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