Well I do not have much to report. Purchased a hit tub the other day, not from poker winning that is for sure, and had it installed. Spend that last few days in beautification mode. I have not played many hands so I guess I am behind on my PStars bonus. I have another 5 1/2 months to clear my 1,800+ points to get my free $125.00. Let's see how it goes. At work, I am close to becoming the Chapter President of our local union. The union for supervisors isn't 1/8 as powerful as the guards union, but hey, I am going to give it a go. I'll fight to the death, yada, yada, yada.
As I was four tabling tonight, awaiting the completion of the chicken enchilada's, I did run into a tough hand. Anyone care to comment, It's all good. This is what I posted on CR, BTP and FTR.
"The villain here is playing tight/passive over a small sample (40+ hands) with stats of 14/6/2. I don't know seems like I really blew the river call. I would appreciate any help or thoughts.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1521125 "
Well it's time for the Mexican food, followed by cocktails in the spa. Ahhhh, the state does provide.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Arnold putting the hammer down!
It is official! The strongest union in the state of California has been dealt a heavy blow from the Governator. After several month of high level crying. The state says, "enough!" and imposes a three year contract on the prison guards. The talks went nowhere, so the state threw the a contract to the legislature to vote on in January. Here are the details that the union was fight against.
We receive $530.00 per year as a uniform allowance. On 7/1/07 it goes to $770.00 and 7/1/08 to $830.00.
Anyone who is assigned to work after 4:00pm and/or weekends receives an additional .65 per hour. Well that will going up also to .90 and to $1.10 for after 4:00pm pay, and the weekend worker will receive the same bump. In short, the guy who works 2:00 - 10:00pm with Th/F off will be receiving an additional $300.00 per month.
Anyone assigned to Salinas Valley, Soledad, San Quentin, or High Desert will receive an additional $500.00 per month.
Anyone working the desert pens, or Avenal State Prison will receive a $2,400.00 yearly incentive.
Anyone who recruits an officer will receive $1,000.00 for any prison and $2,000.00 for selected prisons.
And the best of it all! Pay Raises!!!!! 15% over the next three years beginning 07/01/07!
And the union was against this.
ANYONE INTERESTED IN JOIN THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND REHABILITATION PLEASE CONTACT ME FOR POSSIBLE INCENTIVE PAY!
We receive $530.00 per year as a uniform allowance. On 7/1/07 it goes to $770.00 and 7/1/08 to $830.00.
Anyone who is assigned to work after 4:00pm and/or weekends receives an additional .65 per hour. Well that will going up also to .90 and to $1.10 for after 4:00pm pay, and the weekend worker will receive the same bump. In short, the guy who works 2:00 - 10:00pm with Th/F off will be receiving an additional $300.00 per month.
Anyone assigned to Salinas Valley, Soledad, San Quentin, or High Desert will receive an additional $500.00 per month.
Anyone working the desert pens, or Avenal State Prison will receive a $2,400.00 yearly incentive.
Anyone who recruits an officer will receive $1,000.00 for any prison and $2,000.00 for selected prisons.
And the best of it all! Pay Raises!!!!! 15% over the next three years beginning 07/01/07!
And the union was against this.
ANYONE INTERESTED IN JOIN THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND REHABILITATION PLEASE CONTACT ME FOR POSSIBLE INCENTIVE PAY!
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Maybe It's Time To Get Back To The Basics of Love
I heard a line from a classic Waylon Jennings hit thats says, "Maybe it's time to get back to the basics of love." Well that is what I have done. I plan to revisit and re-evaluate my poker play, and get back to the basics of love. I am going to study the books and watch the videos. I think poker being a situational game, however also being a game of repetition, tends to make standard play just that, standard. I am also going to seek the opinions of the online community as I have often felt the poker books are written by high stakes professionals who play a different game the a low limit grinder. I need to approach successful onliners who are low and middle stakes grinders, and pick their brains. So I will be engaging those members of the forums I belong to to put together, or validate, my game plan. This should be fresh and interesting as I review the many different styles. So get ready for the new hybrid players, who is always adjusting and changing to meet the needs of my bankroll.
I was second guessing my play after losing to quads after filling up. Usually I can laugh that stuff off, but this happened after losing 2 hands both to 2 outers. Anyway, I was in a low point and placed a post seeking some comfort (I guess that is what it was) when I received a great response from a Card Runners member that goes by the screen name TLXLM. Here is the post:
"Convict, you are far to results-oriented. My guess is you spend to much time focusing on things you can not change. Take your first hand as an example, instead of thinking "oh typical, i got a cooler again", "i run like shit" etc. you should be focusing on how you played the hand. You say that you don't know if you should have laid it down. Well, if you don't know then make sure to figure it out! Do some calculations, post the hand in the cash-game forum, do whatever it takes to find out how that hand should be played to maximize your expectation. If you find that you played it well, good, variance didn't work in you favor this time, but there is nothing you could have done differently. If you find that you made a mistake, find out how you should have played it, make sure you remember it, and you will not ever have to make the same mistake again. After i finish a session i don't ever start a new one until i have gone through every hand i played with a net-loss or net-profit of more than 10BB. I analyze them and figure out better ways to play the hands where i feel i have made mistakes. Bad beats and bad runs are inevitable. You can not change that. But if you consistently make +EV plays, you WILL see results. If you can not believe that, you simply should not be playing.
However, if you choose to trust the laws of probability then there is only one thing you can do to get yourself out of a rut: WORK HARDER"
I guess he just breaks it down to the nuts and bolts. Bravo, sir.
I was second guessing my play after losing to quads after filling up. Usually I can laugh that stuff off, but this happened after losing 2 hands both to 2 outers. Anyway, I was in a low point and placed a post seeking some comfort (I guess that is what it was) when I received a great response from a Card Runners member that goes by the screen name TLXLM. Here is the post:
"Convict, you are far to results-oriented. My guess is you spend to much time focusing on things you can not change. Take your first hand as an example, instead of thinking "oh typical, i got a cooler again", "i run like shit" etc. you should be focusing on how you played the hand. You say that you don't know if you should have laid it down. Well, if you don't know then make sure to figure it out! Do some calculations, post the hand in the cash-game forum, do whatever it takes to find out how that hand should be played to maximize your expectation. If you find that you played it well, good, variance didn't work in you favor this time, but there is nothing you could have done differently. If you find that you made a mistake, find out how you should have played it, make sure you remember it, and you will not ever have to make the same mistake again. After i finish a session i don't ever start a new one until i have gone through every hand i played with a net-loss or net-profit of more than 10BB. I analyze them and figure out better ways to play the hands where i feel i have made mistakes. Bad beats and bad runs are inevitable. You can not change that. But if you consistently make +EV plays, you WILL see results. If you can not believe that, you simply should not be playing.
However, if you choose to trust the laws of probability then there is only one thing you can do to get yourself out of a rut: WORK HARDER"
I guess he just breaks it down to the nuts and bolts. Bravo, sir.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Perspective
I have decided to chime in from work. I am still very frustrated by my performance earlier in the day at the poker tables. I keep going through my mind regarding the hand I was felted with when I have pocket T’s and call a shove on a 3JJJ7 board. Of course I lose to quads which it is compounded by my loss to a 2 out river Q for all the money. I am down 4 BI’s in 2 days. The swing is just after I made a deposit of $500.00 for a 25% bonus. Looking back, these hands kill me. However, I think a little perspective is in order.
Tonight, I walk over to the Receiving and Release building to screen a new arrival. Sitting before me is an attractive young Hispanic girl from Orange County (home of Disneyland). She was born in 1984 and is obviously a little scared. She informs me that she just found out that she is pregnant and doesn’t want to be pregnant. As I look through her prison file, known as the Central File, I read the arrest report. It appears our soon to be mother was at a house with approximately 10 – 15 others when Tony and his girlfriend Kayla arrive. When Tony starts to make it into the house, someone steps out and blasts him with a shotgun. Tony, suffering from a shotgun blast to the neck, is rushed to the University of California at Irvine (UCI) Medical Center for treatment. Well it turns out to be a soft tissue injury. Tony now sports a much thinner neckline, as a 2 inch by 3 ½ inch chunk of his neck is now missing (this is equal to hitting the case A for quads). As his girlfriend arrives at the hospital, Tony tells her to keep her damn mouth shut about the incident. After reading this, I can’t help but wonder how our young mother is involved. Apparently she was just attending the party and gets scooped up in the crowd. As the police run names, she pops up as being on probation for a past burglary, and viola’, sent to prison for violation of probation, sixteen months in da’ big house.
As I look through the arrest report, I see 2 photos of some mean looking Hispanic guys. I come to find out “Rascal”, in his forties and a member of the dangerous 18th Street gang from Los Angeles was fingered for the shooting. I assure the young girl that time will be easy, if she keeps her nose clean and avoids “the mix”. I also inform her that she will be getting out around the middle of November because she received a lot of credits while sitting in the county jail. With that news, she smiles and tells me she is about to cry, because that means she would not give birth to her child in prison. It appears that is why she doesn’t want to be pregnant. I tell her that her child may never know she did time, but I would recommend not getting a tattoo to celebrate her new status as a “convict”.
I am the father of a young woman. I am also a husband for over 18 years. My daughter currently a senior in high school and she is maintaining a “B” average. She has thoughts of becoming a Registered Nurse, and as far as I can tell, and believe me I can tell, she does not use drugs. I believe she has tasted a cold one before, but doesn’t appear to have put herself in any situations that she can’t handle. My wife and I are still in love. We are best friends and she tolerates my poker. And I am very happy about that. I can honestly say, I will not find another, nor would I ever consider looking. She is good or bad, my life partner. The one I can go to when things suck, and the one I can go to when it’s all good. And to continue, I have a blonde Labrador retriever, his name his Mac (after General Douglas Mc Arthur) he loves me to.
So I guess my point is this, how important is calling a river shove for my stack with my full house against quads, or losing to a 2 outer on a river. When it comes to the things that matter, the $25NL and $50NL cash games I play does not define my ability as a man, husband or a father, only as an online poker player. And looking at the newest member of CDC, and the hand she was dealt, I realize that I am actually holding the nuts.
Tonight, I walk over to the Receiving and Release building to screen a new arrival. Sitting before me is an attractive young Hispanic girl from Orange County (home of Disneyland). She was born in 1984 and is obviously a little scared. She informs me that she just found out that she is pregnant and doesn’t want to be pregnant. As I look through her prison file, known as the Central File, I read the arrest report. It appears our soon to be mother was at a house with approximately 10 – 15 others when Tony and his girlfriend Kayla arrive. When Tony starts to make it into the house, someone steps out and blasts him with a shotgun. Tony, suffering from a shotgun blast to the neck, is rushed to the University of California at Irvine (UCI) Medical Center for treatment. Well it turns out to be a soft tissue injury. Tony now sports a much thinner neckline, as a 2 inch by 3 ½ inch chunk of his neck is now missing (this is equal to hitting the case A for quads). As his girlfriend arrives at the hospital, Tony tells her to keep her damn mouth shut about the incident. After reading this, I can’t help but wonder how our young mother is involved. Apparently she was just attending the party and gets scooped up in the crowd. As the police run names, she pops up as being on probation for a past burglary, and viola’, sent to prison for violation of probation, sixteen months in da’ big house.
As I look through the arrest report, I see 2 photos of some mean looking Hispanic guys. I come to find out “Rascal”, in his forties and a member of the dangerous 18th Street gang from Los Angeles was fingered for the shooting. I assure the young girl that time will be easy, if she keeps her nose clean and avoids “the mix”. I also inform her that she will be getting out around the middle of November because she received a lot of credits while sitting in the county jail. With that news, she smiles and tells me she is about to cry, because that means she would not give birth to her child in prison. It appears that is why she doesn’t want to be pregnant. I tell her that her child may never know she did time, but I would recommend not getting a tattoo to celebrate her new status as a “convict”.
I am the father of a young woman. I am also a husband for over 18 years. My daughter currently a senior in high school and she is maintaining a “B” average. She has thoughts of becoming a Registered Nurse, and as far as I can tell, and believe me I can tell, she does not use drugs. I believe she has tasted a cold one before, but doesn’t appear to have put herself in any situations that she can’t handle. My wife and I are still in love. We are best friends and she tolerates my poker. And I am very happy about that. I can honestly say, I will not find another, nor would I ever consider looking. She is good or bad, my life partner. The one I can go to when things suck, and the one I can go to when it’s all good. And to continue, I have a blonde Labrador retriever, his name his Mac (after General Douglas Mc Arthur) he loves me to.
So I guess my point is this, how important is calling a river shove for my stack with my full house against quads, or losing to a 2 outer on a river. When it comes to the things that matter, the $25NL and $50NL cash games I play does not define my ability as a man, husband or a father, only as an online poker player. And looking at the newest member of CDC, and the hand she was dealt, I realize that I am actually holding the nuts.
The end maybe near...
I am starting to think I just don't get the game of poker, or I am very unlucky. I believe it is the former. I seem to catch second best hands, which by all accounts are usually best hands in most cases. I flop top 2, make a set or a straight just to get beat. I post the hands on the forums only to be told I should have bet more, should not have called there and so on. All the while I lose. I lose to a 2 outer a better set and so on. My AA get cracked by a T4off which floats and hits. I don't know what to do. i really thing I will never win, so why play. Here is the latest hand that has broken me down.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1491825
How do you get away? How do you lay down a full house, why does he shove? I don't get it. I don't get it.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1491825
How do you get away? How do you lay down a full house, why does he shove? I don't get it. I don't get it.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
How do you make it in Poker?
I am almost losing my mind. I am actually thinking of quitting poker because I feel I am just an unlucky person. I have really struggled with these thought. That might be the problem, maybe I am making myself an unlucky player. I took advantage of the Poker Stars 25% bonus offer by depositing $500 to make a $125.00 bonus. I generally play at the .25/.50 limit because I play for fun, but I would like to move up from success and not cash deposit. So late last night I set up my usual 4 table screen, but at the .25/.50 game. I was really catching cards and almost double a stack at one table. Because Poker Tracker as been hacked, I didn't run the program. I was cruising along when I lost 2 buy-ins within 3 minutes.
Hand #1 Me: AA
I have been really tight and elected to raise my AA's 4X. I am UTG and get a call from a MP player. Flop comes 246r. I lead out for 3/4 pot and get a call. Turn card is a 1o, same action, I am in for 1/2 pot bet, call! The river is a blank and the gut shoves? WTF set? No, the standard 10/4 to make 2 pair. Bad read?
Hand#2 Me: AQ
I am in the BB and re-raise the MP raiser, he calls. Flop is a beauty 5AQ for top 2. Lead out, re-raised by the original so I think he has the AK (makes sense from the action) and get in in good! Well not exactly he has 55 and makes flopped the set to my top 2. WTF!
Hand #3 Me: AK
Blind war with I guy I had stacked the hand before with my AQ on an A high board, he went to the felt with JJ. I raise he calls a flop of AT6. Bet and call, turn T. The river is a K, again I have top 2, bet and he min raises, so I think JQ? or split. I am pot committed so I call and he shows AT for the made boat. Ugh!
So I get to sleep and all the while wondering just how bad a poker player am I? I again remind myself that when someone shoves, that means something.
I wake up today to the warning that the "nail girl" is coming over, so to the desk top I go for a little bonus building poker time. I pound into my head that I will play tight, and without the nuts, lay down to any decent looking shove. The cards are not the best today, but I am making progress. Then the black flag waves it's evil colors again:
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1488153
Could I just be an unlucky player? I mean what am I suppose to do here? As you can see, how am I suppose to make it in poker with this kind of stuff. The funny thing is, when I asked Balkan what he put me on, he replied "KK". That makes it even worse, even he knew I would lose! I like the other bloggers as they site results oriented poker and short term variance. Tell me of any sport or activity that goes like this, " I know I lost, and continue to lose, but I am playing well and I am really getting it in good. I am not concerned that I am losing, as long I am playing well". Come on now, let's get real. It sucks losing a hand or a session or many sessions. It sucks and it hurts, no matter that I am "getting it in with the best hand."
Hand #1 Me: AA
I have been really tight and elected to raise my AA's 4X. I am UTG and get a call from a MP player. Flop comes 246r. I lead out for 3/4 pot and get a call. Turn card is a 1o, same action, I am in for 1/2 pot bet, call! The river is a blank and the gut shoves? WTF set? No, the standard 10/4 to make 2 pair. Bad read?
Hand#2 Me: AQ
I am in the BB and re-raise the MP raiser, he calls. Flop is a beauty 5AQ for top 2. Lead out, re-raised by the original so I think he has the AK (makes sense from the action) and get in in good! Well not exactly he has 55 and makes flopped the set to my top 2. WTF!
Hand #3 Me: AK
Blind war with I guy I had stacked the hand before with my AQ on an A high board, he went to the felt with JJ. I raise he calls a flop of AT6. Bet and call, turn T. The river is a K, again I have top 2, bet and he min raises, so I think JQ? or split. I am pot committed so I call and he shows AT for the made boat. Ugh!
So I get to sleep and all the while wondering just how bad a poker player am I? I again remind myself that when someone shoves, that means something.
I wake up today to the warning that the "nail girl" is coming over, so to the desk top I go for a little bonus building poker time. I pound into my head that I will play tight, and without the nuts, lay down to any decent looking shove. The cards are not the best today, but I am making progress. Then the black flag waves it's evil colors again:
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1488153
Could I just be an unlucky player? I mean what am I suppose to do here? As you can see, how am I suppose to make it in poker with this kind of stuff. The funny thing is, when I asked Balkan what he put me on, he replied "KK". That makes it even worse, even he knew I would lose! I like the other bloggers as they site results oriented poker and short term variance. Tell me of any sport or activity that goes like this, " I know I lost, and continue to lose, but I am playing well and I am really getting it in good. I am not concerned that I am losing, as long I am playing well". Come on now, let's get real. It sucks losing a hand or a session or many sessions. It sucks and it hurts, no matter that I am "getting it in with the best hand."
Friday, September 14, 2007
Hitting a 2 outer..
While doing time in a state penitentiary, I get to witness things that many other don’t. Although many of the inmates that I am entrusted to watch are a little insane to all out spun, I can’t help but wonder how these people made it through the judicial system. Those of you who have read this blog have been witness to many of these folks. The inmates I get to spend a day with are the same people you cross the street from. They are the people on the corner and street begging for change, or rummaging through the trash for a meal or a smoke. On the streets I have the same options as many of you. I can ignore them (which I generally do) or I can help them. At work I don’t have the luxury of crossing the street. I have to deal with each one.
The day started like any other day. I walk in and hear the slamming sallyport doors and to receive my assignment. I am lucky in the sense that I get to work various jobs. I am not stuck in a single assignment. Today, I draw the Reception Center. I have to handle 850 inmates fresh from county jail and eager to start to do their time. I also get the tasty side dish of the Security Housing Unit (SHU). Either way, it sucks. The SHU is considered the states prison within the prison. It is like the players on the Game Show Networks High Stakes Poker. A very elite group of player playing at a level many others can only marvel. The personalities are similar to the poker players. The loud and over the top cons like Matasow and the silent, but deadly killers like Phil Ivy. Anyway it is a club that I have to rule over. On this day I am dealing with a racially motivated and dangerous inmate who has been busted in prison for making weapons and Indecent Exposure, a black inmate who hates whites and loves to show her money maker. I am tasked with getting placed in a cell with only a blanket for clothing and a hole in the ground as a bathroom. Her home for the weekend will consist of padded walls and a small window.
As one could image, here comes the “devil white man” to hold a women down. After several minutes of “F you this and F your mother that” she gets placed in her single cell awaiting a healthy dose of Haldol to help “sooth” the pain. When you have to deal with a nut like this, and accomplish the mission without pepper spray or steel baton, it feels like hitting a 2 outer on the river. You can’t explain how it happened, but you still say, “Ship It! Holla”.
Speaking of hitting a 2 outer, I logged on to FTP to basically blow off my last $41.00 playing a little poker. I accomplished half of the task when I got heads up with an fn donkola. I call him that even though homie took my stack. I really wasn't that upset. I saw this guy shove it all in with TPWK, and a second shove with A2 suited on a chasing a runner runner flush draw (which he hit). So on a JJ66 board I thought my 10’s were good, but his QQ one the day. I call it a bad read. Anyway, I am down to my last $17.00 and decide I am going out on a .50/1 table. I buy in and wait for any pair to shove. Well I hit a 77 and true to form, stuff it in. The table folds and I am back to $20.00. I work my way up to $27.00 when I call a LP raise with 33 from the BB. The board looks pretty safe and my stack is small at $23.00 when I lead out for a ¾ pot bet. The LP raiser puts me all in and I say F it, so I call. He shows a small pair of Aces to my 33. Well like clock work a 3 peels of the turn and I have a quick double up. Needless to say the LP raiser is till cussing me about a 2 outer and how I can call and, “yada, yada, yada”. Like I said earlier, Ship It, Holla! With a couple of timely bets and a second shove I ended up with a true double up. Hell, I can’t even give the FTP money away.
The day started like any other day. I walk in and hear the slamming sallyport doors and to receive my assignment. I am lucky in the sense that I get to work various jobs. I am not stuck in a single assignment. Today, I draw the Reception Center. I have to handle 850 inmates fresh from county jail and eager to start to do their time. I also get the tasty side dish of the Security Housing Unit (SHU). Either way, it sucks. The SHU is considered the states prison within the prison. It is like the players on the Game Show Networks High Stakes Poker. A very elite group of player playing at a level many others can only marvel. The personalities are similar to the poker players. The loud and over the top cons like Matasow and the silent, but deadly killers like Phil Ivy. Anyway it is a club that I have to rule over. On this day I am dealing with a racially motivated and dangerous inmate who has been busted in prison for making weapons and Indecent Exposure, a black inmate who hates whites and loves to show her money maker. I am tasked with getting placed in a cell with only a blanket for clothing and a hole in the ground as a bathroom. Her home for the weekend will consist of padded walls and a small window.
As one could image, here comes the “devil white man” to hold a women down. After several minutes of “F you this and F your mother that” she gets placed in her single cell awaiting a healthy dose of Haldol to help “sooth” the pain. When you have to deal with a nut like this, and accomplish the mission without pepper spray or steel baton, it feels like hitting a 2 outer on the river. You can’t explain how it happened, but you still say, “Ship It! Holla”.
Speaking of hitting a 2 outer, I logged on to FTP to basically blow off my last $41.00 playing a little poker. I accomplished half of the task when I got heads up with an fn donkola. I call him that even though homie took my stack. I really wasn't that upset. I saw this guy shove it all in with TPWK, and a second shove with A2 suited on a chasing a runner runner flush draw (which he hit). So on a JJ66 board I thought my 10’s were good, but his QQ one the day. I call it a bad read. Anyway, I am down to my last $17.00 and decide I am going out on a .50/1 table. I buy in and wait for any pair to shove. Well I hit a 77 and true to form, stuff it in. The table folds and I am back to $20.00. I work my way up to $27.00 when I call a LP raise with 33 from the BB. The board looks pretty safe and my stack is small at $23.00 when I lead out for a ¾ pot bet. The LP raiser puts me all in and I say F it, so I call. He shows a small pair of Aces to my 33. Well like clock work a 3 peels of the turn and I have a quick double up. Needless to say the LP raiser is till cussing me about a 2 outer and how I can call and, “yada, yada, yada”. Like I said earlier, Ship It, Holla! With a couple of timely bets and a second shove I ended up with a true double up. Hell, I can’t even give the FTP money away.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
A cooler or a poor selection of wine?
I posted a note last night after a bottle of the grape and decided to take it easy and sit at a table for a little poke. The table was very loose and I was card dead. for most of the session. I was a little off my game, because I was drunk! I played super tight as not to appear drunk to the players. I generally don't play intoxicated or when I am very tired. This will sound very stupid, but understand my mindset at the time I opened the table. Anyway, this restaurant we went to is a tough ticket to get, and the parking is equally as tough. As we come driving up in preparation for the valet, the only non-valet spot for the eatery opens up. Viola' in we go, door front and a $5 spot to the good. Well hell, with luck like that, who wouldn't go and play some poker, drunk or not. So it, was the parking that lead my drunk ass to the table. Pathetic! So there I sit, it's 1:00am, I have a bottle of Francis' Claret and a 19" screen spewing colored squares and making the same noise I heard when I rode my bike with cards in the spokes. In the SB I see 2 cards with the same numbers. Hell, even I know that is pretty good! Well the UTG guy makes a standard 4x raise, and it is folded to me. I really can't comprehend the action, but something tells me to call. Well the rest is poker history...
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1472468
After playing the hand, 2 things were painfully obvious. The first is I should not play poker drunk and feeling invincible because I got a good parking space and the second, I had no more chips.
I can't help but wonder if things would have turned out differently I had been sipping on a bottle of Opus One?
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1472468
After playing the hand, 2 things were painfully obvious. The first is I should not play poker drunk and feeling invincible because I got a good parking space and the second, I had no more chips.
I can't help but wonder if things would have turned out differently I had been sipping on a bottle of Opus One?
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
WHAT!
I am writing this blog three quarter's drunk (anymore and i couldn't type) on Mark West 2005 Pinot Noir and busting it to Beck, Dean Martin, Frank, Biggie Smalls, Clapton and Slim Shaddy. Tonight was a celebratory dinner at a premium steakhouse, Flemming's. Finally sold the home and decided to spend some profit. It's nice because it's the three amigo's, my wife and child and of course the ConvictKeeper. After dropping a cool $250.00 on a few steaks and soup, I decided to get something off my chest. I would like to be playing poker right now, however I do not posses the mental facilities required to play, because I am intoxicated from the grape. However, that will not keep me from venting something that I feel very strongly about. So without further ado, here goes.
I must begin this rant by stating I am not a inmate lover at all. Hey, as far as I am concerned, they did the crime, so go on and do the time. However I am a strong advocate of fairness, convict or not. So here we go...
The other day I participated in an investigation into the alleged wrong doing of a Correctional Officer. It will be determined that the officer did nothing unethical or against policy. I always get dragged into the things because I am generally the highest ranking supervisor on grounds when the shit hits the fan. The price one pays for fame. Anyway, this issue occurred on December 1, 2006. The incident is common enough. An inmate gets her ass beat and we have to investigate the crime. In the words of Jerry Seinfeld, "yada, yada, yada". Whatever!
Anyway, a piece of trash lifer (murderer) makes a complaint that our guard saw the whole crime and did nothing about. Here goes the investigation. Well we will see after awhile if anything happened, in the meantime, I get a call for an interview in September of '07. WTF, am I suppose to remember what happen 10 months ago?
Well as luck has it, we buikd a case based on confidential information. Mind you, this "confidential" information is obtained from people who have spent a life telling lies, but that's another story. The "suspect" has her day in court and is found Not Guilty. As it turns out, the confidential information is unreliable (go figure) and the Lieutenant who adjudicated the case found her Not Guilty! This occurred in January of '07.
Fast forward to September of '07. Each inmate phone call is recorded and placed on a computer hard drive. This is done to help stop the infiltration of drugs and the trafficking of these drugs on a daily basis. Anyway, in one of these recorded calls, the inmate accused of committing the battery, is discovered. The suspect is heard admitting to the battery.
Excuse me, I had to take a break to bust open a bottle of 2004 Francis Coppola Claret (a black label Cabernet Sauvignon) and que up Dean Martins "Ain't That A Kick In The Head". This has got to be the deepest red Cabernet have ever seen. A great taste, smooth and dark, robust and "oaky" with a dusty hint of berry. Now on to Snoop Dogg's and Dr. Dre's "G-thing". Yea!
Anyway back to the issue, The institution has been caught violating several of the inmate's rights. So WTF happens? The toss the convict in the "hole" on a trumped up charge and violate a truckload of civil rights in the process. I am now officially steaming. I have to toss another sip back. The CONVICTKEEPER recommends the 2004 Francis Copplola 2004 Black Label Claret.
Listen up! We owe it to the citizen's of the great state of California to uphold the laws and statutes sit forth in the state and federal Constitution. However, we can not go on and shit on the rights afforded to every person, albeit convict or not. We can not bend the rules to try and cover up our mistakes. We blew it here. We did not do our jobs investigating this incident. As we say in the joint, "Hey, shit happens". We feel we can lock an inmate up after 10 months because she is now considered a threat.. WTF, she did nothing in the 10 months as we kept her ass on the mainline, now because someone may get in trouble for not doing their job, we beat the inmate like a rented mule and toss her in the hole? It just ain't right. We are so FN corrupt it is sad.
I write this because I live by a standard, a standard that can be explained in one motto, "If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything". Whatever, if it wasn't for the smooth sounds of Sinatra, "A Very Good Year", I'd be tossing back the Jack Daniels.
I must begin this rant by stating I am not a inmate lover at all. Hey, as far as I am concerned, they did the crime, so go on and do the time. However I am a strong advocate of fairness, convict or not. So here we go...
The other day I participated in an investigation into the alleged wrong doing of a Correctional Officer. It will be determined that the officer did nothing unethical or against policy. I always get dragged into the things because I am generally the highest ranking supervisor on grounds when the shit hits the fan. The price one pays for fame. Anyway, this issue occurred on December 1, 2006. The incident is common enough. An inmate gets her ass beat and we have to investigate the crime. In the words of Jerry Seinfeld, "yada, yada, yada". Whatever!
Anyway, a piece of trash lifer (murderer) makes a complaint that our guard saw the whole crime and did nothing about. Here goes the investigation. Well we will see after awhile if anything happened, in the meantime, I get a call for an interview in September of '07. WTF, am I suppose to remember what happen 10 months ago?
Well as luck has it, we buikd a case based on confidential information. Mind you, this "confidential" information is obtained from people who have spent a life telling lies, but that's another story. The "suspect" has her day in court and is found Not Guilty. As it turns out, the confidential information is unreliable (go figure) and the Lieutenant who adjudicated the case found her Not Guilty! This occurred in January of '07.
Fast forward to September of '07. Each inmate phone call is recorded and placed on a computer hard drive. This is done to help stop the infiltration of drugs and the trafficking of these drugs on a daily basis. Anyway, in one of these recorded calls, the inmate accused of committing the battery, is discovered. The suspect is heard admitting to the battery.
Excuse me, I had to take a break to bust open a bottle of 2004 Francis Coppola Claret (a black label Cabernet Sauvignon) and que up Dean Martins "Ain't That A Kick In The Head". This has got to be the deepest red Cabernet have ever seen. A great taste, smooth and dark, robust and "oaky" with a dusty hint of berry. Now on to Snoop Dogg's and Dr. Dre's "G-thing". Yea!
Anyway back to the issue, The institution has been caught violating several of the inmate's rights. So WTF happens? The toss the convict in the "hole" on a trumped up charge and violate a truckload of civil rights in the process. I am now officially steaming. I have to toss another sip back. The CONVICTKEEPER recommends the 2004 Francis Copplola 2004 Black Label Claret.
Listen up! We owe it to the citizen's of the great state of California to uphold the laws and statutes sit forth in the state and federal Constitution. However, we can not go on and shit on the rights afforded to every person, albeit convict or not. We can not bend the rules to try and cover up our mistakes. We blew it here. We did not do our jobs investigating this incident. As we say in the joint, "Hey, shit happens". We feel we can lock an inmate up after 10 months because she is now considered a threat.. WTF, she did nothing in the 10 months as we kept her ass on the mainline, now because someone may get in trouble for not doing their job, we beat the inmate like a rented mule and toss her in the hole? It just ain't right. We are so FN corrupt it is sad.
I write this because I live by a standard, a standard that can be explained in one motto, "If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything". Whatever, if it wasn't for the smooth sounds of Sinatra, "A Very Good Year", I'd be tossing back the Jack Daniels.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Different Opinions
It is early in the morning by my standards. I was just checking any reponses to a post I submitted to Cardrunners. I had a question regading the hand I posted here yesterday. I lost to a straight flush after flopping a set of 5's. It was a very bad call, but hey, that won't be the last.
I posted the hand for discussion to see if the hand was played correctly. Earlier in the week I posted another hand that was similar.
Here is the hand: http://www.pokerhand.org/?1445867 .
Everyone (15 posts) said I should have raised or shove the turn. I took that to heart and followed the communities opinion on the hand yesterday. Well I did get sucked out on by a straight flush. I posted that hand and the response was, not to have shoved the turn because I telegraphed my hand and would have allowed lesser hands to fold.
I guess when it get down to it, you play what you feel is correct. If I am still discussing that hand from yesterday, then it would be wise to take a day off.
Going back to work after 17 days off. Prison life is about to fire up again. I am looking forward to a change of pace, but I can assure you, I can not wait to retire!
I posted the hand for discussion to see if the hand was played correctly. Earlier in the week I posted another hand that was similar.
Here is the hand: http://www.pokerhand.org/?1445867 .
Everyone (15 posts) said I should have raised or shove the turn. I took that to heart and followed the communities opinion on the hand yesterday. Well I did get sucked out on by a straight flush. I posted that hand and the response was, not to have shoved the turn because I telegraphed my hand and would have allowed lesser hands to fold.
I guess when it get down to it, you play what you feel is correct. If I am still discussing that hand from yesterday, then it would be wise to take a day off.
Going back to work after 17 days off. Prison life is about to fire up again. I am looking forward to a change of pace, but I can assure you, I can not wait to retire!
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
UGH! Not another...
Man I am down on my luck. I can't win a race, out flopped and out kicked. I sent a joking e-mail to Poker Stars and they did a hand history review for 2 weeks and they even noticed how bad I am running. It takes great strength to continue after just getting clocked. I had a nice double up when my JJ filled up against AA, but other than that it's been a drag. I gambled on a very speculative hand (35s) from the SB but when the flop hit, BOOYA! or so i thought
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1450497 UGH!
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1450497 UGH!
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Need strength to continue...
The past few sessions have been horrible. I took a break to shake of the bad karma, and I see it is still with me. poker, although fun, can be very frustrating. I have not won a race in any SNG's, and I seem to be getting run down. I lose a big pot with an all-in from a complete donkey who ADMITS he can only win from bluffs and over bets. I raise my AQ, he re-raises I put it in and he follows with a 690ff, and of course wins. He then laughs at me. UGH! And the 2 outers on the SNG's followed by the runner runner flushes and straights. It is very difficult to be optimistic during these long and difficult stretches. I guess I am being to "results orientated", but really.
Here is the latest example of my woes.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1445867
Here is the latest example of my woes.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1445867
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Enjoying a weekend without the poker
Sitting in the knotty pines of Jackson, Ca. I am enjoying a nice break from trying to improve my skills. For those who do not know where Jackson, CA. is, well image 70 minutes southwest of Lake Tahoe. The weather has been bad. the heat the is strangling the entire west coast as not forgotten Jackson. What is usually nice, is hot, 105 to be exact, so ugh. Jackson does have a real popular Indian casino, the Jackson Rancheria, but I have elected to sit about 10 minutes away and not participate. The Rancheria has No-Limit Hold'em tournament, but they are low buy-in and starting stacks of 1,500 chips. The structure sucks as you are at the 50/100 chip limit within 25 minutes. No play, all gamble. I am here vi sting the old man, so it is football and BBQ, not bad for a Labor Day weekend.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Back at it...
Well it has been awhile since my last post. I moved to a new house, and after 18 years it is strange. The prison grind has been just that, a grind. I am on 2 weeks vacation and i have been playing several small sessions a day. It seems I have been running good in the past few sessions, but I still don't feel confident in my abilities. I seem to not fully understand the game, and I surely don't understand the math. Not the easy math like pot odds and such, but the I am 18% to win and so on. I posted a "help me" on CR regarding sweating and such. I would love to be able to watch someone who likes the game as I do, however they have a winning method. Like I say, I won't hold my breath.
Another investigation that I got sucked into. The Department is a tough place for a second line supervisor. I am held responsible for everyones actions. So here I sit on my vacation and I have to stick a phone to my ear for an hour answering questions on an incident that happened in December 2006. Hell in my younger days I could remember, but now, c'mon. Anyway, I think I am good in the investigation. This nut inmate get the snot kicked out of her, and there is a she said, she said by the some other murderers and the whole thing blows up, My role? 'What did you do Lieutenant?" Oh, brother!
So I am really going to try and focus on my poker game. I would love for this to be my retirement job. Maybe someone will show an old man some love and throw me into the Pay It Forward program and make me a poke star, or at least a winning player. I will try and learn how to post PT stats and the such.
It seems like everyone has thrown down a poker challenge. The 100,000K challenge and the 100,000 hand challenge. I guess I will think of one, maybe if we can get a study team together. Stay tuned.
Another investigation that I got sucked into. The Department is a tough place for a second line supervisor. I am held responsible for everyones actions. So here I sit on my vacation and I have to stick a phone to my ear for an hour answering questions on an incident that happened in December 2006. Hell in my younger days I could remember, but now, c'mon. Anyway, I think I am good in the investigation. This nut inmate get the snot kicked out of her, and there is a she said, she said by the some other murderers and the whole thing blows up, My role? 'What did you do Lieutenant?" Oh, brother!
So I am really going to try and focus on my poker game. I would love for this to be my retirement job. Maybe someone will show an old man some love and throw me into the Pay It Forward program and make me a poke star, or at least a winning player. I will try and learn how to post PT stats and the such.
It seems like everyone has thrown down a poker challenge. The 100,000K challenge and the 100,000 hand challenge. I guess I will think of one, maybe if we can get a study team together. Stay tuned.
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Gender Responsive Stategies
Well for those of you who would like a true and accurate portrayal of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, here it is.
I was in a training class, that is mandatory for all employee, for the past week. This would be a full 40 hour week that started at 8:00am and concluded at 4:00pm, Monday through Friday. The purpose of the training was to enlighten me about the differences between female and male inmates. Mind you I began the first 4 years of my career working at the toughest prison California had to offer, Corcoran State Prison. Corcoran housed the best and baddest that ever walked the streets, and some of the more infamous California inmates like Manson, Sirhan Sirhan and the likes. After my time with the men I transferred to the women's prison saving myself 1 hour each way in my commute. Gas was under a dollar then, so a good move. Anyone back to the post.
I have worked with the female population going on 14 years. So I have a pretty good idea of the differences, in fact, we all know the differences. The difference in male and female inmates in the same as the differences between any man and women. That being said, it was determined that the actual 40 hours of training really consisted of 24 hours of material that was common knowledge throughout the institution.
So this was a typical day:
Arrive at 0800 and proceed to a 1/2 break.
Back to class and break for lunch at 11:45 until 1:30
Back at class and break at 2:00
Class dismissed at 3:00
The nice part was we were able to watch the DVD's I brought in. So out training consisted of The Best in Show, The Sentinel, Dodgeball and Anchorman, starring Will Ferrell. Man does the State provide!
I was in a training class, that is mandatory for all employee, for the past week. This would be a full 40 hour week that started at 8:00am and concluded at 4:00pm, Monday through Friday. The purpose of the training was to enlighten me about the differences between female and male inmates. Mind you I began the first 4 years of my career working at the toughest prison California had to offer, Corcoran State Prison. Corcoran housed the best and baddest that ever walked the streets, and some of the more infamous California inmates like Manson, Sirhan Sirhan and the likes. After my time with the men I transferred to the women's prison saving myself 1 hour each way in my commute. Gas was under a dollar then, so a good move. Anyone back to the post.
I have worked with the female population going on 14 years. So I have a pretty good idea of the differences, in fact, we all know the differences. The difference in male and female inmates in the same as the differences between any man and women. That being said, it was determined that the actual 40 hours of training really consisted of 24 hours of material that was common knowledge throughout the institution.
So this was a typical day:
Arrive at 0800 and proceed to a 1/2 break.
Back to class and break for lunch at 11:45 until 1:30
Back at class and break at 2:00
Class dismissed at 3:00
The nice part was we were able to watch the DVD's I brought in. So out training consisted of The Best in Show, The Sentinel, Dodgeball and Anchorman, starring Will Ferrell. Man does the State provide!
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Getting the MTT bug...
I have been studying and studying, posting and posting. I have the MTT bug. I am going to start and play larger SNG and try my hand at MTT. I want to give it a go. I have really been active on pocketfives.com, Flop Turn River and Bet the Pot, along with Cardrunner. I am going over both Harrington books again . I have had some success in the micro limit 18's on Stars. But it would appear from the forums that the 45 man SNG's are the place to start. So I will be there doing my best. The forums indicate I am rolled for the $20 SNG's and the $11r MTT's, but we will employee the baby steps method. I will still play some cash games, but I want to focus on the tourneys for a while. Wish me luck!
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Prison Stories...
A DAY IN THE LIFE…
Inmate attacks staff, inmate loses.
Inmate pushed staff, taken down, Inmate loses
Inmate attempts to spit on staff, taken to psych ward, makes second attempt to spit staff, taken to ground, Inmate loses.
Inmate found dead, unknown cause.
Inmate died natural causes.
Inmate found in cell unresponsive, cellie hooked up and placed in The Hole. Unresponsive inmate airlifted to hospital, blunt force trauma and crush larynx.
Parole shot during the robbery of a gun store.
Inmate found with dope.
Inmate found on the floor bleeding from the neck. Inmate swallowed razor blades and transported to hospital.
Inmates fight and pepper spray stops the action. Yea pepper spray!
ESCAPE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
RN giving out medication is spit in the face. Inmate taken down, No one wins!
Outgoing mail detects a conspiracy to kill a staff member
Inmate has seizure, bleeding from mouth, pronounced dead
38 black and 18 northern Hispanic inmate riot, pepper spray and 37mm wooden rounds win the day.
Fight between 3 Hispanic inmates, one kicked in head, one with 2 puncture wounds to neck. Minimum custody inmates!
Modified program – lack of staff
Visitor busted, 2 balloons up the butt
Inmate punches guard in face, inmate taken to floor, staff has cut lip and sore right hand, Inmate loses.
Lieutenant Gassed With Feces, YIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Inmate breaks free from escort, head butts officer, batons and pepper spray stop all action
300 black and Hispanic inmates are seen grouping on yard, Calvary comes and stops the threat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
70 Crips and Bloods get it on
Inmate attacking another inmate with shank shoot and clean up later!
SUICIDE
9mm round found outside of visiting, can you say Zip Gun!
Inmate seen attack another with shank, pepper spray wins, but one inmate is now a pin cushion
Death Row – Attempted Murder!
Due to the sensitive nature of some of these events, and the likelihood they can and will be prosecuted, I have purposely left out specific dates and locations. But rest assured, these are actual events that has taken place between June 4 and June 8, 2007
PRISON GUARDING THE BEST CALIFORNIA HAS TO OFFER
Inmate attacks staff, inmate loses.
Inmate pushed staff, taken down, Inmate loses
Inmate attempts to spit on staff, taken to psych ward, makes second attempt to spit staff, taken to ground, Inmate loses.
Inmate found dead, unknown cause.
Inmate died natural causes.
Inmate found in cell unresponsive, cellie hooked up and placed in The Hole. Unresponsive inmate airlifted to hospital, blunt force trauma and crush larynx.
Parole shot during the robbery of a gun store.
Inmate found with dope.
Inmate found on the floor bleeding from the neck. Inmate swallowed razor blades and transported to hospital.
Inmates fight and pepper spray stops the action. Yea pepper spray!
ESCAPE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
RN giving out medication is spit in the face. Inmate taken down, No one wins!
Outgoing mail detects a conspiracy to kill a staff member
Inmate has seizure, bleeding from mouth, pronounced dead
38 black and 18 northern Hispanic inmate riot, pepper spray and 37mm wooden rounds win the day.
Fight between 3 Hispanic inmates, one kicked in head, one with 2 puncture wounds to neck. Minimum custody inmates!
Modified program – lack of staff
Visitor busted, 2 balloons up the butt
Inmate punches guard in face, inmate taken to floor, staff has cut lip and sore right hand, Inmate loses.
Lieutenant Gassed With Feces, YIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Inmate breaks free from escort, head butts officer, batons and pepper spray stop all action
300 black and Hispanic inmates are seen grouping on yard, Calvary comes and stops the threat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
70 Crips and Bloods get it on
Inmate attacking another inmate with shank shoot and clean up later!
SUICIDE
9mm round found outside of visiting, can you say Zip Gun!
Inmate seen attack another with shank, pepper spray wins, but one inmate is now a pin cushion
Death Row – Attempted Murder!
Due to the sensitive nature of some of these events, and the likelihood they can and will be prosecuted, I have purposely left out specific dates and locations. But rest assured, these are actual events that has taken place between June 4 and June 8, 2007
PRISON GUARDING THE BEST CALIFORNIA HAS TO OFFER
Friday, June 15, 2007
Girls in Pumpkin Suits and I Sux at Poker...
As I look out of the window next to my desk, while jiving to Beck, all I see in a mass of orange jumpsuit in various sizes. Today, I am in charge of the Reception Center (RC). The RC is the area of the prison that houses all the new arrivals. When inmates are shipped from the various county jails, they first must go through a screening process. That process is done on the RC. This is the most volatile area of the prison Inmate who have never “done time” are housed with inmates who practically live in prison. Here you get the 19 year old high school graduate who is involved in a DUI that resulted in serious injury living with a seasoned criminal doing 25 years to life for a third strike. It is a mix of the bad and the worse. If there is a suicide, it will happen on the RC.
Reception Centers for the female felon are very different from the men. Women are placed in one area. The RC that I am in charge of has 2 building that house 256 inmate each, and one building the houses 200. but due to overcrowding, we have 50 additional inmates in bunks on the floor of one building. All told we are housing approximately 767 inmates in the RC. Men are separated based on crime, and other social, gang and criminal histories. The women are not. So it is very common to see a young white first termer, who was busted passing bad checks living with an inmate sentenced to 25 years to life on a third strike. It is poker with knives. There are the predators and the prey. Like a big stack and small stack playing heads up. The big stack (predator) pushes the little stack (prey) around. The little stack is afraid to play back for it might cost them their lives. Well the short stack decides to make a stand, and POW!
I can’t help but wonder where things went so wrong for these women. I mean, I can’t believe that some set out to be a convicted felon. Everyone has a story to tell, a lie to live. It is just sad.
Another interesting fact about prison life is the number of communicable diseases there are. My institution is full of inmates with Hepititis A, B, and C, HIV, TB and other things like lice and now I find out today we have an outbreak of the Norwalk Virus, yummy. There is danger in every corner. All I need to complete my day is an inmate with Hepatitis C and HIV commit suicide by cutting her wrist because she found out she has head lice. That would be the nuts. PRISON!
Prison Trivia: Inmate who are new to the system are called, “fish”. This is because county jails would always transfer inmate to the state on Friday’s to make room for weekend events. As was the practice back in the day, before diversity, the inmate population always had fish on Friday’s, hence the nickname, ‘fish”
For the fist time since I began to play losing poker, I did a Poker Tracker review. This was done with the assistance of Sean Nolan. Sean is a low limit professional at the $100 and 200NL game. This was an eye opener. I was actually embarrassed. I agree with Sean that this is very necessary to review each session. Well, I couldn’t hide anything as this was the first time I had ever participated in a review. It is very apparent, I must improve or quit. Sean was right when he said, “It is like a dog, you have to rub his face in it to get him to stop”. Man, did he rub! “Hello, my name is Greg and I am a losing poker player”. It was embarrassing, humiliating, humbling and eye opening all at once. I reviewed my worst hands, and I could offer no explanation as to my play. I sucked at every aspect of the game. Sean did offer words of encouragement, like he has some hands he is embarrassed by, and everyone has played poorly. I am writing this a day after the review and I am still in awe. I will continue to review the hands, now and after each session, and I want to spend at least an hour or two to study without any playing. If this doesn’t improve, then maybe The ConvictKeeper will be a prison only blog.
Reception Centers for the female felon are very different from the men. Women are placed in one area. The RC that I am in charge of has 2 building that house 256 inmate each, and one building the houses 200. but due to overcrowding, we have 50 additional inmates in bunks on the floor of one building. All told we are housing approximately 767 inmates in the RC. Men are separated based on crime, and other social, gang and criminal histories. The women are not. So it is very common to see a young white first termer, who was busted passing bad checks living with an inmate sentenced to 25 years to life on a third strike. It is poker with knives. There are the predators and the prey. Like a big stack and small stack playing heads up. The big stack (predator) pushes the little stack (prey) around. The little stack is afraid to play back for it might cost them their lives. Well the short stack decides to make a stand, and POW!
I can’t help but wonder where things went so wrong for these women. I mean, I can’t believe that some set out to be a convicted felon. Everyone has a story to tell, a lie to live. It is just sad.
Another interesting fact about prison life is the number of communicable diseases there are. My institution is full of inmates with Hepititis A, B, and C, HIV, TB and other things like lice and now I find out today we have an outbreak of the Norwalk Virus, yummy. There is danger in every corner. All I need to complete my day is an inmate with Hepatitis C and HIV commit suicide by cutting her wrist because she found out she has head lice. That would be the nuts. PRISON!
Prison Trivia: Inmate who are new to the system are called, “fish”. This is because county jails would always transfer inmate to the state on Friday’s to make room for weekend events. As was the practice back in the day, before diversity, the inmate population always had fish on Friday’s, hence the nickname, ‘fish”
For the fist time since I began to play losing poker, I did a Poker Tracker review. This was done with the assistance of Sean Nolan. Sean is a low limit professional at the $100 and 200NL game. This was an eye opener. I was actually embarrassed. I agree with Sean that this is very necessary to review each session. Well, I couldn’t hide anything as this was the first time I had ever participated in a review. It is very apparent, I must improve or quit. Sean was right when he said, “It is like a dog, you have to rub his face in it to get him to stop”. Man, did he rub! “Hello, my name is Greg and I am a losing poker player”. It was embarrassing, humiliating, humbling and eye opening all at once. I reviewed my worst hands, and I could offer no explanation as to my play. I sucked at every aspect of the game. Sean did offer words of encouragement, like he has some hands he is embarrassed by, and everyone has played poorly. I am writing this a day after the review and I am still in awe. I will continue to review the hands, now and after each session, and I want to spend at least an hour or two to study without any playing. If this doesn’t improve, then maybe The ConvictKeeper will be a prison only blog.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Paris Hilton...
I can’t help but to comment on the circus surrounding the Paris Hilton jail placement. I have seen the extremes our justice system offers its citizen’s. I know hundreds of inmates who would never had seen the inside of any county jail, in any of the toughest counties, for the offense Ms. Hilton is charged with. It is clear that the judge had it in for the young lady. I can site thousands of cases in which this type of punishment would never had been issued.
In the California prison system, each inmate eligible for release must complete a term of parole. The exception being an inmate who’s behavior in so poor that she does her parole period, generally 3 years, in prison. When an inmate does this she discharges her prison number and is free to go. There is no parole period. However, if an inmate does her “program” and receives her allotted “good time credits”, they can be release, but must be on parole. So let’s put into context the 45 day sentence for the traffic/under the influence issue facing Ms. Hilton. When an inmate who is on parole uses drugs/alcohol or violates her conditions of parole, she is subject to return to the prison as a parole violator. When you here about recidivism, this is what is being discussed. The difference is, these individuals have been through the penal/justice system, they have been convicted of a felony, so their behavior is a matter of record. The injustice is that they have to be caught 5, 6, 7 or more times before they are violated and returned. This poor girl gets one major incident (under the influence) and 2 minor infractions, and POW, to the slammer for 45 days. All she is doing is taking up needed bed space for the girl who cuts off her child’s head, or the women who kills her husband in a jealous rage. It seems to me that true justice is something that can not exist. Wealthy individuals seem to “get off” more then the poorer folks, you will never see a rich person on Death Row. However, those same individuals get the shaft by “tough on crime” judges looking to get their 15 minutes of fame.
Now I am not saying she should have been release so early, but what I am saying is that she should never had been put in jail. Once in the slammer, she does her time, but to a guy who deals with overcrowding on a daily and sometimes hourly basis, I would be pissed off if I had some spoiled brat sitting in my cell. The media has coined the term Blonde Justice, and that appears to be right.
In the California prison system, each inmate eligible for release must complete a term of parole. The exception being an inmate who’s behavior in so poor that she does her parole period, generally 3 years, in prison. When an inmate does this she discharges her prison number and is free to go. There is no parole period. However, if an inmate does her “program” and receives her allotted “good time credits”, they can be release, but must be on parole. So let’s put into context the 45 day sentence for the traffic/under the influence issue facing Ms. Hilton. When an inmate who is on parole uses drugs/alcohol or violates her conditions of parole, she is subject to return to the prison as a parole violator. When you here about recidivism, this is what is being discussed. The difference is, these individuals have been through the penal/justice system, they have been convicted of a felony, so their behavior is a matter of record. The injustice is that they have to be caught 5, 6, 7 or more times before they are violated and returned. This poor girl gets one major incident (under the influence) and 2 minor infractions, and POW, to the slammer for 45 days. All she is doing is taking up needed bed space for the girl who cuts off her child’s head, or the women who kills her husband in a jealous rage. It seems to me that true justice is something that can not exist. Wealthy individuals seem to “get off” more then the poorer folks, you will never see a rich person on Death Row. However, those same individuals get the shaft by “tough on crime” judges looking to get their 15 minutes of fame.
Now I am not saying she should have been release so early, but what I am saying is that she should never had been put in jail. Once in the slammer, she does her time, but to a guy who deals with overcrowding on a daily and sometimes hourly basis, I would be pissed off if I had some spoiled brat sitting in my cell. The media has coined the term Blonde Justice, and that appears to be right.
Friday, June 8, 2007
Running Bad and all the Disrespect...
Earlier in the day I was playing a session of Full Tilt Poker. I really don’t like the site, but I play for the bonus/rakeback. My preference is Poker Stars, and I am considering transferring all the goods to Stars. Anyway, I had suffered a horrible beat the night before when my TPTK get rivered by a 3 outer, and a very tough hand, QQ vs. AA. We got it all in pre-flop and I hold the ladies, the villain holds the Aces. Well the first card that hits the board is a beautiful red Queen, Booyaa! The last card that hits the board is ugly red Ace, Double Booyaa!
Today was the same kind of day. Again, I am dealt pocket Queens in the BB on a very aggressive table. I cannot get my PAHUD running, so I have no information on the players at the table, except they raise and re-raise very liberally. Well the agro UTG raises, as normal and get called by the button, another very active player. This is the perfect time for a squeeze, however I had squeezed 3 hands prior with AK and everyone folded. I like my hand against the ranges, but still the Queens are weak with a bad flop. I re-raise a little over pot because of positional issues, the UTG player folds, but I am called by the button. The flop is the worst yet. I am out of position with an AK6 rainbow board. Still I lead out for ¾ pot as a c-bet and the button thinks a second and shoves for 1 ½ buy-ins. WTF! I take all of the 15 seconds FTP offers to make a decision and I can’t see me winning. A couple of hands later the villain types in the chat box, “Pocket 6’s”. Whatever.
Later in the morning session, I find myself in another tricky spot. I call a min. raise from a guy who plays (57/17/1). Now this guy seems weak and I call from the BB with a suited Q/T. The flop is Q49 rainbow, I lead out and the guy shoves for less than ½ a buy-in. Well I figure he shoves anything and I call. The guy has KK! Well he holds up and wins the pot. I typed in, “Surprised you shoved such a strong hand”. Man, for 10 minutes the guy slaughters me for “whining” and making a “bad read”. I bite and say, “Hey, I called because of your stats, and by the way, nh”. The guy now challenges me to a heads up dual, and blah, blah blah. Why is this? I mean the guy wins a pot with kings, and I am an idiot who can’t play. There is so much disrespect online it isn’t funny. I can only imagine it getting worse as school is out. I vow never to chat again!
Today was the same kind of day. Again, I am dealt pocket Queens in the BB on a very aggressive table. I cannot get my PAHUD running, so I have no information on the players at the table, except they raise and re-raise very liberally. Well the agro UTG raises, as normal and get called by the button, another very active player. This is the perfect time for a squeeze, however I had squeezed 3 hands prior with AK and everyone folded. I like my hand against the ranges, but still the Queens are weak with a bad flop. I re-raise a little over pot because of positional issues, the UTG player folds, but I am called by the button. The flop is the worst yet. I am out of position with an AK6 rainbow board. Still I lead out for ¾ pot as a c-bet and the button thinks a second and shoves for 1 ½ buy-ins. WTF! I take all of the 15 seconds FTP offers to make a decision and I can’t see me winning. A couple of hands later the villain types in the chat box, “Pocket 6’s”. Whatever.
Later in the morning session, I find myself in another tricky spot. I call a min. raise from a guy who plays (57/17/1). Now this guy seems weak and I call from the BB with a suited Q/T. The flop is Q49 rainbow, I lead out and the guy shoves for less than ½ a buy-in. Well I figure he shoves anything and I call. The guy has KK! Well he holds up and wins the pot. I typed in, “Surprised you shoved such a strong hand”. Man, for 10 minutes the guy slaughters me for “whining” and making a “bad read”. I bite and say, “Hey, I called because of your stats, and by the way, nh”. The guy now challenges me to a heads up dual, and blah, blah blah. Why is this? I mean the guy wins a pot with kings, and I am an idiot who can’t play. There is so much disrespect online it isn’t funny. I can only imagine it getting worse as school is out. I vow never to chat again!
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Taking a break...See you soon fruitypro
I just found out via the Card Runners forum that my coach, Dan (fruitypro) Weston is taking a break from the game. He posted that he is a little unmotivated and he need to find a balance between poker and reality. This is something that I have found to be true, and I am a recreational player. IO can only image what a professional online poker goes through each day. I know Dan would multi-table (8) $200NL everyday. man what an existence. Staring at the screen for hours on in, grinding out a living through the computer. It has to be draining. I encourage Dan to seek other things in life. I am now 45, I didn't have Internet poker while I was in my 20's, so I got to experience life outside the flat screen. We all need to seek other adventures to complete our personal scrape books. Although I will miss Dan help on Wednesdays, I do respect his decision. Go on and get yours fruitypro, I'll see you when you get back.
Taking the Good with the Bad...
It had been awhile since I have written. I have been hit with one bad beat after another, and none of it involves poker. I have read that you should not play poker if you are fatigued, angry, preoccupied or any number of the emotional states us humans go through in out lifetimes. The past few weeks have tested The Convictkeeper. A test that has left me in a profounf funk. I found myself facing one situation after another, some involving work and some involving family. I played some poker during this span. I lost 3 buy-ins. I played as a means to distract me from the situations that I was facing. Almost like going to the movies to escape the realities of life. When I play poker, I really get involved. I stretch my thinking and become enthralled in the game. After each session I would review my PT stats. I was playing my normal TAG style, however I did make some bad calls and I did catch some coolers. When I was done, I could not help but wonder if my play was affected by the stresses of life. I have come to the conclusion it had been affected. I learned that I am not as sharp when I have outside influences affecting my personal life. I should preface that comment with this one, I am not a winning player, so maybe I am not as sharp to begin with. Anyway, I now understand why poker requires one’s full attention. If outside influences are allowed to creep into your mind, then it is easy to become distracted, and therefore a target.
I would like to give credit to Card Runner Online Poker Training Site for the creation on the Card Runners Cash Game League. Card Runners was able to secure 3 tables at the $10NL level. This was posted on the Card Runners Low Limit forum and the tables can be found at Full Tilt Poker. I was able to catch a seat just as it was announced. The 3 tables, appropriately named, “tay”, “sbrugby” and “LucLongely”, are the screen names for the principals at Card Runners. At any given time you can see these players playing stakes from $100-200 to $500-$1,000 No-Limit Hold’em. I am at my seat when “tay” (Taylor Caby) and my coach “fruitypro” (Dan Weston) sit in. That was fun. I tried so hard not to look like a dork, but what can I say, I didn’t succeed. From the BB, it is limped around with 3 players seeing the flop. The flop is 456 rainbow and I hold middle two. The SB leads out, and I raise 3x with my 2 pair. The MP folds and I now have position on the SB. The turn is a blank, and the SB checks his bet. I fire a second barrel and get called. Well the river brings a horrible 7. The SB thinks and fires a pot sized bet. Well suffice it to say, I make a crying call and lose to the SB’s 33 for the idiot end of the straight. Well in embarrassment I shove the next hand for ½ a buy-in with KJ suited to get called by “tay” and his AK. I donk off a stack, and any credibility I may have with my coach. I was able to bandage up on a hand with “tay”. On the button, I smooth called a MP raise from “tay” with a suited ATh. The flop was a handsome T53 with 2 hearts. I had TP and the nut flush draw. “tay” bet out and I re-raised to take down the pot. I am sure the teacher was not bragging to anyone that he has helped me, and I a very sure “tay” would love to see me at the bigger games, but that will have to wait. Card Runners has really tried to create a community of players, many of whom are very accomplished and successful, that gets involved in the game of poker. Card Runners has a tournament league and now the cash league, all of these will only create better player. I know that many of the members of Card Runners are attending and/or playing events at the WSOP. I wish all of the members the very best of luck and success.
I would like to give credit to Card Runner Online Poker Training Site for the creation on the Card Runners Cash Game League. Card Runners was able to secure 3 tables at the $10NL level. This was posted on the Card Runners Low Limit forum and the tables can be found at Full Tilt Poker. I was able to catch a seat just as it was announced. The 3 tables, appropriately named, “tay”, “sbrugby” and “LucLongely”, are the screen names for the principals at Card Runners. At any given time you can see these players playing stakes from $100-200 to $500-$1,000 No-Limit Hold’em. I am at my seat when “tay” (Taylor Caby) and my coach “fruitypro” (Dan Weston) sit in. That was fun. I tried so hard not to look like a dork, but what can I say, I didn’t succeed. From the BB, it is limped around with 3 players seeing the flop. The flop is 456 rainbow and I hold middle two. The SB leads out, and I raise 3x with my 2 pair. The MP folds and I now have position on the SB. The turn is a blank, and the SB checks his bet. I fire a second barrel and get called. Well the river brings a horrible 7. The SB thinks and fires a pot sized bet. Well suffice it to say, I make a crying call and lose to the SB’s 33 for the idiot end of the straight. Well in embarrassment I shove the next hand for ½ a buy-in with KJ suited to get called by “tay” and his AK. I donk off a stack, and any credibility I may have with my coach. I was able to bandage up on a hand with “tay”. On the button, I smooth called a MP raise from “tay” with a suited ATh. The flop was a handsome T53 with 2 hearts. I had TP and the nut flush draw. “tay” bet out and I re-raised to take down the pot. I am sure the teacher was not bragging to anyone that he has helped me, and I a very sure “tay” would love to see me at the bigger games, but that will have to wait. Card Runners has really tried to create a community of players, many of whom are very accomplished and successful, that gets involved in the game of poker. Card Runners has a tournament league and now the cash league, all of these will only create better player. I know that many of the members of Card Runners are attending and/or playing events at the WSOP. I wish all of the members the very best of luck and success.
Sunday, May 27, 2007
The ConvcitKeeper reaches a mile stone...
Well today is the day!
On this date in 1962, the ConvictKeeper was released from the confinement of the womb and entered onto the world. Through many, many trails and tribulations the ConvictKeeper is still here. It is a testament to modern medicine. When other lids wanted to be baseball players and doctors all I wanted to be was a prison guard, man am I living a dream! Happy Birthday to me, The ConvictKeeper!
On this date in 1962, the ConvictKeeper was released from the confinement of the womb and entered onto the world. Through many, many trails and tribulations the ConvictKeeper is still here. It is a testament to modern medicine. When other lids wanted to be baseball players and doctors all I wanted to be was a prison guard, man am I living a dream! Happy Birthday to me, The ConvictKeeper!
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
FTP and the Whole Damn Mess...
Well there it is. The minute I am running good, POW! A sick three buy-in loss. This session ended the entire run. I think I can tie it to one hand. I never felt like I was tilting, but obviously I was. Look at this sick hand:
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1127473
I should have quit. I know better than to chase straights and flushes, but I saw so many OESD's that my head was spin. It seemed that everyone was playing 55/15/9 and they were hitting. Another hand was my 66 vs. KK (and short stacked, less than 1/2 a buy-in) on a flop of 345 rainbow. What do you do? Well back to the drawing board.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1127473
I should have quit. I know better than to chase straights and flushes, but I saw so many OESD's that my head was spin. It seemed that everyone was playing 55/15/9 and they were hitting. Another hand was my 66 vs. KK (and short stacked, less than 1/2 a buy-in) on a flop of 345 rainbow. What do you do? Well back to the drawing board.
Running Good...
Well I have really been running well, for me at least. I have a solid month to date, and after several months of red numbers, I am pleased to report they are green. I have realized a profit since May 1st. I have only seen what tough hand, stack buster (http://www.pokerhand.org/?1120661), but I think I played the hand well. I guess that is all you could hope for. I am taking notes and really studying the hands that land me in hot water. I find that I am losing a lot with 2 hands in particular. My stats suggest that I re-visit my play with AQ and 9/10 suited. Those are my "bad" hands. I can easily element the 9/10. but he AQ is a little different. I have changed my style and my approach with the AQ, and it has shown early promise.
After losing for so long, it is hard to believe I can be making the right plays that are required to show a profit. I hope my session with fruitypro, and my new approach has led to this. I hope this "rush" is not a run of good cards. I have been able to get away from most hands when I think I am beat, and I have made calls with overs and OESD that have paid off. It also seems my betting has been such that I get called more often with the goods. All in all, things are good, and when they are good, it really increases the confidence.
I would like to play $50NL, I am rolled for the level, but I want at least 15,000 hands in the green before I consider it. I guess it is my way of cutting my teeth. I have been losing for so long that I want a solid foundation. Right now I have logged 8,900 hands.
Off subject, saw Spiderman 3, sucked!
The prison has been relatively quite. Working with females is such a task, everything is so emotional. It is near the end of my shift on Monday, and Inmate Gunland gets into an argument with her cellie. The women live 8 to a cell, so you could image the drama. Anyway, the argument is over the treatment of another inmate. Women get involved with every aspect of every one's life. They actually form prison families. The butch lesbian is the father, the feminine lesbian is the mother, and everyone else are "kids". Anyway, us guards always have the same warning to each "fish". It is simple, "You came in with one number, do your number, not hers. Back to the issue, when the argument reaches it's climax, Gunland takes a combination lock and puts 4 health whacks on the cell window. Well these windows aren't cheap. After doing $400.00 damage, she is cuffed up and sent to me. I now get to ask the important questions "What the hell were you thinking, and why the hell did you bust up my cell window?" Of course I learn that someone was picking on someone else, and it was that drama that made her break the window. OMG! The sad thing is about this behavior is she will lose 60 days of "good time credit" and she will be charged for the window. The reality is, she get all the good time credit back and we won't collect a cent. PRISON!
After losing for so long, it is hard to believe I can be making the right plays that are required to show a profit. I hope my session with fruitypro, and my new approach has led to this. I hope this "rush" is not a run of good cards. I have been able to get away from most hands when I think I am beat, and I have made calls with overs and OESD that have paid off. It also seems my betting has been such that I get called more often with the goods. All in all, things are good, and when they are good, it really increases the confidence.
I would like to play $50NL, I am rolled for the level, but I want at least 15,000 hands in the green before I consider it. I guess it is my way of cutting my teeth. I have been losing for so long that I want a solid foundation. Right now I have logged 8,900 hands.
Off subject, saw Spiderman 3, sucked!
The prison has been relatively quite. Working with females is such a task, everything is so emotional. It is near the end of my shift on Monday, and Inmate Gunland gets into an argument with her cellie. The women live 8 to a cell, so you could image the drama. Anyway, the argument is over the treatment of another inmate. Women get involved with every aspect of every one's life. They actually form prison families. The butch lesbian is the father, the feminine lesbian is the mother, and everyone else are "kids". Anyway, us guards always have the same warning to each "fish". It is simple, "You came in with one number, do your number, not hers. Back to the issue, when the argument reaches it's climax, Gunland takes a combination lock and puts 4 health whacks on the cell window. Well these windows aren't cheap. After doing $400.00 damage, she is cuffed up and sent to me. I now get to ask the important questions "What the hell were you thinking, and why the hell did you bust up my cell window?" Of course I learn that someone was picking on someone else, and it was that drama that made her break the window. OMG! The sad thing is about this behavior is she will lose 60 days of "good time credit" and she will be charged for the window. The reality is, she get all the good time credit back and we won't collect a cent. PRISON!
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Common Sense and a Slice of Pie...
Well after some time off from the grind of prison life, I am back and can't help but post a typical session with the nutty inmates. Inmate Wilson decides that she's, "Mad as Hell, and I not gonna take it anymore." So she takes a razor to her right forearm. Now mind you she has a history of self-inflicted behavior. Anyway, off she goes to the infirmary for a check up and placement of suicide watch. Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). This event takes place at 10:00am, and now it's almost 1:00pm. All this time, this inmate is sitting in a holding cell, awaiting treatment and evaluation.
Ms. Wilson mentions that she is hungry, and that she has not eaten since 6:30 in the morning. She makes a simple request for a box lunch. Now in all my experience working with felons, I have learned that you don't mess with food or mail, that is a fact, and that is all that needs to be said. Her requests fall upon deaf ears. She makes another request, politely and with respect, again she is ignored. As you could very well imagine we have many badge heavy guards.
Well as this is going on, the inmate continues to watch the guards and medical staff enjoy pizza that had been purchased and delivered. Well you see the train a coming, rolling 'round the bend. The inmate is watching this with a hungry belly and a slightly off center mindset. All of the anger of her respectful request to eat comes to a head, and POW! off she goes. She races into the room with all the pizza, and does her best re-enactment of the famous Animal House food fight. Pizza is being tossed about. On the floors and walls, the windows and doors, the pizza is being tossed by the now crazed inmate. When all of the pizza had been destroyed, she sits back down and waits for her shot of mind-numbing narcotics.
All of this could have been avoided if someone would have given the convict a sandwich. But as you can tell, that would have been an act of kindness in some eyes. That is not how I see it. Every inmate is entitled to a box lunch, that is not a privilege, but a right. The guards who see feeding the inmate as being weak, ended up $71.00 in the hole, and had to give the convict a lunch anyway.
As they say on ESPN, "Winner, Winner, chicken dinner." PRISON!
Ms. Wilson mentions that she is hungry, and that she has not eaten since 6:30 in the morning. She makes a simple request for a box lunch. Now in all my experience working with felons, I have learned that you don't mess with food or mail, that is a fact, and that is all that needs to be said. Her requests fall upon deaf ears. She makes another request, politely and with respect, again she is ignored. As you could very well imagine we have many badge heavy guards.
Well as this is going on, the inmate continues to watch the guards and medical staff enjoy pizza that had been purchased and delivered. Well you see the train a coming, rolling 'round the bend. The inmate is watching this with a hungry belly and a slightly off center mindset. All of the anger of her respectful request to eat comes to a head, and POW! off she goes. She races into the room with all the pizza, and does her best re-enactment of the famous Animal House food fight. Pizza is being tossed about. On the floors and walls, the windows and doors, the pizza is being tossed by the now crazed inmate. When all of the pizza had been destroyed, she sits back down and waits for her shot of mind-numbing narcotics.
All of this could have been avoided if someone would have given the convict a sandwich. But as you can tell, that would have been an act of kindness in some eyes. That is not how I see it. Every inmate is entitled to a box lunch, that is not a privilege, but a right. The guards who see feeding the inmate as being weak, ended up $71.00 in the hole, and had to give the convict a lunch anyway.
As they say on ESPN, "Winner, Winner, chicken dinner." PRISON!
Friday, May 18, 2007
Reflecting back to the days of wine and song...
I posted a topic at Card Runners about how old I feel playing at the micros and posting thought on the low limit forums. It seems that everyone playing online poker is 18-25 and very aggressive and sharp. The highest levels are filled with twenty something phenoms shoving incredible sums of cash into huge pots. I can't help but wonder if I would have been one back in the day.
I was born in 1962, and of course life was simpler. I know, yadda, yadda yadda. But really we didn't have Internet or 100 channels. When I was in my teens, we played high school sports, drank and chased girls. I can't help but wonder if I would have spent my days in front of a computer screen playing 8 tables of No-Limit Poker at Full Tilt Poker, Where the Pros Play! I don't think I would have. All of our activities were outdoors. I can't help but believe the online poker boom is a product to ESPN and video games. Kids today aren't outdoor oriented, they are tech savvy and spend a majority of the day in a digital world. I would venture to say that an online poll would revel such facts. It's like smoking pot, it's harmless at first, but it will lead you to something stronger. For these kids, it was a simple game like Halo, but know look where they are. They play the highest stakes of online poker, and have a bankroll I'll not see in a lifetime. So in retrospect, I missed the boat. I should have been chasing bad guys on the TV with my controller instead of chasing curve balls low and away. I have promised a blog of poker and prison, but this is just a simple observation not even worth the megabytes required to post it.
I was born in 1962, and of course life was simpler. I know, yadda, yadda yadda. But really we didn't have Internet or 100 channels. When I was in my teens, we played high school sports, drank and chased girls. I can't help but wonder if I would have spent my days in front of a computer screen playing 8 tables of No-Limit Poker at Full Tilt Poker, Where the Pros Play! I don't think I would have. All of our activities were outdoors. I can't help but believe the online poker boom is a product to ESPN and video games. Kids today aren't outdoor oriented, they are tech savvy and spend a majority of the day in a digital world. I would venture to say that an online poll would revel such facts. It's like smoking pot, it's harmless at first, but it will lead you to something stronger. For these kids, it was a simple game like Halo, but know look where they are. They play the highest stakes of online poker, and have a bankroll I'll not see in a lifetime. So in retrospect, I missed the boat. I should have been chasing bad guys on the TV with my controller instead of chasing curve balls low and away. I have promised a blog of poker and prison, but this is just a simple observation not even worth the megabytes required to post it.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
First Winning Week...
This game we play called poker is as fickle as a beautiful women. Just when things go well, they can go badly. Well it is nice to report that I have logged my first complete winning week. What I mean by winning week is, every session is in the green. Mind you it is not a big gainer, but a gainer no doubt. This is a mile stone for my improvement. I have been a losing player, and by following this blog, you will understand my desire to get better. I have really been patient, picking spots, solidifying an image and being selectively aggressive. I have not won every hand, but I have overcome my mistakes by hitting my strong hand well. My biggest loss was a half stack on the river, and I doubled twice in the week. A lot of credit goes to Dan (fruitypro) Weston, the coach who will hopefully pull me up to $200NL, sooner rather than later.
I will turn 45 on the 27th, and that prompted me to post on Card Runners a general question about age. I was a little encouraged to see three around my age, but really, this online thing is a young man's game. Then I spent about and hour in an Indian Casino (Jackson Rancheria) in Jackson, CA. What did I see, KIDS, KIDS and more KIDS. These kids are playing 1/2 NL, and very aggressive. As the game changes from No-Limit to Limit, so did the ages. I saw more older men on the $3/$6 Limit tables, then on the No-Limit tables. How does a middle aged man overcome such youthful recklessness. See us fathers, have some much to concern ourselves with. Hell, my daughter will be able to play in the same casino next year. I wonder if that is what holds me up. I guess my long term goal is to play well after I retire from the "system". I don't want to just play, I want to be successful.
But this week was good. I actually won. I made good calls and bad calls, I made huge raises and big lay downs. Oh, I know I folded the best hand sometimes, and I called the river with a dog, but when it was all said and done, I won. I used some pot control took reduce my swings because at $25NL, I could easily lose with QQQ to a rivered straight when the villain called my PF raise with 59 suited. This level is funky because most bets are the size of a 32oz. fountain drink, and the all-in shove is equal to the average cheap buffet dinner. But hey, green is good. Green is good! POKER!
I will turn 45 on the 27th, and that prompted me to post on Card Runners a general question about age. I was a little encouraged to see three around my age, but really, this online thing is a young man's game. Then I spent about and hour in an Indian Casino (Jackson Rancheria) in Jackson, CA. What did I see, KIDS, KIDS and more KIDS. These kids are playing 1/2 NL, and very aggressive. As the game changes from No-Limit to Limit, so did the ages. I saw more older men on the $3/$6 Limit tables, then on the No-Limit tables. How does a middle aged man overcome such youthful recklessness. See us fathers, have some much to concern ourselves with. Hell, my daughter will be able to play in the same casino next year. I wonder if that is what holds me up. I guess my long term goal is to play well after I retire from the "system". I don't want to just play, I want to be successful.
But this week was good. I actually won. I made good calls and bad calls, I made huge raises and big lay downs. Oh, I know I folded the best hand sometimes, and I called the river with a dog, but when it was all said and done, I won. I used some pot control took reduce my swings because at $25NL, I could easily lose with QQQ to a rivered straight when the villain called my PF raise with 59 suited. This level is funky because most bets are the size of a 32oz. fountain drink, and the all-in shove is equal to the average cheap buffet dinner. But hey, green is good. Green is good! POKER!
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Doing My Part...
I submitted lengthy post on Cardrunner seeking individuals to join the Department of Correctional and Rehabilitation. I have between 6-8 years of service before I call it quits. So I feel the need to do my part in finding individuals who want to step up an join the team. In all honesty, if I was 21, and I did not have a clear direction, I mean crystal clear, then I would join right up. I don't know many 21 and 22 year old's who make 125,000 and own there own home. It is that easy, and with 401k and deferred comp, then you retire a millionaire with full medical/dental. If you go the long haul (33 years) then you get the whole paycheck for life, and that will be over 100K. So, as I say, come on in, the water is fine.
I spend my mothers day with 4000 felons, of which 3/4 are mothers. It is an odd situation, I respect the work mothers do, but man, when mom is a crack addict or she whacked the old man in a drunken rage, how do you say, "Happy Mothers Day"? But as life is in the largest women's prison in the world, we had a near death on the main yard. Here it is Mother's Day, and ol' girl has to shove enough heroin into her system to kill her. But as it is expected, the guards and medics get to work and bring the dead back to life. So our little miss needle monster gets to see another Mother's Day!
Poker has been getting better. I have had a string of positive sessions. I have been in the green for the week for the first time. I am really focusing on my hands, and I am trying to put the evil villains on hand. I need work to continue. I am still having problem with middle pairs and the c-betting. I am really trying not to hit the home run shove without the nuts. I haven't shoved but twice in the week and both times stacked the villain. I am finding something new in the game. It appears that when you look down at QQ, and you re-raise, and the villain 4 bets and you call, then the flop is QK7. Apparently your not suppose to call a flop bet that puts you all in. Man because when I did, and flipped up AA, he was pissed off to no end.
I read an article in a poker mag that explains how to tilt a player. I generally don't go there, ya see I am 45 years old, we don't play like that. But this guy, he was a real ass. My advice is that homie don't every f-up and hit the joint, he would have a chance. Anyway, so this seemed like the right guy to take a shot at. I let about 20 minutes pass since my set doubled me up and then relived the hand via the chat room. You know, "Hey did you guys see how I got my QQ in with the best of it to a pair of AA's. Man that hand is so over played, it is easy to bust someone like that". WOW!! I can't even publish the remarks. LOL!!!! POKER!
I spend my mothers day with 4000 felons, of which 3/4 are mothers. It is an odd situation, I respect the work mothers do, but man, when mom is a crack addict or she whacked the old man in a drunken rage, how do you say, "Happy Mothers Day"? But as life is in the largest women's prison in the world, we had a near death on the main yard. Here it is Mother's Day, and ol' girl has to shove enough heroin into her system to kill her. But as it is expected, the guards and medics get to work and bring the dead back to life. So our little miss needle monster gets to see another Mother's Day!
Poker has been getting better. I have had a string of positive sessions. I have been in the green for the week for the first time. I am really focusing on my hands, and I am trying to put the evil villains on hand. I need work to continue. I am still having problem with middle pairs and the c-betting. I am really trying not to hit the home run shove without the nuts. I haven't shoved but twice in the week and both times stacked the villain. I am finding something new in the game. It appears that when you look down at QQ, and you re-raise, and the villain 4 bets and you call, then the flop is QK7. Apparently your not suppose to call a flop bet that puts you all in. Man because when I did, and flipped up AA, he was pissed off to no end.
I read an article in a poker mag that explains how to tilt a player. I generally don't go there, ya see I am 45 years old, we don't play like that. But this guy, he was a real ass. My advice is that homie don't every f-up and hit the joint, he would have a chance. Anyway, so this seemed like the right guy to take a shot at. I let about 20 minutes pass since my set doubled me up and then relived the hand via the chat room. You know, "Hey did you guys see how I got my QQ in with the best of it to a pair of AA's. Man that hand is so over played, it is easy to bust someone like that". WOW!! I can't even publish the remarks. LOL!!!! POKER!
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Realistic Goals
I have been working with a Cardrunners Guest Pro and private instructor, Dan Weston. He plays a similar game as i do, TAG and he has worked his way up through limits to play 400NL. He is currently playing 200NL. I have started to grasp his concept, and I have been making some progress. I have dedicated myself to learn and study first, then apply the strategies to my game. It becomes very hard when you face a table with such extremes. I sit at tables with 2 nits and to monsters. You try and isolated the maniacs, but a nit will join in and visa versa. A great game.
I am going to really study my PT stats, and really examine the videos that apply to me. I do enjoy watching the high limit videos, but the do not apply to me. I also see on Cardrunners that some members have been selected as a student, well, if anyone from CR is looking for a student, someone not in his twenties, then PLEASE select this 45 year old rookie!
I am still in oral pain from my nightmare session with the Russian dentist. All said and done, 3 extractions and a root canal, four stitches with a hand full of pain killers.
I am going to really study my PT stats, and really examine the videos that apply to me. I do enjoy watching the high limit videos, but the do not apply to me. I also see on Cardrunners that some members have been selected as a student, well, if anyone from CR is looking for a student, someone not in his twenties, then PLEASE select this 45 year old rookie!
I am still in oral pain from my nightmare session with the Russian dentist. All said and done, 3 extractions and a root canal, four stitches with a hand full of pain killers.
Monday, May 7, 2007
Dentistry and the whole FN pain of it...
I am dying a slow and painful death. I have the worst toothache in the history of mankind! I get the thing on Friday, and everything is closed. The whole weekend is spent shoving any painkiller I can get my hands on. It is times like these that one needs to go through to truly appreciate the many times I am not in pain. The humbler. I was reading on CR how these two guys are being mentor, take on as a protege'. Man I would love for that to be me. There are somethings in life that we know to be true, things known to be true within ourselves. I hate to be horrible at something. I have always been good at sports, prison and overall a good father. I am not good at poker, in fact I think I suck.
I have really fallen in love with the game, and there in lies the problem. When I attach myself to something, I want to be the best. Granted, I am never going to beat Tiger Woods in golf with my lowly 7 handicap, but hey I beat those around me. It is that kind of thinking that I am talking about. So what would I give to be a protege', OMG! The chance that someone with skill would take the time to train and mold me, that would be priceless. I play low limit poker because I don't have the skill or confidence to play at the higher limits. I rarely play tournaments, however I do like them. Man, when I see these guys on Cardrunners getting the opportunity to get training and insight from good and solid players, it makes me envious.
All these online players are kids. Here I am looking 45 in the face, and I am begging for theses hot shots to teach this old dog some tricks. So I guess if anyone in cyberland reads any of this, then feel free to hook a brotha' up.
I have really fallen in love with the game, and there in lies the problem. When I attach myself to something, I want to be the best. Granted, I am never going to beat Tiger Woods in golf with my lowly 7 handicap, but hey I beat those around me. It is that kind of thinking that I am talking about. So what would I give to be a protege', OMG! The chance that someone with skill would take the time to train and mold me, that would be priceless. I play low limit poker because I don't have the skill or confidence to play at the higher limits. I rarely play tournaments, however I do like them. Man, when I see these guys on Cardrunners getting the opportunity to get training and insight from good and solid players, it makes me envious.
All these online players are kids. Here I am looking 45 in the face, and I am begging for theses hot shots to teach this old dog some tricks. So I guess if anyone in cyberland reads any of this, then feel free to hook a brotha' up.
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Confidence...
Well I would like to start by wishing my sister Tory a happy birthday!
I sit hear listening to the sounds of Ravel's Bolero. For those who aren't fimilar, it was the music that was playing while Bo Derrick and Dudley Moore had sex in the movie "10". An absolute gem of a classical piece. A must to listen to.
As for the poker, well let's just say it isn't happening right now. One thing I lack is confidence. I have been severely bruised and beaten. Man, when the confidence goes, so does the game. I have lost my full houses, yes plural, to quads twice within 15 minutes. My KK raise gets called by and suited 24, and wins! It has been one of those weeks. I actually take lesson (Fruitypro) and it helps, but not really. Here is what running bad does. I had a lesson today with Dan (fruitypro, IjustriveredU, vampitup) Weston. The lesson consisted of me watching him play on 4 $25NL tables. I swear, he must have caught 10-15 pocket pairs within the hour. He played them very strongly, however at the end of the session he was 2 buy-ins down! I believe it was from me watching. My bad run is now effecting others. I should be quarantined! Anyway, back to the confidence issue. I am really lacking confidence at this time. I seem to get run down, or make a bad river read. I don't know how to correct the issue. It's not like I am getting out of line. My PT stats for the week are very TAG (19/15/4). But I hear it goes that way. Talking to Dan, it is his belief that I don't play enough to overcome the short term variance, and that bad sessions just linger because of it. I two table at the $25NL level, however it is believed that I am rolled for 4 tables at the $50NL game. I played a little at the $50NL tables and won approximately a quarter of a buy-in, but I only played about 40 hands. It is hard to sit there with the weight of my losses. I actually didn't even see a flop, not true, I saw one. I was in the BB with a suited AK. I had no reads on anyone at the table. The guy MP raised 4X to $2, I re-raised to $6.50 with Big Slick and got called. The flop was K36 rainbow. The pot held $13 and the villain had $42 behind. I led out for $11 and he thinks a bit, and then POW! It's in the middle! I think maybe a set or AA. But does he call a large re-raise with 33 or 66? I think not. How about AA? Would he smooth call my re-raise with AA, or would he just stick it in pre-flop? Could he have KK? Well, I have a K and the board has a K so it is not likely. Maybe an under pair to the K? Well now I am in great shape there. So as I actually said out loud, "well here goes" I throw my chips in. The board brings another A for 2 pair. When the dust settles, AK v. AK and Poker Stars wins! OMG!
I think I may try and play a little more at the $50NL table. Seems people respect a raise and there is less idiot play. But then again, it was only a few hands. I hope I can shake this funk and actually re-gain some confidence. It really reminds me of golf, when you are on, nothing goes wrong, but one slip up, and you're on the bogey train.
I sit hear listening to the sounds of Ravel's Bolero. For those who aren't fimilar, it was the music that was playing while Bo Derrick and Dudley Moore had sex in the movie "10". An absolute gem of a classical piece. A must to listen to.
As for the poker, well let's just say it isn't happening right now. One thing I lack is confidence. I have been severely bruised and beaten. Man, when the confidence goes, so does the game. I have lost my full houses, yes plural, to quads twice within 15 minutes. My KK raise gets called by and suited 24, and wins! It has been one of those weeks. I actually take lesson (Fruitypro) and it helps, but not really. Here is what running bad does. I had a lesson today with Dan (fruitypro, IjustriveredU, vampitup) Weston. The lesson consisted of me watching him play on 4 $25NL tables. I swear, he must have caught 10-15 pocket pairs within the hour. He played them very strongly, however at the end of the session he was 2 buy-ins down! I believe it was from me watching. My bad run is now effecting others. I should be quarantined! Anyway, back to the confidence issue. I am really lacking confidence at this time. I seem to get run down, or make a bad river read. I don't know how to correct the issue. It's not like I am getting out of line. My PT stats for the week are very TAG (19/15/4). But I hear it goes that way. Talking to Dan, it is his belief that I don't play enough to overcome the short term variance, and that bad sessions just linger because of it. I two table at the $25NL level, however it is believed that I am rolled for 4 tables at the $50NL game. I played a little at the $50NL tables and won approximately a quarter of a buy-in, but I only played about 40 hands. It is hard to sit there with the weight of my losses. I actually didn't even see a flop, not true, I saw one. I was in the BB with a suited AK. I had no reads on anyone at the table. The guy MP raised 4X to $2, I re-raised to $6.50 with Big Slick and got called. The flop was K36 rainbow. The pot held $13 and the villain had $42 behind. I led out for $11 and he thinks a bit, and then POW! It's in the middle! I think maybe a set or AA. But does he call a large re-raise with 33 or 66? I think not. How about AA? Would he smooth call my re-raise with AA, or would he just stick it in pre-flop? Could he have KK? Well, I have a K and the board has a K so it is not likely. Maybe an under pair to the K? Well now I am in great shape there. So as I actually said out loud, "well here goes" I throw my chips in. The board brings another A for 2 pair. When the dust settles, AK v. AK and Poker Stars wins! OMG!
I think I may try and play a little more at the $50NL table. Seems people respect a raise and there is less idiot play. But then again, it was only a few hands. I hope I can shake this funk and actually re-gain some confidence. It really reminds me of golf, when you are on, nothing goes wrong, but one slip up, and you're on the bogey train.
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
OMG!
OMG!
Well it has been awhile since I have been to the ConvictKeeper's blog, but here we go. The prison is busting faster than my bankroll. We are short Lieutenant's so we all have to pitch in and work our fair share. That means little sleep and lots of work. Good for the bank account, but it suck for the social life.
Well poker has been interesting to say the least. I have come to the conclusion that I am not smart enough, nor lucky enough to be a winning player. I tend to call off to much at the river. I can not play against maniacs, you know the 65/8/2 players who won't leave a hand for their life's. So when I get the AK suited in position, and raise, and of course get called. Hey I am in great shape on a A37 board, NOT! of course my raise was called by a 37!
Here are 2 hands within 15 minutes
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1053642
Here is a nice heads up match
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1053636
Now what do you do. I am trying my level best to play winning poker and I just can't. It really is demoralizing. I start to think the site has me pegged, or someone is cheating. It has brought out the worst in me. I am playing in a 10NL with guys who play 90% of all the hand. 90%! The problem is I play TAG poker. I play around 17/14/4 because everyone play 35/29/8 and I wait. But when I finally catch, I seem to get into trouble, and poof! 4 buy-in down. maybe it is time to turn and run, I don't know.
Well it has been awhile since I have been to the ConvictKeeper's blog, but here we go. The prison is busting faster than my bankroll. We are short Lieutenant's so we all have to pitch in and work our fair share. That means little sleep and lots of work. Good for the bank account, but it suck for the social life.
Well poker has been interesting to say the least. I have come to the conclusion that I am not smart enough, nor lucky enough to be a winning player. I tend to call off to much at the river. I can not play against maniacs, you know the 65/8/2 players who won't leave a hand for their life's. So when I get the AK suited in position, and raise, and of course get called. Hey I am in great shape on a A37 board, NOT! of course my raise was called by a 37!
Here are 2 hands within 15 minutes
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1053642
Here is a nice heads up match
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1053636
Now what do you do. I am trying my level best to play winning poker and I just can't. It really is demoralizing. I start to think the site has me pegged, or someone is cheating. It has brought out the worst in me. I am playing in a 10NL with guys who play 90% of all the hand. 90%! The problem is I play TAG poker. I play around 17/14/4 because everyone play 35/29/8 and I wait. But when I finally catch, I seem to get into trouble, and poof! 4 buy-in down. maybe it is time to turn and run, I don't know.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Virginia Tech
I feel the need to comment on the massacre on the Virginia Tech campus. I write this from the prospectus of someone who knows people who would do this. As complicated as it seems, it is really easy for me to understand. I see these behaviors everyday, and to put a difficult situation in very easy to understand terms, it is simply this, evil people do evil things. I know that really sounds simple, and almost disrespectful, but it is true. You see, evil people do evil things because it fulfils a self need. Evil people need to see evil. They need to see suffering, pain and all the emotions associated with it. It is our non-evil society that as to struggle with these things. As a person who doesn't enjoy seeing evil things, as I see it 40+ hours a week, I can not understand the need for our country to show all the evil in the world. It really does add fuel to an already burning fire.
The young man who did all the shooting on the VT campus that day wanted to create a situation filled with emotion and distress. His actions have become constant conversation in all media's. He has been able to broadcast his "message" for all to see, for all to examine. The sad thing about our instant information age is that there are other evil people out there, who given the opportunity, would have to figure out a way to do better.
Many will talk about what went wrong, who did or didn't act accordingly, why, his mental health, the police's role, the college's participation, and so on and so on. It may never stop. But I know these people, the one who bites off her own child penis just to watch the young boy bleed to death, or the mother upset at the father, so she kills, butchers and cooks the flesh and feeds the young man to the father. To anyone who may stumble across this, please remember that evil people do evil things, and they are to blame, period.
To the families of the dead and victimized, I wish you a speedy recovery in your healing. I hope that your life will not be defined by this event, but I can understand if it is. This is an unpreventable event. There is no answer to why, or why my child, or what could I have done. There are hundreds of millions of Americans, who are good and kind citizens, but the actions of one doesn't diminish what is good in us all. There will always be evil in the world, and it is that evil that will create these events. We can only keep doing what we do, being good and kind citizen, and know that evil people do evil things, no matter what we do.
The young man who did all the shooting on the VT campus that day wanted to create a situation filled with emotion and distress. His actions have become constant conversation in all media's. He has been able to broadcast his "message" for all to see, for all to examine. The sad thing about our instant information age is that there are other evil people out there, who given the opportunity, would have to figure out a way to do better.
Many will talk about what went wrong, who did or didn't act accordingly, why, his mental health, the police's role, the college's participation, and so on and so on. It may never stop. But I know these people, the one who bites off her own child penis just to watch the young boy bleed to death, or the mother upset at the father, so she kills, butchers and cooks the flesh and feeds the young man to the father. To anyone who may stumble across this, please remember that evil people do evil things, and they are to blame, period.
To the families of the dead and victimized, I wish you a speedy recovery in your healing. I hope that your life will not be defined by this event, but I can understand if it is. This is an unpreventable event. There is no answer to why, or why my child, or what could I have done. There are hundreds of millions of Americans, who are good and kind citizens, but the actions of one doesn't diminish what is good in us all. There will always be evil in the world, and it is that evil that will create these events. We can only keep doing what we do, being good and kind citizen, and know that evil people do evil things, no matter what we do.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Men are from Venus, Women are from Who Knows!
Sitting in my office looking out my window at the inmate’s recreation yard, I am troubled by the current state of affairs in the department. I spent the first four years of my career working with the states most dangerous felons. Before we had Pelican Bay, we had Corcoran. At that time the most dangerous prison in the state, and assuredly one of the most dangerous in the nation. Corcoran is where I cut my teeth, were I made my bones. Well that was when gas was $1.00 a gallon, and Bush Sr. was running things.
Jump forward to today. I no longer have such a lengthy commute (60 minutes one way), but I have spent the last 13+ years working with the women. I have moved up the food chain to rank of Lieutenant, which with .50 cents will get you a USA Today. I have supervised the Death Row, the Substance Abuse building, AIDS building and that states only prison within the prison, the Security Housing Unit (SHU). And once again, we are about to embark on another departmental exercise. This one is called Gender Responsive Training. Apparently, the Governator (Arnold) and the Department as bought off into a study by a Sociologist from the University of Cincinnati that indicates female felons are different from male felons. By the reaction of the department, you’d think this is earth shattering news of course! The problem is, the state will not amend current law pertaining to the mandatory rules of detention, what we call the California Code of Regulations, Title 15, or CCR. Without this change, there is no real solution. You see, we are bound by the law (CCR) which has been established by our legislators. This law directs our missions, and the due process rights afforded every inmate in our custodial care. That said, the “new” direction regarding the females raises some serious concerns. Early indication suggests that we are to look deeply into the reasoning for the various crimes. We are to try and understand the needs of the female felon, their backgrounds, past abuses and so and so and so. This is all well and good until there is a problem. A problem like, her behavior was so bad we must place her in segregation, however she has acted out like this in the past do to her lifetime use of cocaine. As you can see, we “guards” are put into a cross. On one hand we have the black and white written law, but on the other, we are to take into account the needs and reasoning behind the behavior. What are we to do? The department has a very long history of doing so dirty work. Here is the history. We are handed documents (training) to review and sign for. This training is in the form of a memo with the explanation of “here sign this”. Do to program requirements, we are not given time to actually train. So you sign the form and continue on with you duties. Well, Mr. Murphy steps in, and something goes wrong. If you take action, and it is different from the “training”, the department will pull out the document and say, “Here, you have been formally trained.”, so you violated policy and enjoy your 30 day non-paid vacation. If you ask to be formally trained, then you’ll here, “Just sign it, we don’t have time to shut down the program.” So you see the cross we are placed in on a daily basis. As I say, WTF! PRISON
Jump forward to today. I no longer have such a lengthy commute (60 minutes one way), but I have spent the last 13+ years working with the women. I have moved up the food chain to rank of Lieutenant, which with .50 cents will get you a USA Today. I have supervised the Death Row, the Substance Abuse building, AIDS building and that states only prison within the prison, the Security Housing Unit (SHU). And once again, we are about to embark on another departmental exercise. This one is called Gender Responsive Training. Apparently, the Governator (Arnold) and the Department as bought off into a study by a Sociologist from the University of Cincinnati that indicates female felons are different from male felons. By the reaction of the department, you’d think this is earth shattering news of course! The problem is, the state will not amend current law pertaining to the mandatory rules of detention, what we call the California Code of Regulations, Title 15, or CCR. Without this change, there is no real solution. You see, we are bound by the law (CCR) which has been established by our legislators. This law directs our missions, and the due process rights afforded every inmate in our custodial care. That said, the “new” direction regarding the females raises some serious concerns. Early indication suggests that we are to look deeply into the reasoning for the various crimes. We are to try and understand the needs of the female felon, their backgrounds, past abuses and so and so and so. This is all well and good until there is a problem. A problem like, her behavior was so bad we must place her in segregation, however she has acted out like this in the past do to her lifetime use of cocaine. As you can see, we “guards” are put into a cross. On one hand we have the black and white written law, but on the other, we are to take into account the needs and reasoning behind the behavior. What are we to do? The department has a very long history of doing so dirty work. Here is the history. We are handed documents (training) to review and sign for. This training is in the form of a memo with the explanation of “here sign this”. Do to program requirements, we are not given time to actually train. So you sign the form and continue on with you duties. Well, Mr. Murphy steps in, and something goes wrong. If you take action, and it is different from the “training”, the department will pull out the document and say, “Here, you have been formally trained.”, so you violated policy and enjoy your 30 day non-paid vacation. If you ask to be formally trained, then you’ll here, “Just sign it, we don’t have time to shut down the program.” So you see the cross we are placed in on a daily basis. As I say, WTF! PRISON
Saturday, April 7, 2007
The Limp, Flop Floating Maniac
I finally had a good session this morning. I was up 5 buy-ins, but that doesn’t get me in green yet. It seems this damn poker is hard for me. I read an article on the CR Forums on how to play a maniac. Not the typical maniac that play 35/29/7, but the new weak maniac who plays 73/6/1. This guy is too much as he just gets under the skin. I have run into a couple of these players in my late night session. I am playing on FTP so I really don’t know where they are from. In a nutshell, the article speaks to the limp in, and flop floating that most of these players employee. It seems I have a strong understanding of this approach and the article is very well presented. So here I am with one of these guys to my right. His stats are 71/25/1.80. So I am in a good position with the maniac. The article indicates that you play your strong hands very strong as these maniacs will call with any 2. The article indicates it is the turn which establishes the true strength of their hands. The article went on to say that you should take your strong hands to the river for a showdown. Well I am ready to employee this newly discovered strategy. I catch AKs in the BB and re-raise the maniac who is in the SB. Well one stack later his AA has me beaten. Not 10 minutes later the same event, however I have JJ and lose my second stack to his KK. What really sent me to Tiltsville was my comment in the chat box of, “The JJ is the biggest pair I have seen in 2 hours”. Well the villain response is, “I know how you feel”. I mean WTF! You catch AA and KK and you know how I feel! To me there is no more disrespect then a condescending asshole. So I was down 4 buy-ins, but rallied back to finish down 1. In the morning session, before I went to the pen, I won a huge pot when my AA stood up to a all-in AQ and a all-in QQ. Poker is a really easy game if you catch the cards. Today I caught cards! I flopped 2 boats, made 2 nut straights, one nut flush and quad 5’s. 4 of these hand I was able to get it all-in. I did take one bad beat for a stack when my AK vs. AQ on a A69 rainbow board when the villain spike a Q on the river. What was funny about that hand is the way the villain praised himself, right before he ran off. The old hit and run trick, so common online. POKER!
Friday, April 6, 2007
Cat Fight!
There are times while in the pen you have to look at a poetic justice. I am sitting in the chair of the Watch Commander, so for today, I am The Man! Well, we have a cat fight on the Main Yard, in the crapper of all places. To broads to get it going, why? Who cares? One broad is here for Cruelty to Elders Causing Death or Great Bodily Injury and she got in to with another from Riverside County. The Riverside girl is here for Murder 2nd and Cruelty to Child. So as you could see, it is 2 model citizen's involved. When you see this kind of thing, you really have to laugh. I mean really, do the citizen’s of the great state of California really care about these two individuals? The one who beats the old is forty-eight herself. Talk about irony. The 48 year pulls a much younger inmate into the crapper and get in about 8 strong blows, but after enough connects to constitute a Battery, the young one suddenly “defends” herself and mops the floor with her older rival. That is the poetic justice. The one who beats the old, ends up the beaten by the young. And the one, who beats her child to death, continues to beat those in prison. Something just seems wrong, but something seems right also. To make a long story longer, they both end up with a face full of Pepper Spray, and the 48 year old gets a free ride to Administrative Segregation to lick her wounds in solitary confinement. PRISON!
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
R.O.O.P
I have decided to really step up and become accountable for my play. I have developed 10 rules to guide my play. Every week I will post my Poker Tracker stats. For those who choose to follow the ConvictKeeper, please comment.
Here are the Rules:
RULES OF ON-LINE POKER
(R.O.O.P)
1. Always play your “A” game.
2. Fold when you “feel” beat.
3. Think before your bet, analyze the situation.
4. Always play to win. Folding my mean winning.
5. Never tilt! Bad beats happen to every player.
6. Never play while tired, uninterested or intoxicated.
7. Never play more than 45 minutes without taking a break.
8. Always play with selective aggression.
9. Never play outside of your current bankroll.
10. Review every session. (Wining & losing hand and R.O.O.P).
(R.O.O.P)
1. Always play your “A” game.
2. Fold when you “feel” beat.
3. Think before your bet, analyze the situation.
4. Always play to win. Folding my mean winning.
5. Never tilt! Bad beats happen to every player.
6. Never play while tired, uninterested or intoxicated.
7. Never play more than 45 minutes without taking a break.
8. Always play with selective aggression.
9. Never play outside of your current bankroll.
10. Review every session. (Wining & losing hand and R.O.O.P).
Here are the Stats:
VPIP: 15.49
PFR: 12.68
$ WON: 10.05
BB/100: 14.15
TOTAL AF: 19.0
W$SD: 50.0
TOTAL HANDS: 142
Thursday, March 29, 2007
118 to 1 (Twice) !
I purchased a new system, nothing special but it does have the operating system installed, MS Vista. Getting a new system is exciting, however the downloading of all the information. Downloading all the poker software like Poker Tracker, PA HUD, FTP, Stars and the like takes all day. However, once they are downloaded, then files have to be transferred and such, this is very time consuming. Of course it doesn’t go without a hitch, so it is back to the re-install and re-configuration. Finally, I have downloaded the latest version of PAHUD, and it doesn’t work, UGH! If you have read the rant about the 5 buy-in loss, then you will enjoy this session.
I have just added a new database that will be based on my new style of play. I should add that my 18-22 month poker career shows a total of $500.00 to the bad, and add the software I have purchased over time; the number is a little south of $600.00, throw in the rake and the number is close to $800.00; the sample of hands is approximately 25,000.
That being said, I am going to employee a new strategy that will gain back my losses, and finally put me ahead.
So I am configuring both the PT and the PAHUD. I sit down at a table on FTP just to get a hand in, so I can add myself to the database. I jump in a 25NL game, thinking it is a 10NL game. Buy in for the minimum ($10.00); thinking it is the maximum, and sit down to catch the Big Blind, perfect! As I look around, everyone is well stacked, I think, because they have 2 buy-ins each at the 10NL; however I will discover this isn’t a 10NL table. In the Big Blind, I catch a suited Q/10 (Goolsby) of diamonds. Playable to an open call, however I guy in MP puts in a 4X raise to $1.00. I have no information on the villain, but he did the same thing in the hand I sat in on and everyone folded! I want to have the hand raked, so I call hoping to hit a monster flop. If I don’t hit, I can check/fold and be done with it, getting the hand raked and the new database running. Well the flop comes out A96 of diamonds. What the hell, talk about a monster! I have the second nut flush, and I am sure the villain may have the A! I bet out ¾ of the pot, and sure enough get called. I am thinking this is the wrong time to look me up, Broseph! The turn delivers a blank, and I play the hand to check/raise. The villain bets the pot, I push all in, and get an insta-call, WTF! He turns over K8 (Kokomo) of diamonds for the nut flush! He raised in MP with the K8s. But what is really more impressive are the odds of this happening. The odds of flopping a flush, while holding 2 suited cards, are about 118 to 1. That being said, what are the odds of flopping 2 flushes while holding 2 suited cards. Man I was destine to lose my stack, Luckily, I bought I light. So what started out being a systems check, ended up a $10.00 loss and a very ugly opening session in the new database. I never should have been in the hand, but once in, what a f’ing cooler. My last 3 days have been very similar to this. POKER!
I have just added a new database that will be based on my new style of play. I should add that my 18-22 month poker career shows a total of $500.00 to the bad, and add the software I have purchased over time; the number is a little south of $600.00, throw in the rake and the number is close to $800.00; the sample of hands is approximately 25,000.
That being said, I am going to employee a new strategy that will gain back my losses, and finally put me ahead.
So I am configuring both the PT and the PAHUD. I sit down at a table on FTP just to get a hand in, so I can add myself to the database. I jump in a 25NL game, thinking it is a 10NL game. Buy in for the minimum ($10.00); thinking it is the maximum, and sit down to catch the Big Blind, perfect! As I look around, everyone is well stacked, I think, because they have 2 buy-ins each at the 10NL; however I will discover this isn’t a 10NL table. In the Big Blind, I catch a suited Q/10 (Goolsby) of diamonds. Playable to an open call, however I guy in MP puts in a 4X raise to $1.00. I have no information on the villain, but he did the same thing in the hand I sat in on and everyone folded! I want to have the hand raked, so I call hoping to hit a monster flop. If I don’t hit, I can check/fold and be done with it, getting the hand raked and the new database running. Well the flop comes out A96 of diamonds. What the hell, talk about a monster! I have the second nut flush, and I am sure the villain may have the A! I bet out ¾ of the pot, and sure enough get called. I am thinking this is the wrong time to look me up, Broseph! The turn delivers a blank, and I play the hand to check/raise. The villain bets the pot, I push all in, and get an insta-call, WTF! He turns over K8 (Kokomo) of diamonds for the nut flush! He raised in MP with the K8s. But what is really more impressive are the odds of this happening. The odds of flopping a flush, while holding 2 suited cards, are about 118 to 1. That being said, what are the odds of flopping 2 flushes while holding 2 suited cards. Man I was destine to lose my stack, Luckily, I bought I light. So what started out being a systems check, ended up a $10.00 loss and a very ugly opening session in the new database. I never should have been in the hand, but once in, what a f’ing cooler. My last 3 days have been very similar to this. POKER!
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