Gumby Poker

Moving Day!

2007-01-12T02:19:00.000-06:00

Last post here! Moving to a brand new blog with a more appropriate address for myself.
www.pokergumby.blogspot.com

This is my 99th post and #100 is going to be on my new blog. For those of you who have me linked, please change accordingly. I will keep this site up to see all the progress that I have made.

Hope you all make the move over.

Keith

OU Goes Down in Flames

2007-01-10T12:30:00.000-06:00

So much for undefeated and having some money to screw around with for the playoffs. I said if they don't win by 7 points, they better lose. Well, they lost and lost HUGE! I'll only have money if da Bears win the Super Bowl. I'll then have $40 to play with.

I've been playing more lately on Bugsy's Club and especially low stakes NL ring. I like the $20 max .10/.25 NL tables. There are a ton of horrible players. Can't get away from top pair, even tp tk. Finally finished clearing the $100 bonus there and have around $440 in that account. Not too bad. Slowly but surely growing the bankroll.

I have $50 sitting in Absolute, but no computer to play or get that money out. I have a Mac and not a PC....yet. I'm trying for the free Vaio offer, but there are so many things to finish in the offer. If you don't know how that works, you have to complete 6 offers and then get a free Sony Vaio. I have completed 4 as of now.

I have $9 in Full Tilt from rakeback from last month. We'll see how far that goes. I've turned $10 into $400 in a few days before, so I have high expectations, but it'll take some good playing and a little luck.

Still can't wait to feel the chips in my hand on Friday during the donkament at the church.

May your aces remain uncracked,

Keith

Almost Busted, A Great Flick, and Great Play

2007-01-08T11:45:00.000-06:00

Not in the poker bankroll, but in the sports gambling bankroll. Started the football season with $250 of my poker winnings and was up and down and now I've got my last $38 riding on Ohio State (-7).

Yesterday was just a heartbreaker across the board. When you have the Jets (+9.5) and the under, then the Pats come out with a no huddle offense, I was in for a long day. In the night game, I had Philly and the Giants actually came out to play. Very good game to watch, but didn't help me any. Oh well. We'll see how it all ends up tonight. I may have a few bucks left if the Buckeyes roll the Gators.

I do have a free futures bet on VIP.com on the Bears to win it all. If da Bears win it all, I'll be first, drunk and ecstatic and second, $40 richer. Small time gambler I am.

I watched Two for the Money the other night. Wow was that an entertaining movie. With my newfound interest in sports gambling, and my old interest in any gambling, I loved it. I give it four cash symbols $$$$. Cha-ching!

Same night I watched Two for the Money, I played some online poker at Bugsy's Club. Played in 2 tourneys, took 1st in one for $50 and took 2nd in another for $30. I was getting some practice in for the upcoming Friday church donkament. I'm itching like a boy scout in the woods to play some live poker. Almost went to the casino to play this weekend, but didn't have the cash on me. Don't like using ATMs, unless they are sitting at my table.

I was also playing a .25/.50 NL game with a $50 max buy-in. About 10 hands into it, I got pocket Jacks in late position. EP raises to $2 and 4 to the flop of all diamonds, 6 high. I don't have a diamond. I'm in position on everyone and it gets checked around. Turn comes Jack, not a diamond, ep raiser checks. Cold caller 1 bets .50, cold caller 2 raises to $2 and I make it $12 to go. EP raiser folds, CC1 folds, and CC2 pushes all in for another $20 and I quickly call. River blank and I stack the guy and take a $110 pot. Nice! Not sure what he ended up having, but notes on him was that he was a loose player. It's possible he had a small set or a flush draw. Even J-Q, J-K, or J-A with a flush draw.

I've been happy with how I've been playing lately and am looking forward to playing live on Friday. Hopefully all my coin flip situations will go my way. I played great last time and got unlucky so trying not to be results oriented. Would love to see a win in this one though.

Good Luck at the Tables,

And go Buckeyes! If you don't win by 7 you better lose!

Keith

D'ags Solid

2007-01-03T22:52:00.001-06:00

Happy New Year everybody! I have 3 years in my archives now. 2005, 2006, and 2007. I've been doing this a while, haven't I?

I was watching the WPT Borgata Open (flipping between that and the ND/LSU game) and was John D'Agastino playing some great poker. I know it was a rerun and I have seen it before, but there aren't any new poker shows on. Anyways, he made one of the best calls I've ever seen.

Up against the Grinder, Michael Mizrachi, who limped UTG with 2-4 hearts then called a raise preflop out of position with it. D'ags had KK and made it $130K to go with blinds 15/30K. Flop comes A-x-x, 2 hearts. D'ags bets and gets check raised all in. After going into the tank for about 2 minutes, HE CALLS! WOW! Dodges that bullet and moves on.

Later on, he's up against E-Dawg Erick LIndgren. Flop comes 3-4-8 I think, 2 hearts. Erick moves all in right there. D'ags folds his overpair 10s to Lindgren's set of 4s. Another nice play. I love seeing the great laydowns and calls these pros can make. it's like this is what I think he thinks that I think that he thinks I have. CRAZY!

Another church game coming up on the Friday the 12th. Anybody interested in playing?

GUMBY

I Hate it When...

2006-12-30T01:28:00.000-06:00

...you play so well in a tournament and it all ends up being in the cards anyways. Especially in a limit tourney, cards are very important to winning.

I played in a $5 HORSE tourney at Full Tilt tonight and went out on the bubble. 25th. 24 paid. Out of 171 players. Not a bad showing, but I wanted the $247 1st Prize. Played well early, but couldn't catch a hand late. I'd have good stud hands when it was Razz and vice versa. I just got blinded/anted off because the calling stations were out in full force. Love it sometimes, but when your cards go cold in a tourney, you just bite the dust.

Does anyone know a better strategy for me? Tight solid limit HORSE play. Not horseplay like screwing around, but is it skill+luck when the blinds go up so fast? Can I minimize the luck aspect?

I've got $6 in my Full Tilt account and have been up and down there. Cashed out about $150 a month ago and started with $20. Highest I got was $70 and then the NL beats came. Big pairs up against bigger pairs preflop. Still learning the NL ring game. A new animal I tell ya.

Have about $220 in Bugsy's Club. Around $40 in Neteller and $100 in a sportsbook online. Total gambling bankroll. $366 or so. Gonna build it back up. Need a big tourney win. Soon enough.

Also, the next Church game is coming up on Friday, January 12th. Must play in that one. The games are just too juicy.

Just had to get a little frustration off my chest.

GUMBY

Tourney Results

2006-12-26T23:50:00.000-06:00

I played in the church game a couple weeks ago and I'd have to say, I played very well. The result didn't show, but I was happy with my game. $50 buy-in and you got $10 for knockin' someone out. There was a certain amount of bounties and then the top 10 paid. Only a few notable hands.

Played very tight throughout. Didn't raise a hand until this point. On the button with 6-4 os. 3 limpers (this is how it pretty much how many limpers played every pot) and I raise 5x bb. 1 caller. Flop 6-3-3. Limp caller checks, I bet, I win.

Get A-Q and raise to 4x bb preflop. 1 caller and I'm out of position. Ace high flop, I bet, he folds. Starting to see a pattern of weak play here.

Sitting with 2.5K in chips, started with 1500.

Guy on big blind is a real calling station. Sees almost every flop. Guy on small blind is all in. I want to go heads up with my 5-8 os and try to take the chips and the $10 bounty so I raise. Of course the big blind calls. I hit top pair 8s and win side pot AND knock out the other player. Nice.

Have about 3K after some blinds go missing and I get A-8 os on the cutoff. CS preflop guy is in the BB. All fold to me and I raise to 4x bb (800) and he calls with only 400 behind. I'm putting in the rest no matter what so I get the money ready. Q high flop and he has K-Q. Lose 1200 on that hand.

Small stack on the button and I look at A-5 diamonds in the bb. Big stack sb calls. I raise to 5x bb and the small stack calls his all in and the big stack folds. SS has 33 and it holds up. Down another chunk of my stack.

Pretty much shove or fold now. I go all in once and win blinds. Next time I push is in bb vs. sb large stack. I have King high, he has 9 high and takes me out. All in all I think I played solid poker and am happy with how I played. Made it about 2 hours into it in about 30 something place out of around 90. Lots of horrible loose play and definitely something I'll do again.

As for my online play, haven't really done much because of my move. I recently moved into another apartment to save some money on rent. Finally have internet back so I'll be playing a little more now.

Hope everybody had a great Christmas. I ate a ton of food and have some leftovers which is nice.

Take care and good luck at the tables,

GUMBY

Holy Crap!

2006-12-08T00:39:00.000-06:00

Don't know where I found this picture, but remember, you may be playing against this guy sometime in your online poker career.

Cashed Out

2006-12-06T10:44:00.000-06:00

So I need to take out about $600 to pay off a furniture bill. Didn't want the accrued finance charges. I'm left with about $150 in poker money and around $100 in sports betting money.

Once I clear my bonus through sports betting, I think I may be done with that. It's kind of a headache. I think I may only do Sunday NFL, Bowl games, and NCAA tourney games. I'll definitely tone it down some.

As for poker, I'm almost done clearing bonus at Bugsy's Club, $30 left, then I may cash out. The problem I seem to have with Bugsy's is that I can't play through my wireless, or my router, because then there's a HUGE delay that makes me miss a bunch of hands. Had this problem at Full Tilt too, but updated my MacBook and now it runs fine. I like Bugsy's because of the great leagues where they give money back. Good overlays on tourneys too, but there's not a ton of traffic when I'd like to play.

Lost all I had on Full Tilt, ups and downs of my new NL kick. Waiting for rakeback there which will be around $50, so we'll start at small sit n gos to build that up. I LOVE the Midnight Madness tourney there, so you might be able to catch me in there sometime. I don't mind putting up $10 to win around $2K, even if it is 20% of my bankroll there.

I'm playing in the church game again this weekend. Friday night, $50 donkament. Usually 70% donks, 20% decent and 10% solid. Hopefully, the donks KO the solid and I take it down. $800 for first. Plus only $10 for all you can eat food (MMMMMMMM, polish sausage, mashed potatos, roast beef, ahllhlhhlhhllhhl) and all you can drink beer!
I like beer and beer likes me. Only a few during play though. Much more after. Much more. Much much much more. Muc...sorry. I like beer.

Last time I played I went out in 10th on the final table. No cash, only 5 paid out of around 60 if my memory serves me correctly. I lost a bunch of chips down to 2 tables with QQ vs. 44. A few limpers, he limped utg, I raise in the blinds to 5x BB. I've only showed down HUGE hands. He says, "this isn't a bad hand to go down with!" Yes it is! He hits a set on the flop. Damn!

Final table, I'm on the cutoff. Folds to me, I move all in with 9-10 suited for about 6x BB. BB calls with K-10 and I'm out. Will remember these plays for this time. Tight aggressive all the way! If I don't cash, I'll be pissed, and drunk. But mostly piss drunk!

Remember, great deal through Vegas Poker 24/7. Huge rakeback deal! E-mail me for all the details.

Keith

Vegas Poker 247

2006-11-28T09:33:00.000-06:00

New site on the block, Vegas Poker 247. You know, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. With this new site comes new perks. I will be able to offer players 28% rakeback every month they play for the rest of their lives! This is one of the best deals on the net.

Vegas Poker is a skin of Absolute Poker, so the same great tables and action! Poker Tracker compatible and huge bonuses! Right now they offer a 100% up to $750 deposit bonus. Sweet deal!

When you sign up through me and make a deposit and play 200 hands (.25/.50 or above), you'll get 2 free decks of casino used playing cards. I pay shipping! When you play 1,000 hands (.25/.50 or above), I'll send you the poker book of your choice (max. $20).

If you already have an Absolute account, you need to use a different e-mail address to register to play. Only real setback to the new site.

Let me know if you have any questions!

GUMBY

Quads Twice!!!

2006-11-21T22:51:00.000-06:00

I hit quads twice in about 20 minutes playing .10/.25 NL at Full Tilt poker. I flopped the Jacks as you can see. I didn't get any action on them though. That sucked!

The only time you can get some money off of somebody is if they have a big hand or are aggressive donks! Had some playing against me today, but they got the better of me with suckouts! Loose play means you can't bluff. When they're making hands with garbage against big pairs like QQ and KK your day is going to be long, as my day was. Had QQ lose to a set of 4s, then KK lose to Q-8 when he called a raise with it in NL and flopped three of an unkind!

Twice I had QQ and another player had KK. WOW!!! NL can be profitable, but it can also be brutal!

FTOPS

I watched the FTOPS (Full Tilt Online Poker Series) Main Event Final Table. $500 buy-in. I have to say that there were a lot of good plays and bad plays. When the blinds started to get up there and the players' "Ms" were low, there was a lot of crapshooting. Many pushes with weaker holding and many loose but good calls with hands like K-10 os and things of that sort. It took about 30 minutes for first player to get knocked out. After that, they started falling a little quicker.

At one point, it seemed like players were falling left and right. After about an hour and half, they had a winner. Spiked took it home for more than $200K! What a payday for playing online! One of these days....

Good Luck at the Tables,

Keith

Switch!

2006-11-15T13:33:00.000-06:00

I have been predominantly a limit ring game and MTT player. As of late, I have moved over to the NL ring game side. I still like limit, but playing NL can be extremely profitable.

Patience is one of my strong points and in MTTs, this can hurt you if you don't catch a hand or two early. I have found that you can stack someone about once every hour, unless you take a bad beat. It happens. Granted, I have only played around 500 hands NL, but am comfortable because I am not getting my money in there with a bad hand. You don't need to blind steal or call raises out of position because this isn't life or death. You can rebuy and blinds don't increase every 10-20 minutes.

I wish I had more time to play, because I would. With my new serving job, I have way less time than I used to. I work 5 nights a week along with about 2-3 days a week. That leaves little time for poker, but will get to it when I can. Usually nights after work and Sundays.

Does anybody have any NL ring game suggestions. I hear the Sklansky book, No Limit for Advanced Players is a must read for NL players. I'll have to pick that up. I'm already backed up with 5 books at home. Taking them one by one so I absorb all the information I can.

Thanks in advance for any help,

Keith

GUMBY

WSOP HORSE Event

2006-11-06T11:12:00.000-06:00

I didn't get to DVR this event last week and I was really looking forward to watching this event. I already know who won it, but I saw the final table and was ecstatic to watch this one unravel. I didn't end up watching the final 3 players, but I just wanted to go ever a few hands that I thought were masterfully played.

Doyle "Texas Dolly" Brunson vs. Chip Reese

Doyle gets QQ in early position and makes a standard raise. Chip looks down at KK and just smooth calls. Commentators are saying that they play very frequently against each other in "The Big Game" in Vegas. They must change their style and try and outplay, and more importantly, out think their opponents. I think the big blind calls with an ace-rag. Little importance to this pot. Flop comes all low cards, 7 high I believe. Doyle bets out $200K. Chip reraises and makes it $500K. The blind folds and it's back to Doyle.

He goes into the tank and I can see doesn't want to lay the hand down. He finally does and when he mucks, a Q gets flipped over. Say he must have had A-Q because there's no way he was laying down QQ in that spot, coming from Andy Bloch, eventual runner-up. What a huge lay down! Even though it crippled his stack, he figured he was beat and laid down the second best hand. Great play by Chip Reese, and an amazing play by Doyle Brunson. I couldn't believe it!

A little while later, in the show, Bloch opens up for a raise with A-9 os. It gets around to Phil Ivey who re-raises with A-K hearts. Reese is in the big blind and looks down at AA and re-raises. Bloch folds of course, and Ivey thinks and then folds. Another huge laydown by these top top top top players. This is why these players win and win and why other players may win and then are not seen for a while.

I can lay down A-K in that spot, but I don't think I could have thrown away the QQ that Doyle did. That's what makes these players great! I want into this HORSE event next year. Anybody willing to put up the $50K for me to enter? How about 1,000 people at $50/person. I'm starting the collection now. I will keep 10% of whatever I win and give the rest back to the investors. I just want to play in it! I have skills in every event played, and have final tabled in other HORSE tourneys. I really don't have a weak game in there. My weakest may actually be NL Hold 'Em...and I'm solid at that.

Any takers?

GUMBY

Keith

I Will Be Busy!

2006-11-01T11:22:00.000-06:00

I added another job to my life, waiter at an upscale restaurant. What this means is that I need to study my wines so I can sell as many bottles as possible to up the bill. I'm also close to finishing my leave behind for advertising so I can find a real world job. This means that there's not as much time for poker right now.

I've been playing at Full Tilt mostly, but am going to deposit at Bugsy's Club again because they have a 50% redeposit bonus. I'm just putting in $300 for an additional $150. We'll see how that goes. I like their tourneys because they all start with plenty of chips. I've been playing low limit at Full Tilt and trying to get tourney tokens in the $6 2 table sit 'n go. Want to score big time in one of their larger tourneys.

Up and down at Full Tilt. At one point I was at $300 and now I'm at about $140. Played some 2/4 and was very tight aggressive. I got creamed by river beats a few times and just got destroyed. Mama said there'd be days like this.

What I really want to do is limit my online ring game play and only play tourneys, but that's not always profitable. I would like to play live 2/4-5/10 or the $500 buy in NL at the casino. Potawatomi Bingo Casino. 10 table poker room with no tourneys. Have 2 NL games with a must move. I've had some friends that are not as good as I am come out huge winners. They said to play patient, which I do, and aggressive when you get a hand, which I do. I can handle that. They also said that there are a lot of horrible players which = $$$....but also super bad beats. I've heard of quads being kicked in the junk by a river 1-outer straight flush! WOW!

I'll see how all these new developments go and get back to everybody soon.

Keith

Close to the Big Time!

2006-10-26T15:24:00.000-05:00

I played in 2 Full Tilt tournaments last night. I played in a $5 HORSE event with about 140 players and ended up playing great to take down 5th place. I got unlucky at the final table playing 7 Card Stud and catching aces up to another guys made full house! Crippled me and I was pretty much out from there.

While playing in that, I started to play in the Midnight Madness tournament. It's a great tourney with usually around 800-900 players and a first prize near $2K. I was able to make it down quite far again, and ended up getting unlucky in more way than one.

I was 2nd in chips when this hand came up. I raise 3x BB in early position with A-J diamonds. 1 caller. Flop A-x-x. I move all in and the other guy calls with A-10 os. Turn Q, river 10! NOOOOOOOOO! Instead of having the dominating 170K chip stack, I have about 65K. This took the wind out of my sails and I didn't regroup. I got disconnected a few times and couldn't log back in for about 10 minutes. I get back to see pocket 7s in the sb only to have a raise and re-raise. I fold and would've been out. Guy flopped top set Jacks.

I go another 10 minutes without seeing anything and got down to around 45K. Short stack to my right in the sb has K-7 to my J-7 on a 10-10-7 flop. I lose and have not even a blind left. I'm out in 15th place. Sonuvabitch!

It's not that I need to get lucky. It's that I need to not get unlucky and have others catch on me. Or play A-10 os on a tight players early position raise.

Don't get me wrong here, I love playing against these donkey players, but I just need to vent. I'm soooooo close to cashing huge a few times and just can't get there. Tourney poker is so draining. I need some time off. We'll see if it actually happens.

Take Care,

Keith

Welcome Poker Refugees!

2006-10-25T12:43:00.000-05:00

It seems that Full Tilt has become a more popular site ever since Party has banned US players. I found that I'm getting killed by river donks and loose play, but that will change with the cards.

I played in another Full Tilt $20K Guaranteed with a first place prize of around $6,500. I made the money, outlast more than 1,200 people and took home $85 or so bucks for the effort. Man did that suck. Hand that crippled me went exactly like this.

Mid position player raises pot. With antes up there, it's a substantial raise. I more than double his bet, and he moves in for his last $10K. With more than 4:1 on my money, I call with 9s. He shows his A-K os. I hadn't played a hand in about 2 go arounds because of the MONSTER stack to my right raising ever pot I had any hand in. This douche decides that his tourney life is golden with A-K os. He hits the King on the turn and puts me down to $15K after being in 7th place.

Now, do I move all in after his pre flop raise so it's on him, or did I play this right, knowing that I was best. I played outstanding poker and get very little compensation.

2 for 2 on cashes, but 0 for 2 on big cashes. I love this tourney. Have used a token both times by winning sit n gos. Things are only going to get better with all the horrible players coming over.

Neteller

Neteller is going to be pulling out of the US because of the bill that just passed Congress. This totally sucks! A trusted site for handling our money is going to be lost. Firepay has already jumped ship. There must be someone trusted out there that will handle our transactions to and from poker rooms.

Every other day there's a tough break!

I love tourney poker, but maybe the casino is the place to play nowadays. Only time will tell!

Good Luck at the Tables you can Actually Play at,

Keith

Happy Anniversary!

2006-10-18T11:22:00.000-05:00

I have just realized that I've been doing this blog for a year now. Wow how time flies! I have come very far from a year ago, yet I have so far to go. I was playing .05/.10 stakes and really low buy-in tourneys. $50 win sessions for 8 hours of play were HUGE!!! I'm going to review my year with some highlights AND lowlights. We aren't great poker players if we only look at the bright side of life! Unless you're 100% Monty Python, then you have to sometimes look at the bad times and bad play. How else will you improve?

Let's start with some lowlights!

Many. many brutal 5/10 sessions. Very aggressive opponents with loose calling values.

Becoming a pokeraholic and playing continuously.

My Neteller fraud scandal. Got it all back.

Playing so much that I took a break.

Tilting off more money than I care to share.

The downfall of some sites due to Safe Port Act.

Now for some highlights!

Best finish in online tournament, $1,187!

Meeting of many friends through the Shark Poker Tour.

2 Shark Poker Tour victories within a month of each other!

Cashing out $1K to buy a new MacBook!

Free poker books, poker chipsets, hats, shirts, and all that jazz!

These are just some of the high and lowlights that I have managed to face through this process so far. I have been playing poker since I was a kid. Used to bet with baseball cards. I am continuing to learn more about poker daily, and will continue to do so until I die. I love this game and hope to one day cash huge in a live or online tourney. When I say huge, I mean over $100K. I'd love to get some $2-$10K cashes soon and I feel my play will lead me there. I don't play as often as I'd like, but I have learned a balance between poker and life (EXTREMELY NECESSARY!)

Take Care!

Good Luck at the Tables,

Keith AKA GUMBY

Great Deal!!!

2006-10-12T18:31:00.000-05:00

Absolute Poker has just announced a sweet deal, only available for 2 weeks. If you are not linked to an affiliate or have done the refer a friend program, and already have an account with them, you are now eligible for rakeback!

Just e-mail me with the link to the left and I'll get back to you within the next few days. Awesome deal! Don't miss out!

Keith

Full Tilt Cash!

2006-10-11T13:57:00.000-05:00

A few days ago I played with the $18 remaining in my Full Tilt poker account and I won a $24+2 satellite token playing in a $4 sit n go. Now, I've been playing at Full Tilt because my PC took a shit and the new MacBook that I bought with my poker winnings is all I have. Full Tilt and Bugsy's Club are the only two sites I know of that have Mac downloads, other than playing without downloading at some sites.

So, I sit down to play in this thing. $20K guaranteed prize pool with top prize a little over $5K. More than 1,000 players and I end up chip leader after about 30 minutes. Not bad. A few donkey calls when I'm sitting on huge hands and I have no problem making it through the field to the money. I play fairly solid poker, a few bad plays, but otherwise good poker. Players keep dropping like flies and we get down to 3 tables and I keep having to fold my mediocre cards to raises behind me. I'm getting pocket pairs, A-10s, and such. Really just trying to steal the blinds, but this one particular player keeps pushing behind me. I finally take my stand with 6s and he ends up having aces. Sonuvabitcth!

I'm out in 18th, right after another player busted. I get $120 for my effort. Not bad, but when you can see the light at the end of the tunnel, it's green and smells like money, and don't make it there it's disappointing.

I was playing in the $10+1 Midnight Madness tourney there at the same time and after I busted out of the big one, I donked off the rest of my chips. 161st place with 81 paying. I was so upset with myself! Whenever I play in two tourneys at the same time and bust out in one, I seem to fold in the other one. Fold as far as playing horribly! Need to fix that ASAP!

I'm enjoying the large field tournaments at Full Tilt and will continue to play and update on my play. I can play these tourneys in bed with my laptop while watching the MLB playoffs.

Until later!

Good Luck at the Tables,

GUMBY

Bored with Online Poker?

2006-10-02T12:23:00.000-05:00

I wrote this to try and help out fellow poker players that have just lost the motivation to play or have fallen off the poker bandwagon. These are some things that help me play better and keep it entertaining so it doesn't become a chore.

Sitting on the computer playing sit n go tournaments, multi-table tournaments, ring games, or freerolls may become boring for any player. Whether you are playing poker recreationally, professionally, or trying to become a poker star doesn’t matter, you can find yourself staring at a computer screen for hours a day, losing interest. This constant poker grind can lead to boredom with the game and even start draining on a poker player. I’m going to offer some helpful tips to try to make this grind a little easier to handle.

Try a New Game

This would be and has been my first instinct when I became bored with whatever I was doing in regards to online poker. If I was primarily playing limit ring games, I may try playing in a no limit ring game. Possibly for smaller stakes, but its still a change in style. If I only played hold em, I may opt to try a new game such as 7-card stud or Omaha, which are becoming more and more popular as there is an increased amount of traffic to the online poker rooms.

There are many variations of each game. For 7-card stud, there is RAZZ, 7-card stud high/low, and regular 7-card stud. For Omaha, there are even more variations. Limit Omaha and Omaha high/low, and pot limit Omaha and Omaha high/low. Each of these games has a different poker strategy behind it, so I would recommend researching these games online before I jumped head first into them. If you want to jump in right away, I’d suggest playing a game with lower limits than you normally play to get yourself accustomed to it before moving to a higher limit.

Change Up Your Favorite

If you’re primarily a sit n go no limit hold em tournament player and find yourself bored with the same old same old, then maybe its time to try out the multi-table tourneys for a while or vice versa. If you love playing limit or NL ring games then you might consider playing in a few tourneys to change up the normal routine.

With the growth of online poker, there are many more specialty tournaments popping up all over. I’ve seen more RAZZ and pot-limit Omaha high/low tournaments than ever before, as well as HORSE (Hold em, Omaha, RAZZ, 7-card Stud, 7-card stud eights or better, also known as high/low). The final table plays no limit hold em. The World Series of Poker introduced a $50,000 HORSE event this year, where poker pro Chip Reese won the WSOP bracelet.

Multi-table

Do you play poker online and become antsy? This used to happen to me. Then I started playing more than one table at a time. Numerous positive things come out of multi-tabling. First, it adds some excitement because you are no longer playing in one game. You see more hands per hour. Second, you don’t become anxious to play many hands because you are seeing more hands. You tend to only play solid starting values and don’t settle for playing bad hands just because you want to play. Third, if you play solid poker, you have a chance to win even more money while reducing the variance you face (cards and flops fluctuate). Lastly, if you bonus chase, which I’ll get to a little later, you will clear bonuses more quickly.

I tend to play in at least two tables at a time. Depending on which site I’m on, I usually cap my playing at three tables when I multi-table short-handed limit games. If the games are moving slowly, I can add more tables and be comfortable with each game. I don’t like to rush decisions, especially if I’m playing in a tournament at the same time. I usually like to play in one multi-table tournament and 1-2 ring games at a time. This way, I play the right number of hands in each game. Poker is about patience, but that’s a whole different topic. The only downfall to multi-tabling is when you get good hands at three different tables at the same time. It takes a little practice, but is definitely worth it.

Change Poker Sites

With the explosion of online poker, there has been an explosion of new online poker sites. There is no shortage of sites where you can deposit and begin playing within minutes. A change of scenery is never a bad thing, unless you live in Hawaii or Las Vegas. You may find yourself a site that you actually like better than your home site or the one you love to play at.

Each site has it’s own feel, with different speeds to games, different avatars, and a different look and overall feel. Sometimes the table backgrounds are even changeable where you can choose the look of the table that fits your preference.

More importantly, though, you will be playing against different players. When playing at the same site for a long time, other players, at least ones that pay attention, record notes and hand histories about you. They will know what you hold, how you play certain hands and will play solid against you. This will slow your bankroll building.

Bonus Chase

While downloading all these new sites, you can get massive free money with each deposit. Most sites now offer huge deposit bonuses to attract the mass amounts of new poker players. This is called bonus chasing and some players spend their entire poker playing by doing this. Jumping from site to site to get the max bonus per site can be extremely rewarding in the old wallet. Other players add this to their arsenal of bankroll building because of the free money you get on top of playing poker. You’re already playing, so why not bonus chase. This can also help when you are running poorly at the tables and need that extra boost.

Some poker sites have a monthly bonus and this can be received each month by following the terms and conditions. Make sure you read all the terms and conditions of any bonus that you chase. Some bonuses are easier than others to clear. Depending on the level you play, it may be nearly impossible to clear some bonuses playing lower limits.

It would also serve you well to do a little research on each poker site before beginning to play there. There are many online poker site reviews listed here and online. You can always ask questions about any poker site or poker site bonus in the Shark Poker Tour forum http://sharkpokertour.com/phpBB2/ and get feedback from many of the top Shark Poker Tour players.

Online Casinos

I know I know, we are poker players. This doesn’t mean that we can’t get added money to our bankroll by playing casino games with great deposit bonuses and free money added. Some sites, like the ones listed on Sharks Vegas Strip, www.sharksvegasstrip.com , have promotions where they let you play with the casinos money to try and win. These can be rewarding promotions that will allow you to build your bankroll by risking very little. I played a free hour of blackjack and won $174 to use in their online casino. Sharky only lists the best online casinos on his site and his integrity is impeccable. I would also recommend using basic blackjack strategy to maximize your winnings.

Once again, review the games, terms and conditions, and anything else you may not understand before chasing these casino bonuses. These can be profitable if successfully and knowledgeably attempted.

I understand the bouts with boredom online, but I hope that these tips will guide you to successfully building your bankroll and reducing the monotony that can come with playing online poker.

Good Luck at the Tables,

Keith

High Stakes Poker

2006-09-27T13:18:00.000-05:00

Daniel Negreanu takes a brutal beat. This is just disgusting! ENJOY!

Play Tomorrow!

2006-09-25T10:08:00.000-05:00

Haven't played since Thursday and you know what, it's not killing me! WOW! I was semi-busy the pasy few days so I haven't been able to sit down and get some hands in. That's okay though!

I plan on playing tomorrow in some small field buy-in events on Absolute and some larger field events on Titan. Probably start around 10ish or so, in the morning. I have to work tonight and it is my girlfriend's and I 5th anninversary. 5 years! Holy Crap! Need to start playing more to try and win enough to buy that little sign of our love. I'm getting there.

Cashed out $1K to buy and Apple laptop, should be here today. Missed the delivery on Friday, so hopefully I get it. Have around $1200 in my accounts right now, took a little hit to some awful 2/4 suckouts. Shit happens. I'm actually looking to play in larger buy-in tourneys for some big paydays, but it's hard to find the time, especially when a lot of them are on Friday and Saturday night when I work.

From a scheduled tourney hosting gig that never played, short 2 players, I have $33 for a satellite tourney buy-in. I'm going to play in the Titan PYT satellite. The final is on October 22, my birthday, so I have to get into it. The satellite is for a final that gives a $10K WPT package to the World Poker Tour tournament of your choice. That's cool! I'll let you know how that goes.

Home Game

I'm having a home game on Wednesday, October 4. If anybody is interested in attending, it's on the Southwest side of Milwaukee. E-mail me a pokergumby@hotmail.com for info. $20-30 buy-in, with no house rake. BYOB and maybe we'll order some pizzas.

GLATT,

GUMBY

Nice Cash!

2006-09-19T22:35:00.000-05:00

Last Thursday, I had $8 in my Absolute account. Now, over $600! The Thursday night Shark Poker Tour victory gave me an added $120! Some 1/2 limit made some more money for me! Then...

I played in a $3 rebuy tourney and ended up finished second for a sweet $350 cashola! Rebought right away for an additional $1500 chips. Played well and had $6K at the break where I did a double add on for $6 that gave me another $4K in chips! Had $10K at the break!

Tourney ran about 5 hours and heads up alone took almost 25 minutes. Solid heads up player! I'll take down the next one!

That's all for now! I'll write more when I have more time!

GUMBY

Another Shark Poker Tour Win!!!

2006-09-15T00:00:00.000-05:00

So, I decided to register for the Absolute Thursday tourney because I had nothing better to do and my girlfriend was at the library studying. I only had $8 and change in my account so I decided that it was a good investment. Even with all the great players in these tourneys, I figured I could play well enough to cash. And that I did, cash. My play was good accompanied by some luck!

The tourney began with Sharky sitting directly to my right, which is where I like him to be. He didn't leave my side the entire tournament, until he was bounced in 4th place with his A-Q against pocket 4s at the final table.

A few hands that were notable. I got J-8 suited early and decided to raise it up. Made 3 Jacks and had some chips early. I then got Aces about 5 hands later and got all the money in pre-flop against PATKIWI with pocket 9s. So, I had chips early. I made a good laydown against an all-in raise right before the break. I was back to where I started, but still alive and kicking.

After the break, I had to nake some difficult laydowns with 10-10 against a raise and re-raise. Then layed down A-Q on the button after the bb went all in. TALOND had pocket 9s.

I was definitely lucky with the following hand though. With a few limpers, thought I could take it down pre-flop. Nope!

ZACCHARY had been slow playing every monster, even with limpers in front of him. Dangerous, but it made him some money by slow-playing. KK twice, AA once against me in the big blind. I hit top pair on turn and he check raised me all in. That was the hand before the break. He showed and I made a great laydown there.

I played tight solid until the end of it against some very tough opponents, then loosened up when we got down to 4. I was bullying the table. Sharky was waiting for a hand, while the other 2 were tight players.

Down to 3 and this hand came up.

Absolute Poker ($3200 no limit). Hand converted by Check Raised hand converter

Preflop (0.09 bets ($300) in pot, 3 players): Hero is BB with

3 antes (100)

SB posts small blind ($800).

HERO posts big blind ($1600).

BTN folds.

SB raises $2400.00.

HERO calls ($1600.00).

Flop (2.09 bets ($6700) in pot, 2 players):

SB bets $1600.00.

HERO raises $12800.00.

SB calls ($10630.00).

$570.00 returned to HERO.

Turn (9.74 bets ($31160.00) in pot, 2 players):

River (9.74 bets ($31160.00) in pot, 2 players):

Summary:

SB has Two pair, Sixes and Fives [ ] and won $31160.00 (4.87bb)

HERO has a pair of Sixes [ ]

The very next hand!!!
Absolute Poker ($3200 no limit). Hand converted by Check Raised hand converter

Preflop (0.09 bets ($300) in pot, 3 players): Hero is SB with

3 antes (100)

HERO posts small blind ($800).

BB posts big blind ($1600).

BTN calls ($1600.00) [2.69:1].

HERO raises $5600.00.

BB folds [2.06:1].

BTN calls ($4800.00) [3.06:1].

Flop (4.59 bets ($14700) in pot, 2 players):

HERO bets $18040.00.

BTN calls ($18040.00) [2.81:1].

Turn (15.87 bets ($50780.00) in pot, 2 players):

River (15.87 bets ($50780.00) in pot, 2 players):

Summary:

BTN has Two pair, Aces and Sixes [ ]

HERO has Two pair, Aces and Sixes [ ] and won $50780.00 (7.93bb)

When we got down to 2 and I had a 4:1 chip lead on a formidable opponent in CARSONANCHAD!

Heads-up lasted 10 hands. He got lucky to stay alive with 10-J against my A-5. Then the last hand!

Absolute Poker ($3200 no limit). Hand converted by Check Raised hand converter

HERO ($51200.00) [ ] (SB)

BTN ($23800.00) (BTN)

Preflop (0.06 bets ($200) in pot, 2 players):

2 antes (100)

BTN posts small blind ($800).

HERO posts big blind ($1600).

BTN calls ($800.00).

HERO raises $3200.00.

BTN raises $22100.00.

HERO calls ($18900.00).

Flop (14.88 bets ($47600.00) in pot, 2 players):

Turn (14.88 bets ($47600.00) in pot, 2 players):

River (14.88 bets ($47600.00) in pot, 2 players):

Summary:

HERO has Two pair, Aces and Jacks [ ] and won $47600.00 (7.44bb)

BTN has Two pair, Aces and Nines [ ]

Nice to have pair against pair heads-up at the final table. I'd love to hear comments on these hands, whether or not you think they're good plays or not. Once again, I have to comment on the toughness of this game. I know it's only a $5 buy-in, but the level of play is outstanding every week. I got lucky to make it to the final table, but sometimes it's better to be lucky than good.

Take care!

Keith

Tourney Host!!!

2006-09-13T11:00:00.000-05:00

All right boys and girls, finally got the site set up where I'm hosting the Shark Poker Tour Vet Series event this Sunday the 17th. It's at Poker Ocean. Click the title or one of the banners to go there and download the software! Lotsa play, lotsa chips and a great structure! Here's the breakdown.

2500 starting chips

20 minute blind levels

6 seated event

NO Rebuys

8PM EST 7PM CST

$5+.50 buy-in $200 added!

After you download the software, go to www.onlineshark.com and register as a player. This will enable you to get the password for the event, but once I receive it, I will post it here so we can get a bunch of lags to play!

I'm going to play at Badger Poker tonight once again, and I'll post a tourney report here tomorrow. Going with a friend of mine, so normally I do worse for some reason. Maybe we'll have to sit at different tables, but I haven't hung out with him in a while and he's aggressive. What should I do? I need points to make it into the finals and hopefully win a trip to Vegas and possibly qualify for a WPT event for free!

GLATT,

GUMBY

Daily Show Clip!

2006-09-11T11:32:00.000-05:00

John Stewart and the Daily Show were dead on hilarious with this one! Click on it to get it going!

Badger Poker

I played last week and went out in 5th. I played some damn good poker and got unlucky at the final table when I made aces up on the river and other guy made frush! What the fuck is a frush?! My pair beats your frush. Oh, shank you very mush! (Revenge of the Nerds quote) In hindsight, I should have raised more on the turn.

Here's how it played out. Down to 5. I get A-5os on the button and raise it to 40K with blinds 5-10K. Big blind calls. Flop 2 spades 8 high. BB checks and I check. Turn Ace. BB bets 20K and I raise it to 60K. (Think it should have been more). I rushed into this raise. I should have thought what he could have been betting here and it was definitely a draw. If I pop it up to 100K or all-in, he probably folds. He's a good solid player. He calls with odds to call for sure. River 5 which make a 4 card gutshot straight and a 3 card flush on board, he moves all-in for 90K. With 200K in pot, I can't fold with Aces up. He shows flush for winner and I'm down to 30K.

Go all-in under the gun with 2-3os hoping to get lucky. Don't like to sit there and blind off with dogshit hands. My nemesis calls with 10-J and makes his pair on flop. GG, NHs. I'm 2 for 2 in gaining points. I'll be playing Wednesday night again and hopefully getting more points so I can make a finals this season. Haven't put the time in to care much, just wanted to play well and try to win. Making some good moves and calls. Thinking things through finally, unless there's a few beers in my system.

GLATT,

GUMBY

Titan Poker Review

2006-09-07T10:24:00.000-05:00

Titan Poker is an exciting online poker room that is quickly becoming the favorite for many players. Titan Poker's realistic and player-friendly software offers a wide range of tournament and ring game play, including progressive jackpot sit 'n' go tournaments. The jackpots grow larger each week, enabling players to win as much as $100,000, in addition to their normal tournament winnings.

Titan Poker has awarded many of its qualified players with entries to the Main Event of the 2006 World Series of Poker, and holds regularly scheduled tournaments with incredibly high prize pools. Titan Poker recently staged a $100 Million Freeroll Tournament, sending players to a Final Table and a real chance at a $100 Million Jackpot Prize.

Joanna Krupa, the World's Hottest Swimsuit Model, has joined Titan Poker as its official Spokesmodel. Joanna, who has graced the magazine covers of Playboy and Maxim, and who has appeared in a number of film and television projects, regularly plays at the online poker tables at Titan Poker. In addition, she will represent Titan Poker at leading poker competitions and tournaments around the world, including the World Series of Poker.

Titan Poker offers its new depositors incredible Signup and Reload Bonuses, awarded to players as they earn Titan Poker Points at ring games and tournaments. All depositors are entitled to enter a weekly Depositors Freeroll.

Titan Poker recently launched its exclusive VIP Club, rewarding its loyal players with weekly and monthly freeroll tournaments, faster bonus redemption, and exclusive chances to win free seats to the World Series of Poker.

Hope this helps you find your way to Titan Poker!

GUMBY

Tourney Host

2006-09-06T11:50:00.000-05:00

So I'm hosting a Shark Poker Tour Vet Series event on Sunday, September 17th. It's only $5.50 to play and there will be $200 added to the prize pool. Usually around 60 LAGS with a great structure. 20 minute levels, 2500 chips, and 6 seated. Lots of play! I'm not sure where it will be yet, as the tour jumps around to different sites. Oh, and there's a bonus for knocking me out of the tourney!

I've been playing a lot of 2/4 3/6 ring games at Titan Poker. The players are bad, which means bad beats. I took a huge one when I had AA and turned a full house. The other guy flopped quads for a HUGE $145 pot playing 2/4. There was another douche in the hand that called down with A-J after a capped flop and turn! That hurt!

Another douzy! 3/6 turned a set of Kings with another guy making the nut straight with 10-J os. He actually reraised me from the BB and we capped the flop. 3 bet turn and I just called the river. That took me off my game and I dropped $300 playing 5/10. I can't stand the calling stations at 5/10. I think they're worse than the micro limits. I just need to play super tight in those games. I lost a $200 and change pot to a horrible suckout! I had the best of it pre-flop, on the flop and turn, got rivered by a flush. Sunuvabitch!

I'm still ahead there, but need to build it back up playing 2/4 and some 1/2 if the tables are right. Plus, the guaranteed tourneys are big with horrible players. I'm going to try a few of the $15 ones hoping to hit a big payday for $600-$750. Have $400 in Neteller and would like around $1200 in Titan so I can cash out $900 for an Apple Laptop. Then work my way back up. I'm pretty sure I'll be getting over $200 in rakeback from Absolute Poker so that'll help.

I also need to play in a large freeroll tonight so I can get an article written for the Shark Vegas Strip site by Friday. Play tonight, begin writing, and finish it tomorrow. Already have one article written there! Check it out! www.sharkvegasstrip.com

GLATT (Good Luck at the Tables),

GUMBY

Shark Poker Tour WIN!!!

2006-08-28T18:13:00.000-05:00

Played in the Shark Poker Tour Vet Series event last night and ended up winning it. Got lucky a few times, which always helps. Plus, the format of the tourneys allows for mistakes early. 2,500 chips and 20 minute blinds, 6 seated. Also, $200 added. Check it out!!!

I just downloaded the Titan Poker software and decided on a new username. I play a lot of ring game limit so I didn't want my opponents to already have a read on me using PT. I found that people play differently against players they think are women also.

GUMBY

Late Night Poker

2006-08-25T11:39:00.000-05:00

Ever start a tourney for shits and giggles at around 10, then start doing real well. You realize this might not be over until 3 or 4. This may be exactly what you need! I could use it every now and then.

3/6 Ranting!

2006-08-22T12:06:00.000-05:00

I just needed a little vent. I got home from work last night, or this morning, took a shower, and played some 3/6 full table at Absolute Poker. I was just about to finish my three tabling, I said I would stop at 5 AM, and then I lost all the winnings I had.

I could have quit when I was up around $80 after 45 minutes, but it was only 10 more minutes 'til 5, so I continued to play. Then 2 hands fu#%ed me. I went into both hands an underdog, but the huge flops put me ahead of both hands. These both happened within a few seconds of each other.

A-5 in BB, button raises, I call. Flop A-5-6, 2 hearts. I lead out he raises, I reraise, and he caps it. Turn 7. I bet, he raises, and I reraise, he caps it. Mistake, I don't think so. I'll bet the river and then see. River J, I bet he raises and I call. He shows A-J for the winner. Damn! $100 pot, I lose!

A few minutes later, another table, I get QQ on button and raise. BB calls. Flop Q-2-3 rainbow. Check-check. Turn 3, he bets, I raise, he reraises and I cap it. River A. He bets and capped again. He shows AA for the aces full winner and another monster hand and pot lost. Damn! RIVERED TWICE IN A FEW MINUTES! Should have left the tables.

So, I end up quitting at 5AM about $20 up. Better than losing, but it could have been more. I think I'll try and play these tables late because of all the action. It seemed like there were many players seeing the flop, but not a ton of chasers to the river with anything. I played tight solid and definitely played well enough where I should have walked away a winner.

I'm short of my $2K goal right now, but Apple is offering students a sweet deal. Buy a MacBook and get a free I-Pod nano, 2GB. I need about $1,300 to buy what I want, and then get the rebate, so I might pull out a bunch of money and start all over from scratch.

I know I'm getting around $200 rakeback next month, so that'll comtribute to the roll. Plus, I have stacked boni (bonuses) in Absolute that need to be cleared.

Rakeback for Others

What I am now offering any player who signs up at Absolute through me is every dime you make me, you will get back! You have 2 months and up to $100. I'll also send you some casino used playing cards from the Reservation of Fun here in Milwaukee. Nice cards, good for homegames!

As always,

Good Luck at the Tables,

GUMBY

AKA Keith

Gift in the Mail

2006-08-17T13:29:00.000-05:00

I had some poker points at one website who finally opened their store. I'm not naming them, because I'm not a huge fan of them. I did get Harrington on Hold 'Em: Volume 2 on Tuesday. I'm already on page 120. It's the easiest reading on earth.

I've got a few questions already, which I'll ask at the forums I belong to. http://www.sharkpokertour.com/phpbb2/ . And I'll probably ask here too www.internettexasholdem.com . I'm a big fan of both. Posting as GUMBY on both sites.

Badger Poker Freeroll

For those of you who are regular readers, you know that I play freeroll tournaments in Milwaukee. www.badgerpoker.net . They are live tournaments at local bars. They have seasons where the finals winner gets a trip to Vegas and other final table prizes are chip sets, tables, and such. There are bar tabs, t-shirts, hats, hooded sweatshirts, keychains, and other prizes for the tourneys leading up to the finals. You need so many points to make it in. I don't play that often, so I usually need a good couple finishes.

I played on Tuesday night and ended up finishing 15th after a tight night of cards. It's almost like any other freeroll, but people can't find another game right after, so it's a little better competition. I sat at a table with a friend I haven't seen since we played the $50 buy-in tourneys at another friend's place.

We are all seated, and the tourney started at 7:30 instead of the normal 7 because of another party in the room before hand. Well, one of the players was yelling to Jason, the director, to get it started. I said that it started at 7:30 and I saw that on the website when I registered. Then I made a smart ass comment that ended up going a little far. I said you can keep yelling if you want to, but I don't know if it'd help. He didn't appreciate that and didn't realize that I am a smart ass at times. I meant nothing by it.

This turned into a 5 minute bantering match between him and me that led to a lot of laughs at the table. He was a loud guy throughout the rest of the tournament, and ended up playing a solid game. His "Rules" for the first hour, is that he goes all in first hand AND don't raise his big blind. He was serious too. He went all in when anyone raised his big blind.

This little rule helped me at the end of the first hour. I hadn't played a single hand for a raise and raised utg with A-4 clubs. I got 2 callers. I went into the flop with the best hand and flopped the nut flush. Sweet! Now I have chips.

The only other meaningful hand I had was pushing all in after one player went all in. He had 3s, I had 7s. He turned his set and then our table broke. Down to 2 tables and nothing interesting. Folded my blinds to 2 big bets and went all in for $25K with 10-2 hearts with blinds at 5k-10k. I'm out and I go home. That's it.

GUMBY

Slight Bump

2006-08-11T11:18:00.000-05:00

I dropped some money, no thanks to the calling stations at Absolute Poker. I need to bounce back, play my solid poker and get back to my goal of $2K. I have to try and find time to play in a larger tourney to try a score a big cash. That's where I do my best.

Playing the 2/4 and 3/6 tables mainly, and even threw in some Omaha 8s. Doing well at those tables, but I took a beating at a loose 5/10 table where I went into the flop with the best hand 95% of the time and lost 90% of the time. I couldn't catch a break. The 5/10 tables at Absolute Poker HATE ME!

I think I'm moving over to Sun Poker because of all the weak players that seem to be there. I hear that the UK players call down with unpaired weak aces. Plus, they give you a $100 deposit bonus every month and I get rakeback there as well.

I still need to play in one of those Super Weekday Satellites at Party Poker to see if I can get a $162 buy-in to try and score a big win. Next week I'll try hard. I need to get working on finding a J O B too!

WSOP

I watched the WSOP final table live yesterday and it took forever. 9 players and I watched most of it. I ended up going to bed around 5AM CST when they began heads up play. I figured the Gold, with the monster chip lead, wouldn't have a problem finishing the weaker player heads up, and he didn't.

See you at the tables,

GUMBY

Just Some Fun

2006-08-07T12:57:00.000-05:00

This is an old picture, but it's all I have at work. Just thought I needed to add some more pictures of hands I was in to the mix. I began playing 3/6 again because the 1/2 tables are too tough to beat regularly. Too many chasers and such. 3/6 players can lay down a hand. So my tight image will win me more money over the long run.

My Bankroll

2006-08-04T12:56:00.000-05:00

I wasn't doing so hot at Full Tilt, -$200 so I cashed out the remaining $400 there. I'll be depositing there soon, once my bankroll gets above $2K because I'll be buying a MacBook and Full Tilt and Bugsy's Club are the only 2 sites I know of that have Mac software. I put that $400 in Absolute for a 35% reload bonus. After that big tourney win, I took out a little over $1K and placed it in Neteller and also have a $30 transfer from Poker Champs.

Sidenote: Poker Champs no longer accepts players that live in the United States. I don't know exactly why this is, but they had some of the worst tournament players on the internet.

I left $600 in Absolute to play the $20 tourneys, the Shark Poker Tour $5.50 events, and the 1/2 tables. I still have over $100 to clear there in bonuses and will reload the next time it becomes available with the $1K I have for an additional $300 in bonus $$$. I should have $2K in about 2 weeks. I won't have much time to play so we'll see.

I'll be getting my rakeback from Absolute for a little over $100. I was playing mainly at Full Tilt to clear the 100% bonus, but it is fairly difficult to clear. I have accumulated 1000 Full Tilt Points, but have only cleared $60. At Absolute, this would have been $100 in bonus. Unlike Absolute though, I have until November to clear it, so the bonus money will clear slowly throughout my play there.

Right now I have $0 invested. After I pulled out all my money a few months ago, I spent some points on Absolute for $40 and they gave me $10 for not playing there in a while. Got $40 free from Party and cashed out $100 with $11 left in there for the super weekday satellite.

Actual $$$ 1070+613 = $1683
Uncleared Bonus $$$ $111 (Absolute)+$540 (Full Tilt)=$651
Rakeback for July (Not Exact) = $100
Total Real $$$ Around $1800

Not too bad for nothing investment. I also had some Share Points from Poker Share. They finally opened their store, but will only be open for around 2 months. Weird. I got Harrington on Hold Em Volume 2, which I've been wanting. I didn't want to pay for it because I saw they had it and I had enough points for it. I also got some cards, because I still had 400 points left. Like I really need more cards, but I couldn't let them go to waste.

I have 19K Absolute Rewards Points (ARPs) and I'm saving up for the poker table. 100K points and you need to be an Elite or Platinum VIP member. I'm a VIP member, but once I get close enough to the points needed, I'll play hardcore for a month or two and then cash them in for the table. It's not one of those cheap folding tables either. It's real nice.

See you at the tables,

GUMBY

Biggest Win to Date!

2006-08-01T16:21:00.000-05:00

How does $1,187.55 sound!? I took 2nd in the Absolute Poker $4K Guaranteed Rebuy Tourney today. Chopped the pot, but it should have been mine. I limped with Aces on the small blind and got him to go all in preflop. He made a pair on the flop and 2 pair on the river.

We played heads up for about an hour then decided to chop it. We played for tournament leader board points and he won, but his play changed considerably when that happened. He was much more aggressive. I think I would have beat him, we had about identical chip stacks, but an extra $237 for sure is fine with me.

I bought in initially for the $20, then did a double add on after the first hour. That's the way to do it. Try double up in the first hour, then add on.

Another Change

2006-07-31T11:24:00.000-05:00

As always, please send my some feedback either through a comment or an e-mail. I'd like to hear from any of my readers. Regular readers may be confused because I did yet another change. Yes, this may get annoying, but I think I'm finished with the changes. I wanted to add more content to my site and felt that this template would allow me to do so. I hope this one sticks, plus the Gumby color is nice!

Went to the Cubs game yesterday and man was it hot. My girlfriend bought one of those spray bottles with a fan attached. Definitely worth the $15. I got some sun and the Cubbies won! Good times!

I've been told I'm getting a little over $100 in rakeback this month so that'll be a bonus. Haven't played a whole lot so any bit helps. I see that Absolute is running satellites to the WPT Legends Tournament in California. Maybe I'll try to win a seat for that through AP. It's at the end of August, so wish me luck.

Good Luck to Everybody Else Too!

GUMBY

$5 Full Tilt MTT

2006-07-28T10:12:00.000-05:00

To my avid or even not so avid readers, drop me a line, either through a comment or an e-mail. My e-mail is at the right of the page or here, pokergumby@hotmail.com.

Last night, I played in a multi-table tourney for $5 at Full Tilt Poker. There were 561 people in it and man did I get unlucky. I ended up cashing in 45th place, but got screwed a few times. I was short stacked from the middle throughout the end. This one player is in love with K-J and no matter what I did he'd call with it. Yes, call with it. I had the best hand both times, Ace high and won one and lost the other to get myself short stacked.

I had a player call an all in for double the pot on a flush draw and catch it on me. WOW! I know it's only $5, but when there are under 100 players, and first place is around $800, you don't play like that. Shit! I was short stacked in sb with 10-4 os. I doubled the blind, they were 400-800 and I get called. Flop of J-10-4 rainbow. I check hoping to get a bet and the BB moves all in for a little more than I had. INSTACALL. He shows K-9. What hits the river, a queen! Sonuvabitch! I'm out in 45th and get $9 for my effort, only a $4 profit.

I had been playing loose once I got short stacked because I read an article on short stack playing. It said that you can either play supertight and fold until you get a hand, which you may never get, and eventually get blinded down. Or go all in a lot and try to pick up the blinds and antes for another round. It said to stay above 7-8 big blinds to make sure people would need to pick up a hand to beat you. This is what I did and it worked successfully because eventually I got a caller when I had KK and he had K-Q. The strategy works and I'm going to employ this everytime I get short stacked.

I wasn't worried about the bubble in this tourney because it was only a few bucks, but other larger tourneys may see my play change during that timeframe. If I were to satellite into a $100 or more tourney, then the bubble money would be worth it. However, if I'm going to get that far into a tourney, I would rather try to play for the big money, because it doesn't happen often.

One of these days I'll hit a big one. I don't have nearly enough time to play in the tourneys that I want to.

Good Luck,

GUMBY

Trip Report

2006-07-27T12:04:00.000-05:00

I went camping in Eagle River Wisconsin with some friends this past week. We went from Friday and I got back Tuesday night. One of our friend's parents own a nice cabin on a lake. While we're there, everybody's talking about the casino that's about a half hour away in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and I hear they have a poker room. I'm in. The only concern I had was time constraint. Poker games can run long.

I actually brought home a $1 chip as a souvenir and so I can get the name of the casino right. Lac Vieux Desert Casino was the name.

We get to there around 7ish after dinner. I had a 1lb. Burger with fried onions and cheese. Amazing! Small Indian casino and I didn't even tell anybody where I was going, I think they knew anyways. Go into the small poker room with 4 tables and only about 8 people in there. No games going. There's a sign that says Sunday tournament and I ask about it. They say it's already over. Ok. Why isn't there anybody playing then?

A few old guys, definitely regulars, are waiting for a game and I find out that they play 1/2 NL with a $100 max buy-in. I don't usually play NL, but I brought $100 for gambling and I'm going to spend it on either poker or blackjack. Guess what I did?

I sit down and wait for the action to start. We end up beginning with 4 players, the 3 old guys and me. Each of us bought in for $100 and I find out that 2 of them had just did well in the tourney. Sweet, loose callers with deep pockets. We begin and I'm BB. First had make 2 pair on turn with no callers. Second hand in SB, make a flush on turn and take the first 2 pots for about $20. Nice start. The table begins to fill up and now we have 9 players.

Lots of loose callers preflop and lots of limpers. Just my type of game. I also realize that this is an 18 and over casino so the under 21 fish are already tagged with a wristband. NICE! Few interesting hands to list here.

In BB with pocket 8s. 4 limpers. I check. Flop JJ8. I bet $7 hoping for a raise. 1 caller. He's got a Jack. I'm thinking no 10-J-Q-K-A. Turn comes low and I bet $15. He calls. River low, I bet $25. He thinks and I hope he raises. This kid has been betting with weak aces and playing a lot of hands. He just calls and I say full house and he shows his A-J. Shit, I should have checked the turn. Oh well, moving on.

Took a small pot down with 55 when nobody bets a King high flop with a preflop raise. King hits turn and I bet to take it down.

I get A-Q suited in mid position with 2 limpers in front of me. I make it $15 to go and I get a caller behind me and 1 limper to move allin for another $4. A limper raises, smells of pocket pair. Tournament I call, cash I raise. I raise it $40 more. The guy who won the tournament calls. He only has $18 in front of him so I'm basically betting blind. Flop comes, Ace high. I bet the $18 and he call with K-Q with a gutshot draw. Early position limper has 9s and no help to either of them and I take down a nice pot.

Lost some money when I played loose with a definite calling station. He bets a 9 high flop when called preflop to my raise with A-Q. I try to bully him and he calls. He bets small $8 on K turn and I should've realized that he was playing the hand to the end. He had A-9. Still up.

Lost another $20 when tight old mann(TOM), solid, makes the nut flush on turn with my 2nd pair jacks. I had A-J and raised preflop to $8. 4 callers. Q high flop and checks around. Turn makes 3 diamonds on board and I checks around. River blank and TOM makes a $15 bet and I call. He flips the nut flush with A-5 and I say nice hand.

I'm still up, but I made a big mistake where I should have hooked the fish. Early position players makes it $7 and I've got the button with 77. I call and 3 to the flop of K-Q-7. SB bets $10, this is the calling station next to me. Preflop raiser calls and I make it $50, a pot sized bet. Couple thoughts and 2 folds. I thought for sure I'd get a call. A little mistake that cost me some money, but I don't usually play NL so I'm happy with my $112 winnings. I get up when 3 fish bust out and there looks like solid players about to buy in. I can play with them, but would rather take the easy money and run. Should've had at least $50 more, but I'm happy because I'd have to play limit longer for a $100 or more win.

I keep a $1 chip for a souvenir and take another $10 for my girlfriend to play her favorite nickel slot. The Double Diamond. We sit there for a little while for some entertainment. $10 for 45 minutes is good.

The poker room host was very nice and hospitable. Got a free drink for playing. This casino runs WPT satellites every so often and larger $200 buy ins. I wish I lived closer to this casino, but then I'd be living in the woods. All in all, a good trip. Lots of drinking, boating, tubing, and drinking. We polished off 7 cases and an 18 pack of beer between 4 guys. An occasional beer was drank by the women, but they were mostly on mixers.

Full Tilt

2006-07-19T15:06:00.000-05:00

Not for me, but an update on my play at Full Tilt Poker. Real bad players and real bad suckouts. I have been getting killed by suckouts for about a week. I'll have the best hand preflop, on the flop, on the turn, and then get fucked by the river. It's like nobody believes that anybody ever actually has a had. I got called on a flop with top pair, 10s, I had A-10, by somebody with J-8 with no pair, no draw. Hits the Jack on turn and makes 3 of a kind on the river. Can they see something that I can't?

I put in $600 to get the 100% bonus, but it clears sooooo slow. I've played about 10 hours and it has only cleared $35. At Absolute, I can multi table 1/2 and make about $30 an hour from them. It goes into my account every $20. So I'm down $260. I'm going to try and get it back up to around $700 then cash out $600. I haven't been able to play in the tournaments there yet, but am looking forward to it because they have some good ones.

Badger Poker

I played in the freeroll bar tournaments last night and I did pretty well. It was like a deepstacks rebuy tournament because he was giving away 5K chips for every raffle ticket bought. He has raffling off Packers and Brewers tickets, a seat in the finals, and a poker chip set. I bought 2 tix for an additional 10K and didn't win anything. Some players would get short stacked and go buy more raffle tickets. Funny stuff.

I played fairly solid early. it helped getting good cards. A-Q, Jacks twice, and flopped 2 pair with K-Q in BB. I slow played them preflop by checking, then got some action from a loose player to my left. I check raised the flop, I made it 10K to go and still got a call. It's like an online freeroll, except you get to hear the players thoughts. Bad poker players cannot shut up.

After the first break, our tables get moved around. I have 41K. Some guy sits down to my right, who proceeds to play every 8 out of 10 hands. 3/4 of those he min. raises. I'm just waiting for a hand. That'll come later. I play tight, get Queens twice. Once I was in BB when solid tight player bets 2nd utg. Makes it 6K, two callers, then I push all in. Everybody folds, I pick up some loose callage.

Down to 4 tables and my first real mistake. A guy who never raises, bets on the turn of an Ace high board. He tries to bet 2K when the minimum is 4K. I take this as weakness, not a guy who doesn't know what betting actually is. I check raise him all in with bottom pair 4s and get called. He has A-J and I'm short stacked with 22K.

Break down to 3 tables and I triple up with K-J against pocket 7s and I think it was a 4-6 os. Big stack who didn't care. I sit tight and fold most hands when I get 99 in the small blind. 1 limper and the button, Mr. Minraiser, minraises to 20K. At this point he has a ton of chips. I move all in quickly, then the BB pushes all in. He had more than me. Limper folds, and the button goes, "uhhhhhhh, uhhhhhhh, uhhhhhh, uhhhhhhh. I guess I'll call." I figure these boys for 3 overs. I was wrong to who had what though. I figured the uhhh guy for a weak Ace, I've seen him call all-ins with them, and the other guy for maybe K-Q. Minraiser had K-10 and the BB had A-5 sooooted. No real help on flop. Nothing on turn, then BAM, river 10. The guy who is horrible at cards now has even more chips.

I was steaming. I can't stand these players and would love to play them for real money. The odds couldn't work in their favor enough to make it worth their while.

Maybe I'll try again next week. We'll see.

GUMBY

My Tourney Play

2006-07-12T12:53:00.000-05:00

I played in a $4K Guaranteed rebuy at AbsolutePoker.com I played well with my original buy-in + 1 add on after the first hour. Payed the top 9 and I went out in 18th when my broadway straight with A-K lost to a full house on the river. Click here for image.

Badger Poker Freeroll

Last night, I went a played a live freeroll at a local bar through a group called Badger Poker. Around 80 people. Made some good plays early. We start with 10K in chips and get more for drinks and food so I began with 14K. Blinds start at 200-400 and get to 400-800 by the end of the first hour. So first hour play is usually wild.

Blinds 300-600. I limped in early position with K-J suited. I noticed that the pot was frequently uncontested pre-flop. BB raises. 4 to the flop. I've got position. Checks around on flop, no help to me. Turn, no apparent help to anybody, and the bettor bets. I call, other players fold. 2 to the river. I'm hoping for a small card so I can bluff him off his A-whatever. Small card and he checks. I make a 5K chip bets and he says you got it showoff. I didn't show my bluff and rake in a big one.

Right before the break, I won a coin flip with 10-10 against a guy's A-Q. Nice. Then this hand came up when tables were condensed. After the second break.

I was in the BB with A-Q and I don't look at my cards until it gets to me. Blinds 1K-2K. Guy I know as tight solid limps in mid position. This guy won a Badger Poker satellite in Vegas to get a buy-in to the WPT $5K event in Reno and busted out on the bubble in 45th or so place in the WPT event. Before I thought he was awful, but I think he has improved and plays fairly conservative.

Onward, SB calls and I make it 6K to go. He makes it 12K. SB folds, and now I'm thinking. What can he limp raise with here. Not utg and doesn't expect a raise from me because I play strong hands strong. I don't get aggressive with junk. As I'm thinking, I put him on pocket 7s at the highest pp. He may have A-K, but that probably would have raised too. So I'm either a coin flip or have him beat with a weaker ace. If I call and miss, I can get out, but I decide to move all in and he calls. What does he have? Pocket 6s. Good read and an even better move, especially when the flop doesn't have hit my hand. The turn does, making me a pair of aces and him a straight and flush draw. River blanks for a great double up.

Going down to the wire with 2 tables left, people are getting knocked out left and right. One girl gets lucky with K-Q against 3 other players. One with 9s, one with A-K, and another mucked. 2 players were all in preflop and she makes a pair of queens on flop and two pair kings and queens on the river. She has a mountain of chips now, but is to my right. She likes to see flops with garbage too, like K-6 os. She limped with it and I raised with my A-7 to grab her limp and the blinds.

I got lucky when we're down to 11 with A-5 spades against A-K os. I raised with 5 players, and tight old man goes all in. I don't have many chips so I'm stuck. I just hoped he had K-Q like he had before when he went all in. Nope. I hit runner-runner flush and am still alive. Player gets knocked out at other table so we combine to final table.

Blinds are now 5K-10K. I had about 75K so short stacked, but most of us were, except the mountain of chips girl. I don't play a hand until 2 are knocked out, then I try a steal with 4-5 diamonds and get reraised by aces. Oops! I get my chips in decent when 3 players are all in after I limp and would still had some chips left if I called and lost, only 15K. I call 3 short stack all ins with 4s and am looking at A-K, A-Q, and A-J. Not too bad. First card off is the case ace. Had a straight draw on turn, but it didn't hit.

Next hand all in blind for 15K in my BB. Mountain of chips girl says, "I'll donate from early position." What does she have 10-4 os? Nope, J-8 os and made a pair of 8s on river to beat my flopped pair of 4s. GG. I'm done in 6th place. I'm happy with my play. I could've played tigher and lasted, but I was trying to get lucky and afterall, it is a freeroll. Maybe next week. They have cash prizes next week anyways.

PPT

2006-07-10T11:27:00.000-05:00

I watched the Professional Poker Tour's first episode and I've got some feedback. The announcers are bad. It's hard to find pairs that work well together like the WSOP guys, and Mike and Vince. I'm surprised Mark Seif isn't playing in the PPT and got suckered into hosting.

Am I to understand that this tour is a freeroll for these players by exploiting them on the Travel Channel for however much money. I wonder how you get into this league. I see players that I don't recognize and there are only 130 or so professional players. I'm just waiting to see Chris Moneymaker play against all pros all the time in an actual tournament format. I don't consider Poker Superstars on Fox Sports to be a tournament, just luck. Push with good hands and hope you don't get cracked. Jen Harman had some solid hands snapped during heads up with Chris Ferguson. Back to Chris, he's AWFUL and the luckiest player out there. If I were to get lucky for a string of days during my poker career, I'd love it to be during the WSOP main event also. However, if I was as bad as Chris, I wouldn't buy into other events because he can only lose money. Chris Moneyloser.

Enough of that sidenote, back to the PPT. The main table was sooo boring. I understand that it's the beginning of a tourney, but at least put some players at the table that will talk to each other. Noli can barely speak English, Rice was silent, but not so deadly, and whoever that woman was didn't say 1 word. I was upset when Raymer bluffed off all his chips because he likes to chat at the table and I respect his play.

Lastly, there is applause with nobody watching the event live. It's like the laugh tracks of old. Remember the Flintstones? Was there a live audience watching that taping?

I'll get an update on my play when I get another chance to right, I just needed to rant.

Good Luck,

GUMBY

2nd Place, Wedding, TV, and Me

2006-06-26T11:13:00.000-05:00

I haven't written in some time so I need to get some updates posted.

2nd Place Shark Poker Tour Global Invite

This was a freeroll tourney that had around 100 or so people with $1000 added over 54 places. Only the final table paid more than $10. There was some controversy at first when players who didn't qualify registered. They ended up playing and actually taking some of the money away from regular SPT players. Good field of players and I ended up 2nd for $100. Not bad for about 4 hours of work. Plus, it was free to enter for me.

Friend's Wedding

Went to Iowa this past weekend for a good friend's wedding. My girlfriend and I got there Friday night, about a 3 hour drive there, and went to the rehearsal dinner. Stayed up fairly late and then crashed, pretty drunk. Great buffett in the morening, all free. Even better!

Saturday was the wedding and it was a blast. Saw a bunch of people from high school and drank just like we used to do in high school. My volleyball coach was there, a Brother, not colored, collared. A Christian Brother. Caught up on new times and reminisced about old times. Danced and drank, then went to hotel bar and danced and drank. Too much fun!

Sunday brunch was good. The drive home was terrible though. Hit a ton of bad weather in Illinois and then hit a shit ton of traffic in construction zone. Got home around 4ish and left around noon. 4 hours back, that sucked. We had to stop at a cheese place so my girlfriend could load up on some curds. Later on came the "my stomach hurts." I wonder why?

Mansion Poker Dome?

Last night, after we relaxed and at some dinner, I watched the Masion Poker Donkfest on Fox Sports. These players acutally won a tournament to get there. Most of them are horrible. This isn't the first time I've watched this show either. Last time I saw one player fold a set of 4s. No real danger on the board. Ok, whatever.

Last night, I saw a player fold the best hand twice. Once with A-Q and another time a different player folded A-K with top pair Kings, nut flush draw with a pair of queens on board on the turn. This is ridiculous poker. Players were limping all over the place with big hands, A-Q, then folding when they flop an ace. Guy called on flop after he took his time extension. It's speed poker after all. Then check, check turn. He then proceeded to fold on river to a big bet. WOW! What a joke this tournament is. I need to hit Mansion Poker because it seems like there are tons of donkeys there. Maybe I'll check it out.

My Play

I've been doing well at the tables. Not phenomenal, but good. I'm up to around $500 and I have another $150 in bonus money to clear. I keep doing the withdrawal and then deposit when they have their re-deposit bonuses at Absolute Poker. I'm waiting to get around $800-$1000 and then moving $600 over to Full Tilt for their initial deposit bonus of 100% up to $600. Clear that and I'll have around $2000.

I'll probably start cashing out my winnings once I hit $2500 and take out $500 at a crack. I'll try to keep it around 2K in my account and keep doing the bonuses at AP. I'm a VIP there so I get 30-35% unlike the normal 20%. I'll keep the updates coming whenever I can.

Remember to e-mail me with anything you got. pokergumby@hotmail.com

Good Luck at the tables,

GUMBY

$108

2006-06-16T10:01:00.000-05:00

I played in 2 tournaments at Absolute Poker last night. I played in a $5 Shark Poker Tour event that's held every Thursday night. Usually around 50-60 people with $200 added, paying 9 places, and a $20 bounty on the host's head makes for a good investment. There are also many great players so it helps your game out tremendously, unlike some events with donks everywhere. Those make for good paydays, but don't really help your game. I placed somewhere in the teens of that tournament.

I made a move in the middle when I called out of BB with 10-8 os and check raised when A-K-5 rainbow board hit. Player called and we checked down with another Ace hitting turn. He had K-10, what a call. I had only 900 chips left, so I decided that even if he didn't have an ace, he could, and more importantly, WOULD call. I was left short stacked, got up to around 2400 and lost some in the blinds that were getting bigger, then moved all in with 6s for about 1200. Got called by QQ and lost. Oh well.

Early, I would have been a monster chip leader and wouldn't have to make these types of plays had I called out of small blind when I would've hit 2 pair. Another hand, limped in late position with A-3 hearts for 20 and SB makes it 200. A few callers, but felt that it wasn't the right time. Would've flopped nut flush draw. Flop gets checked around with K high, turn brings another heart. Could've had at least a 1200 chip pot. Shit! Lots of could ofs would ofs in poker. That's how it is. We learn from our play and move on.

I was playing in a $10 3-table sit n go at Absolute also and was chip leader throughout most of it. I took out 3 players at the first table. Flopped a set of 5s with an ace on board. Those are the best money makers, and I'm not talking about Chris the douchebag. He's the luckiest fucker ever. I guess I would rather be lucky than good at the WSOP main event also. Anywho, I kept chippin' away and become a monster chip leader at my table. Made it down to the final 9, paid 5, a slight chip leader when we combined tables. Perfect position with the aggressive player with 2nd most chips to my right. I'm gonna win this I thought.

One by one, they were knocked off. I get a sweet flop when I called from SB with 7-4. Thought about folding, but there was only 5 players left, TIme to get lucky and BAM! 4-7-7. FUCK YEAH! Check, check, check. Turn 3. I bet small, around 600. Gets raised by BB to 1500. Limper folds, I re-raise and get called. River 3. Now I hope he has a 7 because he's going broke. I bet out small enough, around 1800, to get called and hopefully raised. He just calls and I show my monster. I'll take that huge pot thank you. Check the replay and he had ROCKETS! I said thanks for not raising pre-flop. He said nothing. He was slow playing a lot of hands throughout the tourney. He limped with KK and got a guy to go all-in after him with 10s on the final table bubble.

We get down to 3 and then it gets real fun. Good player (GP) who limps with monsters to my left, aggro on my right. Me and aggro are about even around 17K with GP around 5K. Aggro is very aggressive for about 15 minutes and I've got the chip lead on him. Then this hand comes up. I'm in BB with A-6 spades, aggro raises, I re-raise, he goes all-in and I quickly call. He has K-8 diamonds. Flop A-DIAMOND-DIAMOND. I'm like yes, shit. I only saw the Ace for a second. Turn blank, river 6. I make 2 pair, he makes third place money for his efforts. YEE HAW! I've got over 30K and GP has around 6K. Figured I'll take my time and I did.

We played for a while and then the blinds got to 600-1,200 and he had around 5K left. Finally, we both get our money in. I have K-2, he's got A-8. Flop comes 2-2-x. Very good game I say. He says the same. Got a little lucky at the end, but would still have had a chip lead on him. It was a hard fought battle with him pushing all-in on a few occassions, then me doing the same. We saw a few flops with no help to either of us and just checking down. With monster chips, I didn't want to give him any more than I had to and just waited for my spot. Good days effort -$5 for Shark Poker Tour buy-in. -$11 for sit n go buy-in. +$108 for tourney win = $92. Not bad. And I won $4 playing limit while I was at the final table. Overall good day, and gives me an ego boost, knowing I can play some good solid poker. Post some comments if you got any. I would like to see who is reading my blog, if anybody.

Thanks and Good Luck,

GUMBY

Big Blind Play in Limit

2006-06-13T11:31:00.000-05:00

This was a good article that Jennifer Harman wrote on how to play the big blind in limit hold 'em. Just thought I'd share it.

In Limit Hold 'em, the big blind is one of the toughest position to play. You're out of position, and that's never a good thing, but usually, you'll be getting excellent odds to continue with the hand. Against a single opponent who has raised, you'll be getting better than 3 to 1 and, in most hands, you're no more than a 2 to 1 dog. The problem is, you'll often find yourself going into the flop with shaky cards and, at that point, you're sure to face some tough decisions.

Before I talk about some tricky situations that develop in the big blind, I want to note that you can make your life a little easier by folding some hands pre-flop. If you're holding a medium Ace and you're facing an early position raise from a player who you know plays only good cards up front, then fold. It may seem like you're getting a nice price to continue, but in this spot, you're only going to get into trouble. When you miss the flop completely, it's going to be tough to continue and, if you hit an Ace, you may lose a lot to a hand that has you dominated. I'd rather play 6-7 against an early position raise from a tight player than A-7.

There are some hole cards that are just hopeless. If I'm facing a raise from any position and I find something like J-2, T-3, or 9-4. I'm going to surrender the hand.

The really difficult situations arise when you hold a mediocre hand, something like A-8 or pocket 6s, and you face a raise from late position. Many players will raise with just about anything in the cutoff or on the button, so it's tough to know where you stand with these medium strength hands.

What should you do?

Unfortunately, there are no easy answers. My best advice is to vary your play so as to take advantage of a particular opponent's tendencies. For example, if you hold A-8 in the big blind and face a late-position raise from a player who tends to be a little weak after the flop, you should probably re-raise pre-flop and then follow up with a bet on the flop most of the time. Against this type of player, this kind of action will force a lot of folds.

If the opponent who raises in late position is tricky and very aggressive post flop, I'll often call the pre-flop raise and then check-raise on most flops, whether or not I got a piece of the board. Even if the check-raise doesn't win the pot, this move helps keep a tough, aggressive player off balance.

Of course, you'll need to consider the flop as you move forward in the hand. If you call a pre-flop raise with pocket 6s and see a flop of T-Q-K, there's little point in going to war. Give your opponent credit for a hand that beats yours and look for a better spot. But this doesn't mean that you should be willing to give up on anything less than top pair.

Against a single opponent, I'll play second pair pretty aggressively. Sometimes, I'll lead at the pot with this hand, and sometimes, I'll check-raise with it. Taking this aggressive approach with a shaky hand allows me to play my big hands in the same manner. When my opponents see me check-raise, they won't know if I'm making this play with as little as second pair or as much as a set.

As I said earlier, playing from the big blind in limit poker is tricky. In my opinion, it's one of the toughest spots in all of poker. My best advice is that you should stay alert to your opponent's tendencies and look to mix up your play. If you're on your game, it will be tough for other players to put you on a hand while you'll have a pretty good idea of what they're doing.

Good luck.

Jennifer Harman

Cincinnati Trip

2006-06-12T14:06:00.000-05:00

I went to Cincinnati for a few Cubbies games this weekend. Had a blast. Rented a car and went with my girlfriend, my brother, and his wife. Car was nice, a Nissan Moreno, sp? It was an SUV with no AC. Brand new car, no air. Wasn't too bad for the ride back, but the ride down there was a little warm.

We left on Friday morning, got to Enterprise, and they don't take check cards without a bunch of shit. So we left an hour late. No huge deal. Picked up my brother and sister-in-law, and headed to Cincy. Traffic through Chicago sucked ass.

Pretty uneventful trip down. We stopped at a Wendy's for food, and they were in no hurry to get our food. It took longer than a fast food place should. About 10 people doing the job of 4. We weren't that far south. I'd hate to see how slow it gets the father south you go.

Arrive in Cincy about an hour and a half before gametime. They have a "Manager's Reception." AKA Open Bar! Sweet, let's save some $$$ by drinking a few before the game. Nice!

Left a about 15 minutes before gametime and walked across the river. We stayed in Kentucky. Beautiful day Friday was. Headed to our seats, and it took about 10 minutes to find them. We walked up and up and up, then we had to walk down and down and down. Got to our seats, pretty nice. Upper deck bleachers in left field. First row in second section, nobody in front of us, sun in our face.

Game went well, unlikely hero Henry Blanco hits 3 RBIs and Maddog gets his 325th or 335? Summin' like dat. Go grab some food after the game by our hotel and go to sleep. We're tired!

Saturday morning get some breakfast. They have a free for guests buffet with a omlette cook. Didn't get that Saturday, but would definitley on Sunday. We get ready, trying to switch our car (never happens), then take a shuttle to Levee something. They've got food, shops, stuff like that. AND, Gameworks, a place with games. We eat lunch at a sweet Irish Pub called Claddagh. I wasn't too hungry so I just split an appetizer with my brother. Great food and atmosphere. It felt like a real Irish Pub, not like I'd know, but if I were to guess what it would be like, that was it.

It started to pour, so we, actually I, decided to go to Gameworks. Got a card with points for $22. Played some racing games with everybody and did fairly well. My girlfriend was still talkin' smack about beating me a those mini-hoops games so I had to woop her ass. ALL 3 GAMES! He He!

Screwed around in there for a while, then we went back to the hotel. Hung out until the Manager's Reception started at 5:30. The game on Saturday was at 6:10 so we didn't have as long to drink. I managed to have 5, 16 oz. beers in a half hour. Holy Cow did I feel it later. Took a roadie with me and ended up spilling some of it when I tripped on my sister-in-laws foot when we were trying to kick each other in the ass. Laughed my ass off!

They're calling for rain, so we didn't mind making it into the game in the 2nd inning. Long story short, get wasted, Barrett hits a grand salami, I make an ass out of myself, go home and pass out, forgetting the last hour of the night.

Sunday morning, get hangover omelette. It's amazing. Have only 1 plate of food compared to 3 on Saturday morning, then head for home. Stopped at a Bob Evans on the way home, pretty good, but made us gassy. Have a run in with some douchebags in a Mercedes. Not from America and can't f%*#ing drive. Trying to impress the girls in the front seat, they speed up and break, speed up and break. Cut us off, and that's when the fingers started flying. A$$HOLES!

Total trip, about 14 hours in the car. Make it there and back in 2 tanks of gas, not bad. Returned the car this morning. Good trip! Next year, who knows?

GUMBY

What to do with $100?

2006-06-12T11:18:00.000-05:00

If I had $100 to deposit, I'd use the links on my page to get a bankroll (BR) going. I'd start with Bugsy's Club 100% deposit bonus and get an added $100. Bugsy's Club has many low buy-in ring games and small buy-in tourneys and decent leagues if you like to play a lot. I've finished in the money of the leagues a few times, but don't play there that often anymore. After I cleared the bonus of at least break even poker, I'd move to another site. BR up to $200.

I'd then move to another site. I'd use the Full Tilt Poker link and get a 100% deposit bonus again, giving me at least an extra $200, hopefully more. I'd move up limits to at least .50/1 with $25 buy-ins which leaves me with 8 buy-ins. Once again, play break even poker which leaves me with $400.

I'd then move to yet another site, Absolute Poker, get another 100% deposit bonus for an extra $400, at least. Clear that bonus at break even poker, leaves me with $800.

Now, I'd stay at Absolute, because first of all, I'd get rakeback which is added money at the end of each month. Secondly, they have a ton of deposit bonuses each week. All you have to do is transfer your money back and forth from the Neteller account to get these bonuses, usually 20-30%. Take out $300, put it back in during deposit time and get $60-$90. Not bad for doing nothing. You can do this each week.

See the pattern. You can play with the site's money, play decent enough poker not to lose, then get some money. Keep moving up levels, and if you do poorly, move back down. Play some $10-$20 buy-in tourneys and hope for a decent payday.

Keep it up and have some fun. E-mail me with any questions.
pokergumby@hotmail.com

Trip report from Cubbies games from Cincinatti forthcoming!

GUMBY

Accomplished Goals?

2006-06-05T12:36:00.000-05:00

I set goals for the month of May. How did I do you ask? Not too bad.

1. I did make it to graduation. My whole family was there which is nice because we don't get together all that often.

2. I got an A- for the class with a project and may actually have a consulting job through our client. Extremely part-time, but still extra $$$.

3. I got another bartending job, which will help pay the bills while I work on getting a book together to find a real job.

4. Just started working on some pro-bono work to get my book going.

5. Definitely played more poker, sometimes better, sometimes not. I'm up, but I'd like to make it up $400 so I can start playing some 2/4 games.

6. Haven't hit the gym yet. First day is tomorrow.

7. The Cubs have been sad. I'm not enjoying watching them lately, except for last weekend against the Cards. They were actually hitting the ball and had more confidence. Can't wait to see them in Cincinatti next weekend. Road trip report to come.

Overall, I'd say pretty good for the month. I need to set goals every month now so I can keep myself on path to becoming a better me. I put goals for June up hopefully tomorrow. New bed arrives tomorrow. Might try it out in the afternoon.

GUMBY

Absolute Cash

2006-06-01T20:18:00.000-05:00

Took 7th in a $5 tourney. 172 players. Cashed $27. Not as good as the last one, but still money and experience. Getting better and more patient. Finding the players I can push off pots and using that info to keep my money rising.

Put some info about it on the Shark Poker Tour Forum. Playing in one of the $5 tourneys on Absolute right now. Check out the forum. http://sharkpokertour.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=8856#8856

GUMBY

Live Tourney Play

2006-06-01T16:26:00.000-05:00

Got a question. When playing in live tournaments, do you look at your cards when you get them or when the action gets to you?

Personally, I always wait until the action gets to me to look at my cards. There are 2 reasons that I do this.

To watch the other players and see what they are doing. Some look at their chips, while others just get uninterested in playing anymore. These are both tells that can help you escape some bad situations. With bad players though, they may think they have a better hand than they actually do. A-4 suited looks like a monster to some.
This allows you to not give away the strength of your hand by you doing some of those tells that you are looking for in your opponents.

If anybody has an opinion, let me know. Everybody plays differently and there's no absolutes in poker.

Good Luck,

GUMBY

New Look

2006-05-26T15:10:00.000-05:00

Couple things. I've updated the look of my blog and feel that it is easier to read. I like it. Give me some feedback on it.

I played in a $2 buy-in tourney last night on Absolute Poker, just looking to kill some time. What I did was kill the competition. 275 entrants, $125 for first. Not too bad for such a little investment. I was middle stack most of the way. Worked myself up to second in chips. Back to middle of the road at final table, then I limped with AA utg (under the gun). One caller, then the BB raises, I push all in. Limper folds, BB calls. Pocket 8s. I survive a little longer.

Started heads up, 3-1 ahead on chips. That didn't last. Played HU for about 20 minutes. Tight play and we both got lucky at points. Great hand when I flop the nuts with J-9 os. I check, he checks. Turn 7 pairs the board. I bet. He raises. Sweet, he's got a 7. I go all in and he calls quick. Board doesn't pair and get big lead.

Last hand blinds were big and I raise enough to pot commit. He's got JJ. I catch a straight on the river with K-5 os. HEHE! Sometimes it pays to get lucky. Overall, I played well and got lucky when I needed to. I was only an underdog in hands when I played HU. Not too shabby!

Lastly, if anybody signs up through me and plays 100 raked hands of .50/1 or higher at Absolute, I will send you 2 decks of playing cards free. I pay the shipping. You will also get the famous rakeback. E-mail me with any questions.

Good Luck,
GUMBY

Update

2006-05-19T12:55:00.000-05:00

I'm going to update my blog as soon as I get the time. I've got much to say. I'm also going to redo the layout and colors. If anybody has any input, let me know. pokergumby@hotmail.com I'm trying to get back into playing a little.

Thanks

Goals for the Month

2006-05-01T15:47:00.000-05:00

I am beginning to set my goals for the month of May. It's going to be a busy one.

Graduate and then make it to the ceremony (best friend's bachelor party the night before, 2 states away)
Finish class project so I CAN graduate
Find another job to support myself (poker doesn't count) which will probably be another bartending job
Begin work on my portfolio
Play more poker and more importantly BETTER poker to make some moolah
Go the gym to get a summer body, not winter luggage
Watch more Cubs' games

I'll let you know how each of these went or are going. Shit, just got knocked out of tourney with Aces. I raised the hand before UTG with A-Qos and stole the blinds uncontested. Next hand UTG raises to $180 (blinds 30/60) and I re-raise to $385. I have about 1K left and he moves all-in quickly with 9s, I call fast. The fucker flops a set.

Just a $1 two-table sit 'n go, but I'm still pissed after I played so well, laying down a shit ton of hands when I knew I was beat and getting short-stacked. Then getting some back and this jagweed decides his 9s are good. Added to the list, take the few dollars I have in my sites and turn them into $100 at each site. I got $10 free from Absolute. I got $50 free from Pokershare. $10 free from Royal Vegas Poker. Lastly, I still have a few bucks in Full Contact Poker and Poker Champs.

I guess I'll be playing an enormous amount of low buy in tourneys and ring games. We'll see how that turns out.

Good Luck at the tables,

GUMBY

Party Off!

2006-04-25T23:09:00.000-05:00

I took Party Poker off of my blog because I don't believe in them. Not like they can't succeed, because clearly they can. I don't believe that they care about the poker players of the world, only aboot (not a typo) their $$$.

Party has Party Points. Well, everything that I worked to save up has been deleted because I haven't played there in a while. Why should I?

They don't give me re-deposit bonuses.
I hate the way players jump in and out of games so quickly.
I like the huge tourneys, but I'd rather give my money elsewhere.
They have few incentives for their players.
Lastly, I get rakeback through other sites, which Party doesn't offer.

There it is. I'm done with Party, not forever, but for a while. The only reason to go back and play there would be for large satellite tourneys or large tournaments. They have the largest. Oh, and their homepage. Have you seen it. What web developer put this thing together? I put better webpages together and I'm not good. Get a free template or something. Wow!

I've noticed that my counter at the bottom of my webpage keeps going up. That's good. I'd like to hear from some people that regularly read it, so I can improve on the content that I post.

Do I need more hand examples?
Do I need more tourney reports?
Do I need more strategy sessions?

pokergumby@hotmail.com

Good Luck,

GUMBY

$750 BONUS

2006-04-22T12:35:00.000-05:00

I wish this was available when I first started playing here. Absolute Poker is having a 100% deposit bonus, up to $750. Click on Absolute Poker or the title and use AP750 when depositing. This is a limited time offer, so do this ASAP!

Tourney Report

Played with some friends last night at a church (don't know how it's legal) and had a great time. We had 5 show for the first game which I took second and got my money back. Second game with 6 players, went out when a calling station extrordinaire, called with a better hand than me. No pair, better ace. Questionable but he ended up second. He can play anytime he wants.

I'll have more on my strategy in another post for these short games, but I don't have time right now. If you want details, e-mail me at pokergumby@hotmail.com.

Good Luck,

GUMBY

Friday Tourney

2006-04-20T15:26:00.000-05:00

I'm trying to get a tournament together this Friday. It'll be a $30 buy-in with $5 bounties, just to make things more interesting. If anybody is interested, let me know.

Gavin Shmavin

2006-04-13T12:06:00.000-05:00

I watched the WPT last night, where Harrington, Minh Ly, and Gavin Smith were the final 3 left. From everything I've seen from Gavin, I don't like him. This stems from more than one viewing of him.

I read an article where he was talking about people saying that Daniel Negreanu was the best Canadian player eh. He was saying that he is better than DN and is from Canada. This season will give him some credibility towards that statement, but it won't give him any fans. I believe that being humble and not saying, "Where's my notoriety? Waaa, waaa, waaa!"

That's bullshit! You get notoriety by being an asshole, I think you're almost there, or by playing well, you're almost there too. I think Gavin is a good tough player. He takes the Gus Hansen style of hand selection and is aggressive. He may be the Gus Hansen of the WPT Season 4. A couple wins. Who knows? Time will tell.

On a sidenote, has anybody noticed that Hansen never sees a final table during the WSOP? Why is that? Just a thought.

Good Luck,

GUMBY

Live 2/4

2006-04-06T00:01:00.000-05:00

Okay, so the Neteller incident is cleared up. I will be getting ALL of my money back. Phew! I will be changing my bank accounts once I set up a new checking account strictly for Neteller and online pokah.

What I forgot to post, since I was so pissed about that, was I played some 2/4 at the Potawatomi poker room. A friend called and said he was itchin'. He's been on a roll lately so I decided to go with him. He sat 3/6 and won $60. I sat 2/4 and...well, we'll see.

Called ahead, went to poker room to check in, got a pager. Went to sign my friend up for a player's club card and he got the receptionist's digits. I ended up sitting down a little while after my buddy got his table. Fairly long wait, and expensive. Lost $60 playing roulette. Shit! All the blackjack tables were full and I was itching when I walked in the door.

Get called for the table, get my rack, sit down, and wait to post. Only 3 hands, shows I'm patient and solid, so I thought. The table was nice, very few raises pre-flop and lots of limpers. This would help later. The only solid players were to my immediate right and left. Cool. Easy to see what they were doing.

I knew I was leaving around 7-7:30 no matter how I was doing. This helped because I actually didn't get antsy to play. Figured I would remain around even, which I did, until picking up some hands. Lost a little when this one came up. I limped in late position with 5-7 clubs. Not usually a hand I'd play, but like I said, lots of limpers. Flop comes King high with 2 clubs. When it comes to me, there's already a bunch of callers, so I raise to make a bigger pot. A few end up folding, my tight image has worked slightly.

3 players to the turn, no club. Guy to my right bets, I call, guy to his right calls. River club, no pair. Sweet. Check, bet, I raise. First guy goes into tank for a minute, then calls, and another call. I say I got flush. First player waits to see then flips over his 8-3 of clubs. Wow! How he plays that makes me wonder. He almost folded the river too. Why would he go to river with that then fold if he hit? I can't answer that.

Not much else happens for another hour. Take some small ones, play pretty well. Like this hand. Flop of King high with 5 people in. I'm in BB and flop a pair of 10s. Check around. Turn 3d, which makes 3 diamonds on board. I bet, 2 callers. River diamond. I check, early position player bets, guy who plays 8-3 clubs calls. I know I'm beat with a 10 high flush and fold. Early position had Ad-Jh. Good fold and turn bet. Only lost $4.

Getting ready to leave soon, around 6:30. I get QQ in a kill pot and raise to $8. 2 callers, small blind and some guy in late position (LP). Flop comes Queen high with 2 spades. Check, I bet, LP raises. SB folds, I just call hoping to suck him in. Turn 10, which makes a straight possible with J-9. I check, LP bets $8 and I raise to $16. He thinks, then folds. I don't show, but tell them I had a set of queens. LP says, "so did I." What? "With a jack." Oh. Whatever, I had $16 from him. I only raised because I worried about the straight coming. Good raise, he could have hit it.

About to leave, when I get AA on the button. Once again, limpers galore. I raise and get everybody to call. 8-5-2 rainbow. Somebody bets, and I raise. 2 callers to the 5 on the turn. Check, check, I bet. 2 callers to the river. 3. Check, check, I bet. First guy says, "somebody has to have a pair better than an 8," and folds. Old man calling station calls and I show my aces. He mucks.

I've only been to the casino to play poker a few times there, but I recognize some of the players and notice they are calling stations. This guy was one of them. I wait until the blinds get back around, then cash out. Up $88 on the session, $28 for the day. On the way out, my buddy and I pick up some used casino decks of cards. They're free. Why not? I've got a number of them at my house, in my car, in my backpack. You never know.

The poker room at Potawatomi has 10 tables. I suggest you call ahead. http://www.paysbig.com/gaming/poker.htm

Good Luck,

GUMBY

Neteller Update

2006-04-04T10:17:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I got a hold of somebody and they told me that they, Neteller, closed my account when they realized that fraudulent activity was going on. Why didn't they notify me? I don't know.

What that are doing is reimbursing me for all funds lost. Sweet! It might take a few days, but I know that I will get it back. I changed all my passwords, QUICKLY!

I learned a lesson and will be opening a checking account strictly for Neteller and poker. I will only have a few bucks in there and will deposit to it when I want to make deposits to Neteller and my poker accounts. I'll withdrawal from Neteller and then withdrawal from that checking account.

B+ for Neteller.

I think they should have contacted me, not the other way around.
The representative in the investigations department didn't return his messages.
Account info will be changed.
I will be getting everything that was stolen back.

Hope this doesn't happen to anybody else. Protect yourself as best you can. Fraud happens.

GUMBY

Neteller Fraud

2006-04-04T09:51:00.000-05:00

I woke up Monday morning for opening day, made some coffee, and checked my e-mail. Before I decide to shut my computer off, I check my bank account. Then I see the bad news. There was 2 withdrawals totaling over $800 into my Neteller account. Shit! I didn't do that.

I frantically try to login to Neteller and it says my account is closed. I call Neteller and they are receptive, but not that smart. I must e-mail the investigations department and I wait. What do I do? I go to the game and drink more than anybody should. Wow.

Hung out with some friends, played some 3 man (it's a dice game) and made it into the game for maybe 2 innings. I didn't watch any of it. Found some other friends inside, then came back out to drink some more. Go to bar, play some cribbage, go home at 8:30 because I have to work at 10. Didn't drive home or to work. I check my e-mail when I get home and they say they have recovered some of the funds. I can't talk to anybody that knows anything, they're not there. Call back during business hours. Well, I did that and they still aren't available. I need that money NOW, not in a week. Rent, car payment, bills. I'm in college and broke. THIS SHIT AIN'T COOL!

And it wasn't busy at work so I just took a nap there and had my girlfriend pick me up. Daytime hangovers suck.

GUMBY

How to for Ganstas

2006-04-01T21:38:00.000-06:00

This is awesome! What a douchebag. Click the title to go to the article or "How To Create a Gansta Roll."

Free XBox

2006-03-29T23:21:00.000-06:00

Pokershare is back in business. I just received an e-mail on Monday telling me that the Pokershare name is back and the dispute they had with Ultimate Bet (UB) is settled.

For those of you who don't know what happened, here it is. Pokershare was a skin of Ultimate Bet. It's good software and they knew it. What Pokershare did was offer players a percentage of the overall earnings of the site. So quarterly, based on the earnings of the site, they would put this money in a trust.

This trust would then dish out the money to the players based on how many "Share Points" they have. These points never expire and they accumulate. So the longer you play there, the more points you would have, and the more $$$$ you would make.

Now, UB, aka Big Brother, was pissed off because they were stealing players away from them. This led to the closing of every U.S. account they held at the drop of a hat. They didn't tell anybody and just sent checks. Everybody held their breath hoping to get the money the had in their account. We all got every penny. Phew!

This was in November and everybody swore they would never play there again. Well, tempers settled and Pokershare has given all the old players their points back and some cash in their account based on how many points they had. I got $50 for having around 1800 points. They have now implemented a store where you can go spend these "Share Points."

Some of the things they have in their store:

Cash---> Trade points for money
Tourney buy-ins---> Like WSOP and hotel packages for it
Clothing & Accessories---> Coming Soon
Poker Items---> Chips, cards, books, DVDs, tables, etc.
Electronics---> PSP, XBox, Ipods, laptops, etc.
Get this one, CARS---> Prius, Porsche, H2, Bentley

Wow! So if you play there enough, you can buy yourself a car. Maybe I'll have that many points someday. I'm not sure if I'll play there or not, but I'll give it a chance. They gave me $50 so they can't be all bad. Not sure on how the software is either. If it's good, maybe I'll stay. If it's bad, then no way!

I'll become an affiliate whenever I can so I can hopefully pass on more savings and benefits to my players. Rakeback and deposit boni.

Good Luck,

GUMBY

Great Caller!

2006-03-22T15:59:00.000-06:00

Home Game Report

This is a good one. $25 buy-in, 2 tables, 14 people, top 3 pay, $200 for first. Not a bad turnout.

First tourney

We start with 2500 in chips, blinds 25-50. Few decent hands. Stole some blinds early from button, then got A-K on button, raise again from button. BB calls, flop an ace, bet, BB folds. Show hand.

Few hands later, in BB get 5-5. One limper, SB calls, I raise to 300. Limper calls. Flop Q-4-2. I bet 400. Immediate raise. I go into the tank. Thinking, apologize to table. I put him on Q-J or Q-10 suited. Probably Q-J. Can I raise him out? NO, I've played with him before, I know he'd call with that. I fold. He shows the Q-J diamonds. Nice laydown.

Not even in this hand, but wanted to share it. Pre-flop aggressor and very good aggressive player raises to 300. One call, then re-raise by a very tight player. I'm in small blind with K-Q spades, I gone. Raiser calls, callers calls, 3 to the flop. Q hearts- x hearts- x. Raiser goes all in. Caller and re-raiser call. WTF can they all have? Turn x- heart. Caller goes all in and re-raiser calls. Didn't see what raiser had, but caller made nut flush with A-10 hearts and re-raiser had K-K. River doesn't matter.

Good pre-flop fold! Two players out in one hand. Then a few hands later, this comes up, my last hand.

I raise to 400 one off the button with A-4 os, button calls. Flop is 9-9-10. I bet 300, call. Turn 10. I go into tank, look at him, then move all in. Knew he didn't have it, he calls in about 3 seconds. Nice call, good game. I turn over my hand, he doesn't turn his over until after river. He turns over 7-8 off suit. Sweet, horrible call, I win. NOPE! River 6. HOLY DONKFUCKER! Are you serious? What kind of a call was that? Party Poker play money? He's invited to every one of my homegames.

Second Tourney

At some Chinese food, then played in another small tourney. $10, 5 players, winner take all. Played solid, didn't catch cards. I thanked myself for playing so tight when I folded A-6 os after a solid tight player raised. That's a solid starting hand with 5 players. BB calls. Flop A-6-3 rainbow. Shit, I folded a winner. NOPE! Raiser bets flop, then shows AA. Boy do I feel good.

I get short stacked when small blind flops three 6s. Oh well. It's stop or go time. I'm in sb with A-Q hearts. Button raises, I go all in knowing he'll call. He does with A-9 and flops a 9. Oh well, good game. Not as bad as the last tourney.

Don't have much time to do that again, but will be looking forward to the next one in a few months.

Good Luck,

GUMBY

Poker Tricks

2006-03-20T15:31:00.000-06:00

Hey guys,

Click the title to go to a website that has incredible information about online poker play. These are secrets that pros don't want you to know about. No obligation to buy, but just check it out. You might find some useful information.

GUMBY

pokergumby@hotmail.com

Sorry About Stacks

2006-03-17T00:18:00.000-06:00

I'm putting a post here to apologize on behalf of a totally unprofessional site, Stacks Poker. I endorsed them hoping to play on what seemed to be some of the coolest software on the net. I know that some of you signed up through me and I apologize. I can get you a better deal elsewhere!! Just e-mail me. pokergumby@hotmail.com

They apparently went under about 3 weeks ago and never told anybody. All it would have taken is an hour to e-mail all the affiliates so that they could realize that this site would never happen. There are tons of sites out there and they need us more than we need them.

Once again, I'm sorry to those who registered for Stacks.

GUMBY

My Rakeback

2006-03-14T19:48:00.000-06:00

I received my rakeback for February today and it was $641. Holy #@%*! I knew it was over $500, but didn't realize by how much. You can get the same amount of money back each month by registering at Absolute Poker through me.

It's a great incentive to register through an affiliate that is trustworthy enough and can get you money back every month. I am that trustworthy person you are looking for. Just a college student, about to graduate. For those who want to know more about me, go to MySpace and find me. www.myspace.com/keithalberts

Good luck at the tables,

GUMBY

Home Game

2006-03-13T16:49:00.000-06:00

Hey guys,

I'm having a home tourney at my place on Tuesday March 21. $25 buy in and $5 for food and booze. I'll either get subs or pizza. I'm on spring break so I'll have some time to actually play a little.

E-mail me ASAP so I can get a good head count, and if it's big enough, possibly move to a larger location. My friend has more room at his place. I can fit around 15 comfortably.

Thanks,

GUMBY

New Players

2006-03-08T18:23:00.000-06:00

New Player Suggestions!

1) Click the link on right for Bugsy's Club. This is where I started. A lot of low limit games and great low buy-in tourneys. Deposit what you can, you get a 50% bonus, up to $300. Play low limits until you clear bonus, then move up.

2) Buy, here's the important part, and read Lee Jones' Low Limit Hold 'Em.

3) Once you have $500, change sites. I suggest using the link for Absolute Poker. You get a 100% bonus, up to $500 which clears quickly at 2/4 and above. You also get 20% rakeback through me, which can add up at the end of the month.

4) Improve your game through forums and study.

Ask me if you have any questions.

Good Luck,

GUMBY

20% Rakeback

2006-03-02T14:00:00.000-06:00

I have decided to take a pay cut and offer my players a better deal. I am offering anyone who registers through me a 20% rakeback. This is an awesome deal. I am receiving over $500 back for the month of February, but as the last post shows, I'm not going to be playing for a few months.

Some of my players are getting around $30-$40 back this month. You can get more by getting better and moving up to higher limits of play. It is an awesome system where you can cut your losses and improve your winnings. I wouldn't play without it.

You also get a 100%, $300 deposit bonus and they give re-load bonuses every week. Ask me how that works.

E-mail me with any questions you have.

Good Luck,

GUMBY

Busted Up!

2006-03-01T16:24:00.000-06:00

Okay, so I've taken a beating ($1000 in a week) and am taking a small retreat from poker. I will still be posting, but not as often. I walk away a winner, but would like to be a bigger winner.

I am a continued student of the game, so I will keep learning and teaching. I'll get back to it hard after school's over. I get good rakeback and there are bad players out there.

Good Luck,

GUMBY

Unpoker Related

2006-02-21T04:42:00.000-06:00

This post is completely unpoker related, but interesting.

I work as a bartender at a nightclub in Milwaukee. From time to time we get athletes that come in. Recently, Kyle Orton was in to take some time off from actually getting better. We also have some regulars that are Milwaukee Bucks players. I'll keep them anon.

Monday night is a busy night, we do $1 martinis for women until midnight. No, it's not fun making a shit ton of martinis. The New Jersey Nets are in town to play a game on Tuesday night against the Bucks. Needless to say, NBA players like to go out and party, and that's what the Nets' players were doing. I served Vince Carter and some of the other Net players and they seemed like genuinely nice guys.

It was cool to see such a big name NBA player hanging out in a baseball cap and baggy clothes. He took some pictures, but not many. He was just having fun with his friends (crew), drinking Hennessy.

That's my interesting story.

GUMBY

Online Pro

2006-02-19T21:25:00.000-06:00

I am watching Daniel Negreanu play at Full Contact Poker right now. He's playing $500-$1000 limit HU (heads up) against a guy named AllTheWomen. Daniel's handle is KidPoker.

I've noticed that he enjoys check-raising and seems to call many hands to the river. He has over $82,000 in front of him and All has around $54,000. This amount has been going back and forth throughout the session. I've been checking the amounts for about an hour and they keep moving back and forth.

There are a lot of weird plays. It seems like they're both amateurs:

Calling/raising with gutshot draws
Calling to river with bottom pair
Calling to the river with any pocket pair
Calling with 4 card flush on board with bottom flush

Just a lot of over aggressive play.

Update, Daniel over $90,000. Just won a $9,000 pot with 2 pair. Now over $100,000 with trip 10s. Up and down, up and down. It's fun to watch. I recommend it. It sure beats losing a shit ton.

GUMBY

Good Article

2006-02-15T19:35:00.000-06:00

Here's a good article from Card Player magazine. Click the title to get to it. It talks about the differences between playing in a casino and playing online.

Ring Games Busted

2006-02-14T12:01:00.000-06:00

I saw this story and thought I should pass it along. Click the title for link. I guess some of the players were playing 1/2 and the club has a book with a list of players and phone numbers. Makes you think twice about playing at home... not really.

Nice Pot!

2006-02-13T20:39:00.000-06:00

Check this one out!

Stage #292977291: Holdem Normal $5/$10 - 2006-02-13 21:28:48 (ET)Table: KALAMAZOO (Real Money) Seat #5 is the dealerSeat 5 - GUMBY55 ($468.50 in chips)Seat 7 - PUCCININY ($107 in chips)Seat 8 - YQZGFZ ($320 in chips)Seat 2 - POPPY5353 ($357.70 in chips)Seat 4 - PK HOPE ($286 in chips)PUCCININY - Posts small blind $3YQZGFZ - Posts big blind $5*** POCKET CARDS ***Dealt to GUMBY55 [Js Kd] POPPY5353 - Calls $5PK HOPE - FoldsGUMBY55 - Raises $10 to $10PUCCININY - FoldsYQZGFZ - FoldsPOPPY5353 - Calls $5*** FLOP *** [Kh Jh Jc]POPPY5353 - ChecksGUMBY55 - Checks*** TURN *** [Kh Jh Jc] [10s]POPPY5353 - Bets $10GUMBY55 - Raises $20 to $20POPPY5353 - Raises $20 to $30GUMBY55 - Raises $20 to $40POPPY5353 - Calls $10*** RIVER *** [Kh Jh Jc 10s] [10c]POPPY5353 - Bets $10GUMBY55 - Raises $20 to $20POPPY5353 - Raises $20 to $30GUMBY55 - Raises $20 to $40POPPY5353 - Calls $10*** SHOW DOWN ***GUMBY55 - Shows [Js Kd] (Full house, jacks full of kings) POPPY5353 - MucksGUMBY55 Collects $185 from main pot

Busy Schedule

2006-02-10T18:17:00.000-06:00

Just putting a post up to say that I'll be busy this semester. I'll try to place updates here every 2-3 weeks. Right now, I've leveled out a little. Probably going to buy a laptop with my winnings and start all over again. It's fun to play low limits and build up your bankroll.

I'll be getting my rakeback in about a week and I'll let you know what that amount was. Over $200, but not sure on the exact amount.

Keep playing aggressive.

Good Luck,

GUMBY

Tourney Cash

2006-02-02T10:36:00.000-06:00

Doing well at Absolute Poker. Like I said in earlier posts, I cashed out and started all over with $50. A good week and I'm up over $500.

$20 buy in NL tourney. Took 4th for $123. Not great, but played well and got lucky when I was short stacked on the bubble.

Once I get my rakeback, will cash out again for at least $600. Rakeback rules. I give rakeback to my players, mostly low limit players. They're still happy with the $20 they get back. I'm getting over $200 this month.

Any questions, just ask.

Good Luck,

GUMBY

Little Venting and Some Good News

2006-01-30T18:59:00.000-06:00

So I was playing in a $10+1 multi-table tourney at Poker Room. Great tourney site, by the way. 203 people, over $600 for first place. Down to 15 and I get 8-8 in the big blind. Now, I don't play many hands and I have good information on the other players in the hand.

Blinds are $500-$1000, I've got about 15,000 in chips. Player UTG (Under the Gun) limps with A-5, mid position player limps with 10-J, I raise to $6000. Both players call. WTF!

Flop comes A-6-3 rainbow. Check, check, all-in for 15,000. I of course am pissed that an ace fell and sure as hell knew that one of these assholes was playing a shitty ace.

I fold and the other player with the weak ace calls. Holy cow! What horrible play. I'm not out yet, but saw some horrible play after that. People limp calling all-ins with bad hands. Wow!

Okay, enough of that. I end up short stacked having to call one of these terrible players heads up with Q-3. Needless to say, they actually have a hand, K-K, and I'm done in 14th place. A wopping $20 and change. Make $9 for all that hard work. Limper with A-5, ends up winning.

If I played that hand wrong, let me know.

STACKS POKER

ALL RIGHT! For the good news. Stacks Poker is beginning BETA Testing. This means that we will get a look at the new 3D graphics soon. Register through my site and you will get 100% deposit bonus when you first deposit, up to $100. I can't wait. They are giving away a ton of free money. All you have to do is play for free and tell them where the bugs are. It's a great deal.

Good Luck,

GUMBY

Stacks Poker 3D Preview

2006-01-23T16:20:00.000-06:00

Stacks Poker 3D preview. Beta Testing coming soon. Awesome deposit bonus too. 100% up to $100. Use WISPOKER to get that when you sign up. Or just use one of my links to Stacks Poker at the side.

Rakeback

2006-01-19T19:19:00.001-06:00

I am offering rakeback to everybody who signs up at Absolute Poker through me. It's a great deal. Last month I received $69 back for playing at the site. This month, my affiliate told me I'm getting over $200. And the month isn't over yet.

This added bonus to playing is available at certain sites. I would highly recommend doing this to increase your winnings, or decrease your losses. Everybody gets a bad run of cards sometimes.

Last week, ever pair over pair I had caught a set. 7s against JJ, 10s against QQ, 3s against AA. Everybody also hit ever one of their draws on me and I couldn't catch one. It was one of those days. Lost $300 in about an hour playing 3-6 and 5-10. Cashed out some money and am trying to work my way back up.

I haven't done well in the live games either. I'm still up, but am feeling a little beat up on poker. I think I'm going to take a week off when school starts next week. Don't have many classes, but might just give myself a refresher. Sometimes it's necessary to regain focus.

Let me know how everybody else is doing. My buddy is up $100 on Absolute and he's getting a few bucks back with rakeback. Start small and move up. Don't jump in playing 3-6 right away.

I began with $100. I cleared my $200 bonus playing 1/2 and some 2/4 and had around $600. I moved up to 2-4 exclusively. I began to see that the 3/6 games were easy so I played some 3/6 with my 2/4. Kept winning. Now, I'm back at square one. Payed some bills and am going to get my stack up again. Easy games everywhere, especially at Absolute.

Good Luck,

GUMBY

Update and Rakeback

2006-01-09T16:02:00.000-06:00

When I began playing more seriously a month ago, I began playing .50/1 and 1/2 limit. I moved up to mostly 2/4 games and some 3/6 games after winning around $500. Now I've won over $1000 playing mostly 3/6 and some 5/10. I am staying at 3/6 shorthanded at Absolute Poker and am beginning to see a good profit.

I am going to be playing at 2 sites for a little while, trying to do a $330 bonus chase at Full Contact Poker. I'll start at 1/2 and move up when my bankroll at the site gets bigger. Playing right now and players seem like a good mix of good and bad. Shorthanded is where it's at though. I have better luck there.

I have money in 3 sites right now: Poker Champs, Absoute Poker, and Full Contact Poker. I play at them for different reasons.

Poker Champs is quick and easy. I don't have to think much because I play low limits there, I'm talking small buy in tourneys, .25/.50 and .50/1 limit, and .10/.20 NL. Not too many players, but good value on tourneys. They are also some of the worst players on the net. I play here when I want to take it easy and not worry too much. Won a $3 buy in tourney there yesterday and banked $45. They offer rakeback to all of their players. Use POKERGUMBY when you sign up and we both win.
Absolute Poker offers more availability at middle limits like 2/4, 3/6, and 5/10. They also are very fishy with easy players. I also get rakeback there which allows me to get money back and keep the bankroll growing. I also offer rakeback if you sign up through my site. 20% after you reach $50.
Full Contact Poker is new and should be fishy for a little while. The bonus I received is higher because I posted on Daniel Negreanu's forum before his site went public. Just bonus chasing right now, but already up $76 after an hour and a half. Not too bad.

Comments welcome.

Good Luck,

GUMBY

Absolute Heaven

2006-01-05T00:43:00.000-06:00

Absolute Poker is a haven for bad players and heaven for good players. I'm beginning to move up in limits. I began at .50/1 and 1/2 mainly. Now 1/2 only enters my mind if there's no other good games available.

I play mostly 2/4 now and sometimes 3/6 (only when I can find bad players). I crushed a 3/6 game last night for around $120, in about 45 minutes. It helped that I flopped a set of 4s with an ace on board, $100 pot.

I also won a $10 3 table sit 'n go a few days ago. $108 for first. I recommend these tourneys because they don't take as long as the big multi-tables, but can prepare you for them, unlike the single table sit 'n gos.

Right now Absolute has a good deposit bonus, not as good as last month's, but still okay. 100% bonus, up to $300. If you have the money, it's actually better. Use the link on the right.

Good Luck,

GUMBY

Cancelled Tourney

2005-12-27T15:00:00.000-06:00

I cancelled the tournament on Poker Room because of little interest. I will try to set up another one on a day where there's little football going on. I want to try and make this a monthly event for a larger buy in ($20-50).

Let me know if anyone is interested and what days you are available.

Thanks,

GUMBY

Merry Christmas!

2005-12-23T02:33:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas everybody. Just want to wish everybody a great holiday season. Hopefully, everybody has time to spend with their families. Or you might be hoping not too.

Haven't had time to write in a few weeks. Had finals last week and Christmas shopping this week. Finals went well and shopping went better.

Happy Birthday Jesus,

GUMBY

Screen Names Part 2

2005-12-12T17:09:00.000-06:00

All right. Got more screen names to add.

Poker Champs: FiveOfaKind (registered a while ago). Use POKERGUMBY when you register. I play many games here now. Easy games.
Caribbean Sun: GUMBY55. Tons of donks, especially low buy in tourneys.
Party Poker: xxGUMBYxx. I don't play here as much, usually sit 'n gos.
Absolute Poker: GUMBY55. I like the deposit bonus here. 200% up to $200.
Bugsy's Club: GUMBY55. Like the small low buy in tourneys. Good mix of tough players and bad ones.
Poker Room: GUMBYTHYNAME. Have a private tourney set up on Jan. 2nd. Check out previous post.

Come and say hi, or try to beat me. I'm good, but not great. Trying to get there though.

Good Luck,

GUMBY

Poker Champs

2005-12-09T08:56:00.000-06:00

This is a little longer, so bare with me. For the easiest game on the web, go to Poker Champs. There aren't that many games, but the players there are by far the worst of all time, similar to the British players at Caribbean Sun.

I also recommend playing in the tourneys at Caribbe, with the pound buy ins. Players are bad and apt to calling with anything. Remain patient, and take 'em out when you got big cards. I lost today with someone calling with middle pair after a big raise on flop and turn from me. Yep, he caught it on the river to beat me. Will play against these players any day.

At Poker Champs, I'm up over $120 after being down $75. Small change for some big players, but not me. Also won $20 at a friend's game on Wednesday. WOO HOO!

If you can stand a bad beat every now and then, this is the site for you. Like I said, there aren't many players there, so you need to pick and choose wisely. There are good players, but most of the players are there to give up their money.

Another great thing about Poker Champs is that they offer everybody who signs up rakeback. That means that the more you play, the more you'll get back from them. Not too bad. You get paid every Friday, and usually it's around $5-$10 depending on how much you play.

I haven't told you the best part yet. All you have to do to get more money is to tell your friends. Then you start earning money from their play. Use my affiliate code when registering. POKERGUMBY. I get some money back, but that doesn't take away from what you get.

Also, the guaranteed prize money tourneys sometimes don't get the amount of people needed to increase the prize pool past the guarantee, so that means that there's FREE $$$ in the pot. Less players, more money. The low buy in tourney $1-$10 are easy to beat with some patience.

The software is also pretty good. Can watch up to 6 tables in 1 view. Don't have to click back and forth through different screens. Need a high screen resolution though. I can only play 2 tables at once now.
Good Luck,

GUMBY

Poker Room Private Tournament

2005-12-06T13:14:00.000-06:00

I have created a private tournament for all my friends at Poker Room. This should be pretty cool. If you don't already have an account, use the link attached to the title of this message or on the banner on the right.

It is on January 2, at 5PM central. I figured this would give us plenty of time to get some of our friends together to play in it. It's only $5+.50 and I'm throwing in $10 for whoever launches me, GUMBYTHYNAME. This should be a nice break from the hangover weekend.

Now, there's a password for the tourney so e-mail me or leave a comment to get it. I'd like to get at least 20, but I made there room for 50 players. I don't like huge tournaments where you can't see the finish line. Let me know who's interested.

Good Luck,

GUMBY

Tourney Win

2005-12-02T13:31:00.000-06:00

Finally got another tourney win under my belt. Nothing huge, but a definite ego boost. It was a 2+.25 (in pounds, British money) NL multi table at Caribbean Sun. Check out the link to the right for DONKS!

Playing against the British players was fun. They like to gamble and they aren't that great. The final table players were good, and I got lucky going all in with a 9-4 shortstacked against A-9. Catching the 4 on the river was fun.

I outlasted 224 other players to take home 127 pounds, or around $215. Not bad for 3 hours work. Leave your stories under the comments, I'd like to hear on any other big cashes. A friend of mine won a tourney for $2000. Better payday than mine.

Good Luck,

GUMBY

Abolute Minimum Wage

2005-11-29T10:34:00.000-06:00

I played in a Pot Limit (PL) Omaha freeroll at Absolute Poker last night. Started with 2000 people. I ended up playing for more than 4 hours and took 4th place. What did that pay you ask? 4s are wild, $4. "That's like a dollar an hour" (Napoleon Dynamite).

Yeah, so I played for 4 hours and walked with $4. I was chip leader for a lot of the tournament. Tripled up twice with trips and the nut straight on flop. I was just trying to improve my game a little bit. I want to expand my expertise.

I did make some money playing limit hold 'em though. There was one player who decided to raise everything to the river. Didn't matter what it was. Made about $20 off of him. It may have been the wife ditching all his money so he couldn't play anymore. Who knows?

Anyway, check out Absolute Poker. They have fantastic games and good tournaments. If you want to do low limits, I'd suggest the $2.00+.20 sit 'n gos. I've been killing those right now. Like I said, I'm in college and trying to make a few bucks.

My goal for the year, to get a buy-in to a major WSOP or WPT event. Got $20 in Absolute through an affiliate, and am trying to make it grow without depositing. It's working so far. If it doesn't, I still have that wicked bonus to deposit.

Good Luck,

GUMBY

Party Cash

2005-11-22T12:29:00.000-06:00

I played in a $20 limit tournament on Saturday at Party Poker which had over 500 people in it. Use the link on the right to register an account. You get a free entry to the Party Poker Million super satellite and a chance to win a ton of money.

I cashed and took in $45 bucks which is good, since I've been getting drawn out on on every table I have played in the last week. It has not been going well, but I need to go through the rough patches to make it to the promise land.

Good Luck,

GUMBY

Update

2005-11-18T02:22:00.000-06:00

Just wanted to give a little update. I'm playing on Caribbean Sun and boy, what a fish tank. Bad players are trying to suck out all over the place. Can't wait 'til my winter (Christmas, gotta be PC sometimes) break. I'll be playing full time and trying to make some money for gifts.

I did get my rakeback that I was promised from Pokershare, although I'll never go back to them or Ultimate Bet, although I like the software. It was only $75 or so, but every little bit helps.

I am looking forward to the beginning of Stacks Poker. Use the links on the right to get there and play in some freerolls while they test the software. Hopefully, 3D poker will be awesome and the software will allow for multi-tabling. Gonna be real fishy at first.

Keep me up to date on how everyone else is doing online. If you need any help, let me know.

Good Luck,

GUMBY

Caribbean Sun

2005-11-07T12:55:00.000-06:00

Okay, so PokerShare pissed me off. I've cooled off a little since. I received my check very fast and was actually quite worried that I might not receive it. I'm putting my money into another site called Caribbean Sun.

Check it out. Decent software and the players are DONKS! Take that $100 you got from Imperial Poker and put it here. You get $50 for depositing, after 200 hands. Then $40 after you complete 50 more. Every month you play 250 hands, they give you $40. Good stuff!

My screen name is GUMBY55 at Caribbean Sun. Playing 1/2 and below right now. Trying to build a bankroll. I'm still in college!

If you're still in college, check out the College Poker Championship website listed under the links. Use AUL655 and help me pay for college.

Good Luck,

GUMBY

I'm Pissed

2005-11-01T23:53:00.000-06:00

I don't know if anyone is actually out there to listen to me, but I'm pissed off. One of the sites I was playing at, called Pokershare, just cut off all American players.

They are sending a check out for the amount I had in my account. Here's a copy of the e-mail I received. Bullshit!

Dear XXXXX,
We would like to thank you for being a member of PokerShare. We are writing to inform you that due to a policy change as of November 1, 2005 North American residents are no longer able to play in the PokerShare cardroom. We have closed your account, GUMBY99.

If you had a cash balance in your account we have initiated a withdrawal for you to refund these monies in full. Along with your cash balance we have converted any Tournament Entry Chips (TECs) and included them in the withdrawal of funds.

If you are owed money, you will be receiving a check in full for your entire
account balance to your address on file. Balances in excess of $500 have been sent by FedEx. Smaller balances have been sent by regular mail. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Sincerely,
Robert
pokershareinquiries@ecom-arts.com

I'm boycotting this site and Ultimate Bet. I updated my last post to erase all UB screen names.

GUMBY'S PISSED DAMMIT!

My Screen Names

2005-11-01T12:57:00.000-06:00

I was asked what my screen names are at various sites. I am

GUMBY55 at Bugsy's Club
xxGUMBYxx at Party Poker

Right now those are the only sites I'm playing at. I haven't been able to play at the College Poker Championship yet, but my screen name there is CUBSFAN13, I think. It logs me in automatically and I haven't played there in a while. Come find me and say hi.

Along the lines of this, I'll list some pro screen names. It's always cool to see how the pros play online.

PokerStars Pro Screen Names

Dan Negreanu-DoubleSuited
Mike Matusow-MrPokeJoke
Greg Raymer-fossilman
Chris Moneymaker-money800
Scotty Nguyen- Noo limit
Phil Hellmuth-#1_Lucky_One
Howard Lederer-the shrike
Gus Hansen-brokski

GUMBY

Bugsy's Club

2005-11-01T11:37:00.000-06:00

When I began playing, I started at Bugsy's Club. I could play in free money games, win some Bugsy Bonus Points, and cash them in for real $$$ and try my luck.

This site gave me some great experience and I still play there every now and again. I enjoy the smaller tournaments with low buy ins. You get a lot of chips, so you have room to play at the beginning of the tournament. The smaller fields give anyone a reasonable chance of winning.

I recommend this site for beginners because they have a variety of games and you can play for those BBPs and play real games. They have very low limits so you can play around with your money without fear of losing your bankroll. You can even freeroll your way to the 2006 WSOP, which I'm trying to do now.

Use any of the links on my site to get a 30% deposit bonus up to $150. Deposit $500 to get the max bonus.

Good Luck,

GUMBY

Stacks Poker

2005-10-28T15:38:00.000-05:00

Stacks Poker is the new kid on the block. Right now they are doing beta testing to see how the software works.

By joining now, you can get in on the testing and freerolls to see how this unique 3D system works. It feels like you're actually sitting at the table. Don't believe me? Go there and see for yourself!

By using the links on my page, when you decide to deposit, you will get a 100% deposit bonus, up to $100. That's a sweet deal. I can't wait to start playing on this site. It'll be real fishy for a while.

Good Luck,

GUMBY

Party Poker

2005-10-28T08:04:00.000-05:00

Another post. I know I've got many, but I'm excited about this offer.

Party Poker is a great place to play. Many players, all of the time. But that isn't what is exciting. What's exciting is the bonus you can receive when using the links on this blog.

Click on any of the Party Poker links on this page to get a free entry into the Party Poker Millions qualifying tournament. All you have to do is make a deposit and the entry is yours.

Good Luck,

GUMBY

Imperial Poker

2005-10-27T13:07:00.000-05:00

I just got this blog started, but I want people to be able to get started playing with my help. I began with Imperial Poker and only deposited $20. I ended up cashing out $175.

I know that this isn't a lot of money, but it got me started. The bonus that Imperial Poker has is

For any deposit, you get $100.
You need to play 250 hands to get $25.
Then play another 750 hands and get the other $75.

I played a few low limit tables at a time, and was able to clear it in 2 weeks.

If it sounds like work, it isn't. It's real easy to play a few tables at very low limits, I'm talking .10/.20 limit. I made $155 in two weeks playing these limits, and you can too. Even if you play break even poker or losing poker, you can still make easy money.

Good Luck,

GUMBY

College Poker Championship

2005-10-27T12:18:00.000-05:00

Okay, for all you college students out there, there is a College Poker Championship. You can play poker for free, with other college students, and be able to win $200,000 in prizes. Did I mention that it is all FREE!

All you have to do is go to www.collegepokerchampionship.com and login. When they ask you to enter a college rep code, type AUL655.

I made the semi-finals last year and busted out with trips against a made flush on the turn. I wasn't very pleased. This year, they have tournaments on Tuesdays for free money and qualifiers on Sundays. They take the top 5% of the Sunday tournaments to move on the the regional finals. All the info is there for you to see.

Good Luck,

GUMBY

Poker Beginnings

2005-10-27T11:58:00.000-05:00

Hey out there,

I've been playing poker for a few years now, and wanted to share some information to the newbies that are looking to get into internet poker. I'm not a professional player, but just somebody who plays for fun and makes a few bucks in the process.

Now, the internet poker sites are making fat cash off you, so why not make fat cash off of them.

There are so many bonus offers out there right now that you can:

Take the smallest bankroll
Play low limit games
Gain FREE bonus money from the sites
Gain poker knowledge
Create a larger bankroll to move into the larger games

Now, I'm going to list site by site ways to where you can increase your bankroll, and eventually, through some play and reading, you can CRUSH the competition. All while making a few bucks on the side.

Good Luck,

GUMBY