Scott Diamond

It's amazing the things you can learn even as you get up in years. I have said many times how fortunate I have been with my new found interest,"Poker".

I have met some incredible people and some not so incredible. I have become a fan of certain players only to find out their ego's have become huge since meeting them and I no longer admire them for who they have become.

I have supported some only to be ignored and others have been very supportive of me.I have always wondered why people tend to change as they become accepted in a fraternity of their peers.Do they forget their past?

We have the same problem in Law Enforcement with people thinking they have become better than some of their peers,and sooner or later it catches up to them and they have to adjust or move on,because if they don't they get eaten alive by peer pressure.

I have never had this problem because with all the things I have done and all the commendations I have received,they have never gone to my head. I am still the guy (with a lot more experience)who became a cop 22 years ago.Sure I have had some conflicts with a few Deputies who hasn't with a co-worker. However it has not been because of MY ego.

So it disturbs me when I have reached out to those and have tried to develop a friendship yet because I have yet to WIN a huge event I am considered a groupie or a wannabe as I was told by someone the other afternoon.

At first I was somewhat flabbergasted by there remarks but I then realized Poker is a Sport,Hobby for me. I do not have to make my living off of it,of course I would love to win a big event someday because of my competitive nature. I have had the taste of some first place finishes in smaller events and this keeps me going.

I have told people before not to mistake my kindness for weakness just ask some of the hundreds of crooks I have taken to jail over the years.I can apply this to my Poker playing also and have started to be more aggressive at the tables.

My point is, remember where you started,you can be a star today and a has been tomorrow in anything you do.You should be thankful for your fans and friends and remember you would be nothing without either of them.

I will always remember what it was like when I was a broke and lonely person and had no one to turn to for advice or help. We have all been there one time in our lives and we can always be there again if not careful.

I apologize for such a harsh blog,and I promise you I will be a different person when I am at tournaments, because it just does not pay to be friendly with some.

If I am not able to blog in the Poker community anymore,I would survive. If I never did an appearance on a Radio Show, I would survive, If I never have the opportunity to win a major, I would survive.Just as long as I could continue to do my Charity work and have the love and support of my family is all I would ever need.

OLD, is when you cannont teach an old dog new tricks and Learning New Things is a way of life and a blessing sometimes in disguise..

I stopped off at the Bicycle Casino Saturday and decided to play the $335.00 NL event at 4:15.I had just got off of work and I haven't played any live Poker for about 2 weeks. I dabbled on-line a bit just to pass some time,but I tell you I should of taken my $100.00 and given it to someone or just hung it out the window of my truck and let it go! On-line is so brutal, I guess I am just a glutton for punishment because I keep going back and playing.

Anyway, 6,000 in starting chips and Denny Williams the tournament Director gave us an extra 30 minute level at the beginning, we started out at 25-25 instead of 50-25 and within 5 minutes there were 4 people busted.

I was in seat 6 and lost a couple of hands to flushes,once with a set of 9's and the other one 2 pair. I actually lost the minimum both times but it brought me down to about 3800 in chips. It's so hard to get people off of flush draws at the Bike,they are willing to risk their tournament on draws to the river.If I had won those two hands, a mistake I made later would of never happened. I did win a decent pot when seat 8 raised to 200 when the blinds were 50-25 and 3 limpers. I had pkt 5's and called as everyone else folded. So I am heads up with the original raiser who is an aggressive player and raises out of position.

The flop was Q-5-3 rainbow. I hit my set and he bets out 700 and I raise to 1400 and he calls.The turn is another 3 and fills me up so I check and he bets 1000 and I just called him. The river is an Ace and he checks pretty fast. I thought, "damn", did he actually have pkt rockets? I bet only a 1000 and he just called me and turned over AQ and I had a sigh of relief, as I showed him my Full House.

I now have about 7900 in chips and have A5 with 6 limpers and I am one of them. The flop came out Ac-5c-4h and as it checked to me I bet out 500 chips because I hit 2 pair and another flush draw out there. Seat 3 who beat me earlier on a flush called my 500 and a lady in seat 5 raised to 1500. I re raised to 3000 and seat 3 went all in. The lady in seat 5 calls as I do.

Seat 3 4c-2c for a gut shot straight and straight flush. Seat 5 AJ and me A5...turn 3 hearts giving seat 3 a straight and the river was 9d. I am knocked down to 775 chips. I build it back up to 3500 and as the blinds go to 300-150 and a 74 ante the button raises my blind 1200 and I have pocket 3's so I push my last 2750 in and he tanks for about 3 minutes. Now he tried to steal a round earlier when I had 66 and he called my all in of 1500 with 5-4 off. I thought he was making a move again but he finally called and turned over 66. He hit a 6 on the flop and I was on my way home.

I am still not sure I should have laid my A5 down earlier. If I had won those earlier races against that player I probably would have,but my stubbornness got the best of me and even though I had the right read he had too many outs. Oh well live and learn.

I am not going to Vegas tomorrow, I am going on Sunday the 22nd as I was given a few nights of free rooms at Caesars by my good friend Ernest Bennett. I am bringing Mrs. Diamond and I am going to play the Seniors Event on Monday as the wife goes shopping with Mrs. Bennett.

Ernest won the WSOP Seniors event last year and there were over 1900 players. I hope to have a better showing than last year as I will be playing my "A" game.

Hope all is well, congratulations to the "Italian Stallion" for winning a bracelet this past weekend and also to Barry Greenstein for winning the Razz event.

Take Care...Be Safe....