I guess I should update
While I'm sitting here downloading the software from yet another poker site (22 and counting on my computer), I figured I might as well try to spit-shine some of the rust off this old blog.
Mind you, I've felt really, really guilty about not updating. It's just the wrong time of year for finding loads of time to be pontificating about poker. In addition to the traditional holiday insanity, I'm now doing three jobs at work, instead of my usual two. Then there was a brief hospital stay for my wife, which turned out to be pointless (thank goodness). And then there's all sorts of TV and movie goodness of late that has diverted my attention lately, such as Chronicles of Narnia (cool), King Kong (rocks) and Showtime's "Sleeper Cell" mini-series (mind-blowing).
But tonight, strangely, finds me not at work, not at the movies, not in front of the TV, not at the hospital and not too tired from all of the above. Instead, I'm sitting here waiting for my dialup connection to choke down 10 megs or something, when all of a sudden it crosses my mind, "Oh yeah ... I do have that blog thing I've neglected the past couple of weeks ..."
Not that I'm kidding anyone. I'm never going to be an everyday type of blogger. I'm lucky to crank out one post a week, and usually not a very good one at that. But I'll keep trying, and maybe someday it will become something of a habit.
Anyway, I suppose I should fill you in about the latest poker room I'm giving a try. Daniel Negreanu has added tables to his site, Full Contact Poker. Not just any tables, either, but another Poker Room skin. These things are multiplying like viruses these days, but Poker Room has always been my favorite site, and the opportunity to play there and get another first-time deposit bonus is always nice. Anyway, if you like Poker Room's tables, you might consider giving Full Contact Poker a try. For starters, they've got a 50 percent signup bonus going on, which is always nice, and they kick in an extra 10 percent for every Neteller deposit. Plus they've got a nifty little promotion to become Daniel Negreanu's protege. Basically, it entails four months of getting instruction from Daniel, four buy-ins to $10,000 events, plus a party at the end of your apprenticeship under Kid Poker. Not shabby, but not easy to obtain, either. From what I can see, you basically have to win your way through a gauntlet of poker tournaments (but they're freerolls) just for the chance to compete in a 10-person, winner-take-all tournament. Still, I figure it's worth a shot. If you decide to give it a try, look me up. I play there under the name evilbilly0.
But in addition to online poker, these days are truly becoming the golden age of poker. My latest discovery comes from my recent entry into the ranks of the iPod-bearers, and it involves poker podcasts. For the uninitiated, a podcast is basically like a radio show, usually a talk radio show, except you download it and play it at your convenience, rather than tuning in to a certain station at a certain time. And, of course, a poker podcast is a podcast about poker.
If you have the latest version of iTunes, you can go to the music store, click on the podcast button in the menu on the left, and then search for podcasts about any subject you wish. And should you search for poker, you'll soon find yourself staring at a lengthy list of such shows, all devoted to poker, and most if not all of which are free.
Two shows in particular make it onto my iPod with every update. The best is the All-In Poker Podcast, which shows up in iTunes as "MSR-All In." When I say it is the best, I'm not saying that it's necessarily the most informative, although it can be. Instead, it's just the most fun to listen to. As host Brian Mollica says, it's not a show about how to play poker. It's a show about why you play poker. Some of the highlights in the shows I've heard have been interviews with Mike Matusow, Steve Dannenman and, my favorite, T.J. Cloutier. The show also has an active message board community, and Brian makes sure to acknowledge each and every new poster by name at the beginning of each show, which is getting to be more and more of a chore as the show gains popularity.
The second show is called Rounders, and it is a rebroadcast of a radio poker show out of Vancouver. This one is a bit more about the nuts and bolts of poker, with more in the way of news and strategy. They've also had some notable interviews. Two that I've heard have been Scotty Nguyen and Chris Moneymaker.
Well, my download is done and the tables are calling me. Have a good week.
Mind you, I've felt really, really guilty about not updating. It's just the wrong time of year for finding loads of time to be pontificating about poker. In addition to the traditional holiday insanity, I'm now doing three jobs at work, instead of my usual two. Then there was a brief hospital stay for my wife, which turned out to be pointless (thank goodness). And then there's all sorts of TV and movie goodness of late that has diverted my attention lately, such as Chronicles of Narnia (cool), King Kong (rocks) and Showtime's "Sleeper Cell" mini-series (mind-blowing).
But tonight, strangely, finds me not at work, not at the movies, not in front of the TV, not at the hospital and not too tired from all of the above. Instead, I'm sitting here waiting for my dialup connection to choke down 10 megs or something, when all of a sudden it crosses my mind, "Oh yeah ... I do have that blog thing I've neglected the past couple of weeks ..."
Not that I'm kidding anyone. I'm never going to be an everyday type of blogger. I'm lucky to crank out one post a week, and usually not a very good one at that. But I'll keep trying, and maybe someday it will become something of a habit.
Anyway, I suppose I should fill you in about the latest poker room I'm giving a try. Daniel Negreanu has added tables to his site, Full Contact Poker. Not just any tables, either, but another Poker Room skin. These things are multiplying like viruses these days, but Poker Room has always been my favorite site, and the opportunity to play there and get another first-time deposit bonus is always nice. Anyway, if you like Poker Room's tables, you might consider giving Full Contact Poker a try. For starters, they've got a 50 percent signup bonus going on, which is always nice, and they kick in an extra 10 percent for every Neteller deposit. Plus they've got a nifty little promotion to become Daniel Negreanu's protege. Basically, it entails four months of getting instruction from Daniel, four buy-ins to $10,000 events, plus a party at the end of your apprenticeship under Kid Poker. Not shabby, but not easy to obtain, either. From what I can see, you basically have to win your way through a gauntlet of poker tournaments (but they're freerolls) just for the chance to compete in a 10-person, winner-take-all tournament. Still, I figure it's worth a shot. If you decide to give it a try, look me up. I play there under the name evilbilly0.
But in addition to online poker, these days are truly becoming the golden age of poker. My latest discovery comes from my recent entry into the ranks of the iPod-bearers, and it involves poker podcasts. For the uninitiated, a podcast is basically like a radio show, usually a talk radio show, except you download it and play it at your convenience, rather than tuning in to a certain station at a certain time. And, of course, a poker podcast is a podcast about poker.
If you have the latest version of iTunes, you can go to the music store, click on the podcast button in the menu on the left, and then search for podcasts about any subject you wish. And should you search for poker, you'll soon find yourself staring at a lengthy list of such shows, all devoted to poker, and most if not all of which are free.
Two shows in particular make it onto my iPod with every update. The best is the All-In Poker Podcast, which shows up in iTunes as "MSR-All In." When I say it is the best, I'm not saying that it's necessarily the most informative, although it can be. Instead, it's just the most fun to listen to. As host Brian Mollica says, it's not a show about how to play poker. It's a show about why you play poker. Some of the highlights in the shows I've heard have been interviews with Mike Matusow, Steve Dannenman and, my favorite, T.J. Cloutier. The show also has an active message board community, and Brian makes sure to acknowledge each and every new poster by name at the beginning of each show, which is getting to be more and more of a chore as the show gains popularity.
The second show is called Rounders, and it is a rebroadcast of a radio poker show out of Vancouver. This one is a bit more about the nuts and bolts of poker, with more in the way of news and strategy. They've also had some notable interviews. Two that I've heard have been Scotty Nguyen and Chris Moneymaker.
Well, my download is done and the tables are calling me. Have a good week.
