The Poker Run

Well, …I went on a Tavern Tourney poker run to try to make their six month tournament. I not only qualified for that but also their monthly tournament. It was hard to focus on the monthly as my wife and I work our business weekend evenings and their was a time overlap between the events. Also I think I have to keep my eyes more closely on the cards. If you know what I mean. I was out a couple hours in. I gave a signed copy of my first book to the man that took me out, something I will be making a habit of.

I had been away from any poker for most of the summer. Like practicing an instrument and finding yourself breaking through on something you just couldn’t get the day before after a good night’s sleep, I think my game has improved after being away for awhile. And if you can’t walk away from the table, but go night after night and can’t imagine not going, …maybe you should walk away from the table.

These tournament leagues are not a great strain on one’s resources but it can add up. I went quite frequently for two weeks to meet my goals. Looking over what it took to reach them I need only go to a tournament three times a month on a regular basis to qualify for the six month.

Of course Winters are a bit different. Generally more people attend the tournaments and it grows harder to qualify (well… maybe for lesser players). At least we hope so. The economy is tough.

I was in the money only twice this year of 2012, another reason I didn’t go to tournaments much this Summer. I try to stay in the black. One gentleman recommended I play in some straight buy-in bar tournaments that do not have people re-buying into the tournament after they go bust. The buy-ins are higher but rewards are much greater if you can make the final table. In Tavern Tourneys many buy back into the game after going bust by buying a round for the table. It can get frustrating to have to see some players defeated several times over, then seeing them sitting with you at the final table.

Another option to trying to break back into the black is the casino. Many do not like the Potawatomi Casino Poker Room, just two miles from our home. They call it “No fold’em hold’em.” One gentleman suggested people will go all-in with hands like A-anything or pocket 3’s. Another gentle says it is the low blinds on the most popular no limit games (1-2) that create a very loose game as those with money buy-in with the minimum and then just keep re-buying if/when they go bust; just out having fun. No one has told me of any poker rooms they like.

Pictures make a blog. This is from my wife’s visit to Japan in September to see her mother. Her mother died last week of cancer.

But cash games are a risk I am not in a position to take right now, though my performance suggests that I should be able to do well in the long run. I am re-investing in my design business. Going paper as I cannot afford sorely needed computer upgrades. I will take it beyond simple building design.

I also have two new books started. You can find my self published works here, among others.

The Poker Table

I have gone on a small poker run to gather points to qualify for some of the larger, free with qualification, tournaments of Tavern Tourneys. I was doing very well the other night when my two pair ran into a higher two pair, then two pair ran into a straight and then with three Q’s on the board and pairing the next high card my full house ran into quads. It was a wonderful night with really good players. I reached far into the higher blinds, typical, before I went all-in from late position at the final table with a Q, J suited and lost to a pair of eights.

If anyone dares suggest that I would sit on a stack to make the final table or gain points by sitting idle they are telling you a lie, spinning a yarn, telling a tale, forwarding a fib, concocting conflagrations of contortioned conflicting conveyances contrary to conscience and common sense. I play poker.

I finally finished my first poker table. It started with a couple of 4x6 particle boards that I had laying around for a long time. I actually picked them up for less than $5 a sheet some years ago to make a tree stand, but haven’t been able to fund developing our swamp land potential and holding a proper deer hunt.

I ordered some high end vinyl, on clearance, and some speed cloth and velveteen online, though you can find most anything you need at a place like Jo-Ann Fabric. The foam is another story. I found an online place in Michigan that has free shipping for orders over $75; could be two tables worth. These materials are one of possibly two major expenses in making your own table. Here is a site with many links to online suppliers. The second major expense would be the legs. With the legs you have about two choices; cheap folding or just plain expensive. If you see an old beat up table at a rummage sale and think you could salvage the legs for your table…

I put the rail together with glue and some wood screws. (the rail, two pieces, sits atop and around the playing surface) I decided to use some post and pin fasteners to connect the playing board to the rail. I drilled some test holes to make sure my drill bit produce the proper sized hole first. The idea being you can easily disconnect and reconnect the two if you want to change the upholstery. I needed a post with a head that will dig and fasten into the wood; glue just didn’t work. Half of them snapped loose. Next time I will drill the holes and fasten the two sheets of plywood together before I do any cutting. Hopefully everything will line up easier that way when it comes to putting the final product together.

Did some sanding of the rough edges.

Went with some cheap folding legs from Harbor Freight. Really cheap, they lock in place with screws you need to take off to fold the legs down. As you may have noticed a 4x6 foot table is about as small as you can go if you are going to use folding legs.

Glued the 2lb closed cell volara foam roll, 1/8”, to the playing surface with some spray adhesive.

Trimmed it.

Trimmed the speed cloth. Upholstered it with a cheap staple gun; again from Harbor Freight. Moved it up to finish the job after the speed cloth was in place. I’m sure I used too many staples. I bought some Ace Hardware staples that were described as for use in upholstery. They have a slight crown.

There’s the playing surface.

Then came the rail foam. Again I used the spray adhesive to hold it in place. You should always use spray adhesive outdoors. Then I attached spacers to my sharpie and marked where to cut. You have to take care to keep the cuts clean and straight. After the fact I saw a you/tube video where they hacked through the foam and then folded it over the edges, used a few staples to hold it in place and then trimmed along the bottom edges. The foam folded over the edges when I upholstered the rail.

All trimmed up.

Applying the vinyl.

Our dog Ike can hardly wait till it is done.

Moving it indoors. No, you don’t need to take such obsessive care to cut the vinyl. The cuts hardly need to be straight but the spacing should be even and you don’t want to cut too close to the rail.

Make the cuts, pull taught and start stapling.

Trim away the excess. Attach the rail. You can just connect the rail with wood screws rather than the fore mentioned system I attempted to create. My system worked though it was a bit of a hassle to get everything lined up and fastened.

Ta da!

Playing the Odds

I was intent to make it to the casino to place a bet on #4 in the Belmont Stakes. I certainly am not going to be learning the ropes and doing research on horses myself but because Mark Belling, local radio icon, appears very accomplished in the field and the casino with OTB is very close I am open to his advice. One Mother’s Day I was intent to use his recommendations but I was too busy with work. His picks were spectacular. I missed out there.

After placing many bets on one race after Mr. Belling first started distributing his immense knowledge of the sport I quickly determined that was not the way for me to catch a windfall. I had some winning tickets and some losing tickets and I soon recognized that playing the odds would be more appropriate in my case. Gaye Dawn’s advice, from the movie “Key Largo” starring Humphrey Bogart, is the approach I have set myself to. There is no sense in betting on horses that don’t give you great odds, your just not getting a sufficient return for the investment.

So I have been looking for long shots in his picks over the last …two years? but couldn’t make it to the OTB because of conflicts in my schedule. But I felt really good about his advice on #4 in this last Belmont Stakes. I felt sure I would finish my work for that day and make it to the OTB easily to place the bet. The job I was on took longer than I anticipated and I missed my chance. No matter. I was going to bet on #4 to place but #4 finished third. If I had put the $5 I set aside for my bet on show, I would have cleared over $25.

So if the odds are good I am just going to bet to show next time. I might not win as much but have a better chance to win with good odds. I would certainly make more money, get a greater return, that way than on betting a favorite to win.

Losing My Edge?

When we were carrying a big debt we were in a position where only a large windfall could possibly pull us out. I attempted some Internet advertising (still) and if you follow my blogs you know that I published a couple of books. As many of you may know it takes money to make money. The first book in particular was an investment, but even simply publishing on Kindle is not without its costs as you write an edit your work, and try to produce a respectable cover. Marketing doesn’t happen by itself.

Poker as an option for this windfall is something I kept at because I could come close to even playing in league tournaments. Then qualifying for the league’s larger tournaments I could possibly catch a good chunk of change. I stayed away from the casino tables because early endeavors left me in the red and as we tried several ways to make money, with their required investments, most of them also left us a bit in the red. So I had become risk averse to some degree. Even though I often felt I might be able to do well at the casino poker tables, and I am certainly surrounded by casino roadside advertisements every time I hit the road for any reason, I had no trouble resisting the temptation of trying my luck for a minimum of $100; the cost of a seat in the smaller games.

I would immensely enjoy trying my luck at the casino otherwise. I would especially love to enter the various tournaments the casino holds. It’s only a couple miles away remember. And though we are now out of debt we have many demands on our finances as we deferred many repairs on our home and other financial obligations of the more charitable type for many years. So I have many demands on our money and I can only address one at a time with our current income. So I am greatly drawn to sticking to a sure thing, the slow and steady knocking down of one financial obstacle after the other, though it will take us over a year, than to chasing any large windfalls. $100 is still a substantial sum for us.

So with all the things lined up in my mind that I need to get done (and now can start to get done) I have lost my edge. My mind doesn’t focus on the pursuit of that big windfall any longer. A focus that kept me sharp and hungry at the tables. I am not reading others as well and take too many chances, not to mention just getting really bad cards these last couple months.

I was not in the zone for this last six month. I didn’t have much playing time these last couple months. Our table had at least twenty pocket pairs shown in the first hour and a half. With two high pair I was hoping the guy betting big didn’t have a pocket pair with only a flush or straight draw that could beat me on the river. He had 3’s and had hit his set on the flop. The other guy in the hand had J’s. I was out and home early.

But I am determined to get back in the game. When we finally get a second car and I can make more determined plans from day to day and week to week I will hit the tables with firm intention. Also when I get a print version of my second book published I intend to bring signed copies for people who take me out. I don’t like to give things away without reason that I could otherwise sell so that should make me more focused. My confidence will eventually come back. I can’t get bad cards forever. ?

So in the short term I will try to get the print version of my latest book out. I will be doing the art work for the back cover myself.

The Twelve Days of Poker? Never got it organized and then Lent came. I didn’t give up poker but didn’t feel such a focus appropriate. It is something much more fitting for the Winter months. It’s off until next January.

As far as my review of the different leagues I cannot make a complete review now. If you are interested in playing a poker league they are listed in the sidebar. Start with the closest, and if you don’t like it one of the other leagues may be much more enjoyable for you. The leagues can differ widely as can one’s experience at any particular location. Generally you will have more table time with Tavern Tourneys than Badger, but how late do you want to stay out?

Three Rolls

I have been contemplating how many times I went all-in, found myself with a dominating hand and then dealt myself a losing hand. Too many times.

Being self employed we had many demands on our funds this last January. So after gaining a big chunk of points earlier in the month supporting a new location for Tavern Tourneys I didn’t play much. Then on about the 25th I saw on the website that their monthly was in Milwaukee; very close for once after many monthlies having been nearly in Illinois much of the year.

So I rushed out to the last three opportunities to gain points or outright win. Won 25 points in the first of three and then ran into two local tournaments packed with people with big bank rolls who simply kept buying back in after going bust, creating a clear insurmountable hill to climb. …Hmmmm? But last night I still had a chance. Not being one to just sit back and simply slide to a final table I needed to grow my stack quick to consider an outright win. I went all-in on my deal with a K, J. Thought I had a good chance with a smaller table and with the tables grow tight when the blinds are 5,000-10,000. I dealt myself trip J’s but dealt one of two callers a straight.

Wasn’t as bad as the night before when I was all-in with a A, J against an A, 10. Yes I dealt a 10 on the turn after a low flop that negated any straight or flush potentials.

Finally got some money together to get some materials to build a couple of poker tables.

More to come on that project. Found a great place to order foam from.

A new dog in the house! Ike is very demanding. Formerly named Spike my brothers toddlers couldn’t pronounce the Sp, so the name became Ike. And with the toddlers running two directions and Ike the third they just couldn’t handle him.

Will put together my ‘Twelve Days of Poker’ schedule soon.

Wednesdays

Wednesdays have recently become oh so much more desirable. A new location has opened in downtown Milwaukee for Tavern Tourneys. The Irish Rec Room is well suited for their style of poker league tournaments. Not too crowded, spacious, good music upon request and so many great chances to earn bonus chips.

Yes bonus chips. For ten dollars, giving one 2,000 in bonus chips if spent before the start of the tournament (1,000 chips after the start) one can get a 12 inch pizza and a pitcher.

Then there is the climbing wall. Make it to the top, $3 for a single try $5 for two tries, and win 3,000 in chips. Get 1,000 just for trying. And in reality it does not look too difficult to get to the top. The difficult part, and most entertaining for the spectators, is the coming down. A gentleman of questionable appearance, but good repute, nearly smashed his knuckles on his way down.

And for that very special few one of the most attractive aspects of this premier poker venue is that I will not be able to make it there much myself. It doesn’t fit my schedule well. The rest rooms are large elegant and clean. Starts at 7:00 pm and you can get into the game until the first person is out for good; usually after 9:30. A large game will go beyond midnight but often that is about when they end if not earlier.

Tournament league style play seems to be on the rise. While any single tournament does not stand out as exploding in size, all the leagues seem to be expanding. Wisconsin Poker Tour just came into the picture a few years ago.

If you live downtown and have not played much poker before, Tavern Tourneys, per design behind a great business plan, will give you more table time to gain experience than Badger Poker. Both have downtown locations. Ultimately location may be the greatest factor in choosing where to play.

My twelve days of poker still needs to be planned out. It will most likely come in February as January is tight financially as we must pay the taxmen their quarterly demands. It will be another evaluation of my poker skills and the potential of being truly profitable. While throughout a year I almost break even or better, what will happen on a twelve day run? How will  a return to the casino tables after two years turn out? (they have low stakes no-limit games now) I only played at the casino about four times over the course of a year, but overall casino play makes up for almost all my losses over  the last three plus years.

It will be interesting to get at least two outings at all the different tournament groups so I can write an evaluation. I’ll prepare a set budget, 300 of my best dollars well sired, and see how it all turns out. Stay tuned. We have a new dog. Too much of a handful for my brother with his two toddlers and he has some issues after his first year of being mostly alone in a kennel. He’s come a long way.