Skipping It

Instead of participating in my usual Tuesday night ritual, the Silverton industry night poker tournament, I'm staying home tonight listening to music and just kickin' around the house. I don't want to sound like I'm tooting my own horn too much, but I have realized that my poker skills have advanced far enough that playing in a tournament like that would be counter-productive.

It's one of those 'quicky' tourneys with 15-minute blind levels, which forces people to gamble on hands they normally wouldn't play, otherwise the blinds will start to eat you alive. When I was playing in that tourney at Binion's last week, I loved the fact that the levels were a half-hour each, meaning that skill was a much bigger factor than luck. I didn't have to play weak aces or low pairs--I could pick my spots and take advantage of button position. When the blinds go up too quickly, it becomes a 'push em and pray' fest. Couple that with the re-buys, it then becomes a ridiculous comedy of constant all-in bets like a play-money internet game.

There is no skill involved whatsoever in just drawing cards to see who gets the biggest hand--I might was well be playing Casino War down at Slots-O-Fun. So my days of the Silverton tournament have come to an end. I might still go down there sometime and get another salad at the Mexican restaurant though--that was damn good and certainly worth the trip.

Besides, if I went out to the casino, I'd have to shower and shave. And I've got a good three-day-old depressed loser beard working. Not that I'm a depressed loser, I've just been too lazy to shave since I haven't really had to go out in public. Tomorrow, however, is another day. I'm going to hit up the temp agency first (didn't do it today because for the first time, I'm considering the cost of gasoline, and decided to do all my running around at once), and maybe pick up some extra work. Once that errand is done, I'm gonna long-haul myself through the airport tunnel and head over to the Rio for a few hours and check out the action at the World Series of Poker. I'll bring my camera along and see if I can't spot a few pros (players, not hookers). I might bring my backpack along with a few poker books and a Sharpie marker, and maybe get an autograph or two from my favorite authors.

Once I leave the Rio, I'll head over to Green Valley Ranch to meet up with my gal Kathy for a couple hours of cash-game poker, then we'll play in the limit HORSE tournament after that. (Hold-em, Omaha hi-low, Razz, Seven card Stud, Eight-or-Better Stud). I'll probably get killed in that one, since I haven't played Razz in about a year, Stud in about five years, and I've never played Stud-Eight or Better. Like half the people there, I'll probably play more hands of Hold-em and Omaha, and fold like a lawn chair the rest of the time unless I've got the stone-cold nuts. I think it will be quite the learning experience.

So it's probably better that I get my rest tonight. Tomorrow is going to be a long day.

Mikey