I'm not really a superstitious person. I don't really believe in luck, or fate, whatever. I believe everything we experience is a direct result of our actions, or inaction. It is not the actual events or experiences that matter, how we react to them is more important.

So why the &*ck is it that every single time i play at the ACF card room, i always go home with just a bad beat story?!? Had about 1000+ in my stack, called with A-8 in late position, got a raise to 150 from a loose player, and one caller before me so i call. Flop is A-8-Q rainbow. Raiser bets 300, guy beside me goes all in for about 800, so i call with two pair (i'm putting them on ace-high kicker). Raiser calls, shows A-10, pusher shows Q-9 (DUH?!?), and i show my winning A-8. Q on river gives it to dumbass on my right. It just aint right. (blech. i just threw up in my mouth a little bit.)

Repeat after me:

if there were no variance, there would be no fish. If they always lost, they would not come back.
if there were no variance, there would be no fish. If they always lost, they would not come back.
if there were no variance, there would be no fish! If they always lost, they would not come back!

(words of comfort from wild bill of grindblog)

So off i went to the regular tuesday gig at my friends place in makati. Shook off the bad beat, played really well and got some big hands to go my way. More than Tripled my intial buy, winning me back my losses at the ACF and a little bit more for my coffee and other stuff. My only regret of the game was letting go of a 6K pot pre-flop. (i just put in 300 to call a raise with Kh-Qh, but someone goes all-in for 1K total, and he gets 3 callers. I let it go and BAM nut flush for me. Although they all had me beat when i laid it down. Woulda been a 10K or more cash out for me if i called.) The difference between a small win and the huge payout is usually decided on big hands like that. oh well, there's always next time. Man, that game is fine to play in! Lots of action. Will be playing there regularly now for sure. Kath went in for 1500 and cashed 5000 too! And we played separate tables!

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I'm psyched about Doyle Brunson being here. Gonna get to see him for real later, maybe get somethin signed too. Photo-op is a must!

Another thing i'm really psyched about is the Lasalle-Ateneo poker game. Oh man. I really want to play that. i Think i'll make something happen before saturday. And also, Kath might be your host for that event as well, i hope she gets the gig. There is no better host qualified to do that gig i believe. They could get a hot starlet bimbo who's clueless about the game, or someone passionate and knowledgable about who and what the game is all about, especially in the local scene. So organizers, do the right thing and get a real poker game host.