2008 World Series of Poker

Okay,

The time has finally arrived. I fly out on Friday evening. I have everything set, including a great group for TeamGrip. I will try and update each evening before I head off to sleep. So team members, check daily results here.

Schedule (Subject to Change):

Saturday: $1500 WSOP Event #2
Sunday: $530 Caesar's Deep Stack (T-15000 in chips!)
Monday: $530 Venetian Deep Stack (Subject to Change)

In addition, if I am out of any of these three, I will play a $340 evening event at the WSOP.

Good luck to everyone going out. It is going to be a great year!

Back From The Dead

Well hello all you poker sickos. I hope that you have had a productive summer. I sure have. It has been profitable and eventful. Let's see how the ol' gripper has been doing since we last talked in February.

1. Made around $10,000 on line. Of course, I cashed out most of it. In fact, the Gripper is debt free and playing back at the 2005 level. It is about time that the ol' gripper is back. I was wondering in late 2005 -early 2006 whether I would return to the old style. Well it has, and it is great.

2. Kentucky Rock hits big. He hit a $340 event in Tunica for just under $10,000. In fact, he probably could have made more, but he hit it hard and well. Well done KR.

3. I moved back to Western Kentucky. Yes, I left the music city. It is wonderful to be back home and with a little bit of peace. This has also helped the relationship with Mrs. Grip. That needed to happen.

4. I won a live event at Metropolis this past week. The Weasel came up to see me for a few days and we took 1st and 3rd in the Metropolis weekly event. Fun to say the least. Probably the best I have played in a very long time.

I will post more details later, until then,

Good Luck and See You at the Felt....

Legality of Online Poker

I have watched the huge uproar about online poker with somewhat indifferent caring. I have mixed feelings to say the least. As you all know, I am an attorney, and I do have great respect for our legal system. I will try, however conflicted I am, to explain my take on the legality of online poker as it stands now.

Legality of Online Poker

The recent uptick of activity by the Federal government's in an attempt to block online gaming in this country is real and tangible. Just ask the individuals that have been indicted and jailed while located within our great shores. However, the actual impact on the legality of poker sites themselves is still unclear. I am not going to go into how the new law(s) have changed the situation, that has been done already, and in an excellent manner. For a good description of these changes, go to www.cardplayer.com for a plethora of articles related to the overall legal changes.

It is easy to say, however, that the legality of online poker has not changed recently. If it was illegal twelve months ago, it still is. If it wasn't illegal, then it still isn't. Funding options are harder. This last fact alone will have the greatest impact as it will restrict the casual players ability to get money onto the sites.

My opinion (relax, this is only my opinion - which is not unbiased):

It is, or should be, illegal for a player to play online poker for real money in jurisdictions where poker is illegal. I have made, and heard, the argument that the computer server is where the game takes place. That is, in one word, bullshit. If poker is gambling, and gambling is restricted by local laws (which changes from state to state and is where this and all poker debates should lie), then the ability of a person to sit in their office, home, car, library, etc., and play poker is just as illegal as physically sitting at a poker table. If you can risk money, the site that the player risks the money is where that person places the bet. It does not matter if the other participants, including the entity allowing the betting, are in other locations that may allow poker or gambling. All that should matter in a legal sense is the locale of the person placing the bet.

I know that most, if not all, the readers of the blog will vehemently disagree with my opinion here. However, I would proffer that their respective arguments from them is just as biased as mine, just in reverse. The Weasel would be at the top of that list. He makes a damn nice living from online play, and he should do all he can to protect that right. But that argument is just selfish more than it is logical. He knows that he does not care where the server is located and if a site opened in Nebraska that offered the best structure and the worst players, then even if poker were illegal in Nebraska, he would still play that site regardless of the site's legality.

My bias is my inability to make money online. I know why, and it is not the site's fault. I have a discipline issue and the convenience of playing, both in any one game or in too many sessions or tables, is too much to overcome for me. I have UB and Pokerstars downloaded, but I only play play money triple draw and watch Kentucky Rock and The Weasel, when they are playing well in a tournament. I have $0.35 online at Full Contact, and nothing else. Daniel, you can have the $0.35. Consider it my contribution to your big game recoupment fund.

I welcome counter arguments. However, please make it logical and not emotional or wishful thinking. Until next time,

Good Luck and See You at the Felt..............

I'm Back

Reports to start back up tomorrow. I have some views on on-line poker, I will bring everyone up-to-date on the status of the Music City Poker Mafia members and probably a surprise or two.

Talk to you all tomorrow. Until then,

Good Luck and See You at the Felt................

Sorry Guys

Mrs. Grip is on the warpath.
Work is Crazy.
I emptied the Account on Stars.

I think I have a few too many things on my mind to write very good posts right now. I will be back when things settle down.

St. Louis: 12/60, 2 bounties. Down $70. I guess I thought QQ v. 33 is a good place to get your money in 6 handed. The streak continues. When it breaks, it will be like a dam bursting. Watch out, I would not want to be playing with me when the cards start breaking even again.

Good Luck and See You After Mrs. Grip and I resolve this..........................

Buzzard, what am I going to do?

Nothing really to talk about in the poker realm. I had cut off playing on line and not traveling much until this weekend. I am going to play in a $100 event Thursday night in St. Louis. I am going up on business (really a boondoggle, but I'm entitled sometimes). Going to the Cardinal game at 1:00 on Thursday (man do they really frustrate me this year). I am playing in a golf tournament on Friday morning and then in a softball tournament Friday night and Saturday, then home on Sunday. I do not think that I will get another session in, but will play on Thursday. I will report on that later.

Now on to Buzzard. Nice win the other day, but DAMN it, why did you have to pay me on Stars?!?!?!?! You knew I would not cash it out, and I didn't. I logged on Thursday night while I was watching the final table PPV on www.espn.com and promptly lost half of it. Then logged on Friday night while Mrs. Grip was off doing something and played in the $10 rebuy event trying to empty the account. No such luck, cashed having only $21 in the event for $60. Then yesterday:

$22 180-player. 20th Bubble DAMN IT, I hate you Buzzard.
$22 rebuy (no rebuys). 582 players, 54 get paid. 54th gets $160. Finish 80th. BUZZARD!!!

My last $4 went into the following:

PokerStars Tournament #29917982
No Limit Hold'emBuy-In: $4.00/$0.40
180 playersTotal Prize Pool: $720.00
Tournament started - 2006/08/13 - 21:10:49 (ET)

Dear Grip'nRip,

You finished the tournament in 1st place.
A $216.00 award has been credited to your Real Money account.
You earned 218.47 tournament leader points in this tournament.
For information about our tournament leader board, see our web site at http://www.pokerstars.com/tlb_tournament_rankings.html

I luv you Buzzard, No I hate you, No I luv you, but Mrs. Grip hates you. No, she actually likes you, but I have the obvious love/hate thing going right now, so I will stick with it, it seems to be working for me now.

Anyway, exactly $219.60 in Stars. What is a sick deginerate poker player to do? Yep, you guessed it, see what we can do with it. Mrs. Grip said, why don't you just cash it out and use it for live events. Bah, cash out from on-line poker? Who has ever heard of such a thing.

As for this new found change, from here forward, I will be consistently updating this blog on the level in the account so everyone can see how much either (1) I suck at on line poker, or (2) I learned my lesson and I now am winning on line for a change.

This will be honesty to a fault, because while I was doing the bills on Saturday, I dissected how much I have lost on line the past 4.5 years. AND IT IS SICK. I have made a nice amount live, actually up well into the five figures. ONLY to have it sucked away on line. I am pissed and sick about it. Had I not had a modem at home, a lot of things would have been better. That said, not another penny of my money will go on line until I make a very nice win in a live event.

Until next time,

Good Luck and See You at the Felt....................

Dang it! Weasel got got.

He is out. Card Player states (confirmed by a call):

Latest Eliminations

The following players have been eliminated. They will each receive $34,636.
368 - The Weasel.

Well, Weasel, I am proud of you. He went out on a semi-bluff draw. Heads up heading to the flop in the CO with 6d 7d. SB had raised to 21,000 after Weasel had limped. Weasel called the 17,000 and the flop comes 10 J 4, with two diamonds. SB checked, Weasel moved in for 83,000 total with a 50,000 pot. SB calls and turned over AA. The turn brough the 3h. River, 2h.

Good job Weasel. Until next week all,

Good Luck and See You at the Flop.............................

Heeeeerrrrrrreeee's the Weasel

Welcome to day 4 Weasel Nation. He made some serious strides yesterday. He worked his way down to 14,000 in chips, got aces. Got aces again about an hour later. Hit the bubble with 63,000. Dinner break with 83,000. Ended the day with 140,000. He is playing some phenominal poker. Oh, and he can't stop now. He is in 255/485 place with 76.84% of average (182,191) stack. His table is as follows:


Seat 1 Sean Carey $112,500
Seat 2 Alex Todd $105,000
Seat 3 Ted Forrest $78,000
Seat 4 Kevin Robbins $76,500
Seat 5 Paul Coles $120,500
Seat 6 The Weasel $140,000
Seat 7 Sonny Lee $142,000
Seat 8 Steven Goodemore $246,000
Seat 9 Eugene Yanayt $98,000

JM and Crazy Tom couldn't take it any longer and flew out last night. They are there to play a couple of the $1500 events and provide me a more detailed update during the day. Until I hear more,

Good Luck Weasel and Keep it Up Brother................

Silence is Deafening

No update from the Weasel. I know nothing! I have a text message into him. As soon as I know something, you will know something. I have a required outing tonight via Mrs. Grip, so I am a little nervous.

Until later,

Good Luck and See You at the Felt..................

Off Day

It is an off-day for the Weasel. He is going to have to find his way to last through at least 250 players to cash. He can do it.

Okay, a hand analysis from one that sort of played itself. It was from the 2-5 NL game That I played at Metropolis last weekend. I was UTG +1. BV, who I have played poker with for at least 20 years was sitting to my right. He is decently tight, wanting to see a lot of flops cheap, which I think is the right strategy in NL cash games. It can be a disaster in tournaments unless of course you start with a decent stack like T-10,000 or something like that. I had a crazy to my left who had only one move if he liked the flop, "All In." That was fine as trapping him seemed like it was the best option and the Weasel had taught me a lot about check raising those types. He has been check raising me in limit HE for years.

BV opens for $20 UTG. I look down at KQs (hearts). BV is a good NL player and the range of hands against this table that he would do this with were decently broad including small pairs. I call, crazy to my left calls, the button and big blind call as well. $102 in the pot.

The flop smashing me right in the face. Kc Jh 10h. How about them apples. BB and BV check, I bet out $80. Crazy to my right goes in for $220 more. Folds back around to me and I say "I don't care what you have, I have to call." He had 10 Jo. I brick off on the turn and river and double him up.

I do like that flop and realize that regardless of the cost, if someone plays back at me I am going to put every penny I can into the pot. There is not a hand that I am not at least a coin flip against and dominate pretty much the remainder of the deck. Interesting to think about that hand. Comments? Critiques?

Until next time,

Good Luck and let's help get the Weasel Through the Bubble...............

Blinds

Weasel will have one more hour of 600-1200 200 ante when they get back on Friday. Then it goes to 800-1600 300 antes. He has about 1.5 hours to honestly find a hand before he is reduced to one move poker.

He can do it, but he will need to get it in there a couple of times early to stay in the game.

Good Luck Weasel. Play Your Ass Off...............

Weasel Update

Okay, he is in 475th position out of 561 from Day 2A with T-28,600 (36.85% of Average). The chip leader has 443,300. The good news is that there are no monster stacks at his table. His table for day 3 starts as follows:


Seat 1. Ira Gibbs $30,300
Seat 2. John Kindley $62,600
Seat 3. THE WEASEL $28,600
Seat 4. David Clayton $70,500
Seat 5. Bryan Sandrock $71,300
Seat 6. Jeffrey Abramovitz $80,000
Seat 7. Chris Ferguson $55,200
Seat 8. Ken Weiner $46,800
Seat 9. Robert Sanchez $61,700
Seat 10. Steve Williams $24,500

I guess if the Weasel had to be short stacked going into the bubble day, this is as good a table as possible. No huge stacks, with only one bracelet winner to contend with. Good luck Weasel, bust that bubble and get deep brother.

Good Luck and See the Weasel Through the Bubble........................

Weasel Update #

He made it through day 2. Unfortunately he ran into a monster in the very last hand of the night, 10s v. KK. He has 28,600 in chips. Mrs. Grip and I were having a disagreement this morning (imagine that) and I was unable to check the level completed and number of players left. When I get that information, I will forward it on to you.

Until next time,

Good Luck and See You at the Felt..............