Archive for June, 2009

For some reason, people in Vegas talk to strangers on the elevator, which is a total 180 from common elevator behavior anywhere else in the world. I think it has something to do with the general mood of the place combined with how crowded the elevators often are.

Usually it’s just some lame joke about the crowds or something, but today, while I was waiting for the elevator at the luxurious Imperial Palace when a skinny man who looked to be in his early fifties walked over and pressed the button as well. “Mmm mmm mmm,” he groaned, shaking his head at me in frustration.

There are about a million reasons why someone might be feeling that way in Vegas, so I just pursed my lips and snorted sympathetically.

“This my last trip with that woman,” he told me. “We get home, I’m gettin’ a divorce.”

“Sorry to hear that.”

“Mmm hmmm. She outta her goddamn mind. I mean she seriously crazy.”

“Vegas can bring out the worst in people.”

“Naw, man, this been goin’ on. 53 years old and she a muthafuckin’ streetwalkin’ whore.”

I sighed along with him as we boarded the elevator, then asked which floor he was going to. He told me, and I pressed the buttons for both of us.  Read the complete post...

3875 coming into the break. Were playing 200 400 when we resume.

Level 3 I got into some good spots vs the fish (there are 2 now). Once had three to a low flush that turned into a 7 low and lost to a better low from fish who limped 9(62). Also mde 3456 on 4th in a multiway pot and busted everything.

Didn’t play a single hand for first 55 minutes of level 4, which wasn’t the end of the world since the ante was tiny and I didn’t get many bringins. Then last 2 hands I chopped a small pot with a flush out of my bringin and scooped a smallish pot with 34567.
via BlackBerry

Up from 4500 at the start. Table isn’t particularly soft. There’s one very loose player on my right but otherwise everyone seems solid. I’ve had some strong hands, including rolled up 7s that only got half of a small pot and a buried pair that made trips to chop a large 4way pot.

It’s a lot of fun playing live s8 but also tough keeping track of everything, way harder than online.
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Edit: As I was drifting off to sleep last night, it occurred to me that I should have titled this post “Loosey Luske”. In my defense, it was 3AM and I’d been playing Stud/8 for 8 hours, so my creative juices were a bit stymied.

Early in level 7, the Flying Dutchman joins our table, upside-down sunglasses and all. Almost immediately, he takes half my stack.

Action folds to me in middle position. I’ve got 8(72), hardly a premium hand, but there’s nothing but junk behind me: two Queens, Marcel with a Jack, and an 8 on the bring-in. I raise, Marcel calls with the J, everyone else folds.

On 4th, I catch an A, Marcel catches a 4. I bet, he calls. Odds are good he’s got a pair of Jacks (though maybe I should expect him to 3-bet that more often than call?), but I’ve got outs to both halves of the pot plus the A is a scare card.

On 5th, I brick, and Marcel catches a 3. I bet, he calls.

On 6th, I pair my 8, he catches 2. I bet, he raises. That was unexpected. I think for a while and can’t figure what he has. A5 suited with the Jack seems most likely, or maybe rolled-up Jacks that he’s been slowplaying. Somewhat less likely are 65 suited with the J or a smaller pair in the hole that’s since made trips. I seriously consider folding but decide to call.  Read the complete post...

Legendary 2+2 poker author David Sklansky was recently the victim of a home invasion robbery committed by what appeared to be several armed individuals. According to the local NBC affiliate,

“‘The guy burst into the bedroom, it was dark but I did see what appeared to be a gun,’” home invasion victim David Sklansky recalls.

Sklansky was asleep in his bedroom when two men broke into his home near Wigwam and Bermuda shortly after 3 am Thursday morning.”

Thankfully, no one was hurt. Sklansky’s cool-headed (some might say robotic) personality surely helped in that regard:

“‘During the time he was there, my main focus was to make sure that he didn’t think that I was panicking or that I would do something silly,’” Sklansky explains. “‘The advice is the same as in a poker game; you try and figure out what the other guy is thinking and then act accordingly. I can imagine if he was doing this same robbery with someone who didn’t’ behave the way I did it could have turned out terribly.’”

I think it’s particularly funny that the article doesn’t in any way explain Sklansky’s involvement with poker, so I’m sure that quote comes across as bizarre to those who don’t know who he is.  Read the complete post...

So apparently Vegas isn’t quite as dead as I thought and waiting until the day before my arrival to make hotel arrangements was not wise. The Rio is booked solid until Tuesday, so I’m spending my first three nights at the good old Imperial Palace. I stayed there last year, and honestly, I expected worse. Hopefully I didn’t just get an abnormally non-crappy room.

Quick little Twitter update/clarification (sorry I am just learning how to use this): you don’t actually have to have a Twitter account to get updates. Just go to http://twitter.com/thinkingpoker and you can you see my most recent Tweets.

I’ll be using that for occasional chip count updates and reports on important hands, but I’ll still try to post more substantive stuff on the blog as time permits. It shouldn’t be a problem through the first few days of the main event, but should I make it to Day 3, I’ll have a lot less free time from then on out.

Wish me luck!

I’ve recently received a few requests for old articles of mine that appeared in the 2+2 Magazine. First off, let me apologize that my archive is so out of date. The revamping of the website has proved far more complicated than anticipated, but it is nearly finished now. When it launches, it will contain an up-to-date archive of all my strategy articles and book reviews. Until then, you’re free to e-mail requests for specific articles to me at foucault82(at)yahoo(dot)com. As long as the volume doesn’t get overwhelming, I’m generally able to reply very quickly, though there may be some delay while I’m in Las Vegas the next few weeks. Thanks to everyone who’s interested in reading these, it’s very flattering!

Yesterday’s New York Times ran an article about how poker players are using Twitter. I can’t say it’s particularly thorough and insightful, in fact it seems to be based almost entirely on an interview with Joe Sebok of Poker Road, it’s neat to see our little world getting some mainstream attention.

As reporter Marshall Kirkpatrick notes, “Big name players are Tweeting but small timers at the big show are too. Traditional poker reporting didn’t shed much light on the experiences of amateurs, but Sebok says those players on the margins can now tell their families and friends to check Twitter for play by play accounts of their experiences in Vegas.”

As it happens, I myself will be Tweeting from the WSOP on @thinkingpoker. So follow along!