Top to Bottom

My weekend certainly did not lack activity. Some of it excellent, some of it good, some of it okay, some of it crapful. Let's go in descending order, shall we?

First of all, I am honored to tell you all that I have a story this month in Truckin', the excellent literary blogzine run by The Good Dr. Pauly. I've been an admirer of Pauly's since long before I began this silly blog. He's a fantastic writer and extremely supportive of our (not so) little "scene." That he saw fit to include my tale is very gratifying. If there is possibly one person who reads this blog, but doesn't make a daily visit to Tao of Poker and Pauly's related sites, I must say you are missing out. You're also kind of a dumbshit, but that's beside the point.

This month's issue also includes work from fellow poker bloggers Joanne, The Film Geek, and Grubby, as well as The Good Doctor himself. These are talented people. I hesitate to mention myself as being in their company, but I AM in the same issue. Please check it out and thanks for the support.

My 10th place finish in the Saturday evening $20/$2 MTT on Stars was also, I've decided after much deliberation, a highlight. I dunno, I want to win one of these things so effing bad. When I don't, I'm always a little bummed. But I've played as well as I'm able lately and this tourney was no exception. In something of a rarity, I found myself with a good-sized stack early thanks to a rush of cards and a tight-weak table. Going into the first break, I'd more than quadrupled my starting stack.

Slowed down a bit for a couple levels, but I went on another rush just before the second break and was briefly the chip leader. I stayed in the Top 15 the rest of the way. Down to 27 left, I'd only gone to showdown 8 times and had won all 8.

I wasn't paying any attention to my standing, to the climb up the money ladder. I was in it to win it. I played my cards when got 'em without fear of reprisal. Which is why I finished one off the final table, I guess. I pushed hard with my AJ and got knocked out by AT when he flopped his ten. What else can I do? It's AJ!

Took me a while to swallow it. Maybe I was titled a little, in an unusual way. My confidence and the good run of cards giving me an aura of invincibility and obscuring the potential pitfalls of over-playing my hand at that point of the tourney. Oh well.

Played in the $10/$1 MTT tonight on Stars and felt the same way. Iron-clad. Got cards early and often and was sitting with more than T10K midway through the second hour. And then it happened. I raised with JJ and the BB called. Flop came ten-high and I raised the BB all-in. He called with his Big Slick. On a pair draw. And he turned his fucking ace. Absolutely titled me. I dumped another chunk two hands later with KT suited and never recovered. Forced into push and pray mode after the second break, I twice picked up the blinds and antes, but then my 88 ran into AA. Twelve from the cash (which, for the record, would have produced a profit of $1.14).

Still a nicely profitable weekend and I'd be remiss if I didn't gloat over the A's taking 2 of 3 from the Angels, the "overwhelming" favorites to win the AL West according to their asshole broadcasters. Seriously, Phys and Hud, both ya'll can suck a dick. You are the worst thing about living in Los Angeles. I could go on for several paragraphs about how stupid and annoying they are, but that benefits nobody. Regardless, today the A's gave the impression they could hit major league pitching, an impression I have to withdraw after recalling that the underwhelming John Lackey was pitching for the Angels.

The only real downer of the weekend was my soccer team failing to pull off an unprecedented three-peat in the Long Beach Men's Soccer League Spring Cup Final. We were headed to a deserved 1-0 victory when our left back made a most basic and awful mistake, allowing them to equalize late. We then put on a clinic how NOT to take penalty kicks and fell 3-1.

Lastly, if you haven't already, go sign up for next week's WPBT satellite to the WSOP $1500 event. Currently 30 signed up, including yours truly. I'm only there to donate, however. Head on over to Iggy's and e-mail him for the password.