CHE's BDAY!!!

Hi there friends!

Just a reminder, it's Che's birthday, June 24, Saturday... tomorrow! And we are going to have a small celebration at our place in Bacood, Sta. Mesa. Party starts 8pm... See yah!

Oh, please text me at 0920-5380057 for the complete address or text me your email so I can send you a copy of the map. Or call me if you seem to be lost. And if it's already around 11pm, the gate near the baranggay closes, but there's someone there who will open it. Just tell him/her that you're going to Che and Jaz's party.

Please text or call me coz my phone crashed last week and I wasn't able to save my phonebook.

Be there.

RESULTS: Poker Stars World Blogger Championship

Around 2247 poker bloggers joined this morning’s tournament. Yes, it’s this morning. It started 4am. I had to adjust my father’s day activities and sacrifice lack of sleep today in the office.

I was very excited for this event. Last year, I joined the first PokerStars World Blogger Championship. But I busted out early in the game. And I think, no one else I know joined. But this year, some of my friends also joined: Nickg, Cardinal, the Duke and Miguel.

Around 12 midnight, I was exchanging messages with Miguel on how excited we were for this tournament. It’s technically a freeroll but better prizes. I don’t really mind the ipod nano or the jacket. Oh, I’d love to get some bounty, too! Then we gave it a couple of hours’ rest.

I set my alarm. I was too excited, I can’t go back to sleep. I know I play freerolls during the wee hours, But not on a Monday morning when I’ve got work. And it’s hard to play an A-game on those ungodly hours. Nah, I’ve got to put my self together and make my momma proud!

Game time: Miguel and I were chatting in our ym on the side. He was in another table full of people indicating a “sit out” status. In another window, I was chatting with Cardinal and he told me he was seated at the same table with the Duke. Then after a few hands, we discovered that Nickg was also in another table. For some time, we actually invaded Nickg’s table with our chit chat there.

I feel like it’s team Philippines in here. My table is open in one window and I open several other windows to view their table. The Duke got a good stack very early in the game. His aggression worked to his advantage and busted out several players. Unfortunately, Cardinal was one of his victims. As far as I remember, they both hit trips. It was a matter of higher kicker and the 2nd card plays. Then after a few more rounds, The Duke and Miguel also busted out.

We found our selves chatting in Nickg’s table, with only the two of us still in the game. During that time, my stack was less than a thousand = super low stack. I even reached having less than 500. Nickg’s around the average stack. Though there were several fluctuations, he managed to keep an OK stack. When our friends were planning to play an SNG, Nickg was saying he’d be out of the game soon. And seeing my poverty-stricken chips, “Oh, my! I am hanging by a hair strand here!”

I remember my first hand, pocket 3’s. I folded it. I remember this is still an internet freeroll. And I was first to act. True enough, someone made an all in for the first hand in my table. I don’t want to waste my chips by calling the blinds on the first to act position then folding to someone who went all in behind me. It’s a big field out there, every chip counts. I had several pockets and monster cards. I was folding A-J, K-J and the likes when there’s a raise-reraise-all in with a full table. I try to limp but I was ready to fold good cards if I don’t hit the flop. Or my two basic options; fold or push all in. I can’t believe how tight I was playing at some point. There was a time I felt so sorry for playing that way, but I know in the long run I still made the right decision. I was on the big blinds, someone raised double. The others called. When it was my turn, I looked at my cards and saw a J-7 off. I checked their chip stack and mine as well. I’ve got the smallest stack. It’s either I fold or go all in. I can’t scare them with my all in since I’ve got the tiniest stack in the table. If I call, I don’t have a good position. FOLD! Then flop comes 7-J-7… Arrrggghhh!!!

After sometime struggling, Nickg messaged me that he just got busted. He finished 762nd place. I’m the only one left from Team Philippines (or so we know). Since I didn’t really crossed path with those players with bounty, I’m focused to getting at least that pokerstars jacket or ipod. The WSOP main event seat would be a dream come true. But im gonna need a hell lot of miracles to get any of those with my present chip stack. I was able to catch a few more. People actually fold when I go all in. Yeah, I show them monsters and rockets when no one calls my all in. I know it’s risky. It’s a strategy I need to pull just to survive a little longer given my minuscule ammo. I got the image I wanted. The entire time I raise or make a re-raise of all in, they fold. Even the biggest stack who can afford, would fold to me. Nice! There was a time someone called my all in and it doubled me up. For the longest time, I was at that table where my image was good (worked for me).

Then as a normal tournament procedure, I was transferred to another table. I really wasn’t getting cards either. The blind were 800/1600 plus antes, I only have 6k in chips against several big stacks in our table. I’m in mid position, the one before me raised double. I was holding pocket 9’s, I can’t just call because it will hurt my stack to just waste that much chips. I was trying to put him in a hand. I think it’s an Ace something… I must push him out with the rest of the players; the pot is good enough for me. Simply calling wouldn’t signify I’ve got a good hand. So, I pushed all in and leave the problem to him. All the rest of the players folded. And when it was his turn, he took a while. As planned, I leave the thinking to him either to call my all in with a chance to double me up or fold and hand me the chips he raised with. By the time he took, I know he’s not on rockets, kings or queens. Then he called and flipped over A-K off. Board comes trash, all low cards and giving me a set either. So far, so good. Then the turn is another brick. Alright, I just have to get through this one and I know I can make it further to this tournament with those chips in the middle. As if it was scripted with a slow motion effect… ACE ON THE RIVER! …

That was just plainly disgusting…

I was stunned.

I know I shrieked, but it seems more like a bad dream.

Then I heard my mobile, Nickg texted me. He saw the whole thing. I almost cried on his shoulders upon reading the message. Not because I’m a sore loser, I would have shaken that guy’s hand if we were face to face. It is because my dreams of winning a poker stars jacket or ipod nano was shattered in a blink of an eye . . . *sniff-sniff*

with an Ace on the river….

LoL

I busted 183rd out of 2247 players around the world. Not bad!Good game Nickg, Duke, Miguel and Cardinal! See you again next year guys! Maybe we can do this in another freeroll sometime.

New Beginnings

Last night, we played a low-stakes mixed game/dealer’s choice with a bunch of friends. I honestly don’t know any other type of poker than No Limit Hold ‘Em (NLHE). I was introduced to games like Omaha High, crazy pineapple and deuce to seven. Our setup was: we play one round/orbit of the game of choice of the dealer. When the button goes back to him, he’d be a dealer of a black jack game (just a crazy twist we tried to do). Then the player on his left gets to be the dealer and call a poker game of his choice. Admittedly, donkey and stupid plays were seen all through the night. Well, what do you expect when I hardly know what I was doing?

Every game cracks my head. It’s a different strategy and mechanics for each game. I know I haven’t really mastered NLHE, but it wouldn’t hurt (I think…) to learn the other types of poker. I mean, right now, almost everybody claims to be a poker player. We were blessed enough to discover the game in an early stage in the country and got to know people, groups and personalities who helped us play the game the way it should be played.

Our group, JGPT, started with games similar to our session last night. We hardly know the rules of NLHE, so we made our own. We don’t have a designated denomination of chips, so each chip is equals to 1 unit, regardless of the color. We know nothing about reading the board, position play, calculating odds and other important factors in playing poker. Hahaha!

But we were spoiled kids trying to play the game and we do have the gear for it. Jards already have a set of nice clay poker chips from the US. We have been using it since day one. He also had a table-top made. He ordered books and videos of poker, all these we can use just to improve our game! (He’s such a sweetheart!) We spent hours of at least twice a week playing non-stop poker,

Then after sometime, we got the hang of it somehow. I guess we played too much with the same people that it seems like we’ve got each other read like a book. We know the routine when he’s going to check or when he hit his draw.

Then, one by one, we got to know other groups and people who share the same interest… POKER! Yeah, that was the time that our poker friends would see us more often than our family.

In a short span of time, the local poker community developed. Our group, JGPT, grew with raging hormones. No, we are not a group of experts and sharks on the felt. We are a group of people who loves to play poker and party at the same time. We are a newbie-friendly poker group which is more of a soiree than mean ass poker.

Expect fishes, bad beats, donkey plays and all the things that will make you insane. But let me tell you this, give it time. These so-called “JG fishes” will graduate and conquer a better field. Just take a look at the founding members… Jardine, Che, Gail, Miguel, Carol, Kath, Bryan and your truly (shameless plug!). Joel and Barok are not as visible like the rest of us. But it was quickly followed by a surprising number of people who joined JGPT or at least graced our home games. To date, I can say that there are a lot of players from JG who will be a (if not, already one) dangerous opponent on the felt.

Now, poker is everywhere, or at least NLHE. I hope that what our group did last night is just a mark of another beginning and growth of our group.


P. S.
We apologize if we can not invite every member of the group. Please understand that we don’t even know the other games yet, what more, to organize one.
We’ll keep you posted for further announcements, hopefully soon…

3rd place is still ok

Last Monday, we joined a 30-seater tournament. The buy-in was 700+100 packed with familiar faces and new ones. It was a tough one. I really wasn’t getting cards. During the mid-level of the game, I look at my chips and say “oh, I’m doing ok.” But a glance on my right and see Miguel’s chips plus right across me is Roch. They were the chip leaders for most parts of the game. Reality sinks in; I’m not really doing ok. I’m short stacked and it would be a struggle to survive.

After some risky hands and doing the right thing (which is to FOLD or PUSH), I was able to reach the final table. My stack wasn’t that bad at that time. There were some who’d need more miracle than I do. So, I played ultra-tight there. I let them take out other players first. As we reached the last 3 players, Roch and Miguel were big stacks. And I’ve got as much as a little more than 3x the big blinds, still… a struggle to survive.

It’s an awesome scene to watch when you’re short stack and the two big stacks are going against each other. I got my share of light as well, after sometime I was able to get an average stack. But my mindset was that I am the one with the shortest stack and Roch with those black chips is the chip leader.

I felt so hopeless for being the short stack for the longest time, or so I thought. Yeah, surprise surprise! Roch and I faced and all in situation. He won. I thought I was busted out. We were all shocked that I had him covered and left me with 1 ½ big blinds. Arrrgghhhh! I could have adjusted my play if I had known I wasn’t short stack anymore! Aaaarrrrghhhhh!

Oh well, that’s poker!

Still I am proud of myself for outlasting 27 other players, knowing that some of them are better and more experienced than me. I know I played a good game to finish 3rd place. Congrats to all who made it to the final table that night!

And I also would like to apologize to the people who were there and saw me freak out for the first time. I was soooo tired. The game lasted for roughly 7 hours plus the fact that I was awake for almost 24 hours then. My head was throbbing and my body was already feverish. Maybe I just wasn’t prepared for a night that long on a Monday or any work day for that matter. I am still adjusting in trying to balance my career and poker all at the same time.

###

In a related matter but in an entirely different light, the issue some people are raising regarding to what happened during this game is all but bullshit. Now, if anyone would like to feast on this issue: I already gave my comment in Miguel’s blog. Sometimes I wish that I’m not a well brought-up and educated lady so I can just vent out my rage and act like a worth for nothing idiot. I applaud Miguel and Kath for handling this matter very well.

Poker Bloggers

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

This Online Poker Tournament is a No Limit Texas Holdem event exclusive to Bloggers.

Registration code: 5587070

Cheating in Poker

I would just like to share what I've read about this hot subject matter. All of us should watch out for people who would even try these. Let's keep the game the way it should be...

Cheating at Poker
(What to watch out for)

There are three or four major forms of poker cheating that you must remain on guard against; marked cards, imported chips, mechanics, and collusion. Imported chips are unauthorized poker chips brought into the tournament. Mechanics is the physical manipulation of playing cards to someone's advantage, for example, dealing from the bottom of the deck. Collusion is playing differently against one or more players at the table than you do against others.

Cheating at low stakes home poker games is not usually a problem. Tournament play discourages cheating due to the relatively low buyin dollar amount. Many home tourney players are attending for the enjoyment and camaraderie rather than the need to win the money. So don't worry too much about cheaters at your game.

Surprisingly, the biggest form of "cheating" is peeking at other players cards. Glimpsing your neighbor's cards is sometimes unavoidable due to the cramped quarters of a home poker room. Remind your guests to protect their cards at all times. Remember that is not improper for one player to complain about another player who constantly has the opportunity to view a third player's cards.

Marked Cards
Marked cards can be purchased on Ebay and at other locations. Brand new decks of marked KEM cards (in sealed plastic!) use a dye that is only visible to players wearing special glasses. This cheating method can be easily avoided by never using anyone else's cards at your home tourney.

Some players may also try to mark cards by tearing or nicking them with a fingernail. This is usually a little too obvious a tactic but of greater concern is a 'punched' card. A punched card has a little indentation punched into the card in a specific location. You can view a punched card here. A dealer can feel the punch as he deals the card and an observant player can view the punches on everyone's down-cards.

Imported Chips
You must be on guard against players who might try to bring their own poker chips into your tournament. This is particularly true if you use one of the more common types of chip that is readily available. If you use a customized chip with your name printed on it, you don't have to worry about a player having an identical chip, but if you are using the plastic Bike chips - what's to stop a player from bringing extra chips into your tourney?
If you must use common poker chips, try to modify them in some unique way. One easy method is to place little stickers (labels) of a certain color or shape on each chip. Just make sure they don't come off ... you don't want to make false accusations against an innocent player. You might also use an unusually colored felt marker to permanently mark your chips.
Always pay attention to the chips in play. If you've owned your set of chips for ten years but all of a sudden one or two shiny, new Purple (500) chips appears .. you've got a problem. Make sure you account for your entire chipset at the end of the night. Chips do occasionally get lost under carpets or down ventilation grates. Ensure that you know the exact number of chips you have in your set.

Mechanics
You should always pay particular attention to the dealer as this is where the majority of cheating can occur. Your worries will be greatly lessened if you have a dedicated dealer you can trust.
You can learn more about card mechanics at PokerCheat.com.

Collusion
Collusion is extremely difficult to prove and caution must be used when dealing with the issue. In a public cardroom, or someone else's house, it is best to simply walk away from the game when you suspect collusion. Unfortunately, walking away is not an option when you are in your own house hosting 20 guys for a night of poker!
Some common forms of collusion are:

• Dumping chips: Deliberately losing to a partner (perhaps someone you are backing financially or with whom you have traded a percentage stake).
• Hand-mucking: Switching or altering hands. Two people sitting next to each other might try to switch hands or alter them in some way.
• Hot-seat: A new player is invited to a game, only to play against a team of players all secretly working together.
• Signaling: Trading information between partners. Signals can take many forms, from the placement of the chips on the cards, to coughing, to Morse code tappings on the table. The key ingredient in all signaling systems is the ability to be repeated without being noticed. In a game where people (hopefully) are always watching each other, this can prove problematic. When a cheater is signaling the value of his hand to his partner(s), he is also signaling the value of his hand to everybody else at the table.
• Soft play: Failing to bet or raise in a situation that would normally merit it because of your opponent. In home poker games it is common to be playing against someone you know well but the best advice is to leave friendship outside the door, especially in tournament poker. Soft playing a friend is cheating all of the other players at the game who would prefer to see you bust out your friend, getting them closer to the prize money.
• Whipsawing: Partners raise and reraise each other to trap players in between.
  

Implicit Collusion
Let's say there are three players left in the pot and one of those players goes all-in. There is now a good chance that the remaining two players will "check it down", meaning that they will both check, rather than bet or raise, until the showdown. This is known as "implicit collusion" because the two players are now, in effect, teaming up against the all-in player. There are several legitimate reasons why implicit collusion is somewhat tolerated:

• The chance of a successful bluff is much lower since there is a guaranteed card showdown with the all-in player.
• Eliminating players is an important objective in a tournament and both players have a vested interest in seeing the all-in player eliminated. Two hands have a better chance of beating the all-in player than one.
• Players not in the pot also have a vested interest in seeing the all-in player eliminated.
  

For these reasons, don't be surprised to see many checked-down hands in these situations. It is not considered to be cheating unless done by verbal agreement.

Angle Shooting
There is another form of improper play referred to as angle shooting. Angle shooters try to use the rules or procedures of poker to their own advantage. Angle shooters will also try to take advantage of another players lack of proper procedure. A classic example of an angle shooter is a player who is suppose to act behind you but verbally declares at showdown that he has a flush. You muck your hand and he then reveals his hand which is not a flush. You would have won the pot had you not mucked your cards.

Pussies

Here are some of the latest pictures of our pussies. I think there’s more to come aside from these two. We still refer to them as kittens. But I don’t really know if a 9-month-old cat can still be called a kitten.

Bourbon looks like their mom (QT), only lighter in color. Her asset as well is having streaks of orange in her fur. She’s naughty for her countless attempts to knockdown everything in our altar. She is very sweet, but in her own terms. And she’s usually very sweet when she knows she did something wrong. Ashley on the other hand looks like a black cat. Her fur used to be light gray, and then it got darker in time. Right now, it looks like dark gray with white spots under her neck and below her tummy. She’s a very sweet and cutesy kind of cat. She’ll try to get things her way by melting your heart. She’s the only cat we have that I can actually carry like a baby sleeping in my arms. I don’t know what’s with it, but she loves to sit on my chair and occupy my side of the bed. She would even sleep in Che’s arm, which I call “my spot.” And weird as it seems, she loves water and taking a bath. She’ll come running every time someone would to the bathroom.
There you have it. That's our kittens for you guys!

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Happy 25th Monthsary Baby!

tic tic tic

Gimme a word/phrase that would describe the minutes of waiting for your log off time at work so you can head off to the felt and play some mean poker? TOO LONG!

Hahaha! I don’t mean to take my work for granted or to be a bad influence to my friends. I’m just feeling so weird today. I can’t wait to unwind and play a very relaxing game of poker. Hahahaha!

Freeze Out or Shoot Out

Alright I’m not a poker guru and so far from even being a really good poker player. But somehow, I know how the game is played. I’ve been through several transitions in my game play. So far, I know there are two types of NLHE namely; ring games (or cash games, as some may call it) and the tournament style.

Whenever I play tournaments, it is usually the Tournament Director software that directs which person will move to which chair. Until recently, we encountered a game where they said it’s a “shoot out”.

Huh?

Sorry for my ignorance, but during that time I really don’t have a clue what that is. So, I discovered that the game I’m used to is called a freeze out type of NLHE. You know… those types that players will be transferred to another seat to balance the players in each table. So when a certain number of players are eliminated, the designated Tournament Director will call on players to move to a certain table and seat number. For some games, the computer software will do the math for you. But ideally, there are international standards set for moving players--- that, you can research on the web or ask Nick G.

I am still not that familiar with a shoot out game. All I know is that, each table is like a sub-tournament. There’s no moving of players until there’s a winner for your table. It’s usually the 1st place per table. But some would take the 1st and 2nd place for each table, say there are 5 tables. So the 1st and 2nd place of each table will make up the final table, which is a total of 10 players. As I’ve gathered, it really varies. Rules depend on what the organizers declared or at least, adhere.

Call it familiarity, but I’d stick with the freeze out. I think it’s fucked up. But maybe, it’s just beyond my comfort zone. I dunno. Like what if 120 people showed up, is the final table gonna be made up of 12 people? Maybe some of you can enlighten me about this matter. It’ll be greatly appreciated.

How's everything?

It’s been long again since I last wrote an entry here. I don’t want to apologize this time. I just might end up apologizing in every entry. I guess that’s why I can’t pursue a career in journalism. During the start of my career life, I actually started as a writer. Or shall I say I was blessed with a column in one of the major dailies. I’m just not sure if I deserve the title “writer”. I gained a bit of a following for some interesting articles. It also took me places and made me meet honorable personalities. It was promising, as my mom would say. But do I love it? I love the perks, the traveling and the prestige. But honestly, I would have to drag myself to face my computer in an empty screen for hours just trying to write something. It even frustrates me that my English is not really good and my vocabulary is very limited. I’m not putting my self down, I’m just being honest. I could say that I can write, but it’s not my passion. It breaks my Dad’s heart since he is a great journalist. I also wish I can be just like him. But I’d rather be true to myself.


What’s my passion then? I don’t know. Maybe soon I’ll find out. Or maybe it’s already here somewhere, I just don’t know it. Maybe it’s poker… I wish! Hahaha!