Oh, poker. The grip you've had on me since 1991.. Since my younger sun/fun filled days in Las Vegas. This rounder made 50 trips to the city of sin, (a cool number), countless trips to New Jersey, Mississippi etc.. and of course night after night in back room games (I even ran my own games for a good 3-4 years 1-3 pot limit) and then - BOOM! I took ill... Most, but not all of these trips I mention, were prior to the MONEYMAKER years of poker.. I say this.. because I played with many of the big names in poker - before they became big names.. They became huge! I... BOOM! I had to leave the whole poker scene behind. I had to take a break from the action I so loved. I had to leave for a few years, (How would you like that? huh? It sucked.) Except for small stakes poker on-line Full Tilt Poker Homepage and WPT & WSOP on TV... I was out of the poker loop. In a nutshell.. I had to die or get better.. No cards for me. I'm happy to say, I'm back baby.. Daddy is 98% back and feeling fine! SO DEAL! To me.. Playing poker is just as fresh as it was back in 1991. To me.. Nothing beats the live poker game. Nothing. (Now looking back.. It's OK. - I had a lot to learn in NL poker anyways) I'm sure many reading this have been to Vegas... Some.. I'm sure been there many more times than I even and made tons more loot! (God bless ya.. really it's a tough game) but for a few reading this, the jump to the city of lights or Atlantic City..well, it's still a dream you have (As you sit in your house about to "go all in" with a click of the mouse....)Hell.. Some of you are probably 12-16 years old. (shame on you!) Wink wink.. Just do it! I'm here to tell you it's a good dream wanting to treat yourself to the fun of poker in Vegas and Atlantic City, etc.... And. That you can get there if you learn to play quality poker & learn to use BALANCE. Get your schooling first.. (*Non poker schooling for crying out loud - Have a plan B & C) Earn your pay the right way... Work. Make poker a hobby that PAYS! (*Then get some poker schooling if you really take to it) If you hit the 1.5mil mark.. Maybe I'll vouch for you playing PRO. Let's get back to Vegas. Let's face it folks.. If you love poker (And boy do I ever love poker) Las Vegas Rocks! Vegas poker rooms are at the top of the heap. Every true rounder will make their way to the strip in time.. It's a must do.. They will all choose the card den of choice and purchase a rack of red or white.. As they improve maybe even more.. Rounders will also make there way to DOWNTOWN Vegas as well.. (If you don't know why - your just a rounder in the works, better come visit our poker forum Xfilespoker Poker Forum ) OMG! I miss the midnight steaks and the quick dinners at the food bar/diner.. Boy - they took care of you downtown.. Even the 2/4 players. (Are you with me? If not.. Pretty sure that's all part of history now) Good times! Poker is a hobby that pays you back many times over when you play with skill and have oh.. a little bit of lady luck on your side. This (+ balance) Patience, game selection, skills of hands and position, selective aggression, playing the player.. etc.. You got to love it! It's an awesome freaking game! Be warned! (Enter scarey music here) YOU WILL LOSE at times.. Bad even.. (like kick you in the junk bad) But if you stick to a winning program.. you should come out at the end.. after many years or sessions of playing.. saying you have chose one great hobby. (It's the hobby that pays U back remember.. THERE MIGHT BE A TEST LATER - PAY ATTENTION!) Even if you lose some poker sessions.. (and you will) many nights are SO MUCH FUN. Just the PEOPLE you meet in poker is worth the buy-in many days. (The good , the bad and the ugly & smellyare all there people) Poker is a rainbow, Plus... Real rounders LEARN when they lose a session... so it's not all bad. Another thing... Rounders are far better off than the people playing slots and table games. Avoid these sucker bets as much as possible. (Yes - I played all these games too) HARD CORE. Sometimes you got to roll the dice. (They don't call them one armed bandits for nothing) HI - LOW - YO! I'm going long with this blog.. But, hey.. Just to paint a good image for you in your head.. I've stayed at just about all the big hotels.. always drove rented gold Lincoln Town cars, always parked valet. Always and STILL WILL get back-rubs at the tables and at the spa.. When I flew out west to play poker.. I stayed no less than 10-21 days on average... (This was all prior to my daughter being born - times change :) I played in every poker room they had in Vegas... Uptown, downtown, across town and out by hoover dam. - I had parties in comped suites, or in rooms or suites they would give to me at check-in with a lucky draw (regular rooms were sold out) I went to all the big shows.. some of which I hit two and three times to take friends out for a night on the town. (Seeing Kiss in Vegas was a childhood DREAM come TRUE) What can I say.. I was a poor kid. I ate at the top steak houses WELL DONE please - KILL IT! (Circus Circus and Binions to name two) I've had my share of 99cent cocktails and cheap late morning breakfasts as well.. so many comped meals.. and room service.. I'd have to guess $ wise.... Actually I can't guess... but it was a lot. I played poker for days on end without sleep but soon gave that program up. (some never do) I read Dr. Pauly on the Internet before anyone knew this great poker writer. I went to poker seminars when poker seminars where ALL the rage and NEW.. I tipped dealers and board people (list of games) more than the cost of an average home today I'm sure.. I drank Makers Mark and coke at the pool (never drank in a poker game, except maybe 2/4 limit) and... I played the radio loud... usually Queen, Kiss, Zeppelin or Johnny Cash. If I was a special trip with the boys - I'd even hit the strip clubs and had me a few lap dances. (I'm a bad catholic, Forgive me father for I have sinned) When in ROME.. you know.. (Major key is.. I never fooled around.. Always came back to my wife.. the lady I love.. or I simply asked her to come with me) BALANCE. The point of all this is not to brag.. it's to offer you newbies hope! It's also to thank God for this life of mine.. (and the 2nd chance he gave me) plus to thank all the great players, writers, etc.. I met along the poker road. You see.. I did ALL this..and I did it with my poker winnings 90% of the time.. and I was never what you could call richy rich. Most, if not all of it was with LIMIT POKER too.. (yes kids.. it is an option.. shocker I know) My wife and I built buildings with my winnings/$1500.00/$2500.00 at a time.. A truck of block here.. Plywood there.. Buildings that are still to this day paying us back. I ran with scissors with poker.. While I played I ran and built a new photography studio attached to my compound of a house.. During this time I made countless 2-3 day trips to Atlantic city... and those darn seedy back room games.. I always played hard.. payed attention and took it serious - while having one hell of a fun time. I could never have afforded all the back-rubs and royal treatment had over the years had it not been for poker. (note - again, no big money man here) No Bobby's Room poker reports from this cat. I'm the biggest SMALL time player you will ever meet. 5/10 was good to make it happen IF youcould leave a winner. I went long here with this post.. but I needed to make a few points.. I did all of this by A. Taking care of my wife and keeping the heat and lights on high.. B. Running a great photography studio (easy work for me) Another gift from God C. Learning how to play the game (really learning) hooking up with better players and listening. D.Tipping people that took care of me/us (Gave us great information) E.Always having BALANCE.. Getting away from the action.. Doing the pool, shows.. the Grand Canyon.. Why make money if your not planning to ENJOY the making of money and caring for the ones you love.. F.I Cashed out a winner... One of the best moves in poker is CASHING OUT! and (this is huge) I mailed the money home right away. (This trick paid for the next plane ride out and then some) G. I did it all UNDER THE RADAR and with not being known for the most part. I ALWAYS TRY TO LEAVE A WINNER - IF EVEN $5 up in those hard grinding nights. Tomorrow is another day.. The card game never really ends as they are always in the air. We just take breaks is all.. If I can;t leave a winner - I cut my losses. I'll close by saying this.. I'm back! Like babe Ruth - I'm pointing towards VEGAS! I'm telling all the poker players out there that are smart enough to listen.. STANDBACKWORLD! I'm coming back to your limit games.. Your NO-LIMIT games and your Tourneys too! I'm coming DAVID LEE ROTH style.. I don't look the same - I'm a tad older and heavier.. but I got game and I'm coming to crush your stack. Be ready Phil Hellmuth.. Ivey. 2010 is my breakout year. I've been under the radar long enough... Time to make a run for the gold. God, thank you.. I love poker. (Strippers are cool too once in a while :) If you want to talk poker - I invite you to my super small, super FRIENDLY forum Xfilespoker Poker Forum were all levels of poker play and talk are welcome. - Our will be coming back to life any week now.. We take the summers off. (Balance) Note - NO BAD LANGUAGE in our forums please.. The VOICE of PENNSYLVANIA POKER MrXfilespoker |
You probably heard - Binions is shutting down next week. (Apparently his daughter took over a few years ago and ran it into the ground)
ReplyDeleteRandom-off-topic statement = I asked my wife to marry me at Caesars in the middle of an argument...
Another-one = Nature gives luck to those with no talent. (There has to be a way for our species to survive) - Ultimately (if the talented one is strong and smart) he/she will come out way ahead while the lucky one merely survives. - If this fact is kept in-mind at the table..... I will see whoever is reading this... at Caesars.