Michael J Fox, 60 Minutes

I am just finishing reading Michael J Fox's new book which deals with his continued struggle with Parkinson's disease. Great book. Michael grew up here in B.C and went to school in Burnaby so when he first revealed that he had Parkinsons I was shocked and saddened. This book reveals that he knew way back in 1991 and hid it for 7 years. That amazing. Took a lot of courage.

Michael always came across as the guy who you could just sit down and talk with if you ran into him on the street. Just a generally great guy and having met his parents years ago briefly I can see why. How I met his parents was that I drove them to the airport. Years ago as a part time job I drove limo. It was a way to make extra money when my kids were young and a really fun job. Well one weekend morning I got a call to pick up at an address and was told that I was taking Michael's mom and dad to the airport. They were flying to Las Angeles to go visit Michael. They were friendly and we chatted all the way out to the airport. They were so proud of him but not in a bragging way. Just really nice people. A couple years later I learned that his dad had passed away.

Reading the book I learned that Billy Graham was another Parkinson's sufferer and of course the most famous of all Muhammad Ali. The book also deals with the ongoing struggle to get more research into stem cells and the moral objection of the religious right wing in the U.S.

Well I understand everyone is entitled to their own views but for the life of me I can't see why they would object to researching something that might bring a cure for so many debilitating diseases like Parkinsons and Alzheimers. My mother died of Alzheimers as did her brother and one of her sisters so anything that can be done to maybe come up with something that will help I am all for. Stem cell research has show promise in helping people who are paralyzed and one can only hope that somewhere down the road they make a break through. So many lives could be helped.

Anyways if you get a chance read the book. Well worth your time.

I saw that 60 Minutes was having another segment about online poker tonight and it was supposed to be a new episode so I eagerly looked forward to watching it. Big disappointment. They basically just rehashed all the information we knew already about Ultimate Bet and the ability of someone to hack into their system and to see everyone cards they were playing against. They also said no one had ever been charged so nothing new. I guess the biggest statement was from one of the guys who lost money when asked if this went on on other sites he said that it was very possible.

There was discussion at All Vegas Poker about someone who won some money at a Freeroll at Pokerstars and then tried to withdraw the money and was unable to. He was pretty choked but I guess you have to make a deposit to withdraw. That seems to be Pokerstars policy. I honestly wasn't aware of that but then again I would never deposit money in the first place. I too have won a bit at a Freeroll and have built it up some so the likely hood of me ever collecting are slim unless I make a deposit. Well if I ever manage to build it up to 100 bucks I will see what happens. It could take me months playing at the 1/2 cent tables. Ha Ha.

Free Stuff

Did I mention how much I like free money?? Well I do. Heck I like free anything. Anyways yesterday afternoon I had a few minutes so I decided to go on Pokerstars and play in their micro cash games with my ultra huge bankroll of 2.20 (remember I have never put any of my money online and never will). This was of course money I had won at a freeroll and built up. I know my morning coffee at Starbucks costs me more than $2.20 but hey its still fun. Anyways I check my bankroll and it says I have 4.20. What's up?? Did I play and forget I had won another 2 dollars?? I decide to check my other email account (the one I use for all online stuff). There is an email from Pokerstars telling me they have given me 2 dollars. Wow. I am impressed. Did they pick my name from a hat?? It can't be from all the praise I have for online poker... Ha Ha. Anyways the only thing was sometime in the next 30 days I had to actually play once online and I could keep the 2 bucks. Unless of course I lost it.
I of course put 40 cents of it at risk and after a gruelling half hour of limit poker built that 40 to 50 cents. No memorable hands. Is there ever memorable hands playing limit?? Anyways I now have 4.30 and the saga will continue.

Speaking of free stuff about 2 months back I got a letter from one of the 2 credit card companies that I have. The letter said we notice Mr DB Cooper (yea its not my real name) that you haven't been using our card can you call us and we would like to discuss this with you. Well the reason I hadn't used this card was because my other card gave me cash for just using it. I get nothing from this company. So I called figuring I would be talking to someone in India or wherever they out source North American jobs to (sore point with me). Anyways I must have got the one agent that still works in the U.S and he was very polite and I explained why I didn't use their card anymore. He said we will gladly match that and would you like a credit increase. Sure why not. Anyways I now have 2 cards that pay me for using them. You see I never in all my years have paid a cent in interest. I pay off the cards each month and charge again. They make nothing from me. So where do they get this cash to pay me?? From the poor merchants who pay a fee each time I buy something in their store. I feel sorry for the merchants. No not sorry enough that I won't use the cards. It's a crazy world. Meanwhile credit card debt continues to rise.

I actually watched the last few minutes of American Idol last night and of course the wrong guy won. Not taking anything away from Kris but that Adam guy was in a class of his own. Chris appealed to the people because of his cute looks and wholesome appearance while Adam was different looking. Not saying that Kris couldn't sing but Adam was far superior. It's become a popularity contest.

Pokerstars WSOP freerolls

Pokerstars is running freerolls 14 times a day from now until April 26th until June 20th these are shootout formula where you win your table and move on to the next table. The eventual winner long ways down the road gets a free entry into the WSOP Main Event.

I played in one this afternoon and there was somewhere around 9300 entrants (maximum10000). This was divided into 1000 tables and you had to win your table to get through. I was at a very competitive table but thanks to getting decent cards including quad jacks I managed to out last everyone and moved on. Second round action was even tougher. We were down to 3 at my second round table when after the flop I was looking at trip kings when I pushed. The chip leader called chasing a flush and rivered it. I was out but still a fun formula. The other interesting hand in the second round also involved kings. I was dealt pocket kings. I bumped it up 3 times the BB. Got one caller. Flop came QQ10.. HMMM not the best. I thought he might have a pocket pair or something like A10. I pushed and he immediately called . I had him covered but he flipped over 10,10. Yikes I was in big trouble. The turn was a blank but the river brought me another Q. Love it. Bad news for him as my Queens over Kings beat his Queens over 10s. I might check them out again when I have some time in the next couple weeks.

I Played my usual Wednesday cash limit game with my 40 cent buy in. As usual I played until either I lost the 40 cents made a buck or 45 minutes passed. Well after 45 minutes I had 42 cents....... I am getting rich......... 2 more cents to the bankroll. I now have 1.86.........

I played my P league live tournament last night and really played horrible. I made a very weak decision early (calling when I had a straight and knew he had a higher one) got short stacked and was out early. Oh well. Playing another game tomorrow night.

Game 3 of Vancouver/ Chicago series ended in a great result for us. Vancouver played their best game of the series so far and Chicago played their worst. Game 4 should be awesome on Thursday night.

Super System

I got Super System 2 yesterday from the library. It has been over a year since reading the book and it was good to just refresh my memory on some strategies. Also when I had originally read the book I really didn't read the excellent section on Omaha 8 and actually had forgotten that it was in there until Memphis pointed it out to me. I probably should just buy it but we have such a great library here that it doesn't seem like a problem getting it. I am the type that needs to read things a few times (old age) to digest the concepts. This is still an excellent book and certainly one of my favourites.

A few weeks ago I won a whopping 70 cents playing a freeroll at Pokerstars. Yep that's life changing money. Anyways a few days after I played in their limit micro games and built it to a unbelievable 77 cents. Then I kind of forgot about it until yesterday. With no plans on playing a live game yesterday I thought why not risk a whole 40 cents of it playing limit again. I have to admit I haven't played much limit in my life. Anyways after a bit of a shaky start and going down to 23 cents (stop laughing), I caught pocket aces and won a decent pot against a guy who overplayed his pocket 10s. From then on I managed to build it up so that my bankroll is now I think $1.87. Too funny. So my plan for the next while is once a week take 40 cents of it, play until either one of 3 things happen.
I lose it
I get over $1.00 or
45 minutes passes
As I have said many times I won't invest money online but I certainly don't have a problem playing with Pokerstars money.

The hotels and resorts in Mexico must be hurting big time as our news has been full of people cancelling trips and weddings because of the swine flu outbreak. I know personally of one couple who had planned their wedding there and have now cancelled and they were interviewing people and most have changed to Hawaii or places like Phoenix. It will take months maybe years for people to regain their confidence to travel there.

The second round of the playoffs start tonight here in Vancouver. The bars will be packed province wide. Lets hope they get off to a good start. I am playing poker tonight so I will try and catch some of the action in between hands.

WSOP circuit events at Caesars Palace Las Vegas

I see the 18 day 22 event WSOP circuit event started yesterday at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. These events have for the most part a great structure to them. They range in buy in amounts from 340 bucks to 5150 for the championship event. It would be nice to be down in Vegas to take in one or several of these events. They are running satellites every day from 9AM to 3PM. They have a ladies event on the second last event and a 6 handed on Day 4. They also have a heads up event with a maximum of 64 entrants and a buy in of 1050. Be interesting to see how many of the top pros take in these events. All the events are no rebuys or add ons.

Well I had a cash last night in the Juno freeroll I entered at Pokerstars. I was actually getting decent cards. I actually got dealt pocket Aces twice in 3 hands. The both held up to with some aggressive betting. The top 198 got paid. I managed to last to 144th and got a whopping 70 cents added to my account. No laughing!!! I just missed the bubble as from 145th to 198th got 60 cents. The winner actually got in the 70 dollar range so decent amount for Pokerstars to put on. I got taken out when my AJd met AK after an A and 2 diamonds flopped. I couldn't catch a Jack or diamond and I was gone. Still nice to cash though and I will probably try and play 1 or all 3 of the freerolls they offer today. Then my plan is to take my 70 cents to the micro games they offer at PS. One and two cent blinds. I have always said I would never invest my money online but I will gladly play with the prize money.

I actually watched The Changeling with Angelina Jolie last night while playing the freeroll. It was another one that I had planned on seeing at the theatres but just never got there. Decent movie and it was based on a true story. I know a lot of guys (and ladies) are hot for Angelina and in this movie she was made to look pretty plain but she showed some decent acting skills.

Still Slugging at the Freerolls

Well I played a freeroll at Pokerstars this morning again. I am not sure how they have set these up but was talking to a friend and it seems only certain accounts were invited. Not sure why mine was and a buddies wasn't. We are both Canadian, neither have invested cash at Pokerstars so go figure but I am not complaining. Anyways I was pretty card dead. I managed to trip up jacks while holding J10 and took a decent pot but from the on it was like blank. Getting the old 9,2 and 3,8 type pocket cards. Just garbage.

I am a real patient guy so finally we are down to about 460 players and 340 cash so it was getting close. I have AK in the big blind. Just me and one player who bumped it up before the flop. Just a min raise. So I called of course. Flop comes A 93 rainbow. So I figured time to push. He called and had pocket 5's. Not sure why he called with 2 over cards on the board but I love it. The turn brings a K
Looking good. Then of course he catches his 5 on the river and I am done. Yep that's all over. Hopefully I can catch one more of these this weekend.

Rebuys and Addons

Yesterday was the start of the online spring poker championships that Pokerstars is running. The series is called SCOOP. They seem to have something for everyone with the first event yesterday a $5.50 buy in NLHE event. I decided to check out the entrants and watch a few of the tables for awhile just to see the level of play. When I checked they had over 27,000 entries in this first event. That is incredible and I congratulate Pokerstars on that. That's where my congratulations stops.

This was a rebuy and add on event. You could rebuy 5000 chips anytime before the first break as long as you were below the original 5000 starting point. You could also add on if you liked. So watching a few rooms and you were getting horrible poker playing and players just going all in with nothing. When I last looked they had like over 30,000 rebuys. I mean thats a joke. That's not poker thats just playing anything and hoping to you double or triple up and if not rebuy. The only thing rebuy does is build the prize pool, I know when I looked it was over 325,000 dollars.

I have never understand the logic of poker sites and casinos to offer these events. They only help people with deep pockets who can dump as much as they want on an event especially if its unlimited rebuys as it was yesterday. A much better way to run the event is leave it at 5.50 buy in but once you are out thats it. Of course you are still going to get the players that figure hey its only 5.50 so I will go all in with my K2 off suit but there would be lot less of that.

I had heard that the WSOP is considering not having any rebuys at this years events. I heard a lot of the pros have been lobbying for this. I am not sure if has been resolved yet but lets hope so.


I played another live tournament last night with 45 entrants and managed another final table going out in 8th. Very satisfying making it but extremely disappointing also as I figured with my chip stack to go much further. I was probably 3rd or 4th best stack when the big blind came to me. I looked and had pocket 10's. The 3rd player to act went all in and having played him before I just knew I had the best hand. It folded around to the SB who asked for a chip count and then folded. He had me covered and I was pretty sure I had the best hand so I called sure enough he sighs and says I was trying to steal the blinds and antis and flips over A3. I was looking good but of course the A came on the flop and I was done. I almost folded as I hate to put my tournament life on the line on odds just better than a coin flip.

Looking forward to the start of baseball season on Sunday. I know a lot of people find watching baseball extremely boring but its a sport you can watch and do other things while doing it.

Freerolls

I got to say I was fairly impressed with the rapid response of the Fulltilt poker staff when I emailed them about a problem I am having registering for the Canada freerolls on their site. I can register for any other freerolls but the country specific ones always gives me the error that I have to contact the fulltilt staff. I am not saying the response was correct but I will certainly try their suggestion. It doesn't make sense that you can register for other freerolls but the ones that are country specific you can't. They have given me few things to follow and if that doesn't work they need my IP address. We will see if that works.


Speaking of those freerolls I played a couple yesterday with less than glamorous results. I think in the one that was awarding tournament dollars I finished in the 200's out of 2700. Okay but no cigar. Made one really dumb play when my son who also plays was watching over my shoulder and said to call this guy who had gone all in. I had KJd. He had A8 and he paired the A on the flop. Even though I had him covered that basically crippled me. Normally I don't call all ins unless I am really sure I am the favourite going in.

I used to play on Pokerstars a lot but haven't for a long time. I think I will go back and play some on there in the next few weeks just for a change. Its always nice to change things around and play on different sites. I really do like the setup of Fulltilt though.

The home poker league starts tonite. Its great to sharpen the game and you can play 5 nights a week. I sure have found the competition great and found it really helped when I played in Vegas and on trips to the casinos here.