What's Wrong with You?!

I have come to understand that the Milwaukee crowd that frequents Tavern Tourneys, a much more enjoyable, social and holding less chance of running into questionable activities alternative to Badger Poker, is far less drama encrusted than Tavern Tourney's southern crowd. Not that Badger Poker is not a great venue for the serious player, it's just better if you've been around the block at least once first. I still need to visit Pit Bull Poker two or three times to make a detailed comparison of the three.

We are still under the gun financially as home repairs loom large, and our credit reports are extremely slow to arrive allowing for us to resolve our debt. And until recently, I have not been playing any tournaments for a long time. I went last week to an opening of a new Tavern Tourney location to lend my support to the cause. Then Monday I went again, as we didn't go to a movie for my birthday and saved some money. I made the final three and we chopped three ways, somehow in my favor. Then I went again last night and took everything. I came home, told my wife I won again and how much, and she said "Oh my gosh! What's wrong with you?!" The Tavern Tourney director suggested I not tell my wife when I win.

Well, I did have some bonus chips for making it my birthday tournament last night but I took some huge hits and rebounded, being patient; waiting for the right moment. One gentleman came into the game on the cheap with a very small stack. I sent him on tilt after I pushed him off a hand he loved with a large pre-flop raise. Everyone folded. The fore mentioned gentleman went wild and made the final table. When I told him I had a 7, 5 suited on that hand.... he he he.

As far as the Internet goes I catch some tournaments here and there. If we were not financially buried, home repair costs looming large, I would seriously consider the Club WPT membership. not to mention getting cable or satellite to watch some poker channels. But that is a long way off. Maybe we should just move to Las Vegas. And as long as we are mentioning the Internet my latest book is available for Kindle. It is not professionally edited, but still immensely enjoyable if you like the genre. I gave a copy of an early draft to the owner of Tavern Tourneys for his newborn. I told him if I become famous he can auction it off and send his son through college with the money. I printed, numbered and signed only ten copies and have edited it further since. There will be no more like it. I seem to have misplaced one of my copies. I am looking forward to his opinion. Yes, I took the photo for and designed the cover myself.

Happy Fourth of July

I hope everyone enjoys this holiday weekend and celebrates our Independence Day with true patriotic fervor. They say such activities will make you a conservative. Then I say celebrate, celebrate, celebrate.

And if you are a great tournament poker player this July has more to celebrate; the $100,000 Mid-Summer Classic at the Potawatomi Bingo and Casino here in Milwaukee. Not only that, but they are having smaller tournaments Sundays and Mondays most of the month.

If you are some one who considers himself a proficient player, dangerous to the fortunes of others, these are the kind of events that should excite you. The odd thing is, if we were still deep in dept I feel I would be more likely to enter the tournament. That is, in financial circumstances with little hope the potential of huge windfalls is nearly the only place one could find hope. I never really chased such windfalls, never making the casino's smaller tournaments when they were on a weekly basis, but have been calculating in how much I can truly risk and still make my commitments. So I chased that chance to win an entry into the Chicago Poker Classic.

However, now that we have found relief from our debt, finding ourselves challenged with long overdue maintenance expenses on home and body, I am more frugal as I can see we can meet these expenses through the course of the summer if we truly hunker down. Expenses in the past we simply thought impossible to meet. But who knows? Maybe I will try one of the $100 tournaments and win enough to enter the big event,...if there's room.

You should always evaluate yourself. If you are being rational or are irrationally chasing pipe dreams. But I am good. These are the kind of events I should be challenging myself with if I'm going to take my poker truly serious. It's about what you want to make of yourself. It requires decision making and risk taking, and prioritizing, putting your larger responsibilities first.

Happy Fourth of July! And remember ...Celebrate! Celebrate! Celebrate!