Merry Christmas and Happy New Year ...

Wow this year has really passed quickly. When I was young, I can remember old folks saying the same thing and it just didn't seem that way. But now that I'm one of those old folks I have a different perspective.





I would like to take this time to wish you and yours a MERRY CHRISTMAS !!!! And yes In this time when many of our major retailers are going with slogans such as "Holiday Sale" and "Winter Sale", I am one of the ones who still leaves CHRIST in Christmas. So there's my public announcment for today.





I haven't had much time to play recently but I played a NLH multi today with 143 players and got 3rd for a decent payout. I lost when my A 6 met up with A 10.

I hope everyone is having good luck on the virtual felt.

It this a dream or am I really in a high stakes golf match with Phil Ivey, Eric Lindgren and Howard Lederer at the Capitol Golf Club in beautiful Australia? It is hard to believe that what started as a small group of poker playing bloggers has brought me to this point.

As I waiting to tee off on the ninth hole, my mind drifted back to the Full Tilt Battle of the Bloggers Tournament of Champions. The tournament was only for people with poker blogs with the winner receiving an unbelievable Aussie Millions tournament package from Full Tilt.

Flash back to the TOC ...

Being a TOC, it was a star-studded field. I played my normal tight game and managed to limp to the final table. The final table was as talented as any that I have ever played with. It consisted of.

Seat 1 – Surflexus (One of my best friends from high school)
Seat 2 – Highonpoker
Seat 3 – Gcox25
Seat 4 – TripJax
Seat 5 – Katitude
Seat 6 – Hoyazo
Seat 7 – This was where I was seated
Seat 8 – Mookie
Seat 9 – AlCantHang

I was short stacked when the final table began but managed to triple up very quickly when I caught pocket Jacks and they held up, that win gave me a little breathing room. I have played with these guys (and girl) on many occasions so I was very surprised at the tight play; this tournament just had a different feel. As time went on one by one, players began to fall. There were a few rough beats, but for the most part it was just solid play. I won’t bore you with hand recaps but there was one hand that changed the course of the tournament that I will share. We were down to three players, Myself, Surflexus and Mookie. I was the short stack. I was dealt A 8 in the Big Blind; Mookie was first to act and made a considerable raise, Surf folded. With the blinds being so large, I decided to push all in. Mookie instantly called and turns over pocket 10s. I’m thinking, there goes my shot at Australia. The flop comes Q, J, 9, the turn is an 8 giving Mookie the nutt straight. I almost passed out when one of the two remaining 10s fell on the river to counterfeit his straight and give me a split.

I rightfully should have been out of the tournament but after that hand, I couldn't lose. In the next 10 hands I caught pocket Aces twice and pocket Kings once, winning huge pots each time. It came down to me and my great friend Surflexus, but the cards went cold for him at the wrong time and I won! Australia HERE I COME !!!!

The flight to Australia was prefect. When I arrived at the Crown Casino and Resort, I was taken back at the beauty of this facility. To say it was first class is an understatement.

While I looked forward to playing in the Aussie Million, I couldn't wait to play in the $200 buy in bounty tournament sponsored by Full Tilt on first night. It was only for the people who won trips and the Full Tilt pros. My first table I was seated with Phil Ivey. I tried to act cool but I am sure that my nerves were showing. At one point Phil asked if I played golf, he must have noticed that I used a golf tee as a card protector for good luck. I told him that I was an 8 handicap and that I played regularly. He told me that they had an opening in their foursome the following morning if I would like to join. Are you kidding me ???? Of course I would like to join.

Back to the ninth hole, Phil and I are up a considerable amount on Howard and Erick. I stripe another drive down the middle and all I can think is, does it get any better than this? Sure it can, I still have the Aussie Millions to play for!

Decent Night of Poker ...

I made a decent run in two tournaments simultaneously on Full Tilt last night. I played in the 24k guaranteed with 1080 players and made the final table. I feel that I played well but a few key hands prevented me from winning it. One key had was with about 25 players remaining I was dealt pocket 10s. Blinds were 5,ooo/10,000 so with 80k in chips I had to be prepared to go all in with any good hand so I pushed with my 10s. The BB thinks for a minute and calls. To my surprise he held A 8 unsuited. The flop comes J Q 9, an 8 hits on the turn to give me a straight. At this point he can not win the hand so I'm prepared to rake in 170,000 pot which would put me in the top 5 in chips. BUT !!!!!!!!!!! One of the two remaining 10s hits on the river to counterfeit my straight for a split, GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR !!!

Thanks to my friend, Surflexus for railing me.

While I was playing in the 24k, I decided to get in the Mookie. I finished 12th in it. Thanks again to Mookie for hosting.

I'm Still Alive ...

I hope everyone is doing well.

With the new laws making it nearly impossible to make a deposit and my Full Tilt balance holding at .04 (yes that is 4 cents) I haven't played much poker lately. With that said, I have the itch to play again so I tried something that I rarely do, I played an FTP tournament. I am not big on free rolls, why you ask, I don't like playing a $100 free roll with 2549 other donkeys only to play for 6 hours to win $8.77. I just can't make myself do it. That brings me to the FTP tournaments. I really hadn't looked into these much thinking that they were basically like free rolls. My opinion has changed after I qualified for the 1 Million Guaranteed tonight using FTPs.

I started by playing in a 54 player sng (cost 50 FTP), this was by far the most difficult because only the winner advances to the next satellite and guess who won .... MEEEEEE.

The next step was an 1884 player tournament with 108 advancing. I was able to hold on and advance.

So hopefully I can make those 50 FTPs payoff tonight. I will update later.

*** edit ***

I made it to the third hour and was middle of the pack in chips when I got knocked out. I made a good read on the hand that I lost with but lost anyway. I had J,K in the BB, their was 4 callers in the hand. The flop comes K, 7, 10 with 2 spades. The player on my right makes a size a small bet, I make a large raise to get any flush draws out, everyone folds except for the original better. My raise basically makes him pot commit ed him if he calls so we wound up being all in. He turns over his cards and ..... you guessed it a flush draw and not even the nut flush draw (he had 5, J of spades). You usually expect this type call in the first hour of a tournament but not in the third hour. The turn is a blank, he rivers the flush and my chances are over.

Personally, I don't like to put my tournament life at risk with a marginal draw. But if anyone still reads this here blog, give me your opinion, if you have that same draw do you call? Keep in mind that we both had 6k in chips (avg chip stack was around 5k)

Tagged ...

It has been a while (Jan), since my last post. I am dusting off my keyboard because my boy, 23skidoo, tagged me. Before I get into the "7 Things About Me", let me give you an update on whats happening.

I have spent a lot of time with my granddaughter, she is now 17 months old.

Since my son has gotten married and moved out, I moved my office downstairs and moved the guest bedroom upstairs.

I have played a ton of golf and very little poker.

I have shared a few things on here about my love for my father. He lives in Dalton Ga, (about 2 hours from me) and has never seen my home. I am picking him up next Tuesday and he is going to spend a few days with Susan and I and I am taking him to the Braves game on Tuesday. He hasn't been to a game in over 20 years so we should have a great time.

I am very fortunate to have a great connection for Braves tickets. My wife is a para-legal and the attorney's that she works for have season tickets. The seats are unbelievable, they are front row, right behind the Braves on-deck circle.

So ........ 7 things about me ...... hmmmmmmmm

1) I am a Christian. I was saved 15 years ago.

2) As many of you know, I play golf. I have an 8.9 handicap index. I have had a double eagle (scored a 2 on a par 5), but I have never had a hole in one.

3) I was a District Manager for a major retail store chain until I decided to move on Jan 15, 2006. Now I just manage myself and I am loving it!

4) I love to travel. My wife and I have been to many beautiful places, but one of our favorites is only 5 hours away. We love the beach in Panama City Fl.

5) My friends and family have always said that I am a lucky person. A couple of recent examples are : 1) My mom loves to play bingo. Her husband recently passed away and to get her out of the house, I took her to play. Keep in mind that I hadn't played bingo in years. Guess who won the $800 jackpot, yes MEEEEEEEE! If you want to know how to make 300 older women angry, just yell BINGO. Another example, I don't play the lottery very often but last week I bought a ticket and won $500.

6) I don't believe in luck. I think you make your own "luck". I do believe in the power of positive thinking. I have always looked at the glass as being half full. I believe if you think that bad is going to happen, bad will happen. If you hear someone say, "I never win a race", they will never win a race :)

7) I go back on the road in June so I will be playing more poker.

I am not sure who to tag, so if anyone still reads this here blog, consider yourself tagged.

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!

I hope that each of you had a prosperous 2006. I managed to accomplish many of my goals. I had a very solid year in online poker. I didn't have any huge wins but did win $1,000+ three times. I finished the year more than 6k in the black. With the money that I won in December, I bought a flat screen TV and mounted it in our bed room.

On a personal note, the wife and I closed the year out in a cultural way. On Dec. 30th we went to see the Nutcracker at the Fox Theater. On New Years eve, we went to Atlantic Station to see the Cirque du Soleil. All I can say about that show is WOW. If you have never seen it, you need to make plans to attend.

As many of you know, over the last six months I decreased my online play time. This is due in part to the way that I am built. When I get into something, I tend to go through a period where that "something" rules my life to the point that I burn out on it after a while. I am to that point with online poker.

There are also a number of other factors. First my granddaughter just had her first birthday. If any of you have grandchildren I am sure that you can relate, she has me totally wrapped and I can't see setting in front of a computer for hours on end when I can spend time with her.
Second, I have came to the realization that while I have profited nicely playing online poker, I am not going to win life changing money online. So from a poker standpoint, I see myself playing more live tournaments in 2007 but limited online play.

I have lost my blogging mojo ...

If anyone finds it, please let me know! I have just not had the desire to sit and write like I used to. I could give you a million excuses, like I have no time etc. But the truth be known, I'm in a writing funk.

I missed the weekly fantasy football update. (I promise to have a new one out after this weeks game). I have also lost touch with the blogger tournaments.

I hope everyone is doing good on the virtual felt, atleast in those rooms that will still have us.

I have had quite a run over the last few days with 2 final tables in multi events as well as a 12th place in another. Below are the details.

** PokerStars #34146659, No Limit Hold'em Buy-In: $10.00/$1.00 648 players
Dear mowenumdown, You finished the tournament in 12th place. A $106.92 award has been credited to your Real Money account.

** PokerStars #34146710, Pot Limit Omaha Buy-In: $10.00/$1.00 219 players
Dear mowenumdown, You finished the tournament in 4th place. A $175.20 award has been credited to your Real Money account.

** PokerStars #34146725, Limit Razz Buy-In: $30.00/$3.00 64 players
Dear mowenumdown, You finished the tournament in 3rd place. A $355.15 award has been credited to your Real Money account.

Other than helping my poor bank roll, I was happy to do so well in 3 consecutive events. And another cool thing is each tournament was a different format. I have fallen in love with Razz!