I'm still Lucky

I've been frustrated during the last few times I played live. I can see that my game is so rusty now. I feel my lack of skills as I lose my chips. And I feel that luck's been aloof to me. I bubbled in a friend's bday party, though I cashed out more than 1,600 on a 200 max buy-in from a rake-free cash game afterwards. Che staked me 200 and I got most of the money in the table, including her rebuy. Hahaha!

Anyway, except for that cash game, I've been feeling that I'm more of a liability than an assest on the felt. I'm not saying that I always win. I have my fair share of wins and losses on the felt. But I would expect more from myself than how I am lately...

I think it's only fair that I get lucky somewhere else :-)

Hell ya!

I won a Ferrari Trolley Bag from a Marlboro raffle!

I'm not kidding.

And I am gonna sell it. As of the moment, I still don't know how much is the market value. I searched the internet, there's nothing like it. A friend told me that it must be a collectors item since it seems like it's been custom-made for this Marlboro raffle. So there's only 149 others like this our there.

If you know anyone interested, please contact me.

I'm gonna post a picture of the bag soon so at least you have an idea.


I am so happy for winning this. But I am not really into stuffs like this. I know there are collectors or people love stuffs like this. They may bring more justice to the product than what I can do.

So email me at jazkmdc@yahoo.com if you’re interested.

Pinoy Blogger Tourney 2

Don't miss the action on the 2nd Pinoy Bloggers Poker Tournament!!!

Join us and let us all have fun and play poker ONLINE!!!

When : October 29, 2006 (Sunday) , 3pm Manila time

Buy-in : $10 + $1

Game : No Limit Texas Hold 'Em

Starting Stacks : 1,500

Blind Levels : 15 mins

Sites Where You Can Join :

• PokerRoom
• FBAPoker
• HollywoodPoker
• HoldemPoker
• Eurobet Poker
• PokerLoco
• CanBet Poker
• America's Cardroom
• Full Contact Poker

How to join:

1. Log on to any of the sites above
2. Find the "Private" or "Private Tourney" tab
3. Click on "Scheduled" tab
4. Look for 11Finger's Tourney
5. Register (password is "pinoy")

If your account do not have any real money, you can fund it thru bank wires or using Click2Pay. But if those 2 menthods seems hard for you, contact 11Finger. He is offering assitance, you can send him money and he'll fund your account And you can also check Nick G's blog on help how to fund your C2P.

GOOD NEWS Online Players!

Playing online is fun, there a lot of freerolls and play money games. But if you want to make money from playing online, you should be aware of your first problem—How to fund your account? It’s been a dilemma for sometime now. Nick G has been helping us on how to use Click2Pay. But the option of bank wire is a bit of a hassle for me since I’m not really good in doing bank transactions. So, I continue to look for other ways to play real money online. There are a lot of different options on different sites.

So yesterday I wrote to pokerstars, then I got a quick reply with a good news. We can fund our pokerstars account using Western Union. This is very convenient since there are a lot of establishments around the metro that’s registered with Western Union. You can check their website and search for the ones near you. I’m glad that there’s one beside my office building. Go to their website, Western Union, then click “find an agent.”

Anyway, here’s what Pokerstars told me:

Hello Jazmin,

You can indeed use Western Union! You may send money via Western Union at any time, however payments will only be processed between 9:30 AM and 11:30pm Eastern Time, Monday through Sunday.

You can send money via Western Union to us in the amount of $50.00 up to $2,000.00. In order to make a deposit via Western Union, please:
1) Log into your PokerStars account
2) Click "Cashier"
3) Click "Buy Chips:
4) Click the Western Union logo
5) Click the "Instructions..." button

An Email will be sent to you with additional instructions on to whom the money should be sent. Please note that you must request a new name each time you make a Western Union transfer. The name given above is valid for one use only.

Once the money has been sent, please:
1) Log into your PokerStars account
2) Click "Cashier"
3) Click "Buy Chips:
4) Click the Western Union logo
5) Click the "Enter Western Union MTCN" button

You will be prompted to enter your 10-digit Money Control Transfer Number (MTCN) and other data.

Upon receipt of your Western Union transfer information, your deposit will be confirmed by our cashiers, and the funds will be deposited into your PokerStars account, usually in about an hour when Western Union is open (during the hours above).

Note that cash transfers will be verified within approximately 60 minutes (during the hours above), however credit card transfers may take 3-5 hours (sometimes longer).

Western Union offers the following options for money transfers:

Via web site: you can use your Visa or MasterCard credit or debit card through their web site at www.westernunion.com. This option is only available for some countries.

Money transfer services at Agent locations: available in over 190 countries worldwide. You can use cash or credit card.

Via telephone: you can use your Visa or MasterCard credit or debit card to make your deposit over the phone. Please visit www.westernunion.com to find the local phone number you need to call to send money from your country. This option is only available for some countries.

*US customers only can also use their Discover credit or debit card to send WU transfers using the phone option.

Once you have sent the transfer, please return to the PokerStars cashier screen to enter your MTCN (Money Transfer Control Number), and other information requested.

AN ALTERNATIVE TO WESTERN UNION

Want to play poker right now? Try NETeller, PokerStars' preferred payment solution.

You can link a NETeller account to your US or Canadian bank's checking account to perform FREE transfers instantly when you use NETeller’s instaCASH option from the PokerStars Cashier.

You can be playing poker in minutes if you use instaCASH! All you have to do is sign up for a free NETeller account at www.neteller.com, register your bank account, then make a NETeller deposit through the PokerStars Cashier and choose the instaCASH option. Your funds will be transferred instantly into your PokerStars account.

You may call a NETeller deposit expert any time at 1-877-769-3444 for help during the sign-up process.

The following countries can also use NETeller by transferring funds for FREE with Internet banking: United Kingdom, France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Turkey, Holland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Italy.

If you have questions, please do not hesitate in contacting us.


Regards,

Steve C
PokerStars Support Team


There you go. I think this one is much easier than bank wire transfers. Well, honestly, if you can do bank wire transfers, you can already fund your account on most sites. Some sites accept it directly. But for some it would be better to course it thru Click2Pay, Moneybookers, Epassport and of the like. As far as I know, these methods are better when you would have to cash out. If you used your C2P account for funding the account, they will automatically transfer your cash out amount to C2P as well.

Hope this information helps. See ya at the tables!

Buy one NOW!

I'm re-posting this for a bigger version:


Hey guys,

Che is a part of the corporation that is bringing Singelringen to the Philippines. Originally from Sweden, the Singelringen is a unisex ring exclusively for singles that brings together Swedish quality craftsmanship and high fashion. Today, the Singelringen fad has caught on in countries like the U.S., Japan , and Brazil where thousands of these rings are sold every single day. Everywhere in the world, single men and women (including Hollywood celebrities) wear the ring proudly on their right hand to signify how proud they are to be single.

So what does a Singelringen look like? It is made of eye-catching turquoise acrylic over an inner high-quality silver band. A crescent shape is cut into the acrylic to allow a glimpse of silver to catch the light, signifying the wearer's openness to meeting other proud singles out there. Each unisex ring comes with a unique serial number engraved inside the silver band, allowing the user to register in an exclusive website and communicate with thousands of singles in the global Singelringen community. I've attached a picture. If you can't see it, visit http://www.singelringen.com to see what it looks like.

I know that not all of you are single, but if you can help me spread the word by forwarding this e-mail, that would be a big help. :) We are taking pre-orders right now so people can buy the rings directly from us for only P1950. Once it hits the stores by mid-October and once it comes out in the magazines and TV, retail price will be P2450.

Your help in this endeavor will be much appreciated.

Thanks!

Buy one NOW!

Online Freeroll snag

As seen in my previous (poker related) posts, I have been playing mostly online freerolls. It sure is fun, convenient, good training ground and you can even win real money even if you don’t have a real money account. You can even work your way to several MTTs and eventually win a seat to WSOP and stuffs.

But like any other thing on Earth, freerolls also have its own disadvantages. And I am starting to realize some of them. Here’s some that I encountered:

1. You can’t believe the aggression you’ll witness on an online freeroll, sometimes it’s already idiotic. They don’t fear anything here. No investment, just their time and bandwidth.
2. How would you define a situation when a player goes all in on the first hand (no raise, first deal) and around 4 to 5 other players call? Online freeroll play.
3. MTTs are fun. How about a Multi-MTT? Meaning, I am playing four different MTTs from different sites all at the same time. It’s a fun and nerve-wrecking experience all at the same time. Try it, it’s good exercise.
4. Since I am already used to #3, I sometimes find myself fidgeting during live play. I may have adjusted my game to be different when it is live from the online freeroll, but what do I do when I already folded? I need to see more hole cards!
5. You are home but you are not really there. You are virtually with the 10,000 other players all over the globe playing Hubble’s No-Limit Hold-Em (PokerStars). You see me there sitting in front of the computer shifting from one screen to the other. Don’t try to talk to me ‘coz I would just pretend to understand it. Yeah, maybe sometimes I do. But I am really panicking about my game. So just let me be.
6. I tend to rely more on cards now. My poker skills are suffering (if I’ve got any, lol!) I’ve been used to online freerolls that the read you can get is limited. I have specified online freeroll because I noticed that online real money is not that far from a live game, only harder to read people. No tells from them touching their face or shaking hands while pushing chips. But you can still make a read or two.
7. Try coming to office with no sleep at all by joining a game that starts at such an ungodly hour at this side of the Earth. Such to get in deep but bust out without a pay. Played a good game in a large field should be enough for now.
8. Yeah, time difference is such an ass. I remember joining the first Daniel Negreanu’s Protégé in Full Contact and qualifying for round two. Only thing is, I miscalculated the time and date of round two. I ended up logging in the day after the event. Grrr…
9. My computer at home is specifically designed to handle heavy graphics and memory eating software. No, I’m not a graphic artist but I supervise one. I have projects that require some software. But none of those sophisticated software would be found in my computer right now. It is all filled with different poker clients and games. Geez…
10. Last but not the least, I’m now more of a Poker Addict than I used to be. With live games, I need a bankroll. With the existence of online freerolls, I can feed my addiction.
    
    Given with these drawbacks, I’d still play online freerolls. Why? It’s free dude! :-)

the STORM ain't over!

I’m sad. Storm Large was booted off today from Rockstar Supernova. I know she gave a good performance, but shit happens. Now, where am I supposed to watch her?
Che is right, she may be better off as a solo performer than with supernova. She’s so hot I’d hit it! Argh, I’m grieving right now. *sniff-sniff*

PayPal

Hi friends!

Notice that new banner in this page?

Yeah, it's a petition (gathering online signatures) trying to make PayPal to consider rendering services to us here in the Philippines.

I know some of you may have PayPal and the likes thru international business or foreign ancestry. But there are some, like yours truly, and we want to play online with real money... or do business transactions online. But honestly, I wanna play real money online :-)

So guys, sign up and join the petition.

no longer a Bubble girl

No update and not much poker lately for me. In the past few weeks, I only played live twice. Most of the games I played lately are online freerolls due to the convenience and bankroll situation.

Last week, two good friends took me out on a “Jazzie Day”. They treated me dinner and staked me in the tournament. I’m so touched. I had a blast! Thank you guys, you know who you are. I really appreciate it.

During the tournament, I tried to play a good game as I would always do. But I tried extra hard, not just for myself, but also for my friends who believed in me (or maybe just for me to have fun). Then comes the final table, I’m glad to still be in the game. My chip stack was decent enough. But the thing is, I was getting pure trash and I can’t even make a move because someone (and possibly more than one) would call me. Eventually, I held on to my few remaining chips. Resistance is futile. I bubbled. Again. So frustrating!!!

I just can’t believe the trash I was getting for about two hours. So I checked my wallet and I still got a thousand and a few hundreds. I was thinking, would I risk my money on the ring? But what else would I do? So I sat there and saw more trash. Hmmm… I don’t think this is really happening. Then at the midst of grinding, some prayers were answered. If I wasn’t folding, I would raise. And eventually, I got 2 quads that night. Yummy! After a few hours, my baby went there wasted and I’m exhausted as well. We decided to call it a night. I cashed out almost triple my buy in. Good.

Then last night I joined the tourney, the place was packed with 4 tables, 11 players each. I know this ain’t gonna be easy. I was in table 1 seat 8. While the cards were being shuffled for the 1st deal, I looked around. There are good players, new ones, bluffers, tight and aggressive players… wow! I was thinking, with this field, I better not commit the mistake of playing too many hands. Then I looked at my hole cards, AA! What to do, what to do?! From UTG, only one player folded, they all called. The guy acting before me raised the BB (100) to 300 total in chips. Maybe I got from playing too many freerolls, I dread good cards on the first hand. I actually don’t know what to do with my rockets. I don’t want to push all in (online nightmares flashback). I don’t want to just call his raise when I am holding AA. I looked at the pot and for me it is good enough even if no one calls. It’s better that reeling me in or a bad beat. So I re-raised to 3,100 total. Starting stack is 5k, so I guess people wouldn’t really risk more than half of their stack on the first hand if they don’t have group 1 cards or group 2 at the very least. Everyone folded except for the guy before me, he called my re-raise. Flop comes 9h-3h-As. He checked. I know I got a set now, but there’s a flush draw showing. He may not have hit anything, but he might be drawing for a flush. I have very strong cards. He may have a flush draw, but I also have a good chance of getting something better than flush like full house or maybe even quads. So, what the heck… ALL IN! He took some time thinking… then eventually folded. Dang, that hand was intense! Hours and hours after, I made it again in the final table. It was a long game and helluva fun. Prayed damn hard not to bubble again. Luckily, even with a short stack, I as able to finish 5th place and ITM, baby! My last hand was ugly. I’ve got the shortest stack on the table, I’m on Big Blinds and my remaining chips are just around another Big blinds. I was holding 2-4 and everyone folded except the one on the button. Heads-up, and flop came K-K-J. We both checked. Then, it was announced that blinds will increase on the next hand. Turn, 8x. We both checked again. Then the river, 6x. I know for sure now that he didn’t hit anything nor have a pocket pair. So I decided to make a move and pushed all in. Yeah, I know I’m holding 2-4. But hey there’s no flush or straight showing. And I don’t think he got a boat nor trips, not even a pair. Besides I’m gonna be small blinds on the next hand, and that would mean putting ¾ of my chips for the blinds. And if that happens, chances are, I would just be forced to go all in when the blinds go back to me. Or if I’d get good cards and go all in, I would be very prone to bad beats. I mean, my all in wouldn’t even make them think. Ah what the heck! Make a move and hope that I read him right so he will eventually fold. Well, he took some time thinking but he’s 3rd in chip lead with the 5 of us remaining. Then again, my raise wouldn’t really hurt him too much and he decides to see my cards, saying “I’ll donate to you”. Damn. Well, at least I read him right. He doesn’t have anything. But he’s got Queen high plus the chips to afford my move. And I made him think before risking his chips. I love making people think. Besides, I am happy with 5th place where I get both our buy ins back plus P200 rather than grinding for hours and busting out on the bubble. Good game, guys!

###

I just saw on youtube that Jamie Gold won the 2006 WSOP with a Q9, my favorite trash! :-)

Freeroll Tournament in Bodog

Lately, I haven’t been playing a lot in those same old places. I’m trying to discipline myself and set some priorities like work and other matters that need financial attention. That is why we usually play during payday season. But I must admit, I still play poker, online that is. From the moment I arrive home, I open the computer and go online.

I have :

• Pokerstars
• Ulitmate Bet
• Absolute Poker
• Poker 4ever
• Bodog
• FutureBetAsia
• PokerChamps
• Full Contact

and

• Full tilt

clients in my computer. I’d check which site would have an upcoming freeroll tournament and join them, simultaneously most of the time.

Do I take it seriously? OFCOURSE, I take it seriously! Imagine having a shot in winning real money, points you can use for bigger tournament or event a WSOP seat for FREE?? Well, aside from the prize pot, it is a practice for me. Outlasting 3000 players around the globe sure isn’t an easy feat. You’ll encounter many different types of players and learn how to handle them. You will learn the virtue of patience when there’s a manic that goes all in every hand. You’ll also develop a different sense in smelling a bluff when you can’t see their person facial expression. Online poker is good, but I wouldn’t advice it for newbies.

So last Saturday, the usual, I was at home and played several freerolls in those sites mentioned above. I won a few points, more play money and get to advance to another tournament. It’s nothing new to me being addicted to freerolls, I got a taste of those already. But I really haven’t won something big. I got a few dollars from Poker Champs, $1 at one time and another. I won more at Ultimate Bet, but they won’t let me play my bonus dollars until I deposit real money to them.

So I went on to this day freerolling on the net. Then I joined this freeroll at Bodog. Eventually, I placed 8th and won $7.80 eCash. I was thinking they might have the same protocol with UB. The next day, I decided to give a try. I joined a $1 tournament. It starts 2am. I still gave it a shot knowing I have to be up early since it’s a Monday already.

When the tournament was about to start, I was thinking “A-game, Jaz. A-game. Go win some more moolah!”

I got mid-position in the draw for dealer. Then my first hand, Kh-Kd. Uh-oh! Alright, I don’t want a small raise because trash hands will just call me and flop a two pair or straight draw and I’d just lose more chips. I also don’t want to go all in since they might think I’m one of those crazy bastards who go all in for the first hand just to have a head start. So I raised half of my stack, $500. Then everyone folds, I get $30 from the small and big blinds. Whew!

Second hand, I got another pocket Kings! I was thinking, “Wow! I think I’m lucky in this tournament!”

So, I did the same thing betting $500. All the rest folds, some took more time than the first hand, then one of them raises all-in. I called, ofcourse. A classic tale of cowboys against Ace, Jack. Flop comes with an Ace.

So, I was left with $30. Eventually, I busted out after a few hands of struggle to survive.

I was so upset! I stayed up late to wait for that tournament and that’s all I get?! My seat wasn’t even warm yet! Grrrrrr….

Hmmm… I was able to join a real money tournament using the eCash I won. Maybe I can try a few hands in the ring game. First I only bought in for $3, leaving $3.80 on my account. Then got a bad beat and decided to bring in my remaining $3.80 since my stack is already below $1 and the max for the Table is $10. And from there, my stack grew. By 3am, I cashed out with $28.xx (Sorry I’m still not oriented in the cents system.) Wow! Now, that made my night.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~

Thinking about it today, I want to make that money bigger. And that would be my online bankroll. I know it’s not much, but at least now I’ve got something to start with, out of nothing (Freeroll, I mean.) I’m already dreaming of making it big enough to suffice for a vacation and still leave some for my bankroll. Hehehe!

Anyway, I checked the site and their options for payout and it’s not really Philippines friendly. But I’m going to contact their helpdesk, maybe there’s some way that it’ll be easy from us here in Manila. I’ll keep you posted on whatever I will hear from them.