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Poker Blog established in 2003 as the first stop for poker news, poker stories, and bad poker advice.

August 20, 2008

Eddie's big break

by Otis

We've written here many times of the guy we affectionately titled Eddie the Dealer. We've mentioned he got robbed, busted, and broke. We wrote about how he went to Vegas to play and has struggled since.

I've made no secret about the fact I've been rooting for something good to happen to Eddie. At times it didn't seem like it was possible.

Well, it is. How so? Just read this.

Here's your chance, Eddie. Make it happen.

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September 14, 2005

WSOP Poker is Rigged

by Luckbox

It's an epidemic. It's bad enough that every online poker site let's you win early just to take your money back after you make a withdrawal. As Ron Burgandy says, "It's science." I suppose it's understandable. That's what you get for grabbing your cash and going back for more.

And of course, everyone knows that when a tournament or SNG starts to run long, the "finish quick" algorithm kicks in. You'll both be dealt a flush, or it will be boat vs. boat. But really, the site needs to move things along, so can you blame them. Again this phenomenon is a proven scientific fact. As Brick Tamblen says, "I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE ARE YELLING ABOUT!"

Which leads me to the venerable World Series of Poker. If you thought this would be the last bastion of "clean" poker, a few minutes of watching ESPN will quickly dispell those beliefs.

ATo vs. KTo and a runner-runner flush sends one packing (you're welcome Alan Cunningham).

John Gale apparently had no friends at the WSOP because they rigged the cards against him. 66 vs. AJ when Gale gets his J on the turn... but the 5 on the river gutshots Gale right back into his seat. On the very next hand they rigged things against him again. TT vs. 44 and a 4 on the flop crippled the Gentleman.

And, who could forget how the behind-the-scenes folks carried T.J. Cloutier to the crown: A5 vs AK, and T.J. catches his gutshot on the river and wears his 6th bracelet.

WSOP poker is rigged. It's undeniable. Who's crazy enough to play this game?

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February 6, 2005

Tournament Woes

by Luckbox

This blog doesn't tend to be full of tales of bad beats. And that's a good thing. We all go through them. It's a part of the game. You have to get lucky a full times yourself because you know at some point, someone will likely catch you.

How you respond to those bad beats, however, is what separates good players from average players. I'm not sure which class I fall in, but perhaps you can tell me as I spin yarns of bad beats...

More in this Poker Blog! -->
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July 18, 2004

The Bad Beat Jackpot

by Luckbox

As I drove home in the early morning hours, the lightning danced from cloud to cloud, but, to my relief, it wasn't raining. The roads in Hessmer, LA were dark enough as it was. I kept one eye on the winding two-lane highway and one on God's impromptu light show. That's when I hit the armadillo.

I didn't just tap it, it was the 55-miles-an-hour, no-time-to-slow-down, flush-with-the-front-right-tire kind of hit. I'm sure I killed it. I think it's the first armadillo to die under my car.

But you're not here to read about how the armadillo lost. You're here read about how I lost, and, unlike the armadillo, I lost in style.

More in this Poker Blog! -->
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June 17, 2004

Tales from the Felt: Running Bad

by Staff

Like a switch that's been turned off, my hot streak has ground to a dead halt and I find myself running terrible. One night I was completely crushed, and then last night I was four big bets from getting busted until the game got shorthanded and I toughened up, avoided tilting, and made a nice comeback. But still, it's been mostly ugly.

More in this Poker Blog! -->
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May 13, 2004

Poker Slots

by Otis

I sat on stage with a group of guinea pigs. The small-stage-college-crowd hypnotist worked us like a pro. Maybe it was the beer, maybe it was something supernatural, but I found myself slipping into a state of euphoria that made me want to do whatever the guy said. Act like Batman? I'll act like Batman. Why not?

The crowd ate up the silliness like the peanuts on their bar tables. Their cheers and laughs fed my euphoria. I was 22, having a fine time and willing to play the fool. Hypnotized? I dunno.

Before too long, I found myself ripping off my shirt and dancing to some cheap techno music. The crowd cheered, I danced, and followed the suggestions of the short man with the deep eyes.

The din of the crowd became a roar and I found my hands slipping to my pants, popping the button, unzipping the zipper. The hypnotist had made no such suggestion. It simply seemed like the right thing to do.

As I turned to face the crowd and reveal what I had to offer, I felt a hand on my arm, a grip that was much too tight, fingers sinking into my flesh, and the decidely unsupernatural breath of the hypnotist. His breath was in my ear and the calm, soothing hynotizing voice was gone. I heard pure anger. Each word was articulated, a slap against my swimmy head.

"Keep. Your. Fucking. Pants. On"

More in this Poker Blog! -->
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February 17, 2004

Restless Sleep

by Luckbox

I hate going to bed after a bad beat. But that's exactly what I'm about to do.

More in this Poker Blog! -->
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January 22, 2004

Therapy

by Staff

I hate bad beat stories. I don't ever tell them, and I very rarely care to hear anyone else's.

So, of course, this is a bad beat story. I made an incredible read, and that read cost me my first fair-sized tournament victory.

Here's the scene:

It's a Saturday night Empire Poker 100+10 limit hold'em tournament with 56 entrants.

I'm at the final table, playing headsup for the victory. I've been playing well all night, making tough laydowns, good bluffs, and catching the occasional lucky card. With 56k in chips on the table, I fought my way back from 3 handed with an extremely short stack to the headsup chip lead.

I am a force to be reckoned with -- I'm just running over people shorthanded. I'm playing brilliantly and I know it. My reads are spot on. I'm normally humble, but I had my A game, and it was the best game at the table.

More in this Poker Blog! -->
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December 3, 2003

Suckout vs. Bad Beat

by Staff

I'd like to introduce a new feature here at UfP, with the help of the extremely cool Poker Hand Analyzer at Twodimes.net. All poker sessions are a mixture of the lucky and unlucky, but which was more powerful? I'm going to compare my worst bad beat of a session with my biggest suckout and see which was the bigger miracle.

More in this Poker Blog! -->
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September 25, 2003

Even Stars Need a Card

by Luckbox

You know, being a movie star and a television star and a new hot author doesn't necessarily help you at the poker table.

Wil Wheaton found that out. Here's just a taste of his story:

We're on our fourth or fifth hand, playing a no-limit freeze out. I look at my hole cards and find that I've dealt myself the Big Slick: A-K, the second best starting hand in Hold 'Em.

Ryan checks, and I decide to limp in, hoping to get some action on this hand.

If that isn't a lead-in to a bad beat story, I don't know what is! Well Wil, you're invited at our table any time!

**UPDATE**
Wil wants everyone to know that this wasn't supposed to be a story of his poker prowess... but a story about his relationship with his stepson. I think poker is a great way to build a relationship. I can't wait to deal one up with my Dad next time I'm home!!! I expect to take his money. I also remember the night Otis and I sat down at a table with his Dad. It was a lot of fun.

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September 12, 2003

Rivered Again

by Luckbox

I've added a new site to the "Better Hole Cards." Randy clued me in to Rivered Again. It's a collection of the best of the best (worst of the worst?) bad beats. I'm sure I'll eventually have one or two to add to the list.

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September 5, 2003

Tough Way To Go

by Luckbox

Welcome to Up For Poker! Hopefully soon, there will be more contributors than just myself. This will also help my Up For Anything readers avoid a majority of my gambling rambling.

So for my first post, why I didn't enjoy my last on-line tourney.

More in this Poker Blog! -->
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