Updates from the City of Angels

110-41-37-33.

No, that's not the winning combo to some bizzare lottery.  That's the number of people in yesterday's Commerce Casino $125/$100 re-buy tournmant, and where Snake, Chops, and Addict finished, respectively.  Easily our weakest collective finish in one of these events.  Here's how we went out:  Snake took one for the team, deciding to move all in at one stage with a 7-6o.  Missed the straight and a triple up by a card.  Chops tried to isolate a pot when a short stack went all in by moving all in himself, with an A-Qh.  Big blind decides to call for the heck of it with J-To...and flops a straight.  Addict went all in with K-Qo with two limpers behind him.  Big blind calls as well as a limper.  The limper ends up pairing a 9 on the river to nail the trifecta.

From there, it was off to the 4th Street Poker Tour. Snake was riding the chip rollercoaster all night, and went out in 16th.  Chops and the Addict made it to the final table.  Addict went out in 7th.  Chops in 4th.  Thanks again to all involved with hosting the event.  We enjoyed it and look forward to playing another one next time we're on the Left Coast.

We'll put some specific stories about our LA poker journey up over the next few days...

Book Preview - Aces and Kings: Inside Stories and Million-Dollar Strategies from Poker's Greatest Players

:: snake

I never finished Positively Fifth Street.

And it’s not because I don’t enjoy a good poker story.

What I read I loved. The salacious tale of a Vegas stripper, her murderous affair, the fascinating courtroom theatre woven into a primer on the history of hold’em and a firsthand account of an amateur’s rise to the final table of the biggest poker game on the planet. If it wasn’t non-fiction, you’d pass it off as neo-poker-noir, of the unbelievable kind.

But again, I never finished the book, and that’s because I never finish any book I buy, at least I haven’t since junior high (I believe it was Count of Monte Cristo that last kept me until the final page). I’m more of a movie kind of guy I guess, and yes, you could imagine my pleasure when The Count of Monte Cristo returned to the silver screen a few years ago, Jim Caviezel and all.

Don’t get me wrong though. I’m intrigued by the two-dimensional literary medium, and when I hear about a good bounded one coming to a Borders near me I’m quickly off to that land of aisles and lattes to pick it up, if not for purchase, for a long sit and read. And such is particularly the case when I hear that a good poker book is out, and even more so if it’s one whose subjects are true-life characters, whether living or no longer (sorry Worm, you're still the best of the fictional bunch).

So while browsing around the pokernet today I discovered a new poker book that’s dropping May 5 on a shelf near you, and it looks to be a must buy. It’s called Aces and Kings: Inside Stories and Million-Dollar Strategies from Poker's Greatest Players, written by Michael Kaplan and Brad Reagan.

WPT Bellagio Champion

If you can't wait until it airs on the Travel Channel, looks like Tuan Le won another World Poker Tour event--the big $25,000 entry championship at the Bellagio. 

For his efforts, Tuan receives a measly $2.9 million.  The other final table results include: Paul Maxfield won $1.7 million, Hasan Habib won $896,375, John Phan won $518,920, Rob Hollink won $377,420 and Phil Ivey took home $264,195.

The Rolling Good Times Online has the full story.

Going Back to Cali

The Addict, Snake, and Chops will be in Los Angeles this week.  You may find Addict & Snake at the Bicycle or Hollywood Park on Wednesday.  Chops will join them at the Commerce Casino on Thursday for the $100+25/100 rebuy NLTH tournament.  After that tournament, the three will head off to play in the 4th Street Poker Tour.  These guys have a pretty well known and thought-of game in LA (similar to our weekly WCP games, just not as well known).  Should be fun.

Chops takes off for the wine country on Friday, and Brian and Colin will be back grinding away at the tables. 

Check the site for a bunch of updates on our stories from the road.  And we encourage wagering amongst yourselves on our results in the Commerce and 4th Street events.

WPBT WSOP Results

Chops here.

Well, 7th place only counts in NHL divisional playoff races.  But it was still worth it.

Last night I played in the WPBT WSOP qualifier. The event was organized by Guinness and Poker. You’ll find some results at the end of this post. And a more thorough write-up by Pauly.  But anyway, great event, lots of fun.

But I almost didn’t get to play. Why? Well, let’s just say that people who propagate computer virus should have very bad things happen to them…

Investing in Poker Like Having Nut Flush

As Wicked Chops Poker readers know, we want poker legalized. 

For that to happen, more and more mainstream media coverage is needed.  60 Minutes did their piece last Wednesday, and now Forbes Magazine has published a small bit on the emerging trend (not so emerging any more, really) of poker.

So buy those World Poker Tour shares and hope they're the nuts.

What's the Deal: Cameras Rolling...Cue Idiot!

Dealt by Tim Bangs (assisted by Chops)

We are all familiar with the term "poker professional."  But how many of these so-called "poker professionals" really act "professional"?  Sure, great names come to mind, like Doyle Brunson, T.J. Cloutier, or Phil Ivey.  They’re calm, cool, collected, and always a great winner AND a great loser.  True professionals.

But that's not always the case.  And a few "poker professionals" come to mind. 

Let’s break it down…

A Good Read on 60 Minutes: Fluff

60 Minutes ran its poker feature last night.

Nothing groundbreaking here, but if nothing else, it should help legitimize poker further, which could (hopefully) move our sport closer to legalization...

Eskimos, Bears, Kayaks, and Poker

A great, great Senator in Alaska is trying to pass a bill that will legalize poker in the 49th state in the Union.  According to an article in the Juneau Empire, "Sen. John Cowdery, R-Anchorage, is eyeing a system set up in Washington and California that gives licenses to establishments to run poker, rummy, bridge and cribbage games."

Now if freaking Alaska wants to legalize poker, why in the world doesn't Georgia???

And what the f' is cribbage?

Read the full article on why Alaska wants to legalize poker.

Pokergate? 60 Minutes Airing Story on Pro Poker Players Tonight

Let's hope Dan "What's the Frequency Kenneth" Rather won't screw this one up.  60 Minutes (Wed) tonight will air a feature on various poker players (Chris Moneymaker, Chris "Jesus" Ferguson, Daniel Nagreanu, etc.) and what makes them successful. 

Read the full press release on Iggy's April 19th post.

After you watch it...

Chatland

Daniel Negreanu held a chat on ESPN.com yesterday.  We submitted a few questions blatantly trumpeting blogs like “Daniel, do you read other blogs like wickedchopspoker.com, Guinness and Poker, Up For Anything Poker, etc.)?” but he eventually took something less obviously self-promoting.

Also, we’ve added...

Give Up Sex to Win the WSOP?

Scanning through Card Player magazine, we came across an interesting article from Max Shapiro.  The topic: would you be willing to give up sex for a year in exchange for winning a big sum of money in a game of online poker...and if so how much?

So Wicked Chops Poker wants to hear from our faithful readers... 

What's the Deal: Sunglasses

Dealt by Tim Bangs.

Why do poker players insist on wearing sunglasses? 

Last time I checked, poker rooms across the country are typically not that bright.  Or outside. 

What are you hiding from me?  Your eyes are the least of my worries.  Your betting patterns and body movement are of much greater concern to me...

Keep On Rockin' In the Free Roll

:: snake

It was a week or so ago when Chops told me he was planning on dedicating the majority of his online play to WSOP main event satellites.

As anyone who follows the granddaddy of poker events knows, this strategy of getting in on the cheap (anywhere from a $10 buy-in and up) and surviving several rounds of tournaments is a mix of lottery luck and poker prowess, and yes, is one that has paid off in spades for the last two WSOP champions; making it the biggest ROI this side of late ‘90s IPOs. Simply put, other than being filthy rich or good enough to have someone stake you, from here on out online satellites will likely be the way the majority of players will earn a seat at the $10,000 event.

For Chops, this decision to focus on satellites sprung from an honest assessment and humble acceptance that his original plan of winning a $10,000 seat from $50-100 sit-n-go’s just didn’t quite have the steam he imagined.

He confided in me, “As of now Colin, I’m a bit short of the buy-in.”

Starting to Think I’ll Take Lucky Over Good

Chops here.

It’s decided.  Changed my mind. In poker, I’d rather be lucky than good.

After playing what I felt was some great poker over the past six weeks or so, and consistently having the crap kicked out of me on rivers (“getting rivered” as we call it) or other painful scenarios, the tables finally turned in our weekly WCP game last night…

Killing More Time...

If you're like most desk-job-corporate-lackey-working-men, you probably spend 75% of your free time reading ESPN.com. 

While ESPN's poker room launched last month, the "global sports leader" (isn't that like Michael Jackson calling himself the "King of Pop") has just integrated some content with Card Player Magazine. 

Hopefully they'll start adding some more original content (Phil Gordon, Jackpot Jay if he actually starts writing about live poker experiences again, etc.), but in the meantime...

20 Ways to Put Your Table on Tilt

Whether it's in a tournament or a ring game, there are a lot of players who look for ways to dig under the skin of others at their table, to get an edge, put people on tilt, and generally annoy the crap out of them. The most effective way can often be to turn over a nice bluff...like showing your 6-3(o) to an opponent that mucked a pair of Kings with an Ace kicker. And of course a major suck out such as pocket ducks taking down rockets on the river with a 3rd deuce can also do the trick.

But what if you're just not that good..or lucky?

2 Robbers, 3 Shots & 200 Quarters

:: snake

No, the above is not the title to a new Guy Ritchie film, it's the subject of this week's installment of "You Can't Make Up Poker News Like This", the new weekly series from Wicked Chops Poker scheduled to appear here either bi-monthly, quarterly or every so often (but definitely not weekly). This time we're passing along an AP story about a home poker game in Dunedin, Florida that got robbed by gunpoint. Details are sketchy but the jist of it, as thoroughly reported by the AP, is:

"Two robbers held up a Dunedin poker game for $50 in quarters, wallets and cell phones. One of the players ran rather than be robbed and was shot three times. Michael Butler, 42, is recovering from surgery after being airlifted to the hospital. The host of the weekly game says he recognized one of the robbers as a former neighbor. No arrests have been made."

So in light of the above, you have to ask yourself . . .

What's the Deal: Poker Raids

Dealt by Tim Bangs

Everywhere I look (and I mean anywhere), all I read about are how our heroes, the boys in blue, are making another HUGE poker bust.  The articles typically go like this: 

"And today, ten undercover agents helped to stop an illegal gambling ring in the downtown area.  Taken from the scene were clay poker chips, three decks of cards, and $100.  Police consider this sting as a tremendous step in helping to stop the city's increasing gambling problem.  Eight individuals were arrested, including the cleaning lady."

Sh!t Happens

Chops here.

You’re about equi-short-stacked with another person at the table.  Six rounders are left in this 9-person one table tournament. You’re the big blind. The small blind limps in. You look and see a beauty—pocket Kings.

You raise about 4x the blind and are called.

Flop comes up A-10-x. The small blind bets into you, it’s half of your remaining stack. You decide he doesn’t have the ace or a set, and push your remaining chips all in.

This hand happened to me last night in our weekly Wicked Chops Poker game.

Stuck in the Middle: Advice from Gordon

Chops here.

Phil Gordon is now contributing columns to ESPN.com.

The Stone Mountain native usually backs up his articles with good stats, and I found this article particularly relevant, as I've encountered a similar scenario (being caught in the middle of raisers & callers as short stack with a good speculative hand) a couple of times in our recent Wicked Chops Poker games.  Enjoy.

What's the Deal? Women in Poker.

Dealt by Tim Bangs.

Women in poker.  That is quite the conundrum. I thought poker was supposed to be a man’s sport.  It’s supposed to be a time when I can scratch myself peacefully, smoke a cigar, and burp.

Now don’t get me wrong, I am all for equality.  My beef is not that women are playing poker.  In fact, given the choice, I’d much rather be looking at an attractive girl then some fat slob with sausage fingers wearing a Hawaiian shirt.   My problem with women is the fact that they are too hard to get a read on.