Let’s start the post off with two important announcements.
1. The $28K Guaranteed on Full Tilt has had nice overlays the last two times I’ve played it, both this week. On Saturday night, the overlay was $2K. Last night, it was $3400. Some good value there. Jump in before the Powers That Be lower it.
2. I’ll be in Vegas Oct. 12-15. Div is coming across the pond from Scotland, so I figured I’d play tour guide for him as he did for me during my weekend last summer in Glasgow. If you’re gonna be in town (or are a local) and would like to partake in some mini-blogger donkey action, leave a comment and I’ll get in touch. Div’s a swell guy, a bit difficult to understand, and he’d be more than happy to make your acquaintance.
Now, on to the debauchery.
I’ve played some this week online. The aforementioned tournies, as well as some low-limit NL cash games. Despite the sweet overlay, and my own solid play, the RNG found ingenious ways to kick me in the nuts and I busted early in the second hour last night. KK v. AQ all-in pre-flop (AQ was short-ish, or at least shortish for online push monkeys with an M of only 12) and he rivered a wheel on me. Much more dramatic than the flopped ace, doncha think? I then went out the next hand with 66 against A4 when the board went 3TTKK. Again, very clever.
I’ve had three positive sessions at .10/.25 NL, though. Man oh man. It’s been at least three years since I’ve played that level, outside of blogger tables for fun, and to describe the play as Level I is an insult to people with some sense of how to play. Two nights ago, I flopped monsters and simply check-called wild and crazy betting until the river where I pushed. And was called. By a guy who paired a six (with jack kicker) on the river. I’d had a boat on the turn. He was nice about it and explained he thought I was on a busted flush draw. Same guy doubled me up when I flopped trip kings and he got all jiggy when he paired his ace on the turn. Good, brainless, profitable fun.
Got my arse waxed in the sportsbook last weekend, though the (fictional) bankroll recovered somewhat with hits on the Sunday night (nailed the over) and Monday night (teased ‘Skins and the under) games. Had several parlays that all had just one missing piece (thank you Michigan State, Vikings and Seahawks). Those last two were especially galling, since I had the Vikes on the money line (paired with SF on the money line) and their last-second FG hit the upright. And the Hawks were driving for a sure game-winning FG (at -2 1/2) when Hasselbeck and Alexander decided to play Keystone Kops. I always wonder about that kinda shit. I hate to be jaded and all, but such an odd play at that particular time automatically sends bells ringing in my head about “fix.” I’m nor a conspiracy theorist by any means, but that was pretty unusual.
You’re thinking I’m crazy right now, yes? Well, allow me to relate a story. I’ve told this before, but for those of you who might not have read me back then, grab a cold one and listen up.
Couple years ago, I put some cash down on the Friday Night ESPN game while in Sin City. It was New Mexico against…….um…….I wanna say Colorado St. (though the exact team is not crucial to the tale, I am all for total recall). UNM was at home and favored by 1 1/2. Basically a pick ‘em, but the home team on national TV angle is a nice one, so I went with the Lobos. This is Mountain West football, so you’re basically looking at whomever has the ball last wins. It’s Night Baseball with pigskin, so the game was predictably tied at 39 with a minute remaining.
I’d watched most of the fourth quarter from a bar stool at the Stardust, eavesdropping on a classic New York guinea-mobster type chatting up every woman within a 20 ft. radius. It was entertaining (for me) and fruitless (for him). As the game wound down, he tapped me on the shoulder and asked if I had any money on the tilt. I affirmed that I did and he responded that we had something in common, though his wager was in the five figures. Presuming “bullshit” (this is the Stardust, after all), I turned my attention back to the game where the Lobos failed on third down and moved to punt the ball away. “That’s that,” I thought and let loose a noise that obviously illustrated my displeasure.
“Dont worry about it,” my guinea friend assured me. “It’s in the bag.”
I turned to face him and he simply nodded smugly, totally assured.
As I pondered just how far this guy’s delusions went, Colorado St. lined up for their first down play. Shotgun formation and the snap went…oh…8 feet to the left of the QB. The QB’s reaction was to stare at the football as if it were an oblong manifestation of the ebola virus, before reacting just late enough to land on top of a lumbering defensive tackle who recovered for New Mexico.
UNM ran into the line three times and kicked the game-winning FG as time expired and the Guinea just clapped me on the back and walked away.
Dig that.
So, in three weeks, I’ll be in Vegas, looking for the fix. Join me, if you dare.
Oh, and I like a two-team tease of PIT and IND on Sunday.