I'll be at Harrah's-Rincon (San Diego) this weekend through next weekend for the World Series of Poker Circuit Events. After a modestly successful pull in Vegas last weekend, I'm going in for another dosage of action.
If anyone is going to be traveling to SD or is from SD, let me know and I'll maybe see you there.
Replies (27)
swez on 02/23/2006 06:34:12
Ya know what? If Bull Schnitz were equated to music, you'd be a few horns shy of a Brass Band! LOL
Errr, uhmmm, Do'h... good luck on your tourney pal!
Swez
PS Watch out for "Transformers" that may filter down from SF. hehe A poker winning stud like you, would be a good catch. And, Oh... BTW, practice up on that Olympic freestyle event you showed me the other day. Pick a very petite partner too. If she misses the mark, you'll be in a world of "hurt"! Oh brother, you have a very sick mind my friend!!! GRIN
ttocs on 02/23/2006 10:30:51
my neighbor is going out to san deigo this weekend but to do some work on his brothers place. He is into poker and has not mentioned it, I'll have to let him know.
I am going to try and enter a mountian bike race, missed the first two races this year already.....
Good luck
MrBrownstone on 02/23/2006 12:13:40
The 'O' Limp ic event thing, we should share it with everybody. No sense just UK people having a good time.
Swez, the last girl who tried that on me ended up winning 2 medal s in POLE VAULT
MrBrownstone on 02/23/2006 12:16:34
If she wasn't careful, it could have been a javelin event and she could have wound up a shish kabob.
HEYOOOOOOOOOOHH!!
for God's sakes, send that one to some people around here so it's not an inside joke.
swez on 02/23/2006 14:54:33
Not me pal... I'm gonna steer clear of this jousting plan. Call your buddy, "Vlad the Impaler" and let him pass it along.
Quote: "the last girl who tried that on me ended up winning 2 medal s in POLE VAULT" You old bachelor... when was that... 1988?
Swez
MrBrownstone on 02/24/2006 13:33:09
Sir
Just because Christopher Columbus got laid more recently than you doesn't mean you should be allowed to badger other people.
and yes, 1988
swez on 02/24/2006 15:03:22
Uhmmm, Mr. President, I cannot comment much on that last post as you pretty much said it all. (1988 was a very good year, as a newly wed)
Most any married man will confess that the best times, are in the first 2-3 years of marriage. (If you get my drift?) It's when the kiddos come into the picture, things can change a good deal. What was once a nice playtime of 3-5 opportunities a week, (if not more) rapidly falls to maybe, 1-3 opportunities a month. Ouch, that hurts.
Some guys will take on more work assignments, others will fill the void with more hobbies and a few, will seek opportunities elsewhere.Even fewer men will just go with the flow, become a great Dad and Hubby, just because they like it that way.
Well, all I can say... "If wifey ain't happy in the house, ain't nobody gonna be happy there either"!!! So, take it for what it's worth... not much eh?
A man goes to his Doctor and says: "Hey Doc, life is tough right now, and things are not going so well at home these days either. Can you give me a script for something that will make me happy like I was in my single days"?
The Doc looks over his glasses, grabs a pen and some script paper and begins to write. The script says:
1. Take a vacation from everything, and go to Cancun, Mexico
2. Drink all the Tequila and smoke all the cigars you like
3. Find a willing partner and have as much "wild stuff" as you can stand
4. Repeat this 3 times per day for 10 days
5. Return home, relaxed, refreshed
6. Repeat this process, 3-4 times per year as needed
The wise ol Doctor gave him a knowing wink, sent him on his way and offered 1 word of caution. "If your wife meets you at the door with a frying pan or shotgun when you return, leave the country and start a new life as a permanent bachelor and internation playboy". How's that for good/bad medical advice?
See ya in Cancun ol boy! Land of flowing taquila, great cigars and lots of fresh opportunities. HooooWeee! SMILE
Swez
PS "I'd rather go hunting with Dick Cheny, then take a long evening ride with Teddy Kennedy"!!!
ttocs on 02/25/2006 19:38:58
mexico is only a few hours from here, and even less for him.......
MrBrownstone on 02/27/2006 16:31:25
I'm near Tijuana...the armpit of Mexico. I mean that literally. I wish I were bordered to the American City of Cancun
swez on 02/27/2006 23:00:18
So, how'd ya do in your poker tourney this time?
Swez
MrBrownstone on 02/28/2006 10:24:13
out of around 570 people, I busted out 63 or 64th...depending upon who had more chips. I did very well, was on my game, but some guy got lucky.
Otherwise, I did well in the 1 table Sit N Gos.
swez on 02/28/2006 12:38:51
Well done there "Graashoppa" ! That's almost a top 10% finish.
When you say... "busted out", what does that mean in laymen's terms? Am not a big poker devote'. "Splain it to me Lucy"?
Swez
MrBrownstone on 02/28/2006 14:53:40
Lucy
You got some 'splainin' to do. Basically here's how poker tournaments work.
Everybody starts with an equal number of chips, say $1000 in fake chips. $570,000 chips are in play, and we play down to 1 winner.
The Game starts with forced bets, called blinds, of $25, and they progress up to $25/50, 50/100, 75/150, 100/200 and so on. As these increase, there is more money in the pot (like an ante, but only 2 players pay these blinds on each hand) so there's more incentive to play a hand when either there's a lot of money to play for, or you start to run low on chips.
After about 1 hour, the blinds are around 75/150, so it's costing you $225 every 10 hands to see 2 cards. If you only start with $1000, that's ~1/4 of your stack--hence you must win a hand to keep playing.
Since we can have only 1 winner, as people run low on chips, or get cracked by a bigger hand, players end up with $0, and subsequently bust out. To survive through the 5th, 6th, 7th increase in blind bets, one must win a substantial pot or face being eliminated.
Winners are paid a proportional amount of money based upon their finish. 45th place, in this tournament, paid $530 or so--or about 1.5x the buy in of $340. The payout goes up that later you leave the tournament...like 10th paid upwards of $1400...so it pays to last longer to hang around.
Top prize got paid $39,000...so it's quite the dramatic swing in payouts. here's a link of 2005's event:
http://www.worldseriesofpoker.com/sd_circuit.asp?getlink=1110401278019
swez on 02/28/2006 16:08:23
Got the general idea and just asa I suspected...
1. Drop $1,000.00 as entry fee and get chips (any other fees too)
2. Play as long as the chips last or...
3. Play til the end and see what part of the total pot come to X # of payouts
Now, how many players got a payout, above the initial entry ante? These I would call winners.
The folks who got some return, but less then fees paid, got experience and paid a goodly price to get same.
The rest of the pack, are all losers... Hummm, how much of the toatal fees collected, go back to the house for setting up the tourney?
Call me too conservative, but when it come to 'investing', seems like the goal is to "preserve principle" and grow the nest egg with a good ROI. (interest gains)
The question is... "How aggressively one thinks they can gain a suitable ROI". The greater the risk, the bigger the risk and payout. Some investors can take chances and lose a few deals. However, the conservative investor looks for a combination of high, medium and low risk/reward plans. In the end, one can show a nice profit, if they invest well and know when to change horses.
In the words of Texas wisdom: "When the horse is dying, it's time to get off and find a fresh horse".
OK, thanks for the poker lesson. I guess, my kahoonies are not placed on the table and hope I get at least half of them back. Frankly, it sounds like most WSOP players are shy of a few kahoonies. Do they also have very high pitched voices after the neutering process is over?
Sheesh,
Swez
MrBrownstone on 02/28/2006 22:14:45
Swez
Basically, 560 people enter, and their entry fees are divided up among the 45 people that last longest. In other words, 515 people get nothing but their junk in their hand.
Starting from 45th, they get more money the longer they last. Here's payout for a $5 tourney I entered earlier this evening online:
1st $398.75
2nd $239.25
3rd $159.50
4th $127.60
5th $79.75
6th $63.80
7th $47.85
8th $31.90
9th $27.91
10th $19.94
11th-20th $15.95
21st-40th $11.96
330 entered, but only 40 got money.
swez on 03/1/2006 00:41:32
I can see the dynamics very clearly here. It's a legal form of "Pyramid schemes". (well, almost)
Luck, skill and an addiction to a "big payoff" (ROI... read as greedy or just plain iffy) with a nominal ante, are the promise for a limited number of players.
It looks like 40 made the cut. (+2X of even money or better) The other 290 entrants, go home empty handed. (More Weiner's are lost, kahoonies are divided among the fortunate 12% that got a 100%+ return)
Sorry, but when one invests in hard goods, they get what they pay for. The value is based on whatever the player is willing to pay, but they determine the value one is willing to to "invest", in the known ROI.
Hummm, is all I can say now,
Swez
ttocs on 03/1/2006 11:31:57
I have just never been able to get into the poker thing. My room mate use to deal cards at a casino and you would think he would be tired of it, but nooooooo. ANYTIME there is ANYONE shown on tv playing poker, he will watch it. It would not matter if they took kids from the ronald mcdonald house to play, he would watch it...... I get bored to easy playing cards to be entertained. I really cannot understand why anyone would want to watch other people play, especially when they are amatures(the celebrity poker bs). It seems about as exciting as watching a retirement community in a bingo tourny.....
MrBrownstone on 03/1/2006 15:58:43
Kinda like golf? which is absurd.
Wanna make golf interesting? try adding a goalie. Then it wouldn't be an activity, it'd actually be a sport.
the intrigue to watching poker is seeing the cards dealt...yet the other players can't see or know what is going on. It's like a movie..with dramatic irony at it's highest level.
Unlike a movie, someone goes home broke, where in a movie, someone gets a pile of cash to 'pretend' they have a real life that is interesting.
In any case, Poker & Golf are identical in the level of skill required toplay. The difference is that in poker, we play people, in golf, we play with ourselves.
END RANT
swez on 03/1/2006 19:14:15
This is good... Poker, Golf and Movies?
Poker and golf do have a few things in common. To play either well or at money making levels, we need:
1. A high degree of mental concentration
2. Mental toughness
3. A strong desire to win against our opponent(s)
4. Enough cash to back entry fees and side bets
5. Luck/skill ("Every shot on the course, makes someone happy"!) Either the player or thier opponent(s).
Some additional variables in golf:
1. Physical conditioning (stamina)
2. Excellent balance, coordination and body control
3. Keen eyesight to read breaks and speed of greens
4. Ability to draw, fade, cut, flop, hook or otherwise shape the flight of the ball, (at will) depending on wind and obtacles one often faces
5. Able to tune out all distractions (including taunts from opponents)
6. Able to "will" the ball into the cup
7. Ability to adapt to changing weather conditions rapidly
8. Be a gracious winner and a polite loser
Quote: "The difference is that in poker, we play people, in golf, we play with ourselves".
Again, he gets it all wrong. In golf, we play against the elements of weather, our opponents and the course layout.
Ever try to remain focused on a poker game when the wind is gusting at 25-40 MPH? (Golf reqires that)
Ever play in the driving rain, soaked to the bone and cannot maintain a good grip on the cards? (Golf demands that too)
In golf, one has to maintain all these skills for 4.5 - 6 hours at a stretch. If we don't have a caddy or cart, we lug a bag that typically weights 20-30 lbs on our back, for the duration of the round.
We must also climb hills, ford vallies and often find the ball located on side, up or downhill lies. If we are unlucky, the ball lands in the tall grasses or behind trees and inside bushes. Now, we have to create a shot where virtually none exsists. ("Where's my tree iron?")
Not sure there are water hazzards, sand traps or waist bunkers in poker. There are often many on the golf coarse. In Poker, an Ace is often nice to have in pairs or threes. In golf, an ACE means a hole-in-one. In Pro tourney play, that generally means a very nice (immediate) payday or a substantial bonus. (Won a Lexus, Cadillac or Mercedes)
Like poker, golf can provide a nice payout, if one survives the "cut" line. In golf, the cut is determined by the lowest accumulated scores in the first 2 rounds of play. Everyone that makes the cut, has a chance to play 2 more rounds and all win something at the end of the last round, regardless of finishing place. Those who miss the cut, go home or to their next venue of play to practice.
Finally, we are limited to 14 clubs in the bag. Each club has a specific characteristic and the player must master each club to his/her skills. The small numbered clubs... 1, 2 & 3 irons and/or woods, are for long distance advancement. These are the cannons we carry.
The midrange clubs... 4, 5, 6, & 7 are midrange clubs. These are primarily for approach shots to the green.
The 8,9, PW, SW and LW are short to medium range clubs that loft the ball high into the air and land softly on the putting surface. They also provide the golfer with trick shot making abilities to dazzle the crowd and opponents.
The "putter" is the money maker or heart breaker stick. We often say... "Drive for show, putt for dough" !!! (or... D'oh)
NO Rant here... just clarification on a few "misconceptions".
Swez
MrBrownstone on 03/1/2006 21:04:15
physical conditioning? have ya seen some of dem dere golfers?
Climb hills? have ya ever heard of golf carts?
Concentration? what, is the hold going to move or something. fight back?
weather? wind is the only factor...and it's driving that's affected the most. Not like you have to relaunch the space shuttle because it's a tad breezy in Pebble Beach.
Rain? they don't play in the rain, they go home. That or their cabana boy holds a little umbrella over their dainty heads so that they make-up doesn't run.
Hills? if you can't roll a golf ball down it from rest, it's not a hill, it's a pitcher's mound. Now, if you had to bend your knees and dig in to climb up to a hole, then it's a hill. Otherwise, it's the state of North Dakota. I've never heard of a golf game played on a cliff.
I agree on the similarities.
swez on 03/1/2006 23:11:14
OK, it's clear you don't understand the fundamentals of golf and the USGA/PGA rules here. Admittedly, I have no clue on poker either.
In Pro/Am tournies, there is no such thing as a golf cart. Caddies are used to tote the bag, carry an umbrella or help read a putt. Other than that, the golfer is on his own.
Yes, they do play in rain. The caddy keeps the clubs clean and dry as possible and provides the umbrella services, but wet grips are a factor and so are wet clothing the player must deal with, make it even more challenging.
Not just that, but rain will dramatically change the carry of the ball in rain and when it lands on soft, wet fairways. It (ball) stops well short of a dry fairway and is often covered with mud.
Unless the rules are modified to allow for picking up the ball, cleaning the mud and then firing the next shot, the ball is played as it lies... mud and all. The results of an off weighted ball in flight... it can go anywhere, even on a perfect strike of the club.
Concentration: Yes! The hole does not move nor does the target on a fairway shot. But the swing plane, angle of attack and power used to propell the ball forward, are all changing variables, based on course conditions, weather and how well the golfer is striking the ball at a given part of the round.
Pros know when they are "in the groove" and the swing is dead spot on. However, this changes at times in a round. The seasoned Pro has to adjust to his tactics/mechanics on that day or moment, to match the swing he has at that given time. (They cannot play a "automiton" shot that usually works best. They have to adapt to the swing they have grooved for that day/moment.) "it's not my ideal mechanics today... I just adapt to what seems my body can do today)
Yes, there are over weight and seemingly out-of-condition players on the PGA and AM tours. But they have to have the physical stamina to make it through the course w/o a cart. Considering the average Pro course is about 7,200 yards, (~4 miles) that's a good deal of walking. Especially if the course is very hilly and convaluted. (More like >5 miles) walking under varied topographic situations. (Try walking a local course with extra weight and you'll see where stamina come into play)
Hills and undulations in the fairway, require a notable change in stance and target aiming for the golfer. If the ball is above our feet, we will naturally hit "fat" and pull the ball off line. If the ball is above our feet, we tend to push or "shank" the ball off line.
If the lie is up hill, we have to compensate for extra height in flight, to avoid short of the green results. If the ball is downhill, we have to compensate for low tragectory of the ball by using a more lofted club, to get the ball up in the air, but not blast it past the intended target.
You are correct on one aspect on lies that are not nominally flat. We adjust our stance, club selection and bodily weight shift to compensate for the distance and direction of a given shot. The keys are maintaining balance at all times and factoring the slope of the surface we are dealing with and wind/weather conditions.
In short, admittedly...I'd be a poor poker player in a Pro tourney. On the other hand, you are clueless about the intricate details of playing below a 100+ stroke golf game.
Shall we call this a "draw" in the ignorance factor of same? SMILE
Swez
ttocs on 03/2/2006 00:59:08
I have to side with swez here. I dated a girl that was a semi-pro and she was in good enough shape for me................
Golf requires an accuracy that cards will never have. They miss-hit the ball by have short and curly at the pin and it will end up way off the mark 200 yds down the green. add a little wind/weather and it is not any easier. I think my comparison of golf and retired bingo games(sorry to trash your other favorite sport swez) would apply better. At least bingo is interesting with the blue hairs to watch.
Damn I miss that golfer........
swez on 03/2/2006 08:45:18
It's true, to a non-golfer the game is about as fun as watching corn grow.
But, the challenges are definiately many. As ttocs said, you mis-hit the ball and are off target by as little as 3 degrees, you're in the rough, a hazzard or even worse.... O.B. (Out of Bounds)
No dissing taken. I have not played much golf the past 5 years due to the knee issues. I miss the game and being out in the fresh air and sunny days. But the pain I often have to deal with for days later, makes it a bad choice.
Now, I took up fly-fishing instead. Am outdoors, in the cooler parts of the day and can do this game in the dark as well. The fast waters and unseen boulders and submurged trees are a challenge. But walking in waist high waters, provides good bouyancy and less strain on the knee.
Yes, I still snag a low hanging tree or bush now and then, or even have bats attack the fly during a cast, but when we hook a nice fish, the action is on and it takes some degree of skill to haul it. They run for cover like submerged trees and undercut banks or use the currents to their advantage. Yep, fish are smart as they hang out in schools too.
Swez
MrBrownstone on 03/2/2006 10:45:46
What I was getting at was since there's no goalie, you can take all the time you want on a shot as there's no COMPETITION.
The only thing you have to beat is the ball. Golf is a lot like bowling--you can't play defense..therefore it's just like hunting.
Now if the deer were to shoot back, now we're talking.
Fishing...ocean fishing--where the marlin/swordfish and sharks can bite back, OK. but only if you go fishing in waist-deep water.
swez on 03/2/2006 12:19:52
Right... no goalie here in golf. However, the players do have time contraints. Intentionally slow play is monitored by the officials of the PGA and course rangers. If a group is playing slow, the players behind them are sure to file a protest or put pressure on the slow players after a round. What they say in private, in the locker room, I don't care to know... but it's pressure to be sure.
Now, when a Pro golfer is playing, he is playing not only against the course and weather conditions. He is also trying to watch the leaderboard, see where he is ranking and also trying to best his playing partners. If he is playing aggressively and gets a few stroke lead on the rest of the field, he needs to maintain that aggressive pace too.
Most Pros will admit that being in the lead, early in a tourny, is a tough place to be mentally. If they try to switch from aggressive play, (offense) to a more conservative game of defending their lead, all but the most seasoned of Pros will cough up the lead and suffer mentally and financially in the end.
The "eye of the tiger" spirit, is in the heart of every successful competitor. (Golf, Poker, Baseball, etc.) If we get off game and cannot get back in the "groove" ASAP, a losing scenario is assured. I can think of nothing more nerve wracking for any Pro golfer to have the lead early in the day, finish his round on top the leader board, only to watch others in the field, climbing up the board for a tie and playoff holes.
Here, the late finishers are at the peak of their game and plenty of confidence and adrenlin flowing. The guy in the clubhouse has been sitting for perhaps hours and now, he has to go back out onto the coarse and try to beat back his opponents. That has got to be very un-nerving.
Even the toughest nuts can be cracked by a hot shot rookie. Some guys play best when under pressure. Others are only human and buckle under the pressures. I am sure it's the same in poker. But, in golf, it's like 80% skill and 20% luck. Not sure what the ratios are for the seasoned poker player?
What say you?
Swez
PS Fishing is pure enjoyment and relaxation of the mind, sprinkled with moments of all hell breaking lose at the end of the line. I do it for pleasure. Even if nothing is caught that day, it's still nice to get out. ;-)
MrBrownstone on 03/2/2006 17:53:07
I think in golf, it's 99.9% skill, and 0.1% luck. There is no question in my mind that golf is skill. Like hunting, like bowling, like darts, like chess.
Fishing & Poker are very comparable. You are looking for 1 or 2 big customers (fish) a day. They will eat up the smaller fish, and you will butcher them in one fell swoop.
Of course, going home empty handed in fishing is cheaper. :-)
Poker isn't comparable because if the fish gets lucky, he/she can put YOU on the hook and once hooked, you know how hard it is to break the line. I only lost about 1 of every 10 fish that I try to set the hook on...and the ones I lose are usually MONSTERS!! I've hauled in 36" to 40" Northern Pike a number of times, and can only imagine how big the ones that got away were.
PS for all you Canucks, Brits, 36inches is about 1 meter..and for a freshwater fish, that's a whale.
swez on 03/2/2006 20:00:08
Pike, Musky and the Tiger Musky are certainly Big Game quarry. They run like a freight train, they skip like smooth stones, they blast out of the water like an ICBM out of a submarine.
Yes, had my fair share of Pike catches too. Have yet to land a Musky though. My tackle was just too light weight for the few I have hooked.
My twin bro caught a 42" Pike on a fly rod though. It was a beauty too. Was not there on this trip, but saw the pics... that sucka was more than half his body length. (6'3") I would have loved to see the look on his face when he latched on to it. Whoa Nellie.... we're going for a few fast rides... hehe I guess he fought it for about 45 minutes before it got pooped out enough to land.
Back to golf for a second. Yeah, Pro golf is indeed a high skill game. But, there is some luck involved too. Even the Pros can pull or slice an errant shot into the trees. But luck comes into it, when the ball plays "knock-knock" and lands back out in the fairway.
I've had several "dumb luck" shots too. Like hitting an approach shot a bit "thin" and had to carry a pond. The ball hit a rock at the edge of the pond and landed nicely near the pin for a "birdie". I've also had them hit over the water, only to land and roll back down a sharp slope and "plop" in the lumberyard she goes.
This post is growing huh?
Swez
If anyone is going to be traveling to SD or is from SD, let me know and I'll maybe see you there.
Replies (27)
swez on 02/23/2006 06:34:12
Ya know what? If Bull Schnitz were equated to music, you'd be a few horns shy of a Brass Band! LOL
Errr, uhmmm, Do'h... good luck on your tourney pal!
Swez
PS Watch out for "Transformers" that may filter down from SF. hehe A poker winning stud like you, would be a good catch. And, Oh... BTW, practice up on that Olympic freestyle event you showed me the other day. Pick a very petite partner too. If she misses the mark, you'll be in a world of "hurt"! Oh brother, you have a very sick mind my friend!!! GRIN
ttocs on 02/23/2006 10:30:51
my neighbor is going out to san deigo this weekend but to do some work on his brothers place. He is into poker and has not mentioned it, I'll have to let him know.
I am going to try and enter a mountian bike race, missed the first two races this year already.....
Good luck
MrBrownstone on 02/23/2006 12:13:40
The 'O' Limp ic event thing, we should share it with everybody. No sense just UK people having a good time.
Swez, the last girl who tried that on me ended up winning 2 medal s in POLE VAULT
MrBrownstone on 02/23/2006 12:16:34
If she wasn't careful, it could have been a javelin event and she could have wound up a shish kabob.
HEYOOOOOOOOOOHH!!
for God's sakes, send that one to some people around here so it's not an inside joke.
swez on 02/23/2006 14:54:33
Not me pal... I'm gonna steer clear of this jousting plan. Call your buddy, "Vlad the Impaler" and let him pass it along.
Quote: "the last girl who tried that on me ended up winning 2 medal s in POLE VAULT" You old bachelor... when was that... 1988?
Swez
MrBrownstone on 02/24/2006 13:33:09
Sir
Just because Christopher Columbus got laid more recently than you doesn't mean you should be allowed to badger other people.
and yes, 1988
swez on 02/24/2006 15:03:22
Uhmmm, Mr. President, I cannot comment much on that last post as you pretty much said it all. (1988 was a very good year, as a newly wed)
Most any married man will confess that the best times, are in the first 2-3 years of marriage. (If you get my drift?) It's when the kiddos come into the picture, things can change a good deal. What was once a nice playtime of 3-5 opportunities a week, (if not more) rapidly falls to maybe, 1-3 opportunities a month. Ouch, that hurts.
Some guys will take on more work assignments, others will fill the void with more hobbies and a few, will seek opportunities elsewhere.Even fewer men will just go with the flow, become a great Dad and Hubby, just because they like it that way.
Well, all I can say... "If wifey ain't happy in the house, ain't nobody gonna be happy there either"!!! So, take it for what it's worth... not much eh?
A man goes to his Doctor and says: "Hey Doc, life is tough right now, and things are not going so well at home these days either. Can you give me a script for something that will make me happy like I was in my single days"?
The Doc looks over his glasses, grabs a pen and some script paper and begins to write. The script says:
1. Take a vacation from everything, and go to Cancun, Mexico
2. Drink all the Tequila and smoke all the cigars you like
3. Find a willing partner and have as much "wild stuff" as you can stand
4. Repeat this 3 times per day for 10 days
5. Return home, relaxed, refreshed
6. Repeat this process, 3-4 times per year as needed
The wise ol Doctor gave him a knowing wink, sent him on his way and offered 1 word of caution. "If your wife meets you at the door with a frying pan or shotgun when you return, leave the country and start a new life as a permanent bachelor and internation playboy". How's that for good/bad medical advice?
See ya in Cancun ol boy! Land of flowing taquila, great cigars and lots of fresh opportunities. HooooWeee! SMILE
Swez
PS "I'd rather go hunting with Dick Cheny, then take a long evening ride with Teddy Kennedy"!!!
ttocs on 02/25/2006 19:38:58
mexico is only a few hours from here, and even less for him.......
MrBrownstone on 02/27/2006 16:31:25
I'm near Tijuana...the armpit of Mexico. I mean that literally. I wish I were bordered to the American City of Cancun
swez on 02/27/2006 23:00:18
So, how'd ya do in your poker tourney this time?
Swez
MrBrownstone on 02/28/2006 10:24:13
out of around 570 people, I busted out 63 or 64th...depending upon who had more chips. I did very well, was on my game, but some guy got lucky.
Otherwise, I did well in the 1 table Sit N Gos.
swez on 02/28/2006 12:38:51
Well done there "Graashoppa" ! That's almost a top 10% finish.
When you say... "busted out", what does that mean in laymen's terms? Am not a big poker devote'. "Splain it to me Lucy"?
Swez
MrBrownstone on 02/28/2006 14:53:40
Lucy
You got some 'splainin' to do. Basically here's how poker tournaments work.
Everybody starts with an equal number of chips, say $1000 in fake chips. $570,000 chips are in play, and we play down to 1 winner.
The Game starts with forced bets, called blinds, of $25, and they progress up to $25/50, 50/100, 75/150, 100/200 and so on. As these increase, there is more money in the pot (like an ante, but only 2 players pay these blinds on each hand) so there's more incentive to play a hand when either there's a lot of money to play for, or you start to run low on chips.
After about 1 hour, the blinds are around 75/150, so it's costing you $225 every 10 hands to see 2 cards. If you only start with $1000, that's ~1/4 of your stack--hence you must win a hand to keep playing.
Since we can have only 1 winner, as people run low on chips, or get cracked by a bigger hand, players end up with $0, and subsequently bust out. To survive through the 5th, 6th, 7th increase in blind bets, one must win a substantial pot or face being eliminated.
Winners are paid a proportional amount of money based upon their finish. 45th place, in this tournament, paid $530 or so--or about 1.5x the buy in of $340. The payout goes up that later you leave the tournament...like 10th paid upwards of $1400...so it pays to last longer to hang around.
Top prize got paid $39,000...so it's quite the dramatic swing in payouts. here's a link of 2005's event:
http://www.worldseriesofpoker.com/sd_circuit.asp?getlink=1110401278019
swez on 02/28/2006 16:08:23
Got the general idea and just asa I suspected...
1. Drop $1,000.00 as entry fee and get chips (any other fees too)
2. Play as long as the chips last or...
3. Play til the end and see what part of the total pot come to X # of payouts
Now, how many players got a payout, above the initial entry ante? These I would call winners.
The folks who got some return, but less then fees paid, got experience and paid a goodly price to get same.
The rest of the pack, are all losers... Hummm, how much of the toatal fees collected, go back to the house for setting up the tourney?
Call me too conservative, but when it come to 'investing', seems like the goal is to "preserve principle" and grow the nest egg with a good ROI. (interest gains)
The question is... "How aggressively one thinks they can gain a suitable ROI". The greater the risk, the bigger the risk and payout. Some investors can take chances and lose a few deals. However, the conservative investor looks for a combination of high, medium and low risk/reward plans. In the end, one can show a nice profit, if they invest well and know when to change horses.
In the words of Texas wisdom: "When the horse is dying, it's time to get off and find a fresh horse".
OK, thanks for the poker lesson. I guess, my kahoonies are not placed on the table and hope I get at least half of them back. Frankly, it sounds like most WSOP players are shy of a few kahoonies. Do they also have very high pitched voices after the neutering process is over?
Sheesh,
Swez
MrBrownstone on 02/28/2006 22:14:45
Swez
Basically, 560 people enter, and their entry fees are divided up among the 45 people that last longest. In other words, 515 people get nothing but their junk in their hand.
Starting from 45th, they get more money the longer they last. Here's payout for a $5 tourney I entered earlier this evening online:
1st $398.75
2nd $239.25
3rd $159.50
4th $127.60
5th $79.75
6th $63.80
7th $47.85
8th $31.90
9th $27.91
10th $19.94
11th-20th $15.95
21st-40th $11.96
330 entered, but only 40 got money.
swez on 03/1/2006 00:41:32
I can see the dynamics very clearly here. It's a legal form of "Pyramid schemes". (well, almost)
Luck, skill and an addiction to a "big payoff" (ROI... read as greedy or just plain iffy) with a nominal ante, are the promise for a limited number of players.
It looks like 40 made the cut. (+2X of even money or better) The other 290 entrants, go home empty handed. (More Weiner's are lost, kahoonies are divided among the fortunate 12% that got a 100%+ return)
Sorry, but when one invests in hard goods, they get what they pay for. The value is based on whatever the player is willing to pay, but they determine the value one is willing to to "invest", in the known ROI.
Hummm, is all I can say now,
Swez
ttocs on 03/1/2006 11:31:57
I have just never been able to get into the poker thing. My room mate use to deal cards at a casino and you would think he would be tired of it, but nooooooo. ANYTIME there is ANYONE shown on tv playing poker, he will watch it. It would not matter if they took kids from the ronald mcdonald house to play, he would watch it...... I get bored to easy playing cards to be entertained. I really cannot understand why anyone would want to watch other people play, especially when they are amatures(the celebrity poker bs). It seems about as exciting as watching a retirement community in a bingo tourny.....
MrBrownstone on 03/1/2006 15:58:43
Kinda like golf? which is absurd.
Wanna make golf interesting? try adding a goalie. Then it wouldn't be an activity, it'd actually be a sport.
the intrigue to watching poker is seeing the cards dealt...yet the other players can't see or know what is going on. It's like a movie..with dramatic irony at it's highest level.
Unlike a movie, someone goes home broke, where in a movie, someone gets a pile of cash to 'pretend' they have a real life that is interesting.
In any case, Poker & Golf are identical in the level of skill required toplay. The difference is that in poker, we play people, in golf, we play with ourselves.
END RANT
swez on 03/1/2006 19:14:15
This is good... Poker, Golf and Movies?
Poker and golf do have a few things in common. To play either well or at money making levels, we need:
1. A high degree of mental concentration
2. Mental toughness
3. A strong desire to win against our opponent(s)
4. Enough cash to back entry fees and side bets
5. Luck/skill ("Every shot on the course, makes someone happy"!) Either the player or thier opponent(s).
Some additional variables in golf:
1. Physical conditioning (stamina)
2. Excellent balance, coordination and body control
3. Keen eyesight to read breaks and speed of greens
4. Ability to draw, fade, cut, flop, hook or otherwise shape the flight of the ball, (at will) depending on wind and obtacles one often faces
5. Able to tune out all distractions (including taunts from opponents)
6. Able to "will" the ball into the cup
7. Ability to adapt to changing weather conditions rapidly
8. Be a gracious winner and a polite loser
Quote: "The difference is that in poker, we play people, in golf, we play with ourselves".
Again, he gets it all wrong. In golf, we play against the elements of weather, our opponents and the course layout.
Ever try to remain focused on a poker game when the wind is gusting at 25-40 MPH? (Golf reqires that)
Ever play in the driving rain, soaked to the bone and cannot maintain a good grip on the cards? (Golf demands that too)
In golf, one has to maintain all these skills for 4.5 - 6 hours at a stretch. If we don't have a caddy or cart, we lug a bag that typically weights 20-30 lbs on our back, for the duration of the round.
We must also climb hills, ford vallies and often find the ball located on side, up or downhill lies. If we are unlucky, the ball lands in the tall grasses or behind trees and inside bushes. Now, we have to create a shot where virtually none exsists. ("Where's my tree iron?")
Not sure there are water hazzards, sand traps or waist bunkers in poker. There are often many on the golf coarse. In Poker, an Ace is often nice to have in pairs or threes. In golf, an ACE means a hole-in-one. In Pro tourney play, that generally means a very nice (immediate) payday or a substantial bonus. (Won a Lexus, Cadillac or Mercedes)
Like poker, golf can provide a nice payout, if one survives the "cut" line. In golf, the cut is determined by the lowest accumulated scores in the first 2 rounds of play. Everyone that makes the cut, has a chance to play 2 more rounds and all win something at the end of the last round, regardless of finishing place. Those who miss the cut, go home or to their next venue of play to practice.
Finally, we are limited to 14 clubs in the bag. Each club has a specific characteristic and the player must master each club to his/her skills. The small numbered clubs... 1, 2 & 3 irons and/or woods, are for long distance advancement. These are the cannons we carry.
The midrange clubs... 4, 5, 6, & 7 are midrange clubs. These are primarily for approach shots to the green.
The 8,9, PW, SW and LW are short to medium range clubs that loft the ball high into the air and land softly on the putting surface. They also provide the golfer with trick shot making abilities to dazzle the crowd and opponents.
The "putter" is the money maker or heart breaker stick. We often say... "Drive for show, putt for dough" !!! (or... D'oh)
NO Rant here... just clarification on a few "misconceptions".
Swez
MrBrownstone on 03/1/2006 21:04:15
physical conditioning? have ya seen some of dem dere golfers?
Climb hills? have ya ever heard of golf carts?
Concentration? what, is the hold going to move or something. fight back?
weather? wind is the only factor...and it's driving that's affected the most. Not like you have to relaunch the space shuttle because it's a tad breezy in Pebble Beach.
Rain? they don't play in the rain, they go home. That or their cabana boy holds a little umbrella over their dainty heads so that they make-up doesn't run.
Hills? if you can't roll a golf ball down it from rest, it's not a hill, it's a pitcher's mound. Now, if you had to bend your knees and dig in to climb up to a hole, then it's a hill. Otherwise, it's the state of North Dakota. I've never heard of a golf game played on a cliff.
I agree on the similarities.
swez on 03/1/2006 23:11:14
OK, it's clear you don't understand the fundamentals of golf and the USGA/PGA rules here. Admittedly, I have no clue on poker either.
In Pro/Am tournies, there is no such thing as a golf cart. Caddies are used to tote the bag, carry an umbrella or help read a putt. Other than that, the golfer is on his own.
Yes, they do play in rain. The caddy keeps the clubs clean and dry as possible and provides the umbrella services, but wet grips are a factor and so are wet clothing the player must deal with, make it even more challenging.
Not just that, but rain will dramatically change the carry of the ball in rain and when it lands on soft, wet fairways. It (ball) stops well short of a dry fairway and is often covered with mud.
Unless the rules are modified to allow for picking up the ball, cleaning the mud and then firing the next shot, the ball is played as it lies... mud and all. The results of an off weighted ball in flight... it can go anywhere, even on a perfect strike of the club.
Concentration: Yes! The hole does not move nor does the target on a fairway shot. But the swing plane, angle of attack and power used to propell the ball forward, are all changing variables, based on course conditions, weather and how well the golfer is striking the ball at a given part of the round.
Pros know when they are "in the groove" and the swing is dead spot on. However, this changes at times in a round. The seasoned Pro has to adjust to his tactics/mechanics on that day or moment, to match the swing he has at that given time. (They cannot play a "automiton" shot that usually works best. They have to adapt to the swing they have grooved for that day/moment.) "it's not my ideal mechanics today... I just adapt to what seems my body can do today)
Yes, there are over weight and seemingly out-of-condition players on the PGA and AM tours. But they have to have the physical stamina to make it through the course w/o a cart. Considering the average Pro course is about 7,200 yards, (~4 miles) that's a good deal of walking. Especially if the course is very hilly and convaluted. (More like >5 miles) walking under varied topographic situations. (Try walking a local course with extra weight and you'll see where stamina come into play)
Hills and undulations in the fairway, require a notable change in stance and target aiming for the golfer. If the ball is above our feet, we will naturally hit "fat" and pull the ball off line. If the ball is above our feet, we tend to push or "shank" the ball off line.
If the lie is up hill, we have to compensate for extra height in flight, to avoid short of the green results. If the ball is downhill, we have to compensate for low tragectory of the ball by using a more lofted club, to get the ball up in the air, but not blast it past the intended target.
You are correct on one aspect on lies that are not nominally flat. We adjust our stance, club selection and bodily weight shift to compensate for the distance and direction of a given shot. The keys are maintaining balance at all times and factoring the slope of the surface we are dealing with and wind/weather conditions.
In short, admittedly...I'd be a poor poker player in a Pro tourney. On the other hand, you are clueless about the intricate details of playing below a 100+ stroke golf game.
Shall we call this a "draw" in the ignorance factor of same? SMILE
Swez
ttocs on 03/2/2006 00:59:08
I have to side with swez here. I dated a girl that was a semi-pro and she was in good enough shape for me................
Golf requires an accuracy that cards will never have. They miss-hit the ball by have short and curly at the pin and it will end up way off the mark 200 yds down the green. add a little wind/weather and it is not any easier. I think my comparison of golf and retired bingo games(sorry to trash your other favorite sport swez) would apply better. At least bingo is interesting with the blue hairs to watch.
Damn I miss that golfer........
swez on 03/2/2006 08:45:18
It's true, to a non-golfer the game is about as fun as watching corn grow.
But, the challenges are definiately many. As ttocs said, you mis-hit the ball and are off target by as little as 3 degrees, you're in the rough, a hazzard or even worse.... O.B. (Out of Bounds)
No dissing taken. I have not played much golf the past 5 years due to the knee issues. I miss the game and being out in the fresh air and sunny days. But the pain I often have to deal with for days later, makes it a bad choice.
Now, I took up fly-fishing instead. Am outdoors, in the cooler parts of the day and can do this game in the dark as well. The fast waters and unseen boulders and submurged trees are a challenge. But walking in waist high waters, provides good bouyancy and less strain on the knee.
Yes, I still snag a low hanging tree or bush now and then, or even have bats attack the fly during a cast, but when we hook a nice fish, the action is on and it takes some degree of skill to haul it. They run for cover like submerged trees and undercut banks or use the currents to their advantage. Yep, fish are smart as they hang out in schools too.
Swez
MrBrownstone on 03/2/2006 10:45:46
What I was getting at was since there's no goalie, you can take all the time you want on a shot as there's no COMPETITION.
The only thing you have to beat is the ball. Golf is a lot like bowling--you can't play defense..therefore it's just like hunting.
Now if the deer were to shoot back, now we're talking.
Fishing...ocean fishing--where the marlin/swordfish and sharks can bite back, OK. but only if you go fishing in waist-deep water.
swez on 03/2/2006 12:19:52
Right... no goalie here in golf. However, the players do have time contraints. Intentionally slow play is monitored by the officials of the PGA and course rangers. If a group is playing slow, the players behind them are sure to file a protest or put pressure on the slow players after a round. What they say in private, in the locker room, I don't care to know... but it's pressure to be sure.
Now, when a Pro golfer is playing, he is playing not only against the course and weather conditions. He is also trying to watch the leaderboard, see where he is ranking and also trying to best his playing partners. If he is playing aggressively and gets a few stroke lead on the rest of the field, he needs to maintain that aggressive pace too.
Most Pros will admit that being in the lead, early in a tourny, is a tough place to be mentally. If they try to switch from aggressive play, (offense) to a more conservative game of defending their lead, all but the most seasoned of Pros will cough up the lead and suffer mentally and financially in the end.
The "eye of the tiger" spirit, is in the heart of every successful competitor. (Golf, Poker, Baseball, etc.) If we get off game and cannot get back in the "groove" ASAP, a losing scenario is assured. I can think of nothing more nerve wracking for any Pro golfer to have the lead early in the day, finish his round on top the leader board, only to watch others in the field, climbing up the board for a tie and playoff holes.
Here, the late finishers are at the peak of their game and plenty of confidence and adrenlin flowing. The guy in the clubhouse has been sitting for perhaps hours and now, he has to go back out onto the coarse and try to beat back his opponents. That has got to be very un-nerving.
Even the toughest nuts can be cracked by a hot shot rookie. Some guys play best when under pressure. Others are only human and buckle under the pressures. I am sure it's the same in poker. But, in golf, it's like 80% skill and 20% luck. Not sure what the ratios are for the seasoned poker player?
What say you?
Swez
PS Fishing is pure enjoyment and relaxation of the mind, sprinkled with moments of all hell breaking lose at the end of the line. I do it for pleasure. Even if nothing is caught that day, it's still nice to get out. ;-)
MrBrownstone on 03/2/2006 17:53:07
I think in golf, it's 99.9% skill, and 0.1% luck. There is no question in my mind that golf is skill. Like hunting, like bowling, like darts, like chess.
Fishing & Poker are very comparable. You are looking for 1 or 2 big customers (fish) a day. They will eat up the smaller fish, and you will butcher them in one fell swoop.
Of course, going home empty handed in fishing is cheaper. :-)
Poker isn't comparable because if the fish gets lucky, he/she can put YOU on the hook and once hooked, you know how hard it is to break the line. I only lost about 1 of every 10 fish that I try to set the hook on...and the ones I lose are usually MONSTERS!! I've hauled in 36" to 40" Northern Pike a number of times, and can only imagine how big the ones that got away were.
PS for all you Canucks, Brits, 36inches is about 1 meter..and for a freshwater fish, that's a whale.
swez on 03/2/2006 20:00:08
Pike, Musky and the Tiger Musky are certainly Big Game quarry. They run like a freight train, they skip like smooth stones, they blast out of the water like an ICBM out of a submarine.
Yes, had my fair share of Pike catches too. Have yet to land a Musky though. My tackle was just too light weight for the few I have hooked.
My twin bro caught a 42" Pike on a fly rod though. It was a beauty too. Was not there on this trip, but saw the pics... that sucka was more than half his body length. (6'3") I would have loved to see the look on his face when he latched on to it. Whoa Nellie.... we're going for a few fast rides... hehe I guess he fought it for about 45 minutes before it got pooped out enough to land.
Back to golf for a second. Yeah, Pro golf is indeed a high skill game. But, there is some luck involved too. Even the Pros can pull or slice an errant shot into the trees. But luck comes into it, when the ball plays "knock-knock" and lands back out in the fairway.
I've had several "dumb luck" shots too. Like hitting an approach shot a bit "thin" and had to carry a pond. The ball hit a rock at the edge of the pond and landed nicely near the pin for a "birdie". I've also had them hit over the water, only to land and roll back down a sharp slope and "plop" in the lumberyard she goes.
This post is growing huh?
Swez
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