To steal from the Padres pre-game radio show, I give you my THREE UP and THREE DOWN from my Saturday spent at USC.

UP #1- THE TAILGATING

These people know how to tailgate! The entire center of the campus is riddled with fans congregated under their USC canopies and sporting their USC attire. Just within the group we were with I saw someone wearing USC bellbottoms, USC shoes, and USC earings. The group we were with does something called “top of the hour” every hour they are there (and they start at 7:00 AM for a 5:00 PM game!) where they blast the USC fight songs from their makeshift sound system and everyone around begins holding up the “victory” sign and singing the song. It is really something to see.  The food was not bad either.

UP #2- THE ATMOSPHERE AT THE GAME

92,000 fans pack the Coliseum all clad in their Trojan gear and make all kinds of noise all game long. The Coliseum itself is a great place to watch a game because of the way it is built; it is all one level (a true bowl) which is really cool and the noise stays in the stadium better as well. You have the torch which gets lit at the start of the 4th quarter and their mascot (Traveller the horse) who makes an appearance after ever USC score. Also, picture 92,000 people waving the victory sign in the air in unison after a score (kind of like the Braves tomahawk chop without the annoying chant). I could not get over the fact that these kids (most 18-23 years old) get to play in such an environment every week. That is pressure and they handle it amazingly well considering their age.

UP#3- THE BAND

This is really what sets apart the college game from the pro game. The band adds a different dimension to the atmosphere. Before kickoff they spread the field and play the USC fight songs in amazing fashion including formations that read, “USC” across the field. Really cool. All throughout the game the band is playing songs and firing up the crowd after big plays and scoring plays.

DOWN #1- THE COLISEUM

This is a really old stadium with alot of history and very cool aesthetically, but did I mention it is really old! The seats are extremely uncomfortable, there is virtually no leg room (a problem for me for sure), and they are very close together. Also, there is a very small video screen on the far side so seeing replays is really tough.  It is definitely a place to see a game once but going there week after week would be tough.

DOWN #2- THE GAME ITSELF

This is mainly a product of the competition in Washington St. not being very good. The game was decided by the end of the first quarter. There was nothing that gave the impression the game would be close and it was not. It is always better when you can watch a close game instead of a blowout. I can only imagine how cool it would be when they play a team like Cal, Oregon, or UCLA.

DOWN #3- THE LOGISTICS OF LEAVING

There is no good way to get home. Most of the fans have to walk through the campus to get to their vehicles(that is where all the parking is located) and there is a very narrow corridor between the Coliseum and the campus in which to walk. The pace is extremely slow and you feel like a herd of cattle. It took us close to an hour to get from the Coliseum to the freeway, not very good time.

All in all it was a great experience and one that  I would love to do again. Maybe next time I can go see an SEC game down south!

Fantasy football makes me smile….and my wife cringe. It puts me, the fan, in the driver seat of a football franchise, allowing me to draft my own team, make trades, set my lineup for optimal performance and watch my team crush the competition each and every Sunday. All this is done in place of the precious family time I no longer have room for. Why would I let something like this come between my family and I? Well here is why!

1) DRAFT DAY  

This is the day all your hard work and research comes to fruition. This is the day you show your competition that you have outsmarted them once again. Draft day is beautiful. You have the wonderful food spread complete with sandwiches, fruit, cookies, candy, etc… because you never want to draft on an empty stomach. You sit in anticipation waiting to see how much Andy will pay for the rights to call LT his own (I put the over\under at $100 this year). You get to hear Carl tell you the right way to pronounce Mike Vanderjagt. And you get to guess how long it will take for the computer software to encounter a problem. Draft day is indeed beautiful.

 2) All the games matter

Not only do all the games matter, but the ENTIRE game matters despite the score. That means you no longer can turn off the tv when the score is 35-3 going into the 4th quarter because those garbage touchdowns will make and break your heart week in and week out.

This point was especially important here in San Diego up until a few years ago because the Chargers stunk, but at least we had fantasy football. The Chargers continually getting crushed hurt, but the blow was softened by the fact that your fantasy team was winning.

And oh yes, Detroit getting pounded on Thanksgiving Day is still entertaining because odds are you or your opponent will have a player in that game. 

3) You can actually win money

For the small investment of $50 you get a season of fun and the chance to pocket a few hundred dollars as well as bragging rights. In my book, as long as there is a chance to win money I will be first in line.

 Fantasy football season is here, life is good.

 
What: H.O.R.S.E. Tournament (you can learn more about what “HORSE” is here)
 
http://poker.about.com/od/pokervariations/g/HORSE.htm
 
The games we will play are: Limit Hold ‘Em, Omaha High, Razz, Stud, and Stud Hi-Lo (8 or better)
 
When: Saturday August 25th 2007 at 6:30 PM
 
Where: My Parents House (let me know if you need directions or address)
          
 
Buy In: $50.00 (all money will go to prize pool)
 
Blind\Tournament Structure:

Starting chips 5,000 
We will play 20 or 30 minute levels.(depending on how long it ends up taking, would  like to end at 12:00) 
The game will change every time dealer button makes 1 rotation
 We will used WSOP blind structure. You can view it here:   http://www.worldseriesofpoker.com/tourney/structsheet_3443.asp?tourneyid=3443&groupid=309
 
We will have to play 7 handed because of the stud games so hopefully we can get 2-3 tables.

Comments, Suggestions, Questions can be posted here.

Let your friends know.

Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending a Chargers training camp session. As big a Charger fan as I am, this was my first time actually attending their training camp. I had always been sceptical about the event, always thinking it would be boring, not much to see, etc… However, I must say I was pleasantly suprised and had a great time and it did well to get me very excited about the upcoming season.

For those out there who are debating whether they should spend an afternoon watching football players practice, I give you my top 4 observations from my time at Chargers training camp.

1) Football players are big

I do not think I have ever been so close to so many big men in my life. I have gone to many games, but never been on the field up close and personal with players like you are able to do at training camp. You really gain an appreciation for the size and speed and courage these guys possess when you see them up close with pads on and imagine them coliding with others their size all game long.

2) I don’t know much about football

I used to consider myself to be very knowledgeable about the game of football, but after attending a practice I realize I have much to learn.

I was standing a stone’s throw away from the defense as they practiced their red zone defense. I could hear the middle linebacker making his calls and everyone else doing the same.  The play would be run and then the coaching begins.

Ted Cotrell is barking at someone for being out of position (he looked in position to me) and Ron Rivera is barking at someone for poor footwork (footwork looked great to me). These guys understand the game down to the minute details and it is amazing to watch them pick up on little mistakes on the spot, correct the player and run the play again.

Talk about inside the NFL, this is inside the NFL and it is facinating to watch.

3) Practices are VERY competitive

I have some understanding of this because I grew up playing very competitive soccer, but even that pales in comparison to the way these guys get after it.

I witnessed Philip Rivers get visibily frustrated when he missed a pass by inches in 7 on 7 drills.

I witnessed Bhawoh Jue completely de-cleat Kassim Osgood in the back of the endzone when he attempted to catch a touchdown pass in the same 7 on 7 drill. I had no idea they hit like that in practice.

Finally, I saw Roman Oben and Marquis Harris take their 1 on 1 pass rush drill too far. They ended up fighting on the ground and having to be restrained by teamates as all the other players looked on. These guys are battling for their jobs and they take their practices very seriously. It is fun to watch.

4) The Chargers will be very good this season

There is an air of confidence around this team. They know they are good, they know they blew an opportunity last year and they know they should win the Super Bowl this year. You can see it in the way they practice. Everyone seems genuinely happy to be a part of the team and everyone is working very hard to reach their goals this season.

You can read the article here.

The poker pros managed to eek out a slim victory this time around, but everyone seems to think the time is coming when computer programs will be able to consistenly “outsmart” us humans.

The point of the excercise was to create more intellegent software that could aid the human thought process in the future but at what cost?

Eslami says, “Artificial adaptive behavior could lead to software that better understands the way humans think … instead of being competitive and trying to oppose the person’s next move, being cooperative and trying to help the person’s next move.”

Computer scientist Jonathan Schaeffer compares playing poker with real life decisions such as deciding on stocks to purchase or buying a used car as they all deal with making decisions with incomplete information. He adds, “What you’re doing is, you’re playing a game of poker, next-generation software could help humans play those real-life games better and, one can hope, more fairly.”

I can envision a time in the not so distant future when all our difficult decisions can be input into a program which will spit out the optimal answer in a matter of seconds.

What amount of control is too much to relinquish to a computer program? Should our ability to reason and think things through be turned over to a computer? What effect, if any, does this progress have on the economy, on the job market (i.e. the more work machines can do, the less laborers are needed)? Does faith then take a back seat to optimal reason?

I find this facinating and bit scary at the same time.

 #5- Putting premium gas in your car.

Needless to say, I am not a proponent of this “myth”. I do not believe the grade of gas you put in your vehicle has any effect on the perfomance of the vehicle. I have, for most of my life, put 87 octane in all my vehicles and have never had any problems that have been attributed to low grade gas. This, to me, is a scam by the oil and gas companies to squeeze a little more money out of the public, one I am not apt to fall for.

#4- Taking the gondola ride inside the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas

Before a recent trip to Sin City, my wife and I were researching things to do while there (assuming I was actually going to be with her and not in the poker room all the time). I have always known about this attraction, but have never done it, nor even seen it in person. This looked like a good idea on paper, but once we arrived and checked it out we quickly realized it was a huge waste of money.

There is really nothing about this attraction that is compelling. The ride itself is extremely short lived. There is a stranger in the boat singing at the top of his lungs in a language I do not understand. And the icing on the cake is the fact that it is extremely awkward as onlookers are all around you watching you sit there and get serenaded. Not my idea of romance.

#3- Playing carnival games at the fair

We went to fair this year and actually had a decent time. My son actually had a great time and the entry tickets were free so it was a worthwhile experience.

We did make the mistake of walking through the “fun zone” so Trevin could see all the rides and such. I felt like a tourist walking the streets of Tijuana as every game booth has an over-zealous attendant trying to get you to drop $5 on a game that is purposely rigged so that you fail. I mean, how hard can it be to toss a ball 3 feet into a bucket, right?

 Losing is almost better than winning anyway because if you do win you have to walk around the rest of the time with an oversized stuffed animal that serves no purpose. I am proud of myself for putting my ego aside and not giving in to the urge to prove my expertise in useless carnival games this year. 

#2- Buying that amusement park picture they take of you when you enter the park.

 Wow is this ever annoying.  You finally make it through the entry line and into the park and are ready to go enjoy yourself when you are bombarded by a camera-wielding employee forcing you to strike a pose for a picture.  The only people worse than those who stop for the picture, are those who decide to buy the picture. I mean, don’t you have your own camera you could use? I know you don’t get the cool designer paper frame they put the picture in when developing your own pictures but please stop lining other people’s pockets with this purchase.

 #1- Seeing a Kevin Costner movie

He has to be the most overated actor of all time. I cannot even pinpoint what it is about him that I do not like, I just know he is terrible and so are his movies. He has been in such gems as Water World, Tin Cup, and The Bodyguard. How this guy has made so much money in Hollywood is beyond me. If the movie trailer begins, “Starring Kevin Costner….” run away!

HAND 1:

This hand came up about 20 minutes after I sat down. There were a couple limpers in front of me, I am in the hijack (1 seat from the cutoff) and look down at JJ. I make a standard raise to $15. Button calls. SB calls.

STACK SIZES: SB has $150, I have $230, button has $600

FLOP- K, J, 10 rainbow

SB is first to act and pushes all in for $147! What!

What hand does he have? How did you come to this conclusion? What should I do with middle set?

HAND #2

4 limpers, I am in the BB and check my option with Q7 offsuit.

FLOP- Q, 8, 7 rainbow

STACK SIZES- EP (early position) player-$250 (has not played very many hands), me-$800

I check my flopped two pair hoping to trap. EP player bets $10, it folds around to me and I make it $25 to go. EP player re-raises me to $75! Can’t say I expected that.

What hand does he have? How did you come to this conclusion? What should I do with 2 pair in this spot?

HAND #3

This hand took place in the $2-$5 no limit game, everyone at the table has deep stacks ($600 +).

4 limpers, action to me on the button I look down at AhKh and raise it to $30. UTG (under the gun) calls MP (middle position calls)

STACK SIZES- UTG $700, MP-$700, ME- $900

FLOP- Ad, 10d, 8s

UTG leads out for $40, MP folds, I raise to $140 total. Now it gets interesting because this guy has his girlfriend sweating him and he starts giving a speech about how it is time to go home anyway, blah, blah, blah and his girlfriend starts saying no don’t do it as he shoves all in for like $600 +!! A huge overbet to say the least.

What does he have? What should I think about the speech, is it strengh or weakness? How did you come to this conclusion? What should I do with my TPTK (top pair, top kicker)?

 You say, why do I care about a bunch of guys and girls I have never heard of, from places I have never heard of, playing a game I do not understand?

Not to worry because there is someone who resides right here in Poway and is a good friend to many of us who is once again taking his shot at poker stardom!

Adam Richardson finished his day 1 with around 150,ooo chips which should put him in the top 5%  of participants once day 2 commences.

I will update his progress here and hopefully share some interesting hands that come up throughout the tournament.

 Good luck Adam!

                                      Setting:

Ocean’s Eleven Casino, Oceanside

Game:

$2\$3 No-Limit Hold ‘Em $300 max buy-in

Pertinent stack sizes:

The villain- slighty over $300, myself- around $200

Scenario:

I am in the Big Blind the action is folded around to the button who raises to $15. I defend my blind and make the call with QsJs.

Flop comes 9s 5h 5s.

I have a 3rd best flush draw, but the board is paired so hitting my flush could cost me a lot of money. I check\call the $20 flop bet.

The turn is a blank, offsuit 3. I once again check\call this time a $25 bet.

At this point I do not feel he is very strong. He can raise an unopened pot on the button with a wide range of hands and he lead out aggressively on both streets seemingly to protect a vulnerable hand. I put him on either a bluff or a hand like A9, K9.

The river blanks as well, an offsuit 8.

Now I have a decision. I missed my flush and I have Q high. If I check I am most likely giving up the pot. I could check and hope he bets again and then check raise bluff, but I do not feel he will bet the river with his hand because he would not want to get check raised off it.

I decided to take a stab, go with my read that he is weak and I lead out for $100.

I felt like the way I played the hand smelled like I had a 5, combine that with the fact that I thought he was weak and I did not believe he could call a pot-sized bet here and the timing seemed right. 

 He tanked for a few minutes and eventually folded. I took down the pot with a well-timed river bluff.

This is a great example of never giving up on a pot. If you feel your bets, raises and calls tell a consistent story and you feel your opponent is weak you can make a play for the pot whether you hit your hand or not.

What hand do you think the villain put me on?

Why did this play work based on the way I played it?

What if anything could be done differently?

 Just wanted to get that out of the way first. This site is not about gambling, but about a game of skill in which the score is kept with money.

 Yes there is chance involved in poker, there is a luck factor. However, unlike other casino games such as Craps, Roulette, Slot Machines, etc… poker is not entirely about luck.

What does this mean?

Very simply this means you and I have an effect on the outcome. We can control, to a certain extent, how profitable we are at the game. Through study, discussion, and experience you and I can gain a substantial skill advantage over other players and thus make poker a very profitable hobby.

Thus we reach the point of this blog:

To make everyone who reads a better poker player. It is my desire to post different hands that I and others have played and be able to learn from them. Ask questions. Critique. Discuss different strategies. So feel free to join the fun and tell your friends!

Why play poker only for fun and fellowship when you could play for profit?