Ladies and Gentleman, I am back after a complete cluster-fuck of the last month. I have not posted a blog since just after I found out an acquaintance of nearly everyone in poker; Justin Shronk had passed away unexpectedly. This was kind of a huge kick up the ass for me and I’m sure a lot of other people in poker. Since then I have been working on getting my life in check and getting some perspective while trying to do what I love instead of just wasting away doing something I hate for a living. I have also been travelling a lot over the past month or so. Actually, right now I am in Ireland on a bus home because my Grandpa had wanted to go and see his family heritage, I endured an hour flight and a 4 hour bus journey for it because it may be the last chance I get to do something like this with him.

Last week, I just turned 18 which in the UK and Europe is legal to play poker and enter casinos so on Saturday I took my first venture into the “deep dark world of poker” as everyone here seems to think it is bad and evil and I shouldn’t be doing it, that is only an opinion though. Players here are not experts at the game. They are not even remotely good in my opinion but coming from a worryingly regular 2+2 poster and self confessed internet poker geek, it’s not that insulting or hurtful I guess. It looks like all easy pickings 1/2 NL games a few of which may or may not be dodgy, I have yet to decide and a whole host of badly structured tournaments and sit and go’s again the players are so bad that they kind of make up for the lack of a good structure.  

I sat down at one of the cash games with 50bb at which point it was just starting up and was 4 handed. I was forced to play out of my comfort zone and play loads of pots oop (out of position) because of the nature of the game but was able to take advantage of the lack of interest post flop if no one had hit a big hand and take down some blinds. This got me up around 20-30bb and had actually called time when I started to hit several big hands pre-flop and proceeded to get pounded on every flop/turn.  This happened for around 30-40 minutes when I finally called it a night when it was still 4 handed at 2:30am this told me it wasn’t going anywhere so I cut my losses at about 25-30bbs and left to wait for a better spot after the guy to the left decided to play every hand and crush the table with really big pot poker and really spewy play. I spent the rest of the night watching a loose 1/2 NL game and watching people literally have no clue how to do a thing. There was one hand where a guy in CO+1 picked up AQ and raised 3x and got 5 callers but had position. The flop came down Q 3 5 and he then proceeded to bet out 3x again after it was checked to him and got 2 callers turn came another 3 and MP bets out and he folds. WTF. Guy turns out to have 3 7 and manages to get most of a guys chips at the table who has A 4. Sick Game, waiting list was around 5-6 people though. Many of which had no idea how juicy this game was. I told the guy with AQ that he should have bet out more pre and on the flop and he denied that he did anything wrong. Really Weird.

I am Glad I actually get to talk some poker in this blog, has really been a while since I have actually preached to the masses about something on topic rather than something that is just on my mind and I can’t get rid of. I really want to get out and play more live this summer and get some experience in before the WSOPE where I am hoping to play my best game I can and take down the 1k hold’em bracelet. I can dream right?

I have so much more to say but that can wait till next week.
Daniel
danielreilly0@gmail.com
http://www.twitter.com/DanielReilly

I have enjoyed being able to blog here for the past several years. However it is going to be awhile before I do anymore writing or videos.

Thank you all for the kind words I have received.

Take care…Be Safe….

I thought since the WSOP was about to start and satellites are played by many I would Post the very first article I ever wrote to remind all of you about the dangers of playing satellites

Poker Articles

A Bad “Beating” Story
by Scott Diamond

I would like to introduce myself to all the readers . My name is Scott Diamond and I have been a Deputy Sheriff in Los Angeles for almost 19 years. I am also an avid poker player and play quite often in tournaments at the Bicycle Casino, Commerce Casino, and Hollywood Park casino here in Los Angeles, California. Every so often, when my schedule permits, I get to play in the daily tournaments offered by some of the casinos in Las Vegas.

I have been playing tournaments since January of 2006, and have had some success making 4 final tables and winning a Friday night tournament at The Orleans Casino in Las Vegas last December. I also cashed in 2 events at the LAPC in January and February of this year, taking a 17th and 30th in the $540.00 events with over 700 entrants.

I have had the opportunity to meet and play with some of the biggest names in poker, and over the next few months I will tell you about some of my experiences with these fine people in future articles.

I do have to tell you a bad “BEAT-ing”story, in my very first article for PokerPages, though.

I have never played in a major event other than the Legends of Poker Media event last August at the Bicycle Casino. The LA Poker Classic was just beginning, so I headed over to the Commerce Casino on a Sunday to play some table satellites.

Most of the earlier events started out with buy-ins of $330.00, and for me and my poker bankroll I figured satellites were the best way to get into a tournament of this caliber. The Commerce has satellites that start at $40.00,$80.00 and $120.00, and they are a great way for one to get into the tournaments quite cheaply .

I had some luck in two forty dollar satellites, chopping it two ways both times for a $320.00 profit. So, I decided to try my luck in a $120.00 table satellite. Okay. Here comes the “Bad Beat” story.

The satellite came down to three of us. Myself, a professional poker player from Las Vegas (Joe) and a local player (Steve).

Joe had been drinking all day, and as it was now 11:00 pm, he was extremely intoxicated. I have met Joe before, and he is a very pleasant individual, so I was surprised to see him in the condition he was in.

Joe and Steve got involved in a hand where Steve ended up with quad nines and Joe had the A2 of clubs… with no clubs on the board.

Steve, about 6′5″, and Joe, only about 5″5″, had been going at each other quite a bit during this satellite. When Steve turned over the Q9 of hearts to show his quads, Joe was quite visibly upset.

The very next hand I get dealt pocket jacks. I have 1100 in chips left, Steve has about 4400 in chips, and Joe had the remaining chips, around 1500.

I toss out 500 and Steve who is next to act says: “Okay, I’m putting you all-in.”

“Hey, bro. I have a big hand,” I say.

“So do I,” replies Steve.

I nod my head and give him that poker stare through dark sunglasses. Finally, I say to him: “You wouldn’t lie to me, now would you?”

Before Steve could answer, Joe gets right in Steve’s face.

“Hey!” he exclaims. “You stupid @$%@ You can’t be @#%$ talking about your hand like that!”

Steve stands up, towering over Joe, and replies: “Who you calling a stupid @$%@!”

There is $1120.00 at stake here. Eleven $100.00 tournament entry chips, and $120.00 in cash! I am sitting, still waiting to see what is going to happen next, and wouldn’t you know it the two of them started fighting.

Chairs flying, people scrambling to get out of the way, others grabbing Steve and Joe to try and separate them. With all my training and experience in law enforcement, I sat back and decided to become a good witness. No way was I getting involved with these two. I had just had my cast removed from Achilles tendon surgery and I wasn’t going to risk further injury.

The Commerce Casinos security detail came into the room like Batman and Robin, tackling both Steve and Joe to the ground. The two were then carted off to the “No-More-Poker-Playing-at-The-Commerce-For-A-While” room.

Immediately the dealer began calling for a floor man, and when he arrived he called for the Tournament Director, Cheri Dokken.

Cheri, being the professional she is in the poker field, declared me the winner… by default. Sweet! A true “bad beat” story at its best. It was the talk of the poker room all week.

I eventually entered the two $540.00 events on basically a free roll, and made the money in both of them. I will talk about these two events in my next article, along with my experiences in organizing a Charity Tournament For Fallen Officers and Firefighters families. In the mean time, take care and be safe.

And please don’t drink and play poker.

After traveling for 17 hours to get here, I crashed. I barely slept the night before my trip either. With the 4 hour time difference, I am waking up at 5 am. Other than that, so far, I absolutely love this place. It’s been less than 2 days, but I’ve got some big blisters on my feet today, from all of the walking I did yesterday. I planned on playing poker yesterday evening, but when I got to the strip, I just started walking, doing the tourist thing.
I did play some poker. Yesterday morning, I made my way to the MGM Grand for my first Vegas tourney. It was a $65 buyin that allowed for rebuys in the first 4 20 minute levels. I think there was a total of 80 buyins. I just made the one buyin. Early on I doubled up with AA vs KK, when the guy tried to slow play me. I was amazed at how bad some of the players were. I didn’t get to many hands after that, and was down to $2200, when the blinds were at $400, when two stacks similar to mine went in, I called with my AJ off and nearly tripled up. After that I just pushed chips around and built myself up to above average, just by taking blinds, or raising late and continuation betting.
The final table was supposed to be 10 players,but only 9 made it, with the final 7 getting paid. We discussed a chop, with I think 9 players each receiving around $440. We all agreed except for 1 guy, so we had to play it out. The blinds were now 1200, and I had a little under 11000, when I looked down at 33. I don’t play to squeak into the money, so I shoved. I got called by AQ, and flopped a set. That put me into second in chips, and a few hands later the guy that wouldn’t chop, got cold decked when his A7 was outkicked by the A 10 on a board of AA8. It was fitting. We all had a good laugh at the guy, and because of some shortstacks, top 4 got $580, and bottom 4 got $400. I’d say my first day in Vegas was great, except for the blisters.

It is hard to imagine the 2009 WSOP is only two weeks away. It seems as though it has only been a few months since the family and I headed to Vegas in the heat of July 2006 so I could attend the WSOP as a spectator.

I had been at home with a torn achilles and needing a second operation.Although I could not walk I told the wife we needed to get out of the house. Usually at this time of year we are in Laughlin with her family and our friends boating, but do to my injury it was out of the question.

I had been watching re-runs of the past several WSOP Main Events on ESPN and really wanted to go there and see what all the talk was about.

It is hard to explain just how exciting it is to be just a spectator at this Super Bowl of Poker. I was hooked and began to play the game in August at the media Event for the Legends of Poker Freeroll.

I was writing for our Departments magazine/newspaper and I was able to play because of it. I then began to blog at PokerPages for a few months until they were bought out and my game got serious after winning an event at the Orleans in December 2006.

Why did I have to win an event! I have been hooked since and had some ups and had some downs but I played in my first WSOP in 2007 at the Senior’s event. Tried a satellite that year to get into the main event for 1000.00 and with being short stacked in the BB and 3 away from making the ME I flopped a Queen high flush. Two other players also called, one with 10-4 off suit as there was 10s-4s-Qs on the flop. I had 8-9 spades. Turn was 3d and the river was 10d. I lost to a Full House and took my first of many more to come sick beats. The table almost kicked this guys butt for even calling with 10-4. We had played for a few hours together and were trying to let the other tables lose the players.

Last year I played the Senior’s event again and played several $175.00 satellites for a small profit. My schedule would not allow me to play the ME so I did not try a satellite.

So here we are again, two weks away and I am off of work because of an injury and another surgery. I will be going back to work on June 1st and I have not had the opportunity to work overtime to build a bankroll for this years WSOP. I have won about 6000.00 this year in a few tournaments and close to 5000 in satellites but I had to pay for some Dental work and take care of some family issues.

I have enough to play in the Senior’s Event once again so I will be able to have the thrill of being at this years WSOP once more. I will also go as a spectator and have a great time! Hopefully next year I will be able to play a few other events.

I will be blogging about this years experience at the 2009 WSOP as well as posting some videos here. I am truly looking forward to the coming weeks of the WSOP experience.

Take Care ….Be Safe….

The Deputy

Well yesterday afternoon a friend of mine who works at Commerce Casino (Brandon) called me and told me I was eligible to play in the Casino Employee Event that kicks off the start of the California State Championship Series.

Since I have a WPT press pass and cover events and blog here about them allowed me to play. I did a little ritual before entering the Casino to rid it of the demon who has been after me there. It worked because I made the Final Table out of the 77 entrants and I have to say, there were some very good players in this event.

It was mostly made up of dealers and floor personnel as far away as Reno and they knew Poker. I had tough tables throughout the night and one of the Managers at Commerce,Jeff Harris and I had a battle against one another all night and he had the best of me 70% of the time. Jeff eventually won the event and for a guy who rarely plays tournaments he did a fine job last night.

I took only one real bad hit and it was at the Final table last night when an opponent chased a gut shot to the river and hit. If I win that pot, we may not have chopped the prize pool evenly last night, because I really wanted the magnificent trophy they are handing out this series.

I ended up 5th in chips after the deal was struck with 6 of us left and Commerce added a $335.00 Buy In event to the Final 10 players. Everyone received second place money and I will be playing in this Mondays Event.

Although it was a small field, it was filled with quality players and it felt good to go deep again. No more demons either so I feel good about Monday and I am due!

Take Care….Be Safe…

The Deputy

I have not been to the Commerce since my deep run back in February in event #28. To be honest with you I was very disappointed the only card left in the deck that could beat me came on the river in that tournament. It cost me the chip lead and thousands of dollars.

I am not a very superstitious person. However for the past two years at Commerce I have some type of demon there that will not allow me a win. I over came two really bad beats in event #28 and I played some of my best Poker even though I had just got out of the Hospital a few days prior. The demon was doing his best to get rid of me but he was cruel and waited till I was two away from the Final table to use his powers on me. Out of 1362 players down to the final 12 and he just ‘ZAP” gave my opponent the only card he could win with when he should not even of been in the pot in the first place.

I can go on and on about bad beats which I do not want to do. Every time I play Poker it becomes a learning experience and I try to learn something and apply it to my next session or tournament.

In 2007 in my first LAPC a $545.00 event with 730 players I was down to the final 17 when I was beat by 3-9 on a bluff by the small blind who was short and trying to steal blinds and antes. It crippled me and I made a move with QJ diamonds to be beat by A9 off on a board where his Ace high won. (My JJ was beat by 2 pair on river.)

I could tell you about 4 other tournaments I made deep runs in only to have the demon strike me and send me packing.

Last night after a few months hiatus from the Commerce I returned to play some satellites for the upcoming California State Poker Championship series. I am feeling better and I had to take some paperwork to LA so I stopped in to play.

I must of awakened the demon because he was anxious to get to me right off the bat. I had QQ on the button and raised and the BB went all in. Now we just started this $120.00 satellite and I thought about folding thinking he had AQ or AK. I thought for a minute or so until some impatient player called a clock on me in a satellite.

I finally decided to call and the BB turned over 66. I thought to myself how many times I have had 66 and never hit the flop so I felt like I was going to double up.

So now an $80.00 satellite is going to start and I sit down and about 5 minutes into it I am in the big blind with J8 spades. Four players limped at 50 each and the flop came out J-8-A Three of us put in 200 chips each and the turn was a 5. We had 1500 in starting chips and I put in 575 and both players called me. Now I am scratching my head here, I do not believe anyone is slow playing a set. If the one opponent has a big Ace he is going to raise, there is no flush or straight draws. The river is a 10 and put in the rest of my chips, Both players call. A6 loses and the other guy had pocket tens and hit his set on the river and knocks us both out.

I play one more $120.00 and with 6 players left and me playing extremely tight in this one I look down at KK and being on the button and blinds at 200-400 I have 2500 chips I raise to 1800 and the BB calls me. The flop is 9-5-3 and I put my remaining chips in and the BB calls me with A-5 and rivers an Ace.

My bankroll is really tight I mean so tight I do not think I am going to bee able to play any tournaments for awhile. I want to save what I have to be able to got play some Satellites at the WSOP at the end of May.

I came home last night and just sat on the couch and ran almost every hand I have lost with through my mind for about 45 minutes. I tried to think if I played anyone of them wrong or if I could have done something different with each one.

I spoke with my buddy Paul “The Machine” Valencia about my play and it’s fortunate I have friends who listen and we discuss our poker playing with one another.

Paul is very encouraging and he himself is a very good player and going through a bit of Tournament drought. His encouragement is comforting knowing I am doing the right thing in our minds, but encouragement doesn’t give me more of a bankroll and I am going to have to suffer through the month of May until the WSOP.

I always appreciate everyone’s comments and I am sorry to rant. I truly believe there is a force at Commerce of some type and I cannot believe I am saying it, I have tried to overcome the past two years but I am unable too!

Take Care….Be Safe…..

The Deputy

We wake up each day and have our early morning routine of getting ready for whatever lies ahead. Most of us take it for granted that it’s another day and another dollar is to be made.

Yet we throw those pant’s on one leg at a time, we put the blouse/shirt over our head and one arm goes in and then the other. We look in the mirror as we brush our teeth and some of us see someone else looking back , while others have no guilt at what is staring at them.

I have had my share of tragic events in my life as we all have. I have become a better person because of those events as well as the good that has happened to me.

I went into Law enforcement to save the world and I have said this and written it many times before. I will say it and write it again someday because it is the truth. I have seen thing’s most people in this world have not and done thing’s most people in this world would not do because of the type of job I have.

I have saved lives and had unknown people and friend’s die in front of me or in my arms. Most would be haunted by some of these but my up bringing gave me the strength to continue and I have.

I got hurt in 2006 and had my achilles operated on and during my recovery I went to Las Vegas at the height of the World Series of Poker. I am a big sports fan and watching ESPN, I like many, fell in love with their broadcasts of the WSOP.

I had played some Poker when I was younger and even attempted to play at a local Indian casino who had a one dollar, two dollar 7 card Stud game in the early 90’s. It was for fun as I was not much of a gambler and I had a family to worry about then too. My job was everything to me at the time and I lived, breathed and worked until I was divorced in 1997 after 17 years of marriage.

Ten years later I find myself re-married and I have two sets of wonderful twin girls. I have grown as a person and a father the past ten years and we are all enjoying Vegas. I see an ad for the Circuit radio show and they would be broadcasting Live from the Bellagio at 10:00am on Sunday. Gavin Smith, who I had seen on television was one of the Host’s so I asked the wife and headed over to watch.

I had never listened to a Poker radio show or any type of podcast before. I didn’t even know how to turn on an Ipod. I entered the Fonatna Lounge and saw a few people milling around and in the middle of them all was Gavin.

I sat down at a Poker table near him as he was talking to someone else and as he finished I introduced myself to him and gave him a card. He had to go over to start the show and when he sat down he put the card on the table and a young man looked at it and walked over to me and said, ” hello i am Justin, we ar going to have some of the audience members come on today and answer some trivia questions on air, would you like to do that” I said, “yes” shook his hand and shortly Justin Shronk looked at me and gestured for me to come up. He put the headphones on me and Huff introduced me as Gavin called me “The Deputy” The name has stuck and as I left the room that day Justin shook my hand and thanked me and I never have missed another show with these guys.

When they came to LA for Legends in August, I was there watching them before the shows would start. Shronk at times over the next few years would always get everyone in order and they no matter how much rambling was going on would do exactly what he asked.

I would stop into the Media room at the 2007 WSOP and see him at his computer banging away, he always made time to say “hello” and I admired him for that because some of the other people in the media I new, would not even look up or they would walk by you as if you did not exist, but not Justin.

Poker has made me a better person and been almost life saving for me. I have met some truly nice people and I no longer live and breath Cop work because of it.

Justin understood my English dry sense of humor more than anyone else I have ever met. When the Poker Road forums started, I immediately joined and although I was ever hardly on the computer or post anything in a forum I did so at PokerRoad.
Justin and I would trade banter back and forth and it was fun. This year I was injured again and began to post more often at Poker Road and even made a Video for fun about “Do You Have Shronk” never had I done this before about anyone,but Justin was special and I knew he would like it and he DID.

Justin was a big driving force at Poker Road and he even helped get a line of shirts with wild saying’s from some of the Host’s and Poker Professionals at Poker Road. he had a shirt made with ” Got Shronk” on it and I recently bought it to wear while making my second video of ,”Do you have Shronk”

I last saw him briefly at the Dream Team Poker Event in March. I then received the tragic News early Monday morning and for the first time in a very long time,immediately tears began to roll down my cheeks like a running faucet.

I was old enough to be his father, but young enough to enjoy his witty remarks. I thought to myself Why…Why would someone with so much talent and love for his job, friends, Poker and the thousands he met in the forums leave us at such an early age, way before his time.

When I was in the hospital he made sure I was alright by sending me a private message and when I saw he had just been released from the hospital in a paper suit, I chuckled but was concerned and the only way for me to communicate with him, was through the forums.

I am a better man for knowing Justin Shronk I live each and everyday the best i can and I NEVER purposely try to be rude or hurt others I associate with in anyway. Life is way to short and at a moment’s notice we could be gone.

Fortunately for us, Shronk, because of the Internet and Video’s will always be near. So many have posted amazing memories about him in all over the Poker Community sites.

A little piece inside of me died today and a little piece of me grew today. I will wear my “Got Shronk” shirt as often as possible when I go to the WSOP this year.

Take Care……Be Safe……

The Deputy

This is going to be short and sweet, not had time at all to post a new blog here. Schedule has been hectic.

This week I haven’t been playing much poker but I’m still learning a ton of new stuff. People on Two plus Two have actually started to listen to me now and I have been talking to a lot of players on IM discussing different theories and styles of play. This has been helping my game a lot, have not really had time to think about much else. Maybe I will play some in the next few weeks and see if I am still a steaming donk at the table or if I can actually win monies while I play. Probably not…

On a side not off poker, I have been working on a lot of content for radio and been trying to find ways to explain things that listeners previously haven’t known about I plan to educate a lot of people this way even though I have a cheek to educate anyone on anything. Woke up this morning itching like hell and realised I had a huge, very attractive large full body rash. The women have been falling at my feet all day…Sarcasm is always good! Been to the doctors about it and apparently it is an allergy.

Anyway, I have just finished work and am going to go home for a nice sleep and go to college tomorrow. Fun Times.

D

I started playing on line in late 2006 when I took up Poker. It was the “In” thing to do and I played a ton of freerolls and some small buy in tournaments at a few different sites.

Eventually I found some success at Poker Stars and after building my bankroll up to $1400.00 I took money out to play in the WSOP last year.

I had a difficult time after cashing out and discussed it with numerous people in the Forums and in card rooms where I play live. Many of them refuse to play Poker on line and I heard similar stories.

I have continued to play and have kept a record of my hands and the beats I have taken since January of this year. I have invested over the 4 months 700.00 and have won back almost 500.00 of it.Still a negative and fortunately it’s not a lot of money over the period of time I have played.

Most of the players I have been playing against during the day seem to be from Europe and it is amazing the hands they play. I think Poker Stars encourages players to play horrific hands and allows them to win, so they can continue to come back to Poker Stars and deposit money.

Unfortunately for me those terrible hands are against me. I know all of you are thinking a few different things. No way it’s a random card generator or it happens to everyone and Scott stop your whining.

I am playing for gas money here and doing my own study. No whining and yes it happens to Poker players, but not as consistent as it has happened to me.

I have “whined” in the chat box and it seems the more I talk smack to other players the worse my beats are.

So since March 15th I have not chatted at all unless I posted NH (nice hand) to another player and my luck has not changed. I continually see big name players and big name on line players have major success at PS while playing very strange hands.

This past weekend in the Main Event of SCOOP a hand that I am convinced now favors individuals occurred at the Final Table when 22 vs JJ and they both go all in pre flop for thousands of chips.

The flop favored the PS on line player when it came out 2-J-2.

If not for being hurt and stuck at home I would not be playing for my milk money on line. I have been trying to keep my game sharp and On Line is seriously taking the fun out of Poker for me, even at these low stakes.

My records do not lie from the past several months. My only word to all of you is like the ad on TV for Harrah’s, please play within your limits, as not to go broke playing On Line Poker when there has been so much abuse.