As you've probably already read elsewhere, we're a signature away from Internet gambling being illegal in the US. Frist got his wish, tacking on the Internet gambling legislation to the Port Authority bill authorizing more money to fight them mean ol' terrorists, and it passed overwhelmingly.
Not to be Captain Bringdown, but we're pretty thoroughly fucked here. The problem is that (and it pains me to say this) the specific language in the gambling bill was fairly shrewdly crafted. It doesn't really matter that there's no effective way to enforce it, as it places the onus squarely on online gaming sites and transaction processing companies like Neteller, many of which are now publicly traded companies. They have no choice but to bar US players from playing for real money, even if there's no immediate threat of enforcement. It also dodges any appeals on skill/game of chance issues, as it didn't attempt to say its illegal for US players to play games of chance online, it simply makes it illegal for any money from US players to flow into or out of online gaming sites.
Realistically, there's virtually 0% chance that this ever gets overturned or modified even if the Democrats regain control of the House or Senate. That's the real tragedy here that Frist has bequeathed us. We can pretend that Democrats might save us, being logical and rational and all that, but that's ignoring the fact that many Democrats in office now supported the Internet gambling ban. It may be painful to admit, but we were in the minority on this issue, opposing the Internet gambling ban. If you're not an elected official from Nevada or New Jersey, it's pretty idiotic for you to take a public stance that is pro-gambling, even if there's a great argument to be made as far as the revenues created from regulating and taxing the industry. That applies to Democrats just as it does to Republicans. This ain't going to be revisited or modified, regardless of who controls Congress.
As far as workarounds, sure, we're likely going to see all sorts of exotic ideas pitched, as far as opening offshore bank accounts, tricknological ways to hide the fact that you're playing from the US, etc. None of that is the point, though. The typical casual player that drives the whole poker economy is never going to go to those lengths, which sends rippling effects across the entire online poker landscape. Poorer games, fewer promotions, and likely a lot of sites going under or being purchased for pennies on the dollars by the almighty Party machine.
So, umm, yeah. Happy Saturday, here in the good ol' US of A.
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Friday, September 29, 2006
Wait, Why Do I Have Four Cards?
The good news is that I made it to the second break in WCOOP #15. The bad news is that I've got less than half an average stack, so something good needs to happen quick. Given that I've won exactly three pots the entire tournament, I guess I should be happy to have a stack at all after the second break.
Edit: Hmm. Just hit the third break with $10K in chips, with average stack of $10.6K. 203 players left at the third break, with 120 getting paid.
Got pretty short right after the break but doubled up with a junky unraised BB that hit a set on the flop, although I had to dodge 182 outs as villain had an OESD and a flush draw. Got short again but doubled again with another flopped set that managed to dodge another 875 outs.
I'm still kicking myself a bit, though, as I laid down aces in what developed into a huge pot on a flop of 5h 9d 10d, when there was a raise and a big re-raise in front of me. Both turned out to just be overagressive lemurs with overpairs (JJ and KK), no straight or flush draws, and I would have had a top 20 stack if I'd made the flop call. The annoying part is that an A turned, which is where all of the real money went in, so I wouldn't have even been faced with that agonizing of a dilemma.
Oh well. Turn the page. Let's see if I can make some money.
Last edit: Ended up winning baby money, going out 95th or so, for just shy of $900. I had a few hands on the bubble that I likely could have pushed (stuff like QQ107 double suited, etc.) and picked up some chips but I was fairly short stacked and was certain to fold into the money, which is basically what happened. Went out on 991010 double suited when I ran into KKxx and didn't improve.
Whee, money.
Edit: Hmm. Just hit the third break with $10K in chips, with average stack of $10.6K. 203 players left at the third break, with 120 getting paid.
Got pretty short right after the break but doubled up with a junky unraised BB that hit a set on the flop, although I had to dodge 182 outs as villain had an OESD and a flush draw. Got short again but doubled again with another flopped set that managed to dodge another 875 outs.
I'm still kicking myself a bit, though, as I laid down aces in what developed into a huge pot on a flop of 5h 9d 10d, when there was a raise and a big re-raise in front of me. Both turned out to just be overagressive lemurs with overpairs (JJ and KK), no straight or flush draws, and I would have had a top 20 stack if I'd made the flop call. The annoying part is that an A turned, which is where all of the real money went in, so I wouldn't have even been faced with that agonizing of a dilemma.
Oh well. Turn the page. Let's see if I can make some money.
Last edit: Ended up winning baby money, going out 95th or so, for just shy of $900. I had a few hands on the bubble that I likely could have pushed (stuff like QQ107 double suited, etc.) and picked up some chips but I was fairly short stacked and was certain to fold into the money, which is basically what happened. Went out on 991010 double suited when I ran into KKxx and didn't improve.
Whee, money.
ScurvyBubbles
Managed to bubble in a double shootout last night to the Sunday $3 Million guaranteed WCOOP event. I need to cut that bubbling stuff out, as the list of satellites that I've come up one spot short in (yet managed to take home exactly $0 for my efforts) is getting fairly large, including a WSOP ME satellite, a PokerDome final, and a handful of other events paying out pretty big entries/packages.
The bubble last night wasn't horribly painful, though, as I was living on borrowed time at the final table anyway, sucking out twice with AJ at my first table when my M was < 5 in the late stages, successfully outrunning AK and KK. Got heads up at the final table outchipped 3-1 but managed to double up fairly quickly and then steadily chipped up, to the point where I was up 3-1 but couldn't close it out. We were about even when he completed from the SB and I checked my 87o, only to see a flop of 8c 7c 5h. All the money goes in, he rolls over 46o, and I can't fill up and go out the next hand shoving in my 500 or so remainng chips. At least it removed the potential quandry of whether to play in Sunday's event or take the 2600 W$ and run.
Edit: Heh. Just managed to satellite into WCOOP #15, teetering on the brink of yet another bubble but pulling it out in the end. If I was smart I'd take the 530 W$ and run, as PLO is far from my game of choice, but I'm working from home today and it's about as convenient for me to play as any event will be, so I'll probably roll the bones and play.
I'm pretty meh about both the Cardinals and Astros, but it's pretty painful to watchthe Cards self-destruct here at the end of the season. I suppose I'm rooting for them to pull it out, if for no other reason than it makes Roger Clemens look like more of a tool, as the 'Stros would likely be sitting in much better shape if he hadn't pulled his now regular Gee-I-Don't-Know-If-I-Want-To-Play (But-What-I'm-Really-Saying-Is-I'd-Rather-Just-Work-Half-a-Year-and-Still-Force-You-to-Pay-Me-a-Boatload-of-Money) routine.
I've been following assorted threads at 2+2 concerning the online gambling is of the devil and must be outlawed saga that is presently unwinding, and I can't say I'm very optimistic at the moment. We seem to have caught pretty much a perfect storm of unfavorable circumstances, with the current wacked out "moral compass" of this country swinging ever farther to the right, and Frist consumed with delusions of grandeur and his willingness to do absolutely anything that he thinks will increase his 0.02% chance of securing the Republican nomination up to 0.287%. That's the truly sad part about all this, as I could at least give him some grudging credit for all his machinations if he had a real shot at the nomination, because then it's just a case of being ruthless and driven. As is, his effective chance of getting the nomination (regardless of whether he managed to ban the evil Satan of online gambling) is 0%, so he just comes off as ruthless, driven, and idiotic. Thanks, Bill. Why don't you just go back to taking naps on huge piles of money that your family made from charging poor people in Tennessee too much for basic health care?
On the very bright side of things, I pretty much have the entire week off next week, so a big thumbs up to that. Hoping to knock out tons of work around the house and get in some poker playing.
The bubble last night wasn't horribly painful, though, as I was living on borrowed time at the final table anyway, sucking out twice with AJ at my first table when my M was < 5 in the late stages, successfully outrunning AK and KK. Got heads up at the final table outchipped 3-1 but managed to double up fairly quickly and then steadily chipped up, to the point where I was up 3-1 but couldn't close it out. We were about even when he completed from the SB and I checked my 87o, only to see a flop of 8c 7c 5h. All the money goes in, he rolls over 46o, and I can't fill up and go out the next hand shoving in my 500 or so remainng chips. At least it removed the potential quandry of whether to play in Sunday's event or take the 2600 W$ and run.
Edit: Heh. Just managed to satellite into WCOOP #15, teetering on the brink of yet another bubble but pulling it out in the end. If I was smart I'd take the 530 W$ and run, as PLO is far from my game of choice, but I'm working from home today and it's about as convenient for me to play as any event will be, so I'll probably roll the bones and play.
I'm pretty meh about both the Cardinals and Astros, but it's pretty painful to watchthe Cards self-destruct here at the end of the season. I suppose I'm rooting for them to pull it out, if for no other reason than it makes Roger Clemens look like more of a tool, as the 'Stros would likely be sitting in much better shape if he hadn't pulled his now regular Gee-I-Don't-Know-If-I-Want-To-Play (But-What-I'm-Really-Saying-Is-I'd-Rather-Just-Work-Half-a-Year-and-Still-Force-You-to-Pay-Me-a-Boatload-of-Money) routine.
I've been following assorted threads at 2+2 concerning the online gambling is of the devil and must be outlawed saga that is presently unwinding, and I can't say I'm very optimistic at the moment. We seem to have caught pretty much a perfect storm of unfavorable circumstances, with the current wacked out "moral compass" of this country swinging ever farther to the right, and Frist consumed with delusions of grandeur and his willingness to do absolutely anything that he thinks will increase his 0.02% chance of securing the Republican nomination up to 0.287%. That's the truly sad part about all this, as I could at least give him some grudging credit for all his machinations if he had a real shot at the nomination, because then it's just a case of being ruthless and driven. As is, his effective chance of getting the nomination (regardless of whether he managed to ban the evil Satan of online gambling) is 0%, so he just comes off as ruthless, driven, and idiotic. Thanks, Bill. Why don't you just go back to taking naps on huge piles of money that your family made from charging poor people in Tennessee too much for basic health care?
On the very bright side of things, I pretty much have the entire week off next week, so a big thumbs up to that. Hoping to knock out tons of work around the house and get in some poker playing.
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
World's Most Boring Degenerate
Not much exciting to report at all from the last few days. I'm still trying to catch up on assorted freelance work, still grinding away at sportsbook bonuses, still sneaking in a few quick HORSE sessions, still picking off house projects here and there, all that good stuff.
Looking forward to new Lost episodes, and I still need to catch up on WSOP ME coverage. I finally saw the Lisandro/Prahlad Friedman brouhaha, and have to admit that my take was a little different than many of the reactions I saw around the blogosphere, agreeing with Lisandro's strong desire to kick Friedman's teeth in for the insult. I mean, yeah, Friedman was being an annoying douchebag, and was doing it intentionally, but I thought Lisandro's reaction was overblown. Maybe I don't defend my own personal honor forcefully enough, but if some annoying douchebag wants to insist that I cheated when I didn't, well, umm, whatever. It wasn't like the table as a whole was questioning Lisandro or anything was going on other than Friedman insistently whining like a wee little girl that Lisandro didn't ante. Seemed a pretty obvious attempt to get under his skin and I was a little surprised that it wasn't shrugged off as exactly that, even if he was implying that Lisandro was an untrustworthy cheater who didn't ante.
I'm at a bit of a loss, as far as poker for the near future. I feel like I've been spinning my wheels for quite awhile, hopping from here to there to this to that, largely because, umm, that's exactly what I've been doing. This last downturn knocked me down to pretty much even on the year, which is more than a little disappointing. I'm shying away from playing mid/high limits as I keep rolling around the idea of buying another house, and want to build up the supply of dry powder if I pull the trigger on that plan. Which is a fine plan, but it's been hard to play poker with an focus of late, as my "plan" largely consists of playing for meaningful (but not too meaningful) stakes, which isn't much of a plan and conducive to the spinning of wheels. Which would be fine, as I like playing poker, but it's sucking time from assorted endeavors that'd further the cause, as far as getting me to a financial place where I could make an equivalent living from buying/renovating/flipping properties.
I suppose it's more a matter of just slowing the hell down, and not feeling like I'm racing some sort of looming clock. Turn the clock back four years ago and I was living in a rented apartment with a few thousand in savings and many thousands owed in student loans. ScurvyWife and I were home owners two years or so ago, but with very little in savings and multiple thousands in debt from our wedding. Fast forward to today and we suddenly own two homes, with a nice chunk of money stashed away. Not bad progress, that, and something I should keep in mind. It's not the end of the world if I have to grind away for four or five more years, if the payoff is the freedom along the lines of that outlined much more finely by Klopzi than I could here.
Looking forward to new Lost episodes, and I still need to catch up on WSOP ME coverage. I finally saw the Lisandro/Prahlad Friedman brouhaha, and have to admit that my take was a little different than many of the reactions I saw around the blogosphere, agreeing with Lisandro's strong desire to kick Friedman's teeth in for the insult. I mean, yeah, Friedman was being an annoying douchebag, and was doing it intentionally, but I thought Lisandro's reaction was overblown. Maybe I don't defend my own personal honor forcefully enough, but if some annoying douchebag wants to insist that I cheated when I didn't, well, umm, whatever. It wasn't like the table as a whole was questioning Lisandro or anything was going on other than Friedman insistently whining like a wee little girl that Lisandro didn't ante. Seemed a pretty obvious attempt to get under his skin and I was a little surprised that it wasn't shrugged off as exactly that, even if he was implying that Lisandro was an untrustworthy cheater who didn't ante.
I'm at a bit of a loss, as far as poker for the near future. I feel like I've been spinning my wheels for quite awhile, hopping from here to there to this to that, largely because, umm, that's exactly what I've been doing. This last downturn knocked me down to pretty much even on the year, which is more than a little disappointing. I'm shying away from playing mid/high limits as I keep rolling around the idea of buying another house, and want to build up the supply of dry powder if I pull the trigger on that plan. Which is a fine plan, but it's been hard to play poker with an focus of late, as my "plan" largely consists of playing for meaningful (but not too meaningful) stakes, which isn't much of a plan and conducive to the spinning of wheels. Which would be fine, as I like playing poker, but it's sucking time from assorted endeavors that'd further the cause, as far as getting me to a financial place where I could make an equivalent living from buying/renovating/flipping properties.
I suppose it's more a matter of just slowing the hell down, and not feeling like I'm racing some sort of looming clock. Turn the clock back four years ago and I was living in a rented apartment with a few thousand in savings and many thousands owed in student loans. ScurvyWife and I were home owners two years or so ago, but with very little in savings and multiple thousands in debt from our wedding. Fast forward to today and we suddenly own two homes, with a nice chunk of money stashed away. Not bad progress, that, and something I should keep in mind. It's not the end of the world if I have to grind away for four or five more years, if the payoff is the freedom along the lines of that outlined much more finely by Klopzi than I could here.
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