The Daily Poker

Chopper: Look, you're not still angry at me about the leg, are you?
Neville Bartos: Nah, forget about it.
Chopper: Because I don't know if you remember, Neville, but I had that bloody shotgun pointed at your head. I reconsidered and dropped it down to your kneecap. Remember?
Neville Bartos: Forget about it. All right?
Chopper: I mean, what the bloody hell were you doing getting lippy at me with a bloody shotgun? I had a bloody loaded shotgun.
Neville Bartos: The leg is okay, all right?

"Chopper"

I've found a new way to play poker online. Usually I like to play 2 tables and flick between the two, while surfing the web or reading other blogs and otherwise general internet activities. Now I know the pureist among you will say you need to focus solely on the poker tables while you are playing in order to get the full value for your gambling dollar and to make better decisions and become a World Champion some day. To be honest, I know that is true but I just don't want to. I play pretty tight so I'm pretty much folding most of the time and two tables just doesn't hold my attention. Three tables can get a bit messy for me at times, so I don't go there. I just use another window to do other stuff, whatever that may be.

Lately, that has been You Tube, and most specifically every single clip of The Daily Show I could find. I even found myself at the point where I didn't want to watch the Daily Show clips unless I was playing poker, and vice versa. Whenever play gets a bit hairy, I pause the clip and concentrate on the table. But then, it's right back to the Daily Show. It's amazing that the cable channels out here are only just getting the Daily Show on, not that we have cable (been waiting 4 months now for them to hook it up).

I think in the course of two days I have exhausted You Tube of their Daily Show content, which will be very damaging as my results were decent over the weekend, including a 14 th out of 200+ MTT finish. I haven't played a Multi for so long, it was great and I felt in control for a lot of the tournament. I think I also won another 2 or 3 table SNG, but I could have come second or third...actually, I think it was third. I managed a double up on one of the cash tables when JJ cracked Aces – might sound like a bad beat, but when you don't raise with AA pre-flop and then check the 9 high flop, you get what you asked for. When the Jack hit the turn and I went all-in, he called and I was happy.

So after lamenting having my Aces cracked so many times, I have given them some of their own back a few times in the most recent sessions. Mind you, I've been ahead each time when the money has gone in, cracked or not. Ah, but what do you care dear reader, aces get cracked everyday. I could write an entire book on the cracking thereof. Part 1, or the old testament, would be of having them cracked. Part 2, which I shall call…part 2, will be dedicated to the art of cracking.

I've also made a new poker lesson learned in the past few weeks. Having a perfect read on your opponent AFTER they have called your bet is not really all that useful. But I guess that is part of the betting process. You put out a feeler to see where you are in the hand with your weak top pair, he just calls and it is easy to assume you have kicker problems at best.

On to topics other than the 52 card variety, while indulging in a few quiet beverages over the weekend, it was decieded that all the punters that made the long trek to my home town last year for the wedding should do it again next year for the 2 nd anniversary. I immediately sent a bulk text message to all and sundry telling them of the plan, and lo and behold all were in the affirmative. Including my brother, who had this little gem of a reply – "Shotgun not driving, unless we're going by train in which case I'll give it a go."

I have no doubt that we will ask if this can be so, should we choose to travel by train. I have also set the task of myself over the next 12 months to come up with a list of 100 things for each traveller to complete with points awarded per task over the course of the trip, for which prizes will be awarded. Any suggestions?