tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85516322024-03-07T15:08:43.733-05:00mortal_one's Poker JourneyFinding my way through life and poker.
(Through the shuffling madness)mortal_onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08447137117919885021noreply@blogger.comBlogger290125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551632.post-20954403546637152872011-09-23T12:32:00.000-04:002011-09-23T12:32:22.106-04:00Poker in a Post-Allegedly-Ponzi WorldNo, this will not be some insightful, informative post on where the online poker industry is at present. Quite frankly, I could care less about online poker at this point. I do still play the occasional game with my son, but it is not really challenging me at all. I am out of work, with no bankroll, and a place to play poker only 20 minutes away. Is this the definition of hell? Maybe if I was as poker obsessed as I was 4 or 5 years ago, the answer would be yes. I am finding I can live without poker. Not that I want a pokerless existence. <br />
<br />
The main problem I have seen and continue to see with online poker is not getting the website to run a clean game and keep their books straight. The main problem is cheating players. And it is not just that they cheat. It is the erosion of trust the sites have because they allow cheating to go on. This is the reason that when I was playing with real money, I was playing the lowest stakes (that and lack of bankroll). Why would I want to play in the middle or upper levels when I know there are easy ways to cheat and get away with it. I don't consider myself too much of a mark. I am always trying to figure out how thing can be done and cheating with online poker seems to be a fairly easy thing to do. <br />
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Legislation: Do states really believe they can make money with online poker limited to their own state? I am not sure how. The big sights had one thing going for them. They had tons of players, at all hours of the day and night. You wanted to play a game, it was there. With State-limited poker, there would be a lot fewer players out there, fewer games, fewer dollars to rake. And cheating would still occur.<br />
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What is the solution to online poker? I don't know. At the very least it needs to be heavily regulated, audited, and policed. I think the best level to do this in the US is to do it at the national level.<br />
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Enjoy the Pokery Goodness,<br />
<br />
mortal_onemortal_onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08447137117919885021noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551632.post-64860705668813733802011-08-13T15:53:00.000-04:002011-08-13T15:53:42.717-04:00Poker Dream or My Dreams of Winning the WSOP Dashed.Last night I had an interesting poker dream.<br />
<br />
I was entered in the WSOP Main Event. There were so many entrants that my starting table and about 15 others were in a "back room" somewhere in the Rio. The dealers were shady and took breaks when they felt like it. I did not recognize any of the players. What was even sketchier about the whole situation is that they didn't have enough tournament chips so some of my chips were Monopoly houses and hotels.<br />
<br />
I would step away from the table and this one player who was way down on chips sat in my seat and tried to take over my chips. The dealer did nothing. I called the floor over and he said there was nothing in the rules to prevent it. At this point, I see <a href="http://www.alcanthang.blogspot.com/" style="color: red;">AlCantHang</a> over at another table talking with someone he knew. I tried to get his attention so I could explain what was happening. Al gave me a very disdainful look, apparently because I knew his name and did not have the SoCo to back it up. So he left.<br />
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At this point, the table is broken up and I am told I will be moving to a table in the main room. My chips are not counted or bagged. They are left on the table with chips from two other players. These two teenagers instead start pushing the table to the main room. I am following, because I do not trust them. They are pushing the table through the casino and at one point the table bumps the corner of a slot machine and some of my chips fall off. The table pushing teens ignore this and push the table faster. I grab the chips off the floor and continue my pursuit. <br />
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I lose sight of the table. And I come to an unmarked fork in the hallway. I ask someone which way the main room is and am pointed to the left. I follow the hallway up and come into a bar overlooking the main room just in time to see my table and chips come in through an entrance below. The teens stop the table and look at each other and grin. I know what they are going to do. I climb up on the railing and leap down. But I am too late to stop the teens from pushing 3 players worth of chips onto the floor mine included.<br />
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I am told by the tournament director that since the chips were not real chips and that they were mixed in with other players chips that I was disqualified. I start screaming at the TD and wake up.<br />
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I wonder if anyone had a similar, real experience.<br />
<br />
Enjoy the Pokery Goodness!mortal_onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08447137117919885021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551632.post-38988495091192631552011-07-24T16:58:00.000-04:002011-07-24T16:58:24.401-04:00Bits & PiecesI am always amazed (and I shouldn't be) that my pageviews go up this time of year. I think I went through most of the WSOP season and did not post once. Do I still like poker? Yes. But since the "reputable", and I use that term very loosely these days, poker sites are either under investigation, under indictment, or just plain shady, I have played little poker lately.<br />
<br />
Why don't I just find a home game or visit the Poker Room that is 20 minutes from my house you say? Well, I have this little employment problem. I have no job, so I have no money, so I have no bankroll. Yes, I could play with my kids, but I don't feel like losing on purpose and I don't feel like dealing with them getting upset when they lose.<br />
<br />
<br />
I did get to see some of ESPN's coverage of this year's WSOP. I kind of liked it. It was quieter, smarter, and not "in my face". I wasn't told that the team name from every college was "The Rambling Wreck". It was poker, almost the way it is actually played.<br />
<br />
<br />
Can anyone name Penn National Gaming's top earning casino? The answer is: Hollywood Casino in Charles Town, West Virginia. I won't bore you with the numbers, if you are interested read "The Journal" article <a href="http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/565168.html" style="color: red;">here</a>.<br />
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Enjoy the Pokery Goodness (for me)!mortal_onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08447137117919885021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551632.post-48056029886070061782011-06-29T15:19:00.000-04:002011-06-29T15:19:57.456-04:00Sponser Ad DownI have taken down the ad for Full Tilt Poker. If they get their $hl# together, I would be more than willing to put it back. I have not heard from a representative of FTP in over a month. And after today's suspension of their license, it seems that their troubles are more than they were letting on. Read more on the suspension <a href="http://wickedchopspoker.com/full-tilt-poker-shut-down-alderney-suspends-license/" style="color: red;">here</a>.<br />
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I hope you all have found a place to Enjoy the Pokery Goodness!mortal_onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08447137117919885021noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551632.post-49700192987754119502011-05-01T22:06:00.000-04:002011-05-01T22:06:00.341-04:00As PredictedI was definitely dead money (play chips) tonight on PokerStars. I had not played in over a month and had not played at 'Stars in much longer. Oh well, at least I had fun. went out with pocket 4's. I had it until the turn came up with a king.<br />
<br />
Maybe next time I will make it to the break.<br />
<br />
Enjoy the Pokery Goodness!mortal_onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08447137117919885021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551632.post-7902835645800223382011-05-01T20:50:00.000-04:002011-05-01T20:50:45.757-04:00Actually Playing TonightPlaying at PokerStars for the first time in a long time. Click <a href="http://heffmike.blogspot.com/2011/04/lets-all-freaking-play-cards-one-time.html" style="color: red;">here</a> for the details. I hope the others enjoy the dead money (play chips).<br />
<br />
Enjoying the Pokery Goodness!mortal_onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08447137117919885021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551632.post-20834199296877775532011-04-15T23:04:00.000-04:002011-04-15T23:04:24.618-04:00Death of Online Poker: Day ZeroWith the indictments today of the Big Three online Poker providers in the US today, there is a virtual blackout of online play. I am sure you can still feed your urges at some of the smaller sites, but I would not encourage it. This is the reason I have played very little with real money since UIGEA was passed by congress.<br />
<br />
For details on what is happening, I suggest you got to <a href="http://pokerati.com/2011/04/15/poker-415-an-faqcliff-notes-of-the-shakeup-and-shakedown-of-the-poker-industry/" style="color: red;">Pokerati</a>.<br />
<br />
Enjoy the Pokery Goodness (just not online for the time being)!mortal_onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08447137117919885021noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551632.post-8669250373403489422011-01-30T15:23:00.000-05:002011-01-30T15:23:31.193-05:00What A Great Day!This afternoon I went to make a withdrawl from my FTP account. I have done this often enough that it almost seems like clockwork. I make a withdrawl request for a check to be sent to me. It gets approved. And in less than 3 weeks, I have a shiny new check to deposit.<br />
<br />
Well, this afternoon that changed. Apparently FTP is having some kind of issue with check withdrawls and will "contact" me by email when it is fixed. Huh? I hope this isn't some kind of UIGEA related problem.<br />
<br />
Being unemployed, the meager funds I have at FTP are very helpful. If anyone knows what is going on, please let me know.<br />
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Enjoy the Pokery Goodness!mortal_onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08447137117919885021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551632.post-67366902125095471262011-01-30T10:46:00.000-05:002011-01-30T10:46:42.543-05:00Unexpected TurnI missed playing in WBCOOP. I sent an email to PokerStars because I had two different starting times for the last qualifier yesterday. I of course chose the wrong time. I trusted the website to be correct. It wasn't.<br />
<br />
But something unexpected happened. PokerStars sent me 300 FPPs and a ticket to play in a freeroll. While not the WBCOOP, it was something. What I really want to know is why there was a discrepancy in the starting times. I am wondering if it was just me, or did other bloggers have the same thing happen to them. If it did, I am somewhat surprised that I haven't heard anything about it.<br />
<br />
<br />
I will be keeping an ear open to hear what PokerStars has to say.<br />
<br />
To any of my readers who qualified for the WBCOOP main event today: Congratulations and Good Luck!<br />
<br />
Enjoy the Pokery Goodness!mortal_onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08447137117919885021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551632.post-24531747368047119282011-01-29T17:43:00.001-05:002011-01-29T17:53:06.114-05:00Well, At Least I'm ConsistentIn continuation of my previous post:<br />
<br />
I was unable to play in yesterday's WBCOOP due to children playing on my computer. So I was really looking forward to today. According to <a href="http://www.pokerstars.com/blog_tournament/" style="color: red;">PokerStars WBCOOP page</a> the tourney starts at 19:00. OK, I have time. I fire up PokerStars and look for the tournament. I can't find it. I request to see my tournament tickets. At the top it shows the tickets, but below, it does not show the tournaments.<br />
<br />
So then, I go to the email confirmation they sent me and gee, guess what? They changed the tourney start time to 15:00. Guess what else? It is 17:30! WOW! Thanks PokerStars for making my first time playing at your site in over a year sooooo enjoyable. Any to the bloggers who played; good luck tomorrow in the finals. I didn't get my chance, but you have yours.<br />
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Enjoy the Pokery Goodness!mortal_onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08447137117919885021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551632.post-87640964731345763952011-01-28T10:53:00.000-05:002011-01-28T10:53:52.112-05:00WBCOOP, So FarSo far I have played in exactly zero of the first four events. Let's break this down shall we?<br />
<br />
1. 1/24 event - did not have ticket in time to play<br />
2. 1/25 event - busy applying for two jobs online<br />
3. 1/26 event - too late in the evening<br />
4. 1/27 event - remembered it too late to register<br />
<br />
So there you have it. My poker playing life in a nutshell. Hopefully, I will be able to play today and tomorrow to try and qualify for the main event. But who knows, maybe I will goose-egg it.<br />
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Enjoy the Pokery Goodnessmortal_onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08447137117919885021noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551632.post-11175990215017374822011-01-23T15:35:00.000-05:002011-01-23T15:35:07.396-05:00Anyone Need a Job? (Besides Me That Is!)<a href="http://www.hollywoodcasinocharlestown.com/" style="color: red;">Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races</a> is currently looking for a Poker Room Supervisor. If you would like to apply, you need to do so online. Here is a brief job description and requirements:<br />
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<br />
<blockquote>Supervise gaming operations and personnel in an assigned area. Circulate among tables and observe operations. Ensure that stations and games are covered for each shift. May explain and interpret operating rules of house to patrons. May plan and organize activities and create friendly atmosphere for guests in hotels/casinos. May adjust service complaints.<br />
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Must be 21. Job in Charles Town. Full-time. Must be able to work flexible schedule. Must be able to obtain West Virginia Lottery and Racing Commission license. Must have bachelor's degree from a four-year college or university and a minimum of 3 yrs comparable table games management experience, or equivalent combination of education or experience. Responsible for the efficient operation of the table games on the assigned shift. More detailed description on web site.</blockquote><br />
I do not qualify, but if you do and you are looking...<br />
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Enjoy the Pokery Goodness!mortal_onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08447137117919885021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551632.post-83096147642205028982011-01-18T10:13:00.002-05:002011-01-18T11:03:40.789-05:00Book Review: Power Hold'em Strategy<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1580422047?ie=UTF8&tag=mortalonespok-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1580422047" style="color: red;">"Power Hold'em Strategy"</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=mortalonespok-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1580422047" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> by poker pro Daniel Negreanu was and interesting read. It had a lot of really good information, but it had a lot of "extraneous" material as well.<br />
<br />
The best chapters were those written by Evelyn Ng and Daniel himself. There were a few nuggets in the rest of the book, but they were for the most part for micro-specific situations.<br />
<br />
I don't know yet if this book and the small ball concepts it outlines will help my game. Of course, just about any advise would help my game as poorly as I play.<br />
<br />
If you want to buy the book, go to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1580422047?ie=UTF8&tag=mortalonespok-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1580422047" style="color: red;">this link.</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=mortalonespok-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1580422047" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> If not, do what I did and check your local library. For someone without a job like me, it is much cheaper.<br />
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Enjoy the Pokery Goodness!mortal_onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08447137117919885021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551632.post-56710857841771090032011-01-14T17:44:00.000-05:002011-01-14T17:44:56.328-05:00Grab the GamblersIn an online article on <a href="http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/554483.html" style="color: red;">The Journal</a>, there is an article which reports that there is now a Table Gaming bill in the Maryland Senate. Grab the Gamblers while you can <a href="http://www.hollywoodcasinocharlestown.com/" style="color: red;">Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races</a>!<br />
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Enjoy the Pokery Goodness!mortal_onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08447137117919885021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551632.post-80147089521277325852011-01-14T13:53:00.001-05:002011-01-14T13:55:16.953-05:00Hope to be There!Dead money on board!<br />
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<div style="height: 200px; width: 100%;"><a href="http://www.pokerstars.com/blog_tournament/"><img align="left" alt="Online Poker" border="0" src="http://www.pokerstars.com/images/wbcoop/200x200.gif" style="margin-right: 10px;" /></a><br />
I have registered to play in the PokerStars World Blogger Championship of Online Poker! The WBCOOP is a free online Poker tournament open to all Bloggers, so register on <a href="http://www.pokerstars.com/blog_tournament/">WBCOOP</a> to play.<br />
Registration code: XXXXXX 480857 </div>mortal_onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08447137117919885021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551632.post-16254685277996041312011-01-13T07:57:00.003-05:002011-01-13T07:57:00.268-05:0010K ChallengeNot me, but this guy. Go follow the Rush PLO exploits of this <a href="http://www.sirfwalgman.blogspot.com/" style="color: red;">beknighted breakfast food</a>.<br />
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He recently bet <a href="http://struggles-with-donkeys.blogspot.com/" style="color: red;">Bayne</a> that he (Sir Waffles) would surpass 10K in winnings this year. Regardless of whether he makes his goal or not, he is always a good read. Go give him some love (Just don't donk off to him on purpose). And just to help him out with his challenge, I am posting this on the 13th. Good luck Waffles!<br />
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Enjoy the Pokery Goodness!mortal_onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08447137117919885021noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551632.post-83935835200925363172011-01-11T07:19:00.005-05:002011-01-11T07:19:00.557-05:00Poker Prof @ Las Vegas VegasYeah, I seem to be going through some of the older blogs at the moment. That does not mean you shouldn't go read them. If you want a feel for the Las Vegas experience, go read this blog. I love the photos on <a href="http://www.lasvegasvegas.com/blogs/profs-vegas-poker-blog" style="color: red;">this blog</a>. It makes me wish I had money to travel out west and play some poker.<br />
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Enjoy the Pokery Goodness!mortal_onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08447137117919885021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551632.post-61258714222720290772011-01-09T07:42:00.003-05:002011-01-09T07:42:00.528-05:00PokeratiThis blog has been around a long time. If you want to read about Poker News and opinions about that news, this is the place for you. Go read <a href="http://pokerati.com/" style="color: red;">them</a>. You will be not unglad.<br />
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Enjoy the Pokery Goodness!mortal_onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08447137117919885021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551632.post-58790607261140828292011-01-07T07:52:00.000-05:002011-01-07T07:52:00.327-05:00How Did I Miss This One?I feel ashamed to be a poker blogger. No, it isn't because in the past I have posted infrequently. No, it isn't because I can't write worth a damn.<br />
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No, in the six plus years I have been posting here and reading poker blogs, I seem to have missed quite a few. This blog, "<a href="http://www.blogger.com/%20http://yestbay1poker.blogspot.com/" style="color: red;">Yestbay1's Poker Blog</a>" has been around almost as long. And as an added bonus, he posts more about poker than I do. <br />
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Go read, he plays better than I do too!<br />
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Enjoy the Pokery Goodness!mortal_onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08447137117919885021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551632.post-14664523648024064572011-01-05T13:06:00.000-05:002011-01-05T13:06:53.243-05:00Oops, Life HappensYeah, I know I said this morning that I might play in the "<a href="http://veryjosie.blogspot.com/" style="color: red;">Very Josie</a>" tonight. But right now that doesn't look like it's going to happen. There are too many things to get done today.<br />
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1. Laundry<br />
2. Dishes<br />
3. Trip to the Workforce Center<br />
4. Writing<br />
5. Workout<br />
6. Fix dinner for Mrs. _one and the (not so) little _ones.<br />
7. Wrangle homework<br />
<br />
This leaves precious little time for poker today, much less playing in what sounds like a good little tourney on FTP. If you have the time stop by<span style="color: red;"> </span><a href="http://veryjosie.blogspot.com/" style="color: red;">here for details</a>.<br />
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Enjoy the Pokery Goodness!mortal_onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08447137117919885021noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551632.post-18537806051639280412011-01-05T07:55:00.001-05:002011-01-05T07:55:00.494-05:00I Think I AmI think I am going to play in the Very Josie monthly tournament tonight. It will depend, of course, on my being able to complete all my husbandly and fatherly duties here at the house.<br />
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Looks like a fun tournament to play. I am sure they will appreciate my dead money. Who knows, maybe I will do a write-up. It will by definition be short as I do not expect to last long.<br />
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If you are thinking about playing, <a href="http://veryjosie.blogspot.com/" style="color: red;">go here</a> for the details.<br />
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Enjoy the Pokery Goodness.mortal_onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08447137117919885021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551632.post-59878692953676383062011-01-03T07:27:00.003-05:002011-01-03T07:27:00.886-05:00I Love This BlogI can't help it. I could read <a href="http://table-tango.pokerworks.com/" style="color: red;">Linda Geenen's blog</a> forever. In fact, a couple of years ago, I read it in it's entirety. She used to be one of the better dealers in Vegas and blogged about poker and the people who inhabited the chairs around the table. I have yet to play in a bricks and mortar casino, but I know when I do, I will follow proper table etiquette because of what I learned from here blog.t<br />
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If you have been reading this blog long enough (one question, Why?) you will know that I have been out of work for some time. I applied to become a dealer at Hollywood Casino. I thought at the time,"How cool would that be?" But alas, I was done in by my credit check. I was very open and up front about what I had not paid, and why I had not paid (Kind of hard to keep up on payments when you are unemployed), and that when I got a job, I was going to make good on those payments. But, they have to hire by the numbers. OK, let's get away from this digression.<br />
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Go read "<a href="http://table-tango.pokerworks.com/" style="color: red;">Table Tango</a>"! <br />
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Enjoy the Pokery Goodness.mortal_onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08447137117919885021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551632.post-26053738684593504852010-12-31T07:48:00.002-05:002010-12-31T07:48:00.224-05:00Double TimeThere have been a lot of poker bloggers who have been blogging longer than me. Most of them actually post more frequently than I do. And it is easy to say that most also have more poker content than this miserable blog.<br />
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So I give you <a href="http://doubleas.blogspot.com/" style="color: red;">doubleas</a>, a blog that has been around longer, posts more frequently, and has more poker content than I do.<br />
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Go. Read. Enjoy the Pokery Goodness!mortal_onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08447137117919885021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551632.post-72649718824089905912010-12-29T07:56:00.003-05:002010-12-29T07:56:00.237-05:00Call of the WildcatThere is a fine balance between Sports Betting and Poker. This blogger seems to have achieved that balance. Other than the occasional office football pool, I have never been one for the Sports Bet. Poker on the other hand has a strong grip on my attention. <br />
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Go <a href="http://call-of-the-wildcat.blogspot.com/" style="color: red;">read</a> and Enjoy the Pokery Goodness!<br />
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Yes I know it's another UK Blog... what are the odds...mortal_onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08447137117919885021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551632.post-372970238406421522010-12-27T07:29:00.001-05:002010-12-27T07:29:00.274-05:00Bad Beat on the FeetAmateur is (of course) another UK blogger. But unlike other UK bloggers, he recently had a bad beat while training for a half-marathon. During a run he developed several huge blisters on his feet requiring time off from running. Go <a href="http://amateurtag.blogspot.com/" style="color: red;">read</a> and sympathize. Then enjoy the Pokery Goodness!mortal_onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08447137117919885021noreply@blogger.com0