SCOTT NEUMAN - TOURNAMENT POKER AT KICK YOUR ACE .COM - SCOTT NEUMAN World Series Of Poker ranked player - World Poker Tour - TOURNAMENT POKER PLAYER Card Player - Poker Player - Bluff - magazine

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6/14/09 7th out of 1640 Poker Stars 11K Turbo NL Texas Holdem - Nice to finally final table a decent size event. Just played this fairly tight and aggressive and made it down the final table. I then went down the the final 80 in the nightly 75K Stars event. So two ok cashes.

6/7/09 7th out of 44 I played the Battle of the Bloggers Tournament of Champions. Winners (top 2) get a free entry into the 2009 World Series of Poker Main Event. I won a blogger event called "The Mookie" and in addition to winning the tournament, I also won a free entry into the RiverChasers.com Tournament of Champions that was played online at Full Tilt Poker. I was top two for most of the event and you needed to be top 2 to win. Well, I made the final table but went out on a coin flip with K/Q suited with two in front of me and got called with 55. I hit my K, they hit their 5 on the flop and I'm out. A friend of mine went out in 4th. We both played well but just couldn't hit it. I'm also trying to satellite into the ME this year by playing step tournaments on Poker Stars and I'll also play the satellites on Full Tilt Poker and Poker Stars. I'll be heading down to the Borgata this month also to play in a few events. I want to wish Alexa, my daughter the best. She had her dance recital today also this years performance by my daughter and everyone at Avenue to Broadway in Lakehurst was just excellent. Last year, it was fun but a little long. This year, it seemed shorter but I was surprised at the level of expertise the dancers and actors were showing on stage. You could tell everyone in all the classes were just practicing and practicing for this day. The entire thing went very well.

5/22/09 - Chelsea my golden retriever had to be put down this week. Kidneys were failing and the doctor said it was time. She was a rescued dog and was a good friend and companion for the family for the last 10 years. I still reach down to fill her water bowl.

5/18/09 - Other then coming within 10 places of cashing in the Full Tilt Pokers FTOPS events, May has been a little weak to say the least. I'm working on running the Steps to the World Series of Poker on Poker Stars, I'm playing in a series of Turbos and I'm playing Double Shoot Outs to the Sunday Millions for backers via Chipmeup.com. Family life has my daughter doing well in school and my son moving on to kindergarden. I'm very proud of both of them. My son is in love with my computer playing Shockwave games at a level that makes his old man proud and my daughter is now very fluid with the laptop running all the PBS games. The biggest issue I have is which one gets to use the Laptop. My mother is still painting and doing well and the same can be said for my father. Both are getting up in years and I'm glad they are both healthy into their 80s. They get to see the kids a lot which is great for the kids and for Grandma and Grandpa. My sister just got a job at Walmart running their optical lab and her husband Brian has started a route pizza service selling frozen pizzas to businesses. If you've had the pizzas the kids sell from the schools that taste great, it's almost the same deal. The Brians company gives you the ovens and you just buy the pizzas. If you own a business in NJ, contact me and I'll hook you up. Again, it beats making your own pies and I've had them and they taste great. Brian has the entire state of NJ under contract.

My brother Alex and his wife Mahea are doing well also. Alex is still at the Credit Union and Mahea is studying to be a RN.
Deb hurt her back this week so I'm trying to help as much as possible around the house. I've also started a new division of my company selling remanufactured toners to our printer service company customers. After seeing what OEM toners cost vs remanufactured with the same warranties (it doesn't void your manufacturers warranty by the way), it was a no brainer to offer them to my customers plus I can ship to anyone in the country, not just NJ. I'll be rolling out the national website shortly at Corporatelaser.com if anyone wants to take a look. If you want to redo the site for me for designers credit, let me know.

The Borgata Summer Open and the World Series of Poker events will be here shortly. I'm available to be backed for any of them. Just call me at 848-333-8899 to make arrangements so I can schedule time. Best wishes. Scott. April 2009

4/25/09 - 21 out of 3555 Poker Stars $40,000 guaranteed NL Holdem. Very Very deep finish. A/Q loses to a flip of 66 and then KJ all in hits a/10 and 66 and 66 holds.

4/12/09 - 178 out of 3626 Full Tilt Poker's 750K Guaranteed NL Holdem. - Another deep finish in a high stakes game. First gets around $125,000 dollars. This is a great event to back me for in the future.

3/25/09 - 1st out of 95 Full Tilt Poker's TheMookie/Riverchasers event. The game lasted 4 hours. Since I also work for Poker Players International, I've been playing the Riverchasers events to try and satellite into a Main event ticket. PPI sponsors one of the days. Most of the players seemed to be bloggers but I've seen Joey Brooks play these $10/$24 dollar events. Dr Pauly was playing tonight who is an extremely good blogger and player in his own right. In fact, most of the players there tonight would probably rate in the 7+ scale, so no easy pickings. I did get a nice run of cards though, plus some nice suck outs and my bluffs were working a lot. I was raising the blinds almost every orbit and then using continuation bets to take them down completely. I was getting little or no resistance. Early in the event, I was chip leader, then went all the way backwards to last with 20 players left and then rocketed back up. I've cashed or FT'ed these event twice so far out of 4 tries so winning one just is the icing on the cake. In addition to some cash, I also get a free roll for the main event ticket on FTP at the end of April. This event shouldn't have a lot of players so it will be interesting to see if I can be patient and take it down. This was also the night where I allowed 4 viewers or backers from Chipmeup.com to watch my game at the final table. We were using a software program called Yugma.com that allows you to share workspace on your computer or just allow people to view your desktop for presentations. I like the software and it's been getting better and better over the last two years. So, four of the stakers in my normal events got to watch me play this event. The reaction was very positive and I'll hope to use it again in the future for some select backers.

3/24/09 - 116 out of 2000 Poker Stars 70K Rebuy Guaranteed NL Texas Holdem Tournament. I was running well till my AQ ran into a raised Ak. I was probably a little two LAG on that hand but it had been working all night for me. No reason to change it plus I was 40% of average and 11 M's so I'm shoving.

3/15/09 - 135 out of 5100 Poker Stars 40K Guaranteed NL Texas Holdem Tournament. I'm just having a nice month of cashes. Nothing huge but I'm moving forward in my game and getting better and it's starting to show in my results.

3/15/09 - 450 out of 8001 Poker Stars $1.5 Million dollar guaranteed NL Texas Holdem tournament

3/13/09 = 58th out of 2088 Poker Stars $80K guaranteed NL Texas Holdem $11.00 Rebuy

3/8/09 - 1151 out of 8118 The Poker Stars Sunday Millions. The event guarantees the winner about 200K out of a total of $1.6 million dollars in prizes. I never got hands and was running around 4K in chips to 6k in chips for most of the game. I finally get QQ and watch a raise and reraise and I'm think, Stars is up to it's old tricks and I toss it. The very next hand, I'm two from the button and I get QQ again and I double on a shove. I steal the blinds and antes with a 22 3 from the button and then I get QQ again. With 18K in chips, I'm still not at chip average at 40K so I'm like, raise to 5 times the blind, set a trap and if someone shoves or calls, you still have outs or probably the best hand. I get what I want with a a/6 suited shove for 9K. I call of course, and watch a "A" hit the flop. Freak.... That was about the last good hand I had. Next orbit, I raise the blinds and have one person shoves after me and I toss it. I'm 150 from cashing for the backers from chipmeup.com. I count my remaining chips and I slow down a little and have some of the guys at my table play a few hands, I'll either bubble or just make it into the money. It will be ultra close either way. I catch some luck. I move twice during the game and land in the small blind or close each time missing blinds and antes. Then the guys at my table start slowing down during their play. I'm down to 283 chips and my next hand, I'll be out. My table slows down on more time at the bubble and watch player after player go out on the bubble. I cash 19 below the bubble. I win $3.25 for each share holder for a 50% increase in their outlay. Nothing to scream about but it does give the shareholders another shot at the Million next Sunday and a free roll for a $30K or $40K game if they want it. Most said, let it roll. The story continues.

3/2/09 - 8th out of 82 - Another final table finish and I only put this down because of the caliber of players. This was the Poker Players International / RiverChasers Tournament NL Texas Holdem. It's a weekly event and you've got some top game players here only playing because of PPI.

2/1/09 - 527 out of 26364 Poker Stars 200K Guaranteed. Tonight it went to $263K. Had a great game and my AA's ran into J's and lost on a set. Happens. That one pretty much killed me off. I cashed but nothing huge. Maybe next week.

I never got to show you guys this but I hope you enjoy it. It's from my trip to Vegas for the Main Event. I was gifted with a great seat and had the pleasure of watching a work of art in poker

1/25/08 - 480 out of 1017 - Borgata Winter Poker Open Event 14 - Busted out. I played for a total of 17 hours. Had some nice hands early and ran it up to 80K, then lost a decent hand with a/q against k/q when the other player chased a cut shot straight on a mixed board to a turned flush possiblity and then hit the flush. He bet out 20K into a 20K pot and I'm looking at him going, you didn't hit your flush, did you??? You back doored a flush? He just smiles at me and tells me to lay my hand down. Ok, I'm going to lay it down only because we've been talking for 11 hours now at the same table but show me??? He says yes, I lay it down and turns over the flush.

Lost another few small pots and back down to 34K on the first day. Now, 34K in a deep stack with the blinds 600/1200 doesn't really get me worried. Day two, I'm at aggressive table but a true table. What I mean by that is when they are raising, they are raising premium hands. Syracuse is there and two more I know and we're off. I lose a/q to a/j on a chased flush again and I'm not betting light here folks. I check down a a/q on a rivered a with 4 limpers and lose to a/3, two pair. Guy was waiting for players to bet. I'm just not getting hands and move down below 10K when I get a/q and shove all in after one raiser. He thinks for a minute and calls with k/q and I double up. Then I get KK against a/q on a short stack myself and double up again. Lose two more hands that I was right to lay down, and then get a/k with 18K and the blinds 1000/2000 200 antes. One raiser under the gun and I'm like either toss it or shove it, so I shove it and he has qq and we're off to the races. But my horse came up short with a bad leg and I'm out of the 2009 Borgata Winter Open.

1/11/08 - 767 out of 8268 - PokerStars Nightly 1.5 million Guaranteed. Lasted about 4 hours. Lost with A/K against QQ and A/K against JJ against A/Q. A/Q won that one. Had sponsors via chipmeup.com. This was also a Mystery Poker Box event. The box does get something put in it and it does not become an empty box.

1/8/08 - 74th out of 1493 - PokerStars Nightly 70K Guaranteed - Cashed - Had sponsors via Chipmeup.com.

1/3/08 - 79th out of 1593 - PokerStars Nightly 70K Guaranteed. - Cashed. Had sponsors for this one.

December 2008

12/15/08 - 51st out of 589 - Cashed - Borgata Deep Stack. We started with 25K in chips and the blinds where 25/50 to start with 45 minute rounds. Lets play some poker. I lasted late into day two of this three day event. My final hand, I missed a race. I can't win all my races, I finished in the money at 51st place which just cashes me since the Borgata pays the top 54 players. This was a sponsored tournament. I never got big hands. All hands I tried to make plays on, the other players amazingly showed me their hands. Each time, I was right to lay it down. Getting down to 51st place was tough and I never had more then 100K in chips. I shoved with A/Q for 7 times the big blind and ran into the big blind with JJ and of course, he was also the chip leader. This time, no miracles and my tournament was at risk at least 7 times with all ins with the blinds 6K/12K and 1000 antes. I'm not an all in player. I really think most times, you don't need it and I never used it unless I was ahead in the hand or it was a flip and even then I'm putting pressure on the other player. One hand today that was just great is hitting a set on the turn (2's) because no one bet the flop and getting one other player to call me with a 6 only after I completely talked him into calling me by mentioning I didn't have a ace and I hit the 6 also. Why he called, I don't have a clue but the board was Ace, two, three, six and I had limped in the small blind. He just talked himself into it and it really was funny. Went all in QQ at one point also and got called by JJ to double up. All in all, I was happy with my play. Other then A/K twice, Aces on the first day that I got paid off on, 10's and the Q's that I doubled on. I had no monster hands to play.

I was sponsored as I mentioned and paid all sponsors off.

12/10/08 - 23rd out of 1971 - Pokerstars 80K guaranteed NL Texas Holdem. This was a rebuy with 7400 buy ins. I was just getting some great cards tonight. Finally had to shove into Jcamby33 (James Campbell) when I had the Button and ran into A/J against my A/3. Flopped a straight draw, turn paired the board and I've got a lot of outs but miss. Another very deep finish.

12/8/08 -

I have registered to play in the PokerStars World Blogger Championship of Online Poker!

The WBCOOP is an online Poker tournament open to all Bloggers.

Registration code: 834643

11/28/08 - Another great night on Stars. Stayed at Level 2 of the steps twice in a row coming in 3rd place. I love Stars sense of humor. A/7 for one player, I get 44 and the other player gets 44. They work me down to zero on that one. I get knocked out of the rebuy event with KK against 10/10 when the other player rivers the 10. On to better things.

On Dec 7th, 2008, I'll be playing in the Borgata Winter Open Super Satellite in Atlantic City. The cost of this tournament is $1100.00. If I "PLACE" in this event, (I don't have to win it), I'll receive a free entry to play in the Jan 2009 Borgata Winter Open. First prize in that event is $300,000 give or take. In addition, if I place in the Super Satellite, I also win $16800 in cash. The deal is that you will join me down at the tournament to watch me play if you want to come. The cost for this to you is $1100.00. If I place in this tournament (and I've done it many times) you'll receive back $8400.00 plus you'll free roll with me in to the 2009 Borgata Winter Open Championship on Jan 25th - 29th, 2009. Anything I win in the Borgata Winter Open will also be split with you 50/50. The Borgata is a guaranteed $1 million dollar prize pool for the main event. If you pay the $1100.00 entry fee, you are my partner for the entire time of the event. 50/50. You can also get a few friends together and each kick in $220.00. How you get to the $1100.00 is up to you.

Payment can be made via paypal.com to deb@recordweb.com (You must put "Domain name Purchase" as the reason for the deposit) or you can send me cash, check or money order to Scott Neuman at the address below. First person to confirm will get to stake me. Call me at 848-333-8899 and then confirm via email.

11/23/08 - 720th out of 7600 players - PokerStars $1,000,000 Guaranteed NL Texas Holdem - Had a nice run. This is a deep stack tournament with $10K in chips and starting blinds at 25/50 and 15 minute rounds. For the first part of the tournament, I could pretty much raise at well and take blinds and antes. After two hours, I got moved to a more aggressive table and had to tighten down a little bit. I was chip average at that level and then took two big hits to my stacks and got knocked back down. Three all ins later close to the button each time let me win each hand. Lost two more big hands and finally got knocked out with Q/4 suited on a shove against 5/4 suited and of course, here comes that 5 on the flop...

11/17/08 - 18th out of 2304 players - PokerStars 80K Guaranteed NL Texas Holdem. Three days in a row and I'm running deep in this event. 18th place isn't bad. Went card dead about 22nd place. Did a lot of bluffing in this game and a lot of raising. Got some nice lay downs since the stories made sense. Got paid off on the hands that didn't make sense if you know what I mean. I'm probably going to take a rest tonight. These 5:00am mornings are starting to get to me.

11/16/08 - 5th place out of 2421 players - PokerStars 80K Guaranteed NL Texas Holdem. Made it down to 5th place and went card dead. Another nice run this week to my 79th final table finish.

11/14/08 - 11th out of 1359 - PokerStars 70K guaranteed Event - My 10/10 ran into J/J one to my left. Way it goes. Still, I had a hell of a run.

11/14/08 - I'm back. I mean it. I'm back from Las Vegas and the Main Event. It's been a long time since I blogged on my site and I felt I needed a little reason to blog and getting rivered every night just wasn't making it for me and for those of you that do watch me play, you know what I mean. Well, by a strange quirk of fate and the push of a good friend, I decided to go to Las Vegas for the Main Event and try to make something happen in my life via one of the domain names I own and one of my customers. I have this one customer that gave me a domain name to sell for him. It's called DENS.COM. My thought was to get a player to wear that patch or one of my other domain names and if just one player picked it up, the site would get a lot of hits and a decent amount of money would roll in for the customer that owns that name or from my own domain name based on past results on those same names. Alas, it was not to be. I came very close to getting a patch on a Main Event player but the timing just wasn't right. But when one has lemons, one should make lemonade. I got to make a huge pitcher of lemonade. Day one, a tool of God gives me a pass to watch the first day of one of the most exciting main events in decades as far as I'm concerned. Dennis Philips brings hundreds of friends and customers to see him play. They filled half the theater. Ylon Schwartz's friends start screaming out "No Rest till Brooklyn" and "Ship the Cheese" every time Ylon takes a hand. Kelly Kim comes in 8th place and picks up an additional $400K in prize money by just surviving. Darus plays a little too tight and just never becomes a factor. Dennis Philips almost becomes the first player to get knocked out as his aggressiveness comes back to bite him. Chino makes a horrible fast call and walks into Philips's pocket Q's against Chino's Pocket J's. Really, ESPN caught most of Day one very well. That night I got to play Chris Moneymaker and some other friends in a game of $1/$3 NL holdem that became PL Omaha every 9 hands. Chris is a decent guy and we had a great time playing low limit poker.

Day two comes along and God/Friend/Some one I met/ puts into motion a free pass into the pit area of the heads up play of Peter Westgate and Ivan Demidov. Basically, I asked, I was heard and I received. What a gift. I have to admit, I was feeling down about the trip but having a chance to see the heads up tournament play really turned me around in my outlook. The guys played their hearts out. It was the longest tournament in World Series of Poker history. It was the first time the tournament had reached the 1 million blinds mark. It crowned the youngest champion in Peter Eastgate which means we won't hear from Phil Helmuth anymore about Phil being the youngest winner.

Watching Day Two was even better. I got to relate and discuss poker with and to players that play this game at the highest levels. I met or see Jamie Gold, Chris Moneymaker as I mentioned, Barry Greenstein, Daniel N, Darus, Haved Kahn who just took down a million dollar event, Dennis Philips, Jeff Madsen, Stu Ungers wife and daughter and finally Harry Weiss. You'll have to look up what Harry is famous for but it's not poker and but it is what Vegas can be all about. As for the players, neither player talked much trying to not give any tells away but the card play easily outweighed that. What was terrible for the fans was to see ESPN edit the hours down to just the two last hands. The 2nd to last hand, Ivan tried a bluff that Peter Eastgate picked off leaving Ivan short stacked and you could just see the look on Ivans face. He looked tired and on tilt. The second hand was the trapper being coming the trapped as Ivan hits two pair and Peter hits a straight. It's all over as all the money goes into the middle and Peter is crowned the champ. I've got pictures and video. I'll probably post the pictures since everyone was taking pictures. The Videos will stay on my lap top for now.

After Ivan loses, he walks away from the Table and you can see me in the ESPN footage in the top bleachers behind Darus and Chris MoneyMaker.

The trip also gave me a fresh view on what my future might hold, both in poker and my future business interests and as I move forward, I'll talk more about it. It looks to be pretty exciting and I'm sure you'll enjoy hearing about it. I just have to line my ducks up for now. Feel free to watch me play and discuss my and other players games. Ask any questions you'd like. Thanks for the emails and interest. Keep in touch. Scott "Kickyourace" Neuman

9/16/08 20th out of 899 - The Poker Stars Nightly Hundred Grand - Well, I'm sorry for the delay in getting back to everyone. After the WPT, I was pretty wasted and just needed a rest. It was an interesting weekend for the World Poker Tour. I sold most of the shares for the Super Satellite. I lasted about 3 hours in the Satellite but finally had to push with A/J and ran into KK (again).

I did get to play Steve Dannamen. He was very drunk and lasted one level. I'm assuming he is sober now because he is doing well at the Borgata Open.

I then went up to my room in the Water Club to relax and watch the Plasma screen. At midnight, I play the $77.00 to enter $20K guarantee on Stars. I get done at 4:30 in the morning and make my 78th final table finish in 8th place.

Since I finished so deep in the 20K, I decided to play the $1000 to enter Event 14, Texas Holdem, No Limit. There were 202 players. I never got a lot of hands or connected on anything. None the less, I had two interesting hands and one that shot me to 46K when the chip average was 22K with 100 players left. I also told the wife that if I cashed this event, all the sponsors got an override on that event also. It just seemed fair.

I get 10/Q in the big blind suited to spades. The button likes to raise and the small blind likes to play pots and run to the river and take the hand away. I'm finding that he is out playing me and the only way to take that away is to catch a decent flop and shove and have him make a major decision for his chips. In this hand, the button does raise to 2200 with the blinds 400/800. We both call. The flop is 2/7/10 with two spades and I'm hitting top pair with the free roll on the flush. The small blind raises to 7000 in an aggressive manner. Really? You want me to go away that bad? I'm all in for 18K. He thinks for about 5 minute and calls me. He turns over 8/9 suited but not to the spades. He has a straight draw and I'm still ahead and having the flush draw. I hit the flush on the turn and take the hand.

I have to fold A/J, A/J and A/Q losing about 10K in chips. I get KK, raise and get one caller. A strong player that I know named Wayne. I'm first to act and he is on the button. The flop is Q/Q/J. I check to see if he has anything or to bet the Q and call. Check Check. Turn is the K. I'm not losing this hand. I check, he checks. Not normal for this guy and I'm sure I'm not getting paid off. The turn is a Ace. I bet out 7000. He folds turning over 9's.

That was the last hand I'll have for the night. I went totally card dead. Nothing I'll shove will hold up. I try to steal the blinds 3 times in a row. I have to fold each and every time and correctly might I add as the small blind and the big blind go all in each time. Back and forth, not knocking each other out as they swap chips.

I want to thank all my sponsors for allowing me to play for them at the World Poker Tour Borgata Open. The US Poker Championships will be coming up next month and hopefully I'll be playing in this event again.

9/10/08 The Borgata Open events: Anyone down at the Borgata? Saw two people I knew but didn't get a chance to talk. I played in the $300 game the first day but just couldn't connect on anything. I then played the $250 super satellite yesterday for the $5000 game on Friday and just got no breathing room and all my good cards were in the first 5 minutes. Aces, no pay off on a light raise, K's, no pay off and then went card dead on a donkey table where laying down ones cards means killing your mother first it seems, so bluffing goes out the window.

I played the $200 second chance last night with about 220 players and had a great run and this time with no cards to speak off. I called a lot of raises to see flops and then took a lot of hands away. I love my Brimz glasses. For those of you that have seen them, they clip to my hat and I can see my cards perfectly below them but the flashing of the lenses stops anyone from seeing my face or eyes. It's a great cover job.

My read on the table(table 1) was great and for the most part, it was a tight table. A few players were over playing their hands for really odd reasons. One player said he wanted to steal the blinds so he shoves for 25 big blinds and gets two callers. One with A/K and the other with JJ. The original shover had a monster with A/3 off and of course, lost all his chips. He was only looking to steal 1200 chips. I never got AA, KK or QQ the entire game. But by playing position and watch my villains, I felt I was able to get decent reads and move ahead without cards or missed flops. Not a real donkey table and they can lay down hands to bluffs. My nice hand was a JJ hand where the flop was K/J/9 with two callers after I raise 1200 with the blinds 400/200. My raise did knock out a guy that had Q/10 but I'm last to act. I check the flop and a meaningless 3 hits the board. I bet out 2200 and everyone folds. I like that.

My worst hand or worst mistake, that took a lot of my chips was K/Q and I'm 3 off the big blind, one off limps for 2000 with the blinds 1000/2000. I probably should have raised here to 9000 but I call to see a flop. The limper by the way has been ultra aggressive and I'm worried he is playing a big pair and waiting for action. The flop is 3/10/J with two diamonds. He bets 3000 on the flop. I call for the straight draw with 22K behind. The turn brings another J and he checks and I bet 10K hoping to take the pot right now. I thinks for a minute and calls. The river makes the flush. He checks, I go to shove my last 12K in and as I do, he starts to reach for chips. Normally, I don't let that stop me but he has called down two other all ins on the river with weak holdings each time. I'm think low pair now, or he hit the flop. I check and he turns over Q/10 and tells me "You were going to shove weren't you?, I was calling". I completely believe him based on his previous play. This leaves me with 12K and the blinds move to 3000, 1500, 500 with 36 players left and the money at 27. I get 99 with three ahead of me(small big) and the button. I've got a limper to my right for 3000. I shove for the 12K thinking the 3000 will lay it down and get called by the button.(shit). KK again and I go down in flames 5 from the money.

Looking back, I probably should have raised my K/Q just because he limped with the Q/10 and if he comes over the top, I can decide to toss or not, but ....of course, If I made my straight or hit my K, I'll look like a genius for wanting to play small pot poker. Next time, I'm raising to 10 or 9K and I'll run it from there.

8/16/08 10th out of 1876 - Poker Stars $80K guaranteed NL Holdem - This could have been my 78th final table finish but Stars only seats 9 players at a time, so I missed by one.

8/8/08 31st out of 2400 - Poker Stars $80K guaranteed NL Holdem. For a guy that never got AA,KK,QQ or JJ or AK all night, I made it very far in this donkey fest tournament.

8/1/08 11th out of 389 - Borgata Friday $75000 Guaranteed Tournament. Well, I had a decent run in the Borgata Friday $75K guaranteed tournament. Went out 11th and one from the final table of course out of about 389 players. I got AA and KK once the entire night but both paid me big time. Had A/10 and got a straight against a set of 9's the other guy slow played and allowed me to catch up.

Big lay down of the night. A/Q on a flop of Q/J/10. I had raised and got one caller. He is small blind and gets to act first. He puts out 40K in chips and I'd have 75K remaining but I'm way behind, I can feel it. I tell him, nice flop on that two pair and fold my cards face up. He turns over his Q/10 suited for two pair.

With 4 tables to go, we're in the money and I'm shoving the small and big blind each time it comes around to me on the button. I was playing a lot more aggressively, One because I had the chips, and two, I had position. With 13 players, left, I went seriously chip dead and stole the blinds twice around for $50K each time by shoving for my remaining 80K, but the final round, 2/4 became my best friend 4 times in a row and I just don't have enough chips to hurt an all in, so I suck it up and cash for $1500 but yes, I wanted more. The final hand, I had 9/7 against AA. Nothing to do but wish everyone the best and see you next week. Top was $33,000 but I needed a lot more love for that to happen.

I'll be in the $500K guaranteed at the Borgata next week. This is a three day tournament. 30K in chips and 50 minute rounds. We'll probably see $1,000,000 in the pot.

7/30/08 - 101 out of 4400 players - Pokerstars $50,000 Tournament - Nice rebuy tournament. About midway through the event, I went on a rush and was top 2 out of 200 at one point. Final hand was QQ against XX at about 100 players. I'm on the button and player to my right raises to 24000 with the blinds 4000/8000. I reraise to 64K. He moves all in for 200000 putting me all in. I still like my hand and call. He turns over A/K and hits an Ace on the flop. I'm out, he is on and moving.

7/28/08 - 53rd out of 2200 - Pokerstars $80,000 Nightly tournament. - Well, I got A/K 5 times in a row. Won three all ins, lost number 4, won number 5. And then lost A/J to 10/10. What a nice run and very deep into the event.

6/29/08 - I want to welcome my newest sponsor. CasinosVipLounge.com Find the top casino reviews only at CasinosVipLounge.com

6/29/08 - 1st place - Poker Stars Super Step Satellite - World Series of Poker Main Event.

Well, I played in the Friday Big Game at the Borgata and made the final 5 tables out of 263 players but no cash. With the blinds 3000/1500 and 500 antes, I shoved on the button with A/Q after one limper and the Big blind called with 10/10. No ace, No queen and out I went.

For the last month, I've been trying to satellite into the Main Event. I've been a bridesmaid but never a bride the last 2 years as I came in 2nd at least 18 times trying to win a Main Event seat. I was using the steps on Poker Stars to try and move up. I started at the first level. Rolled into level 3. Won level 4. Last night, I played level 5 and came in 3rd. You need to be top 2. I played again and won. One to level 6. This level is the hardest. We had 9 players at this level that were very strong world class players. I knew 5 of them and all play ultra aggressive, ultra strong poker. Most of them had won in the six figures this year in tournaments. Some have already made final tables at the World Series of Poker this year. One user had a new id, so I'm assuming he didn't want anyone to know who he was. The other 2 probably walked their way up to level 6 also and were about average players. You still need to get cards to play and I got them. KK 4 times, AA three times, QQ twice. A/X a bunch of times and I made them all pay off. I put one huge bad beat on a player when we got down to three players and I have 22 on the button and go all in. I get called with QQ in the small blind and I river a flush. Next hand, I have AsKs suited and call an all in that has 10c/Js off suit. He hits his J but we both make a flush on a board of all hearts. I'm a 3 to 1 chip leader right now. I finally call another of his all ins when we are heads up with a/10 suited to his 2/9 suited. We both blank the board and I win my free entry to the 2008 World Series of Poker Main Event.

I'm still now sure if I'm going or not. It's a lot of time away from my house. I've got a few jobs I need to complete at the same time and lets be honest, there will probably be 7000 to 9000 players there. Unless someone wants to cover all my expenses and lost wages for two weeks, I think I'll stay home and play the Borgata events.

Anyway, best wishes to everyone. Some of you already know I won this and thanks for your support. My daughter, Alexa turns 3 in a week. I think I want to be here for her birthday.

6/2/08 - 8th place out of 1664 Pokerstars 55K Texas NL Holdem Rebuy tournament. Well, tonight was my night to suck out all the way to the final table and to my 77th final table finish. The first hour, I was getting sucked out left and right and I was all set to call it a night. I rebuy for $20.00 dollars, do the $10.00 add on for the 8000 total chips and off I go to the races. At one point, I was in 2nd place in the event. I just picked my times to come in with decent cards. Tossed a few. Probably got bluffed a few and did my own bluffing fairly well. One key hand was when I had KK against another caller. I slow play my full house on the turn against his flush. He calls my all in on the river and I'm way ahead in the game. This is just how I'd like a game to run. I'd be behind and get a full house on the river, Runner runner a flush that was cheap to see. Get guys with A/K and A/Q against my 7/4 off suit in the big blind and make a straight. It was that way all night. I'll be sponsored for the Stars Nightly Big Game on Thursday.

May 2008

5/18/08 - 36th out of 280 Full Tilt Poker $30,000 guaranteed NL Texas Holdem. For a game that lasted 5 hours, I never got strong hands other then QQ when I doubled against someone with JJ. This was a six seat tournament. I was bluffing and raising a lot in this event. Two A/K hands, some small pocket pairs and two strong calls from big bluffers got me to 36th and into the money but lets be honest, I wasn't looking to cash. I was looking to win. Funny but once I got into the money, I got A/2 and shoved and got hit by a/8. Hit my 2 and moved up. Got 7/7 on the next hand. Shove for 50% of one guys stack and he calls with A/8. How you think you are ahead??? He hit his ace on the turn and I was out.

5/7/08 - Hi Guys, I had a sponsor pay for a satellite into the $750K Full Tilt Poker event tonight at 9:00pm. I was top 10 in the event for most of the 3 hours we played and went card dead for the last half hour. With only 5 places to go, I'm in 89th place and the player to my right goes all in and I dump my A/K suited into the pot. I'm assuming, if I don't bet, I'll have enough chips remaining to satellite into the $750K event. I was right as I ended at 88th place and a ticket for tonights game. I didn't need to win the satellite, only place which I did. So this event tonight will be for a sponsor.

I did get to play in the Borgata $500K event. First prize was $400K because the pot went to $1.4 million. The Borgata expected about 400 players. They got 775 players and then shut down the reg desk because there were still a huge line of people waiting to sign up and play. They just didn't have the space but they did a great job of opening another 30 tables, and they ran a great event again.

I played for about 8 hours. I had both my AA's cracked and I had to correctly fold them both times when heads up with other players. One player flopped a flush, the other hit two pair on the flop. Two A/K's held up, My QQ held up against 10/10 and then I was card dead again so when I finally had to push my A/Q with 6 big blinds and only the small and big blind, I took my shot and the small blind says, I'll take a shot at you with K/5 off suit. LOL. He hit his five on the flop. All low cards and I was out. I had a lot of friends in the event but none of us made it till the end of day one.

The Borgata will be running a nice event in the middle of June and I might set up a nice sponsorship package for the event that will include 5 different events under one sponsorship. And one sponsorship for the $5000K event.

4/21/08 10th out of 1740 Pokerstars $55K Guaranteed tournament. Prize pool was $65K. Came in tenth place when my JJ ran into AA.

4/6/08 9th out of 144 The Pokerstars Weekly Omaha Hi Low game. $215 to enter. Nice to hit my 75th final table finish and I was chip leader for most of the event. Then I run into 4 hands in a row were I'm a monster favorite only to lose on the river each and everytime. My last hand was AA and ran into a big straight on the river. Nothing to do here. Just the way the game plays out. I had a few of you on chat and I want to thank you for your support.
4/5/08 20th out of 123 The Borgata Saturday Big Game - Live event that I bubbled on. Lots of errors by the dealers that cost me twice. Once when I lost my pocket aces to a flipped Ace in front of me. Once when the dealer mucked my cards right in front of me,(I was in seat one) and once when a guy raises across the table from me, and the dealer just about whispers "call" and I muck my 5/6 suited from the big blind that I'd love to see a flop. Dealer looks at me and says, why did you fold? I said call.... How about so the entire table hears it LOL. Small blind missed it also.

I got a huge hand when I flop a set with the blinds 50/100 and the first to act goes all in for 9000 chips with a/K on a flop of a/8/3 and of course I go all in because there was a flush draw on the table. 3rd guy to act folds but he had to think about it for a long time and tells me he had a straight draw and a flush draw. He would have hit the flush on the river. Later in the event, I get K/K back to back and take down both hands. Then I go card dead and it's over. Nothing to push that wouldn't have gotten called and nothing that wouldn't win. I finally push with a/9 and run into a/10 and pocket 9's.

Current Results:
3/20/08 14th out of 189 Poker Stars PL Omaha 8 or better - Cashed
3/19/08 115 out of 994 Poker Stars NL Texas Hold'em 9:00pm Nightly Big Game - Cashed
3/18/08 12th out of 897 Poker Stars NL Texas Hold'em 9:00pm Nightly Big Game - Cashed
3/20/08 My apologies. I have not been writing a lot. I've just been too tired with all that is going on. Business is increasing, my son is doing great in school. Wife and son just had birthdays and I've been cashing in tournaments left and right. My online games have been great. Today I went to 14th out of 189 in a PL Omaha 8 or better event on Stars, Yesterday I just cashed in the Stars 9:00pm Big Game and then the day before I cashed in 12th place out of 900 players in the Stars Big Game again and almost made my 75th final table in a tournament. I did get to play in 4 WSOP Circuit event games but only came in top 70 out of 600 in one of the events and that one I rolled into AA with A/K suited. I'll try to get down to the Borgata for some of the Big Events. I missed the nice $50K event at the Taj just because I want to spend time with my family. I'll miss the Mega Satellite at the Borgata on Sunday for the same reason. But personally, I like playing online. The kids are asleep, I can grab a bite anytime I want, read some email, catch up on news and so forth. I'm still offering Sponsorship ebay auctions so visit them. I will be seeking an advertiser or sponsor for the $50000 to enter Horse Event unless I satellite in between June and now. The benefit to the HORSE event is less people, it's a limit game, I'm good at all the events and I've made final tables in all the events, and it starts on a day I can play and finish. I don't have time to play the Main event this year. I wish I did but sure business is still sure business and contracts have to be applied and processed.

2/12/08 230 out of 1841 Poker Stars 55000 Guaranteed - Got a great start and was top 50 early into the game and then went completely card dead. I was able to bluff a few hands with about 50K in chips but stone cold dead after that.

2/9/08 13th out of 149 Borgata Saturday Big Game. $300 to enter. Nice prize pool. Made it down to 13th and just ran out of luck and cards. Almost made another final table.

2/5/08 15th out of 986 Pokerstars Nightly Big Game. Total Pot was $147000 dollars. In the beginning, I never got much to play with and decided to just tighten up and wait it out. Finally got KK to double up and then bluffed two pots after the flop and moved up to about 70K after 4 hours. Finally ran out of cards and pushed over the top of a raiser that took it to $12K for an additional $30K. He calls with 88 against my A/K. I flop the K. He turns the 8 for a set and I'm out. I almost made final table number 75!!.

1/22/08 Ok, I've had probably my worst time playing at the Borgata. I think I banked about $4000 in tournament play to be used for tournaments, $1000 events, super satellites and the like. I've always heard about card dead but I was card dead in the worst way or I got bad beats that just crushed the crap out of my chip stakes. A great example of this is early in the final super satellite to the $10K event. While I did make it down to 37th place out of 147 players, that wasn't enough to get in this event. Other then early in the event, I never got over my chip buy in for the most part. As an example, if I started with 10K, and you'll love this one, I get QQ early in the game. It's a $500 super satellite with the blinds moving up every 15 minutes. I limp to hide the QQ. The flop get 5 callers and it's J/9/2. Nothing scary. I check and get someone to bet 400. I call. The turn is a 3. He bets 1200. I raise to 3000. He calls. The river is a A and he is all in. I've got more chips and won't bust if I call but A/J sounds about right and I call just in case. A perfectly good trap killed......LOL. I battle back to 9K before running out of cards and push with A9 two before the button and run into A/Q. I do flop a gut shot straight draw but I'm out.

In a $1000 satellite, about 20 from the money, I'm down to 5 big blinds or about 24 hands and push on the button with K/8 suited. More then enough to make the big and small lay down their hands unless they have a big pair which the small blind does with rockets AA.

10/10 is my next downfall when I push in another $1000.00 satellite with 7 big blinds and have a caller with Q/J unsuited that had a lot of chips. He hits the J on the flop. On the other hand, I did a super loose call against A/Q that was short and I called 4K with 5/4 clubs and hit a straight on the river.

My final event and one I played for a sponsor was the $1000.00 event(yes, it was you as I knew I wasn't playing Monday, I was going to be just too tired and too many jobs came in on Friday which is why you got the email, but as fate would have it, my Comcast connection failed and I found out this morning when I got home and it never went out until I reset my connection and watched it flow out). This one, I played a total of 6 hands in 6 hours. I never got anything to play that I wouldn't have had to lay down. I was at an ultra aggressive table which makes for a great trapping table if you get a hand but other then 6 hands, which I did make chips on, I couldn't move forward enough to overcome the blinds issue. I popped a raiser with AA and got a bunch of chips as he folds QQ. KK was a blind steal for 2200 in chips. A/K missed completely. 10/10 gets reraised as the other player flips QQ to me. JJ against QQ that got shown was another lay down. A/K hits the K and makes a few chips for me against a/q on a flop of K/Q/5. and finally, I have to push on the big blind against my favorite blind button stealer on my right and since I got a decent hand, I push back with K/10 and run into KK. Great timing Mater as they say in the move "Cars", (go rent it if you haven't seen it)

I'm heading back down tomorrow if I'm not too tired and I'm going to play in a $300.00 event which is the final event for the Borgata Tour on my own money. (I busted out after 4 1/2 hours.) I'm still playing my basic game but you need cards to win anything in the long run.

I'm back down to the planned visit to the Borgata on Friday to play in the $50K event for a sponsor that got my last ebay auction at the last minute. That event is actually closer to $100K and $30K to the winner. My best finish is 11th.

Other items of note is I'm working with the Brimz.com company to get some sponsorships and promote their BRIMZ Sunglasses. Call Brimz and ask for the owner, Jeff Morton at 866 526 6467 and tell him to sponsor me for WPT and WSOP $10K events and at the same time, buy a pair. I had 50 players try out my Brimz lens on their caps asking me where I got them. Without fail, for those poker players that like sunglasses but have glasses, the BRIMZ sun glasses are the best thing in the world. I haven't seen anything close to them yet and it really is amazing how you can get people to fold when you wear these things. I can see my cards fine under the glasses but the players just can't see through them to my eyes when I'm looking at a flop. My favorite quote because of the glasses were, "Those freaking glasses, I'm laying this down because they are just freaking me out" and I had him on a stone cold bluff. LOL

1/16/08 Day one and Day two of the 2008 World Poker Tour's Borgata Winter Poker Open. Can't say I didn't try. Event one was a world record for a World Poker Tour event. There were a total of 1649 players in this event. It will probably go on for 20 to 25 hours today. I lasted 10 hours. Up down up down. Finally pushed my last 3000 chips against another raiser that likes to steal too many pots. He calls my A/K suited with 8/9 suited to the heart, and says "I probably stuck my hand in the cookie chair one too many times" Live cards are still live cards . Suit won't matter as the Flop is 3/4/5 rainbow. A 10 hits the turn and a 8 hits the river and I'm out. My best hand was K/Q against A/10 all in and I hit K/K/J. A Q on the river gives him a straight and I get my full house but hey, who needs a full house with a K on the river for Quads.

Two day was wild. This was the event I played for my sponsor in Israel. $500 plus $60 NL. Wish I could have cashed but fate demanded I lose with a monster. Played well for four hours. Folded correctly when I was behind. Made chips when I was ahead and this table was decently tight. So tight that if no one bet the flop, any bet took that pot down. I took a lot of unanswered pots. The table was made up of mostly 40/50/60 year olds and one 25 year old. He went on tilt quickly and donked off all his chips from a few bad beats on the river. With 8000 in chips and the blinds only 100/200(and this is sick), I limp with 2/2 to see a flop. We get the flop of a life time. 2/6/6. I check. Guy raises to 400 in a 600 pot. I reraise to 800. He goes all in for 10000. I'm stunned because since I didn't raise, I don't know if he dropped into 6/2 in the hole. I have to call and of course I do and he turns over 8/6 suited. Best flop for me but he still has outs and you know where I'm going with this. Seven on the turn gives him more outs and a seven on the river ends my day as he gets a bigger full house. I forget who said it but a better player said, in any event, you are probably all in at least 15 times during the match. You have to probably win all 15 to move ahead.

I really wanted this one for the sponsor. All my sponsors are important to me and I want to come through for each one.

Other sick hands at my table would be one guy that in 4 hours got AA 8 times only because he showed each one as he got them.

I'm in for Event 7 and Event 8 which will be a $300 Limit game on Sunday and a $300 NL Shoot out which is you play one table and get down to three players. When all tables have three players, we then redraw for tables and play it down to final cashes. I'm very good and sit and go events and I expect to do well in this type of structure.

I also plan to play on Thursday in Event 11 which is a $500 NL game for another sponsor.

I'll probably take one shot at a $1000 super satellite into the Main event and a $500 Super Satellite also. If anyone wants to pick them up, feel free. >P> I keep winning double shoot outs on Poker Stars. I've won three in a row so far this week. I'll get back to everyone on Sunday or Monday with updates. Best wishes and hug the one you love.

1/12/08 - 33 out of 1942 players - Poker Stars $55000 guaranteed tournament. Ok, so it's not 7000 players but rather 7000 add ons, buy ins and rebuys in the $55K 10:00pm tournament on Stars tonight. I came in 33rd and lost with AA against KK when the other guy spiked the K on the river. Knew he had the K/K and I wanted the call and hoped he wouldn't suck out. I had a super run tonight. I only got AA twice and once was my monster when it held up. Stole a lot of pots tonight. Just got done reading T.J. Coulters book about making it to the final tables and it helps a lot. I do recommend it. I'm still planning on playing in about 7 events at the Borgata this coming week. I've still got a $2500 and $5000 event open for sponsorship and same deal as always. If I cash, you get your money back plus 50% of anything I win after taxes if I have to pay taxes.

Here is the link to the Borgata games. http://theborgata.com/Main.cfm?Category_1=3000&Category_2=3500&Category_3=3510&SchedulePageID=C64902E1-F728-A62C-AE2191E53BC8B94B

12/31/07 - 35th out of 1147 Poker Stars $45000 guaranteed poker tournament. This was a rebuy and add on event. I got a quick start in the event and was chip leader when I went all in against A/Q with my AA and some guy with 7/8 offsuit calls both of us and hits a straight on the river. Final had to push with about 27K in chips with the blinds 4000/8000 and 800 antes. Guy raises and I'm maybe behind but I push all in with a/3 suited. I hit my 3 on the turn and he rivers a flush. I love stars. Anyway. HAPPY NEW YEAR. Best wishes again. See you next year.

12/30/07 - 70th out of 1527 Poker Stars $50000 guaranteed poker tournament. Total prize pool of $76000.00 dollars. I had a great run of cards with my K/K not holding up against A/Q on the flop. Sucked out with A/Q against A/K on an all in. Other then that, my cards held up. Did bluff alot of hands to steal blinds. I've adjusted my play slightly and it seems to be making a difference. I'm playing more hands on a raise and willing to toss them if I get a lot of push back from the other player. The only one I didn't fold was when I raised A/K and a very tight/passive player pushed all in and I put him on A/K also, which he had and we split the pot. Finally had 10/J suited in the small blind and called a limp and the flop was 5/9/Q and one limper put me all in. I called the Straight draw and missed.

On a side note, I'm running Ebay auctions for the World Poker Tours Borgata Winter Poker Open on Ebay. My sponsorships start at $300.00 and run up to $10,000. If you have any interest in sponsoring me for these events, email me first before buying the auction and we'll work it out.

I hope you all had a decent christmas and pray for a better 2008. Pray for our troops and pray our elected officials pull their heads out of their, well you get the idea.

12/25/07 - 19th out of 1300 Full Tilt Poker's $28K guaranteed tournament - Gave myself an early xmas present and birthday present. One of my better finishes in online events. No big suckouts here. Just solid poker. Took a beating when I called an all in with KK against A/Q but he flopping A/Q didn't seem quite right. Anyhow, best wishes to everyone and to all a goodnight. Then took another hard hit when someone went all in for 30K and I had 90K, another caller calls him with A/7 and I go all in with 120K and the A/7 calls me for his final 30K against my A/Q suited. The original raiser had Q/9 and hits a 9 on the turn to take the side pot.

11/16/07 12th out of 385 - Borgata Casino $50000 guaranteed Friday Noon tournament - Almost made the final table. My best finish in this event so far and I've only played it about 6 times.

11/9/07 18th out of 445 - Borgata Casino $50000 guaranteed Friday Noon tournament

10/16/07 1st place out of 55 - PokerStars - Double Shoot out to the Million dollar guarantee event.

10/5/07 27th out of 172 - US Poker Championships at the Trump Taj Mahal. Nice link for the USPC playing at the Taj.
News Link for the tournament.

First off, the USPC is trying to shop the touranment that they are filming at the USPC. There was talk of no filming and I think a lot of players didn't want to come or went to Aruba just because of the filming. There is talk from the crew that Fox Sports or GSN will pick the event. Tons of great players.

I made it 4 days in the USPC after winning a super satellite that Monday morning and finishing at 4:30am. I'm tired but happy but I also can hardly stand. It's just too long of a day for me. I played a super super satellite. My game plan was to play premium hands or ultra cheap flops which worked for the satellite. In the main, Gavin Smith and I mixed it up about 10 times with me as I kept getting hands that paid off and Gavin called almost every time as I win 9 of them. Just a nice run on day one. I was able to reach 70K in chips by day 2 and then I went card dead for most of day 3 playing very few hands. Figured if I had a hand, I'll raise 3 times the blind and I had Jeff Madson at my table with a huge stack so I had to mind my p's and q's since he and another player where just reraising everyone. Noticed that Jeff liked to just toss 3 times the blind when he was stealing, (the table was tight other then the other player) he'd just sort of toss the chips in a loose way of the wrist.

I pushed all in for 17K in chips with K/10. Jeff goes, "at least I've got live cards",. No he doesn't as he turns over 10/3 suited. But he has hope as he flops a flush draw. He bricks out and I double up. Cliff (JohnnyBax) Josephy asks me how I knew he didn't have anything.... I pay attention to other players in the event.

I really go card dead and finally hit AA with only 4100 and I go all in. I get 4 callers that check the flop on a board of K, 6, 2 rainbow and I mumble under my breath that I'm dead to the guy to my right. On the turn, a 10 comes out, and the guy to my right, assuming that I'm out and he is ahead of everyone else because he hit the K, bets 20K and everyone folds. God, I'm glad he did hear me. He has only a pair and I take down the pot. Thanks for the bet buddy.

I move to another table and it's no card day again as I watch the rest of the table get big pocket pairs on almost every hand. I get 4/5 suited in the small blind and the big has been tight so I push all in for 20K. He calls with A/2. The flop was 3/5/7 rainbow. The turn is a 10 to my suit and he bricks on the ace and I double again. I get AA on the button later and move all in for 20K again and get no takers. We finally get down to 27 around 6:00pm and they call it a day. Everyone is pissed because they want to play down to 18 players but it was a good thing because getting to the final 18 would take 10 hours the next day.

I tell myself that if I get A/K, A/Q or A/J, or big pocket pairs on day 4, I'm pushing which I do on hand 3 of day 4. Pocket q's calls me and it's over. Out in 27th place, 9 from the money.

I never really talked about the Borgata Open in the newsletter because I was very disappointed when I got knocked out on Day 3 with A/8 against A/6 and the other player got a 6 on the river. Either I wasn't feeling well or just couldn't feel the game right. I didn't have a real feel for the players other then 3 at my table which isn't enough. Those three I could bully and got them to fold many times on my reraises. For both events, I got my best results in a $10000 event. About 70th out of 560 at the Borgata Open and 27th at the USPC. Amazingly, no one sponsored me for USPC and I did get television time and mentioned my own company "Corporate Laser". I got a lot of letters from everyone asking how I did and I want to thank you for your support. I'll be playing some daily events down at the Taj and the Borgata in the coming weeks leading up to the WSOP Circuit Event at Harrahs. There is a $2500 event coming up at the Taj that is supposed to offer TV time is anyone wants to pick it up.

10/1/07 - Top 13th out of 130 - $1000.00 Super Satellite - Trump Taj Mahal - US Poker Championships. This game took forever. It ended at 4:30am in the morning and I had to go to work at 10:00am and get back to the Taj by 3:15 after finishing all my calls. By the end of the first day of the USPC, I was the walking wounded and could barely keep my eyes open. I basically played the first day of the event with 3 1/2 hours of sleep.

9/23/07 19th out 400 Pokerstars.com WCOOP-23 Round 1 Step to Round 2 and main event. Top 19 move on. Was chip leader for awhile but blinds move up quickly and once you have a lot of chips, you don't have to bet as other players drop out. Chip average was 19000 at the end and I had 30000 when I stopped betting with 27 players left. It went quickly to the final 19.

9/20/07 78th out of 560 - $10,000 to enter 2007 Borgata Poker Open - My best $10,000 tournament finish yet. I should have gone farther but made some major reads and some minor mistakes and one huge suckout to get knocked out by Victor Ramdin on the third day of play. I'll tell you more shortly. I'm still wiped out from 3 days of playing and not getting to eat properly.

9/9/07 18th out of 123 - $500.00 NL Texas Holdem - Borgata Super Satellite. Just got back from playing in the $500.00 Super Satellite at the Borgata. Winners get three entries in the coming tournaments at the Borgata Poker Open. Only the top 3 make it. Made it down to top 18. Didn't make any huge mistakes, and did make a nice triple up when I needed it. I did have John Gale at my table and hand some nice hands with him. Small raise ahead of me, three callers and myself with pocket 7's. Flop was 8/6/4 rainbow. Everyone checks. Turn is another 4. Everyone checks. River is another 4 and I'm starting to think I'm best. I'm short stacked and prepared to go all in and I move all in. I get one caller with 7/6 and up I go. Next hand, I get an aggresive player who, when the blinds are 600/300 raises to 1200. I call with AQ and the flop is A/10/2 with the 10/2 hearts. He bets out 2500. Just the way he laided the chips makes me want to reraise him and I pop him to 8000. I'm pot commited with about 1800 left in chips. He puts me all in and I call. He has A/3 and misses the 3.

Near the end and the final 2 tables. I raise close to the button and a guy goes all in for about 12000 chips. Take my 4000 raise out on a 800/1600 blinds and I call with A/10. I had about 28000 in chips. He turns over 8/8 and I miss the overs. I go card dead as the blinds are 1000/2000 and 300 antes. I get down to 12000 in chips myself and move all in late in the hand with A/Q and get called by A/K. No help and I'm out. I'll be playing in the $500 NL game on Thursday and the $10000 on Sunday. I still have room for another backer. Cost is $1000 to $5000 with only 5 shares left at $1000.00 each. Call me at 848-333-8899 if you're interested.

8/30/07 7th out of 498 - The $50000 Guarantee - Friday Night - Borgata Casino.

Guys, just two weeks to go to the Borgata. I've got 5 $1000.00 sponsorship spots left. I'm playing regardless if I let these 5 spots go or not. I'm in and looking forward to playing and possibly winning $1.7 million dollars for first place in the Borgata Poker Open. A World Poker Tour event.

As most of you know, I'm a ranked player and in the top 100 give or take depending on how many tournaments online I play in for New Jersey players. I'm running down to the Borgata Casino in Atlantic City weekly at this point to play in as many live "Sit and Go" tournaments, which if you haven't played before would be a table of 10 players, each putting up either $100.00, $250, $500, or $1000.00 at a shot with the top two or three people cashing in the event. For someone that loves tournaments, this is a fast way to pickup thousands of dollars per day if you have a good run. Normally what happens is when you get to three, everyone just looks at their chips and chops up the prize money per chip levels, give or take. I've had great success in this format and it gives me time to play in a more formatted game. The only issue is that I don't get to play against better players but this is a money issue and at this level, I'm just looking to make a $1000.00 here, a $1000.00 there per day.

Now to the best part and one you'll remember for a long time. I went down to the Borgata for the $50,000 guarantee. This event normally pays at least $15000K to the winner with the top 36 cashing in the event. Tonight, the winner gets $30000.00. When players get down to around 5 to 15 players left, they normally chop the $50K with everyone getting a piece for 9 hours worth of work or around $5000.00 each give or take. I'm playing a decent game, I'm at chip average all day. I didn't have any huge suckouts winning most of the hands I enter and took two huge blows to my chips early in the hand when I put pocket tens against A/K and the villain hits a K on the flop or when I called an all in with A/J suited against 10/10 and I hit a J on the flop only to watch a 10 fall on the turn. I battled back up and finally make the top 36. This particular $50000 event was actually $98K with almost 400 players in the tournament at $250.00 to enter each, so getting down to 36 players worked for me. When we get down to 30 players, one player that loves to chop up the pot stands up and starting working the room to chop it up with everyone getting $3000.00 each. $3000.00 represents a 7th place finish in the event and if you go out at this point, you only get $450.00 so 90 percent of players that understand that you could out on the next hand move to end it there but there are two or three hold outs that "CAME TO PLAY", don't want to chop anything, no matter what that number is. One guy in particular wouldn't discuss it all. He had chip average but not much better which at that point was 70000 in chips. At this point, I've got 60000 in chips. We play on and watch one of the guys that didn't want to chop up the pot go all in with pocket 10's and run into pocket kings. Now he is down to 20000 in chips and on tilt. He goes all in with pocket jacks on the next hand and gets called with A/K only to see a K hit the flop. He's out in 29th place and made $450.00. We still can't agree to everyone chopping and we play down. I lose 15K on a A/K suited against pocket 6's and 10/K when a 10 hits the flop. I lose another 12K on K/10 against a short stack that has pocket 9's that goes all in for 12K in chips also. We're down to 22 players and now I'm getting short stacked. The blinds are 3000/6000 with 1000 chip antes. I'm down at this point to 18000K in chips and I'll be blinded out shortly. I'm mindful that we might chop the pot if we get down to 20 or 15 players. At 20 players, we'll probably chop $3000/4000 give or take with the higher chip stacks taking more of the pot. I'm down to my final 8000 in chips and I'm five away from the Big blind. I've got a huge problem. I'm going to be blinded out. If I toss my final 8000 in the pot and lose, I win $450.00 and if I win the hand, I'm not winning that much unless I get cards. If I can manipulate the game a little, I might cash for $3000/$4000.00 depending on how everyone agrees to end it but why anyone would want to chop at 22 is just not going to happen. One of the players is Joey "Joey the B" Brooks who is ranked in the top 20 of online players and a very strong live tournament player who gets knocked out in 24th position. Joe has won around $500K so far in tournament play. He was two to my left and we had a decent conversation about his sponsorship by Absolute Poker and his best online year to boot. I left Joey alone not getting into any pots with him.

Here is where the fun starts. I stop playing. I just sit there. I stall. I'm going to try a hail mary shot. I stall. and stall and stall until I get a clock called on me. That means I've got one minute to act and then my hand is dead. I can deal with that and let it happening. I would have lost the hand.

The big blind is four away. In goes another 1000 chip and I'm down to 7000. I stall again and get another three minutes out of the table before a clock is called on me. Down to 6000 in chips and the blinds are three away. Another stall round and another clock called. I'm going down with my best hand if I get one. In goes another 1000 chip and I'm down to 5000 in chips and we lose one more player. 21 players left. I stall on the next one with the blind two away. I amazingly get another 5 minutes out of the table before my hand is dead. On one hand, the blinds are increasing but people are getting knocked out. On the other hand, the table is rightly complaining who stalling hurts the rest of the table. Honestly, this isn't friendship and I'm trying to win money here. We all have our game plans, Folks, this is mine. With one big blind left, I'm getting the feeling what I wanted to happen isn't going to happen. I get K/10 unsuited and push my last 4000 in chips in the middle. I get Three callers that check the hand down to get rid of me. (Same thing I would have done). The flop is a J/9/8 and get a gutshot straight draw and an over card. No one bets. The turn is a 2 of clubs and probably didn't help anyone. I'm yelling Q Q Q at the board and out pops a Q of spades to give me a straight. This wins the hand and I get 170000 in chips. We're still at 21 players. And the blinds and antes raise to 5000/10000 with 2000 ante. I need a hand and need it now! I've got a decent chip stake to my right that offers me some protection from raises. I get 2/7 and get two callers. The board is all over cards and I lose to a pair of k's. One more person gets knocked out. I'm out on this hand or close enough to worry and I stand up and say loudly, "Who wants to chop?". We'll each get $4000.00 which is a 7th place or 6th place finish. Amazingly all but four of the players want to chop. The two biggest stacks don't want to chop and two medium stacks don't want to chop. The floor says, deal the cards and I watch my last remaining chips at risk. I stand up again before anyone acts and say to the two biggest stacks, "What do you want to chop?". They both say $7000.00. With 90000 in the pot, 20 players at $4000.00 comes out to $80,000. I'm doing the numbers in my head quickly. Another $6000 added to that leaves $4000.00 for the dealers. Reasonable as far as I'm concerned and I don't have much power here to argue so I say, "We're chopping, $4000.00 for each player and $7000.00 for the big chip stacks for two players. The floor says there are two hold outs. They want $500.00 more each. I look at both of them and say, done! I'll take it out of my pocket if I have two. Hard decision. $450.00 or $3000.00. No big deal. I go ok, we've got a CHOP and everyone says, "YEAH". $7000 to two players, $4500 to two players. 18 players get $4000.00 and I'll get $3000 after I pay the two schnooks off. IT WORKED!!!!!! I'm stunned. I'm also almost in diabetes shock since I haven't eaten for 8 hours. We never had a dinner break.

Now the fun begins and I don't have a clue where it comes from. Everyone agrees to go to the cage and come back with their money. The last group to get paid with be the $7000 stacks. Everyone gets $4000.00. I hand over $1000.00 to the two schnooks. We then hand out $3000.00 more to the two players I agreed to give $3000.00 more to. Then two more players start to count out $3000.00 each but with only the tip money left, there is a shortage. I look at the two players asking for another $3000.00 each who agreed to give them another $3000.00 each? I don't remember them in the agreement, I pointed and repeated who was going to get the $7000.00 which was only two players and both players said to me, "We were only chopping the pot if we got $3000.00 each more". I said, when did I agree to that? When did I point to you or mention your seat number at the that table. I didn't want any mistakes and I needed this to work right the first time. The both say again that that was the deal they agreed to. Guys the money isn't there, I didn't agree to it, and I brokered the deal. I did just what I said I'd do. The both agree to take $1000.00 more from the pot, most of the players had dumped $100.00 into the tip box and for the remaining players that were left, and the remaining players agreed to kicking in $100.00 each to the two players and everyone would be happy. I'm left with $2800.00 for about 9 hours of work. So my remaining 6000 in chips cashed big for me in what would be 7th place at the table. This is the 2nd time in a month that I chopped the pot for a decent win making decisions short stacked. Both in the final 20 players. I'm really really amazed this happened but of course, glad I got 19 other players to see the benefit of chopping since at least 11 of them weren't going to get more then $2000.00 at best. For you tournament players that are short stacked, if you can make this happen, this might be a shot for you also. I came to win the event. That wasn't going to happen this particular time, I got the next best result.

So it goes. I'll probably play some $500.00 or $1000.00 dollar events know at the Borgata Poker Open plus the $10000.00 to enter. If anyone wants to sponsor me to any events, let me know now and I'll see if my schedule permits the time. The 5 $1000.00 slots are still open. Each slot is worth 5% of anything I win or a max of around $80,000.00. Just call me at 848-333-8899 and we'll work out the details.

8/10/07 48th out of 480 - I went down for the Borgata $50K guaranteed tournament that starts at 12:00pm. I had a great start taking out two players in the first round when my lying, bullshitting hope they fall for this crap talk actually worked. Things like, I've got a set but you don't have anything and you missed your straight draw, all in, BABY! with a 4 four card flush draw on the table. Of course, I've got the nut flush on the river but when my all in gets called by a 10 high flush, I'm just dying under the table. Happened again when I get a nut straight against a lower straight. They just can't believe the all in bet wasn't meant as anything other then a bluff! This would never work against better players but early in the tournament, the fish are still in. So right off the bat, I'm up about 15K in chips. My image at the table is sealed. But the table breaks after two rounds and I go card dead. We get down to 60 players after 9 hours of play and I'm running low on chips and I start to slow the game down a little trying to just cash. I get down to 3 from the money and get A/10 with two players in front of me. I push all in for about 3 times the blinds and hit A/J and QQ. Damn, makes up for the beating I gave people last week in the same position. I hit my 10 but the Q's hold. Total cost for the tournament was $280.00. At most, I would have probably just cashed for $320.00 I walk out to my favorite $5.00 slot machine and hit for $1600.00 and then another $400.00 on the machine next to it. Screw poker. I come back inside and play three sit and goes. A $60.00 game, a $100.00 game and a $250.00 game. I get out of the $60.00 quickly with Q/J suited against a 4/4 all in. The $100.00 lasted just one hand when I get 10/10 and the flop is 2/4/8. The initial raise was $400.00 which I had called. $400.00 is just a scared bet so I'm putting him on A/K or 9/9. I move all in trusting my feelings on this one and I get called after some thought by 7/7. The turn brings out a 7 and he gets a set on me. Ok, bad luck on the one. Moving to the $250.00 game. I bluff this one guy early in the game with me holding 2/5 against a board of A/Q/9 rainbow. I'm on the button and everyone checks to me and I bet out and get one caller. He checks the turn and I raise the pot, asking myself if he is slow playing or not and I really don't think so from the look on his face. The river is a nothing and you can just see it on his face. I look at him and move a huge stack of chips in and say, "Come on, Sir, you're pot committed, toss'em in". He sits for a few moments and tosses the hand away and I turn over the garbage I have. What a look from the guy and the rest of the table couldn't stop talking about the Maniac in seat 4. That just drove the table nutz and within two rounds, I took out 6 people. Finally got down to heads up with a decent chip lead (2 to 3) and the other guy says, want to chop it, $900 to $1200. Normally no, but so far, this guy has sucked me out twice and there was a side pot for a last longer of $160.00 that he wasn't part of. So I say, ok and chop it. All told, not a bad week at the Borgata for me. I place in the Super Satellite, I win the better SNG game. I hit a few slots and I'm looking forward to a $300K guaranteed event in two weeks at the Borgata. My live game is on.....

8/5/07 top 20 out of 430 - I'm counting this as a final table since we all cashed in the Super Satellite. Borgata Casino and Spa Super-Satellite $1100.00 to enter - Missed by 3 places last time I took a shot to get into the Borgata Poker Open. This time, I took a shot at the Borgata Super Satellite. This gives you 3 entries to three east coast wpt events and $10K in cash to be used in Canada.

Played a total of 5 sit and goes on Friday and cashed in 3 of them. More then enough to play in the Super Satellite for $1100.00 to enter.

We played for 15 hours. Went from 11:00am to 2:00pm. We got down to 20 players and only 10 players will win something and finally chopped it up after much discussion with the bigger stacks getting 40K in winnings, midsizes getting 30K, chip average and less getting 17k each Chip average was at 220K so getting $17K with me holding 140K in chips and blinds at 16K/8K and 3K antes works for me. Just 4 hands earlier I was at 50K and hoping a miracle happens soon. We're at 22 players and no one wants to chop. I get 5/6 suited in the small blind. Big checks, Big chip stack limps in and I call. I flop a top straight draw and a flush draw. Best of all worlds. I get ready to push all in(and I'm going to get called by the big chip stack no matter what) and I ask myself, can I get a free card? I check and big chip stack puts me all in. Now I can make a decision. I'm left with around 35K in chips and about 10 hands left. If we get below 20, the guys that are working hard for a chop might make it happen. I think for about 2 minutes and toss the hand. I'll wait. My next hand on the button I get KK.

Big stack limps in again and I look at him and go, A/K any good here? and push all in. Everyone gets out of the way and he calls with 8/8. He did have a hand. He flops a monster with 9/7/6, Q then .... a 2 and I'm safe. I double up with the blinds also. Puts me around 90K but still well below the average. Next hand I get JJ and he limps again. Another low pair and I push all in hoping he'll lay it down. Button, small and big lay theirs down and BS turns over 9/9. I'm a head again and it holds up. Another double. We play about 20 more hand with no one getting knocked out when finally three guys go all in and big chip stack on the table takes out two players with Q/3 and gets two pair. We're down to 20, we redraw for tables.

Now the talk to chop starts in earnest. I've never seen so many people motherfuck each other at 1:00am in the morning about who gets what. After about 1 hour of talking, we finally agree to the chop and I'm in for the two Borgata Opens in the Fall and Winter. I have a partial sponsor for the Fall Open and will still accept one more sponsor. Please contact me if you are interested.

Hell of a night and game. Nice to finally get one right. I lost almost half my stack (5K) just playing way to loose in the first 3 rounds and finally settled down and played great poker. Best call of the night. A/Q and I have a raiser in front of me that I call with the blinds 400/800. I've got around 30K in chips. The flop is 2/4/Q and I hit my Q with a rainbow board. First to act bets to put me all in. He'll be left with about 15K in chips if he misses. I just can't figure why bet over 30K in chips to shut the hand down. Just feels wrong. I ask him if he has a set or two pair. Say to myself, the bet makes no sense and call. He has K/3 unsuited. Massive bluff on his part to double me up.

Best hand of the night with around 60K now. I'm small blind. Button to my right goes all in for 9K in chips. I go all with Pocket Aces and big blind calls me with A/K. I felt bad for the guy. I'd played him for about 2 hours and he was building his stack nicely. AA held up and I've got a massive amount of chips moving forward. Then I go card dead for an hour. Getting near the end, I'm about 1/2 off chip average and just waiting my time. Miss another hand with A/K against a raise and down to the 60K range. I lay it down after the flop and raiser turns over KK.

7/17/07 - 3rd out of 50 - Ultimate Bet Pot Limit Omaha - Made my 71st final table in a tournament. This time on Ultimate Bets Pot Limit Omaha tournament. there were 50 players and I made it all the way down to number 3 for a decent cash. If you'll remember, this all started from the $10.00 free roll that UB gave me last week. I'm going to try and run it up to $10,000.00 by the end of the month.

7/13/07 - I'm looking forward to playing in the Borgata Open in Sept, 2007. I have a sponsor for 25% and if someone wants to pick up the other 25%, if I win anything up to the $1,000,000 first prize, you'll get 25% of anything I win plus your $5200.00 back. I'll be playing the event either way but I'll make the offer in case someone has some spending change laying around and wants to take the shot with me. I can't offer the advertising since the original 25% sponsor has a casino and already locked up the advertising portion of the deal.

I was done playing at Ultimate Bet and am focusing on live games at the Borgata and on Poker Stars. Stars will take prepaid credit cards like the All Access Visa Card and they have no problems send checks to pay off your account. I've been cashing well for the last 3 weeks in tournaments and then Ultimate Bet sent me a whole $10.00 to start my account back up. OOOHHHHYEAAAA. I'm rich. So just for laughs, I'm playing $5.00 sit and goes. I'm up to $250.00 in 5 days. Then I play the Aruba free roll and come in 61st out of 3000 players. I had around 45K in chips with 200 players left and I figured, I'd coast in to the top 50 players,(and if I didn't, I really didn't care since they run these every couple of hours) so I went to sleep. Woke up in the morning and found I missed it by 11. They just love to shove chips at you on UB.

Anyway, on a side note, my business is taking off again now that I've trimmed my expenses and reduced the overhead of my business by 80%. (And that took some serious cutting). I'd like to think the diabetes thing is starting to get under control with my sugar numbers coming down from 300/500 to 90/140. (Side note to get yourself tested for Diabetes. There are no hard and fast rules and it hides very well as I found out). I also had an MRI down and damn, now I know why my back has been bothering me for the last 3 years or more. Bulging discs in my lower back from an auto accident 10 years ago. Take care of yourselves guys. You only get one shot at the ring.

I hope you're following the Main Event World Series of Poker. There was a tough call on cell phones with David Singer, a pro for FTP. He is in the middle of a hand and his opponents phone rings. The opponent picks up the phone, looks at it, hits one button and puts the phone back in his pocket. That alone should have been enough to kill the opponents hand. You can't touch your phone in the middle of a hand. David complained and the dealer and the floor person allowed the hand to continue. David should have stopped right there and asked for a senior judge. But he didn't since he was told that the floor person was the final word, (I've been told that also in hands, but forget about it, complain loudly, it's for money). Now David is looking for his $10,000 to be refunded because he took a major hit on that hand and was sure the hand was going to be declared dead for the opponent. I'll be following up on it. It sets a precedent in future games.

NJ Poker Pro and attorney Randy Kasper has written a super nice e-book about playing live and online and mostly in tournaments. Randy is sort of sharing the wealth and his expertise with his e-book and if you are a beginner or about in the middle of your tournament game, the book makes for nice reading with great advice. Randy is currently up to about $1,000,000 in cashes in tournaments and is ranked top 50 on Pocketfives for players in New Jersey. I'm happy to call him a friend and enjoy playing him in tournaments at the Borgata. He is selling the e-book on Ebay and I've enclosed the link below. If you only learn one thing from his e-book, it will probably pay for itself. Best wishes to everyone this summer. Enjoy your life, enjoy your game, enjoy your family. Scott.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=004&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT&viewitem=&item=140138526286&rd=1&rd=1

6/21/07 - Made my final table number 70 with a 7th place win on Poker Stars in a 55K guaranteed event last week. Then I cashed twice more in another 55K and a $150K event. I've been playing a lot of live events down at the Borgata also and cashed in a $15K event and missed in two more events later in the week for the Borgata Open. I'll take another shot, today or tomorrow and I might still play in the $5200 event if time permits. I will miss the Main Event in Vegas this year. I just don't have the time with the changes in my business.

5/26/07 Check out the map on my website. You can list where you are and see other people that have stopped by my website. It's pretty cool watching people mark where they live. I also got lucky last night and caught another Double Shoot Out on Poker Stars, winning another entry into the WSOP Main Event Satellite. I also played one of the $80.00 satellite entries making the final table but not cashing in the top 2. Between the two of them, it brings my final table finishes to 69. There is a strong chance I won't be able to go to the Main Event this year. My business is about to triple or better from different deals that are out there. Instead, I might take a shot at the HORSE tournaments that cost either $5000.00 or the $50,000 game is I can pick up a sponsor or satellite into it.

I'm still planning on heading down to the Borgata on Monday to enter the $1000.00 Memorial Day Game. There should be around 500 players for a $500,000 pot and a $150K first prize. I played well last time and lasted well into after the dinner break. Anyone that wants to sponsor me should reach out to me at 848-333-8899. If I cash, you get your $1000.00 back plus half of anything I win after taxes.

On a side note, I still haven't got the Diabetes thing licked, (and I know I'm expecting too much). I'm lowering my carb intake to below 25 grams per day and I getting my numbers down from the high twos to the mid to high ones in the middle and late day but I'm getting a bounce later in the evening and I'm eating lower carbs. I'm eating more veggies and meats, drinking diet drinks and water and I'm looking for my body to go into ketosis. Since I am seeing results with the lower numbers, I think I'm on the right track plus I'm taking Duetact which is a diabetes type drug in the morning. Doctors visit in the morning on Thursday, more tests next Friday. If you have Diabetes and want to talk to me about it and your reactions with diet, I'd like to hear it. As a former Atkins loyalist, I see Atkins and exercise as the way to attack this problem. Do you agree?

5/20/07 I had an interesting week. I'm all set to play in the $250K guaranteed at the Borgata. Turns out on Friday, I found out I've got Diabetes. I had been drinking fluids a lot the last six months and my last office visit to my doctor, they missed it. Friday, my back was bothering me and I walk in and complain and for some reason, they do a blood test and my blood sugars are 3 times higher then they should be. Different warning signs were there, my eyes were hurting, (and I assumed it was from the energy drinks I was drinking) I was getting muscle cramps and the fluid intake was high. So I check into the hospital, watched my sugars go to 500 and then got insulin to drop it down into the 200 range, (still too high), got some pills to take this week and try to change my diet, exercise more and stop eating so many carbs per day, got a testing kit and checked myself out in time to play poker at the Borgata. I get into the $250K event for my sponsors and I played a super strong game. I've got a few donkeys at the table and I run my starting chips of 10000 up to about 17000 before the 3rd round. One hand wacked me when I had above average chip stakes in the 5th round. I'm in the small blind and I'm playing someone that likes to see a ton of flops and has the chips to do it. With 9/5 off suit, I get to see a cheap flop. The flop is A/9/5 and I'm putting my villain on A/K or A/Q since he's been aggressive when he has almost nothing and very reserved when he has strong hands. I check the flop waiting for him to bet. Big blind checks and villain raised to 1500 chips as a test. I know he has hit the ace. I reraise to 5000 and hope he comes over the top which he does for 15000 chips all in. He'd done this two times before and I really think I'm ahead. I call his all in and he does have A/Q. He rivers another Ace to get a set on me and knocks me down to about 2000 chips. I went all in with A/5 against K/Q and won that race and A/10 against K/J and won that race. I get as high as 8000 chips in later rounds but I never did recover and finally got knocked out in round 9 after the dinner break.

The Borgata gives 10000 chips for the tournament and 40 minute rounds so you get to play a lot of poker and have some fun. Got to play with Dan Shak to my right who took 4th place in the US Poker Championships in 2006. While I didn't hit for my sponsors, you can't say it wasn't for lack of trying. First prize was over $200K and there about 700 players in the event. The blood sugar thing didn't seem to affect my game and I kept running into other players that had seen my test kit on my hip and about one out of every ten players had diabetes.

I'm hoping to playing in the World Series of Poker HORSE event in Las Vegas. The cost is $2500.00 plus plane fare. I've had excellent luck at HORSE on Poker Stars. This is a three day weekend event and I'm looking forward to it. I'm better at Razz which I think is a weak game for a lot of players. Anyone that wants to pick up the entry and the plane fare will get half of anything I win plus their $2500 back in addition.

5/12/07 Hi guys, haven't written in a while but I did get to play in three events this week at the Borgata. I did ok and made the final three and two tables in two of the events. I also just got done playing on Poker Stars in the Guaranteed $100K and came in 72nd out of 900 and I did cash. Lost with A/K against pocket twos. I had 8000 in chips, and was called by the chip leader. This left me with 4000 in chips with the blinds 500/1000 and antes. I had to call the all in after a straight draw and two over cards against a pair of 2's. I'm planning on playing in the $250K Guaranteed event at the Borgata in two weeks. Cost is $1100.00. I have two sponsors I'm letting cover me for a super satellite into this event. That plays on the 19th at the Borgata and the main event on the 20th. If my play holds up like it has been, I'll satellite in without an issue. Here is a freebee. If anyone wants to send me a hat for the event, first one that gets to me will be the one I wear.

Remember your mother on mothers day. You wouldn't be the person you are without her.....

On the interesting side. I was on this road about 10 minutes earlier. Stopped at a customer, got back on the road a few minutes later and was in eye sight of this crash. Another few minutes either way and maybe but hey, you never know when its your time. http://video.wnbc.com/player/?id=103042

And hey, did you hear about the Bees. No more honey bees means no more fruit. No more fruit means possible famine. Consider that it might be time to get your house in order. http://pr-gb.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=497&Itemid=9

5/3/07 - 6th out of 32 - Poker Stars HORSE Tournament - I'm starting to love this game. I'm looking to play the $50000.00 Horse tournament in Vegas. At the least, they have a $2500.00 game on a weekend I can break away and play.

April 2007

4/30/07 - 2nd out of 40 - Another final table. Poker Stars HORSE tournament. I'm starting to love HORSE. While some people are good at stud and others are good at Limit Holdem, very few people have the patience to play all games well and I do play all games fairly well.

4/25/07 - 45th out of 1497 - Poker Stars $55000 Guaranteed Tournament - There were almost 6000 rebuys in this tournament. Made it pretty far and missed a straight and didn't recover. Otherwise a decent game and down to 45th place.

4/22/07 250th out of 6731 - Poker Stars $1,000,000 Guaranteed Tournament - Had a great game and it was a sponsored event for me. I let someone go ahead and sponsor this one. Pretty much was ahead on most of my hands in this game and other then a A/K vs A/7 with me hitting my 7, no huge suckouts. I just played a very tight and aggressive game and had two strong reads that moved me well into the game when I lost with KK against AA.

4/3/07 - Came in 1st in a double shoot out on Poker Stars out of about 75 people for the entry to the Sunday Million. Top two move on. I had a sponsor that had given me some money to try and hit the entry fees for the bigger events. Took me four tries but did it tonight. Long game lasting about 3 hours. Had A/A against A/Q at the end and the guy just refused to lay it down. Low cards on the flop and I thought he might call me if I went all after the flop which he did. I had raised and reraised him preflop. Got him to put in almost 2/3 of his chips in before the flop.
I also wanted to thank all of you that wrote back to me with your condolences for my wife and her family in the passing of her mother, Marion. Nice lady, raised two children in Astoria, Queens, NY. She lived on a 4th floor walk up and she carted her kids up those flights for 20 years. She was in the Garment workers union and she put both her children through school or gave them all the support she had. She was in some pain and she is now released from that. Thanks again for your concern and prayers.

4/3/07 - This was a rough week. My 87 year old mother in law had gone into the hospital two to three weeks ago and was recovering from an illness. She was all set to go home this week and last Thursday, she was feeling hot and she got moved back into the hospital. At 6:00am on Friday morning, she passed away. Her son is a funeral director and the funeral was held at Fredericks Funeral Home in Flushing, NJ on Sunday. The burial was on Monday in a family plot at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx. Marion Carlino leaves behind her Son Robert and her daughter Debra Ann. Also a sister, cousins and many many friends. She was a pisser and she'll be missed.

March 2007

3/29/07 - 13th out of 700 - Poker Stars $10.00 NL Texas Holdem Tournament

3/28/07 - First off, for those of you that have sponsored me in the past, thank you for the support. I've got one sponsor I'm working for right now. That event will pay either $75K or $250K if I win it and I've been winning on Sit and Go tables all week and at the Borgata.

Here is my rant: I'm at the Showboat to play in one of their tournaments. I miss on a bluff and I'm short stacked enough that if I get an ace, I'm pushing all in. I get A/8 with 4 to act. One to the right of the Big blind calls the big blind. I push all in for about 4 times the blinds. I get one caller and then the original caller asks the guy to my left, Can I ask you a question? to the guy that called me. Everyone says, he has to act before he ask any questions. I know what that question is going to be and I can't believe he is going to ask it. I'm about to light up. So he makes his call and I've got 3 to one on my money here. He then turns to his right and says, "Would you like to check this down? I knew it. I could see it coming. I stop the game and ask for a floor person for a ruling. I want the guy that turned his cards over to be declared dead because it has the affect of making the other player fold his hand and gives him too much info. He has an ace so he's not going anywhere though. But I also want the crazy dude that asked that question to have his hand declared dead because it's collusion when you ask it. He mumbles something about not knowing the rules but this game if for some decent cash and I'm not going anywhere till I get a ruling. Floor comes over and says the first guy made a mistake and the 2nd guy isn't getting a penalty. Horrible ruling and I'm out of the Showboat till the WSOP stops by again. I didn't need a miserable ruling but I'm pissed I can't talk at least one of those hands dead. The guy that turned his cards over could get a warning or be declared dead. Either works. He got neither. The Collusion guy, all day long but neither gets a penalty and I think I'm rightly pissed off.

The flop come out like 5/10/Q. Damn.... Guy flops two pair and I'm dead on the turn. I say nice game and ask for the poker room manager. he listens to my story. He turns around and says that one hand should have been dead and the other guy should have gotten a warning. He calls the floor guy over and asks what happened. He gets told his side of the story and poker room manager says it was the wrong decision, he apologies to me and gives both guys 20 minute penalties which is too strong for the guy that turned his hand over but the collusion guy....right on. but the blinds are up there and its going to hurt enough.

I run back to the Borgata and play two sit and goes and come in 3rd in a $2500 pot game and took a beat that knocked me out. Flop was 2/9/K. I have A/9 and the other guy limped in. On the flop he goes all in but I can't put him on a K so I take a shot since I hit the 9 and lookie lookie, he had 9/6 suited and hits the 6 on the turn. But I cash.

And that brings us to tonight's game. I played a sit and go and win that one on Stars.

My deal on sponsorships is that you get an email or a phone call before I play for you. No IM, No email, no phone call, then I'm not playing for you tonight. You get my best. I play not always my best for myself. I play most nights for myself if I'm tired and if I'm wide awake, for my sponsors. Tonight, I'm tired but I'm sitting here, drinking down Oxyboosth2o.com water and Tab energy drinks fist over fist trying to stay awake.

I decide to play a $160.00 Double shoot out on Stars for the WSOP Main event. one winner, 7 cashes if you miss. 81 players. I crushed on the first shoot out. It was a work of art. I had such a read on the table pushing everyone around with raises and reraises and I also have a read on the 2nd place guy. I take him out after about 40 minutes of play heads up and I win.

The 2nd table had some of the best internet players in the world. I'm as low as 300 chips at one point and battle back to about 2000 and 4000 with two strong bluffs and then down to 4 players and 5000 in chips and I can see Vegas in front of me. But it wasn't my night and I missed with A/2 against J/3 all in preflop and he hits the J on the flop and turn and I hit the ace on the river. It was still an exciting game as I come in 3rd place. The event had T Soprano, Slammedfire and Thay3r. All are excellent players in their own right and top 20 on the online leaderboards.

I missed Foxwoods. I had some sales of my new computer software and I have to show my customers how the program works. Each training takes about 5 hours. I might still try to win my way into the WPT championships in Vegas for $25000.00. Wish me luck. I don't expect any of you to sponsor me for this amount of money but there will be major TV time there if anyone wants to take the chance.

On to Daniel Negreanu and his blog.
Daniel Negreanu has a blog on Cardplayer magazine. Normally, I read it and move on but sometimes, you have to read it twice and make sure he isn't joking. Tonight he's complaining about how you can sku the rankings on American Idol. My first thought is, its entertainment and who cares but Daniel seems to, which is pretty funny in itself. But then he compares how Sanjaya is holding on because of his fan base and how a site that wants the worst singer to win might be helping Sanjaya to win. I don't think they can get enough votes to make a difference and those votes aren't free. But Daniel then compares that possibility to Terrorists. WHOOOOO Daniel, wake up and smell the poker room. You are so overboard, it hurt to read it. I appreciate his opinion but I own a record company. I listen to music all the time. I worked on a sound board. I worked in radio for years. Daniel, almost all these people can sing. Sanjaya has a great voice and if he lets it out, just a little bit more and goes for it, he might win. He's reserved in his singing but it's clean and easy to listen to. Some of the other singers were worse but Daniel can't see it or hear it. I find the show boring but there isn't much on at that time of the night and my children enjoy the music, so I sit there and play with the kids before they get too big to play with.

Quoting Daniel; Frankly, it's not all that much different from what terrorists are trying to accomplish. They want to take your liberties and your freedom away from you. They've accomplished a lot, and anyone who's ever been to an airport since 9/11 should understand that.

Terrorists don't want you to be happy. They don't want you to enjoy things and if they can find a way to destroy something you enjoy, they'll try.

This was a little too strong for me and if you read it, you might agree but I get right through airports without a problem. I'd like your input. Tell me what you think, I'll put it out on the mailing list.

http://www.cardplayer.com/blog/entry/188

3/14/07 - 13th out of 325 - Full Tilt Poker - Omaha Hi - Horrible was how it started as I went for a nut flush and a nut low in this Omaha Hi game and missed both because... Hope you noticed it was just Hi and not Omaha 8 or better. Lost half my chips in this double stack tournament and had to watch my 1500 chips dip again to 800. From there it was all uphill as I grinded my way back, waiting for hands, walking the hands to the river and watching them hold up and then milking the river for what I could get. One of my better games once I realized what I was playing. In addition, thanks to Aztec Mining for mentioning in their latest press release that they'll be sponsoring me for some WSOP/WPT events.
February 2007

2/28/07 - I recently had a potential sponsor ask me if I'd accept 30% of the winnings and he'd keep 70% if he'd pay the $10,000 for an event. His reason was that he was putting up most of the money and had the most to loss. My answer was, it depends. That "depends" is based on a number of factors. The norm in the industry is if someone sponsors you, then you get 50% of the winnings and he gets 50% of the winnings. Another version would be that he gets his $10,000 back first, and then the 50% split comes in to play and I've done that in the past also. I'll sometimes consider different split amounts for the amount of time I'm away from home since I'm basically working for someone when they give me sponsorship/stake/advertising money to play for them. When I'm playing in Atlantic City, I have a little more flexability in my agreements. When I'm flying out to Vegas or if I have to go outside New Jersey, my time becomes more valuable and my expenses go up because I'm paying for my own room and board, food and airfare. I've had other "True" poker players tell me that someone is out of their mind to give me a 50/50% split but it's a standard in the industry and an article from Willie Tan, another professional poker player, backs me up. Please take a moment to read his reasoning also. I'll be playing in the Wednesday 8:00pm game World Series of Poker Circuit Event for a sponsor and I'll also be playing in the Poker Stars Million at 4:30pm for a sponsor on 3/11/07 if anyone wants to watch. If I win the Poker Stars Million, that sponsor picks up $90,000 give or take.

2/27/07 - Another long night. Played a few tournaments on Bodog. I got knocked out of the $50K event after two hours when I flopped A/4 against the other guy flopping A/9 and both of us had all the money in. Played the $12K afterwards and was chip leader for about 3 hours and then had three wicked beats starting with my Aces getting cracked, then my K/Q losing to K/J and pocket 10's all in against a limper that limped with A/A. Started playing in the Satellite for a WPT event and after 4 hours of play, won that event out of 40 players, so now I've got a free roll for a WPT/WSOP event. Of course, one in 50 move on so it's a litte more work. I also played a cheap sit and go and won that table so at least I'm up for the night. I'm still playing on playing down at Caesars next week in the World Series of Poker Circuit event. If you're down, give me a call. With the Super Satellite for the WPT event, it brings me to 63 final table finishes.

2/25/07 - Stage two for the Ultimate Bet Aruba Free Roll and I'm top 100 (77) and I move on to the final stage of the Aruba Free Roll. Game is on the 4th of March at 8:00pm est if you want to come by and watch. This will be the toughest because only one in 300 moves on.

2/20/07 - Ultimate Bet Again. I played in the Aruba Free Roll. 3000 players and you have to be top 50. It took me three tries but I finally did it. We're down to 53 people and I'm the short stack and in the small blind. If I dump the small blind, I'll still have enough chips to last about 8 more hands before I'm blinded out. There is a small leak in my game and that's, I like to play, I like to see hands and flops and I like to win because I play a decent amount of hands. This time, I'm thinking, does it make sense to play this hand if I wake up with a good hand. If I get knocked out with three to go, I'll feel pretty silly, playing for 4 hours straight to get here. Any high pair, A/K, A/Q. Do I go for it and guess what I turn over but pocket rockets, A/A. Now I really do have a problem. I'm really betting that if I toss them away, I'll still mouse in. We're losing one person per hand but the other short stacks might get lucky as they seem to sometimes, little help from the other players and such, so I pull the trigger and go all in for my remaining chips. If I hit this hand, I'm in with no problem. If I miss, I'm out. Big Blind calls and big chip stack at my table calls just for odds. I know they are checking to the river. The flop is 2/8/Q rainbow. It's a great looking flop and I'm sure I'm ahead. The turn is a Q and now I'm not so sure. Big Stack pauses for a moment and gives that little tell that he has a Q but no reason to bet since two against one works for him. I river the Ace for a full house. Big blind missed completely but Big Stack had 10/Q for a set. I move on and the next hand, all the other shortstacks get blinded and out. What a fini