I just can't bring myself to write much about poker today. The Hollywood Poker Open results and discussions (John Roberts Jr. won the Main Event as it seemed he would, while the amazing William Corvaia fought his way to second place to go with two prelim wins and a third earlier in the series' St. Louis visit) will have to wait for another day.
All the talk and attention has been attracted to Boston, the murders by bombs near the finish area of the Boston Marathon on Monday afternoon.
So very very very sad. My heart does go out to those truly suffering and directly affected.
I admit I'm something of a hard, cold case. People get hurt and die every day in many many ways and places. People suffer. Sadly, that is and always will be an unchangeable, unstoppable part of life. I try to empathize with and help all. One lost life is just like another -- sad, but done. And the rest of life goes on. And nothing will change that universal rhythm.
What's really sad and aggravating is the finger-pointing and false stories and fake heroes that events like the Boston Marathon Bombings always sprout. I saw it over and over in 25 years of newspaper work. I saw much good, like after the Luby's Cafeteria attack in Killeen, TX. I also saw much and many that were bad. I'm admit I'm jaded and turned off by it, by the noise-makers and flag-wavers and woe-warners and others trying to make a place for themselves and their egos in something that would be much better off without them around. My applause and appreciation is all for the quiet individual who helps the other individual in pain and need, and never seeks anything for it, not even recognition. Doing good and the right thing is its own reward, really. That's real heroism! That's being a good human.
This Boston thing will drag on and on and on; tragedy always makes for oppportunistic follow-ups to which the greedy and bored both flock. I'll say one more thing: This does not seem like terrorism of an international basis. Usually those kind of attacks feature suicide bombers, human bombs to cause the mayhem, faceless villains quick to claim the credit. This smells highly of domestic terrorism, of Oklahoma City and the assassination attempts on politicians and judges, of deluded cowards and crazies who'd attack theatres, schools or churches. But that's for the investigators to discover, that is their job. And they will. And the real instigators will be punished.
Meanwhile, let's just help ease sufferers' pains anywhere we can, one person at a time, one simple step at a time, anyway we best can. Please.
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Monday, April 15, 2013
From HPO coverage to bed covers
OK. I promised a report tonight on the Hollywood Poker Open - St. Louis, which had its penultimate day on Sunday at the still-not-quite-open Hollywood Casino in Maryland Heights, MO.
They might get all the events done in the wee hours and not have to come back. That was becoming the plan at the HPO, making its first tour through town. The folks from Poker Tournament Consultants were doing a slam-bang job of moving things along ... mostly. But an unpaid bloggin' reporter with another job in the morning (that helps with bills!), well, you can only stay at it so long. And I'm sure the West Coast papers don't want to wait any longer for the news. And that pillow on the bed looks sooooo comfy...
So the brief report:
The $1,620 No Limit Hold'em Regional Championship Main Event was down to 4 players as things took a 15-minute break prior to Level 19 (2500/5000/500). Two Day Ones attracted a field of 75 and a prize pool of $109,125. Nine players were in line to cash. The contenders were whittled to 38 for Sunday's combined Day Two, and as things were drawing near a finish John Roberts Jr. of Fenton, Mo., had well over half the chips and was powering his way through his rivals with big bets and timely bigger cards/hands. Chris Lillie and Jeffrey Roberson, both of Rolla, Mo., were neck-and-neck for the runner-up spot, which would pay $21,825 compared to the winner's $34,920.
That a good enough blurb? How about the fact that for a while things went almost three hours with no eliminations at the final table -- and then Roberts rapidly sent three foes to the rail in barely half an hour to pretty well clarify things.
That enough? How about if I tossed in that Darlene Goetz of St. Peter's, Mo., won the Ladies NLHE title, outlasting 19 other women on Sunday for first prize of $1,960? There also may have been chop negotiations between Goetz and her last two rivals, Laura Forbes (Alton, Ill.) and Lori Lindley (Eureka, Mo.), to induce the conclusion. Well done, all.
And I'm well done, too. The eyelids won't cooperate. A full report and results here in your friendly blogger's nest as soon as possible on Monday or Tuesday. And get ready for the Heartland Poker Tour, which runs April 19-29 at St. Louis' River City Casino. I might even tell you a thing or two about what happens there.
If the brain revitalizes. And if the alluring bed ever turns me loose. I'm coming, Fluffy...
They might get all the events done in the wee hours and not have to come back. That was becoming the plan at the HPO, making its first tour through town. The folks from Poker Tournament Consultants were doing a slam-bang job of moving things along ... mostly. But an unpaid bloggin' reporter with another job in the morning (that helps with bills!), well, you can only stay at it so long. And I'm sure the West Coast papers don't want to wait any longer for the news. And that pillow on the bed looks sooooo comfy...
So the brief report:
The $1,620 No Limit Hold'em Regional Championship Main Event was down to 4 players as things took a 15-minute break prior to Level 19 (2500/5000/500). Two Day Ones attracted a field of 75 and a prize pool of $109,125. Nine players were in line to cash. The contenders were whittled to 38 for Sunday's combined Day Two, and as things were drawing near a finish John Roberts Jr. of Fenton, Mo., had well over half the chips and was powering his way through his rivals with big bets and timely bigger cards/hands. Chris Lillie and Jeffrey Roberson, both of Rolla, Mo., were neck-and-neck for the runner-up spot, which would pay $21,825 compared to the winner's $34,920.
That a good enough blurb? How about the fact that for a while things went almost three hours with no eliminations at the final table -- and then Roberts rapidly sent three foes to the rail in barely half an hour to pretty well clarify things.
That enough? How about if I tossed in that Darlene Goetz of St. Peter's, Mo., won the Ladies NLHE title, outlasting 19 other women on Sunday for first prize of $1,960? There also may have been chop negotiations between Goetz and her last two rivals, Laura Forbes (Alton, Ill.) and Lori Lindley (Eureka, Mo.), to induce the conclusion. Well done, all.
And I'm well done, too. The eyelids won't cooperate. A full report and results here in your friendly blogger's nest as soon as possible on Monday or Tuesday. And get ready for the Heartland Poker Tour, which runs April 19-29 at St. Louis' River City Casino. I might even tell you a thing or two about what happens there.
If the brain revitalizes. And if the alluring bed ever turns me loose. I'm coming, Fluffy...
Friday, April 12, 2013
HPO - St. Louis version
The Championship Main Event of the Hollywood Poker Open starts today at Hollywood Casino-St. Louis. It's the 21st of 28 events in the tour's first stop here, and with a $1,620 entry fee things should be hopping. I hope.
The tournaments so far have been an embarassment for our city (Maryland Heights, a suburb in West County St. Louis), I'm afraid. How could Hollywood host such a big event with construction everywhere in the place, looking ugly and third-worldish and small? Hollywood Casino should have done better. Shame on them! Grade so far: C-minus.
There were two mega satellites for the Championship Main Event last night (Thursday). Two more Mega Sats are planned today, plus two Turbo Sats; entries to them are either $245 or $125. These satellites should help boost the field for Saturday's Flight B of the Main Event. It starts at noon local time; the Flight A starts at a similar time today, leading up to Day 2 for survivors at noon Sunday. The Championship Final Table is at noon Monday.
With all the construction and disorganization at the casino, I haven't done much playing so far. Not as much as I hoped to, as I would've liked to. The Seniors (Event 7) and Pot Limit Omaha 8 or Better (Event 13) tournaments were on my original agenda, but I've stuck to the ring games. A bit of variety, a bit of action, an agonizing long wait for seats (am I back at Bellagio? gimme a buzzer, no one can hear the PA!). Breaking even has been the sad pattern; still waiting for that solid run of goodness + luck.
Ah well. Back to the rings this afternoon, and then the final Mega Sat tonight for a place in Saturday's Main Flight B. If it's not meant to be, there's always Saturday's 7 pm $125 No Limit Nightly (Event 26). No, Chop, I will not enter the Ladies NLHE (Event 27) on Sunday afternoon; I look awful in drag. But I don't mind watching and schmoozing. And waiting for my ring name to be called again.
And no matter how frustrating and @*!%x$ the HPO's local debut has been, I'm still enthused because there's still the Heartland Poker Tour's latest St. Louis invasion coming up April 19-29 at River City Casino across town. It'll be HPT's third trip to town. They do things better, although it looks like Greg Raymer won't be there to defend his ME title because of other obligations. I really miss the the WSOP Circuit when we used to have a Harrah's (that's the property Hollywood bought), but one makes do as best one can.
Good cards and timing would help a lot too! G'luck all...
The tournaments so far have been an embarassment for our city (Maryland Heights, a suburb in West County St. Louis), I'm afraid. How could Hollywood host such a big event with construction everywhere in the place, looking ugly and third-worldish and small? Hollywood Casino should have done better. Shame on them! Grade so far: C-minus.
There were two mega satellites for the Championship Main Event last night (Thursday). Two more Mega Sats are planned today, plus two Turbo Sats; entries to them are either $245 or $125. These satellites should help boost the field for Saturday's Flight B of the Main Event. It starts at noon local time; the Flight A starts at a similar time today, leading up to Day 2 for survivors at noon Sunday. The Championship Final Table is at noon Monday.
With all the construction and disorganization at the casino, I haven't done much playing so far. Not as much as I hoped to, as I would've liked to. The Seniors (Event 7) and Pot Limit Omaha 8 or Better (Event 13) tournaments were on my original agenda, but I've stuck to the ring games. A bit of variety, a bit of action, an agonizing long wait for seats (am I back at Bellagio? gimme a buzzer, no one can hear the PA!). Breaking even has been the sad pattern; still waiting for that solid run of goodness + luck.
Ah well. Back to the rings this afternoon, and then the final Mega Sat tonight for a place in Saturday's Main Flight B. If it's not meant to be, there's always Saturday's 7 pm $125 No Limit Nightly (Event 26). No, Chop, I will not enter the Ladies NLHE (Event 27) on Sunday afternoon; I look awful in drag. But I don't mind watching and schmoozing. And waiting for my ring name to be called again.
And no matter how frustrating and @*!%x$ the HPO's local debut has been, I'm still enthused because there's still the Heartland Poker Tour's latest St. Louis invasion coming up April 19-29 at River City Casino across town. It'll be HPT's third trip to town. They do things better, although it looks like Greg Raymer won't be there to defend his ME title because of other obligations. I really miss the the WSOP Circuit when we used to have a Harrah's (that's the property Hollywood bought), but one makes do as best one can.
Good cards and timing would help a lot too! G'luck all...
Friday, April 5, 2013
Lent me your ears ... er, eyes
Is Lent over yet? Can I start writing again? The things I give up for absolutely no good reason at all. (But a wonderful excuse.)
Now excuse me while I go play some more live poker at St. Louis' Hollywood Casino (formerly Harrah's). The Hollywood Poker Open tour is in town, Day Two of 14 days' action. This better be good...
I'll be back.
Now excuse me while I go play some more live poker at St. Louis' Hollywood Casino (formerly Harrah's). The Hollywood Poker Open tour is in town, Day Two of 14 days' action. This better be good...
I'll be back.
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