tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53680502011-04-21T13:49:26.622-04:00A non-aerobic exercise in futilityPoker and... well, mostly poker. But other stuff soon.Mattnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1001100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1108679743522196072005-02-17T17:31:00.000-05:002005-02-17T17:35:43.523-05:00Paradise Poker bonus FINISHED!Not bad at all.In just under a week, I managed to clear the bonus at Paradise. The final tally:$200 initial deposit+$100 in bonus+$131.50 in my play aloneTotal bankroll at Paradise: $431.50That pushes my bankroll up to around $500, counting what I have in Paradise plus the $70 or so I have at FullTilt. Not bad for a week's work.I'll nose around and see what I can Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1108258386643860692005-02-12T20:26:00.000-05:002005-02-12T20:33:06.646-05:00Day Two of Operation: ParadiseThe second day of my bonus clearing expedition at Paradise did not go quite as well as the first.Sunday 2/12Afternoon: 12:45pm-1:30pmHold-em: -16.00Session: -16.00Evening:Stud 8/b: -5.25hold-em: -4.75Session: -10.00Total today: -26.00Total win/loss through my play alone: $46.25I did clear another $20 of bonus though, which means I'm now halfway through my 1000 raked Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1108176096602404282005-02-11T21:36:00.000-05:002005-02-11T21:41:36.603-05:00The bankroll building begins!Tax refund finally came in today, which means it's poker time. First stop is Paradise Poker, where I deposited $200 to utilize a 50% up to $100 deposit bonus. It'll take 1000 raked hands to clear the full $100 in bonus. Here's how my actual play went for the day:Morning (11am-12:30pm)hold-em (.50/1): +30.50stud 8/b (.50/1): +8.75Session: +39.25Total so far: +Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1105766059592963722005-01-15T01:06:00.000-05:002005-01-15T00:14:19.593-05:00Hey! An update!
There's not an awful lot going on right now. I've cashed out of poker for the moment to re-read some of the "classics" before I get really serious about my game. Tax season is coming, and then it's time to start investing some serious cash into the game and see where it will take me. I won't lie to you... I'm tremendously excited. This is going to be a great test for my gameMattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1105079970977391232005-01-07T01:36:00.000-05:002005-01-07T01:39:30.976-05:00Belated Happy New Year
Yeah, I know it's late. So sue me.
Not a whole lot happening over the past week, which is why I didn't update. I know that's a weak excuse, but there ya go. I did finally venture out to a club tonight. The big revelation... I'm now officially too old to go to clubs. It wasn't particularly fun or entertaining in any way, and I'm not all about spending $4 + tip for a Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1104173150502022852004-12-27T13:39:00.000-05:002004-12-27T13:45:50.503-05:00Finally in the money
Finally made my breakthrough today. Despite getting no cards to play in the bubble stage, I finished 16th out of 285 in a $10+1 limit hold-em tournament. It's not a huge money prize ($34.20) but it's a massive confidence boost. Suddenly those top 20% finishes aren't such a monkey on my back, but an assurance that maybe... just MAYBE... I have a clue what I'm doing in a Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1104116893915718502004-12-26T21:51:00.000-05:002004-12-26T22:08:13.916-05:00And now for something completely different
Sometime in 2003 during my fits of drunken insomnia, I discovered the joys of international cricket. Look, when it's 5am and your days and nights are totally screwed up due to having no job and drinking copious amounts of rum, you find all kinds of things to amuse yourself. I ended up reading all about the 2003 World Cup and even listening to some of Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1103998318879514052004-12-25T13:06:00.000-05:002004-12-25T15:25:55.743-05:00Holiday poker updates
I've had the itch to play some more multi-table tournaments lately. Yesterday I continued my magnificent trend of finishing in the top 20% of the field, but out of the money (90th of 530+) in a $3 limit hold-em tournament. The big blow was me burning over 3500 chips with my K-K vs A-A from the guy on my right. Ugh.
As I type this, I'm playing a $1 Stud 8/b tournament to Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1103677802689020182004-12-21T20:01:00.000-05:002004-12-21T20:12:37.993-05:00Not the start I was hoping for
Tonight was a trial run for my "serious" phase of my beginning poker career. It didn't go well.
After work I headed to the local Hard Rock for some thrilling $2 Omaha. Didn't catch a lot of hands early, and I threw away some money chasing draws at a loose-passive table (lots of callers, not much raising). This was followed by a period of having absolutely nothing Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1103508508257262142004-12-19T20:47:00.000-05:002004-12-19T21:08:28.256-05:00Let's try this again!
Well, here we go. Another year has come and gone, and ye olde blogge fell into neglect and dis-use. This is really and truly a shame, as a good bit has happened.
The eHarmony experiment came to an end. There was some e-mail and phone contact with a few lovely ladies as well as one actual date that, while amiable, ended with nothing else in the cards. This led to the Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1083208407283394092004-04-28T23:13:00.000-04:002004-04-28T23:17:37.043-04:00Non-poker update! Wow!
History in the making, the first non-poker post of the year. Only took about four months.
I went to a Buddhist meditation/beginners class Monday after work. It was pretty darn neat, actually. It was a guided meditation for about 15 minutes, then a half-hour or so talk on the subject that week, then another brief meditation. I'm thinking this is something I could Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1082507431581570522004-04-20T20:30:00.000-04:002004-04-20T20:34:31.840-04:00It's been a while...
Sorry 'bout that. I promise with this re-re-launch I'll try to talk a bit less about poker and more about other stuff.
But first, this poker update.
I recently cashed out the $500 I made from my orginal $50 in February. This is because I am a bad-ass and I am going to stay someplace awesome when I go to Las Vegas in August. So I restarted with $100 recently, and we'll Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1079165033707659262004-03-13T03:03:00.000-05:002004-03-13T03:07:01.700-05:00All you can eat, baby
From my $50 buy-in at the beginning of Feb, my PokerStars bankroll officially topped $300 tonight. That's mostly through SNGs, and a few very good $1/$2 Omaha 8/b sessions, and a couple $.50/$1 NL hold-em ring games. Delightful.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1076987388160102202004-02-16T22:09:00.000-05:002004-02-16T22:15:00.390-05:00Looking For The Key
I finished 40th of 162 in a limit Omaha tourney at PokerStars today. I've got a solid, steady trend of finishing in the top 25% of multi-table tournaments but not being able to close out in the money. Each time it's happened, I can link it to one hand where I just lose a little composure and make loose calls or raises, and it's always in the last half of the 2nd hour. It'sMattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1076563826203529212004-02-12T00:30:00.000-05:002004-02-12T00:32:54.000-05:00What a night
Oh man.
First, I got 3rd of 18 in a $5 + $.50 NL hold-em SNG at PokerStars. Nice profit there.
Then I realized there was a $10+1 2+2 Forums 18-player SNG starting at 8:30pm. I figured that if nothing else, I'd get $11 of education from it.
I won the damn thing. $61 profit.
2+2 Forum posters are some of the most knowledgeable poker players you can ever hope to find on the Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1076476943693296572004-02-11T00:22:00.000-05:002004-02-11T00:24:50.263-05:00SNGs at PokerStars
I thought it'd be fun to try out the $5 + $.50 SNGs at PokerStars. The players are of a MUCH higher caliber than the Party low-limit folks, and I've been doing quite well. Playing nothing but $5 + $.50 SNGs, I've taken $50 up to $145.50 in about a week and a half. It's been a varying diet of NL hold-em (9 and 18-player), Stud 8/b and Omaha 8/b. I've been doing well in all Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1075958571228102232004-02-05T00:22:00.000-05:002004-02-05T00:25:09.903-05:00Tourney day!
I burned off my last $11 at Gaming Club with a $10+1 buyin multi-table tournament. I placed 29th of 191, out of the money by just a few spots.
At PokerStars, I got 2nd in an Omaha 8/b SNG, and won a NL Hold-em 4-player heads-up tourney (both $5 + .50). This should get me ready for the 2+2 tourney tomorrow night... wish me luck!Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1075617998495595212004-02-01T01:46:00.000-05:002004-02-01T01:48:51.530-05:00SNG day at PokerStars
I felt like getting away from hold-em for the day, so I hit up a few $5 + .50 SNGs at PokerStars today.
Omaha 8/b: WIN.
Stud 8/b (my first one ever): 2nd
Stud 8/b: WIN.
I will take that. Life is good.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1074450610965472292004-01-18T13:30:00.000-05:002004-01-18T13:32:06.403-05:00More new linkage!
Fellow chatter JetMet has a new blog as well. Check it out from the sidebar.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1074402550320100992004-01-18T00:09:00.000-05:002004-01-18T00:11:05.310-05:00New Linkage
Check out Jay's blog on the sidebar when you get a chance. As a fellow former techie, we gotta watch out for each other, yo.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1074382671880921282004-01-17T18:37:00.000-05:002004-01-17T18:39:46.186-05:00Tournament Life continued
I just now finished THIRD out of 240 for a score of just over $140 at the Gaming Club. I made an absolute bonehead play on my final hand, but other than that I'm thrilled with my play.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1074211893201790482004-01-15T19:11:00.000-05:002004-01-15T19:13:25.263-05:00Moving Onward
I put $100 in at the Gaming Club last night. This evening I played it up to $240 and withdrew all but $15 of it. Vacation fund!!!Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1074047444717749582004-01-13T21:30:00.000-05:002004-01-13T21:32:34.013-05:00Tournament Life
I finished 23rd of 214 in tonights no-limit tournament at UltimateBet. It turns out to be a whopping profit of $3.52, but it was a fun way to burn a couple hours and get tournament experience. I'm pretty happy with my play overall, but I did go weak at points.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1073794567622785262004-01-10T23:16:00.000-05:002004-01-10T23:17:53.280-05:00Vacation Fund and diet update
Hell of a day today.
I doubled up $75 to $150 at Gaming Club today. Also, I've lost 7 pounds since the new year. Life.... is good.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1073361397714863032004-01-05T22:56:00.000-05:002004-01-05T22:58:16.983-05:00Starting off the new year
Saturday I hit the Seminole Casino for some $1/$2 hold-em. It was ugly. My first two hands were A-K and A-A, and both got beaten. I managed to win ONE hand in over two hours, finished down $64.50.
However, I'm back online at PartyPoker. I'm up $20 on the night with a combo of more $1/$2 hold-em and a 2nd place in a $10+1 Omaha 8/b sit-n-go. Delightful!Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1072337181053304122003-12-25T02:26:00.000-05:002003-12-25T02:27:44.403-05:00Sorry.
Sorry for the lack of updates. My folks visited for a week or so, I'll unwrap those presents when I wake up. I won a couple hundred in the Dec. OIC at Gaming Club so that was fun. That's about it other than working``````````.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1069475176472154152003-11-21T23:26:00.000-05:002003-11-21T23:26:55.090-05:00In the money
I've been horrible in multi-table tournaments. You know, the ones with hundreds of players all buying in. Tonight was my first money finish. I bought into a $7k guarantee at the Gaming Club for $25+2 and finished in 20th... the last spot that paid. $70 from the prize pool for a $43 profit. Not bad for two hours work.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1069038124430773512003-11-16T22:02:00.000-05:002003-11-16T22:02:36.780-05:00Attention all GCC'ers
Anyone from my old college stomping and bowling and basketball-shooting grounds, welcome to the blog. Feel free to post in the forum and say hi. I gotta get caught up with everyone!Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1068153890847664982003-11-06T16:24:00.000-05:002003-11-06T16:25:09.543-05:00End of the tour
Fine, fine. I admit it... I wussed out. I took $550 out of Gaming Club last night and quit the internet challenge. I figured earning a month's rent off of free money in three days was a pretty good deal. I'll probably take a few days off until I have the urge to play some more.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1068023477330951202003-11-05T04:11:00.000-05:002003-11-05T04:11:34.233-05:00Well THIS is exciting.
Remember that $50 that had grown to just over $100 in the previous post? It's now up to $500. Five f-ing hundred American by-God dollars. Let me tell you how.
$2/$4 limit holdem, four at the table.
I'm dealt Kh, Ks. All of us see the flop for $2.
[Flop: Jc, Js, Kc]
Well, isn't THIS something. The flop gives me the nut full house. Me and the guy to my right cap itMattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1067950002078934482003-11-04T07:46:00.000-05:002003-11-04T07:46:57.373-05:00The struggle continues
After four hours of play at $1/$2, the $100 I started this level with is up to... $102.62. Wow. I can't believe what people are raising and calling pre-flop with. I'm gonna have to tighten up my play a little so I can hammer them with big hands.
Also, please welcome Josh Mann to the blog community. He hates Florida St, so he's welcome here.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1067888876341263552003-11-03T14:47:00.000-05:002003-11-03T14:48:10.700-05:00The $2000 Pyramid
At the poker forum I frequent, someone came up with this cool little challenge.
Start at .50/1 with a "separate" $50 bankroll, play until you have $100.
Move up to 1/2 and play until you have $200.
Move up to 2/4 and play until you have $300.
Move up to 3/6 and play until you have $500.
Move up to 5/10 and play until you have $1000.
Move up to 10/20 and play until you have Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1066712254167352722003-10-21T00:57:00.000-04:002003-10-21T00:57:33.546-04:00FLCL is back!
Tonight Cartoon Network started re-showing FLCL (midnight Eastern). Catch it while you can because it's only a six-episode series. If you come in tomorrow night in episode two, that's fine. Watch it through, then watch it again on the 2nd time through. You'll thank me.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1066543554729549582003-10-19T02:05:00.000-04:002003-10-19T02:05:54.850-04:00New linkage!
Welcome Chris Gates to the blog family. He's a great guy and an avid baseball fan, and I definitely approve of his template art.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1066104519081430492003-10-14T00:08:00.000-04:002003-10-14T00:08:39.156-04:00Another battle in the poker wars
Played a little bit with the profit money today. I lost it down to $25 at one point, but then won it back to $70 with a HOT run at the 6-seated $1/$2 hold-em table. The highlight hand was hitting a K for a 9-K straight on the river for a $20 pot.
So $70 for about... three hours of playing poker online combined. Not a bad racket.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1066020104495279562003-10-13T00:41:00.000-04:002003-10-13T00:41:44.083-04:00Just couldn't resist...
I have the next (and hopefully final) job interview with the branch manager of the bank I'll be working at Tuesday after close. Looks like a slam dunk, but I'm going out for a haircut and some nifty threads tomorrow.
In the meantime, my parents called and said they'd ship down a $50 Wal-mart card to me. I of course took this as an opportunity to invest $50 at Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1064990781355933442003-10-01T02:46:00.000-04:002003-10-01T02:46:20.893-04:00The times they are a-changin'
Based on a convo I had with the HR department at the bank I tested for 2 weeks ago, it looks like I'm going to be offered a job very soon. If I get it, it's gonna be POKER NIGHT AT THE DOG TRACK for me. Then I can actually add a legit occupation to that little "about me" bar on the right. How cool.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1064535796024392562003-09-25T20:23:00.000-04:002003-09-25T20:23:16.273-04:00Slowin' it down
I took a lot of tough beats this week... people hitting two-outers on the river, a fourth heart coming on the river to make someone's 8-high flush, and so on. It frustrated me enough that I took a couple days off, and tightened up my play a lot today. It paid off well... 2nd out of 6, 3rd out of 10 and a $8 profit in a ring game so far today.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1064023234166968602003-09-19T22:00:00.000-04:002003-09-19T22:00:34.363-04:00ONE OF US. ONE OF US.
Check out the newest member of our little cabal. Very good stuff so far, and more to come I'm sure.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1063899072566523792003-09-18T11:31:00.000-04:002003-09-18T11:31:12.323-04:00CHUMPED!!!
hahahahaha I love poker.
I sat down at a $5+$.50 heads-up table and totally ditched a few hands. I even tossed a flush and showed it to my opponent. When he asked why I folded, I said I thought it was the low flush given the board, and that I WAS NEW TO PLAYING HEADS-UP. (Read the 9/12/03 post for proof to the contrary.)
I came back from 500-1500 down to win that one. Then he Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1063355661407789012003-09-12T04:34:00.000-04:002003-09-12T04:39:51.546-04:00When you play this well...
... it's not gambling. It's an INVESTMENT.
Played a heads-up (1-on-1) no-limit table for $5+$.50 (house rake), winner takes all from the non-house rake. Won it.
Played another heads-up NL table for $10+$.50. Won it.
Played ANOTHER heads-up NL table for $10+$.50. Won it.
Played YET ANOTHER heads-up NL table for $10+$.50. Won it.
Poker aside, I'm sure you're Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1063010097159281802003-09-08T04:34:00.000-04:002003-09-08T04:34:57.143-04:00Gotta love the late-nite crowd
I just won TWO straight $10+1 six-player SNGs at UltimateBet. $62 profit. On the second one I caught some dude on a stone bluff heads-up, and BEAT HIS ASS AND TOOK ALL HIS MU-FU'IN CHIPS. Boo-yah.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1062926120958274662003-09-07T05:15:00.000-04:002003-09-07T05:15:20.966-04:00Aye Carumba!
I've taken $100 of my poker winnings out to buy a new hot pimpin' wardrobe to go on my Hurrydate. It all goes down Weds. night, of course you can expect a detailed breakdown either here or in the aPa chat. Well, probably both. I should be going shopping later on Sunday. Good times.... good times.
In the meantime, I got drunk tonight with my neighbors and roughly 20 other peopleMattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1062482511148109832003-09-02T02:01:00.000-04:002003-09-02T02:01:51.016-04:00So very close
So. I took a small slice of my poker bankroll and entered into a $11+1 tournament. First and only prize was a seat at the BIG Aruba Super Satellite. I won my seat, and played for the big trip to Aruba tonight at 11.
The last six standing got trips to Aruba and seats in the WPT event there. I put in a valiant effort and finished 46th out of 400. All things considered, I'm Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1062128705617736792003-08-28T23:45:00.000-04:002003-08-28T23:45:05.503-04:00Makin' the big jump
UltimateBet is finally back up and running. They're offering a 50% bonus up to $100. I have $80 in my Neteller account right now, and about $150 in blackjack profits on the way. That'll cover the $200 I need to get my fat $100 bonus.
It's go-time.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1061874031891556602003-08-26T01:00:00.000-04:002003-08-26T01:18:54.310-04:00And now, a reply to an editorial
Welcome to an edition of "dueling blog outrage" between myself and 3zy. Here's my entry! Dumbass in Tacoma's comments in bold, I'm in italics.
Have you watched The Cartoon Network with your children lately? If you haven't, and you are a parent or advocate for children, you should read this.
If you're a busybody with nothing better to do with your time, Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1061794946808896102003-08-25T03:02:00.000-04:002003-08-25T03:02:26.810-04:00Oh Lord have mercy
... because I just stole me some money.
I had slightly less than $40 left in my bankroll. Lost a $25 stake at the pot-limit hold-em table. Decided "WTF, I'm putting my last $13 at the no-limit hold-em cash table". In 10 minutes, I busted out three players, including one of them TWICE to turn my $13 into $91. Right now I'm in a $10+1 PL HE SNG to wrap up the night. If I Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1061711235891063082003-08-24T03:47:00.000-04:002003-08-24T03:47:15.746-04:00New experience
After I cashed-out today, I took my remaining $13 and turned it into $37 at the NL cash table. Since I was bored tonight, I figured I'd enter a $5+1 Omaha 8/b (otherwise known as Omaha hi-lo) SNG. It was my first time playing this game for any sort of cash... and I came in 3rd out of 10 to show a nifty $4 profit. Man, I'll take it but I doubt I'll make that game any sort of Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1061677636374604372003-08-23T18:27:00.000-04:002003-08-23T18:27:16.326-04:00In the nick of time
I had some struggles with my online play last night, and got beat down to about $72. At this point I figured I should cut my losses and cash out my original $50 to at least break even, and play two last $11+1 limit hold-em SNGs today.
Finished 4th and just out of the money in the first one, but won the 2nd one to get back up to another $50 bankroll. I'll try to limit Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1061636027230619432003-08-23T06:53:00.000-04:002003-08-23T06:53:47.063-04:00Meeting the neighbors
Well, this was interesting.
After drinking over half a bottle of Jim Beam black label, I decided to walk to my back porch and see why the fuck my neighbor was making so much noise at 3am. Turns out he's even more of a drunk than me, so we each had two Lemon Drops and two beers, then ate a fuckload of Krystal burgers with his guests. I'm just now going to bed. Viva life.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1061561691251710452003-08-22T10:14:00.000-04:002003-08-22T10:14:51.226-04:00The start of something big?
Bought into a $10+1 sit-n-go at PartyPoker last night. And won. $39 profit right there.
Sat down at the $25 buy-in NL cash table this morning. Ended up $45 to the good.
Today I may try my luck at one of their multi-table tournaments, or just kinda take it easy and read a bit more. I read through Hold-em Poker last night and absorbed a little bit of it. I'll Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1061497872210130592003-08-21T16:31:00.000-04:002003-08-21T16:31:12.140-04:00And so it begins
I love amazon.com. Today my first two books came... except there were three. For some reason they shipped me TWO copies of Hold'em Poker, plus my one copy of Hold'em Poker For Advanced Players. So I might sell one for a few bucks, or just lend it to a friend. In the meantime, I got lots of reading material now. I'll have more once my SuperSystem book and Poker Theory get Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1061359460338853162003-08-20T02:04:00.000-04:002003-08-20T02:04:20.316-04:00Didn't even have to use my AK (suited)
... I have to say it was a good day.
Still waiting for my poker books to arrive, should take a week or so. I got my DDR stuff goin' on, as some people have already noted. Otherwise just a perfectly cool day. Wish someone would call me back with a job offer, though.
Quiet on the poker front. My main pastime of playing the Ultimate Point sit-n-gos at Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1061099847379546632003-08-17T01:57:00.000-04:002003-08-17T01:57:27.186-04:00Winning Ways
Oh lord-a-mercy, what a night. First I cleaned up strong in the aPa XFL fantasy draft. Then I went on to enter four $5+1 sit-n-go tournaments at PartyPoker.com... and WIN 3 of them. That'll nearly pay for the four books I got from amazon.com today...
"Super System" by Doyle Brunson
"Texas Hold'em", "Texas Hold'em For The Advanced Player" and "Poker Theory" by David Sklansky.
Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1060839280805103522003-08-14T01:34:00.000-04:002003-08-14T01:39:20.750-04:00Quick night at the online tables
Went to the ultimatebet.com $.25/$.50 limit hold-em tables. Won $21.85 in half an hour. Left happily. Life... is okay.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1060813680691314002003-08-13T18:28:00.000-04:002003-08-13T18:32:44.483-04:00Link update
Do yourselves a favor and visit Wade's blog as soon as you get a chance. He's a good guy who has a tendency toward caustic smart-assery, a trait I fully endorse.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1060722265400394902003-08-12T17:04:00.000-04:002003-08-12T17:04:25.330-04:00Comeback of the year
Wow.
I just finished 2nd in a 10-player table at UB.com. At one point I was down to under 200 chips from my starting 1000, then funny things started to happen. I doubled-up twice, waited for a while, got down again, and doubled up again. My all-in on Q-5 turned into a full house (Qs full of 5s), beating out someone else's A-A which became two pair. He was a little Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1060576187447063452003-08-11T00:29:00.000-04:002003-08-11T01:33:28.853-04:00I love this game
Re-registered at PartyPoker.com today, just for the sucker value. I ended up at the $50 no-limit table. Won myself to up $25, then dropped it back to even. Then, it happened.
A-A.
I just called the big-blind, but before the flop hit, someone bet out for like $18. I re-raised all-in for my $50, he hesitated and called it. I guess he thought his Q-Q was the best hand, whichMattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1060319764927941422003-08-08T01:16:00.000-04:002003-08-08T01:16:04.910-04:00Eh.
Boy, I sure hope that if I stop blogging, no stupid asshole takes over my URL and acts like a retard with it. That would sure suck. I'd be so pissed off I'm not even sure I'd be able to play pinball.
Anyway, played a $10+1 no-limit tournament tonight. 400 players, last 50 get paid. I finished 68th. I foolishly walked into a full house to nearly bust out, then went all-in on A-10 Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1060232549421272252003-08-07T01:02:00.000-04:002003-08-07T01:02:29.253-04:00Another night out
Went out with a small crowd tonight. I lost at mini-golf (dammit!) but amazed everyone with my mad-phat Dance Dance Revolution skillz. Afterward pizza, wings, garlic rolls and BOOZE abounded at my place while the World Poker Tour was on the Travel Channel. Of course we were missing someone, but that's her loss. Overall, a totally awesome night. Oh yeah, and I found my Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1060149939755030182003-08-06T02:05:00.000-04:002003-08-06T02:05:39.736-04:00Night at the Seminole Casino
Well. They certainly do use every part of the dollar.
First I had to sign up at their board to wait for a place at a hold-em table. The dude ahead of me had to wait like 30 minutes. My beeper went off about 90 minutes AFTER his. But wait... THERE WAS NO PLACE FOR ME! They tried TWICE to seat me at a 7-card stud table, and by the time they figured out the game Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1059964292271011592003-08-03T22:31:00.000-04:002003-08-03T22:31:32.250-04:00The Bacon Theory run amok
Friendster is just about the scariest thing in history. I love it. Feel free to look me up and add me, I want to see if I can get my "personal network" over 100,000.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1059847900557168302003-08-02T14:11:00.000-04:002003-08-02T14:11:40.536-04:00Back again
Yeah, I got moved in Tuesday and online Thursday, but I've been a busy, busy dude. Unpacking books, buying stuff I need, and visiting with some current Floridians. It looks like I'm hitting the local casino Tuesday night. After the hot streak I had online yesterday, I can't wait. I turned my $25 deposit into over $100 over the course of the day. $40 of that is going back into my Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1059097213856798112003-07-24T21:40:00.000-04:002003-07-24T21:40:13.743-04:00See ya in a few...
Tearing down the PC rig tonight. Be back Tuesday from sunny Tampa.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1058903672792658922003-07-22T15:54:00.000-04:002003-07-22T15:54:32.596-04:00Packin' up and heading south
That's what I've been up to all week. Soooo much crap I have, I think I'm gonna end up throwing most of it out and just picking up whatever else I need once I'm there. It's not like I'm a slave to material possessions or anything.
On that note, NCAA Football 2004 for PS2 is too awesome to be believed. Get it NOW NOW NOW!
I spent today setting up power, phone andMattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1058657588605586162003-07-19T19:33:00.000-04:002003-07-19T19:33:08.516-04:00Tequila!
I'm going out with a friend of mine for bad Mexican food and all the tequila I can handle. He'll be here in about 15 minutes and I'm having a warm-up drink. If I'm alive tonight, I'll update again.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1058155710836118102003-07-14T00:08:00.000-04:002003-07-14T00:08:30.790-04:00The Agony Of Defeat
I decided to play my Aruba super-satellite today. It ended up that the top 3 places got trips to Aruba, the next five got a little bit of cash. This is the tournament I won my way into last night, for those who care. And here is my final hand.
I had A-A in the hole, best hand possible. The flop comes down a relatively harmless 5-3-8. A couple re-raises result in me Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1058075797865835922003-07-13T01:56:00.000-04:002003-07-13T01:56:37.683-04:00One step closer
Oh man, I just won an Aruba sattellite at ultimatebet.com. That earns me a buyin (worth $110) to an Aruba super-satellite. If I win that, I earn a $4000 seat at the Ultimate Poker Challenge or something, plus airfare plus a week of hotel in Aruba. Holy shit.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1057725423245714302003-07-09T00:37:00.000-04:002003-07-09T00:37:03.130-04:00Nothing much
Whoo, check out Amanda's new blog! Spiffy!
That's about it. Oh wait, I finished 68th in a 189-player poker tournament online tonight... I panicked and bet into a bad hand for me. One moment of weakness or lapsed concentration can cost you BIG in hold-em. Luckily I only had $5 buyin + $.50 house take invested in the whole shebang. I'd say the lesson learned was worth that much.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1057509835268063382003-07-06T12:43:00.000-04:002003-07-06T12:43:55.116-04:00Realizations
Last night I came to a realization... It's not necessarily my fault that other people are nuts. And I really shouldn't take it personally that they are. That's really about it. Anyone who was pestered by me online last night knows the details.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-1057040505389917392003-07-01T02:21:00.000-04:002003-07-01T02:21:45.346-04:00hahaha
Oh man. I am the king of poker.
I invested $25 at ultimatebet.com, and went bust. On a hunch, I put in ANOTHER $25 and won back my previous losses by playing on heads-up (1-on-1) tournaments to break even for the night. I am to be feared.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-958449532003-06-19T20:21:00.000-04:002003-06-19T20:21:51.660-04:00Another poker night
Pretty decent night. I played 3 tournaments... got a 5th (no money), 2nd ($15) and a 3rd ($10), which means I finished in the money for the night. Hey, I'll take it.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-957044072003-06-16T00:29:00.000-04:002003-06-16T00:29:22.976-04:00Golden God part 3
Just screwing around, I took 2nd in a $5-entry tournament, netting me another $9 in profit.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-957008602003-06-15T22:26:00.000-04:002003-06-15T22:26:45.723-04:00Golden God part 2
I just won a $10 entry tournament for a $50 first prize. I am the poker GOD. That is all.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-956977602003-06-15T20:15:00.000-04:002003-06-15T20:16:07.000-04:00I am a golden god
So. I was down to my last $10 in online poker money, so I went to the $.50/$1 hold-em table to play it out tonight. Then I caught the HAND OF A LIFETIME.
I was on the big blind and had something like 7-9 offsuit. On the river, I ended up with a queen-high straight, and four other fools just kept re-raising into me. With my last dollar on the table, the cards were revealed.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-956646222003-06-14T13:13:00.000-04:002003-06-14T13:13:05.423-04:00Home for the weekend
It's Fathers' Day, so I'm heading home for the weekend. My grandfather is having a small birthday celebration this evening... he's turning 87 and it looks like this may be his last one.
Weekends at home are always odd. My parents always talk about how nice it was to have me home all weekend when it's time for me to leave. Most of the weekend is spent with me lounging on Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-956154442003-06-12T23:36:00.000-04:002003-06-12T23:36:27.543-04:00Slim Shadyside
I played a pair of $5-entry tournaments online at partypoker.com today. I finished 1st in one, 2nd in the other making me a cool profit of around $30. I'm starting to like this whole poker deal. And I already have the ultimate poker shirt, which I may post a link to soon.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-955330092003-06-10T23:10:00.000-04:002003-06-10T23:17:57.000-04:00The Big Countdown
It's about six and a half weeks now until I pack up everything I own and move to Florida. Man, time is flying. It seems like it was just yesterday that I was sitting in my apartment with two feet of snow on the ground thinking how great it would be to not freeze my ass off for five months a year.
Job-wise, I'm apparently the teller without a home as I'll be moving away from Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-953149052003-06-05T00:10:00.000-04:002003-06-05T00:10:58.443-04:00Oops.
I know I said I wouldn't skimp on updates, but apparently I lied. I've been busy as hell with work, Xenosaga, and now fighting off a cold. Luckily I'm using my favorite home-made cold remedy, SCREWDRIVERS! They say you should have plenty of Vitamin C and clear fluids, and screwdrivers fulfill both of those needs.
I need to start collecting boxes soon, I'm moving in around 8 weeks. ManMattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-949724222003-05-27T23:56:00.000-04:002003-05-27T23:56:09.020-04:00Guess who's back...
Hahaha man I'm addicted to the ellipses.
Anyway, had a mini-rant session tonight and I feel quite a bit better for it. Time will tell if it sticks, though.
In the meantime I have a full day at the bank Weds, followed by a trip home Thurs which is always fun and entertaining. For those of you expecting blog-fireworks tonight, sorry to disappoint.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-949209582003-05-26T22:34:00.000-04:002003-05-26T22:34:51.566-04:00So much for the everyday updates...
Yeah, I know I missed a few days last week. Hopefully that won't happen again. I'm attempting to show a little more control of my emotions... one of the best ways I can currently think of to do that is to avoid situations that will stress me out. If it all goes as planned I'm going to take a few days to just kinda chill out and "step outside" myself; figureMattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-948509292003-05-25T01:34:00.000-04:002003-05-25T01:34:31.736-04:00Big batch of whatever
I hate the world. I hate my emotions. I hate myself. Going into any more detail would be specfically damning, although this post already is just by its tone. I just want to sleep right now.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-947050392003-05-21T17:35:00.000-04:002003-05-21T17:35:17.020-04:00I'm not even supposed to be here today!
After work today I stopped off for a fresh jug of vodka, then a half-gallon of Sunny Delight at the Uni-Mart. Here is a rough transcription of the conversation after the transaction.
Clerk 1: How come nobody drinks Tang anymore?
Clerk 2: *shrug*
C1: It was good enough for the astronauts, right?
Me: Well, there's no real space program right now. Once we Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-946141472003-05-19T23:23:00.000-04:002003-05-19T23:23:33.296-04:00A week filling in
Yep, I'm filling in at another branch of the bank this week. And man, is it weird. The computer system is all different, the counters are all awkward and stuff, and the head teller is apparently an idiot. She couldn't figure out how to disarm the motion sensor this morning, so were 20 minutes later than usual getting in. This proved to be a problem since they had about Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-945637972003-05-19T00:17:00.000-04:002003-05-19T00:17:18.946-04:00A weekend come and gone
Apparently blogger.com is doing something weird with their software, so I'll just have to cope. My tunes to sleep to to tonight will be Pearl Jam's concert at State College, PA. That's about it. I spent like six hours playing Xenosaga today. I gotsta go to work at another branch of the bank tomorrow, that should be interesting. Later, all.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-945255932003-05-18T01:35:00.000-04:002003-05-18T01:35:07.086-04:00Wooooo, weekend
I'd love to get excited over this weekend, but I'm drunk and bored and not doing anything fun with people. I spent this afternoon basically just putzing around online while watching TV (or vice-versa) and tomorrow should be more of the same. And yeah, can't forget the drinkin'. Lord-a-mercy, can't forget that. I'm going to pass out on my couch while watching a Simpsons VHS Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-944827772003-05-16T23:21:00.000-04:002003-05-16T23:21:08.300-04:00A boring day, a boring life
Not much today. Another day workin' and making money. Tomorrow I get to wake up EARLY for breakfast with co-workers before the half-day at work. Lousy "open on Saturdays" bank branch. Bleah. At least I'll get a good meal out of it.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-944295512003-05-16T00:03:00.000-04:002003-05-16T00:03:14.683-04:00Not much
Well, I'm to the point that I feared... I do nothing but work then come home and chat and drink. Such is life. Hopefully I can horrify my friend's little cousin when he comes to town to tour the Pitt campus. The plan is that my friend and I are going to scare the shit out of this little townie bitch-boy and his ultra-Christian GF when they come to see what the Pitt campus is like. Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-944262732003-05-15T22:54:00.000-04:002003-05-15T22:54:30.856-04:00 Not much happening
Well, we're finally to the point where I start exhibiting the depth of the rut I'm in until I move. Go to work, go home, drink and chat, go to bed. Lather, rinse, repeat. Hopefully something horrifying will happen to me this weekend that I can write about. Or maybe I can horrify someone else... that'd work too.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-943099472003-05-14T00:48:00.000-04:002003-05-14T00:48:50.483-04:00Well....
Last night was apparently my first true "black out". I posted here and didn't remember it, and apparently I made a phone call I have no recollection of. How exciting! Anyway, I'm going to bed semi-lucid tonight and playing a TON of Xenosaga tomorrow. Have fun, all.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-942456212003-05-13T00:37:00.000-04:002003-05-13T00:37:16.803-04:00Buried Treasures
While I was home over Sat. night and Mothers' Day, I found a small container of audiotapes and old love notes. Nothing much there... mostly just copies of a couple things I didn't want to wear out the originals of. But I did find about 50 minutes of "footage" from my old campus radio show back in the day. It'd been at least six years since I'd heard it, and at first I didn't Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-942129972003-05-12T13:13:00.000-04:002003-05-12T13:13:03.903-04:00Weekend back home
It wasn't really as bad as I expected. I got to hang out with my sister for a while and get caught up with what she's doing. The parents were remarkably low-key, I got free food... everybody plays, everybody wins.
Sunday I purchased High Heat '04 for my PS2, only to find that it didn't work. Then I remembered that about four other people had complained about a similar Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-941100942003-05-10T12:51:00.000-04:002003-05-10T12:51:19.616-04:00Waking up late
Haha, wow. Last night was... something. I've been really tensed up lately, but I can't put my finger on why. It's not really because of anyone else, it's something that's totally internal. Hopefully going home for the weekend will be enough to distract me from myself. I think part of my problem is that I tend to either just go to work or hang out in my apartment all day and Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-940965492003-05-10T03:38:00.000-04:002003-05-10T03:38:10.323-04:00Another late night
Yep, another late night. And I'm not in the best mood ever. I'm pissed off because I didn't hit the lottery. I'm pissed off because I'm moving 1000 miles in a little over two months and don't quite know what to expect. I'm angry because I'm honestly scared. I have no idea what's going to happen to me in the next few months, and that bothers me. I'm about the most chaoticMattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-940701732003-05-09T15:59:00.000-04:002003-05-09T15:59:22.093-04:00Trip to the store
I just got back from the local convenience store to make my usual semi-weekly purchase; three dollars worth of Super Six lotto tickets and a two-liter of pop (today's selection: dnL. It's not quite Surge, but the closest thing to it I can find). The guy in front of me at the lottery line had just finished placing his ticket order, so I got to wait ten minutes while his Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-940365862003-05-09T01:56:00.000-04:002003-05-09T01:56:00.300-04:00Another drunken night
I'd really like to be able to give everyone something profound tonight on ye olde blog, but it's not gonna happen. I didn't even eat lunch at the Chinese buffet, so I don't have a fortune cookie to share with you. But I guess I have this... I'm realizing how much I tend to undervalue my friends. They call me when I'm down, they chat with me on AIM, and they generally Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-940125362003-05-08T17:10:00.000-04:002003-05-08T17:10:21.066-04:00Long weekend
I don't work again until Tuesday, so I'm going to actually concentrate on putting some stuff on here for the next few days. Oh, and drinking. Definitely drinking. More to come tonight.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-939604802003-05-07T21:03:00.000-04:002003-05-07T21:03:54.923-04:00So I lied about the color
Yeah. It's gonna take like a week until I'm comfortable with how this looks, and it'll still probably suck. But it'll be a level of suck I can live with.
Went to the almighty Wal-Mart today to stock up on food... I was down to leftover pizza, some English muffins and cheese slices from last century so I figured it was time. Nothing eventful happened, which is good.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-939399592003-05-07T14:01:00.000-04:002003-05-07T14:14:08.000-04:00A little more like home
I think I may have found a color scheme that doesn't make me want to claw my eyes out in sheer terror (your mileage may vary), so let's call this the grand opening.
Don't expect anything profound or mind-blowing to come from this site; I live a pretty mundane life. What I really need to do is find a way to get my backspace and delete keys to send an electric shock to meMattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5368050.post-939348492003-05-07T12:25:00.000-04:002003-05-07T12:25:06.240-04:00Well, here we go. Welcome to what may be another short-lived effort for me to put something on the web for my own amusement. More to come!Mattnoreply@blogger.com