ChessSafari's Poker Blog

Just a matter of time

2011-12-26T16:54:00.000-08:00

The following is courtesy of Yahoo:
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration cleared the way for U.S. states to legalize Internet poker and certain other online betting in a switch that may help them reap billions in tax revenue and spur web-based gambling.

A Justice Department opinion dated September and made public on Friday reversed decades of previous policy that included civil and criminal charges against operators of some of the most popular online poker sites.

Until now, the department held that online gambling in all forms was illegal under the Wire Act of 1961, which bars wagers via telecommunications that cross state lines or international borders.

The new interpretation, by the department's Office of Legal Counsel, said the Wire Act applies only to bets on a "sporting event or contest," not to a state's use of the Internet to sell lottery tickets to adults within its borders or abroad.

"The United States Department of Justice has given the online gaming community a big, big present," said I. Nelson Rose, a gaming law expert at Whittier Law School who consults for governments and the industry.

The question at issue was whether proposals by Illinois and New York to use the Internet and out-of-state transaction processors to sell lottery tickets to in-state adults violated the Wire Act.

But the department's conclusion would eliminate "almost every federal anti-gambling law that could apply to gaming that is legal under state laws," Rose wrote on his blog at www.gamblingandthelaw.com.

If a state legalized intra-state games such as poker, as Nevada and the District of Columbia have done, "there is simply no federal law that could apply" against their operators, he said.

The department's opinion, written by Assistant Attorney General Virginia Seitz, said the law's legislative history showed that Congress's overriding goal had been to halt wire communications for sports gambling, notably off-track betting on horse races.

Congress also had been concerned about rapid transmission of betting information on baseball, basketball, football and boxing among other sports-related events or contests, she summarized the legislative history as showing.

"The ordinary meaning of the phrase 'sporting event or contest' does not encompass lotteries," Seitz wrote. "Accordingly, we conclude that the proposed lotteries are not within the prohibitions of the Wire Act."

The department expressed no opinion about a provision in the law that lets prosecutors shut down phone lines where interstate or foreign gambling is taking place.

Many of the 50 U.S. states may be interested in creating online lotteries to boost tax revenues and help offset the ripple effect of a federal deficit-reduction push.

The global online gambling industry grew 12 percent last year to as much as $30 billion, according to a survey in March by Global Betting and Gaming Consultancy, based on the Isle of Man, where online gambling is legal.

Federal prosecutors in April charged three of the biggest Internet poker companies with fraud and money-laundering along with violations of another federal law, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Act of 2006.

The government outlined an alleged scheme by owners of the three largest online poker companies - Full Tilt Poker, Absolute Poker and PokerStars - to funnel gambling profits to online shell companies that would appear legitimate to banks processing payments.

(Editing by Derek Caney)

(This story version corrects the year to 2006 in the penultimate paragraph

Consolidated blog

2011-08-27T02:28:00.000-07:00

All of my blog entries on various topics are now consolidated under a single heading: This Week's Chess Safari.

Please go there -

Here is an index as of 8/27/11:

Photo above: My most attentive chess student!

The purpose of this index, organized by topic, is to make it easier for visitors to my blog to quickly find what might be of interest. Just click on the appropriate link and your browser will take you there.

Chess

One more game from the Portland Centennial, 8/20/11
Yes I said it, Yes I believed it, Yes I've changed my mind!, 8/17/11
More games from the Portland Centennial, 8/16/11
4-way tie in Portland Centennial, 8/15/11
Portland Chess Club Centennial ends today, 8/14/11
There's more to life than chess, 8/13/11
Centennial tourney is underway!, 8/12/11
115 entries and counting..., 8/11/11
3 Days 'til Portland Chess Club Centennial, 8/9/11
Northwest Chess Cover Photo, 8/5/11
All Over the Board, 8/1/11
2011 Susan Polgar Girls Invitational, 7/30/11
Janniro & Deeth are 2011 Oregon Senior Chess Co-champions, 7/14/11
Grandmaster Sighting on Puget Sound, 2/15/10
A nice game from the Oregon Open, 9/10/09
The Other Side of the Story, 7/2/09
Drug Testing in Chess???, 3/26/09
Resignation; The Great Laptop Caper, 3/12/09
Old Game vs. the World Champ, 3/5/09
Susan Polgar Foundation, 2/28/09
Relentless King Hunt, 1/8/09
Double Bronze for U.S. Chess Teams, 11/26/08
U.S. Olympiad Teams in the hunt for Medals, 11/24/08
New Blog on today.com, 11/19/08
Jennifer Shahade cashes in WSOP again, 10/13/08
Chess Combination: SOLUTION, 9/5/08
Chess Combination , 9/2/08
Problem Solution, 6/12/08
What's the Best Move?, 6/11/08
McKay Tartan Books No. 4, 5/22/08
Happy Birthday Dr. Saidy, 5/16/08
Congratulations Susan & Tommy, 5/14/08
Tactics, Tactics, Tactics, 5/9/08
McKay Tartan Books Nos. 1 - 3, 4/17/08
Change in Plans Required , 4/1/08
20 Seconds Chess, 3/29/08
Chess Blogosphere, 3/12/08
Chessville interview with Paul Truong, 3/3/08
Make that 800!, 2/19/08
Dick Cavett's Interview of Bobby Fischer, 2/10/08
He's never coming home, 1/18/08
How about some chess?, 11/16/07
Walter Browne cashes in 3 W.S.O.P. events,7/10/07

Mr. & Mrs. Boris Spassky, Mr. & Mrs. Al Lawrence, Mr. & Mrs. Lev Alburt offer a toast to all of you.

Poker

Consolidated blog, 8/27/11
Playing for the hurricane victims, 4/16/09
The Caboose, 4/9/09
"Action Dan" Harrington, 2/7/09
Fleet Street Games closing Oct. 31st, 10/21/08
2006 World Series of Poker: Event 18, 10/13/08
Playing No Limit Hold'em Reduces Alzheimer's, 9/17/08
Aaron's wisdom, 8/19/08
In the running for a seat at the WSOP, 5/30/08
Thank You, whoever you are..., 4/29/08
Pendleton Trip Report, 11/13/07
How to Give your Cat a Pill while playing Poker Online, 8/8/07
Ozark Mountain Poker Wedding, 3/30/07
Minnie's Soda, 12/6/06
My Inner Donkey, 11/21/06
Is the PartyPoker Over? , 10/13/06
My Poker Resume, 9/20/06
2006 WSOP, 7/30/06
Foxwoods Trip Report, 2/22/06
Learning the Hard Way, 1/20/06
Tunica Media Event, 1/9/06

"All Over the Board", my Memoir

I have to share this, 7/23/11
Mile 14 - Behind the Wall, 10/9/10
I Write Like...check this out, 7/16/10
Memories of my Hospital Stay, 6/4/09
Turnaround Hospital Administrator, 2/14/09
Mile 5: Embrace of a Lifetime SECOND DRAFT, 8/20/08
Pitch for my Book, (Archives) 7/24/08
Mile 4: Bobbi, Sue and Kathrine, 7/17/08, draft
Mile 3: So Many Colors in the Rainbow, 1/22/08
Mile 1: Everything that comes before..., 11/22/06

Miscellaneous Ramblings & Links

Johnny the Younger, rest in peace, 8/22/11
It must be the link to the stupid human trick, 8/7/11
Far Above Cayuga's Waters, 8/4/11
Rest in Peace, George, 7/14/10
Knowledge: a different part of the Ocean, 3/11/10
C'mon over to our house, 8/6/09
Vuvuzela, 6/29/09
In a Blink, 6/25/09
The Great Light, 5/28/09
Memoir, 5/21/09
US & Canadian Health Care, 4/30/09
Banana Hammocks, yes or no?, 4/23/09
Some Useful Web Sites, 2/21/09
Consolidation, 1/29/09
Field Report, 10/14/08
Get your latest sports news at... , 5/29/08
It's Time, 2/28/08
Manny Alexander, et. al., 12/13/07
Links, 12/9/07
Happy Thanksgiving, 11/22/07
Christian Parent Warning, 11/18/07
Hall breaks Olympic Trials marathon record, 11/5/07
Reflections, 11/1/07
Red Sox Nation, 10/28/07
Copyright Violation, 7/22/07
Olympic Games, 6/1/07
Cooperstown's Loss, 2/7/07
Death of a web site, 11/15/06

Music

Jane Olivor Updates, 5/14/09
La Vie en Rose, 5/7/09
Delilah on Nightline tonight, 11/12/08
Jane Olivor on YouTube, 10/9/08
Heaven Help My Heart, 2/11/08
Jane Olivor (archives), 12/11/07

Friends & Family
Please Join Us July 10, 6/30/11
You know you're from Boston if..., 5/20/11
Emma Pumpelly (1847 - abt. 1925), 4/2/11
Searching for Daniel Pumpelly, 10/14/10
Twenty Years, 4/16/10
Master Handicapper & Grandmaster Friend, 6/18/09
Tom Derderian on Bobbi Gibb, 3/19/09
NMC Team Members, Worcester MA 1966, 4/2/09
Family Tree, 1/1/09
Happy Birthday Rick Bayko, 10/15/08
Delilah's New Book, 9/16/08
Happy Father's Day, 6/15/08
A Hundred Pounds, 1/29/08
Bad Hands, Bad Faith, 12/18/07
Inlaws, 11/26/07
Eddie heads back to NC, 11/19/07
Happy Halloween, 10/29/07
San Diego Honeymoon, 9/22/07
More Wedding Photos, 5/6/07

Married!!, 4/28/07
Some 2006 Photos, 1/22/07
Leave the Driving to Us, 12/12/06
Safe Return, 12/3/06
Die Fledermaus, 11/30/06
Guest Weblog, 11/29/06
Easy Eddie, 11/18/06
On the Road Again, 11/17/06
What Rain?, 11/16/06
Delilah's words to her listeners..., 8/15/06

Greyhounds & other pets

Wiz Dog, 6/11/09
My dog ate my...what?, 1/22/09
Greyhounds watching greyhounds, 1/15/09
Barney was The Man, 12/25/08
Back in the box, (Frannie) 11/7/08
Atascocita Carla, (Frannie) 2/24/08
Westminster Kennel Club, (Frannie) 2/12/08
And the Winner is..., (Frannie) 2/3/08
Older greyhound posts, go here

Fleet Street Games Closing Oct. 31st

2008-10-21T13:56:00.000-07:00

Sadly, we have learned that PSO experiment with Fleet Street Games has failed and the site will close on October 31, 2008. Here is the announcement:

Dear PSO Members,
We regret to inform you that FleetStreetGames will cease operations at 11:59 PM on October 31st. The site will operate normally until that time.

There will be no scheduled events from 1st November 2008.
PSO will remain open of course and continue providing our customers with first class poker education materials and promotions at the regular rates. All funds in your account can be cashed out via the website at www.fleetstreetgames.com after the card room closes or can be used to purchase extended, discounted periods for PSO membership.

Be on the lookout for new exciting promotions coming to PokerSchoolOnline over the coming months!

We would like to thank you for your participation in FleetStreetGames over the past few months and apologize for any inconvenience this causes our loyal customers.

Best regards,

The PokerSchoolOnline Team
_________________
Tim Kopp
PSO Card Room Manager

2006 World Series of Poker: Event 18

2008-10-13T00:15:00.001-07:00

Here is the link to Event 18 of the 2006 World Series of Poker, $2,000 Pot-Limit Hold'em, which I blogged for PokerPages.com. It was played on July 11-12, 2006.

Playing No-Limit Hold’em Reduces Alzheimer’s

2008-09-17T23:15:00.001-07:00

My friend Leon Morford ("Sailor Moe" on PSO) is an experienced veteran of life showing no signs of Alzheimer's disease, as can be easily determined by viewing this photo.

For the first meal on the train I was seated in the dining car next to an attorney. At least, I figured, I’d have a chance to think about something other than what to do with pocket sixes first to act in middle position with a medium stack at an aggressive table in shallow money near the bubble. Not that I was obsessed about poker or anything.

“What do you do for work?” he said.
“I retired from a 20-year career in hospital administration,” I replied.
“Oh, well what do you think is the cause of health care costs being so high,” he queried.

I looked him in the eyes to get a good read on him. “How far are you going?” I said.
“To Rochester. Why do you ask?”
“I’ll have to give you the short answer then. The former Canadian Minister of Health put it most succinctly,” I told him. “The problem with Americans is that they view death as an option. A disproportionate share of the medical costs in the U.S. are incurred in the last 90 days of life. Canadians, it seems, are a bit more conservative when it comes to so-called heroic measures to pull out all the stops so grandma can hang on a few more days or hours.”
“What about malpractice and litigation, or advances in technology?” he asked.
“Sorry, we don’t have nearly enough time.” I answered. “Let me know when you are planning a trip to Seattle.”

Somewhere between Schenectady and Utica I overheard the train passengers a few seats in front talking about Alzheimer’s disease. “Recent studies have shown that vigorous mental exercise decreases the risk of Alzheimers,” one of them remarked. They discussed activities like crossword puzzles and Scrabble. Chess, as Grandmaster Arnold Denker often pointed out, is also a good example. Is it a stretch to include poker on the list? I think not. I can see the headline now: Playing No-Limit Hold’em Reduces Alzheimer’s.

There are skills that good poker players exhibit that are similar to chess. That is why many strong chess players are able to do well on the poker tournament trail. Among these skills are the ability to read opponents, calculating actual and implied pot odds, recognizing betting patterns, planning moves that will impact future hands, minding ones “Ms and Qs” (a la Dan Harrington) . As far as I’m concerned, these constitute cerebral gymnastics clearly in the category of vigorous mental exercise.

I had the pleasure of knowing Arnold Denker into his late eighties and, as far as I could tell, he never lost the use of a single brain cell. He was the United States Chess Champion in 1944. Many years later, at age 88, he was still winning tournaments. On a drive from Miami to Fort Lauderdale in 2002 he recounted his prior assertion that beginning when he started playing chess at age 5, and continuing to the present day, he never met a chess master with Alzheimer’s. Other problems, for sure, but never Alzheimer’s.

Look around at the poker world. Doyle Brunson certainly doesn’t have it. Amarillo Slim Preston seems a little off at times but, apparently, he’s always been that way. I had a chance to sit and chat with Oklahoma Johnny Hale, the Gentleman Gambler who is in his late seventies. We talked in Tunica in January 2006. Nine months later in Minnesota he recognized me instantly; no signs of dementia there. Old-timer John Bonetti’s body may be slowing down, but his mind is still sharp. Then there’s Dan Harrington. He has the compound mental insulation provided from chess and poker…and backgammon too.

Prior to leaving home on this trip, I examined my itinerary and noticed that I would have a 10-hour stopover in Chicago. So I sent an e-mail to one of my PSO mentors, David “Hitman” Roemer. “Let’s do lunch,” I said. He graciously sent me his cell phone number so I could contact him after I arrived. After replying with the tongue-in-cheek comment that I would copy and paste his number in the rec.gambling.poker newsgroup, I pressed the print button on my computer. Then I whipped the paper out of the printer and tossed it in my briefcase.

As the train pulled into the station in Erie, PA, I decided to fetch the printout so it would be handy once I got to Chicago. I found it but half the number was missing. The page had torn when I grabbed it and I never looked at it when I was still home. Am I getting dementia? It’s got to be a sign of early Alzheimer’s for sure. Nah, can’t be. I play chess and poker.

The late Jim Fixx, prior to dropping dead from a heart attack in his late thirties, observed that running marathons can make a person permanently immune form coronary artery disease. Could Arnold be barking up the wrong medical tree? Might I become case study numero uno refuting the latest myth about Alzheimer’s disease?

I want to believe that it’s not likely. My friend Harold Dondis once quipped that “if you can still spell it, then you don’t have it.” Well, that’s easy enough to check. Let’s see…A, L, Z, E…shoot!

Aaron's wisdom

2008-08-19T10:48:00.000-07:00

In order to keep this blog active, I will post a few of my poker coach's best hints. Please e-mail me if you are looking for a poker coach and I will put you in touch with Aaron. He's the best!!

Blind vs. Blind

Play in blind vs. blind situations is a little different to be sure. Remember that your opponent will miss the flop 2/3rds of the time. That means a couple things:

1) Hands that can win a showdown unimproved (like Ax and pp's) go up in value, while drawing hands go down in value.

2) The aggressor will win the pot more often than not.

The first thing to assess is your opponent. Are they too tight or too loose? Do they understand #'s 1 & 2 above and adjust properly, or not? Obviously these are questions you may not immediately know the answer too, but you'll want to assess this as the game goes. And make your best guess until you know better... for instance, if a player has been very tight thus far, then the first time I'm heads up in the blind with them I would assume they will remain tight until I see differently.

After you've got the best assessment of your opponent you can make, then utilize a strategy to take maximum advantage of them. If they're tight, be aggressive early in the hand. If they're loose-passive, see more flops with them and continue to value bet when you connect/back off when you miss and they call. If they're aggressive and have position on you, tighten up a bit preflop but trap them when you do pick up a hand. Etc.

Lets say I've got an "average player" with me in the blinds, not excessively tight, loose, aggressive, or passive. (All players are in this category the first time I see them, until I get information on them). My general approach from the SB is to limp fairly liberally. I love post flop play, and believe I have an edge vs. the average joe in this arena. So being out of position I'd like to see a cheap flop with marginal hands and decide how to proceed post flop. If I have a decent hand (the type that can win a showdown unimproved), I'll often make my standard raise in that case in order to help define my opponents hand and take control (or win the blinds right there). If I get called I will lead on most flops, in line with the 2/3rds miss thing. That goes for a total miss or top set, I'll lead away as the preflop raiser is expected to do. Please note again I'm talking about an average player, or someone new to me. If it's a player I know well and knows me, my approach may be different depending on the opponent. If I'm in the BB and they limp, I will raise somewhat liberally and make a continuation bet on the flop if checked to. If the SB raises, I will take a flop with them liberally since I have position and relish the post flop play. I'll reraise them with any reasonable holding that could win a showdown unimproved.

All of this doesn't mean to play or contest the blinds every time, there's no shame in folding. If you never throw away your hand in a blind vs. blind situation, you'll rapidly get little respect in these situations. Some people like this, feeling their big hands will get paid off hansomely (and they will). But I disagree with that strategy. Big hands don't come all that often... most of these situations post flop will be marginal hands faced with tough decisions. If your opponent doesn't respect you because you contest the pot every time, they're more liable to play back at you, and their hand will be much harder to define.

I hope this helps.

Walter Browne cashes in 3 WSOP Events

2007-07-10T00:30:00.000-07:00

Frank Niro (standing, left) with Grandmaster Walter Browne, Miami, FL, March 2003.

Chess Grandmaster Walter S. Browne of Berkeley, CA, cashed in three events at the 38th Annual World Series of Poker held at the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas.

June 6, 2007 #10 No Limit Hold'em 7th Place $58,515 prize

June 9, 2006 #16 H.O.R.S.E. 2nd Place $131,790 prize

July 1, 2007 #51 S.H.O.E. 62nd Place $2,192 prize

Total winnings for Walter in the three 2007 WSOP events: $192,497

My Poker Resume

2006-09-20T22:14:00.000-07:00

My name is Frank and I am a poker addict, More specifically, a PSO poker addict (the worst kind). So I thought I would come here and get therapy because it was either that or the asylum.

I am divorced with four children including two girls in college. My oldest son and his wife are expecting my first grand child in November. Originally trained as a C.P.A. I was diverted into the health industry by a drunk driver who ended my dreams of competing in the 1972 Olympic Marathon.

After a lengthy hospitalization and 19 operations on my legs I worked my way up the ladder from patient to hospital auditor to hospital consultant to Assistant Administrator to C.F.O. and eventually to the boss. It was a wonderful but challenging career which I had to put behind me after a stroke in 1997 at age 48.

Following that I was coaxed to come out of retirement to serve as Executive Director of the United States Chess Federation from 2001 to 2003. An untimely heart attack made that situation untenable. So now I am writing a book, enjoying life's many gifts, and playing lots and lots of poker.

1. What is your previous poker experience?

Long story, if you don't mind...

I have been playing poker longer than I can actually remember. My grandfather had a set of chips that I used to put in my mouth around age 4. So to show me what they were really for, he and my grandmother began playing draw poker (and later stud) with me way back then. In college, my fraternity brothers and I had weekend marathon sessions of 'man or mouse' (sometimes called 'guts'). Those games continued for awhile in home games but I was eventually enticed by another game: chess. I have played tournament chess for 35 years.

In the meantime I spent a lot of time in casinos where I became competent at blackjack. So I played that game whenever I could...mostly at Foxwoods and in Vegas. I walked through the poker room at Foxwoods a dozen times without ever taking a seat; the lines were daunting I guess.

I started playing poker seriously in August 2003 (the details are in my profile). More recently I have been encouraged by the poker successes of childhood friends Dan Harrington, Howard Lederer and Alan Shaw (depraved on PSO). I met with Dan in November 2004 at Foxwoods to interview him for my book, in which I pay tribute to his inspirational life story. He encouraged me to play in the Senior Event where I surprised myself by finishing in the money...

I was eliminated in a hand with Men 'the master' Nguyen when I was ahead until...oh, you know (no bad beat stories from this guy). Anyway, Men the master went on to win $48,000 in the event. I was able, in the process, to sit next to him for nearly five hours and observe his tactics and demeanor. It was then that I knew for sure that this game was far more skill than luck!

I spent the entire month of December 2004 in Tunica, MS playing poker 4-8 hours per day and played in at least three live tournaments per week while waiting for the PSO convention to begin. I won my first live poker tournament ($1,441) at the Grand on the Friday night before Christmas. Unfortunately, I slipped on some ice and disclocated my shoulder on New Year's Eve and had to return home to Connecticut. I missed the PSO convention and did not return to Tunica until January 2006.

2. What do you like most and least about poker?

I enjoy the competition and am intrigued by the application of my chess skills: visualization, patience, planning ahead, pattern recognition... combined with my love of numbers.

I hate the cards... sometimes. And I would prefer it if poker tournaments were played away from casinos (as they are with chess). No need to get into the reasons why.

3. What, in general, are you hoping to get out of my course?

More skills for my bag of poker tricks; a clearer understanding; a more complete perspective; plug some leaks; make new friends.

4. If you could take away only one specific thing from this course, what would be the most important for you?

Eradicate the weak part of my tight-weak self.

5. What is your table image when you play (tight, loose, aggressive, etc)?

I just said it...tight-weak... and predictable. Easy to push off pots, but aggressive with good cards. I'm like a snapping turtle.

6. What opponent type gives you the most trouble?

Same as what others have said: Aggressive players who can vary their play, adapt to my style, and read my damn cards.

Those from PSO who come to mind: was, Mcarter, depraved, thehazyone, xymox and many others. Some are here...so I don't want to encourage them to take more advantage of me.

7. When you bet and an opponent raises you, how do you typically respond?

Fold. Sometimes think for a long time, then fold. Occasionally I reraise. I rarely just call in this situation. Depends on the pot odds.

8. How often do you take notes on your opponents?

Habitually! I have been fastidious about taking notes on every player at PSO for two years. I observe tables, review profiles, statistics, rankings and bust orders. I take notes of specific hands. But I ain't sharing

Anyway, I took thehazyone's 4-week program in August 2005 and am astounded by how much I didn't know about big bet poker. Now that I am looking into the well I am wondering, "How deep is the well"? Please help, all of you, answer that question.

With the help of my new best friend Stacey on PSO (RIVERHATER2) and at the suggestion of Scott (Marshfield), I became the moderator of the newest Study Group of PSO (founded 9/13/05...Stacey & hazy's birthday). I am so proud of the people in that group. There are some real budding superstars. I have determined that if I can get better at poker, then I can serve them better. That's important to me. So I am here.

Of course if I can win a few bucks on the tournament trail and pick up a few tidbits for my book along the way, that would be nice also.

Delilah's words to her listeners...

2006-08-15T22:25:00.000-07:00

From Delilah’s August 2006 electronic newsletter to her listeners…

Many years ago, when I broadcast my show from the Prudential Towers in Boston, I became friends with a wonderful man named Frank Niro. His two darling little girls were the same age as my son, and they played together in my front yard at an “Indian” themed birthday party. Frank’s housemate at the time, a beautiful woman named Brenda, became one of my closest friends. The three of us laughed an awful lot and faced life’s challenges with a great deal of gusto, thanks in part to Frank’s very Italian zeal for living.

Frank took me on my first trip to New York City to see a Broadway play. He often jokes about how excited he was to take me on a long road trip and show me the amazing sites of New England – he is quite a history buff – but instead he had a snoring passenger sitting next to him during the five hour drive to Manhattan!

A fabulous distance runner in his teen years, Frank ran marathons and won all sorts of awards. But when Frank was 19 he was hit by a car, breaking his legs, hips and nearly every bone in his lower body. He spent two or three years in the hospital, crippled by the accident. Not one to be kept down, Frank taught himself how to walk again, and even how to run. His gait is a bit different from most runners, but his passion for running was not diminished. The man refuses to give up!

When we first met, Frank was the chief administrator for a large hospital chain. He was a soft-spoken but powerful businessman who knew the ins and outs of corporate life. At the time, I was struggling to make ends meet – cooking ramen noodles and scraping to pay a mortgage. When I couldn’t afford to buy the materials to convert the attic into a small apartment for Producer Janey, Frank donated the funds to purchase the sheet rock, wood, nails and paint. A few years later when my financial situation had improved, I attempted to pay him back. Frank’s response was, “Pay it forward. It was a gift, not a loan.”

I have never forgotten his generosity or his example. I have tried, at every turn, to “pay it forward” and to bless others who are just starting out, or trying to do something good for others. And each time someone has said “I will pay this back”, I repeat Frank’s words.

Ten years ago I lost touch with Frank. I didn’t hear from him and thought he had just dropped off the face of the earth. Then about a year ago he contacted me and told me he’d had a debilitating stroke, followed by a heart attack, and had been fighting for his life. He had to give up his career in hospital administration and go on permanent disability. He next project was to write a book about his incredible life. I invited Frank to take a train to come visit me, take advantage of the peaceful environment at the farm, and finish his book.

That was about three months ago. Since his arrival Frank has helped me with my foundation, Point Hope. He has helped friends of mine who are starting small businesses. He has joined the local chamber of commerce and a church and even a bowling league. He HASN’T had a chance to write even a single chapter in his book because he is so busy helping me and those I love, but I suspect he will finish it sooner rather than later.

I laugh when I imagine his business friends from Boston, the doctors and other executives who knew Frank when he was getting up at 5 a.m. to direct the expansions of hospital facilities and running multi-million dollar operating departments. Today he awakens at the crack of dawn because the roosters crow right outside his window, demanding that he get up and pay attention to them! When I think about how God first brought me into Frank’s life, and how all these many years later we are friends once again. I can’t help but think of the Michael W. Smith song “Friends”. The lyrics of the chorus say “A friend’s a friend forever when the Lord’s the Lord of them...”

Frank inspires me to always follow my passions and my dreams. Although he is disabled and will need to use a wheelchair, Frank is determined to “run” the Boston Marathon again in a few years. When he does, he will become the first person to finish the marathon in less than three hours both running, with his legs, and using his arms to wheel himself in a chair. He could have given up a number of times in his life, but instead of giving up or giving in, he gets back up and starts all over again. His zest for life is one of the many reasons I cherish our friendship (well, that and the fact that my chickens adore him).

Delilah (www.radiodelilah.com)

Click here for Janet Kornblum's 8/2/06 article about Delilah in USA Today

2006 WSOP

2006-07-30T10:15:00.000-07:00

I was privileged to be invited to blog some of the events at the 2006 World Series of Poker for PokerPages.com.

Here are the links to the events that I covered:

Event #5 - $2,500 No-Limit Hold'em Short-handed

Event #5 - Final table

Greetings! Frank Niro here. I'm pleased to be part of the PokerPages 2006 WSOP reporting team. The cards went in the air a few minutes after 12 noon despite the absence of many of the combatants. Normally, this wouldn't be a big factor. But in a short-handed event, with only six players at each table, the blinds come around much more quickly. The early action seems to be a battle for the unguarded blinds....

Go to PokerPages.com to read more (links above).

Here's a related article on Dutch Boyd's win of Event #5

Event #26 - $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha

Congratulations to Spiros Mitrokostas for his first WSOP final table. Does anyone wish to accept a friendly wager that it will not be his last?

(Frank Niro, a/k/a ChessSafari, reporting for the PokerPages.com 2006 WSOP coverage team)

Go to PokerPages.com to read more (link above).

Event #29 - $2,500 Pot-Limit Hold'em

Looking around the room, there seems to be an abundance of former bracelet winners as well as a few world champions in the field. We will collect some names for you as play moves along...
1. Last year's main event winner Joseph Hachem, reigning World Champion
2. 2004 World Champion, Greg "Fossilman" Raymer
3. 2000 World Champion Chris "Jesus" Ferguson - 5 bracelets
4. T.J. Cloutier - 6 bracelets
5. Daniel Negreanu - 3 bracelets
6. Humberto Brenes - 2 bracelets
7. Steve Zolotow - 2 bracelets
8. John Juanda - 3 bracelets
9. Erik Seidel - 7 bracelets - finished second to Johnny Chan in 1988 Main Event

more... (click link above)

Foxwoods Trip Report

2006-02-22T09:07:00.000-08:00

My November 2005 article originally published on pokerschoolonline.com

There used to be several places that I could go where I never wanted to sleep once I arrived. At this stage in my life, however, there are only two: Fenway Park and Foxwoods Resort Casino. Please allow me to start off my World Poker Finals trip report by introducing you to Foxwoods.

Foxwoods was founded in 1986 as a High Stakes Bingo Parlor on the Mashantucket Pequot Indian Reservation in Ledyard, Connecticut. Today Foxwoods comprises six casinos that collectively offer more than 7,400 slot machines and an incredible 388 tables for 17 different types of table games, including 76 for poker. During poker tournaments, the tables spill over into three areas outside of the main poker room. These are known as the Skylight Satellite Parlor, the so-called Middle Area, and the Sunrise Ballroom. I will be referring to these playing locations during this report. Of course, Foxwoods has a website. Go here to look around. The rest of the trip report will be waiting when you return…

Coming to Foxwoods is, for me, like returning home. I started coming here soon after it opened. During a five-year period in the early nineties, I often visited three times per week to play blackjack. I have seen concerts by Frank Sinatra, Cyndi Lauper, Kenny G, Yanni, and Tom Jones and have played in more than a dozen major chess tournaments here. In 1998 I literally lived in the Two Trees Inn for six consecutive weeks while recovering from a stroke. Somehow I convinced myself that marathon blackjack sessions would accelerate my rehab. I was ahead $11,000 after the first two weeks but eventually lost it all plus another $1,800 as well as the 3,000 Wampum points I had accumulated over the course of ten years. As much as I enjoy this place, the truth is that if I had never come here my body would be 40 pounds lighter and my bankroll at least that much heavier.

I walked through the poker room at Foxwoods for the first time in April 1999. My opponent in the last round of a chess tournament was a friendly guy from Rhode Island by the name of Richard Duscza. Richard was a good chess player but had recently started playing poker for a living. He recounted the poker successes of some mutual chess friends including 1995 World Champion Dan Harrington and Howard Lederer, among others, and suggested that as an experienced chess player that I would have a much bigger advantage at the poker tables than would ever be possible at blackjack. I was already ‘retired’ from blackjack but filed the information away in the back of my mind for future reference.

I agreed to meet Richard at Foxwoods one Saturday afternoon to try my hand at poker. He was already at a table when I arrived so I went to the sign up desk and learned there was an hour or more wait for a table in all games except something called 5/10 Omaha. I wandered over to one of the Omaha tables, observed a few hands, shook my head, and went away. I had no clue! After that, I walked through the poker room at Foxwoods a dozen times without ever taking a seat. I found the waiting lists to be quite daunting. Four years later, I finally got hooked on poker.

I moved to East Hampton, Connecticut on Thanksgiving weekend 2003, the same weekend I joined Poker School Online, and remained there for a year while beginning to work on a book of inspirational stories about people who have touched my life. During that time I became a ‘regular’ in the Foxwoods poker room. Last fall I went to Foxwoods one day hoping interview Dan Harrington for my book, in order to pay tribute to his inspirational life story. He was there for the Professional Poker Tour event and made the final table. Although he didn’t have much time to talk, he encouraged me to play in the Senior event where I surprised myself by finishing in the money. I was eliminated in a hand with Men 'the master' Nguyen when I was ahead until...oh, you know (no bad beat stories from this guy). Anyway, Men the master went on to win $48,000 in the event. I was able, in the process, to sit next to him for nearly five hours and observe his tactics and demeanor. It was then that I knew for sure that this game was far more skill than luck!

Encouraged by successfully building a poker bankroll at Foxwoods, I spent the entire month of December 2004 in Tunica, Mississippi. There I played poker 4-8 hours per day including at least three live tournaments per week while waiting for the PSO convention to begin. I won my first live poker tournament ($1,441) at the Grand Casino on the Friday night before Christmas. Unfortunately, I slipped on some ice and dislocated my shoulder on New Year's Eve and had to return home to Connecticut. I moved soon thereafter to New York. I missed the PSO convention and have not been back to Tunica, or to Foxwoods, until this trip.

I arrived this past weekend to find the long waiting lists that pushed me away in the first place. Rumor has it that 64 additional poker tables will be added once this tournament is over. Some players are wondering if that will be enough. Last year at this time there were two live no limit hold’em tables; a $100 maximum buy-in $1/$2 blinds and a $200 minimum buy-in with $5/$5 blinds. I have played in both without much success. This weekend there were ten (!) no limit live games going. Some of the tables had a lot of money on them. One player visiting from Brooklyn lost $35,000 in real money in one hand when his pocket sevens hit a flop of 797. The turn card was an ace. He was pushed all in by the biggest stack at the table, one of the Foxwoods regulars, making the pot more than $70,000. The river was another nine resulting in quads over quads. Ugh. What a long drive back to Brooklyn he must’ve had!

Foxwoods has a large contingent of professional players. Some of them, including Greg ‘Fossilman’ Raymer, are very skilled at poker. The standing joke in the Foxwoods poker room concerns Fossilman. “Greg may be the best player in the world right now”, they say, “but he is only one of the top five at Foxwoods.” The others on that list include names like Mike Gammerman, Mike Salem, and “Spiro the Greek”. Many players think theirs is the ‘other’ name so there is no consensus on the complete list. That’s what makes the discussion fun. A quick perusal of the results on Sharla’s blogs on PokerPages will provide confirming evidence to support the names mentioned. In any case, the Foxwoods poker room is a very tough place. At least four players claim to earn over $200,000 per year in the Foxwoods cash games. Other regulars with whom I talked said there are probably more who won’t admit it. I believe it.

On Tuesday, we scheduled our initial PSO gathering in the foyer outside of the Sunrise Ballroom. This is the room used as the main venue for the tournaments and satellites. I left a voice mail message for KRVJ (Noel) and was joined initially by Bluechip (Ward). Runner_836 (Ron) and Blackchipguy (Dave) were en route from NY and arrived later than the others. Sharla was handling the final table action for PokerPages and said she would try to join with us for a short while if possible. As it turned out, nobody was hungry and the drinks were free in the foyer so we just stayed there and chatted for a couple of hours. Ward is a retired airline pilot who honed his poker skills playing in Las Vegas on many stopovers during his career.

We traded stories until Ward and I decided to play together in a satellite ($100 + $15) with $1,000 cash prize for first place. I busted in 5th place after moving in from the small blind with pocket fours. The button player raised with AJ and I anticipated a heads-up race when Walt called from the big blind with pocket sevens making it a three way pot. Ward’s hand held up and he went on to chop the prize money with one other player, thus earning his entry fee into Wednesday’s PSO live tour event.

It had been my intention to skip the PSO live tour event in order to be free to serve as volunteer ‘Team Leader’. When it became clear that the PSO contingent would probably be small I spoke to Sharla and she recommended that I play. With only 10 or 15 players competing for 250 sponsorship points as well as a seat in a freeroll for an additional $50,000, I decided that my equity in the generous PSO stakes was too much to pass up. So I changed my mind. Or so I thought.

The tournament was scheduled to begin at 10 AM on Wednesday with 110 tables for a total of 1,100 players, easily surpassing last year's record 893 players in this event. At 8:30 AM I showed up at the tournament desk and got in line. It was a long line but I figured that I had a half hour before I needed to get downstairs to start signing in PSO members. Before long one of the registration clerks announced that we were at 1,089 entrants and the cut-off was 1,100. A few people were in the midst of registration so it wasn’t clear who in line would get in. Based on my count there seemed like 14 players ahead of me. I was about to leave the line when the two in front of me made the same observation and left. Then an announcement was made that there may be alternates. Neither the computer nor the playing rooms were set up to handle 11 players at a table as was done last year. So, thankfully, that wasn’t an option. I decided to stay in line figuring that if I received an alternate slip I would hold it for another PSO member who may have arrived too late to get in. Little did I realize that the alternate slips would quickly have cash value!

The 1,100th registrant was the person standing immediately in front of me in line. As she walked up to the desk we were told, “entries are now closed”. Then I heard the clerk say, “Sorry but credit cards cannot be used; only cash. Next!” I was released from the bubble and joined the tournament. At 8:55 AM tournament director Mike Ward began handing out numbered 'alternate slips'. A total of 297 alternate slips were passed out. Prior to the start of play the announcement was made that alternates would be added for the first 50-minute round ONLY. Anyone who didn't get in prior to the start of Round 2 would not be permitted to play. Suddenly, a black market for low numbered alternate slips developed and one of them reportedly changed hands for $300!

Once the final entrant was seated at 10:49 AM, another announcement was made that a new world record for a $500 buy-in poker tournament had been set: 1,245 players. The total prize fund of $624,500 ($2,000 was added by the Casino) and the first place prize of $160,809 are also records for a $500 buy-in event. 152 disappointed poker players were turned away without a seat.

Despite the masses, only ten PSO members made the trip to Foxwoods for this tournament. I received e-mails from two players saying that the mid-week start made it impossible to get off from work. Others mentioned the high buy-in ($565) combined with the gas and hotel costs making it financially difficult. One other member (who asked to remain anonymous) was there playing in satellites and announced that he would enter only if he could win his buy-in. He was unsuccessful.

As the cards got in the air, the startling realization that there were only 1,500 starting chips began to sink in among the players. This was the only way, the officials figured, that a tournament of this size could be substantially completed in one day. It resulted in what could be best described as a ‘crap shoot’. The best strategy, it seemed, would be to play aggressively early and either accumulate chips or go home. This put many players, including KRVJ and myself, outside of our comfort zones. The maniacs around us were in their glory.

Four players were busted on the first hand of the tournament. Two of them had pocket aces cracked. Both runner_836 and KRVJ hit sets on the second hand. Ron’s pocket deuces made a full house when two sixes hit the board allowing his chip stack to quickly increase to 2,800. Noel, on the other hand, got no action to go with his set. I didn’t play a hand for the first two orbits but realized that I had to make some moves, with or without cards, or I would go down in flames without a fight. I won six hands without having to show my cards. Near the end of the second hour I was dealt Ac Kc and was able to get action from a player holding Ah Jc on the button. The flop came Kd 8h 6h. I led out and was called. The turn was Ad. I bet half pot and he raised me all in. I called. The river was 8s pushing my stack to 4,700. After that, I coasted until the first break.

All of the players were very cooperative in terms of checking with me at the breaks, showing the PSO ‘colors’, and sharing the details of their key hands (whether painful to recount or not). At the end of the first break (two hours), there were 87 tables remaining and nine of the ten PSO players were still alive (with the following stacks):

ChessSafari (Frank) - 4,100
Bluechip (Ward) - 3,600
Seanoo (Sean) - 2,500
Runner_836 (Ron) - 2,100
Espozuno (Frank “the force”) - 2,000
RedChrome (Rich) - 1,525
Blackchipguy (Dave) -1,100
KRVJ (Noel) - 800
Alykat (Lenny) - 800
Dragon8432 (Bill) – Out

I’d like to say I was crippled by a bad beat. But that would be a lie. Late in the third round I made a terrible blunder and crippled myself. Just as Lenny came by my table to tell me he was out, I was dealt pocket nines in the small blind. UTG player who had been playing loose aggressive poker and accumulating chips limped into the pot first to act. Everyone folded to me and I raised three times the big blind. The big blind folded and UTG called. I knew he was going to call so, in retrospect, I should have limped in and taken a cheap flop along with him and the big blind. The flop was a king and two rags. I bet and he called. The turn was a ten. I checked, feeling I would release if he bet since I missed my set. But he checked. I read this as weakness rather than a trap. The river was another ten. At this point I made a big mistake. This was one of those situations that if I bet I would only be called if beaten. On the other hand, if I checked he could bluff me off the pot by betting. The bottom line is that I was out of position and made a costly mistake. I bet 800 (a third of my remaining stack) into a pot of 1,800. He called and showed his top pair. I fell for the trap. My pre-flop raise, my bet on the flop, and the failed move on the river were all mistakes. Now I had to hunker down.

Lenny was eliminated without winning a pot, a victim of the low starting chips. His pocket jacks lost to aces. His rockets were cracked by a flush on the river. Finally, he succumbed when he was dealt 73 in the big blind and moved in with his last $700 when the flop came 745. He was called by AQ and went out when an ugly ace hit the board. This was his first live tournament and, while he wished he lasted longer, was pleased with the way he played.

Meanwhile, Noel was card dead and had to watch helplessly as his chip stack dwindled. With chips left for less than two orbits he moved all in first to act with AT and lost to JJ. He was disappointed because he was expecting a lot more of himself and promptly started the 16-hour drive back to Chicago. The low starting chips, the “cut throat” atmosphere and the long waits for cash games made the trip “not fun”. The only real positives, he remarked, were the brief cash game he managed to get into in the main poker room and meeting his PSO friends.

Blackchipguy and RedChrome were eliminated soon thereafter. Both took tough beats. Once again, the small starting chip stacks made it difficult to recover from any kind of setback. Espozuno was short stacked after two rough hands (KK lost to QQ and AA lost to AKs) and had little remaining ammunition to survive.

The key hand of the tournament came for Ron (runner_836) during the fourth hour when his stack dwindled to 1,375 chips. He had been playing patiently but sensed the need to make a move soon. He was dealt QQ and pushed his remaining chips in the middle and was called by the big stack with AT and another player with pocket tens. The flop came Q and two rags followed by a Jack on the turn and another Jack on the river allowing him to triple up in the nick of time.

My day came to an end when I was dealt AT on the button and called a middle position player who moved all in. Her small pocket pair won the race and I went out with 50 tables remaining. Espozuno joined me on the rail a few minutes later after another brutal bad beat. The next break came at the end of the fourth hour. We were down to three PSO players with 47 tables remaining:

Runner_836 (Ron) – 2,900 chips
Seanoo (Sean) - 2,600
Bluechip (Ward) - 1,250

Ward was playing in the Sunrise Ballroom but Sean (Middle Area) and Ron (Skylight Satellite Parlor) were still upstairs. This made it difficult to observe and I was worried that the last two PSO players might be eliminated simultaneously in two different parts of the Casino. Ward soon picked his spot and moved in with Ah Qh. Two players called and they checked it down as the board showed 2c Jh 3c 5h, giving him straight and flush draws with a card to come. The river was the Qd making top pair. Another player turned over Ac Qs resulting in a chop. A few hands later he hit a straight on the river but the same card gave his opponent a flush and his tournament was over.

Ron and Sean worked hard to pick up pots where they could and survive to the end of the next break. After 6 hours there were 28 tables left and two PSO survivors. Ron had 4,900 chips and Sean 2,900. The average stack size was close to 6,000 chips so both were starting to feel pressure.

After another hour of patiently waiting for a decent hand, Sean was dealt 44 in the big blind. AQ raised FTA and was re-raised by AK. He called for his last 1,700 chips assuming correctly that two hands in play contained dueling aces. The board came 6Q6AK. Runner_836 became the sole PSO survivor.

Ron started to get some good hands as the tournament entered its eighth hour. His patience was rewarded and his stack climbed to 17,000 chips by the 6:30 PM dinner break. At this point there were 140 players left and Ron was determined to last at least to the money (top 100). Since 60th through 100th places all paid the same, his strategy was to become more aggressive once he hit the money and try to accumulate chips for the finish. He made the prize money with 11,000 chips remaining despite not having a hand better than QQ the whole tournament.

Midway into hour number twelve, with 8 tables remaining, Ron’s stack in relation to the escalating blinds and antes became a concern. He could no longer be patient. With 8,200 chips remaining and blinds of 800/1600 with 200 antes, he had less than two orbits remaining. He was in the dreaded ‘Red Zone’. He made a conscious decision to settle for any pair or any ace as first to act. He moved in with A7 two off the button and the big blind woke up with pocket queens. An ace and a seven came on the flop bringing a moment of excitement. A Queen came on the turn like a dagger.

Ron played for nearly 12 hours and placed ahead of 1,171 other players. His official prize money of $936 was a nice addition to his 250 PSO sponsorship points and a seat in the PSO Final where he will be competing for $50,000 in PSO sponsorship money. In addition, he won nearly $1,200 over the weekend in a super satellite where he finished one place away from a seat in the $10,000 main event.

He will be donating 10% of everything he wins at Foxwoods to his favorite charity to prevent child abuse - go to http://www.preventchildabuseny.org . He and his girlfriend, Angela, will be back at Foxwoods this coming weekend when he will enter the $1,000 buy-in event with the hope of winning more money to add to his existing donation. He claims the highlight of the trip so far has actually been his ring games where he has competed profitably in games that included two WSOP bracelet winners.

Ron would like to thank Mark and Tina and all affiliated with Poker School Online for the chance to compete in the PSO Live Tour. He is looking forward to taking his seat at the PSO Final. Congratulations to Ron, Sean, Ward and all the others who represented PSO so visibly, proudly and positively during the tournament. Even Chrome's Devil Horns and necktie were perfectly coordinated to the PSO logo colors!

There's no way to know for sure at this point, but I think we recruited a bunch of new PSO members in the process. Special thanks also to Sharla for her moral and logistical support. I don't know when she sleeps. She seemed to be in the tournament room around the clock every day this week!

Here's a link to the photos fom this event.

Best wishes,
Frank (ChessSafari)

2006-01-20T14:28:00.000-08:00

Learning the Hard Way
Poker Blog by Frank Niro (ChessSafari)
Monday, January 16, 2006

To commemorate my last night in Tunica I played nearly seven hours at a $1/$2 NLHE cash game. I did all right, I thought, until... I got AQ on the button, made it $7 to go after all folded in front of me, and was called by the two blinds. $21 in the pot. Flop came AJ4 rainbow and, with position, I was pleased. Check, check and I bet $10. sb folded. bb called. $41 now in the pot. Turn was another A in the 4th suit. Check to me. I bet $20. He raised to $40. I raised to $60. He called the raise. $161 in the pot. River was an 8. He moved all in. He had about $2,000 in front of him and had been bullying the table. I called my last $200. He showed A8o. I walked away broke.

I played well for 6 hrs and 59 minutes (I tried to convince myself) but gave it all up in an instant. Big Sigh. About an hour earlier I saw him put somebody all-in when a scare card hit on the river causing the player to fold his top pair with top kicker. Then he showed his hand: he had 7-high! I didn’t give him credit for another ace, let alone a full house (very bad read on my part). But, to give him credit, he set it up nicely with some loose aggressive play earlier. He was a special player...sat down with $400...when I left he had $2300...in a $1/$2 game!!! He was the shark. Apparently, I was just one of the gold fish.My poker mentor, Aaron Hendrix, may be right when he refers to AQ as ‘the devil’. I played a tourney a few months ago and died on the bubble when I moved all-in with big slick and was called by AQ. Then two queens hit the board and I busted out. I received the same (zero) prize that the maniac who busted on the first hand received. These things are supposed to even out, right? I should live so long. Damn, I love this game. Now I'm broke but happy...story of my life!

OK, so I took advantage of the opportunity to chat with some of the touring poker pros about my hand. They said three things that I need to process... First, raising 2.5 or 3 times the big blind first-to-act in a no limit hold’em cash game tells the good players at the table that I am primarily a no limit TOURNAMENT player, and not a cash gamer. The proper standard raise, they tell me, is 5xBB FTA, 6xBB with one limper, and as much as 10xBB with multiple limpers. Good players, I'm told, salivate when someone makes it 3.5xBB ($7) to go because (a) they are comfortable that they can outplay a tournament oriented player after the flop and (b) their implied odds are terrific ($5 vs. your whole stack from the BB). This information is consistent with the betting action I observed for the seven hours I was there.

Secondly, a half pot bet on the flop is too small in this particular situation. I need to find out if someone really has the case ace and drive out any draws (KQ, KT, backdoor flushes). They recommend $60-$100 up to half my remaining stack. Then if he plays back I can be pretty certain that he has the other ace and that his kicker may play. Of course, he probably would've moved me all-in right there with the same outcome.

Thirdly, when someone moved me all-in with a paired board it was very bad to call off the rest of my chips without a full house, UNLESS I was sure the opponent was trying to move me off the pot without the goods. That's the problem. In my mind I was convinced I had the best hand. He could've just as easily had JJ, 44, 88, AJ or A4. I was too stubborn to accept the fact and, as a result, paid the price.

The trip to Tunica was not a total loss. I have my final table jacket from the media event. I learned some new tricks courtesy of Poker Pages. (Special thanks to Amy Calistri, Tim Lavalli, Kaelaine Minton, and Mark Napolitano.) I met many new friends and saw some old friends including Arlene Simms and Ronnie Yarborough and, of course, my favorite blackjack dealer Lori. The high point of the trip was watching Ronnie win $90,000+ in the $1,000 buy-in NLHE event at the Grand. That story deserves it’s own blog.

Kaelaine Minton, Frank Niro & Amy Calistri, Tunica, MS, January 2006

Kaelaine was kind enough to drive me to the train station in Memphis. On the way she gave me what was probably the best advice of all. She said, "If I find myself at a no limit cash game and look around at a bunch of chip stacks much bigger than mine, I find another table. You should do the same." Thanks Kae. Better late than never.

Tunica Media Event

2006-01-09T11:07:00.000-08:00

Kaelaine Mintin wrote:

Three of us PokerSchoolers participated in the Goldstrike's Media freeroll event yesterday. It was to kick off the WPO and as we were here representing PokerPages.com, we were invited to play. There were 28 players including us and we all made the final table. Here are the official results:

Frank (ChessSafari) Niro: 7th place, $75
Amy (OilDoe) Calistri: 4th place, $175
Kaelaine: 2nd place: $500

All the final table players received a WPT/Goldstrike jacket, too! If you want more details, check out my blog on pokerpages.com.

Kaelaine

ChessSafari responded:

Amy (oil doe) Calistri was gracious enough to register me into the media NLHE event at the World Poker Open currently being held at the GoldStrike in Tunica. I was actually a late substitute for Tim (zeroth) Lavalli who was covering the WSOP Circuit event across town for pokerpages.com. Tim said he would "prefer a real poker player to take his seat" but wished me luck nonetheless.

The media event was a freeroll and, of course, didn't have much in the way of cash prizes. But it sure had all of the other pomp and circumstance...video cameras filming the event, World Poker Tour jackets for the final table finishers, and the same $4,000+ gold and diamond Bracelet for the winner.

"Kaelaine" Minton, fresh off her PSO Live Tour win ($705 cash prize, $250 PSO Sponsorship Points & and a seat at the 2007 PSO Convention Final), had her eye on the bracelet from the moment the first card went in the air. She played solid poker, despite a paucity of good starting hands, and came one place short of the victory. Go to her blog on pokerpages.com to read more.

I caught a flop of A77 early to marry my pocket sevens and was fortunate to get plenty of action on the hand. I nursed my stack well enough to get the final table in third chip position (Kaelaine was second). Amy also made the final table giving all 3 pokerschoolers a final table finish and one of those coveted World Poker Tour jackets.

I leaked the majority of my chips in a key hand where I foolishly chased a draw with an overcard in vain against the eventual winner. Right after the hand, I imagined Aaron (thehazyone), Stacey (RIEVRHATER2) and Paulina (leilelucas) standing behind watching, all taking turns slapping me accross the back of my head. It was painful enough to look across the table at Amy slowly shaking her head back and forth. I went out in 7th place. Amy was very impressive, as always, finishing 4th.

It was a privilege as well as great experience to play at the same live final table with oil doe and kaelaine. I will always cherish the memory.

I lost a lot of sleep after this hand, and I’m still not sure what might have been the best way to play it...

Level 9
Blinds 800/1,600 antes 200
9 players remaining
Cash prizes and jackets to the final table finishes; Gold and Diamond WPT Bracelet worth $4,000+ for the winner.
Average stack size = 12,400
My stack = 15,700

I was dealt As 3s
Amy folded under the gun
Kaelaine, third to act, folded
Everyone else folded to me in the small blind

I tossed another 800 into the 4,200 pot to complete the bet.
Big Blind (big stack who eventually won the tournament) raised 2,000. I called. 9,000 chips in the pot. My remaining stack: 14,100.

I thought about raising from the small blind. Certainly if I had something like TT I would've made a big raise. The problem was, as usual, table dynamics. The big blind had more chips than anyone at the table (about 30,000 to Kaelaine's 29,000....out of 112,000 in play). My instinct was to try to cut into his stack.

His pattern had been to call any raise and play his hand all the way to the river. With 800 to call into a pot of 4,200, folding A-rag was out of the question. I felt he would call my raise anyway so my strategy was to limp and get away cheaply after the flop if it missed me.

Flop was Kh 5s 4c

I made a continuation bet of 4,500. He called. 18,000 in the pot. Remaining stack: 9,600.
The continuation bet was probably a mistake because I got no information. He could have called it with any piece of the flop or an ace with a bigger kicker. I was out of position. I knew he was a calling station. In retrospect I believe I should have checked & folded. Check-raise was plausible but only if I was willing to call a reraise all-in. I wasn't.

But I was seduced by the draw. I counted seven outs and convinced myself that the pot was already worth chasing.

Turn brought Js

I checked. He bet 2,000. I called. 22,000 in the pot. Remaining stack: 7,600.
The second spade on the turn brought eight more outs. There's a good chance if an ace hit on the river I would have been outkicked. Therefore, I probably had 11 hard outs (maybe less if he was holding two pair).

So the 2,000 call into a pot of 20,000 was a no-brainer. I wasn't excited about it, but I had the proper odds. Absent an ace, deuce or spade on the river, I was done.

River was 7d

I checked. He bet 4,000. I folded.
I didn't find out what he had. I almost called so that Kaelaine and Amy could see his hand and benefit from the information but I didn't want to add any more chips to his big stack and his bet was more than half my remaining stack. There was a chance he was betting with no hand, but I didn't have the courage to find out.

A few hands later I went allin with a pocket pair. Big stack called me with two overcards and I busted out in 7th place.

Thanks for your help and your support.

Frank