PLO Skillz, RIP Fantasy NHL, Poker Goals

I played in the blogger SKILL series last night. I wasn't planning on playing in it at all... but how can you resist PLO high? With knockouts? Talk about dead money. I've had some mild success over the past year in this game, so I thought I would give it a shot. This would be the first time in 2008 that I would take a seat at a poker table (virtual or not) and look down at not just two cards... but four!

I went out early. Really early.

I am not sure if you would call it a set up hand, but it sure felt like one. It folded around to me in the SB and I call with Kc-10c-10d-7h. Alcanthang raises it up POT and I make the... loose call?

Anyway, I flop a set of tens and check intending to check raise him as I know he is going to c-bet. He obliges and bets the pot of 240 chips. I re-raise it POT, he re-raises, I push. All the money is in on the flop and he turns the gutterball on me and IGH.

It didn't even phase me. I railed him pretty hard, but only because I wanted to see him actually respond. He finally did after I repeatedly told him how "aces are gold in blogger tournies" and tried to get him to say something. He responded "I had a wrap draw" which to me, meant a gutterball? Anyway, such is life.

Can anyone give me some input on odds here? Bayne?

It actually worked out for the better, and when I went out, I almost felt relieved. Not sure why donating money would make me feel good, I just wish I would have lasted longer than 30 minutes... I guess it would be a lot to ask of a blogger to fold to a check raise on that flop. In fact, I am not even sure if it would be the right play over the long run. I mean he has to figure I have a set on that flop, but as Bayne has put it so well - "the goal is to get your money in good.

I'll have to get into it when I have more time. Congrats to all of those cashers out there. Well done.

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So my FantasySportslive career has basically come to an end. With football almost over I was really looking forward to playing in the NHL daily fantasy pools as I had been doing quite well in them... maybe too well because I think Blinders took it off the market based on a lack of interest. Every second day there was at least one overlay... so that can't be good for business. I can't fault him for taking it off if there is little or no interest, it just sucks that I'll probably cash out for the time being and wait for next season. Hopefully he brings it back soon, but I doubt it... and just when I cracked the top 40 leaderboard too... crap.

So out of spite I gave basketball a try and thought to myself "man if I cash in a basketball fantasy pool then something is really wrong here, I haven't watched a single game all year!"

Here are the results:

Time to cash out! Like my team name?

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As far as poker goals go, I've decided not to make many. Here is what I know so far:

1. Play in at least one event of the Johnny Chan Poker Classic at the Rock in May. Most likely the $1K if I can satellite into it. Otherwise I will buy into the $500 event. Cashing would also be nice, but I'm going to play like I can win, otherwise what is the point.

2. Win at least one blogger event. I don't have the stats in front of me, but I do remember doing quite well a few times in the Mookie (2nd, 3rd, etc). I won a Dookie or two (doesn't count in my books for some reason) and I won the bloggerpod2 freeroll (free IPOD, but I took the cash instead) as well. This year I want to win something of more meaning, and do it more than once.

3. Play in the BCPC in November. Win it in a heads up battle against 55.

4. Improve my cash game, and learn more, read more and become more comfortable at live $2/$5 NL at my local casinos.

5. Start playing 6 max NL online.

That's it so far... and will probably be it. I think I can accomplish at least one of these, if not two by the end of the year... so let's give it a go!

Theres lot's of hard work ahead of me, so now I just need to find some motivation... because really, I have none right now. The fact that last night was my first game of poker in 2008 is definitely a good indicator to me that I am just not interested these days. With the new place coming together nicely, and the rush of buying new stuff (I am currently waiting for more Wii's to come in so I can join the club, and I am now a member of the digital recorder world) and setting it up, I just haven't been into sitting in front of a computer after a 10 hour day of the grind.

I have no doubt that this feeling will change again with time, but for now this is how it's gonna be... and I'm fine with that.