Wise Hand Poker

I have nothing but time on my hands and I read a story about a Poker Player who has to be the STORY of the year.

With the Espy's airing Sunday and all the Sport figures in town, someone has to tell them about SCOTT KOWALSKE!!!!!

This guy was an avid hunter, loved the outdoors and apparently ate the Deer he killed. This gave him a debilitating disease that will cost 40,000 for treatment.

Now this Gentleman is losing parts of his body from this disease..His fingers are coming off, his toes and now this dreaded disease is beginning to eat his internal organs.

They were going to have a charity tournament for him at Oceans 11 casino in Oceanside, but it was too small. So the staff contacted Harrahs Rincon and were going to supply all the Dealers and staff and SOMEONE on the Indian reservation let this Tournament die. A small 175.00 buy in for a great cause and it went POOF.

Can you imagine the sickness Scott must of felt. There is so much money in the Poker Community and NOT one person who has some cash has stood up to help.

Scott I apologize to you.. I wish I could help you in someway with my Charity Money we have about 22k.. However the by laws of my 501c will not let me. I also have a board of Directors that say its for Law Enforcement and Firefighters only.

SOMEONE FIND SOME HELP FOR THIS GENTLEMAN.. It is a rare disease that only affects Moose, Deer and Elk and Scott is the first Human known to get it from eating venison.

If anyone can help there is a foundation setup for Scott. Go to cardplayer.com News and click on the story about Scott to get the info...

I saw late last night after writing my blog the WPT signed an agreement with FSN to broadcast 26 episodes. Great news but the shows will be only one hour compared to the two hours we are used too. But what the hey....we have Poker on TV again and maybe after awhile FSN may decide to show two hours because there is only going to be very few hands shown.

Steve Lipscomb was not going to let the WPT fade away. He has put his SOUL into Poker the past few years and I believe he does not receive enough credit. Sure the WPT was a small sponsor of my Charity Event this year. I am sure they get dozens of requests,but I have met Steve and he is always very cordial with me and I respect that in a person, "No", matter how famous or Powerful they may be..

One thing I would like to add here.. I had a talk with Daniel about 14 months ago and I thought he was a little arrogant. I have changed my mind after seeing him at the years WSOP signing autographs everyday for several hours at a time. Daniel has become a great ambassador for Poker and I enjoy reading his blogs. Daniel if you read this or hear of it, I would like to apologize to you by buying you a beer at Legends. I gave you my card at the WSOP when you were in the hallway near the Amazon room signing autographs. The line had about 150 people in it and I did not have time to stand in it and apologize to you face to face! Hope we have the chance because you always have a crowd around.

I am trying to get the final date for this upcoming Memorial Poker Classic in February. Looks like the 22nd is going to be the date, but the Bike is not committing as of yet.

Our web site is up,,,barely and we are going to be adding a few things to it very soon. Pictures from the past two events and some links to our good friends and sponsors sites.

I am just waiting for some artwork from a few of them to send over to Craig and we should be looking respectful in a few days. FallenHeroesLA.org We will have a section for comments and suggestions and if you would like to donate a product to next years event.

Hope I am not bothering all of you with constant blogs, but i am so bored at home I have to share my thoughts with my THREE readers. Used to be Five but only three responded to my request when I had a bet with my buddy Jim...LOL

Take Care ...Be Safe..

I made the drive to Gardena from my home in Fontana, 65 miles to play in the $255.00 NL Event with a guarantee of $40,000.00 prize pool. There were 365 people who showed up and were able to get in. I know some were turned away and the prize pool was actually over $80,000 with first place paying a very nice $25,000.

We received 5,000 in starting chips and the blinds were 50-25 with 30 minute levels.

I had TWO pocket pairs in 9 levels!!!! The first one we were in level 2..I had 55 with 3 limpers. The flop was K-9-5 rainbow so I fired out 400 chips and was called by one player. Turn was a rag and I fire again with 1000 chips and get called. The River another rag and I put in 2200 chips and get called. I show my 55 and he mucks..

Several rounds later I am the big blind and have 33 and everyone folds and that was it for pocket pairs until I busted at the beginning of level 9 with AJ on the button. I went all in for 7900 chips,blinds were 1200-600 and the BB called me with 10-10 and it was all small and I left with only 109 players still vying for the 25K.

Such a struggle again. I had the patience of a Saint and the only reason I made it as far as I did, I won a pot with K-3 clubs in the big blind with two raises in front of me. I only had 4,000 left and put it all in. Both players called and I hit a King on the river to win the pot and give me 12,000 chips. I also had a flush draw and a straight draw so a hand finally came through for me. First raiser Q-10 hearts and second caller 99..

Some good players in attendance, James Woods was there and he busted 14th. Leroy Le and his friends as well as some other well known players from Los Angeles.

If anything has come about of my Poker Playing I am getting respect at the Table when I call or Raise. Fortunately I have always had the goods when I have done this and my demeanor never changes, win or bad beat.Now if I can catch a little respect from the Poker Gods...LOL

Did you see where Harrahs made over 13 million dollars just in fee's from this years WSOP. That is not including all the fee's from satellites either.

You minus the ten dollar coupon every player received for entering an event and they still made a GRIP..Maybe they can invest in some better chairs for the players next year. They were terrible, falling apart and very low. That is why you will see some players sitting on there legs and feet and gathering these cushions Everest Poker had all over the Amazon Room when these events are on ESPN starting Tuesday.

Well I am still off of work and my feet are still swollen. I haven't heard back from Kaisers lab after they did some blood work and checked my thyroid. I just got a call from the Doctors office who did my Achilles surgery and I am trying to get into see him. I had a severe blood clot after my first surgery that may have damaged some veins,so we will wait and see. I HATE being at home all day. I have been playing this game called Call of Duty 4 on line and it makes the time go by however it is hard playing while laying down and keeping my feet up.

I am going to try and play again Tuesday Night at the Hustler. Its a great Poker Room for Tournaments and the staff are some young guys and are very good at what they do.

Good Luck John Phan at the Bellagio's 15k event. You are on a very good roll right now.Unfortunately we will not be able to see this event televised because the WPT still does not have a contract with anyone, WHAT a Shame!!!

Take care...Be Safe...

After several tests yesterday the Doctors determined I do not have any heart problems...Whew..My EKG and my blood pressure are excellent for my age. There is no fluid in my lungs which is usually attributed to a heart Condition. My legs have been through a lot over the years and especially since my two Achilles tendon and 2 knee surgeries in the past 3 years. The Doctor said I have some issues with blood flow because of arthritis condition in my legs and some bulging veins.

Blood work is not yet back but all in all I am relieved it is not my heart. My father had a Heart Atack at 56 and ended up having a Heart Transplant in 2000 which he finally passed away from at 68 yrs old, after other organs began to fail.

So I listened to some Poker Road Radio while at the Hospital on my Lap Top. Big Poker Sundays with Scott Huff and Joe Sebok. I had noticed a lot of players have been wearing the Poker Road Radio logo on their shirts as I did while at the WSOP. It just goes to show you how much respect Joe and Barry and the rest of the crew have within in the Poker Community. No One is being compensated and I applaud everyone who is wearing the logo.

Well the majority of the 2008 WSOP is over. We have to wait until November for the Final Table to be played. It is going to be interesting how much hype the November 9 get. They all walked away with 9th place money last night, about 981,000.00 each. The 9th place player only has a million eight in chips and hopefully he gets some sponsorship because he has only one move when he comes back in November..ALL-IN..on his first hand.So now he has 117 days to think about it and hope he gets AA first hand and it holds up.

Congratulations to fellow Poker Reporter, Tiffany Michelle for being the last woman standing and pocketing 344,000.00. Hopefully she did not have a deal with anyone and is able to keep all of the winnings. What a great accomplishment for someone in their first event and against the second largest field in Main Event History!!

Legends is just around the Corner and I watched the WPT LA Poker Classic on TV last night. I saw myself in the crowd several times and was anxious to see some of the hands the players folded and made big calls with. It has been 5 months since I saw it live and the WPT did a great job of putting it together. One hand I was really curious about and I will have to ask him next time I see him is Nam's 77 against Quins all in when Nam was short stacked. I wonder if Nam folded because he and Quin are good friends? Quin only had Q9 hearts and I thought that was a real aggressive move at that point by him. Hopefully he will be honest with me and I will be able to tell you. Maybe tonite as I am going to the Hustler to play a 240.00 Deepstack Event and Nam's brothers usually play in these, so Nam may just stop by for a bit.. if not I can always call him.

One of the LAPC final table players, Scott Montgomery is also at the Final Table of this years WSOP Main Event and has some chips. He was the chip leader at the LAPC and ended up going out in 5th place just after Phil Hellmuth.

Wish me LUCK tonite. Its a long drive but I need out of the house and as frustrated as I have been with Poker I have to keep attacking it. Eventually something good is going to happen and as Long as I have a buy in I am going to play. Thanks for the phone calls from you that told me not to give in. I am not a quitter,never have been, never will be. I will just have to start working Overtime to get my play money again. or maybe I will get it tonight!!!!!

Take care..Be safe.. P.S. the 2008 WSOP starts airing next Tuesday the 22nd....on ESPN.

Let me start this blog out by saying THANKS to all of my readers and Thanks to Gary Wise for allowing me to blog here. Its a tremendous honor for me and I have really enjoyed sharing my stories with all of you.

I have said this before, but felt the urge to say it gain. I read Justin Shronks blog and it is one of his best. It truly came from the heart. I have, and I am sure a lot of you have also struggled at time financially in life. I sometimes wondered how i was going to make the monthly payments even after becoming a Deputy.

Raising kids is a wonderful thing but it is a huge responsibility.

At least Justin is doing something he loves and doesn't have to get up at three in the morning and get home at five in the evening four days a week at a job that is thankless. I have no one to blame but myself, I chose this profession and thought I could change the world, but you do not realize how wrong I was.

Justin is good at what he does, PokerRoad is the best thing that has happened in the Poker Community since Chris Moneymaker and I am a huge fan. The shows success has a lot to do with the guys behind the scenes as well as the guys behind the Microphones.

So my CONCERN....Well a lot of you know I have had some terrible injuries the past four years. Reconstructed elbow and knee surgery after tangling with a PCP suspect. Missed 14 months of work behind that and came back full duty after hours of rehab and rest. Then 14 months later tore my Achilles tendon chasing a bad guy and had to have TWO surgeries to repair it, due to the first Doctor making it worse than it was. (lawsuit pending)A year off of work and 7 months behind a desk rehabbing again. I have been back in a Radio car since September of 2007 and this month makes 15 years of pushing a patrol car day in and day out in my 20 years of being with the Sheriffs dept. Add the three years I had at San Bernardino Sheriff and thats 18 years behind the wheel of a Patrol car. and now.......Well I am off of work as of yesterday because there is an issue with my health.

I am on my way to Kaiser in about an hour. My feet and legs have been swelling up during the day and I do not know why. I could not even put my work boots on and I had some terrible pain. I thought it might be an issue with my Achilles, but it is in both feet. I had my blood pressure checked at South Pasadena Fire Dept and it is pretty good for my age. But my body is trying to tell me something and I have to go get it checked and honestly for the first time in my Life I am a little worried to go to the Doctors.

I am only 52 years old and I have never really had any physical problems other than injuries. I have always been healthy rarely sick and I used to be in great shape. Its amazing how life can change so fast and ALL of you need to realize it.

Poker has been a big part of my life the past two and a half years and I am an infant when it comes to playing. I want to make it to adulthood so I am off to the Doctors.

I wish all of my Poker friends the best continue to do what you love and what you are GOOD at. Long hours are associated with success and although some may take things for granted, when you wake up in the morning and look in the mirror what do you see? You cannont fool the man in the mirror if you think about this you will be very succesful in Life.

Take care... Be Safe...