Day 108 ... $ 67.30 PokerRoom + $ 44 UltimateBet

Needed to sign-up for a players account with UltimateBet a couple of days ago so they could have the money for the prizes in the $100 freeroll to launch The 4kingpoker Tour - seemed silly not to put this months ( I mean Jan 2006) poker budget into it - I can have a look at the site and maybe keep my money long enough to get the deposit bonus. It's going to make my book keeping a bit more complicated -12 months time it will be a nightmare.

$2 NL 0.001/0.002 Cash Game ... $1.80 ... -$0.20

I guess I'm still finding my way around as I managed to get into the micro of all micro limit games - what a waste of 20 cents.

$5+0.5 NL SnG Full ... 8th ... -$5.50

Ended up in a three way all-in on the flop with JJ - flop was QJ8 so I had middle trips and was feeling reasonably confident but didnt expect two to call - they turned over 88 and a random shot at a gutshot straight draw - which came off on the river - site seems to be losser than I expected but we'll see.

Day 107 ...
PokerRoom total $ 67.30 (-152.70)
UltimateBet $ 44 -$ 5.70 total $ 38.30 (-5.70)

Poker article of the day ...
Poker Fashion - by Michael Hayter

Just like any other media driven sport in the world, poker has its own fashion and its own distinct look. And just like all other sport related looks, the 'poker look' stems from the stars of the sport. You have your jerseys from sports like football and hockey, polo shirts from golf, the suburban look of x-treme athletes and many other looks. But what exactly is the 'poker look'?

A month ago I made my first trip to Vegas and of course went straight to the poker rooms. Staying at the Mirage I naturally went to their poker room first to dip my feet in the pool of Vegas poker. Seeing as this was my first time in Vegas and not too sure what sort of players I was up against I decided to hit a $1/$2 limit table first. As I sat down I gave a general greet to everyone and managed to only get a reply from one person, some old guy with a comb over who winked at me. Except for the scary old guy it was a pretty cold reception but I was here to play not make friends anyway.

After about half an hour I could already see a pattern. I was being excluded from all conversations and more importantly they where all being a lot more aggressive in their play towards me. After 30 minutes of this I got a little annoyed, so I took the little bit I had won and headed to the nearby pizza place to get something to eat.

While waiting for my order I noticed one of the players from the table I was playing at placing an order. Curious as to the way I was treated on the table I walked up the guy and talked to him. After quickly introducing myself and mentioning how I noticed him at the table I got straight to the point and asked, "not to be rude or anything but I noticed that the players at the table where a little hostile towards me. Is there any reason for that?"

Taking off his leather cowboy hat he looked at me and in a thick Texan accent replied, "don't take it too hard son, we do that to all the casual players that waltz on in."

Seeing as the cold reception was pretty much instantaneous and the fact I played a reasonable game for the hour I was there I had to ask, "but how did you know I was a casual player?"

Laughing the guy replied, "Look at the way you are dressed!"
So I went back to the room to exam my attire seeing as I didn't want this treatment the whole time. In the room I checked myself in the mirror to find myself wearing my boots, jeans and t-shirt. A little casual but I thought I had seen other people wearing the same in the room, though they could have been 'casual players' too.

I knew I needed to do some research so I switched on the television in the room and turned to ESPN where I managed to get lucky with the World Series Of Poker running. Grabbing the notepad near the phone and a pen I nabbed from the front desk I glued myself to the television screen and took notes for the next couple of hours determined to find the poker look.

After the WSOP finished up on ESPN I checked over my notes and discovered that there was indeed a poker look. In fact I had observed that there were a few distinct poker looks. They fell into four categories.
Firstly there is the old school poker look, which is mainly worn by the old school players, although there are a few newer players that had adopted the look. This look involves a cowboy hat of some design, usually a sports jacket that doesn't necessarily have to match the rest of the outfit and in many cases big glasses.

Secondly there is the mid generation geek look which consists of no real style at all except the most plain shirt possible, maybe a comb over and in many cases a sweater.

Thirdly there is the 'big player' look worn by the players who try to impress while they play. All that is needed for this look is a nice shirt, not quite buttoned up all the way, a gold chain or two and a haircut that Tom Cruise would envy.

The most popular look though is the more modern new generation poker look. What's needed for this look is any combination of sunglasses, an mp3 player, a baseball cap and some piece of clothing that has some poker phrase/logo.

So with this information in hand all I needed to do now was pick a look. First one was out of the question as I wasn't going to buy a cowboy hat just for playing poker and I try to wear jackets as little as possible. Scribbled out the second one without even blinking. Third one wasn't really any good either as I have to dress up for work and I play poker to have fun and relax.

So that left me with option four, which wouldn't be too hard to throw together. I couldn't play at the Mirage, as they would know me for the fraud I was. So the next day I left the Mirage with my mp3 player, my Oakley's and picked myself up a hat that said 'I am king' with a big king of hearts in the middle.

A friend of mine who had come on the trip wanted to check out the MGM grand so we headed over there where of course I headed straight to the poker room. Quite impressed with the look of the place I had arrived just in time for a tournament.

In my full poker get up I headed to my table where I once again made a general hello and was greeted by hellos and even a few names. I was in! Sitting down I put my chips on the table and got ready to experience the inner poker world. Unfortunately things spiraled downwards from there.
First mishap came shortly after the tournament started where I picked up pocket queens. I raised pre-flop and two players came in to see Q 10 3 off suite drop which would have been great except I was tapping away to the music that I hadn't noticed that it had come to my turn to act. The dealer seeing me tapping away at the table took me as checking. A king dropped next giving one of the players his busted straight and eventually the pot. Not happy I immediately took out the headphones and shoved my mp3 player into my backpack.

I managed to take the knock and get back into the game and was doing fine until an hour later when I found I was continuously scratching my scalp. I suddenly remembered that I didn't wear hats because they had a tendency to irritate my head. So the hat joined my mp3 player in the bottom of my bag, though I still was looking the part with my Oakley's.
Not long after that the final straw fell. I was dealt A K of spades so I raised and was seen by one player. Down flopped 2 8 J of spades, so I had drawn the highest flush with very little chance of being beaten. First to act I of course check and then proceed to call his bet. Down drops an ace of hearts again I check and he bets which I call. Last card drops and it's a rag card and playing this out long enough I bet big. He then raises and this results in me going all in to see his cards, which turn out to be A J.

Now at this point I am ecstatic and turn over my cards revealing the flush only to see the dealer push the stack towards the other player. I take of my sunglasses to see the cards better to discover that one of the spades is in fact a club. Of course the glasses go into the backpack and with the last of my costume disappearing and the hoax being revealed I am sneered as I leave the table.

Going back to the Mirage and my room with my tail between my legs I turn on the television and switch to ESPN and decided to leave the poker fashion to others, next time I am just going to play cards.

Michael Hayter Article Source: www.completeonlinepoker.comhttp://www.completeonlinepoker.com
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

Day 107 ... $ 67.30

Knackered after Berlin - sitting listening to something your not really interested in is alot more tiring than you'd think, at least I had time to think about my plans for the poker site but now I've got to get the pics sorted for the client and wade through a load of emails and sort out the tounie at the weekend. Seems like I've got a few more people signed up for the forum though which is cool.

Poker article of the day
5 Poker Playin' Movie Stars: Part One of Two Parts - Ben, Matt, and Friends Tackle Texas Hold 'em - by Murphy James

Part One of Two Parts. Lights! Camera! Action! Hold ‘em! Fold ‘em!

If the average American is ga-ga about the Texas Hold ‘em craze, how do you think the movie stars, who can afford to drop r-e-a-l-l-y big bucks at a friendly Saturday night poker game, feel about it?

They feel so good that some are taking private lessons from the pros. Several, like Ben Affleck and Tobey Maguire, have actually won big tournaments.

* Let’s start with Ben, who took lessons from top pro, Annie Duke, and “Welcome Back, Kotter’s” Gabe Kaplan, now a Vegas poker professional. Affleck is the real deal, besting 90 players including fellow actor, Tobey Maguire, on his way to a $356,400 win at the October, 2004 California State No Limit Hold ‘em Poker Championship in Los Angeles.

* Matt Damon. Matt and Affleck won Academy Awards for writing “Good Will Hunting.” Matt plays No Limit,Texas Hold ‘em poker, enters the World Series of Poker each year, but has not yet attained Ben’s success. He and Ed Norton starred in a poker movie classic, “Rounders.” Shortly after making the 1998 movie, Matt entered his first World Series of Poker, plunked down $10,000 and found himself seated at a table with the biggest name in poker, Doyle Brunson. Matt didn’t last very long.

* One of the few Jennifer’s that Ben Affleck hasn’t dated is Jennifer Tilly. Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her part as a hopelessly bad actress in Woody Allen’s 1994 pic, “Bullets Over Broadway,” Jennifer has a couple big wins. Her first was a prized World Series of Poker event, The Ladies World Poker Championship, which paid $158,335. Savoring her victory, she said that this was “better than winning an Oscar.” She followed this up with a World Poker Tour Ladies Night victory, taking home another $25,000.

* Vince Van Patten. Vince is best known as the co-host (with Mike Sexton) of the Travel Channel’s popular “World Poker Tour.” A child actor, a world class tennis player, a director, a TV star, and a poker player, Vince is known as “King of the Hollywood Home Games,” a regular meeting of actors, comedians, writers, and other movie folk who play serious poker for serious money. He and fellow actor and poker player, James Woods, sponsor an online poker site, HollywoodPoker.com.

* Gabe Kaplan. Vinnie Barbarino / John Travolta played opposite a teacher by the name of Kotter / Gabe Kaplan. Can you believe it has been 30 years? Yes, it’s the same guy. Kaplan grew up in a card-playing family and took his love of the game to a new level when he moved to Las Vegas to become a poker pro. Though he still does stand-up comedy, his first love is poker. When not playing, he is a TV commentator on poker shows. His “official” poker biography goes like this: “Gabe Kaplan is a proud graduate of P.S. 161 in New York City. He lists his occupation as a marine biologist and thoroughly enjoys armadillo races. His nickname is ‘Pookie’ and he collects a modest residual paycheck for his days on Welcome Back, Kotter.” Funny, huh? Not so funny was a paycheck he picked up in the 2005 World Series of Poker for $290K.

One piece of advice. Beware of actors at your table. Because, after all, what is a bluff, but good acting?

Stay tuned for Part Two. © 2005 Murphy James
Murphy James is a freelance journalist specializing in the gaming industry. He has been published in men's magazines, gaming publications, business journals, and newspapers. His website is www.murphyjames.com His email address is murphyjames@murphyjames.com.

His most recent interviews have been with poker pros Barry Greenstein ("Ace on the River") and Jen Harman (one of the players in the richest poker game in history) about their philanthropic activities, and gambler, author, and teacher, Jerry Patterson ("Casino Gambling"), about his blackjack, craps, and roulette systems.
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

Day 106 ... $ 67.30

Glad I didnt bother bringing my laptop to play as no connections in the hotel room - settled for burying my head in poker book yesterday as yet again I've turned up at a European capital only to find landmark Brandenburg Gate was not only obscured by scaffolding and the pavement was taken up but a 70 foot red crane was planted right in front of it. Todays photography was the usual uninspiring conference / speaker stuff but I'm now an authority on shopping centres - really useful.

Racing back late tonight - as not planned - at the end of it all they only wanted me for a day and I decided that as it had been left up in the air till the last minute it wasn't worth the hastle of changing their plans or the expense of paying to be here longer to shoot stock.

Poker article of the day ...
5 More Poker Playin' Movie Stars: Part II – Whoopi, James Woods, and Friends Tackle Texas Hold 'em - by Murphy James

Lights! Camera! Action! Hold ‘em! Fold ‘em!

If the average American is ga-ga about the Texas Hold ‘em craze, how do you think the movie stars, who can afford to drop r-e-a-l-l-y big bucks at a friendly Saturday night poker game, feel about it?

One indication of their interest is a regular game in toney Bel-Air, California, called the “Billionaire Boys” which attracts the likes of Ben Affleck, Tobey Maguire, Leonardo di Caprio, and (boy?), Mimi Rogers where big bucks change hands at every meeting.

Here are five more poker playin’ stars:

* Tobey Maguire, “Spiderman,” like Ben Affleck, is also the real deal. In October, 2004 Tobey won his first major poker tournament at Phil Hellmuth’s Poker Invitational at the Hollywood Park Casino, a $2,000 buy-in event that netted him $95,480 for his first place finish. He climbed over 122 other players on his way to the top. Hosts high stakes games in his Hollywood Hills home where he has a room set aside just for poker and he recently bought a pad in Vegas to be close to the poker action.

* James Woods. Woods is a bright guy, an MIT grad, who played Sharon Stone’s lover in the classic Vegas movie, “Casino.” He has been nominated for Oscars and Emmys, and has a Golden Globe award on his mantle. He and Vince Van Patten sponsor an online poker site, HollywoodPoker.com. Woods also has a gig on the GSN (Game Show Network) where the “James Woods Gang” takes on the “Unabombers” (Pro Phil Laak is “the Unabomber). Laak’s squeeze is actress Jennifer Tilly who was profiled in Part I of Poker Playin’ Movie Stars.

* Mimi Rogers. Nominated for an Oscar for a 1991 film, “The Rapture,” Mimi is one of Hollywood’s hardest working actresses. A former Playboy model, Mimi was the first wife of Tom Cruise. When not working at her day job, she plays serious poker, journeying to Ireland in the summer of 2005 to open the Gaming Club World Poker Championship. She picked up $5,700 in a northern California tournament in 2004 and often appears on Bravo TV’s “Celebrity Poker Showdown.”

* Leonardo di Caprio. “I won my ticket on the Titanic in a lucky hand at poker,” says Leonardo as Jack Dawson, one of the doomed passengers on the fated ship that sank in 1918. Like Affleck, Maguire, Damon and Edward Norton, he entered the 2005 World Series of Poker. Digitalspy.com reports that he recently attended a poker-themed birthday party for Justin Timberlake.

* Academy Award winner (“Ghost”), Whoopi Goldberg, likes to play poker, according to the Poker Gazette, “to improve her social skills.” Whoopi, whose real name is Caryn Johnson, hosts poker nights in her Vermont home, inviting up to 30 friends and neighbors at a time. She says, “I’m truly an anti-social person and I decided the older I was getting that I really needed to try to develop better people skills.” Her parties started nine or ten years ago and now include her plumber and electrician.

Check out Part I for the first five stars, add these five, and you now have ten poker playin’ movie stars to think about. Next time you see one of their movies, picture them hunched over their cards, and saying “All In.”

One piece of advice. Beware of actors at your table. Because, after all, what is a bluff, but good acting?

© 2005 Murphy James - Murphy James is a freelance journalist specializing in the gaming industry. He has been published in men's magazines, gaming publications, business journals, and newspapers. His website is www.murphyjames.com His email address is murphyjames@murphyjames.com.

His most recent interviews have been with poker pros Barry Greenstein ("Ace on the River") and Jen Harman (one of the players in the richest poker game in history) about their philanthropic activities, and gambler, author, and teacher, Jerry Patterson ("Casino Gambling"), about his blackjack, craps, and roulette systems.
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

Day 105 ... $ 67.30 (pokerroom)

No play today as I'm working in Berlin for a couple of days -
got a really interesting at the airport though "The Great Casino Heist" by Richard Marcus all about his life as a high class casino cheat - a real eyeopener.

Poker article of the day ...
5 Poker Playin' Movie Stars: Part One of Two Parts - Ben, Matt, and Friends Tackle Texas Hold 'em - by Murphy James - Part One of Two Parts.

Lights! Camera! Action! Hold ‘em! Fold ‘em!

If the average American is ga-ga about the Texas Hold ‘em craze, how do you think the movie stars, who can afford to drop r-e-a-l-l-y big bucks at a friendly Saturday night poker game, feel about it?

They feel so good that some are taking private lessons from the pros. Several, like Ben Affleck and Tobey Maguire, have actually won big tournaments.

* Let’s start with Ben, who took lessons from top pro, Annie Duke, and “Welcome Back, Kotter’s” Gabe Kaplan, now a Vegas poker professional. Affleck is the real deal, besting 90 players including fellow actor, Tobey Maguire, on his way to a $356,400 win at the October, 2004 California State No Limit Hold ‘em Poker Championship in Los Angeles.

* Matt Damon. Matt and Affleck won Academy Awards for writing “Good Will Hunting.” Matt plays No Limit,Texas Hold ‘em poker, enters the World Series of Poker each year, but has not yet attained Ben’s success. He and Ed Norton starred in a poker movie classic, “Rounders.” Shortly after making the 1998 movie, Matt entered his first World Series of Poker, plunked down $10,000 and found himself seated at a table with the biggest name in poker, Doyle Brunson. Matt didn’t last very long.

* One of the few Jennifer’s that Ben Affleck hasn’t dated is Jennifer Tilly. Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her part as a hopelessly bad actress in Woody Allen’s 1994 pic, “Bullets Over Broadway,” Jennifer has a couple big wins. Her first was a prized World Series of Poker event, The Ladies World Poker Championship, which paid $158,335. Savoring her victory, she said that this was “better than winning an Oscar.” She followed this up with a World Poker Tour Ladies Night victory, taking home another $25,000.

* Vince Van Patten. Vince is best known as the co-host (with Mike Sexton) of the Travel Channel’s popular “World Poker Tour.” A child actor, a world class tennis player, a director, a TV star, and a poker player, Vince is known as “King of the Hollywood Home Games,” a regular meeting of actors, comedians, writers, and other movie folk who play serious poker for serious money. He and fellow actor and poker player, James Woods, sponsor an online poker site, HollywoodPoker.com.

* Gabe Kaplan. Vinnie Barbarino / John Travolta played opposite a teacher by the name of Kotter / Gabe Kaplan. Can you believe it has been 30 years? Yes, it’s the same guy. Kaplan grew up in a card-playing family and took his love of the game to a new level when he moved to Las Vegas to become a poker pro. Though he still does stand-up comedy, his first love is poker. When not playing, he is a TV commentator on poker shows. His “official” poker biography goes like this: “Gabe Kaplan is a proud graduate of P.S. 161 in New York City. He lists his occupation as a marine biologist and thoroughly enjoys armadillo races. His nickname is ‘Pookie’ and he collects a modest residual paycheck for his days on Welcome Back, Kotter.” Funny, huh? Not so funny was a paycheck he picked up in the 2005 World Series of Poker for $290K.

One piece of advice. Beware of actors at your table. Because, after all, what is a bluff, but good acting?

Stay tuned for Part Two.

© 2005 Murphy James - Murphy James is a freelance journalist specializing in the gaming industry. He has been published in men's magazines, gaming publications, business journals, and newspapers. His website is www.murphyjames.com His email address is murphyjames@murphyjames.com.

His most recent interviews have been with poker pros Barry Greenstein ("Ace on the River") and Jen Harman (one of the players in the richest poker game in history) about their philanthropic activities, and gambler, author, and teacher, Jerry Patterson ("Casino Gambling"), about his blackjack, craps, and roulette systems.
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

Day 104 $ 78.30

$ 5+0.5 NL SnG Full ... 5th ... - $ 5.50

After playing a bit too wild I found myself very short stacked with 9 still in - managed to hang in and saw another couple go out before me - then managed to double up several times - hung in to get 5th but I had been riding my luck all the way.

$ 5+0.5 NL SnG Full ... 5th ... - $ 5.50

played 44 agressively - flop came down 4diamonds diamond diamond - played agressively as I didn't want him to catch another card and when the 4th came down blank I was all-in ... he turned over A- diamonds - it happens.


Day 104 $ 78.30 - $ 11.00 total $ 67.30 ( - $ 152.70)

Poker article of the day ...
Gambling History of United States - by Mansi Aggarwal

Against the popular belief, gambling did not originate in the US. Most of the popular gambling games played in the American casinos have their origin in various foreign locales.

Heritage of gambling is somehow related to the Chinese culture. Chinese culture has been the home of numerous gambling games. Keno, a popular Chinese game is one of the original forms of the lottery games. Keno has evolved over thousands of years and is now played in played in various diluted versions in hundreds of casinos around the globe.
Another ancient Chinese game to have attained popularity has been Pai Gow. Pai Gow Pokr is the Americanized and hybridized version of the original game, it blends in the game of Pai Gow with certain elements of poker, to produce an interesting and simple game, loved by people around the globe and played in numerous casinos. However many critics, quite do not like the new version and banish it for being a too simplistic take on the otherwise “beautiful and complex” game from ancient Chinese culture.

China is not the only country to have contributed to the world of gambling, a number of European games have also made it to the league of popular games in the world of casinos. Games like Craps, Baccarat, Roulette and Black jack, all have roots in parts of Europe. Craps has its roots in the rich heritage of dice throwing games that have been around for a long time.
The game of blackjack also originated in the lap of Europe in Italy and France. While Baccarat catered mainly to the rich, Blackjack was popular amongst the masses. Till date Baccarat tables are reserved in the high roller areas of casinos, while the common people may get a taste of it at smaller tables called the Mini Baccarat tables.

Besides these games other popular betting sports include the spectator sports like thorough bred horse racing. It was developed into the modern sport in England during the 17oo’s. Later the game traveled to the US, with the early british settlers, however the traditions of the game remained relatively unchanged.
Another, relatively uncommon spectator sport is the game of Jai Alai The game because of its speed and relative brevity has become a unique gambling sport. Florida remains the center of the game.

Amongst the latest addition to the list of gambling concepts is internet gambling. Although the history of internet is not really long but even in the short period the relatively novel concept of online gambling market has served up a challenge to the traditional laws of communication in still unexplored ways.
Offshore online gaming casinos have mushroomed in recent years. Not only can the players play poker, blackjack online but also the game of slots can now be played online, in the line of video arcading.

Unhurried and uninterrupted betting is what gets the gamblers looking for a non threatening and private gaming experience to these sites.

However, offshore gambling has resulted in a maze of suggested legislations and arguments between people for and against gambling online. The major concern is The lack of regulations for these online gambling sites, which but keep the land based casinos in line with the law.

Mansi aggarwal writes about the gambling history of United States. Learn more at http://www.usgamblinghistory.com.
Article Source: EzineArticles.com