Bella is one!

Turns out she eats like her dad!

Canterbury card club

John John and I went to Canterbury this past sunday.  I had never been there before, but heard it was a nice place to play.  I was a bit intimidated as there is only limit hold-em, which I had never played, and with any new place, it sometimes can be difficult to gain some solid ground.  I decided to play 3-6 limit which means the ante's are 1 and 3 dollars, one can raise 3 pre-flop and post flop.  6 is the raise on the turn and river.  It was a fun day to go as all the NFL games were up on the screens.  I felt like I played pretty well.  I won a couple pretty big pots and some small ones and came home 200+ to the good.

A little less stress now

Jury awards $130 million to Twin Cities dentists

A jury has awarded a group of Twin Cities dental clinics more than $130 million over charges that a Massachusetts company had overstepped its legal authority by interfering with patient care.

Link to startribune article

Turtle Lake Casino

John John, Brian and I went off to Turtle Lake Wisconsin to play some no-limit poker on saturday.  JJ wanted to get in on a tournament they have every sat.  100+15 tourney.  The casino was no where near as nice as the Cherokee in Tulsa.  It was kind of like a huge trailer house from the outside.  Inside, the decor was similar to a lodge.  We went to the poker room which was kind of a loft area and bought into the tourney.  They had some nice flat screen tv's to watch the college games and a complementary hot dog/ brat area that also had beverages..all serve yourself.  (ironically, one could purchase a brat or hotdog directly down the stairs for 2 bucks..)  The tourney went pretty fast for me... I hit decent cards at bad times and got wounded, then knocked out on pocket kings....John and Brian were still playing, so I sat at a 1-2 no-limit table (which is what I wanted to play from the start).  There were heavy betters on this table.  The table was extremely loose and aggressive, so I played extremely tight and waited for my chance.  It took quite a while.  I kept watching this guy to my left just put tons of chips in on questionable hands.....he couldn't be bluffed out.  I only won two or three hands, but they were all big and all to this guy.  I came out ok overall.  winning over 100 at the cash game and losing 115 in the tourney.  Interesting people....at one point, Brian and I go downstairs to see about eats....we ask this lady working around the slots where a restaurant would be....  she asks which one?  there are 2... one is the mi ki wa (or something) and one is the buffet...which one do we want to go to?  We say not the buffet... ok, she says, go to the very far end of the casino, past the craps tables.  So we do... throught the haze of cigarette smoke to find that both restaurants are right there next to each other.  Anyway, it was a bit of a drive from the cities... I think I want to check out the 2-10 table at treasure island next.

Gearing up for nationals

I haven't been to Sarasota for a couple of years, so it feels weird going back to play natties.   Masters is a bit of a crapshoot... hard to tell how good the field will be or who the best teams will be year in and year out.  

Hold-em

I had my first foray into playing poker at a casino this weekend......it is way different than sitting around a table at home.  Cy and I went over to the Cherokee Casino in Tulsa.  We each pulled out 100 bucks, and sat down an a 1-2 no-limit table.  Next to me was a young dealer wearing heaps of OSU apparel and CY to my right.  The dealer asked us a question which I didn't understand, but Chris said no, so then I did too.  We posted blinds and were away.  The betting is fast, the dealing is fast, and it was very disorienting.  I couldn't get a feel for how to play at all.  I folded a couple of hands, then got an AJ in position.....hmmmm.  One other person in after the flop and I flop top pair...keep in mind I am still not able to concentrate very well or feel comfortable.  I bet 5 on the flop and she just calls.  The turn was no help, I bet 10, she calls.....the river...another J.  Now I am thinking a value bet and only was trying to figure out how pulling in a bunch of chips goes..I bet 15, she calls.  I turn over trip j's, she turns her cards over and I wait for the chips.  Except she has a straight.  I didn't even see it on the board..man just out of it.   I lose out on big slick a few hands later to a flush when I had to 2 pair.  100 bucks went fast.  

Luckily (or unluckily) we got stuck one more night in the Tulsa area and I went back to the 1-2 table with John John.  I was feeling way better about things today.  Bet small play tight.  When I sat down, the dealer asked if I had a player card(most regulars have these to pay and play with)  no, I said.  Do you want to post now, or wait for the blinds...I'll wait.  This day went far better.  I played a few hands, only losing a bet of 6 bucks one time.  I won on top pair, Q's in the hole and a big win flopping the high straight.  I felt very comfortable at this table.  This time I came out 140 bucks ahead!(thank you JJ for making me stay one more round)  John John also came out about the same....so, all in all, I came out 40bucks ahead.

Separated at birth?

Learning to scoot

Van Halen re-unites!