sitting at a $2-$6 (or was it $1-$4?) table - the three seat, I believe. On the big screen, replays of the National Rodeo Finals were running. I looked up at one point when a cheer rose up from the back of the room. Otis had raised his arms and was leading a group cheer for Whiplash - the dog riding monkey. This was to be repeated many times throughout the evening. Camaraderie was building and friendships were bonding with each cheer.

As I played on, one or another of our group would stop by my table. "How are you doing?" "Just fine," I'd reply with the grin that appeared the moment I touched down at McCarron and didn't leave my face until well after take-off three days later.

I remember Iggy's arrival. The little imp had a few tricks up his sleeve. I didn't have much interaction with him that trip, though. I stuck like glue to Pauly, who'd taken on the role of the Scarecrow to my wide-eyed Dorothy. But by the time of the second gathering, Iggy'd become a fast friend. Dorothy, the Scarecrow and the Tinman. Heh. I'll end the analogy there... save to say that I have yet to click my heels - I'm not ready for the adventure to end.

At some point this trip, you can find me, along with a few others I expect, at the Sherwood Forest bar in the Excal, raising a glass in tribute to that first gathering and celebrating four years of friendships with the most wondrous mix of people you could ever find gathered together in one place.

I have to quote Otis (modified slightly), because it was - and is - so true:

It was there, friends, that life began to take an odd but fantastically sublime turn.

See you there, I hope.

Poker - she's pooped!

for a change of pace - visit me over at Yes... a Blog

July 12, 2008 | 10:11PM  | maudie dot b - gmail d c | |

I'm such an old lady. It's nine in the PM on a Saturday night and I'm home, in my jammies, having departed early from one of the great gatherings of the year - affectionately known as Okie-Vegas. I just had no more party in me.

I've enjoyed the hell out of this week.

There are so many moments - those kind of moments that create those shared memories that are relived over and over after each meet-up - kinda like a great chinese dinner... the belch that brings the flavors all back again. Lots of laughs and good times with damn good people.

I can't think of more gracious and generous hosts than Mr. And Mrs. G-Cox. Many, many, many thanks for the hospitality - great munchies and a GREAT cookout at the lake - I so enjoyed the Bambi-burgers (sorry, Gracie)!

I'll have some more to say - a couple of pics to post - but I just wanted to give a quick shout-out to all the attendees this year - you guys rock. I had such a good time and wish I had the stamina I once did to hang with you longer than I did.

What a week. Time spent with good people and, to top it off, the joy of seeing a friend live a dream and reap a much deserved reward. More thoughts on that later, as well.

In the meantime, reports are trickling in - check out these intrepid bloggers for all the shenanigans:

G-Cox
Katitude
Surflexus
Ooosssuuuu
23Skidoo
Joanada
Instant Tragedy
Buddy Dank
Special K

And my heartfelt congrats go out to Ignatious for his cash in the WSOP Main Event. I am over the top ecstatic for him and not just a little bit verklempt with emotion, too.