Monday, January 16, 2006

Spring Semester Nears

It's almost time to get back in the academic saddle. Tuesday's the big day. I waited until January 12th to register for classes.
My schedule sucks the 8:00 a.m. German class four days a week will hurt my poker schedule I'm sure. Then I'm taking a visual design class taught by Darling that I've been specifically planning on not taking... that sucks.
I'm taking Psychology of advertising. It'll fulfill a requirement and sounds interesting. It's probably the class that I am most excoted about.
Second on that list will be my upper-division history class, Witches, Workers and Wives.
Yes, it's about women. I expect to see a bunch of chicks. History major chicks... I'm taking a gamble here.

That class will signify the completion of a history minor. I have a history minor for absolutely no reason. I hope I at least get a certificate or something to say that I did it.

I have now made the money in 4 20/20s in 8 attempts. I still have 0 final table. It's making me really, really want to straight up win one.

Friday, January 13, 2006

R.I.P Customer Service


I didn't believe it until today. But it's true. Customer service is dead.
I walked into Circuit City today as the ideal customer. Because of my recent withdrawal snafu, I had money to spend. Instead of it disappearing into my bank account, I wanted something specific to show for it. Sure, $300 isn't a ton of money, but I think Circuit City probably appreciates it when customers come in looking to spend that much.
Anywa, my focus is car audio. I know I can't get exactly what I want, but this could be a good chance to feel out this whole project, cost-wise.
I see a Verizon booth mini-store. Now I hate my Verizon phone, and this could be just what he doctor ordered. I walk over adn start looking over the merchandise. The two employees, a skinny Asian and short fat girl are both helping one customer. I decide to let them be and head over to the car audio. That's when I start slipping into this surreal world in which customer service does not exist.
The two Hispanic employees are in the middle of the floor. They aren't working with customers. But one is on the phone and the other is haning on to every word trying to hear what's going on. I walk around waiting while they fool around. They walk in and out to the install bay dicking around and I start growing irate.
I decide I'll complain to the manager. I find him quickly. He's the guy in the black shirt flirting with the female clerk while two other "workers" stand by chatting.
I'm going insane.
I walk back to the Verizon booth in a stupor. In front of a big-screen TV, two employees stand watching it, their backs to me as they watch.
No one is working in this place.
Meanwhile, our two capable Verizon employees have managed to anger their lone customer. I sigh and return to the car audio section. Finally, I ask for help. I explain my situation and they tell me they can't help me. One guy gives me the phone number of a friend of his.
I go back to the Verizon booth. The fat girl is staring out into space. She's got a damn ear piece, one of those "I'm a bad ass, but I have no friends" cell phones and she's busy. I stand right in front of the Asian fellow and he asks if he can help me. I ask a simple question.
"What's the best phone you've got?"
He looks about.
"Well it depends what you're looking for. This one's good," he says, "and this one. The Razor is also really popular."
He then goes back to doing whatever the hell he'd been doing before, leaving me to the phones having not told me how they're different or why I might like one over the other.
I'm fuming but bemused now. I walk outside, then come back in. I head straight for tubby.
"Are there any free-standing Verizon stores around here?" I ask.
She answers quickly with the location. Then suddenly looks perplexed.
"Why don't you want to use this? We have all the same stuff."
I don't have the heart to tell her that she and her buddy suck at their jobs, and I don't want to deal with them.
I leave her slack-jawed in my wake, thinking I'm an idiot, I'm sure.

I step into Verizon full of hope and intent on getting a phone and working with real Verizon sales reps.
No such luck.
The stor has two sections. The front is for sales, while the back is for tech and customer service. Once again I find two employees helping one guy. I mill around waiting for them to finish. It takes awhile. Finally, Angela walks from behind the counter towards me.
Finally.
She's interupted but it's cool. She saw me and will soon be helping me. I'm sure of it. As she helps this fella with the intelligence of a gifted brick, she introdcues herslef to other customers telling them she'll help them next. This isn't looking good.
Sure enough, upon finishing with Einstein, who didn't buy anything, she turns to help an older couple.
The fact that I'm 20 and look 17 can't be helping me, and that's quite bothersome.
Another sales rep comes from the back. I make eye contact with him.
"One second, I help you, bud." he says.
He definitely called me "bud"...
But hey, I'm about to be helped right?
Then the cute red-head chick walks in.
Pretty soon he's helping her. Oh sure, her problem is technical and he does sales, but that's no problem he assures her. As he heads into the back another employee pokes his head in to say something, apparently something humorous. I'm sure it had absolutely nothing to do with the girl...
It's now been probably 20 minutes. I take off my glasses because the steam from my ears has fogged them up.
"So what exactly do you want anyway?" asks the guy behind the counter.
I blink and look up. He's talking to me. I wouldn't believe except he asks so rudely.
"I want to buy a new phone." I answer simply, not wanting to complicate things for him. I walk over to the counter.
He asks if I have a Verizon plan, and I answer that I do. And he asks what phone I have.
"This piece of shit," I say humorlessly, pulling out my phone.
He asks me if the account is under my name, and I tell him it's a family plan. He then tells me I can't by a phone without my parents present.
Deep breaths. fireworks are going off in my head. bright lights flash. Somewhere over the mountains, a cat meows.
I explain that I live in Austin and the live a couple hundred miles away. Then he tells me they can ok it by phone or internet. He then asks me if I'm in the last two months of my plan....
"I don't know."
"If you're not in the last two months of your plan, you can't buy a new phone," he says.
He tells me that even if I pay full price, I can't buy a new phone. This is making no sense. I look him straight in the eye and ask with a straight face if that would still be the case if my current phone were to break.
The obvious implication is that I'm about to walk outside and throw the damn thing around.
Anyway, he babbles some about insurance that I could have got when I got the plan and a warranty, blah blah blah.
I don't really hear anything now.

Another rant. Sometimes, you're in a situation where you want to be sold something. Anytime you go into a cell phone store you should have that outlook.
When I used to be with Cingular I'd love going in there. Knowledgable salespeople would always come out show me thoe phone and try to sell them all.
That's their job. It's how it works.
If I'm in your store, sell me something. Don't just watch me walk around. I don't know what I want. I have an idea sure. But that's not the same thing.
This joker at Circuit City, what the hell was he trying to accomplish?
He pointed out three phones and left me to it.
That's not going to cut it.
I want some slick willy that calls himself Maverick selling me a phone. When I ask what the "best" phone is. He should, without blinking, show the most expensive phone in the place and tell me why it costs so much and how incredibly useful it's 238 funtions are. Don't insult me by deciding what I can or can't afford by the fact that I look like a kid. Don't pretend you think you know what I need. Just sell me the most expensive phone you've got. When I say that's too expensive step down to the next bracket.
"Yeah that phone is pretty expensive. We don't sell to many of those. Most people are really happy with this one. It's a little cheaper and the camera is only 1.3 megapixels but it looks real sharp and gets the job done."
Some shit like that.
I hate salespeople as much as anyone. But I hate people who can't sell shit more. I walked into a car audio store the other day. I was straight to the point.
"I want to put two 12"s in my 2002 Ford F150 SupercrewCab truck."
"Oh you can't do that," he says.
WTF. I know I can. A little bit later....
"I'd have to do a seat riser kit, blah blah blah."
(This is pissing me off all over again as I type, not because I wanted to do business at that shady, ghetto operation, but because the simple concept of selling is lost on these morons.) Don't fucking tell me I can't do what I want to do when I CAN do it, and you can be the guy that gets it done.
Say "Oh man, those are some big subs for that truck. I'll have to get you set up with a seat riser kit and it'll still be a snug fit. Here's what we're looking at..."

Does this make sense?
It makes perfect sense to me.

/rant

So then I went and spent $90 at Barnes & Nobles on books. Pet Monster, from PokerStars and me talk on the phone sometimes, and I called him up and he made some suggestions. I got everything he suggested.

The Great Books of Amber by Roger Zelazny
Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay
American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Then he told me about the book he was reading. As he talked about it, I happened to see it on the shelves and added it to my geek-stack of books in my arms.

Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson

Perusing the shelves on my own, I came across one more. I very literally judged the book by it's cover and grabbed it.

The President's Assassin by Brian Haig

Hopefully these books will be as good as I expect. Now it's time to buy text books. We'll see how much time I have for fiction when the school semester begins.

Dreams Don't Come True

Last night I had a really vivid dream. Besides the fact that I had just escaped prison in this dream, it was really mundane and believable.
So anyway, in this dream, I was at McDonalds with some friends. I stood in line forever and ordered a buffalo chicken sandwhich (just like Subway recently introduced). Then I waited for it forever. It finally came, and I sat down to eat.
It looked damn good.
Then I woke up.
:X

So today, I wait and wait for lunch. I'm going to Subway to get this sandwhich, obv.
Finally I go.
The Subway near my work doesn't have it.
A Cold Cut Trio never tasted so depressing.

Yesterday wasn't a good poker day.

Thursday, January 12, 2006

KK is my Bitch

In the span of 4 hands over three different tables I had KK once and beat it twice. When I had it, I beat aces with it. This is some funny stuff.

First a $50 NL HE match

PokerStars Game #3616917850: Tournament #17953239, Hold'em No Limit - Match Round I, Level IV (50/100) - 2006/01/12 - 20:39:01 (ET)
Table '17953239 1' One on One Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: BurntOrnge (2240 in chips)
Seat 2: Dacak89 (760 in chips)
Dacak89: posts small blind 50
BurntOrnge: posts big blind 100
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [As 2s]
Dacak89: raises 100 to 200
BurntOrnge: raises 1200 to 1400
Dacak89: calls 560 and is all-in
*** FLOP *** [Qc Ad Td]
BurntOrnge said, "nh"
*** TURN *** [Qc Ad Td] [Ac]
*** RIVER *** [Qc Ad Td Ac] [3s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BurntOrnge: shows [As 2s] (three of a kind, Aces)
Dacak89: shows [Kd Kc] (two pair, Aces and Kings)
BurntOrnge collected 1520 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1520 | Rake 0
Board [Qc Ad Td Ac 3s]
Seat 1: BurntOrnge (big blind) showed [As 2s] and won (1520) with three of a kind, Aces
Seat 2: Dacak89 (button) (small blind) showed [Kd Kc] and lost with two pair, Aces and Kings


Then in the $3r

*********** # 10 **************
PokerStars Game #3616924573: Tournament #17676798, Hold'em No Limit - Level II (15/30) - 2006/01/12 - 20:39:36 (ET)
Table '17676798 151' Seat #5 is the button
Seat 1: ROLE17 (2645 in chips)
Seat 2: BurntOrnge (2695 in chips)
Seat 3: thorco (9035 in chips)
Seat 4: TomasQ (4420 in chips)
Seat 5: jimbo91300 (2330 in chips)
Seat 6: pongo25 (1260 in chips)
Seat 7: jdbethels (2180 in chips)
Seat 8: beerbelly911 (720 in chips)
Seat 9: kylepaul (2915 in chips)
pongo25: posts small blind 15
jdbethels: posts big blind 30
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Kd Ks]
beerbelly911: folds
kylepaul: folds
ROLE17: raises 2615 to 2645 and is all-in
BurntOrnge: raises 50 to 2695 and is all-in
thorco: folds
TomasQ: folds
jimbo91300: folds
pongo25: folds
jdbethels: folds
*** FLOP *** [Qs Kh 9h]
BurntOrnge said, "hold"
*** TURN *** [Qs Kh 9h] [5h]
*** RIVER *** [Qs Kh 9h 5h] [8d]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
ROLE17: shows [Ah As] (a pair of Aces)
BurntOrnge: shows [Kd Ks] (three of a kind, Kings)
jdbethels said, "nh"
BurntOrnge collected 5335 from pot
ROLE17 re-buys and receives 1500 chips for $3.00
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 5335 | Rake 0
Board [Qs Kh 9h 5h 8d]
Seat 1: ROLE17 showed [Ah As] and lost with a pair of Aces
Seat 2: BurntOrnge showed [Kd Ks] and won (5335) with three of a kind, Kings
Seat 3: thorco folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: TomasQ folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: jimbo91300 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: pongo25 (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 7: jdbethels (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 8: beerbelly911 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: kylepaul folded before Flop (didn't bet)

And finally in a $5 NL HE MTT

PokerStars Game #3616916041: Tournament #17676797, Hold'em No Limit - Level II (15/30) - 2006/01/12 - 20:38:52 (ET)
Table '17676797 41' Seat #8 is the button
Seat 1: goccia49 (1320 in chips)
Seat 2: hymo1234 (1290 in chips)
Seat 3: Chilean14me (2765 in chips)
Seat 4: fatty14216 (4230 in chips)
Seat 5: pirosfriend (1230 in chips)
Seat 6: BurntOrnge (1345 in chips)
Seat 7: ffsjr (1335 in chips)
Seat 8: stevecor (2395 in chips)
Seat 9: Dave23 (1575 in chips)
Dave23: posts small blind 15
goccia49: posts big blind 30
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [6h 6d]
hymo1234: raises 30 to 60
Chilean14me: folds
fatty14216: folds
pirosfriend: calls 60
BurntOrnge: calls 60
ffsjr: folds
stevecor: folds
Dave23: folds
goccia49: calls 30
*** FLOP *** [8h 6c Ad]
goccia49: checks
hymo1234: bets 120
pirosfriend: folds
BurntOrnge: calls 120
goccia49: folds
*** TURN *** [8h 6c Ad] [Js]
hymo1234: checks
BurntOrnge: bets 250
hymo1234: calls 250
*** RIVER *** [8h 6c Ad Js] [8s]
hymo1234: checks
BurntOrnge: bets 700
hymo1234: calls 700
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BurntOrnge: shows [6h 6d] (a full house, Sixes full of Eights)
hymo1234: mucks hand
BurntOrnge collected 2395 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2395 | Rake 0
Board [8h 6c Ad Js 8s]
Seat 1: goccia49 (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 2: hymo1234 mucked [Kd Kh]
Seat 3: Chilean14me folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: fatty14216 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: pirosfriend folded on the Flop
Seat 6: BurntOrnge showed [6h 6d] and won (2395) with a full house, Sixes full of Eights
Seat 7: ffsjr folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: stevecor (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: Dave23 (small blind) folded before Flop


Slam bam thank ya mam, eh boy?

I've won my last 6 $50 NL HE matches. That's pretty great.
MTTs are going well, except for the fact that I can't do shit in them. I finished 10th in a 20/20 an hour or so ago. Lost a race... to 88 of course, which is currently the bane of my existence.

That means I've earned TLBs in 4 straight events. I love TLBs.
This is a very choppy blog entry.

Today I also cleared my PS bonus for a free $126. That was much appreciated, and I'll prolly pull out $100 because I'm a pansy and I could use an extra $100 in the ole bank account.

Speaking of the bank account. I received a $230 check in the mail from Noble Poker today. It seems I cashed out through a less-than-desirable method which leaves me in a quandary.
$200 of that was meant to go reload Interpoker. Now It'll be in my bank. I don't want money from my bank going into my poker account. That would be a bad habit to get into (for me). So I think I'm going to have to eat the $200 poker-wise. Maybe I can use it for my truck...

I'm currently in two MTTs and plan on playing the $36 sat. Wish me luck.


Wednesday, January 11, 2006

Dabbling once More in MTTs

I've played 4 MTTs over the last two days and 3 MTT Sats. So far I've struck out in all of the sats, but I've made the money in my last 3 MTTs.
For awhile, I didn't really have time to play MTTs, but now I think it's something I can do again. They're poker's biggest rush, in my opinion but they are also a source up much grief and anguish.
Today was a classic example.
First, in a $36+3 sat to the $215 I mis-click min-raise from MP with AK. An idiot in the CO calls and the SB pushes for 3K. Now the blinds are 50/100 and I have 1900 behind me. I can easily fold, and I don't like calling off my chips with AK any more than the next guy. But I figured under the circumstances, I was almost certainly racing at worst. There was a chance I was dominating, and a 5-6K pot at that stage of the $36+3 could be huge. SO I called. The idiot called.
He had KJdd. The SB had 88 and won, eliminating me in like 70th place.

I also played a $3r.
Dear BurntOrnge,

You finished the tournament in 168th place.
A $27.19 award has been credited to your Real Money account.

You earned 48.31 tournament leader points in this tournament.
For information about our tournament leader board, see our web site at
http://www.pokerstars.com/tlb_tournament_rankings.html

I got lucky to get that far, but the ending was still extremely dissappointing. Once again, it was with AK. The blinds were 1,500/3,000 and I had 35K. UTG+1 raised, a lucky, aggressive player called in MP.
I pushed.
EP player called with 88.
Lucky aggro player called with AQ.

The flop was AQX, and I lost a 100K pot that would have done wonders for my confidence.
Based on this post and my last one, it seems like AK is out to get me. Maybe it is. But, I can guarantee you that flat-calling from the BB is just bad.
The only hands I'm really worried about will most likely still have me by the balls if I hit the flop hard. Unless it's KK and an A flops. Then, good luck getting chips from that guy anyway. If I miss the flop, as I'll usually do I'm really in an awkward position with like 29K, holding AK out of position and a 20K pot.

IMO, 88 should have laid his hand down. AQ prolly calls anyway and I'm still elminated, but I really can't justify the play of EP with 88.

In other news, I stayed up all night playing poker. After posting on this blog, I played a $30+3 MTT. Dissappointing finish, but it always is when you don't win (and I only have done that once).

Only 162 entered.

Dear BurntOrnge,

You finished the tournament in 14th place.
A $58.32 award has been credited to your Real Money account.

You earned 84.39 tournament leader points in this tournament.
For information about our tournament leader board, see our web site at
http://www.pokerstars.com/tlb_tournament_rankings.html

Angry Poker

Poker in a bad mood costs me so much money. Maybe Pet Monster's theory about how thinking affects the cards is right. When I play poker, and I'm pissed off, I might as weel just buy in and sit out. Today, I couldn't sleep because I had shit on my mind. I don't want to play poker, but I want to spend the time doing something I'm good at.
Fuck it. I'll play poker.

So far, I've played 5 SnGs and one MTT.
$20 SnG, I went nowhere, quickly gone.
$12 6-handed SnG, second place.
$5 LHE SnG, no luck.
$12 6-handed SnG out in 6th.

I still have a SnG and MTT running. Of course, my connection has timed out 4 times so far. I continue to grow more angry.

My losses are just stupid. $20 SnG, I push for 800 with AK from the SB, 2300ish stack in BB calls in a shot with Q9cc, flops two pair.
$12 SnG, I raise with AJ. The flop is JT8. I bet and get min raised. I think and push. He calls in a shot with J9, 7 on the turn, and I'm out.
Limit, well Limit Is Gay.

My connection is still timed out. I can feel the anger in my stomach. I wonder what the fuck that really is, physically.

So, now I'm sitting at my desktop, using my laptop. It can get Stars. Fuck me.
I plan on being at work at 8 in the morning, leaving at 11 and fucking crashing. We'll see how that goes. I was going to take a nap before work, but I'm too agitated.

Ok, now my laptop connection has timed out. I was able to fold one hand...

Sometimes I feel like life is God's movie and I'm the clueless poor sap chosen to play the role of the hapless dope.

Edit:
PokerStars Tournament #17852096, No Limit Hold'em
Buy-In: $3.00/$0.30
527 players
Total Prize Pool: $1581.00
Tournament started - 2006/01/11 - 04:30:00 (ET)

Dear BurntOrnge,

You finished the tournament in 66th place.
A $3.79 award has been credited to your Real Money account.

You earned 42.72 tournament leader points in this tournament.

"Now this is what we call a moral victory. It's not as good as winning, but it's pretty nice!"

Tuesday, January 10, 2006

Poker is Gay

So I decided to play a 60 FPP sat. I've never really played an MTT sat, but I've heard they're easy enough. When there are 613 entrants, and 8 paying spots, it can't be too easy though.
So I finished 12, of course.
Literally two minutes later, they broke to the final table.
There were a few interesting hands.

But first, the stats:
During current Hold'em session you were dealt 194 hands and saw flop:
- 12 out of 22 times while in big blind (54%)
- 8 out of 24 times while in small blind (33%)
- 9 out of 148 times in other positions (6%)
- a total of 29 out of 194 (14%)
Pots won at showdown - 7 of 9 (77%)
Pots won without showdown - 12

Looks good to me.

I won the second hand. It took a couple of bad calls to do it...

*********** # 2 **************
PokerStars Game #3597397266: Tournament #17571623, Hold'em No Limit - Level I (10/20) - 2006/01/10 - 21:31:08 (ET)
Table '17571623 37' Seat #3 is the button
Seat 1: bettheranch (1460 in chips)
Seat 2: BurntOrnge (1500 in chips)
Seat 3: let's play 9 (1490 in chips)
Seat 4: SkunkMom (1460 in chips)
Seat 5: BillDance (1500 in chips)
Seat 6: dh101 (1280 in chips)
Seat 7: buckskinpt (1500 in chips)
Seat 8: supreme502 (2030 in chips)
Seat 9: Wagz12 (1280 in chips)
SkunkMom: posts small blind 10
BillDance: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [5c 6h]
dh101: raises 20 to 40
buckskinpt: folds
supreme502: folds
Wagz12: folds
bettheranch: calls 40
BurntOrnge: calls 40
let's play 9: folds
SkunkMom: calls 30
BillDance: calls 20
*** FLOP *** [Qh 4s 8h]
SkunkMom: checks
BillDance: checks
dh101: checks
bettheranch: bets 20
BurntOrnge: calls 20
SkunkMom: folds
BillDance: folds
dh101: folds
*** TURN *** [Qh 4s 8h] [Th]
bettheranch: bets 60
BurntOrnge: calls 60
*** RIVER *** [Qh 4s 8h Th] [Ah]
bettheranch: checks
BurntOrnge: checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
bettheranch: shows [Qd Jd] (a pair of Queens)
BurntOrnge: shows [5c 6h] (a flush, Ace high)
BurntOrnge collected 360 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 360 | Rake 0
Board [Qh 4s 8h Th Ah]
Seat 1: bettheranch showed [Qd Jd] and lost with a pair of Queens
Seat 2: BurntOrnge showed [5c 6h] and won (360) with a flush, Ace high
Seat 3: let's play 9 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: SkunkMom (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 5: BillDance (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 6: dh101 folded on the Flop
Seat 7: buckskinpt folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: supreme502 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: Wagz12 folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Meh, I wanted to see if I could accumulate early. Then he gave me a nice price on the flop to draw for the straight that never hits. Then, I felt like a heart might be outs, so I drew again. i hit the dinky flush, and it was golden.

Here's another silly hand. I was playing goofily at this point.

*********** # 9 **************
PokerStars Game #3597486838: Tournament #17571623, Hold'em No Limit - Level I (10/20) - 2006/01/10 - 21:38:18 (ET)
Table '17571623 37' Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: AC_TILE (840 in chips)
Seat 2: BurntOrnge (1640 in chips)
Seat 3: let's play 9 (2500 in chips)
Seat 4: SkunkMom (1280 in chips)
Seat 5: BillDance (3200 in chips)
Seat 6: dh101 (2015 in chips)
Seat 7: buckskinpt (2535 in chips)
Seat 8: supreme502 (220 in chips)
Seat 9: Wagz12 (110 in chips)
let's play 9: posts small blind 10
SkunkMom: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Ks Js]
BillDance: folds
dh101: folds
buckskinpt: folds
supreme502: calls 20
Wagz12: raises 90 to 110 and is all-in
AC_TILE: folds
BurntOrnge: calls 110
let's play 9: calls 100
SkunkMom: folds
supreme502: raises 110 to 220 and is all-in
BurntOrnge: raises 1420 to 1640 and is all-in
let's play 9: folds
*** FLOP *** [6c 8h 8d]
*** TURN *** [6c 8h 8d] [Kh]
*** RIVER *** [6c 8h 8d Kh] [Td]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
supreme502: shows [Qs Ah] (a pair of Eights)
BurntOrnge: shows [Ks Js] (two pair, Kings and Eights)
BurntOrnge collected 220 from side pot
Wagz12: shows [Kc Jd] (two pair, Kings and Eights)
Wagz12 collected 230 from main pot
BurntOrnge collected 230 from main pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 680 Main pot 460. Side pot 220. | Rake 0
Board [6c 8h 8d Kh Td]
Seat 1: AC_TILE folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: BurntOrnge (button) showed [Ks Js] and won (450) with two pair, Kings and Eights
Seat 3: let's play 9 (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 4: SkunkMom (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 5: BillDance folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: dh101 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: buckskinpt folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: supreme502 showed [Qs Ah] and lost with a pair of Eights
Seat 9: Wagz12 showed [Kc Jd] and won (230) with two pair, Kings and Eights

I figured he'd likely push with crap, so it was a chance to pick up some chips. Didn't count on AQ limping. The push was well-thought out, IMO. No way he should call there, I don't think. So it gets some dead money in the pot, spices it up.

Anyway, I got lucky and netted some chips there.

And I stayed loose.

*********** # 17 **************
PokerStars Game #3597594398: Tournament #17571623, Hold'em No Limit - Level II (15/30) - 2006/01/10 - 21:46:52 (ET)
Table '17571623 37' Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: AC_TILE (2450 in chips)
Seat 2: BurntOrnge (1780 in chips)
Seat 3: let's play 9 (1680 in chips)
Seat 4: SkunkMom (840 in chips)
Seat 5: BillDance (3120 in chips)
Seat 6: dh101 (1855 in chips)
Seat 7: buckskinpt (2685 in chips)
Seat 8: Trumper (1440 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 9: Jarsonis (1470 in chips)
BurntOrnge: posts small blind 15
let's play 9: posts big blind 30
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Qs Kc]
SkunkMom: folds
BillDance: folds
dh101: folds
buckskinpt: folds
Trumper: folds
Trumper has returned
Jarsonis: calls 30
AC_TILE: calls 30
BurntOrnge: calls 15
let's play 9: raises 90 to 120
Jarsonis: calls 90
AC_TILE: calls 90
BurntOrnge: calls 90
*** FLOP *** [9c Kh 7c]
BurntOrnge: checks
let's play 9: bets 210
Jarsonis: folds
AC_TILE: calls 210
BurntOrnge: raises 1450 to 1660 and is all-in
let's play 9: folds
AC_TILE: folds
BurntOrnge collected 1110 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1110 | Rake 0
Board [9c Kh 7c]
Seat 1: AC_TILE (button) folded on the Flop
Seat 2: BurntOrnge (small blind) collected (1110)
Seat 3: let's play 9 (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 4: SkunkMom folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: BillDance folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: dh101 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: buckskinpt folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: Trumper folded before Flop (didn't bet)

I almost folded on the flop. Then said fuck it.
Plenty of worse hands would call me. But I knew I might
be smoked. It was a litle wild.

Aces are beautiful when there's action in front.
*********** # 25 **************
PokerStars Game #3597709737: Tournament #17571623, Hold'em No Limit - Level II (15/30) - 2006/01/10 - 21:56:08 (ET)
Table '17571623 37' Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: AC_TILE (5480 in chips)
Seat 2: BurntOrnge (2530 in chips)
Seat 3: marylaemmle (1410 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 4: Jsworld1 (1725 in chips)
Seat 5: BillDance (6825 in chips)
Seat 6: dh101 (1465 in chips)
Seat 7: buckskinpt (3255 in chips)
Seat 8: Trumper (1170 in chips)
Seat 9: roheeleo (1625 in chips)
BurntOrnge: posts small blind 15
marylaemmle: posts big blind 30
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Ad Ah]
Jsworld1: folds
BillDance: raises 90 to 120
dh101: raises 90 to 210
buckskinpt: calls 210
Trumper: calls 210
roheeleo: folds
AC_TILE: calls 210
BurntOrnge: raises 2320 to 2530 and is all-in
marylaemmle: folds
BillDance: folds
dh101: calls 1255 and is all-in
buckskinpt: folds
Trumper: calls 960 and is all-in
AC_TILE: folds
*** FLOP *** [8h 5d 9d]
*** TURN *** [8h 5d 9d] [4s]
*** RIVER *** [8h 5d 9d 4s] [6s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BurntOrnge: shows [Ad Ah] (a pair of Aces)
dh101: shows [Jh Kh] (high card King)
BurntOrnge collected 590 from side pot
Trumper: shows [Ac 4c] (a pair of Fours)
BurntOrnge collected 4080 from main pot
farrot22 is connected
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 4670 Main pot 4080. Side pot 590. | Rake 0
Board [8h 5d 9d 4s 6s]
Seat 1: AC_TILE (button) folded before Flop
Seat 2: BurntOrnge (small blind) showed [Ad Ah] and won (4670) with a pair of Aces
Seat 3: marylaemmle (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 4: Jsworld1 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: BillDance folded before Flop
Seat 6: dh101 showed [Jh Kh] and lost with high card King
Seat 7: buckskinpt folded before Flop
Seat 8: Trumper showed [Ac 4c] and lost with a pair of Fours

Here's a lovely, scary continuation bet at work.

*********** # 91 **************
PokerStars Game #3598751469: Tournament #17571623, Hold'em No Limit - Level VII (100/200) - 2006/01/10 - 23:18:03 (ET)
Table '17571623 67' Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: fortylove (28940 in chips)
Seat 2: yayo37 (2950 in chips)
Seat 3: rodon (6163 in chips)
Seat 4: BurntOrnge (7050 in chips)
Seat 5: Thyla (25136 in chips)
Seat 6: Pocket Rocke (8788 in chips)
Seat 7: YoungMarc (13340 in chips)
Seat 8: sinkonenow (14420 in chips)
Seat 9: zeekidd (5301 in chips)
fortylove: posts the ante 25
yayo37: posts the ante 25
rodon: posts the ante 25
BurntOrnge: posts the ante 25
Thyla: posts the ante 25
Pocket Rocke: posts the ante 25
YoungMarc: posts the ante 25
sinkonenow: posts the ante 25
zeekidd: posts the ante 25
Thyla: posts small blind 100
Pocket Rocke: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [As Kh]
YoungMarc: folds
sinkonenow: folds
zeekidd: folds
fortylove: folds
yayo37: folds
rodon: folds
BurntOrnge: raises 400 to 600
Thyla: calls 500
Pocket Rocke: calls 400
*** FLOP *** [Th Qh Tc]
Thyla: checks
Pocket Rocke: checks
BurntOrnge: bets 900
Thyla: folds
Pocket Rocke: folds
BurntOrnge collected 2025 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2025 | Rake 0
Board [Th Qh Tc]
Seat 1: fortylove folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: yayo37 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: rodon folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: BurntOrnge (button) collected (2025)
Seat 5: Thyla (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 6: Pocket Rocke (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 7: YoungMarc folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: sinkonenow folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Here's a play I like. It's the 'really, now who's going to call me?' play.
*********** # 120 **************
PokerStars Game #3599135432: Tournament #17571623, Hold'em No Limit - Level IX (300/600) - 2006/01/10 - 23:50:53 (ET)
Table '17571623 67' Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: fortylove (33815 in chips)
Seat 2: paulatinum (23158 in chips)
Seat 3: Dmal711 (22733 in chips)
Seat 4: BurntOrnge (7800 in chips)
Seat 5: Thyla (61614 in chips)
Seat 6: buff306 (16700 in chips)
Seat 7: YoungMarc (7790 in chips)
Seat 9: zeekidd (13402 in chips)
fortylove: posts the ante 50
paulatinum: posts the ante 50
Dmal711: posts the ante 50
BurntOrnge: posts the ante 50
Thyla: posts the ante 50
buff306: posts the ante 50
YoungMarc: posts the ante 50
zeekidd: posts the ante 50
Dmal711: posts small blind 300
BurntOrnge: posts big blind 600
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Th Qc]
Thyla: folds
buff306: folds
YoungMarc: calls 600
zeekidd: folds
fortylove: folds
paulatinum: calls 600
Dmal711: calls 300
BurntOrnge: raises 7150 to 7750 and is all-in
YoungMarc: folds
paulatinum: folds
Dmal711: folds
BurntOrnge collected 2800 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2800 | Rake 0
Seat 1: fortylove folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: paulatinum (button) folded before Flop
Seat 3: Dmal711 (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 4: BurntOrnge (big blind) collected (2800)
Seat 5: Thyla folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: buff306 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: YoungMarc folded before Flop

I get very lucky to survive.

*********** # 141 **************
PokerStars Game #3599323794: Tournament #17571623, Hold'em No Limit - Level X (400/800) - 2006/01/11 - 00:07:52 (ET)
Table '17571623 67' Seat #7 is the button
Seat 1: fortylove (29865 in chips)
Seat 2: yehaw1967ss (10230 in chips)
Seat 3: Dmal711 (20838 in chips)
Seat 4: BurntOrnge (7450 in chips)
Seat 5: Thyla (73864 in chips)
Seat 6: buff306 (19950 in chips)
Seat 7: YoungMarc (22886 in chips)
Seat 9: zeekidd (31754 in chips)
fortylove: posts the ante 50
yehaw1967ss: posts the ante 50
Dmal711: posts the ante 50
BurntOrnge: posts the ante 50
Thyla: posts the ante 50
buff306: posts the ante 50
YoungMarc: posts the ante 50
zeekidd: posts the ante 50
zeekidd: posts small blind 400
fortylove: posts big blind 800
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Ad Td]
yehaw1967ss: folds
Dmal711: folds
BurntOrnge: raises 6600 to 7400 and is all-in
Thyla: folds
buff306: calls 7400
YoungMarc: folds
zeekidd: folds
fortylove: folds
*** FLOP *** [Ks 7d Kd]
*** TURN *** [Ks 7d Kd] [9d]
*** RIVER *** [Ks 7d Kd 9d] [4s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BurntOrnge: shows [Ad Td] (a flush, Ace high)
buff306: shows [Kh Ac] (three of a kind, Kings)
BurntOrnge collected 16400 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 16400 | Rake 0
Board [Ks 7d Kd 9d 4s]
Seat 1: fortylove (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 2: yehaw1967ss folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: Dmal711 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: BurntOrnge showed [Ad Td] and won (16400) with a flush, Ace high
Seat 5: Thyla folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: buff306 showed [Kh Ac] and lost with three of a kind, Kings
Seat 7: YoungMarc (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)

And here was a silly hand.
*********** # 145 **************
PokerStars Game #3599359706: Tournament #17571623, Hold'em No Limit - Level X (400/800) - 2006/01/11 - 00:11:08 (ET)
Table '17571623 67' Seat #3 is the button
Seat 1: fortylove (28465 in chips)
Seat 2: yehaw1967ss (8430 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 3: Dmal711 (22238 in chips)
Seat 4: BurntOrnge (15450 in chips)
Seat 5: Thyla (73664 in chips)
Seat 6: buff306 (11550 in chips)
Seat 7: YoungMarc (25886 in chips)
Seat 9: zeekidd (31154 in chips)
fortylove: posts the ante 50
yehaw1967ss: posts the ante 50
Dmal711: posts the ante 50
BurntOrnge: posts the ante 50
Thyla: posts the ante 50
buff306: posts the ante 50
YoungMarc: posts the ante 50
zeekidd: posts the ante 50
BurntOrnge: posts small blind 400
Thyla: posts big blind 800
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Tc Jd]
buff306 said, "ty"
buff306: calls 800
YoungMarc: folds
zeekidd: folds
fortylove: folds
yehaw1967ss: folds
Dmal711: calls 800
BurntOrnge: calls 400
Thyla: checks
*** FLOP *** [8h 9h 3d]
BurntOrnge: checks
Thyla: checks
buff306: checks
Dmal711: checks
*** TURN *** [8h 9h 3d] [Qh]
BurntOrnge: bets 2400
Thyla: calls 2400
buff306: folds
Dmal711: folds
*** RIVER *** [8h 9h 3d Qh] [2c]
BurntOrnge: bets 3200
Thyla: raises 9600 to 12800
BurntOrnge said, "oops"
BurntOrnge said, "wow I am bad"
BurntOrnge: calls 9000 and is all-in
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Thyla: shows [Ts Js] (a straight, Eight to Queen)
BurntOrnge: shows [Tc Jd] (a straight, Eight to Queen)
BurntOrnge collected 16400 from pot
Thyla collected 16400 from pot
BurntOrnge said, "lol, nh"
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 32800 | Rake 0
Board [8h 9h 3d Qh 2c]
Seat 1: fortylove folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: yehaw1967ss folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: Dmal711 (button) folded on the Turn
Seat 4: BurntOrnge (small blind) showed [Tc Jd] and won (16400) with a straight, Eight to Queen
Seat 5: Thyla (big blind) showed [Ts Js] and won (16400) with a straight, Eight to Queen
Seat 6: buff306 folded on the Turn
Seat 7: YoungMarc folded before Flop (didn't bet)

He was the type to call a river bet with a worse hand. But he was also in the blind and could have a monster.
I almost folded to his river push, and was kicking myself for the river bet.

Here's some more luck.

*********** # 162 **************
PokerStars Game #3599509542: Tournament #17571623, Hold'em No Limit - Level XI (600/1200) - 2006/01/11 - 00:25:19 (ET)
Table '17571623 67' Seat #5 is the button
Seat 1: fortylove (26015 in chips)
Seat 2: shwnlw (43123 in chips)
Seat 3: Dmal711 (32713 in chips)
Seat 4: BurntOrnge (16400 in chips)
Seat 5: Thyla (72214 in chips)
Seat 6: buff306 (3500 in chips)
Seat 7: YoungMarc (22836 in chips)
Seat 8: KONightmare (52618 in chips)
Seat 9: zeekidd (32229 in chips)
fortylove: posts the ante 75
shwnlw: posts the ante 75
Dmal711: posts the ante 75
BurntOrnge: posts the ante 75
Thyla: posts the ante 75
buff306: posts the ante 75
YoungMarc: posts the ante 75
KONightmare: posts the ante 75
zeekidd: posts the ante 75
buff306: posts small blind 600
YoungMarc: posts big blind 1200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [As Ks]
KONightmare: folds
zeekidd: folds
fortylove: folds
shwnlw: raises 1200 to 2400
Dmal711: folds
BurntOrnge: raises 13925 to 16325 and is all-in
Thyla: folds
buff306: folds
YoungMarc: folds
shwnlw: calls 13925
*** FLOP *** [Js 9s Ah]
*** TURN *** [Js 9s Ah] [3c]
*** RIVER *** [Js 9s Ah 3c] [6s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
shwnlw: shows [Ac Kd] (a pair of Aces)
BurntOrnge: shows [As Ks] (a flush, Ace high)
BurntOrnge collected 35125 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 35125 | Rake 0
Board [Js 9s Ah 3c 6s]
Seat 1: fortylove folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: shwnlw showed [Ac Kd] and lost with a pair of Aces
Seat 3: Dmal711 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: BurntOrnge showed [As Ks] and won (35125) with a flush, Ace high
Seat 5: Thyla (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: buff306 (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 7: YoungMarc (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 8: KONightmare folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: zeekidd folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: zeekidd folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: zeekidd (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 9: zeekidd folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: zeekidd folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: roheeleo folded before Flop (didn't bet)

And I lose. This guy played his hand incredibly well.
(not really, moron)

*********** # 195 **************
PokerStars Game #3599842314: Tournament #17571623, Hold'em No Limit - Level XIII (1500/3000) - 2006/01/11 - 01:00:02 (ET)
Table '17571623 66' Seat #6 is the button
Seat 1: fortylove (77160 in chips)
Seat 3: jbreets (50836 in chips)
Seat 4: appletini4me (49756 in chips)
Seat 6: Dmal711 (37711 in chips)
Seat 8: Thyla (200339 in chips)
Seat 9: BurntOrnge (32150 in chips)
fortylove: posts the ante 150
jbreets: posts the ante 150
appletini4me: posts the ante 150
Dmal711: posts the ante 150
Thyla: posts the ante 150
BurntOrnge: posts the ante 150
Thyla: posts small blind 1500
BurntOrnge: posts big blind 3000
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [As Kh]
fortylove: folds
jbreets: folds
appletini4me: calls 3000
Dmal711: folds
Thyla: calls 1500
BurntOrnge: raises 29000 to 32000 and is all-in
appletini4me: calls 29000
Thyla: folds
*** FLOP *** [4d 7s 4c]
*** TURN *** [4d 7s 4c] [7c]
*** RIVER *** [4d 7s 4c 7c] [2h]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BurntOrnge: shows [As Kh] (two pair, Sevens and Fours)
appletini4me: shows [8c 8d] (two pair, Eights and Sevens)
appletini4me collected 67900 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 67900 | Rake 0
Board [4d 7s 4c 7c 2h]
Seat 1: fortylove folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: jbreets folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: appletini4me showed [8c 8d] and won (67900) with two pair, Eights and Sevens
Seat 6: Dmal711 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: Thyla (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 9: BurntOrnge (big blind) showed [As Kh] and lost with two pair, Sevens and Fours

Stunning Realization

The title has nothing to do with this post. It's an inside joke, and only I get it.
ha

First things first. I failed to accomplish my goal. I wasn't particularly close, as a matter of fact. The goal was $800 in December. I made and cashed out $540 after setting the goal.
Now, if I was a generous, I could tell myself that I came alot closer to accomplishing the goal than that. I came up with the goal mid-way through December. I had cashed out $80 on December 5th that doesn't get counted. Additionally, I won like $280 in a live tournament in December. That $360 would put me at $900 total, exceeding the goal. Alas, I failed. That money didn't count.
That said, $900 extra dollars in a month because of poker really kicks ass.

I need to get back to bank roll management basics though. I'd been on something of a roadtrip and only had access to PokerStars. Plus, my playing time came in small snippets. That means, HU matches.
I did pretty well playing drunk HU. 4-0 in $50 matches, not so hot in $20 matches, but my bankroll is sitting fine and I netted a profit.

Apparently, I accidentally cashed out $230 from Noble via check... That sucks.

I've put 1500+ miles on my truck since Christmas. Driving to and from Louisiana will do that.