HotDip.Us [with.your.chips]

I’ve been taking a break from poker for the last few months. Work and life are keeping me busy so the break will likely last longer. I’ll play again one of these days…

So Full Tilt launched $48 S&G tourneys last week. Yeah, one step up from the $24 S&G tourneys. Anyway, I played one today and somehow managed to finish 8th for about $130. I probably could have done better if I were more patient at the final table. Oh well. Next time.

Took a bit of a poker break this week cause so much stuff went on. Lets see if I can recap.

Sunday: Church/Work, Lunch, an afternoon at the pool, and dinner with friends in Eagle Rock. Funny how it takes 7 freeways to get home- 2 south to 5 south to 110 south to 10 west, to 405 south to 90 west to pch.

Monday: I did play Monday Night poker. 2 tables, finished 5th.

Tuesday: Staff reductions at work/church. 25% of the staff affected with either job loss or a cut in hours. It was a crazy day- a mix of being sad for those affected, frustrated by how things went down, and relief that I still have a a job.

Wednesday: Worked late cause I was taking Thursday off.

Thursday: Urban Hike. 3 of us hiked 16 miles from downtown Los Angeles to the Santa Monica Pier. Yeah, it was a crazy adventure through MacArthur Park, Korea Town, Mid-Wilshire, Miracle Mile, Beverly Hills, Century City, Westwood, West LA, and Santa Monica.

Friday: Body is hurting. Stayed in and was glad to not do too much of anything. I did finally play again. Finished 4th in one $12 S&G for a little over $1oo.

Saturday: Cleaning house and getting ready for a party we’re having here tonight. I may get in a game or two.

Friday was knocked out on the bubble on two tourneys. 10th and 11th respectively. Both on bad beats. AA < JJ on one and AQ < AJ on the other.

Saturday just wrapped up with a satellite win.

Moving up from playing the 12 dollar S&Gs was tough at first but it has taught me to play smarter. I just finished a $24 S&G this morning in 5th place for about $150. Now I’m trying to work on consistency.

I think that means not playing all the time. Not playing when tired, hungry, anxious, etc. And taking time to enjoy other things besides poker. Like last night’s free concert at the pier.

In the $24 S&G tourney for about $270. I may leave leave live poker in Vegas and just continue to play online. I seem to be doing better playing at home.

It was a good time with the guys. And it was a financially successful weekend as well. But ironically, it wasn’t in poker. I played 3 daily tourneys over the course of 2 days at the Tuscany. I like that place. $25 buy in tourney and it’s a pretty friendly game with a lot of locals. Got knocked out in the first two. Finished 9th at the final table on the third one for $50.

Blackjack paid out several jackpots including this one for $162. The next day I played the same bank of machines and hit another for $202. Crazy.

And then there was blackjack which paid out too. Which is kind of funny cause statistically, the odds are in the house’s favor. Unlike poker where it takes more skill than luck.

And then there was the pool, which was nice and relaxing. I think I like MGM’s pool area and lazy river better than Mandalay Bay’s. Its a close one.

It’s 106 there today. Good thing we’re not getting in until this evening, but it will still be hot nonetheless.

I’m withdrawing $500 from the bankroll and setting it aside for poker and expenses this weekend. Hopefully will return with more but I’m really not worried about it. With a cheap flight on Southwest, a free room at MGM Grand, and quality time with friends, I feel like I’m already ahead. Ok, that sounded sappy, but its true :) Wish us luck (and skill)!

Wednesday evening play is off to a great start. I did the same thing as this morning- one $12 S&G and one $24 S&G. For the former, I got knocked out with about 40 players left. For the $24 one, I finished in 3rd place for $266. I don’t think I can keep up this win streak of making final tables 50% of the time. There was a little luck involved (on one hand, I was all in with AQ against AK and a queen happen to show up on the flop). Question is do test it out and play 2 more?

Either way, it’s a great way to start a weekend in Vegas. Yup, flying there tomorrow with a couple buddies. I’ll probably play a little poker.

Update: Played 2 more. At the 24, I lost AK < 99. Lost at the 12 too. I knew it, when I win a few, I start playing too loose.

Great night at Foundry last night though after a 14 hour day on Tuesday, I’m glad for a half day today. Decided to play 2 S&G Tourneys before heading into work. At the $24 one, I got knocked out mid way through, AQ < 77.

At the $12 one though, I just finished in 6th place on a bad beat for about $60. AQ < JT. This hand below though…

Full Tilt Poker Game: $12 + $1 KO Sit & Go, Table 6 – 800/1600 Ante 200 – No Limit Hold’em
Seat 5: cscdy (7,135) button
Seat 6: Chumdinger (40,373) small blind
Seat 7: moska87 (67,931) big blind
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Chumdinger [Kh Ah]
cscdy raises to 6,935, and is all in
Chumdinger raises to 24,005
moska87 raises to 67,731, and is all in
Chumdinger calls 16,168, and is all in
moska87 shows [As Kc]
cscdy shows [Ad 7s]
Chumdinger shows [Kh Ah]
*** FLOP *** [3c 3h 4h]
*** TURN *** [3c 3h 4h] [Jh]
*** RIVER *** [3c 3h 4h Jh] [8h]
moska87 shows a pair of Threes
Chumdinger wins the side pot (66,476) with a flush, Ace high
cscdy shows a pair of Threes
Chumdinger wins the main pot (22,405) with a flush, Ace high