What a Week....

Both personal and poker wise. Not sure where to even start....

The news of the week/day/weekday is the new act on online gaming. There's so much info coming from so many different sources I'm not sure what to read, where to start or what to do. Seems from my limited knowledge that if the sites don't buckle to the pressure the act has no teeth. It seems that there is some confusion as to WHAT the bill actually limits and how/if it can be inforced. Which, to me, is not really that different from where we were at before.

Prior to the new bill I was under the cloudy impression that online "gaming" was illegal in the US. So now it's more illegal? Obviously, the new "act" takes it a bit further and my understanding (again, limited) is that the US gov is pressuring the banks to block transactions from these sites. Thus limiting the ability to "deposit or withdrawal" directly from a checking account (via debit card) or credit card transaction. Again, my knowledge of ALL of this is limited and I'm waiting until the smoke clears to deduce what the truth is.

Those w/ some serious amounts of cash online, aka the "pros", are the ones that truly worry. Not that those w/ "recreational" funds needn't worry, it's just the impact won't be as far reaching. I know of two that are currently looking at moving closer to a region w/ live B&M poker. One w/ a family, so there is some major impact to players and possibly the games. Not to mention, these players have several thousand dollars in a few accounts (upwards of $10g +) compared to my measly $150+. That's impactful and cause for some to worry. Imagine having the site close or not have the ability to get to $10,000 of YOUR money?

I believe that some sites have already caved to the pressure and are closing up, I heard (rumor!!!) that Titan was one. I have not played Titan, nor do I know of anyone (personally. maybe a few forum members perhaps) that play or deposited w/ this site; but it may be something to look into w/ the site you play. Full Tilt has issued a response and appears to be standing up to this act. Notifying it's players via email (this from a forum post where a letter was copied/pasted).

-----------------------------------

Finally, I won a $5 sng on UB last nite. Wow! I've gotten bad. It seems like an eternity since I've had a win (not ITM but a WIN) but looking back over my Excel spreadsheet it apparently hasn't been as long as I had thought. At least not between wins, it's been about a week but that's mainly due to an inability to find the right time.

I've REALLY focused on making sure that I am in the right frame of mind to sit and play. Therefore, I am usually prepared for a longer cash session than playing a SNG. I've also been playing a few $1 games the times I've "had a few" or am tired. This minimizes my potential loss and/or allows me to just "quit" if I get too tired w/out any damage to the ol' BR.

The other thing I noticed and "fixed" last nite was that I hadn't been playing "position poker". I've been playing too many marginal hands out of position. Marginal hands CAN be played out of position but they make for some difficult decisions and too many of these open yourself up for MORE mistakes or potential for mistakes. That's important in this game, as ONE bad decision or mistake can either cripple or bust you in a tourney or destroy hours of "building" in one hand.

These make it even harder as a players natural reaction is to "get back in there". One SHOULD but you really need to re-evaluate your mental state prior to reloading or jumping into another SNG. TILT. I Tilt WAY more because of a bad play or mistake on MY part than I do from the "bad beat".

Anyway, I as I state previous, I was able to take down a little $5 sng last nite. Big deal, right? The point is that my confidence had been shaken and my game had gotten a little loose. It's like getting your car back after getting new tires or some "aftermarket" addition, it seems to look better, ride better, etc.

------------------------------------------

Blog P1MP. NFulton, poster at Card Player's Forum's, has re-entered the blogging community. He previously kept a "journal", a diary w/out the gay terminology, but didn't keep it updated. Like anyone keeps their "blogs" updated. Fulton's a player I've played w/, chatted w/, played live w/ and just hung out w/. He's probably the best 12 year old gay poker player I've ever seen. Not to mention he's a GREAT "railbird" he's showed up to rail me (not in a gay way) on the rare occasion I've actually FT'd he's been there to "cheer" me on; on in some cases annoy my opponents.


-----------------------------------------

And last but not least, I have taken today (Friday 10/6/06) to take the kiddies down to the West Side Nut Club Fall Festival. It's the 2nd largest open-air street festival in the US, behind Mardi Gras. Nothing but fried foods, brain sandwiches (of which I do not partake), rides, parades, games, etc. All but two of the 100+ food booths are non-profit organizations and all the money raised by the "host" group, West Side Nut Club, goes to local west side organizations. Schools, churches, civic and civil groups, and other charitable organizations around Southern Indiana as fit. I can't fathom the actual dollar amount generated from this event each year but I believe that some booths make upwards of $10-$20 grand for their organization. If you live in the region, it's definitely a must see.