A marked card in WSOP event 2

via Riding the F train

...one of D'Agostino's hole cards had a small "chip" taken out of it near the corner. D'Agostino stopped the deal before it was complete to call attention to the card. He asked if he should just flip it up, as he had not yet been dealt his door card. The dealer called the floor over to the table but continued the deal before the floor arrived, giving D'Agostino a third card, face up.

"I guess not," D'Agostino said to nobody. "How can I play this hand now?" When action came to D'Agostino he closed his hand. Then he turned up the marked card.

"Shockingly it was an ace," he remarked as he showed the ace of spades. "Who could have guessed?

 Lemmy from Motörhead could have, imo!

Motorhead -- The Ace of Spades

If you like to gamble, I tell you I'm your man
You win some, lose some, it's still the same to me

No, don't!

Ultimately via Shirt-fight

(and yes, I bought the t-shirt)

The following video is not safe for work! 

fatboy slim -- star 69

Ace magnets

So many bad beats this week!

Poker Stars $10+$1 No Limit Hold'em Tournament - t15/t30 Blinds - 9 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

Hero (UTG+2): t1970 M = 43.78
MP1: t1405 M = 31.22
MP2: t1395 M = 31
CO: t75 M = 1.67
BTN: t1665 M = 37
SB: t814 M = 18.09
BB: t1941 M = 43.13
UTG: t2860 M = 63.56
UTG+1: t1375 M = 30.56

Pre Flop: (t45) Hero is UTG+2 with K K
UTG raises to t90, 1 fold, Hero calls t90, 2 folds, CO calls t75 all in, BTN calls t90, 2 folds

Flop: (t390) 5 4 A (4 players - 1 is all in)
UTG bets t60, Hero calls t60, BTN raises to t240, UTG calls t180, Hero calls t180

Turn: (t1110) K (4 players - 1 is all in)
UTG bets t300, Hero raises to t660, BTN raises to t1335 all in, UTG calls t1035, Hero raises to t1640 all in, UTG calls t305

River: (t5725) 8 (4 players - 3 are all in)

Final Pot: t5725
Hero shows K K (three of a kind, Kings)
CO shows Q J (high card Ace)
BTN shows 4 4 (three of a kind, Fours)
UTG shows J A (a pair of Aces)
Hero wins t610
Hero wins t4770
Hero wins t345

So it's nice to chase, get there, and hold up. I was feeling lucky!

Sam & Dave -- I Thank You

World's worst

via News of the Weird:

Briton Robert Dee, feeling humiliated at being called the "world's worst tennis pro" by London's Daily Telegraph (and other news organizations) sued the newspaper for libel last year. After taking testimony in February 2010, the judge tossed out the lawsuit in April, persuaded by Dee's having lost 54 consecutive international tour matches (all in straight sets). Fearful of an opposite result, 30 other news organizations had already apologized to Dee for disparaging him, and some even paid him money in repentance, but the Telegraph had stood its ground (and was, of course, humble in victory, titling its story on the outcome, "'World's Worst' Tennis Player Loses Again").

Dawwwwwwww

Boston terrier puppy and cat making out :-P

frankinuld  -- Polly the Boston Terrier and Hermione the cat

via HuffPo

Happy 30th Birthday Pac-Man!

I got you some candy!

Hat tip to Google:

Today, on PAC-MAN’s 30th birthday, you can rediscover some of your 8-bit memories—or meet PAC-MAN for the first time—through our first-ever playable Google doodle. To play the game, go to google.com during the next 48 hours (because it’s too cool to keep for just one day) and either press the “Insert Coin” button or just wait for a few seconds.

See? The fever is contagious! ;-)

Update: permalink!

I remember there was a Pac-Man machine at the Atlantic&Pacific grocers near where I grew up. I think I was in second grade and I didn’t have a ready supply of quarters.

A few years later, my parents would take us out once a month or so to Valleys, which was a plush-carpeted low-lit chain of Italian restaurants on the U.S. East Coast. They had a two-player Ms. Pac-Man table and I usually got to play on it while we waited for a table.

As I grew up the arcade and gaming culture grew up alongside me, and Pac-Man was the first “killer app” which ultimately drove all that, imo. Since I’m a graphics engineer by day and an internet poker player by night, Pac-Man has certainly changed my life.

Update: Top Ten Reasons Pac-Man is Awesome

Boston-Washington corridor map

The local metropolis, in toto, via MyConfinedSpace

Arizona is a state of mind

Another taste of the great southwest....


via Marketplace

Gambling in America on Fox

I heard about this Fox Business episode on this week's 2+2 PokerCast interview with my old frenemy Rich "TheEngineer" Muny.

The episode seems interesting so here it is!

part 1 (Focus on the Family + Andy Bloch)
part 2 (ditto)
part 3 (Off Track Betting)
part 4 (prediction markets)
part 5 (round table with the four interviewees)
part 6 (degens!)

The Downfall of Isildur

(Part of a continuing series)

New video suggests Tony G isn't the only guy who tried staking Isildur1, Via 2+2

(may be NSWF)

Hitler from Downfall -- Why Did I Stake Isildur1?

No money in staking, everyone's solid!

3rd out of 90 in a $6.75 knockout

And an hour before that I wrapped up a 65th place small cash in a 519 runner $33 (I thought an iso-raise from the button of an early position all-in looked weak, so I over-shoved JJ in the small blind, but the pot-committed button player snap called and had me out-pipped).

Now, I know this all is not much to crow about, but back in February I couldn't hit the money in those special 40-man games to save my life, and had really lost confidence. And I still remember a two month stretch in early 2008, where I played 3 low stakes Multi-Table Tourneys a day and never won ahead with 70/30 odds or less all-in pre-flop. So just to be getting anywhere in a game more complex than a 3-table Sit-and-Go feels like vindication.

And I felt confident at the final table of the knockout tourney. I looked around the table at players I already had mostly gotten a feel for, looked at the payouts, and said to myself: I am going for 3rd place and getting there (and I was a distant 6th in chips). It took a little luck -- one of the top two opponents managed to cooler the other out in 5th when they both held flush cards -- but I did it.

ONN -- Pre-Game Coin Toss Makes Jaguars Realize Randomness Of Life

Another deep run

You know things will go well when this is your first hand:

Poker Stars $30+$3 No Limit Hold'em Tournament - t15/t30 Blinds - 9 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

BB: t2850 M = 63.33
Hero (UTG): t3000 M = 66.67
UTG+1: t2920 M = 64.89
UTG+2: t3375 M = 75
MP1: t3005 M = 66.78
MP2: t2965 M = 65.89
CO: t3000 M = 66.67
BTN: t5815 M = 129.22
SB: t5760 M = 128

Pre Flop: (t45) Hero is UTG with A A
Hero raises to t90, 5 folds, BTN raises to t270, 2 folds, Hero raises to t570, BTN raises to t5815 all in, Hero calls t2430 all in

He turns over Kings!

Flop: (t6045) Q 3 Q (2 players - 2 are all in)

Turn: (t6045) 9 (2 players - 2 are all in)

River: (t6045) 7 (2 players - 2 are all in)

Things went smoothly for a while. Won a crucial coin flip:

Poker Stars $30+$3 No Limit Hold'em Tournament - t300/t600 Blinds + t50 - 9 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

BTN: t13390 M = 9.92
SB: t32220 M = 23.87
Hero (BB): t7320 M = 5.42
UTG: t3961 M = 2.93
UTG+1: t7421 M = 5.50
UTG+2: t13820 M = 10.24
MP1: t2415 M = 1.79
MP2: t14670 M = 10.87
CO: t18037 M = 13.36

Pre Flop: (t1350) Hero is BB with 2 2
5 folds, CO raises to t1800, 2 folds, Hero raises to t7270 all in, CO calls t5470

Flop: (t15290) K 6 3 (2 players - 1 is all in)

Turn: (t15290) K (2 players - 1 is all in)

River: (t15290) 9 (2 players - 1 is all in)

Final Pot: t15290
Hero shows 2 2 (two pair, Kings and Deuces)
CO shows J A (a pair of Kings)
Hero wins t15290

Finally the first or second hand after the bubble (81 left), the ducks come thru for me again:

Poker Stars $30+$3 No Limit Hold'em Tournament - t400/t800 Blinds + t75 - 9 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

MP1: t23617 M = 12.60
MP2: t52482 M = 27.99
Hero (CO): t11140 M = 5.94
BTN: t63931 M = 34.10
SB: t24640 M = 13.14
BB: t8077 M = 4.31
UTG: t16517 M = 8.81
UTG+1: t24160 M = 12.89
UTG+2: t842 M = 0.45

Pre Flop: (t1875) Hero is CO with 2 2
2 folds, UTG+2 calls t767 all in, 2 folds, Hero calls t800, BTN calls t800, SB calls t400, BB checks

Flop: (t4642) K Q 2 (5 players - 1 is all in)
SB bets t1600, BB raises to t7202 all in, Hero raises to t10265 all in, BTN folds, SB folds

Turn: (t20646) 4 (3 players - 3 are all in)

River: (t20646) Q (3 players - 3 are all in)

Final Pot: t20646
Hero shows 2 2 (a full house, Deuces full of Queens)
BB shows K 7 (two pair, Kings and Queens)
UTG+2 shows 7 A (a pair of Queens)
Hero wins t16136
Hero wins t4510

And now, just two hands after that, to go real deep I just need this to hold up (this never happens!):

Poker Stars $30+$3 No Limit Hold'em Tournament - t400/t800 Blinds + t75 - 9 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

UTG: t23467 M = 12.52
UTG+1: t55657 M = 29.68
Hero (UTG+2): t23634 M = 12.60
MP1: t62981 M = 33.59
MP2: t22090 M = 11.78
CO: t14785 M = 7.89
BTN: t15967 M = 8.52
SB: t21610 M = 11.53
BB: t25207 M = 13.44

Pre Flop: (t1875) Hero is UTG+2 with K K
2 folds, Hero raises to t2400, 1 fold, MP2 raises to t22015 all in, 4 folds, Hero calls t19615

MP2 shows Q A

Flop: (t45905) 6 T 5 (2 players - 1 is all in)

Turn: (t45905) 8 (2 players - 1 is all in)

River: (t45905) Q (2 players - 1 is all in)

Final Pot: t45905
Hero shows K K (a pair of Kings)
MP2 shows Q A (a pair of Queens)
Hero wins t45905

And I move into 6th place!

Then with about 30 people left, this happens:

Poker Stars $30+$3 No Limit Hold'em Tournament - t800/t1600 Blinds + t150 - 7 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

SB: t56594 M = 16.40
BB: t29066 M = 8.42
UTG: t16040 M = 4.65
UTG+1: t35330 M = 10.24
MP: t55665 M = 16.13
CO: t72133 M = 20.91
Hero (BTN): t66447 M = 19.26

Pre Flop: (t3450) Hero is BTN with K A
4 folds, Hero raises to t4800, SB raises to t16000, 1 fold,

A strange feeling came over me, and I really considered a fold here!

Hero raises to t66297 all in, SB calls t40444 all in

SB shows K K

The nightmare scenario (only worse opponent holding is AA) -- my spidey sense was tingling!

Flop: (t115538) 8 J J (2 players - 2 are all in)

Turn: (t115538) 7 (2 players - 2 are all in)

River: (t115538) J (2 players - 2 are all in)

Final Pot: t115538
SB shows K K (a full house, Jacks full of Kings)
Hero shows K A (three of a kind, Jacks)
SB wins t115538

Soul crushing. But somehow, the poker gods were on my side, as I flop top pair here:

Poker Stars $30+$3 No Limit Hold'em Tournament - t1000/t2000 Blinds + t200 - 9 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

UTG+2: t113922 M = 23.73
MP1: t25766 M = 5.37
MP2: t17340 M = 3.61
CO: t31430 M = 6.55
BTN: t51765 M = 10.78
SB: t59530 M = 12.40
BB: t63937 M = 13.32
UTG: t189356 M = 39.45
Hero (UTG+1): t22556 M = 4.70

Pre Flop: (t4800) Hero is UTG+1 with K J
UTG calls t2000, Hero calls t2000, UTG+2 raises to t10000, 6 folds, UTG calls t8000, Hero calls t8000

Flop: (t34800) 3 K Q (3 players)
UTG checks,

Well, this plays itself

Hero bets t12356 all in, UTG+2 folds, UTG calls t12356

UTG shows 8 J

%$%&*^*% oh well, gg me

Turn: (t59512) Q (2 players - 1 is all in)

River: (t59512) Q (2 players - 1 is all in)

Conan776: omg

Final Pot: t59512
UTG shows 8 J (a flush, King high)
Hero shows K J (a full house, Queens full of Kings)
Hero wins t59512

Was card dead after this, and even when I got marginal hands someone on my right was shoving all in. So stayed short and near the bottom of the list, just moving up through the pay out levels.

Got my chips in with the best hand:

Poker Stars $30+$3 No Limit Hold'em Tournament - t2000/t4000 Blinds + t400 - 7 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

BTN: t145839 M = 16.57
SB: t81832 M = 9.30
BB: t228911 M = 26.01
UTG: t54757 M = 6.22
UTG+1: t62296 M = 7.08
MP: t79365 M = 9.02
Hero (CO): t21800 M = 2.48

Pre Flop: (t8800) Hero is CO with 8 8
UTG raises to t48000, UTG+1 raises to t61896 all in, 1 fold, Hero calls t21400 all in, 3 folds, UTG calls t6357 all in

UTG shows K A
UTG+1 shows A K

Perfect spot to triple up!

Flop: (t138914) 2 6 Q (3 players - 3 are all in)

Turn: (t138914) 6 (3 players - 3 are all in)

gogogogo!!! Villains only have 4 outs in the deck....

River: (t138914) K (3 players - 3 are all in)

sigh

Final Pot: t138914
UTG shows K A (two pair, Kings and Sixes)
UTG+1 shows A K (two pair, Kings and Sixes)
Hero shows 8 8 (two pair, Eights and Sixes)
UTG wins t32957
UTG+1 wins t32957
UTG wins t36500
UTG+1 wins t36500

Oh well. 14th place!