Vegas Trip + Life + Finances + Madden 09 = Long Post

First of all, I would like to give a shout out to my boys O, Pat, J B, T Rob, and Spur for actually reading my blog. Apparently they had sent a little e-mail with my site address on there and then proceeded to try to clown me. It was pretty funny to me but I know they wish me a lot of success.

Las Vegas was a real good time and I hope to go back before the end of the year. Its a totally different experience that I will never forget. The whole trip I accomplished what I wanted to in the terms of drinking and playing poker. However, while I was accomplishing this I realized that I could never ever EVER live in Las Vegas. The whole trip I though I was under a rock because I was trying to grind out the cash games. It was real funny but kind of sad because of the way I was hearing news. Before I left, I got a call and found out that Bernie Mac died which is kind of messed up. The next day I was playing poker and someone was saying that Isaac Hayes had died I was like no way WTF. As a black man I think I would know things but Las Vegas had jacked me up so much that I didn't know what was going on outside of the casino.

I didn't run the greatest out in Las Vegas but it was always good to see where my game is at. I really see that cash games are so much of a different beast than tournaments and had to pay for that kind of bad a couple of times. There were probably three bad calls I feel I made over the trip playing which is fine by me seeing as I think I played around 24 hrs over the whole trip. I think the estimate was right because you get like $1/hr on the players card and had enough to get two $7 sandwiches comped then had like $10 left. One of these times is when I had QQ and the pot was raised by someone I re-raised and the guy called to put himself all in. The funny thing about it is how long the guy took to call and he showed KK. I was like how are you ever folding in that spot. At the same time I feel that since he was an unknown that I was never folding this hand. Another time I ended going broke again QQ but it was later on in the evening where the games were a lot better. UTG I raise it up to $10 w/QQ, guess I should of made it a lot more and got 7 yes 7 callers. The flop came up with A high with two diamonds. I ended up checking and then it gets to this Dubai'n cat that bet like 75% of the pot. Everyone folded and it gets back to me and I try to get a live tell. Initially I was going to fold but the way the guy really couldn't look me in the eye I really though I had the best had. I reshipped on him and he shows AT. I was kind of mad the way I played that hand and he said that if I would have open shoved or made the shove quicker he would have folded. Later on, I was talking to him and he said he knew I was a good player and that a I would never check and A with two diamonds on the board in that position. I was like wow that is a good point. After that hand I ended up getting lucky against a Swedish guy who opened up $6 UTG everyone folded I call with ATo. The flop came out T59 rainbow. He leads out I call. The turn is an A giving me two pair he leads out again and I insta ship on him. Thank goodness the T fell on the river because he said that he got a set on the flop so I got lucky there. My last hand I got extremely lucky is when I flopped bottom set and did not go broke. I ended up limping w/ 66 and other people limped to make it a 4 way pot. The flop comes out K69 with two clubs on there. I lead out a little under the pot the guy calls. The turn is a black so I lead out again and this time the guy raises me and I was like this is a great situation but then something clicked with me I was like something doesn't feel right for some reason. The river comes a Jh and I check to him partially because I was a little confused I felt like something was up. The guy bets and I just call it down not re raising me. He shows 99 and he proceeds to compliment me on how I don't go busto in that situation. Needless to say I got lucky I didn't stack off right there but something in me told me to hold on. I know I really need to work on my poker stories and telling them with all the action but its kind of funny with me. I got so in the heat of the moment that it gets hard for me to remember specifics. I mean sure I remember specifics during the session but often times than not I forget about hands after the session. Early on that morning though I was playing with an absolute clown. This guy was always making remarks because I was wearing some plaid shorts. He kept saying "Plaid is in?" and I guess it was an inside joke he said with his buddies which was ok. I let it go on for a little bit but then my blackness kicked in and I couldn't take it anymore. I proceeded to roast him for like 5 minutes. I called the guy Mr. Oppie, was cracking on his Yankees camo hat when I told him to take his GI Joe hat off, and then some other guy joined in and was saying "Camo is in?" I then proceeded to let him know that camo has not been in since those No Limit Master P videos. It was a funny time and even funnier when I flopped a set of Kings and stacked his garbage playing self.

Tournament wise I only played the Planet Hollywood one once. It was an $80 buy in and you could rebuy for the first hour if you got busted. The tournament structure was good but the field was very small. Around like 20 people and it was my fault because I was going to play the night before but I got too drunk and passed out more on that later. Basically I was just cruising until the blinds hit the 200/400 level. It was right after break and I was still getting my massage at $2 minute and she threw in 5 minutes for free. Basically it was like $20 fur 15 minutes which didn't seem too bad to me. Anyways, the guy in late position ended up limping and I had around 13bb w/99 obviously I ship he calls with AQ I lose the flip gg me. I guess the massage helped me not take the beat that bad but obv I knew I just lost a flip. I wish I could have played more tournies but all in all it was fun when I played that one.

Now on to some life realizations and about my finances. I felt like I did a terrible job of managing my bank roll in Las Vegas. I initially pulled out money that I was going to spend the whole time I was in Vegas. Well that definitely didn't go according to plan the night were I said I got drunk and passed out. I was pretty pissed and ended up pulling out $200 from the ATM because I was kind of pissed but still wanted to play. First of all I don't like playing when I am drunk and I was drinking all day. Secondly I was mad at myself for taking the $200 out because I am usually good with my finances and level headed but on this occasion I let Las Vegas get to my head. I mean by no means am I broke and can't got w/o eating but it was just very undisciplined. The whole trip I really didn't see my friends that much unless we were eating or drinking up in the room. This is because they love to play the pit games and I am not that big of a fan of them @ all. I felt like my trip in poker I was either break even or up a little which I can complain about. But, I can complain about blowing away my money on those other stupid games. Playing craps or Blackjack is such a leak imo and I won't be playing these games that much ever again. I definitely realized how much I hated these games when I proceeded to lose $160 in Blackjack in the wee hours of Tuesday morning like @ 3am. I was thinking to myself how much I hated the game and was watching the house just rape me and take my money. This is when I realized that I hate all gambling besides poker and an occasional sports bet. Then I started to think about why people have the negative perception of gamblers and it was me at that moment of time. I can only imagine how people who have problems and don't know how to stop just sit there and blow there lives away at the BJ table or rolling craps. But hey, this is how life is. After I ended up losing the money I ended up eating the cheapo steak dinner at like 4am in the morning at Excalibur. It was a good chance to talk to my buddy JP and catch up with him. Even though he was drinking the whole day and I was kind of faded too it was a good conversation. I was just trying to get some perspective on how other people save their money and from what he was telling me he has done a great job. So, I have vowed to make a change in my life and handle my finances more. I need to be saving a lot more than what I am right now but thats alright. Especially to avoid situations like this weekend. I should be separating my savings from my spending instead of the current way I am doing it. Right now I have a savings account that takes out money every week but I should be saving more. I always thought I was real good about must managing my money in my checking account but I am going to have to switch up my style to make sure that I see in my bank account that there is a reason that I am waking up M-F going to this cubicle and working for a reason.

When I got back to Seattle, the first thing I did was call my boy O up and he was talking about the new Madden 09 on the Xbox 360 and I just had to go grab it. It might of been another financially dumb move but hey it was well worth it. I really like the way the game plays, looks, just everything about the game. I proceeded to play him online to rack up my first win on him which was pretty cool. I grabbed one of the interns and we played some more games and I ended up winning some more games. My record so far in total competition 5-3 so not a bad start. Even though I have the new Madden, I need to focus on accomplishing my poker goals and making sure that I put my volume in online instead of playing a game that doesn't pay. I mean Madden is fun and all but I often times fall off my goals when a new video game comes out.

Well, I hope everyone enjoyed the super long post. I had a lot to write about and don't know how long it has taken but I think that I have said everything I have wanted to. I may have been too lazy to include some more stories but by that time this post would be WAAAAAAY to long seeing as this one is too long. I hope to get back playing online and being profitable. When I get bored I will be mixing in some $0.05/$0.10 FR NLHE to keep my game on point. To all my buddies having problems with life, poker, and ladies let that stuff go. You only live once so you guys need to start making yourself happy. Of course its easy for me to say these things because I am not going through anything but always remember MOB (Money Over Bitches) :-D!