15 July 09 - The main event at the WSOP is down to the final 27. They'll be playing down to the final table today which, for the second year in a row, will be delayed and played in November. So here's a stab at what I think/hope the November 9 will look like this year:
Phil Ivey: goes into today 4th in chips and will be seated to the left of the chipleader, Darvin Moon. It might be a very long day for Mr. Moon as Ivey will certainly be targeting the amateur's stack all day long. Ivey, universally regarded as the best poker player in the world, seems destined to cement his legacy this year.
Jeff Shulman: he is co-owner of CardPlayer with his father, Barry. Jeff was famously bad-beat/coolered from the 2000 WSOP main event final table by eventual champion Chris "Jesus" Ferguson. In that event, 7-handed with the chip lead, Jeff got Jesus (who was 2nd in chips at the time) all-in with 77 vs 66 and Ferguson flopped a set to stay alive. Shortly after, Schulman ran KK into Ferguson's AA and was sent packing. Here's to hoping that Shulman gets a shot at redemption.
Darvin Moon: the chipleader going into today, Moon is an amateur from Maryland who won his way in through satellite. His is the quintessential WSOP "rags to riches" story. It's also noteworthy that Moon has been sporting a Saints hat all week long. That makes him "root-worthy" in my book.
Antonio Esfandiari: semi-famous poker professional and poker celebrity, Esfandiari would make for an interesting and entertaining final table with his established credentials, loose-aggressive style and outgoing personality.
Billy Kopp: an online professional, Kopp enters the day second in chips and seems poised to make a run at the title. His appearance at the final table would raise the profile of online poker as the ultimate training ground for success in large field, deep-stacked MTT.
Andrew Lichtenberger: maybe the most highly regarded online professional remaining in the field, the young math wizard has been running hot in 2009 and has an excellent chance to make the final 9. On day 6, this humorous exchange was recorded between Lichtenberger and Ivey in one hand:
Andrew Lichtenberger: "If I wear my hat backwards, will it make me look like a badass?"
Phil Ivey: "... Nothing you do will make you look badass."
James Akenhead: the young, London native has been hovering at the top of the leaderboard all week, has a slew of live cashes to his name, and looks to make his second WSOP final table appearance in as many years. He is poised to eclispse the $1,000,000 benchmark in career cashes with his run in this year's WSOP main event.
Ludovic Lacay: I don't know too much about him except for the fact that is considered one of the top 5 French poker players today. His appearance at the final table would continue to grow the game in Europe and keep the international poker economy flush with new $$$.
Leo Margets: obviously a long shot with her very short stack, Ms. Margets is the last remaining woman in the field. As poker continues to attract new demographics, the apperance of a woman at the final table would be great for poker and great for television. Let's hope the attractive, young Spaniard makes it there.
Disclaimer: I actually believe that either Ben Lamb or Jordan Smith will make the final table instead of Margets, but I'm rooting for her.
Edit: I got 4 of 9 correct - Ivey, Shulman, Moon, Akenhead.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Thursday, July 9, 2009
A Little Bit of Nothing
9 July 09 - Here are some nuggets:
>> I'm back to playing a good amount of poker after taking a brief respite to let my mind rest. I've been grinding a lot of hands online in low/micro tourneys and having been showing up with good results over the last two weeks. Also, I've been studying PXF and watching videos which have been really helpful, and provides a nice balance between play and study (thank you, Mr. Sack). My short-term plan is to play as many hands as possible online over the next few months, and then get back into live action during the Gulf Coast Poker Championships at the Beau at the beginning of September. I'm sure I'll be playing a few of the weekend guarantees at the Beau in the interim as well.
>> So, I finally got an iPhone and I have to say that it lives up to the hype! I grinded it out with a brutally old Motorola Razr for like 4 years and, as many of you know, it was essentially non-functional though I continued using it. Now, I can't quit diddling with this gadget (whoa, that sounded kinda dirty).
>> My buddy Tom sent me a link to a great article by New Orleans native Michael Lewis (the author of such recent bestsellers as MoneyBall and Liar's Poker) on AIG and the collapse of the American and international financial system. It was an excellent, though complex, read; if this type of content interests you, I highly suggest reading it. You can find the article here. I would also suggest this article that Lewis penned a few months back on the collapse of Wall Street.
>> Sigh. I don't really feel like ranting about this, but come on. Orrin Hatch. Please just f*ck off you dumb, incompetent, embarrassingly-misguided sh*tface. Does that make my feelings clear? In the face of innumerable mounting challenges to our country, Senator Hatch has decided that the BCS--yes, the Bowl Championship Series that determines the NCAA's annual football champion--needs to be investigated by the justice department for anti-trust violations. Senate hearings on the BCS? Is this for real? It's no f*cking wonder our country is falling apart at the seams. This dipshit is just interested in assuaging his constituents and reassuring his re-election--he hails from the state of Utah, home of the 2008 undefeated Utah Utes' football team that was passed over for the BSC title game this past season. Do something of substance, dude. We have plenty of things for you to focus your attention on, and I'm pretty sure the BCS is at the very bottom of the f*cking list!
I realize (at least I hope) that there is very little chance that the federal government will involve itself with this triviality, but the perception of what Hatch is doing is just embarrassingly bad. It's reminiscent of the CEOs of GM all flying to Washington DC individually on their luxurious, private jets and then having the balls to ask Congress for American taxpayers' money so that they can continue with their white-collar incomptence and abominations. "Please, we need money from hard-working, middle-class Americans so that we can perpetuate our super-rich, super-extravagant lifestyles while continuing to shovel shit on the American automobile industry." Ok, sorry for the tangent. I'm done.
>> In happier news, I fortuitously stumbled onto "Euro Rounders" last night while browsing 2+2. It has been archived but was linked in a thread, and it was humorous. If you're a poker geek and a Rounders fan, I would suggest the short read when you have some time. Really funny to me, but maybe I'm just a poker dork. As far as I can ascertain after some cursory web research, the author is unknown. You can read the piece here.
>> After not cutting my hair for 20 months, I shaved most of it off with a "2" two weeks ago. It was so hot outside, I felt like I was wearing a turban on my head whenever I ventured out.
>> The term "honey do's" really f*cking annoys me. As in, "yeah, the wife gave me a list of 'honey do's' to get done today." Please have some balls and stop saying this. It's bad enough that you have to mindlessly follow a list of bullshit your wife gives you to complete on a regular basis.
>> What's up with the recent trend of people referring to their friends by their Twitter handles? This is so lame. It's especially prevalent on Facebook. In better Twitter-related news, I have really enjoyed the "Star Tweet Tracker" that PokerNews is running on the right sidebar of their "Live Reporting" page for the WSOP main event. Excellent.
>> Can Phil Ivey fully cement his legacy with a WSOP ME win? He has a ton of chips going into day 3, and it really would be incredible to see him win it. Long, long way to go however.
>> And again, I saved the best for last! In honor of another season of the increasingly inane Entourage, here's the insanely gorgeous Emmanuelle Chriqui. Jesus, I feel dizzy.
>> I'm back to playing a good amount of poker after taking a brief respite to let my mind rest. I've been grinding a lot of hands online in low/micro tourneys and having been showing up with good results over the last two weeks. Also, I've been studying PXF and watching videos which have been really helpful, and provides a nice balance between play and study (thank you, Mr. Sack). My short-term plan is to play as many hands as possible online over the next few months, and then get back into live action during the Gulf Coast Poker Championships at the Beau at the beginning of September. I'm sure I'll be playing a few of the weekend guarantees at the Beau in the interim as well.
>> So, I finally got an iPhone and I have to say that it lives up to the hype! I grinded it out with a brutally old Motorola Razr for like 4 years and, as many of you know, it was essentially non-functional though I continued using it. Now, I can't quit diddling with this gadget (whoa, that sounded kinda dirty).
>> My buddy Tom sent me a link to a great article by New Orleans native Michael Lewis (the author of such recent bestsellers as MoneyBall and Liar's Poker) on AIG and the collapse of the American and international financial system. It was an excellent, though complex, read; if this type of content interests you, I highly suggest reading it. You can find the article here. I would also suggest this article that Lewis penned a few months back on the collapse of Wall Street.
>> Sigh. I don't really feel like ranting about this, but come on. Orrin Hatch. Please just f*ck off you dumb, incompetent, embarrassingly-misguided sh*tface. Does that make my feelings clear? In the face of innumerable mounting challenges to our country, Senator Hatch has decided that the BCS--yes, the Bowl Championship Series that determines the NCAA's annual football champion--needs to be investigated by the justice department for anti-trust violations. Senate hearings on the BCS? Is this for real? It's no f*cking wonder our country is falling apart at the seams. This dipshit is just interested in assuaging his constituents and reassuring his re-election--he hails from the state of Utah, home of the 2008 undefeated Utah Utes' football team that was passed over for the BSC title game this past season. Do something of substance, dude. We have plenty of things for you to focus your attention on, and I'm pretty sure the BCS is at the very bottom of the f*cking list!
I realize (at least I hope) that there is very little chance that the federal government will involve itself with this triviality, but the perception of what Hatch is doing is just embarrassingly bad. It's reminiscent of the CEOs of GM all flying to Washington DC individually on their luxurious, private jets and then having the balls to ask Congress for American taxpayers' money so that they can continue with their white-collar incomptence and abominations. "Please, we need money from hard-working, middle-class Americans so that we can perpetuate our super-rich, super-extravagant lifestyles while continuing to shovel shit on the American automobile industry." Ok, sorry for the tangent. I'm done.
>> In happier news, I fortuitously stumbled onto "Euro Rounders" last night while browsing 2+2. It has been archived but was linked in a thread, and it was humorous. If you're a poker geek and a Rounders fan, I would suggest the short read when you have some time. Really funny to me, but maybe I'm just a poker dork. As far as I can ascertain after some cursory web research, the author is unknown. You can read the piece here.
>> After not cutting my hair for 20 months, I shaved most of it off with a "2" two weeks ago. It was so hot outside, I felt like I was wearing a turban on my head whenever I ventured out.
>> The term "honey do's" really f*cking annoys me. As in, "yeah, the wife gave me a list of 'honey do's' to get done today." Please have some balls and stop saying this. It's bad enough that you have to mindlessly follow a list of bullshit your wife gives you to complete on a regular basis.
>> What's up with the recent trend of people referring to their friends by their Twitter handles? This is so lame. It's especially prevalent on Facebook. In better Twitter-related news, I have really enjoyed the "Star Tweet Tracker" that PokerNews is running on the right sidebar of their "Live Reporting" page for the WSOP main event. Excellent.
>> Can Phil Ivey fully cement his legacy with a WSOP ME win? He has a ton of chips going into day 3, and it really would be incredible to see him win it. Long, long way to go however.
>> And again, I saved the best for last! In honor of another season of the increasingly inane Entourage, here's the insanely gorgeous Emmanuelle Chriqui. Jesus, I feel dizzy.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
A Poker Update
1 July 09 - I obviously haven't been playing a heavy schedule of poker recently. Yesterday, I decided to ease myself back into it and grind out some hands in several online micro-donkaments. Interestingly enough, I played more hands yesterday than I have in any single day thus far this year. The total was 1,131 hands. I wish I could do that every day, but I just refuse to play now unless I'm committed to focusing and giving it 100%.
I played in four tourneys ranging in buy-ins from $2.20 to $11. Yes, very non-baller. On the positive side, I made the money in 3 of the 4 tourneys I played. In the nightly $4k Gtd on Stars, I final-tabled from a starting field of 2200+ landmines. Finally nearing 4AM, when I was essentially sleeping through hands, I agreed to a five-handed chop when I was 2nd in chips. On the scale of embarrassing poker moments, this one ranks up there! Chopping a $2 buy-in. Holy christ, what has happened to me?
Regardless, I padded my online roll by almost $500 yesterday so it's all good.
Back later.
I played in four tourneys ranging in buy-ins from $2.20 to $11. Yes, very non-baller. On the positive side, I made the money in 3 of the 4 tourneys I played. In the nightly $4k Gtd on Stars, I final-tabled from a starting field of 2200+ landmines. Finally nearing 4AM, when I was essentially sleeping through hands, I agreed to a five-handed chop when I was 2nd in chips. On the scale of embarrassing poker moments, this one ranks up there! Chopping a $2 buy-in. Holy christ, what has happened to me?
Regardless, I padded my online roll by almost $500 yesterday so it's all good.
Back later.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Thought For a Day
29 June 09 - "Governments make laws, but whether they are carried out, and how the police behave, depends on the general temper in the country. If large numbers of people are interested in freedom of speech, there will be freedom of speech, even if the law forbids it; if public opinion is sluggish, inconvenient minorities will be persecuted, even if laws exist to protect them... Even those who declare themselves to be in favour of freedom of opinion generally drop their claim when it is their own adversaries who are being prosecuted."
- George Orwell, Freedom of the Park
- George Orwell, Freedom of the Park
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Leftovers
23 June 09 - First off, the LSU game last night vs. Texas may have taken a year or so off my life. It was an incredible game, and in retrospect, maybe one of the best CWS games played in the history of Omaha. I can't really imagine watching a better baseball game in, say, the next ten years or so. For Texas, they hit a season-high 5 home runs; their best pitcher recorded a season-high 10 k's in less than 6 innings; they were 39-0 this season when leading after 8 innings; and they still lost. LSU scored their last 6 runs with two outs in the 6th, 7th, 9th, and 11th innings. Unreal. Not to arm-chair the Texas coach/manager because I don't know anything about baseball, but every one of his pitching moves backfired last night. I wonder if he is getting shelled today in Texas for it? Given his supposedly legendary status, probably not. Now let's hope the Tigers close it out tonight. After last night's madness, this series seems destined for a third game, however.
In other random news, some things rattling around my brain...
>>> Parfait, close your eyes fast. Because I'm going to mention (gasp!), soccer! US vs Spain tomorrow (Wed), 1:25 PM CST on ESPN. Semifinals of the Confederations Cup, an admittedly meaningless soccer event in the grand scheme of things. Regardless, the game should be interesting. Spain hasn't lost an international game in 2.5 years or something stupid like that. They are loaded, but maybe they are due for a shocking upset at the hands of the undermanned Americans.
>>> Why in the hell does the Orkin man wear a helmet in their ads? What in the f*ck? Does he spelunk in his spare time? Is he protecting himself against cranial-boring insects? Does he actually wear this when he comes to your house?
>>> The term 'power tie'. What does that even mean? It just seems so dumb and vacuous. "After I put on my favorite suit, I scoured my tie collection and decided to wear my power tie!" Huh? If you use this term, please stop it immediately.
>>> Listening to random people utter the devastatingly lame phrase 'a watched pot never boils'. Um, yeah it does assh*le. Just sit there and watch it.
>> For you online poker fiends, I watched this early this AM. I found it on a 2+2 thread, and I thought it was interesting. It's basically the story of a young, online poker pro. It's approximately 30 min., and the production value is incredibly high. Apparently, this is the first in a series of "profiles" about online poker pros.
Ok, that's all for now. If I offend anyone out there with my negativity or criticism or whatever, well... that's your problem. I don't mean to personally offend you. And yes, I do still play poker. I'm just sick of playing it and writing about it right now. Back soon (i think).
In other random news, some things rattling around my brain...
>>> Parfait, close your eyes fast. Because I'm going to mention (gasp!), soccer! US vs Spain tomorrow (Wed), 1:25 PM CST on ESPN. Semifinals of the Confederations Cup, an admittedly meaningless soccer event in the grand scheme of things. Regardless, the game should be interesting. Spain hasn't lost an international game in 2.5 years or something stupid like that. They are loaded, but maybe they are due for a shocking upset at the hands of the undermanned Americans.
>>> Why in the hell does the Orkin man wear a helmet in their ads? What in the f*ck? Does he spelunk in his spare time? Is he protecting himself against cranial-boring insects? Does he actually wear this when he comes to your house?
>>> The term 'power tie'. What does that even mean? It just seems so dumb and vacuous. "After I put on my favorite suit, I scoured my tie collection and decided to wear my power tie!" Huh? If you use this term, please stop it immediately.
>>> Listening to random people utter the devastatingly lame phrase 'a watched pot never boils'. Um, yeah it does assh*le. Just sit there and watch it.
>> For you online poker fiends, I watched this early this AM. I found it on a 2+2 thread, and I thought it was interesting. It's basically the story of a young, online poker pro. It's approximately 30 min., and the production value is incredibly high. Apparently, this is the first in a series of "profiles" about online poker pros.
Ok, that's all for now. If I offend anyone out there with my negativity or criticism or whatever, well... that's your problem. I don't mean to personally offend you. And yes, I do still play poker. I'm just sick of playing it and writing about it right now. Back soon (i think).
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Etc.
21 June 09 - I finally got around to watching Gran Torino tonight, and although it started slowly, it was excellent. Classic, vintage Eastwood. Punctuated by raw, racial overtones. Bound by the transformational, redemptive spirit of the individual. After all these years, Eastwood still has his fastball.
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