The Cold War is Back

I think this is my favorite poker clip of all time. I love how the crazy Russian announces "I win" and we're forced to wonder if he thinks that translates to "sigh ... nice hand." The goofy Russian keeps the goofy smile on his face throughout the hand ... I think he's seen this episode before!

Entrepreneurship and Poker

My friend Byron passed along this interesting article about the similarities between entrepreneurship and poker. I think it also speaks to the luck (both good and bad) that we all experience throughout life, reminding me of a great book that I read years ago that I still think about: Fooled by Randomness. While technically a book about finance, many of the author's philosophies spill over into real life. Check it out if you have time, you'll enjoy it.

The Meadows, Summer 2009 - Days "the rest"

You what is pretty cool? Not getting the updates of the Vegas summer trip done before the Halloween trip takes place. So stay tuned for the Halloween debauchery but in the meantime, get caught up here and here.

The Meadows, Summer 2009 - Day 2

Day 2, Friday. $2-5 NLHE at the Bellagio.

Did you miss day 1? Get caught up here.

Day 2 may have been one of the most successful days I have ever had playing poker. Not my largest win but perhaps the best/longest I've ever played really well. I sat at a Bellagio $2-5 game from noon until three in the morning and only had two losing HOURS. I didn't decide to leave and play $5-10, I didn't start playing crazy, just tried really hard to play RIGHT and I think I did. There were several hands where I knew exactly what the other player had and either bluffed or extracted chips just like I should. It was nice, in the middle of what has been a rough year for poker.

The Meadows, Summer 2009 - Day 1

For a good part of 2009 I have been doing my best to support the local economy by donating money at the poker table. If you would like to know the formula for getting your butt kicked, it is as follows. Get your money in good (or at least “appropriately” as it relates to PLO) on 12 out of your 15 biggest bets for the year and then proceed to lose 13 of those 15. That’s really all it takes. I’m down for the year and am dead even since the biggest pot of my life last Halloween but I’m happy to report I took out my frustration on The Meadows (that’s English for Las Vegas (Spanish)) over Labor Day Weekend. Highlights are as follows.

What it Takes

We have a gentleman in our fair city that simply crushes poker. During a recent dinner discussion, me and my knucklehead buddies discussed what number his 7-figure lifetime winning figure must start with. I proposed 3, got check-raised, and we went back to drinking our beer and arguing about which waitress is our favorite. But it's big, very big.