**** TJ’s Sundry Poker Adventures! 2025-26 ****
Hello again!
I’m coming off nearly a month in Las Vegas, and now that there’s some distance, and perspective, from the po
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1) I don't think that being smart in poker necessarily translates to being smart with other things. Quite the contrary actually, as it's shocking to me sometimes how amazing poker players don't take any time to study other subjects. You would think there is a correlation between wanting to go 'in the lab' in poker and in other topics, but it doesn't seem like it to me.
And personally I cannot really think of any specific thing that poker has 'taught' me. That is obviously because I am not good in poker, but if anything I think it just has made me more emotionless. That said, poker has obviously given me a lot of things, like my job and the chance to live in another country, and a passion I am excited about. Even if it's for sure a net loser overall and I would be better off if I had never heard about it.
I think what I was trying to say is, the skill set required to succeed at poker, like critical thinking, logic, deductive reasoning, probability math, and social skills, could be applied successfully to other areas of life.
2) And just as sidenote of envy; I am not sure if you Americans realize how lucky you are to have hundreds of poker rooms just around the corner. I will preface to say that I have three casinos technically offering poker within 5-15 minute walking distance from my apartment here. But to actually have the chance to grind cash games of the US quality week in and week out sounds like a blessing, and something one could really make a bankroll from.
I definitely feel very fortunate now to have a degree of game selection where I live. That was one of the driving impulses when I considered moving to Las Vegas, when I didn’t have that here. I wasn’t connected in the local poker scene until after I decided to stay. On balance, I’m glad I did stay.
My local games are at least on par action wise with any Vegas or Cherokee cash experience I’ve ever had, maybe even better.
And you’re right, they’re DEFINITELY at least a little bit shady, lol. That’s part of the charm. I’m learning how to cuss in Vietnamese.
So of course, less than half a week after extolling the virtues of my noblest of chosen professions, I got to deal with an entirely unnecessary and exhausting bit of interpersonal drama at work.
It’s whatever, now I’m putting it behind me, at highway speeds.
Stopped at the Longhorn in Burlington again on the road to Cherokee. Don’t need the bone-in ribeye, with my tirzepatide, so I went with the 12 oz instead. I saw you can get it Parmesan crusted, so I tried that first the first time.
Pretty good! …Very rich.
It was $37.
Next stop, back to Cherokee!
“Crusted” is an understatement
Arrived safe in Cherokee!
I got pulled over in Maggie Valley, a sleepy mountain town on the road to the reservation, where the speed limit drops to 35. He clocked me at 48… but he saw my scrubs, and just gave me a warning. Already running good ahead of this weekend!
Checked into the Econo Lodge. Exact same room as last weekend, so scroll up if you want to see what that looks like. It’s perfectly fine… good water pressure.
Flight A of the Main Event starts tomorrow at 11.
No nonsence this weekend, just take this bitch down! You got it, no bad beats, no missed draws, just WIN!
Arrived safe in Cherokee!
I got pulled over in Maggie Valley, a sleepy mountain town on the road to the reservation, where the speed limit drops to 35. He clocked me at 48… but he saw my scrubs, and just gave me a warning. Already running good ahead of this weekend!
Defender of the public good respects defender of the public good. Game knows game. Very nice!
Now take this momentum and run with it!
Starting my day at the WaHo.
Made a pivotal executive decision this morning… I didn’t get hashbrowns with breakfast. I wasn’t able to finish them last time, and I was still a little full from that giant Parmesan crusted ribeye last night.
So the new, leaner and meaner me is eating a little bit lighter today.
more importantly, what did Moby eat?
(hopefully nothing so he can fill up on chips later)
Lucky Day 1 shirt locked and loaded!
40k chips to start this one, with 40 minute levels, AND a dinner break, unlike the mini.
Let’s gooooo!!
First break, on 60k. Played a couple interesting hands.
A loose, older player wearing a Charlie Kirk memorial wristband (eye roll) limps UTG for 300, an unknown player overlimps. I have QTo in the hijack, and decide I want to apply pressure in position, and raise to 1500. They both call.
Get a bone dry flop of Q-7-2 rainbow, checked to me. I usually size down on dry textures, up on wet textures, and up for value. I decide on 2500, Charlie Kirk folds, the unknown player calls.
Turn is a 4, and he checks to me. I think this is a way ahead/way behind scenario, so free cards don’t hurt. I think I’m ahead, but not looking to stack off, because anything that CAN stack off probably has me beat. I check back.
River is a 5, now he leads for 8k. Guess I played it this way to get to showdown, so I call, and am good vs K7s. I busted him shortly thereafter, with flush over flush.
A little later, the Charlie Kirk guy opens for 800 from UTG, and I have K7s. I consider 3betting, but I call, and a completely different unknown late reg calls behind me.
Get a strong flop of K-8s-6s. Charlie Kirk cbets 1300, I raise to 4k, then the unknown calls quickly behind me. I’m a little confused, but Charlie Kirk calls, too.
Miss the turn with an offsuit 4. I don’t really know what I put either of them on, but I have to be dripping in equity against almost anything. I continue for 6500, they both call again.
River is a J that hits the backdoor flush that came in, missing my front door flush. This time I check, unknown checks back. The unknown had K9o, to earn a loose/passive rating from me, and Charlie Kirk wins, with AA. Might have made some money if I could have hit that 12-outer.
So I have some reads, and players I want to get involved against.
First break, on 60k. Played a couple interesting hands.A loose, older player wearing a Charlie Kirk memorial wristband (eye roll) limps UTG for 300, an unknown player overlimps. I have QTo in the hijack, and decide I want to apply pressure in position, and raise to 1500. They both call.Get a bone dry flop of Q-7-2 rainbow, checked to me. I usually size down on dry textures,
15 outs, no? Nine spades, three non-spade 5s, and three 7s.
Second break, on 36k.
Only played one notable hand. I open Td9d to 2k from hijack, a short stack button calls, as does Charlie Kirk from a blind. Flop T-6-5, with one backdoor diamond for me. I bet enough to commit the short stack, he shoves, which doesn’t reopen the betting, and Charlie Kirk check calls.
I pick up backdoor diamonds on the turn, a Q, so I continue for 4k into the dry side pot. He calls again.
The river is another T, now he leads out 12k. I should have thought about it longer than I did, because even though I have a strong hand, I’m not beating much. I call, and he has tens full of queens.
It’s still a pretty good table. I’ve seen worse.
Staying patient.
Dinner proof of life TJ is on 109 coming back to 1/2 and Im on 100 even - Brianr is here but I havent met him yet. I have two pinot noirs down and about to stunt on some hoes.
It was a good three levels for me. On dinner break, with 110k. Average is about 97k.
The guy who won the mini-main last weekend is at my table, rockin his shiny new WSOP circuit ring. He’s a pretty solid player.
There’s a minraise to 2500, then 4 calls, and I call from BB with T9o. Flop is A-T-9 two spades. I absolutely HATE stacking off with bottom two pair, so I check to see what the field will do, then evaluate whether I’m check/raising or check/calling. It checks all the way through, and the turn is the 3 of spades. I do have the T of spades.
This time I lead out 4k, two calls. River is the fourth spade 8s, and I’m in a pretty gross, confusing spot. I check, it checks through, and my T high flush is good. Charlie Kirk had a set of 9’s, and ALSO checked the flop, and the ring winner had QT, no spade.
A little later, I owned him in a late position battle. He opens, I defend with A5o, check/calling the A high flop. Turn checks through, then he sizes up on a river bluff when I check to him again.
Dinner tonight is Mongolian beef and fried rice from the food truck.
Plus a Thai tea, it was $26. The tea tastes very peculiar. Not BAD, just peculiar.
I’m feeling good, and I think I have a good idea of my opponents’ ranges. Gonna continue to focus, and bring this through the end of registration on the next break.
Dinner proof of life TJ is on 109 coming back to 1/2 and Im on 100 even - Brianr is here but I havent met him yet. I have two pinot noirs down and about to stunt on some hoes.
You’re like Popeye with spinach when it comes to poker and pinot noirs!!!
we all know Moby is insatiable and continuously burps required additional chip consumption targets to maintain appropriate current healthy weight goals
meanwhile the rest of us say just **** it and go wild
Fourth break, on 121k. Average is 160k now, so some work to do.
It was a swingy three levels. I missed two streets with a whiffed AK, and had to let it go. But then, I won a pretty key flip for most of my tournament life, A9 > 77. That was against David Moses, a known tourney crusher I’ve seen here before.
Arcdog just re-entered to my left! It’ll be an interesting next three levels.
Registration just closed. 590 entries, 89 places paid, currently 128 left. Bag at 59 players left, or through level 17.
Arcdog just busted :( Now I have permission to take all the chips on the table!
so what, you alone control you particular mindset
play with the joy you have for the game.
