The Matrix + Live Poker + Meme

It's true. I've been to the Matrix...on Full Tilt. Looks LJ has tried them as well. Her review in her words,

"it was super fun, though, i'm definitely gonna play a few more. it's perfect if you get bored w/ one sng too, cause the multi-tabling is built in."

Now, she played the $20 variety. Quite sure this (me) tight ass ain't playing that big in this, but I did try the $1 6 max variety. These, were pretty crazy, as you might expect. I broke about even. I think I might be a nickel down, but in the grand scheme, they weren't impossible.

They play a lot crazier then your normal $1. Seems these donkeys are now rushing to make bad decisions. My biggest problem with these was variance. The suck outs come fast and furious and at least at these low stakes, pot odds mean nothing and everyone is drawing to flushes. Keep that in mind when you flop top two pair with the board having two cards to flush...they will call your all in.

The next ones I try will definitely be of the 9 player variety and up the food chain. The 6 max only pay two spots in each area. I also HIGHLY recommend not playing on a laptop screen. Way to small to see what your doing...

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I played in a home game this past weekend. It was loads of fun with rebuys. I usually try to avoid doing rebuys, but I found out that the girl to my right's favorite hand is Q6o. Yes, she pair her 6 and my AKh was no match for it's awesomeness.  Yikes.

Last night was also league night. I fealt I played really well. In league, I find it very important to avoid unnecessary risk at times. ATC poker is the norm...plan for it.

I was quite proud of how I took my final hand. There have been numerous times I've left a live game doing my best Phil Hellmuth impersonation. Here's how the hand went:

We are pretty short handed at 5 people left. I'm UTG with A7 and give it a standard raise. Grant, the guy on my left, calls. Grant is a loose/agressive that a times can make some really crazy calls. The flop comes AQ9, all clubs. His reaction to the flop seemed to be one of indifference. I CBed with my ace. He just calls. Unfortunately for me, the CB was half of my remaining stack. The turn was 8d. I fired out with my remaining 2500 chips. He calls. I asked him if he had clubs, he said no. "Do you have an ace?", I asked. "No, and I don't think you do either." - What the hell? What the hell does he have? I turned over my A7 for top pair. His reaction was priceless..."Oh crap! I thought you firing with air," he said and table 77. For the love all things warm and cuddly. 4 over cards and 3 cards to flush and he called every bet with 7s. Hey! That means he's drawing to the case 7...and of course it hits on the river. One outed.

The best part...I just walked away after laughing it up. No rant, no pout - just laughs. It seems I realized something last night, I want this guy to make this play EVERY SINGLE TIME. If I'm truly a 97.73% favorite to wins this hand...let's rock!

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Instant Tragedy tagged me with this question, "I would do these 11 things:"

In order of priority -

1. Pay off mortgage and other debt - this is brain dead simple. No matter the size of the win, this sets us up to live incredibly comfortably.
2. Fully fund retirement - I worked in a small start-up for 10 years. My new job has a pension and I expect that as much as I expect the Social Security to be there...I'm way behind where I should be. This will be funded to where it should be. Damn, I wish I was dumping money into the market last week.
3. Fully fund college funds for the girls.
4. Damn, that OhCaptain is practicle. For me, the fun comes later. Getting rid of all of this makes the future less stressful which, after all, is my goal anyways. I don't think I would pay off family debt. Long story...let's just end it there.
5. I would set up college funds for all of my nieces and nephews.
6. Now the fun begins. New camera. I'm not sure all of you know how broke you can go when you dive into high end cameras and equipment...this is a bigger bullet point then - buy stuff. It would be nothing for this bullet to reach 5 figures +.
7. One dream would be to play the WSOP. I wouldn't want to do it alone. Several close friends would get fully funded trips.
8. I love to travel. That shiny new camera and my family and I would definitely be doing more travel.
9. Fund BBTx. Only this time...invitation only. Sick prizes and more fun. Maybe even a scholarship for bloggers I like that aren't bankrolled for this.
10. "You Betcha!" Vegas. Dudes...party at my house. Bloggers will be crashing my place...on my dime.
11. I'm a pretty practicle guy. I'm sure there would be some frivolous spending. I'd love to get a tv that's not using electron beam accelerated at a chemical screen. 

For me, winning the lottery would be awesome and I hope I think long term with it.

If you've read this far...consider yourself tagged!

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I bought the Hold 'em Poker app for my iPhone. I'm working on a review and strategy guide on that topic. Anyone else try it? Let me know. I'd like to hear what you think...

Um...that is all...