What a drag!

Hi all!

What a day what a day!!! The deepest tournament - the kind i should never be out of until late late late ended way too fast for me. Two hands crippled me - and both lost to a set of Queens -QQQ - ugh. I think i played one hand poorly and the other one i just got unlucky - tres unlucky....as i got in with KK and player 1 pushed in with QQ on the flop - I called and he turned a Q - so dirty! As Phil Helmuth says - if it weren't for luck I'd win them all - LOL. Kidding.

Thankfully i found a seat in a great cash game and made some cash there.

Until next time!

Out 67th out of 188

What a roller coaster ....began after dinner break with 30K in chips - two times the avg stack but the blinds were high at 500/1000. Went card dead while the guys on either side of me were on fire. Anyhow - big hand - JJ - I raise to 3000 from the cut-off - nice older man (NOM) on my left calls - crazy guy calls in the big blind.

Flop - T 6 8 - BB checks - i bet 5000 - guy next to me hmmmms and haws and calls - crazy man in BB pushes all in - has me covered.........i think and think and think - i am worried about the guy next to me and frankly worried about crazy man.... so I fold. NOM calls - he has KK - crazy man has 6 -3 - so a pair of 6's with a 3 kicker. so I am down to 22K (but i could be busted - feeling good about my fold) - and stay there for basically two hours.

Break comes and goes again - I am at 19K - blinds at 1000/2000 - 10 BBs. look down at 66 - raise all in - called by AK - K on flop and I am gone. Oh well - best hand going in (barely)...

I played well - just stalled after dinner as the blinds skyrocketed....

Tomorrow is another day - start of 2-day deepstack tourney. Can't wait!

Here we go...

Tourney starts at 12:00 pm.

Quote for the day - "You must learn to allow patience and stillness to take over from anxiety and frantic activity...The good player is patient. He is observant, controlling his patience, and organizing his composure. When he sees an opportunity, he explodes." Zen in the Martial Arts

You just never know

Poker is about ebb and flow. Push too much against the tide and you lose your money. Find the rhythm and it can feel like you own the world. I am focused on going with the flow instead of playing against it. It appears to be working. Felted someone with J8o and then another with AA. Waited patiently in between those hands to hold my own and build an image so that if/when I got a big hand it would pay. Lucky for me it did. Sooooooo...it must be time to call it an evening...dinner - bed. First tournament tomorrow - 12:00 P.M.. Looking forward.

I Love Regina!

Smooth Flying

Still looks like Regina and feels like Regina! Warm welcome from airport staff keen on finding me a taxi - the ubiquitous Regina taxi VAN - Gawd I hate taxi vans - hard for me to be graceful getting into the back seat oh well no choice this time - just a long line of Vans.

checked in - nice room overlooking the spanky Casino Regina Show Lounge - temporary home of the Harvest Poker Classic.

let's go see the cash games....

Harvest Classic -Regina

Ok....so heading to Regina to play poker. I think I am leaving on Westjet at 4:00 pm only to find out that noooooooo I forgot that I found a cheaper flight on Air Canada and am leaving at 1:o0 pm. Which is great if you don't mind scrambling for two hours in the morning because you thought you had all day today to prepare and you have a work presentation to give at 9:30 a.m. and you hope it doesn't go too long 'cause you need to get to airport. Oh and clothes! No problem - dry cleaners opens at 7:30 a.m. but NOT on Rememberance Day - you'd think I'd remember that but no - someone in the elevator pointed that out to me. All this by 7:45 am. Presentation at 9:30 a.m. - check for little cord I need to hook up Mac Air to projector and can't find it in it's usual safe place - why? Because I left it in an office four weeks ago which was the last time I used it - - call my client ask them to have their own laptop ready . 8:00 a.m. the fire alarms start clanging - no panic just a test to see if we can here them in our suites. Hear them???!!!! I think i am suffering internal bleeding from the pitch and volume - oh well I guess they are working.

Pack least wrinkled clothes - afterall it is a poker tournament and these people are definitely not fashion mavens so really - clean is pretty high fashion for them. Anyhow - i can purchase anything i forget cause i am staying next to Sear's and Regina's Cornwall Centre. .

9:30 a.m. presentation to client - all goes well YAY!!! and done in record time...sooooooo. head home 'cause now I have time to park my car at home and call for a ride to the airport. get home and forgot that during the test fire alarm I gave my gate opener to my neighbour for their use while I was away - AND they already gave it to their guest who is using the parking space while I am away....sooooo how to get in? Thank heavens for the mystery woman on the 6th floor who can open the gate from her suite and in I get.....park and off to airport.

Where I write this...Maple leaf lounge...sunny room...preparing to play poker. Yay. Looking forward. Feeling remarkably calm despite my morning. Looking forward to playing.....

Cash Games today - tournies start tomorrow. I'll let you know how it goes!

The morning after - Part 1

Well I crashed last night...slept and slept hard!

So here's more detail about the day. We started with 12 of us at two tables of 6. I started the day with 35,000 in chips. Short-stacked compared to people but not compared to the blinds which were 800 - 1,600 with 200 ante.

Well the other table was an all-in fest. Within 38 minutes we lost 3 players - 2 at the other table and the short stack at our table. Down to 9 and the final table. I had built my chips up slightly to 38,000 which considering we were playing 5 handed for awhile and the blinds were coming around quickly was not bad.

We headed over to the final table with four big stacks, one short stack, and four mediums (including me). I anticipated Seat 9 to be the guy to drive the action - he likes to play a lot of hands and puts pressure on the table. Seat 2 who was 2nd chip leader is a total math player - he has charts, percentages, etc.... Seat 3 - had a goodly amount of chips - i would call him tight aggressive - solid player. Seat 4 is solid and cagey - i wanted to avoid him cause we're pals - unless i had a huge hand. Seat 5 I had no idea on - he was a bit short-stacked. - Seat 7 -I had no great read on but I felt this player liked to push a bit light at times - a bit overly aggressive at the wrong time - but not sure. Seat 8 shorty-shorter-son on the stack - looking for a moment to put it in. and Seat 1 was our chip leader - good solid player - knows when to be aggressive and when to slow down.

A strong table - but not one that had me scared to play - I felt confident and calm.

ok - so nothing to exciting for the first while - i manage to keep up a bit - the table is playing quite tight. I would say for the most part the table played tight. Eventually seat 8 makes his move and he is eliminated and we are down to 8. I am still not getting any cards really but managed to steal a blind or two. That said I am getting low in chips - down to about 28Gs when this hand comes along.

I am under the gun - first to act preflop and i look down to 66. The table is playing tight so I decide to raise hoping to take the blinds and antes. With blinds at 1,000/2000 i raise to 5000. It is folded around to the small blind - my buddy in seat 4. He is also now short-stacked. He thinks and thinks and then goes all-in. Now referring back to my earlier comment you'll note i said i did not want to play seat 4 unless i had a big hand...

So here comes my explanation of either the best call i made or the stupidest call i could make...

• we've got 9,800 in the pot already - blinds/antes and my raise
  
• he moves all in for roughly 23,000
• so we now have 33,000 in the pot and it is 18000 more for me to call - almost 2-1 on my money
• he is short and his range of hands are wide at this point
• he also could be playing me - cause he thinks I'll fold against him unless I have premium hands. i am not sure what he is thinking about raising me all-in since i did raise UTG which means i likely have a good hand. So i think about his range and figure he could have a big Ace - (but then if he did i don't think he would have thought as long as he did before pushing) then i think maybe it's an bigger pair than mine - which again i don't think he would have taken as long with deciding - so then i start thinking maybe it's a weak A ... and i move into the place of deciding if now is the time to race...
• i am short stacked too - i am getting a reasonable price on my money
• i am not playing for 6th I am playing for 1st...
• so i call his all in
• my 66 against his 55 - YES! Sweet!

my hand holds up - i almost double up and have some chips and room to breathe and we're down to 7 players. YAY! (I am sure i will hear back in Calgary how bad a call i made...but at least i did have some thought behind it - might have been bad thinking but...)

away we go... a deal is made that we will give the 7th place finisher $1500 from the prize pool so everyone gets something.

A few hands later - i finally get AA - i raise to 5000 - seat 9 re-raises me to 15000 - he has about 30,000 left behind - - i think about it - and decide it makes no sense to smooth call him as i don't think i'll get any more chips from him unless he hits the flop hard - maybe too hard and crack me...so i push - happy either way if he folds or calls...he calls KJ vs AA - i hold up and we're all in the money. phew....

more later.....

CPT Main EVENT - Final Table

Well I made it to the final table! And then I made it to the money - final 6. And then I made it to 3rd!!! Won $~35000.

more tomorrow as I am exhausted and need to sleep.

Thanks everyone for your wishes and support.

CPT Main EVENT - Final Day

Alrighty then!!!!

Had a good sleep! Had a swim this morning! Feeling good. Nervous and calm again. Good thing i think. I start the day with 35,000 in chips. Chip leader has ~ 90,000. Avg is about 50,000. Blinds will start at either 750-1,500 0r 800-1,600 with 200 antes. I am not at a desperate point yet but catching some cards and hitting a flop would be really helpful right about now.

I followed Helen's advice yesterday "make every hand prove it is worthy to play". That was a good one. Today however my range of worthiness will expand and position will take precendent at some point.

Thanks for comments and emails! I hope to be bringing home 'da cash!

CPT Main EVENT - Tuesday night

We are down to 12! and i am still in it!!!

What a grind! 11 hours - and no big hands. Just small pots - always staying around average chip count - picking some good spots. Did not see that many flops - and when I did I could not hit the broad side of a barn. So grind grind grind.

Down to 12! YAY!!! Top 6 get money. I am very happy with my play. Have kept any mistakes to a minimum.

We have a magnificent room to play in. Windows surround us looking out to the ocean. The room is full of natural light which is so odd for us - we're not used to natural light in poker rooms. But no one has burst into flames so we're good.

There still remains 4 of us from Calgary in the game and we have quite a few fans. I was all in only once - A6 suited against KQ off - won the hand and then had all these cheers. When an all in occurs play stops, the tournament director announces the play and then calls for the remaining cards. Sportsnet is here filming so it is all for them.

I will be interviewed tomorrow at 11:30 a.m.. I imagine they are interviewing all the remaining players. There are at least 2 women left - maybe 3 but I am not sure.

Well all for now... going to try and relax and get some sleep. Cards are in the air at 1:00 pm Atlantic time.

CPT Main EVENT - Tuesday

Well, the day has arrived. I am both nervous and calm. I think this is good. ;-)

Morning has consisted of doing some work, thinking about poker, reclining on a chaise by the pool, thinking about poker and now heading to have a light bite to eat and then over to the casino.

I'll let you know how I am doing. I may try to send updates to one person and get them to fire them off to everyone else. We'll see.

Monday Monday

Well....it was sunny today! YAY! I am more than happy to say i caught some rays in the morning and have a slight blush on finally. My plan had been to play the tournament at 3:00 pm but one i got there I decided to play cash games and give my head a break from tourney play. I am happy to say I continue to profit on the cash tables and now have more money in my pocket than i arrived with...and that's a good thing. ;-)

I played most of the day with my new best friends Steve and Sean - my boys from IllinoiSe. Brothers - one the tightest guy at the table and the other the loosest. Fun to play with and fun to take their money. Party Poker has a promo event this evening - attended for a few moments chatted with friends and then went back up to the table. Sportsnet is here doing some interviews - interviewing the winners of some of the CPT as lead up to the event tomorrow.

I am very excited and very calm all at the same time. I think that is a good sign. We start at 1:00 pm with 15,000 in chips and 60 minute blind levels. There will be a tonne of play so it will be a long day. Hence, early to bed tonight.

I'll keep you posted as I progress.

Sunday Night - Monday Morning

It's 3:00 a.m. here in humid Puerto Plata. 22 degrees - feels like 32.

Tournament today was hard. Accumulated chips early on - and then lost two hands almost back to back that left me nauseous - felt like throwing up after being knocked out or crying and we all know there is no crying in poker!

What a sick game though - love to love it and love to hate it! Played well - could not win my one race AKs against TT - I flopped an A he turned a T. Then the worst ....with KQ suited - all-in called by J8 off - he hit an 8 on the river... hence that feeling of wanting to puke.... after that it was just merely a matter of time before i was out given the blinds were so high.

Oh well.... that's poker as they say (the bastards!)...arrgh. ;-)

Back to the cash games I went and CRUSHED the table. So after two full days and 900$ in tournament fees I have $60 less than what I arrived with - - not bad! So i am over my tournament bust out and only hope that i will not get as unlucky as I was yesterday and today. But that said....luck does play some....in this crazy game. At least I am getting my money in good.

Now to bed. I am hoping for sun tomorrow. Today was full of rain and clouds and the rest of the week does not look much better except for tomorrow.

We'll see.

Tournament Day # 1 - Event # 2

Well.... Let's see - we had 37 players - small field. I had one of the most successful tourney players from Calgary sitting to my left - Rick Brown - (he looks like William Shatner) - he was very good company and we stayed out of any pots together.

I was fine until I wasn't...funny that in poker. No need for details but I got my money in well and a crazy ole feller got his money in with only 2 cards in the deck that could help him. OUCH! Dang that river card. Anyhooo - kinda crippled me until my 99 ran into TT - oh well to the cash tables I go.

All went well there - won enough to cover today's buy-in plus a few extra pesos. So we're good. This is Todd - nice dealer.

This is Ocean World Casino

Sat at the table with some men who clearly knew each other and sounded like they lived here and in the Bahamas. Discovered one was a hedge fund manager from the Bahamas who's been down here for many years and the other guy (his buddy) was the owner...of the casino. Yes, playing $1/2 NL. Nice guys...played seriously...too funny. You just never know who is sitting across from you at a poker table.

Tomorrow is the $500 tournament.

Speaking about the Beach

Spent the morning walking the beach waiting for the clouds to blow over. The sun came out and i found the best lounge chair to soak up the sun. I have my trusty Banana tanning oil - i mean sunscreen - SPF 4 is good right?! hee hee - kidding. I think today I was merely dusted with some sun.

Nothing like 45 minutes in the sun after the winter we've been experiencing.

Now off to prep my mind for the tourney.

Buenos Diaz!

The Resort

The resort. Green everywhere! Unbelievable. It is not like this is my first time in sunny hot places but this time the green and the humidity and the warmth just feel like a warm heated blanket on a cold day. Soooooo gooood.

This is the view from my balcony.

POKER: I went to the casino last night. Met up with some of my poker buddies including Kelly - the president of Head's Up Entertainment - owners of the CPT - and his wife Kathleen. Played some $1/2 NL - lost a bit of cash but took the opportunity to get a feel for the place and settle in.

First warm-up tournament starts today...$300 buy in and lots of chips with lots of time to play. My kind of of day.

Sun Village - Day 1

Hola!

So this was the snow-covered scene from the plane leaving Toronto. I think it is a pretty familiar scene for most of us canadians no matter where we are living.


The trip here is fine - with the major exception that big brother Cy is not with me. I hope Stephen is recuperating and getting well.


Everything has been smooooooth. The plane was slightly late due to head winds and the extra weight of all the papers we have to fill out (4 forms each). It seems Canadians are very dutiful lot as it appeared everyone was filling them out immediately - i on the other hand tried to extend the experience throughout the entire four hour trip. Little milestones to look forward to and accomplish. No one really cared much about the papers - took them, stamped them and buenos sera and away i went to the bus to the resoort. All smoooooooooooth.

Official Tournament

Official Website of Dominican Republic Tournament. The CPT Invitational Finals are in the middle of the week.

Toronto

Arrived in Toronto to -15C. What the heck is that? and it is getting colder? Did i not just leave cold? oh well, only one night here in the big smoke...well actually the little smoke...Mississauga...airport hotel.

Looks like big brother (Cy) will not be joining me after all. A close friend of his is very ill and was admitted into hospital today. His condition is serious.

Read a great article about poker player Nam Le. He has won almost $6M in the last 4 years...he talks about patience, picking the right time and that it is not all about aggression, aggression, aggression. Good reminder for me as I know there will be ultra aggressive players in DR.

well.....i take off for DR at 3:40 pm on Friday. I arrive around 9:30 pm in Puerto Plata. Sun Sun here i come!!

First tournament is Saturday.

Ang