The System

Is their a system to gambling? Nothing that should make you risk any more than you would without one; more than you can afford. My life has many demands and they only increase as we advance financially. One thing that is taking me away from poker pursuits is home repair. I have money to get it done but only if I do it myself. Then I have several business ventures I would like to invest in.

But I have found some poker venues that I like. I am/will still venture out here and there but not often unless I start winning. Yes, I have a system. Technically, from my experience with Tavern Tourneys, if I get into tournaments of over twenty-five people I win enough to be in the black over the course of a year. Nothing outstanding but it is a profit. So if I win a tournament half the winnings go into a pool of money for more tournaments. Then I will play on a regular basis as long as the pool holds up. Who knows what that may lead to, …because I am not without skills.

The other half of the winnings will go towards some expenses I would like to get out of the way. We are ahead of our mortgage and could get it paid off more than five years early (just over ten years to go) with a slight effort. (then there is the low interest home equity loan to work on) If I have a run I may have everything paid off in a few years and if my skills live up to my expectations, with a little luck…

Another project that consumes my time is my writing. This weekend and Monday (December 14-16, 2013) my first book, Kindle edition will be available for free. My second book, latest edition coming out soon, will also be available for free before Christmas. I will have a free promotion for both books after Christmas, so put a Kindle on your list.

In this age of underemployment it is difficult to keep busy when few are their to support you. But I have many irons in the fire. If my books do any substantial sales that too will make a big change. Poker is a luxury yet I still consider it one of those irons in the fire. We need a bit of luxury in our lives at times no matter what our circumstance but it is just that unless I can make it start paying off.

Merry Christmas!

The Trifecta

Last Friday I posted on Facebook; “I made a 6-7-10 split bowling last night, we crushed on our Halloween sales and tonight I take my wife to her very first concert; The Band Perry. Life is good.”

And while driving to see The Band Perry I hit a trifecta bet thanks to our local talk show host ‘Mark Belling’; a horse racing enthusiast. I am hardly in the black in my betting on the horses. I had over a $50 profit on the trifecta bet amongst my other bets. Saturday was a different story. I hit nothing on the Belling picks. I still came out ahead overall for the weekend. I missed some ‘to show’ bets on recommended high odds horses that would have made the whole investment much more worthwhile. Two I missed in photo finishes.

The adventure into the world of equestrian risk and reward ventures made possible by fore mentioned owner of respective four legged beasts has been worthwhile despite the meager losses. Meeting the people, sharing in verbal exchange with those of the OTB world and even more so sharing in risk on a communal level is a valuable life experience in my book. Hoping and dreaming of success and fortune that comes, unlike poker, not with the emphasis of winning it personally from another but from ones knowledge and insight where one is happy with any who shared the same fortune. All this is made possible by going on on the passions of someone who is truly knowledgeable.

My poker excursions have proven not nearly as productive. Hopefully I will make the final table in smaller tournaments and work may way back to black this Winter. As far as the horses I will continue with small bets on high return wagers based on knowledgeable analysis.

Good Times

The good times of poker for the common man may have passed. The numbers have been down from poker’s heyday and the long term slumping economy has made it all the worse with each passing year. My favorite ‘Tavern Tourneys’ has dropped Milwaukee venues. I put no small efforts in this blog to inflame the passions of the predominantly Kenosha patrons of Tavern Tourneys to keep them off their game when meeting over a monthly tournament. Now I will most likely not have an opportunity to qualify for any of their monthly’s as I will have few opportunities to attend any of their tournaments to qualify.

I had been card dead for some time previous and have not been drawn to a table for a long while. Yesterday I ventured to a new venue. I found the environment very amicable. I also found that I am still running card dead. But the dark confining Winter months will facilitate another venture into finding prosperity via poker. Actually, the Tavern Tourney bar gatherings were becoming so small in number of players that it was highly improbable to come to anything resembling break even, let alone in the black.

The new found venue and other known venues of like kind should provide a greater opportunity to grow in experience and potential winnings. I also hope to get in a few trips to the casino for some Omaha Hi/Lo or a cash tournament. Their new hotel is being clad, hidden behind the bridges there. Snapped this on one of my rides.

My wife and I ventured to the casino for her birthday. After eating at the buffet we headed to the no-smoking slot machine room. Unlike myself she had some luck. She turned her $20 into more than $33 at which point I convinced her to stop. She cashed out and then couldn’t keep herself from another $20 fling. She was at a penny machine and slowly building a few dollars profit. Then she said, “This is boring.” and went to another machine where she quickly lost the $20 down to the last penny. With a bright face she turned to me and said, “That was fun!”

Personally I find winning fun unlike my wife who finds throwing money to the wind fun. I would settle for marginal up gains. She looks only to the big win or nothing. I tried to teach her how to play poker…

Forget About It

I spread $20 in $2 bets over the Preakness last Saturday. For the Kentucky Derby I bet on several horses that paid good odds and were recommended as having a chance to pull off a victory. I almost hit on one that would have covered my bets.

For the Preakness, with a much smaller field, I made some exacta bets, boxes (pick one and two any order) with a couple of straights (pick one and two in exact order). Then I went for a few superfectas. One of my boxes looked to pay off as #4 was pushing for second in the final turn, but the horse dropped off. If I had not limited myself to $20 I would have had an exacta box, having made a list of horses from recommendations if I played all the possibilities. That would have paid at least five times my investment.

I bet the big races when I have the chance and when I have the money because I can get good leads easily and sometimes do a bit more research. But any money I may wager, whether on horses or in poker I …forget about it.

That is, the money is gone before I even put it up. After having plenty of money for our upcoming budget, having saved a bit and finding some excess in my pocket I will sometimes bet the big races or go to a poker tournament. I have even made a couple more trips to the casino to play poker. But the money is gone before I start.

I have a set purpose for the money if I win, and that includes the initial investment. There is no expectation of even more pocket money for my own entertainment or to reinvest in another tournament. All the money will go as extra payment to some debt (regular payments already covered in the budget) or some other cause.

As soon as I sit down at a poker table, which has been averaging just over once a month this year, or place a small wager, for any practical purposes the money is already gone. I can forget about it. A win will boost our personal economy by cutting into principle and interest and go to a good cause. Presently my set plan splits any winnings between the debt on our house and our Church.

This is how we can add a bit of enjoyment, entertainment, competition and get out and about meeting other people on a small budget. With my skills and some luck I have even come out ahead over some months.

The Tournament

Yes, I am still getting out and playing poker though I haven’t written in quite a while and at times go months without getting to a tournament. Conflicting schedules and a lack of transportation are the biggest issues.

Tavern Tourneys has been perplexed by the loss of a Milwaukee contingent. Perhaps if we didn’t need to always drive deep into the bowels of Kenosha to partake of their monthly and six month tournaments Milwaukee players were show more interest. Playing poker with all those Kenosha folk is like playing with the cast of “Hee-Haw!” And for the gentleman I was sitting next to at the last monthly I attended; if you’re going to put your phone on vibrate and get a call every hand don’t leave it sitting on the table. We could all feel it.

Heah, if no one else is going to say anything… Like I told Joe at Victors before that tournament shut down, “Badger poker cheats. They probably wont cheat on you Joe but they will cheat on me.”

The realities of poker and life that one must deal with.

I paid into a satellite tournament at the local casino trying to qualify for their big spring classic tournament. There you muck your hand if you take a phone call. I didn’t hit on anything when I had good cards. I pushed a few people off some pots, once with a very week flush.

I took out an Ace,Jack with an Jack,5. That was the best hand I had all day. I looked at it and liked it; felt good. I believe I was on the small blind and despite a small raise pre-flop there were some five people in the hand so I called. Hit the two pair on the flop.

I went all-in with snowmen, pocket eights. I hesitated because I was in early position and would want only one caller. The blinds were going up and my stack was less than half the average; still big enough to push people off the hand. I had one caller, an Ace,Jack. If I remember correctly he hit two pair on the flop. That ended it for me.

Tournament play is what I am most interested in. I am looking to enter into bigger tournaments when I can afford them. Phil Hellmuth has been known to have a charity tournament. Those are the kind I will be seeking out when I can afford it.

Here’s a photo to liven up the blog. Misao and I had dinner at the casino during their 12-12-12 event and received these free gifts. The casino (Potawatomi in Milwaukee) has added single table sit 'n’ goes on Mondays and Thursdays to there tournament offerings.