I won twice tonight. I got 20 bucks in-house from one place. I came in second. Should have won, was chip leader all durhng final table. But then lost 6 hands in a row. Also, 40 bucks cash from another, got first there. Oh yeah, got 3rd at my regular place on wednesday. Made top 10 there, qualifies me for the big city wide tourney in 1 week.

Today's just not my day. First thing this morning I ran out of gas. Then when I finally got to work I locked my keys in my car. The car won't lock if the keys are in the ignition. But they were, and it did. I somehow had them in a certain way so that it locks automatically. Completely unintentional. Geepers, I amaze myself sometimes!

Wow, I haven't blogged in awhile. I feel so hipoc..hepo..hypocri, bad. I'm always complaining about no one blogging. And then I commit the same sin. (Yes, it's a sin to not blog regularly.)

So I've been getting ready to come to Albany. We've got the big B.P. for Walker at Turningstone. Then the wedding. I'm hoping to get my bike fixed right away when i get back. I want to ride it to the wedding. It would be cool.

I've got alot to do before I'm ready for Boluxi, Miss. in September. I just found out I need a root-canal and a crown. I am planning on getting it done before I leave for New York, while I still have dental insurance.

Hmmm, I've been playing alot of poker lately. It got a bit overboard for a week or so. Then I got accountable with someone and I've been managing to keep it under control. I get so wrapped up in what I'm doing sometimes that it becomes the only thing I do. Don't worry I wasn't losing any money. It's all been for free. But I was spending too much time on it and I was starting to play poker rather than go to church, bible study, doctor, or the laundromat. Yeah, I can get carried away. Well, recently I started playing again, but not so much. Instead of playing 9 games a week (6 games on weekends), I only played 6 games this week (4 on the weekend) I got second at my usual place. Yay! Another $25 gift card good for food or beer. And I still have $20 left of my first place winning from another place.

I played once years ago in a $60 tournament and lost. But last night I played for cash and ended the night with $152 (One buy-in: $40, one re-buy: $40). The buy-in was for however much you wanted, with unlimited re-buys. It wasn't winner take all, unless you kicked ass and everyone else ran out of money. You could walk away any time you wanted. You just had to give a 15 minute warning. We played with $1,$5, and $25 chips. $1/$2 fixed-blinds.

My "money" hand was a straight I caught on the turn, which I slow-played. Someone tripped their sixes on the river and went all-in. I also called a $20 bluff. At which time I had cards thrown at me. I could tell the guy had a hard time reading me. Every time I looked up at him he was staring. I am excited about winning yet being very cautious. It makes me nervous knowing I could also lose alot of money. I don't see myself gambling alot. However, I once imagined myself playing professionally and using the money I won for missionaries and ministries and churches.

i got my summer bonus last week. it was nice. it's gone already. i needed two front tires for my car that day. then, i had to get new pants. my other ones are in shreds from working in them so much. i recently got new glasses. i've been needing them for months now. and to top it all off. my teeth have been bothering me. so i went to the dentist and now i need a root canal and a crown. even with insurance covering most of the costs i will probably end up paying $500 or so. either that or i have them pull out the tooth. it's on the side and if i smiled you'd notice. so pulling it seems unlikely.

i got my first place in a holdem tourney over the weekend. there were only 16 people playing. my first great hand was reraising this one guy all-in, pre-flop. he bet about half his chips and my reraise put him in a tight spot. we went heads-up A-J (spades) to A-Q (hearts). I was ahead. i won with a queen on the flop. an ace came out too but it didn't matter.

i kept winning modest pots for a bit. Then I went all-in after a particular flop. I held A-3 (diamonds) and a 3 and two diamonds came out on the flop. Oh yeah, before I went all-in someone else bet alot of chips. he almost called but folded thinking I had good cards since no one thinks I bluff. so i took the chips and they ran out the rest of the cards. a seven came out. It would have won him the hand. I never caught the flush or trips. My threes held out.

later, at the final table I went all-in against 2 short stacks and the chip leader. I think it was like a $45,000 raise. The flop was already out and I had an open ended straight and 4 hearts to a flush, holding the Q of hearts. I caught the 2 of hearts on the river. I had by far the most chips. One guy got pissed cause I wouldn't play every hand. He got mad and went all in with like 3-8 off-suite. Then my heads-up opponent said, "I hate playing heads-up." I called his all-in with A-J. He held 10-10. I caught an A and a J to win.

The other day I played great for awhile. I called a great bluff. I knew the person was showing an all-in bet. So before it came out I said, "I'll call you." Then the bet went down. Obviously she was bluffing and got scared of being taken out. I should have raised her all-in.
Then a new chip leader got moved to our table and I doubled up off her twice with two all-ins. First with my 8-8 against her A-K. And then with K-10 against her 9-9.
But then there was the first hand at the final table. I caught two-pair off the flop, aces and fives. But then I barely bet the turn and river. All of a sudden I see and huge bet. I think he can'r have the straight. why would he play 2-6? I found out he had it and I learned why too. I never bet enough to push him out of the hand. It would have won the pot if I just bet. he needed a 3 and 4 on the turn and river. And because of my amatuer-hour mistake, he won the hand.