POKER - Is it a PIPE DREAM?

I've been around poker since 1991. I have my picture in front of the Binion's Million about 5 times. I've stayed at the lady Luck, Binions, Golden Nugget, Mirage, Harrahs,Rio.. (and many more) I even stayed at some of the dives. El Cortez.. Continnental - just to soak in all the different people in gambling... $2 blackjack anyone? (For many reasons - I loved the lesser - smaller dumps the best) People are everyday - REAL.

Over the years - I've gone and dug into poker at different levels.. Intense and not so intense. I'm in the not so intense holding pattern at the present. I long for the LONG nights and HOT days by the Vegas pool.. This time - with a family - once or twice a year.

I'm reflecting on the last 15 plus years... Wondering what I could have done different to have made something happen by now. I come up with the answer. Nothing.

I'm above average in income, but hardly richy rich - I'm also above average with payemts due. (lol - but who isn't) The good news is I'm coming out of debt and fast.. mostly by NOT putting my money into poker games every day - I put my money into buildings and other investments. I also made a promise to myself that I would keep my poker play to a minimum until my daughter was in school with an all day schedule. I always pay the BILLS first too.. (This can put a hamper on your poker at times.. TRY IT) I think it's the way to go.. FAMILY FIRST.

Playing with scared money is never a good thing anyways.. That's POKER 101.

I kept that promise.. I'm proud I did... Next year - She starts all day Kindergarden. Now let's see what Daddy can do.

To add to this late 2010 will bring ALL BILLS paid. Homes clear (God willing, who knows whats going to happen with the swine flu and our "house of cards economy.") This has been another goal of mine - [b]Having the deed to my homes and properties in my hands.[/b] Not the hands of the banks. [i]Almost there.[/i]

Getting so close to my goals - kinda has me asking the question - Is playing poker for your JOB a [b]pipe dream [/b]that many of us have? Do I want to GO FOR IT? [i]Or do I keep it the same as always - A hobby that PAYS huge at times. [/i] [b]Take the WINS and invest more and more.. Take any losses as - expense for my life hobby.[/b] (my losses are never major anyway)

One thing is for sure - I have to decide and get a plan together.

Is my goal the WSOP? If so - WHAT GAME? $1500 level, to start out... or go for the GOLD $10,000.00 ( or even better, yikes! - $50,000.00) I doubt I'm make it in HORSE at this point - so I'll make my TOP goal $10,000.00. :) (Whew - that makes it so much easier - lol) Yeah right.

[b]HOW NICE IT MUST BE.. (at least it seems so to me) TO PLAY POKER WHEN YOU ARE A MULTI MILLIONAIRE, but then again -[i] Whats the point? [/i] YOU ALREADY HAVE THE [i]**MONEY** [/i](It's not the same for some of us small timers in life) When we go all in - [i]We really are going ALL IN.. [/i][/b]

Back to my goals.. What is it going to be?? - Limit? If it is - It can't be below $5/$10 and actually $15/$30 and above it probably the mark to shoot for. Are there enough sweet games (full of fish) in the LIMIT games these days? It's been over 4 years since I was a regular at the Taj in Atlantic City or the Mirage in Las Vegas.. [i]Hell - These rooms are not even the BIG GAMES anymore. [/i] [b]These days the big action has moved UP the street to the latest "NEW" casino on the 20 acre block.[/b]

I can SEE the light! (There at the end of the tunnel)

I friend of mine - CHUNKY (Hook on this forum - http://www.xfilespoker.net/phpbb) has found himself just 4 games away from winning his $10,000.00 seat -[b] "4" games away... [/b]He's playing in a 10 man - local match that has been going on for a full year. He says he goes to each game with a bowling ball feeling in his gut. (yeah - I guess that makes sense) Chunky is on the RAIL (the good rail) during this series! (playing his A game.. It's hard to even coach him - as he's figured a lot of stuff out in NL.)

I pray he's in the same frame of mind when he arrives at the 2009 WSOP. (Yep - I'm calling it!) Chunky takes it down by game 3. Chunky will WIN his 2009 WSOP seat.

That makes about 4 friends of mine that made it to the BIG show - before me. I've been to the WSOP many times - but lacked the skills in NL - to evn come close. (Truth is - I never even liked NL until about 2 years ago) Now... It's a whole new me.. I've taken the NL game on and I think I have a shot. Of course a little luck with some of the RACES at showdown will not hurt.

Jeff Gilroy - of Scranton, was the first of my poker pals to cash. He received about 30,000.00 and when he came home with the loot.. He was planning to build a dream deck with HOT TUB. He was going to sit in the bubbles re-living his WSOP win over and over.. THEN the BAD NEWS. - One of his daughters friends stole 2/3rd's of it. Jeff's wife is a POLICE WOMAN too.. (Kid had some balls huh?) Kid walked into their bedroom - took the loot and bought drugs, etc.. and a quad. Even when you are lucky - some can't be lucky. Jeff still built that deck and got his tub. So much though for CASHING in the WSOP huh. You have to be LUCKY in life too!!!!

PIPEDREAM?

I don't know?

Like Mike, in the movie about "REAL DEAL" POKER.. "Rounders" - I'm going to take another swing.. I'm about 10 months from trying again.. (I might even take a stab at this years wsop) A 2009 stab all depends on the money situation and the wife. I like to include the wife and family in ALL that I do. It just seems fair.

We had to pay for new sewer connections to all our properties and at $1700.00 per (plus $1200.00 each for digging and install) - so we took a hit. Taxes. You know.. I assume most reading this are not the UPPER CRUST of poker - or being staked in every game. Real people read my blog and forum. Real poker players..

Poker can be a DEVIL.. I've seen my friends make all kinds of moves.. God and bad. Some gaining them entry into the big races and others hitting the gutter - Losing it all - FAMILY being the hardest loss. (Man.. I just can;t get that DEEP - never) I have friend and players I knew for quite some time that Lost their quality high paying jobs - and, that even got arrested for robbing banks for crying out loud.. All for poker.

All for POKER??? Are you kidding me???

Pipedream?

This is one answer - we all have to come up with for ourselves.. One thing for sure - with me.. I'll be in the POKER WORLD in one way or another - Either as a coach.. or a player. If the WINS come - the WINS come! But I'm having fun by the pool too!

Cocktail!

This was written for my blog.. (what did you think of this??) What is YOUR poker story? My story is only in the early chapters..