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foxypham
Moving to AC!
by foxypham on 08/07/07
I have finally decided to make the jump and move to Atlantic City. I will be living with a friend who is a fellow poker player. He is a really strong player who uses a lot of psychology in his game. His only problem is his bankroll management is not the best. I feel that we will compliment eachother very well as our strengths in poker are different (mine being discipline, patience, and game selection and his being reading people and manipulating his table image). This should give us a lot to learn from one another. We just found a place in Ventnor which is a beach town right next to AC and will be moving down at the beginning of Sept :) Its now been 3 weeks since I've been back from the road trip. I've been going to Borgata every weekend playing 5-10NL as well as $270 SNGs. The cash games have been very swingy lately for me as I am not playing optimally. I lose focus after playing long hours, make too many moves for live cash, and been losing patience. I am really dissappointed in my live cash play and will move down to 2-5NL until I refocus. As for the $270 SNGs, these are incredibly juicy. They pay 1500-600-400 and there are always at least 2 players that if they do not get hit w/ the deck, they have no chance of cashing. The strategy is horrible as people are playing way too loose in the first couple levels. A couple weeks ago I cashed in 3 straight SNGs and am making an emphasis to play more of them next time I'm down at Borgata. Playing these SNGs also makes a good change of pace from the grind of NL cash games.
BTW, Matthias is back in the Philly area and doing really well. He has a 10 inch scar on his head and wearing a neck brace from the car accident. Apparently what happened was that he was driving on highway in Texas where the roads are hilly. He couldn't see far in front of him when an accident had created a backup on the road. As he approached the backup, he didn't have time to stop and when right under a truck. Everyone has told him how lucky he is to be alive and if I was with him as a passenger, I would probably have died. We are both really pleased with our fortune and this is just another reminder to never take anything in life for granted!
PS
Matthias and I are heading to AC this Thursday and I'll have a trip report up after we get back. I am going to make an effort to blog a lot more regularly on this site and to include actual POKER hands!
TILTED in Vegas!!!!!
by foxypham on 07/17/07
Location: Lansdale, PA
WARNING: This blog contains negative content they may damage your positive demeanor so please read at your own risk!
I am back home now after spending 10 long days in Las Vegas. Let me first tell you guys the biggest piece of news since the last blog. Matthias on his ride back to Alabama was in a car accident somewhere in Texas. I have recieved all this info secondhand as Matthias lost his cellphone in the accident. All I know is that his wagon ended up underneath a tractor trailer and he suffered a concussion and other injuries. It seems he will make a full recovery, but had to spend several days in a ICU. The likely cause of the accident is that he fell asleep at the wheel. I will post more details as I get them, but even I am in the dark about the incident. Obviously, this makes me feel guilty as a driving partner would make a significant difference in long distance driving. Looking back on the situation, the only reason to ride back to Alabama with Matthias would just to be a driving partner. We were making no more recreational stops (lack of time) and I would of just flown home to Phila. after arrving in Alabama. Hopefully he makes a full recovery and we all wish him well!
All I did was play poker in Las Vegas and it did not go well at all. I attempted to satellite into the ME a second time and only lasted into the 4th level. I played 2-5NL cash and was down $2527 in 64 hrs. of play. The reasons for this poor performance including running bad, bluffing way too much, cold calling PF raises w/ any 2 cards, tough games, lack of regular poker playing before arriving in Vegas, and stress from the roadtrip. It seemed I could not do anything right and I made all the wrong moves in crucial situations. I do not want to get into all the details, but my first session at the Wynn set the tone for the trip. I was playing in a tough 2-5NL game with an uncapped buy-in. I bought in for $500 when these two hands came up. The first hand my KK ran into AA on a AKQ board and we got AI on the flop. This is just a cooler that happens to everyone. I reloaded back to $500 and the very NEXT hand get dealt 66 in the SB. A middle position player who has over 2K behind him opens for $15, the button calls as do I. The flop comes 652 w/ a flush draw and I check to the PF raiser, He fires about a pot-sized bet of $40 and then I make a $150 check-raise trying to represent a flush draw. My opponent thinks I'm tilting from the hand before and pushes me AI where I instant-call w/ my top set. He shows 99 and the turn comes a 9 to ship him the pot. What a sick two hand sequence? Right there I should of realized this wasn't going to be my trip and found a flight home immediately. Instead I stayed for another week to get pounded in 2-5NL rentlessly. If I played my usual solid ABC poker, I should only be down around 1K in cash for the trip. It was inevitable that I was going to lose in Vegas, but I could of taken a much smaller loss for the trip. A couple other nights, I played like a maniac and bluffed too many pots. In low stakes NL cash games, I believe that ABC poker is the most profitable way to play and I went against my own advice. Poker is all about maximizing your wins when you are running good and minimizing your losses when not running so hot. I am OK with my loss in Vegas as I have been running well this year and on the road trip had 5 straight winning sessions in very short periods of time. One last note on Vegas was that the cash games I played in were the tougest ones I've ever encountered. Everyone says the best action during the WSOP is at the beginning, because by the time the ME rolls around a lot of the fish have gone home. I will not make this mistake again and come much earlier in the WSOP for the side action in upcoming years. This year I had no choice as the roadtrip was planned already and the ME was the only time we could go through Vegas.
As for my future, this is up in the air. I need to move somewhere where I can get a lot more live action in. I am contemplating moving to the LA area, Las Vegas, or Atlantic City. I am leaning towards Atlantic City due to lower costs, familiarity of the area, and having people I could live with. If I moved to the LA area or Las Vegas, I would know nobody there and the cost of living is higher in those areas especially LA. I will look into the situation more closely and let you guys know what I decide upon. I want to give poker 100% of my effort to see where it takes me. Right now, I do not think I am a much greater player than everyone else out there. I feel I can be successful due to my BR management. I require a very simple lifestyle and do not spend much money. For example, I bought my first pair of sunglasses ever 5 weeks ago and I had the same pair of sneakers from when I was 16 to 23. I am getting into minimalism which is having as few possessions as possible and trying to follow that infamous quote from Fight Club "The things you own end owning you". I do not drink, smoke, rarely play in the pit (on the roadtrip I only played in the pit once in Deadwood and it was $3/hand Blackjack), and HATE strippers. Strippers are really fake and its obvious there after your money, in the real world women are more discreet about their intentions! This discipline will keep me away from the traps I hear about all the time with other poker players.
PS
If anyone has any advice/tips on my future plans, I am open-minded and will listen!
WARNING: This blog contains negative content they may damage your positive demeanor so please read at your own risk!
I am back home now after spending 10 long days in Las Vegas. Let me first tell you guys the biggest piece of news since the last blog. Matthias on his ride back to Alabama was in a car accident somewhere in Texas. I have recieved all this info secondhand as Matthias lost his cellphone in the accident. All I know is that his wagon ended up underneath a tractor trailer and he suffered a concussion and other injuries. It seems he will make a full recovery, but had to spend several days in a ICU. The likely cause of the accident is that he fell asleep at the wheel. I will post more details as I get them, but even I am in the dark about the incident. Obviously, this makes me feel guilty as a driving partner would make a significant difference in long distance driving. Looking back on the situation, the only reason to ride back to Alabama with Matthias would just to be a driving partner. We were making no more recreational stops (lack of time) and I would of just flown home to Phila. after arrving in Alabama. Hopefully he makes a full recovery and we all wish him well!
All I did was play poker in Las Vegas and it did not go well at all. I attempted to satellite into the ME a second time and only lasted into the 4th level. I played 2-5NL cash and was down $2527 in 64 hrs. of play. The reasons for this poor performance including running bad, bluffing way too much, cold calling PF raises w/ any 2 cards, tough games, lack of regular poker playing before arriving in Vegas, and stress from the roadtrip. It seemed I could not do anything right and I made all the wrong moves in crucial situations. I do not want to get into all the details, but my first session at the Wynn set the tone for the trip. I was playing in a tough 2-5NL game with an uncapped buy-in. I bought in for $500 when these two hands came up. The first hand my KK ran into AA on a AKQ board and we got AI on the flop. This is just a cooler that happens to everyone. I reloaded back to $500 and the very NEXT hand get dealt 66 in the SB. A middle position player who has over 2K behind him opens for $15, the button calls as do I. The flop comes 652 w/ a flush draw and I check to the PF raiser, He fires about a pot-sized bet of $40 and then I make a $150 check-raise trying to represent a flush draw. My opponent thinks I'm tilting from the hand before and pushes me AI where I instant-call w/ my top set. He shows 99 and the turn comes a 9 to ship him the pot. What a sick two hand sequence? Right there I should of realized this wasn't going to be my trip and found a flight home immediately. Instead I stayed for another week to get pounded in 2-5NL rentlessly. If I played my usual solid ABC poker, I should only be down around 1K in cash for the trip. It was inevitable that I was going to lose in Vegas, but I could of taken a much smaller loss for the trip. A couple other nights, I played like a maniac and bluffed too many pots. In low stakes NL cash games, I believe that ABC poker is the most profitable way to play and I went against my own advice. Poker is all about maximizing your wins when you are running good and minimizing your losses when not running so hot. I am OK with my loss in Vegas as I have been running well this year and on the road trip had 5 straight winning sessions in very short periods of time. One last note on Vegas was that the cash games I played in were the tougest ones I've ever encountered. Everyone says the best action during the WSOP is at the beginning, because by the time the ME rolls around a lot of the fish have gone home. I will not make this mistake again and come much earlier in the WSOP for the side action in upcoming years. This year I had no choice as the roadtrip was planned already and the ME was the only time we could go through Vegas.
As for my future, this is up in the air. I need to move somewhere where I can get a lot more live action in. I am contemplating moving to the LA area, Las Vegas, or Atlantic City. I am leaning towards Atlantic City due to lower costs, familiarity of the area, and having people I could live with. If I moved to the LA area or Las Vegas, I would know nobody there and the cost of living is higher in those areas especially LA. I will look into the situation more closely and let you guys know what I decide upon. I want to give poker 100% of my effort to see where it takes me. Right now, I do not think I am a much greater player than everyone else out there. I feel I can be successful due to my BR management. I require a very simple lifestyle and do not spend much money. For example, I bought my first pair of sunglasses ever 5 weeks ago and I had the same pair of sneakers from when I was 16 to 23. I am getting into minimalism which is having as few possessions as possible and trying to follow that infamous quote from Fight Club "The things you own end owning you". I do not drink, smoke, rarely play in the pit (on the roadtrip I only played in the pit once in Deadwood and it was $3/hand Blackjack), and HATE strippers. Strippers are really fake and its obvious there after your money, in the real world women are more discreet about their intentions! This discipline will keep me away from the traps I hear about all the time with other poker players.
PS
If anyone has any advice/tips on my future plans, I am open-minded and will listen!
Viva Las Vegas!!
by foxypham on 07/07/07
Location: Las Vegas
Well, I have finally arrived into the sin city! This is my first visit here and I am really excited about it. Let me first tell you guys what happened in SoCal. In LA, we spent one day at Santa Monica which was incredible. I loved everything about it: the beach, girls, and biking. Matthias and I then headed down to Venice Beach where a very liberal and hippie crowd hang out. There were a few hundred people gathered on the beach for a drum dance (my first) and the atmosphere was surrreal. For those of you who don't know, a drum dance is a few hundred people gathered in a circle. There are all type of instruments being played and they combine to make a snchronized beat. If you want, one can dance in the middle of the huge circle. It was cool just seeing everyone relaxing and enjoying themselves. That night we headed to Commerce. I heard the action here is crazy, but the rake stinks. They rake $6 or $7 every pot no matter how big and they even rake a $1 when players chop! I played 5-10NL w/ a buy-in of $300 and grinded out $860 in 4 hrs. of play. The table was incredibly passive and I just kept taking the small pots that nobody wanted. Matthias played 2-5NL and lost $200. I couldn't keep an eye on his play, but I saw he made one big mistake when he called AI w/ 66 on a flop of 789. There was only $20 in the pot and his opponent bet AI for $70 on the flop, Matthias called with 2 other people to act behind him. I think I gave Matthias too much credit and forgot that he is a complete novice to the game and still needs a lot of tuteledge.
After LA, we headed to San Diego to stay with Matthias' friend Jeff. The first night we were there, we headed to a great Mexican place by the beach. The Mexican food on the west coast doesn't even comes close to what I usually get back on the east coast. The next day Jeff had to work so he made an itinerary for us in SD. As we headed to the Subaru, Matthias noticed an oil leak under the wagon. The gas casket valve had cracked leaking oil, and took Matthias 4 hours. to make the necessary repairs. So much for sightseeing in SD. That night we headed downtown to check out the nightlife. The first bar we went to was Altitude. It is on the top floor of the Marriott and was a open-air bar. It had a nice view of Petco Park (where the SD Padres play) and you could easily watch a baseball game from the high venue. We then checked out another club before calling it a night.
Matthias and I arrived into Vegas on the 4th of July. It was a scorching 110 degrees when we came in. We got a place in this hostel in downtown Las Vegas. There seems to be some really neat people traveling staying here, but I haven't had the chance to meet them because I've been playing tons of poker since we arrived. On Thursday, I played a $550 satellite for the ME and placed 50th of 420. They were giving seats to the top 19 in this satelllite. I found the field to be incredibly weak and everyone was playing super cautious in an attempt to slide into the money. This is an ok strategy when there are 25 players left, but I found that people were implementing this strategy when they were 70 to 80 players left. I didn't think they realized how much poker would still have to be played. I maintained an average stack most of the satellite and then shoved w/ 33 in early position w/ 18K in chips. The blinds were 1-2K w/ a 300 ante so I was going to shove with a wide range of hands. A tight player reshoved AI on the button so I thought I was dominated, but luckily he showed AK. He flopped a K and there goes my entire poker life. JK. That night, we went to see KA Cirque De Soleil at the MGM Grand. We wanted to see LOVE Cirque De Soliel, but tickets were all sold out due to its popularity. I was not impressed with the KA Cirque De Soliel. The show told a tale of some jungle bandits kidnapping two of the emperor's children and their rescue. The acrobatics were cool (it was my first Cirque De Soleil experience), but the storyline was really difficult to follow. In the show, the performers spoke a made up language so that only made things more complicated. They tried to mix in comedy, but given the background of the storyline, it did not fit in well. Others in the audience seemed to be thorougly entertained, but I have high standards in any recreational acitivities I partake in. For example, I enjoyed when Matthias and I went skydiving, but everyone else who jumped seemed to have a much better experience than me. It seems the only thrill I get is playing poker! Spoken like a true degenerate. After the show. Matthias and I played 1-2NL at MGM. We were at the same table so I could further teach Matthias about the great game of NL Texas Hold Em. The table was soft and Matthias and I ened up with $450 and $250 profits respectively.
On Friday morning, Matthias left Las Vegas back to Alabama to tie up some loose ends. This officially concludes our road trip together. I'll never forget about what happened on this trip and it has given me a new perspective on traveling. I hope everyone has enjoyed reading about our exploits. I plan on checking into the Imperial Inn on Sunday and staying for about another week. Later today, I will try to satellite into the ME again as the field is too weak to pass up the opportunity. Even I don't make it into the ME, I will be playing cash until I leave. I will keep everyone updated on how I do in Las Vegas and this blog will hopefully have some poker content for once :).
Well, I have finally arrived into the sin city! This is my first visit here and I am really excited about it. Let me first tell you guys what happened in SoCal. In LA, we spent one day at Santa Monica which was incredible. I loved everything about it: the beach, girls, and biking. Matthias and I then headed down to Venice Beach where a very liberal and hippie crowd hang out. There were a few hundred people gathered on the beach for a drum dance (my first) and the atmosphere was surrreal. For those of you who don't know, a drum dance is a few hundred people gathered in a circle. There are all type of instruments being played and they combine to make a snchronized beat. If you want, one can dance in the middle of the huge circle. It was cool just seeing everyone relaxing and enjoying themselves. That night we headed to Commerce. I heard the action here is crazy, but the rake stinks. They rake $6 or $7 every pot no matter how big and they even rake a $1 when players chop! I played 5-10NL w/ a buy-in of $300 and grinded out $860 in 4 hrs. of play. The table was incredibly passive and I just kept taking the small pots that nobody wanted. Matthias played 2-5NL and lost $200. I couldn't keep an eye on his play, but I saw he made one big mistake when he called AI w/ 66 on a flop of 789. There was only $20 in the pot and his opponent bet AI for $70 on the flop, Matthias called with 2 other people to act behind him. I think I gave Matthias too much credit and forgot that he is a complete novice to the game and still needs a lot of tuteledge.
After LA, we headed to San Diego to stay with Matthias' friend Jeff. The first night we were there, we headed to a great Mexican place by the beach. The Mexican food on the west coast doesn't even comes close to what I usually get back on the east coast. The next day Jeff had to work so he made an itinerary for us in SD. As we headed to the Subaru, Matthias noticed an oil leak under the wagon. The gas casket valve had cracked leaking oil, and took Matthias 4 hours. to make the necessary repairs. So much for sightseeing in SD. That night we headed downtown to check out the nightlife. The first bar we went to was Altitude. It is on the top floor of the Marriott and was a open-air bar. It had a nice view of Petco Park (where the SD Padres play) and you could easily watch a baseball game from the high venue. We then checked out another club before calling it a night.
Matthias and I arrived into Vegas on the 4th of July. It was a scorching 110 degrees when we came in. We got a place in this hostel in downtown Las Vegas. There seems to be some really neat people traveling staying here, but I haven't had the chance to meet them because I've been playing tons of poker since we arrived. On Thursday, I played a $550 satellite for the ME and placed 50th of 420. They were giving seats to the top 19 in this satelllite. I found the field to be incredibly weak and everyone was playing super cautious in an attempt to slide into the money. This is an ok strategy when there are 25 players left, but I found that people were implementing this strategy when they were 70 to 80 players left. I didn't think they realized how much poker would still have to be played. I maintained an average stack most of the satellite and then shoved w/ 33 in early position w/ 18K in chips. The blinds were 1-2K w/ a 300 ante so I was going to shove with a wide range of hands. A tight player reshoved AI on the button so I thought I was dominated, but luckily he showed AK. He flopped a K and there goes my entire poker life. JK. That night, we went to see KA Cirque De Soleil at the MGM Grand. We wanted to see LOVE Cirque De Soliel, but tickets were all sold out due to its popularity. I was not impressed with the KA Cirque De Soliel. The show told a tale of some jungle bandits kidnapping two of the emperor's children and their rescue. The acrobatics were cool (it was my first Cirque De Soleil experience), but the storyline was really difficult to follow. In the show, the performers spoke a made up language so that only made things more complicated. They tried to mix in comedy, but given the background of the storyline, it did not fit in well. Others in the audience seemed to be thorougly entertained, but I have high standards in any recreational acitivities I partake in. For example, I enjoyed when Matthias and I went skydiving, but everyone else who jumped seemed to have a much better experience than me. It seems the only thrill I get is playing poker! Spoken like a true degenerate. After the show. Matthias and I played 1-2NL at MGM. We were at the same table so I could further teach Matthias about the great game of NL Texas Hold Em. The table was soft and Matthias and I ened up with $450 and $250 profits respectively.
On Friday morning, Matthias left Las Vegas back to Alabama to tie up some loose ends. This officially concludes our road trip together. I'll never forget about what happened on this trip and it has given me a new perspective on traveling. I hope everyone has enjoyed reading about our exploits. I plan on checking into the Imperial Inn on Sunday and staying for about another week. Later today, I will try to satellite into the ME again as the field is too weak to pass up the opportunity. Even I don't make it into the ME, I will be playing cash until I leave. I will keep everyone updated on how I do in Las Vegas and this blog will hopefully have some poker content for once :).
down but not out...
by foxypham on 07/02/07
Location: Hollywood, CA
So I don't even to know where to begin with this blog. Its been so long seen I have last updated a few of you might of thought I dropped off the face of the Earth. I had a nice blog written when we were in Oregon, but the trip took a turn for the worst when our 88' Subaru was broken into in San Francisco. Matthias lost many important items including his laptop, passport, IPod, sunglasses, and spending cash :(. The thieves somehow did not take anything of mine though. The weird part about this was that we always take in our laptop at our destinations and this was the first time we left it in the car. The robbery happened in broad daylight in a nice part of SF Pacific Heights while we were at dinner. The police called Matthias during dinner and notified him of the break-in. The event definitely soured our trip, but we were both determined to move on and finish the trip on a strong note.
Here is a brief recap of what else happened since the last blog. We spent two days in Seattle staying with my college buddy Dayne. Highlights include eating Vietnamese and Thai food, stumbling upon a gay pride parade, and going to the Sunday market in the Fremont area of town. BTW, everybody out there must try Vietnamese food. It is tasty, cheap, and healthy. You can't beat that combination. We also visited a local casino in the Seattle area where I suggested we bump up the game to 5-10NL from the 3-5NL we were playing. One guy was all about it, but everyone else was against it given their silence. The funny thing about this nobody spoke up against my suggestion and everyone just went along and pulled out more money for the higher stakes. I single-handily raised the stakes and came away with a nice $640 profit in only 3 hrs. Matthias lost $200, but had a down outlook before the session. I am a firm believer in having a positive attitude before entering any session. Coincidence you tell me?? We then stayed in Portland for one night where I got ancupuncture at a local school for the first time ever for recurring stomach problems I've been having. I did not feel any different after the treatment, but ancupuncture is a cumulative process and I was pleased with my first visit. We then drove down the Oregon coastline to stay at Cape Blanco State Park for the night. This was by far the most scenic destination on our trip. In SF, we met up with my distant cousins Danny and Elisa. It seems Asians keep in touch with distant family as I have met my third-line cousin before. That is my grandmother's cousin's grandchildren. Haha!! BTW Danny and Elisa were really supportive after the robbery. We walked 6 to 7 mi in SF visiting all the day attractions and had terrific food at Chinese and Mexican joints. Our next stop was in Monterey which is south of SF where we both went skydiving from 18000 ft, which they claim is the highest drop point in the world!! It was a 90 second free fall and I was not nervous at all before the dive. I also skydived 4 years ago in Australia, but all I remember from that dive is jumping out and doing a few flips, then the parachute opening. It was the first time for Matthias and he was all gased up about the experience. We are about to leave LA for San Diego and I'll write about our exploits in LA in my next blog.
PS I plan on arriving in Las Vegas on July 4th and attempting to satellite in the ME. I feel I owe myself the opportunity given how good I've been running lately. Even if I fail (which I won't), I would like to play in cash games for a week or two durning the ME. The road trip will end for me in Las Vegas (how fitting) and I am looking for a cheap place to crash while Vegas. If anyone can help me out, e-mail me at edwardpham@hotmail.com. BTW, I am really low maintenance and don't need any special accomodations for ex. I am willing to sleep on a floor with my sleeping bag. Thanks everyone for your support!
So I don't even to know where to begin with this blog. Its been so long seen I have last updated a few of you might of thought I dropped off the face of the Earth. I had a nice blog written when we were in Oregon, but the trip took a turn for the worst when our 88' Subaru was broken into in San Francisco. Matthias lost many important items including his laptop, passport, IPod, sunglasses, and spending cash :(. The thieves somehow did not take anything of mine though. The weird part about this was that we always take in our laptop at our destinations and this was the first time we left it in the car. The robbery happened in broad daylight in a nice part of SF Pacific Heights while we were at dinner. The police called Matthias during dinner and notified him of the break-in. The event definitely soured our trip, but we were both determined to move on and finish the trip on a strong note.
Here is a brief recap of what else happened since the last blog. We spent two days in Seattle staying with my college buddy Dayne. Highlights include eating Vietnamese and Thai food, stumbling upon a gay pride parade, and going to the Sunday market in the Fremont area of town. BTW, everybody out there must try Vietnamese food. It is tasty, cheap, and healthy. You can't beat that combination. We also visited a local casino in the Seattle area where I suggested we bump up the game to 5-10NL from the 3-5NL we were playing. One guy was all about it, but everyone else was against it given their silence. The funny thing about this nobody spoke up against my suggestion and everyone just went along and pulled out more money for the higher stakes. I single-handily raised the stakes and came away with a nice $640 profit in only 3 hrs. Matthias lost $200, but had a down outlook before the session. I am a firm believer in having a positive attitude before entering any session. Coincidence you tell me?? We then stayed in Portland for one night where I got ancupuncture at a local school for the first time ever for recurring stomach problems I've been having. I did not feel any different after the treatment, but ancupuncture is a cumulative process and I was pleased with my first visit. We then drove down the Oregon coastline to stay at Cape Blanco State Park for the night. This was by far the most scenic destination on our trip. In SF, we met up with my distant cousins Danny and Elisa. It seems Asians keep in touch with distant family as I have met my third-line cousin before. That is my grandmother's cousin's grandchildren. Haha!! BTW Danny and Elisa were really supportive after the robbery. We walked 6 to 7 mi in SF visiting all the day attractions and had terrific food at Chinese and Mexican joints. Our next stop was in Monterey which is south of SF where we both went skydiving from 18000 ft, which they claim is the highest drop point in the world!! It was a 90 second free fall and I was not nervous at all before the dive. I also skydived 4 years ago in Australia, but all I remember from that dive is jumping out and doing a few flips, then the parachute opening. It was the first time for Matthias and he was all gased up about the experience. We are about to leave LA for San Diego and I'll write about our exploits in LA in my next blog.
PS I plan on arriving in Las Vegas on July 4th and attempting to satellite in the ME. I feel I owe myself the opportunity given how good I've been running lately. Even if I fail (which I won't), I would like to play in cash games for a week or two durning the ME. The road trip will end for me in Las Vegas (how fitting) and I am looking for a cheap place to crash while Vegas. If anyone can help me out, e-mail me at edwardpham@hotmail.com. BTW, I am really low maintenance and don't need any special accomodations for ex. I am willing to sleep on a floor with my sleeping bag. Thanks everyone for your support!
Stranded in the Rockies....
by foxypham on 06/20/07
Location: Buena Vista, CO
I have not updated this blog as of late, because we have been making long driving legs between stops of the trip. From Chicago, we drove through Wisconsin, Minnesota, and most of South Dakota to make it to our next stop. There is plenty to do in South Dakota, but all the attractions are near Mt. Rushmore which is on the western border of the state. Our first stop in SD was Badlands National Park. The park contains ever changing rock formations that erodes every time after it rains. The neat thing about this park was that there were no off limits inside the park and you were free to roam wherever you pleased. Matthias and I ended up hiking over 6 miles in the heat. Talk about a workout! That night we headed to Deadwood (place where Wild Bill got shot with Aces and eights) to find some poker action. Matthias did not join me at the casino as he has been fighting the cold ever since Myrtle Beach. We have been doing stuff constantly on this trip so he has not had the chance to recover :(. The inn that we stayed at had a small wedding reception that night. When I took the shuttle to the casino Cadillac Jack's, I was in the middle of the after wedding party (remember the reception was very small). The groom, bride, and a few of their friends were heading to the casino for some late night partying. I chatted them up and bought them drinks at the casino to ring in their holy union.
I found myself into the poker room and put myself on the list to a 10-100 spread limit HE game with a min buy-in of $500. I have never played spread limit before, but figured it would not be a tough adjustment. I ended up playing $3/hand blackjack and 2-10 spread limit for a couple hrs. before my seat opened up in the biggest game in town (I'm not joking). As I sat down, I felt a little out of place. It was a bunch of old guys with John Deere caps and a couple guys with cowboy hats on. Then there was me a 5'5'' Asian guy with a black Full Tilt hoody. The game was very passive and the winning strategy in the game was just to value bet your strong hands, because there was not much folding going on. I ran well as usual and took down a $570 profit in only 3 hrs. of play. The funniest part of the game was this one elderly lady. Now, I do not like to stereotype players, but I do notice some group of players play in similar fashions ex.( elderly=passive, women=tight-passive, young kid=aggressive) When I am new to a table, my only info are these stereotypes of these groups from past experience. When we 5-handed, this elderly lady just ran over the table for about an hour. She was raising many pots and taking them down with CBs on the flop. I stayed out her way as I was running cold during this stretch. She then told the table " You four are the weakest group of poker players I ever played against". I had to hold myself from outright laughter as it was too funny for me. I have never seen a woman be so aggressive in a poker game and then to trash talk afterwards was icing on the cake.
The next day Matthias and I were committed to a whole day of sightseeing. We first went to Mt. Rushmore, but both of us were surprised that the monument was not as big as we had imagined.
Mt. Rushmore
We then headed to Custer State Park where wildlife like buffalo, antelope, and donkeys could be seen. The donkeys had no shame as they would approach your car looking for a free hand out. This just reminded of me of the donkeys in the poker world after they go broke. The state park also had these tall rock needles that were pretty cool to see. The next day we took a one hour tour of Deadwood that gave you the history of the town and Wild Bill. The tour guide was hilarious and we learned some really neat stuff about Deadwood. I was disappointed to find out that Calamity Jane really had nothing to do with Wild Bill Hitchcock. She met Wild Bill once, became obsessed with him, and spread rumors that they were lovers after he passed away. What a way to force yourself into history huh?
Main Street in Deadwood
After three exhausting days in South Dakota, we headed to Colorado to see a friend of Matthias who lives in the mountains. During our drive in Wyoming, we drove by a town of Lost Springs that claimed a population of ONE. That is when you know you are in the middle of nowhere. Anyways, Matthias' friend promised of great outdoor activities when we got to Colorado and she apparently lives in a tent so I was interested in checking that out. This is when our trip took a turn for the worst as our 88' Subaru broke down in the mountains. They just don't make cars like they use to :). Luckily, somebody gave us a ride to the nearest town where we got the wagon towed to an auto mechanic. The timing belt is broken and it is going to take a couple days to fix so we are now stuck in Buena Vista. Luckily, this area is a hotbed for whitewater rafting, so that is what we did today. We both had a blast and I will definitely want to do some more rafting in the future. We are really getting pressed for time (2 1/2 weeks to do the entire west coast as well as the southwest) so we are going straight to Seattle after our wagon is repaired. Hopefully no more obstacles come our way as we cannot afford to deal with them right now!
I have not updated this blog as of late, because we have been making long driving legs between stops of the trip. From Chicago, we drove through Wisconsin, Minnesota, and most of South Dakota to make it to our next stop. There is plenty to do in South Dakota, but all the attractions are near Mt. Rushmore which is on the western border of the state. Our first stop in SD was Badlands National Park. The park contains ever changing rock formations that erodes every time after it rains. The neat thing about this park was that there were no off limits inside the park and you were free to roam wherever you pleased. Matthias and I ended up hiking over 6 miles in the heat. Talk about a workout! That night we headed to Deadwood (place where Wild Bill got shot with Aces and eights) to find some poker action. Matthias did not join me at the casino as he has been fighting the cold ever since Myrtle Beach. We have been doing stuff constantly on this trip so he has not had the chance to recover :(. The inn that we stayed at had a small wedding reception that night. When I took the shuttle to the casino Cadillac Jack's, I was in the middle of the after wedding party (remember the reception was very small). The groom, bride, and a few of their friends were heading to the casino for some late night partying. I chatted them up and bought them drinks at the casino to ring in their holy union.
I found myself into the poker room and put myself on the list to a 10-100 spread limit HE game with a min buy-in of $500. I have never played spread limit before, but figured it would not be a tough adjustment. I ended up playing $3/hand blackjack and 2-10 spread limit for a couple hrs. before my seat opened up in the biggest game in town (I'm not joking). As I sat down, I felt a little out of place. It was a bunch of old guys with John Deere caps and a couple guys with cowboy hats on. Then there was me a 5'5'' Asian guy with a black Full Tilt hoody. The game was very passive and the winning strategy in the game was just to value bet your strong hands, because there was not much folding going on. I ran well as usual and took down a $570 profit in only 3 hrs. of play. The funniest part of the game was this one elderly lady. Now, I do not like to stereotype players, but I do notice some group of players play in similar fashions ex.( elderly=passive, women=tight-passive, young kid=aggressive) When I am new to a table, my only info are these stereotypes of these groups from past experience. When we 5-handed, this elderly lady just ran over the table for about an hour. She was raising many pots and taking them down with CBs on the flop. I stayed out her way as I was running cold during this stretch. She then told the table " You four are the weakest group of poker players I ever played against". I had to hold myself from outright laughter as it was too funny for me. I have never seen a woman be so aggressive in a poker game and then to trash talk afterwards was icing on the cake.
The next day Matthias and I were committed to a whole day of sightseeing. We first went to Mt. Rushmore, but both of us were surprised that the monument was not as big as we had imagined.
Mt. Rushmore
We then headed to Custer State Park where wildlife like buffalo, antelope, and donkeys could be seen. The donkeys had no shame as they would approach your car looking for a free hand out. This just reminded of me of the donkeys in the poker world after they go broke. The state park also had these tall rock needles that were pretty cool to see. The next day we took a one hour tour of Deadwood that gave you the history of the town and Wild Bill. The tour guide was hilarious and we learned some really neat stuff about Deadwood. I was disappointed to find out that Calamity Jane really had nothing to do with Wild Bill Hitchcock. She met Wild Bill once, became obsessed with him, and spread rumors that they were lovers after he passed away. What a way to force yourself into history huh?
Main Street in Deadwood
After three exhausting days in South Dakota, we headed to Colorado to see a friend of Matthias who lives in the mountains. During our drive in Wyoming, we drove by a town of Lost Springs that claimed a population of ONE. That is when you know you are in the middle of nowhere. Anyways, Matthias' friend promised of great outdoor activities when we got to Colorado and she apparently lives in a tent so I was interested in checking that out. This is when our trip took a turn for the worst as our 88' Subaru broke down in the mountains. They just don't make cars like they use to :). Luckily, somebody gave us a ride to the nearest town where we got the wagon towed to an auto mechanic. The timing belt is broken and it is going to take a couple days to fix so we are now stuck in Buena Vista. Luckily, this area is a hotbed for whitewater rafting, so that is what we did today. We both had a blast and I will definitely want to do some more rafting in the future. We are really getting pressed for time (2 1/2 weeks to do the entire west coast as well as the southwest) so we are going straight to Seattle after our wagon is repaired. Hopefully no more obstacles come our way as we cannot afford to deal with them right now!
