PokerRoom May Offer Cash Poker Games Once More

Posted on December 8, 2011 by compncards

According to recent reports, PokerRoom.com may soon reopen to offer cash poker games online. PokerRoom originally opened in 1999 as a play money poker site. A bit later, it was among the first online poker sites to offer real money poker online. It rose to prominence during the poker boom but started on the decline in 2006 when the site was forced to pull out of the US market.

PokerRoom Could Offer Cash Poker Games Once More

Rumors regarding the site reopening began a week ago when Josef Rantamäki, a SEO manager at bwin, tweeted that PokerRoom would soon reopen its doors. He later retracted that statement when pressed.

This seemed like a bit of clever hype until Tuesday when PokerNewsBoy revealed that the decision to reopen PokerRoom is not yet official. Sources at bwin told PokerNewsBoy that they are “strongly considering” opening the once famous online poker room. If the site is not reopened, the site is still due for an update and may be used to support other parts of the Ongame Network.

Why PokerRoom would reopen at the present is unclear. The current online poker climate would seem to be counterproductive to starting a new online poker venture. However, PokerRoom did have a history of security and integrity, something that has taken a hit due to the antics of PokerStars, Full Tilt, and UB.

PokerRoom was innovative during its 10 year run as an online site. They were not only one of the first sites to offer real money poker games, but they were the first site to offer a Mac client. Also, PokerRoom was the first poker site in history to receive the seal of approval from eCogra. ECogra is now a respected regulator in the e-gaming industry.

Should PokerRoom reopen, it will be interesting to see how many people return that used to play at the site and how many will give the site a try as an aftereffect of the Full Tilt and Absolute Poker sagas. Absolute Poker and Full Tilt are now all but extinct.

Unfortunately, PokerRoom will not return as a US poker room, choosing to wait until the legal climate in the US is sorted out. In the meantime, other players around the world will have yet another option for online gaming should PokerRoom choose to open its doors once again.

Tunica, Online Poker, and Holy Crap – I Played a Home Game

Posted on February 12, 2009 by compncards

I got back late on the 5th from my trip to Tunica to cover the WSOP-C for PokerNews.com. It was a decent trip overall. I didn’t play poker but twice. I played one cash game and finished ahead and busted out of the only satellite I played in. The satellite was just for giggles mostly and to say that I at least played at the circuit this year.

The tournament had a decent turnout, but the numbers were still down from last year. The field that came out was a strong field nonetheless. Gavin Smith, Bill Edler, Matt Stout, Kathy Liebert, Allen Kessler, “Captain” Tom Franklin, and Jason Potter all came out. There were also some tournament regulars there as well that you see all around the circuit. Heading down to three tables, it looked like we might have a pro stacked final table. In the end, only Matt Stout and Mike Leah were the only true professionals at the table. We all were pulling for Stout to take it down, but he was knocked out in third.

I got several compliments on my coverage of the event. A couple of different people came up to me at the final table and was quoting my blogs back verbatim. Matt Stout even gave me a shout out in the shout box. That was appreciated. Hopefully I will get to cover some other circuit events before the beginning of the WSOP. Considering that it took 6 months to get this one, the prospects don’t look bright. However, I am available if needed.

Lately, I have been trying to pull the same type of stunt that both Chris Ferguson and Daniel Negreanu have been doing. They both started out at micro stakes and tried to build up a bankroll. The difference is that I am trying to do so in Stud 8 or Better. I have discovered that I may be in for a long road to hoe. My sessions have been up and down lately and it is becoming apparent that I need to stick to a tighter strategy. I have been tinkering with my game a bit in NL and in Stud 8 and I notice that in Stud 8, I am leaking off chips. Typical beginner leaks that I know are there but I have been ignoring because the leaks may cost me literally a buck at the most when I have them. Of course, when I am hitting, I am hitting decent. The problem is that I cannot play like that long term in a limit game and hope to be successful long term. Honestly, I have already decided what I am going to do, but I just wanted to ramble a little bit.

For the first time in almost two years, I played a home game last night. A friend of mine hosted five other people and we played a “Dealer’s Choice” home game. Of course, every hand I dealt was Stud 8. With the exception of myself and one other player, all of these players were utter novices to poker. One didn’t even know a flush lost to a straight. As a result, I played very very loose to begin with. How loose? I called with a J-10-9 offsuit in Stud 8 on third with 3 low cards up. That’s how loose. I ended up making a straight and nobody made low.

This group play uber loose and somewhat aggressive at times. They also played a wide mix of games. The oldest guy at the table played 5 card Draw and 5 card Stud almost every time. I didn’t play a single hand of 5 Stud. The guy that didn’t know a flush beat a straight liked to play this wierd Indian Cross poker. I basically only played the deal unless I hit the board super hard.

The hand that I won the biggest pot on was a variation of blind man’s bluff. Yes, I am talking about where you take a card and put it on your forehead and bet according to what you see. Well, the first card was dealt and I looked around and the highest card I saw was a 10. At this point, I am thinking that I will stick in this hand and take a 2nd card and see what develops. There is a raise and everyone calls. Then a 2nd card is dealt. I take a look around and the best hand is 10-6 out of the other 5 players. I decided that I would pump the pot at this point, and I did. I got four bets out of the remaining 4 players in the hand. When we showed down, I just said “I win” before even looking at my cards. Everyone was in shock. I explained that everyone had a 10 high or lower and the odds of my not having a face card were long. Also, I picked up a non-verbal tell from another player that told me that he feared my hand against everyone else’s. Oh by the way, my hand was J-10. I beat them with Jack high!!!

I was up probably double my buy-in and then gave a little of it back on a couple of hands where I had a 4 low in stud 8 and couldn’t catch. I still finished up 3/4 of a buy-in. In the end, I called it a night when every hand was being played with wild cards. When there are wild cards, that eliminates the skill factor and makes it a total game of luck. The good thing is that I picked up some tells and betting patterns of players. The next time I go to play in two weeks, I’ll probably do as well or better.

Back on the Tournament Trail Again

Posted on October 12, 2008 by compncards

It has officially been one year since I took a trip for the sole purpose of playing in a tournament. Last year I played in the United States Poker Championships and then took a hiatis from poker due to financial reasons. I took my poker bankroll and turned it into rent and expenses money. From that point, most of you know my journey from business owner to poker writer. Well, as of next month, I will be back on the road playing tournaments again.

The Fall Poker Classic at the Golden Nugget casino in Las Vegas will take place starting Nov 24th and I will be there. Every event except the Women’s event is a non-holdem event. Right up my alley. It should be a blast. I will be staying at the 4 Queens Hotel and Casino due to a great rate I found there. I plan to go out and do well at the Nugget. The tourney set looks to be a great one. I hope the structures match the promise.

After the event, I am not quite sure what I am up to next. I may stay in California a few days and play out there. There will be a couple of events at the Bike I might play and I would like to play some west coast stud and stud 8. That’s not a definite yet. The Tunica Circuit event is out and the schedule looks ok now that they have posted the right one. I might go down there for a week in January. I am not sure yet. I’m also going to see if the Trump is going to put up a schedule for December for their Trump Classic.

One of my new gigs looks to be able to provide me enough stability financially to allow me to travel again, and if it keeps up, that will be great. Not much else going on right now with me other than staying busy. Depending on how I feel, I may drive up to AC this week and play some cash games. I can’t wait to get back out on the poker trail. And now that my work is actually centered around poker, my play will support my work.

Sweating Tourneys on PokerStars

Posted on September 20, 2008 by compncards

I’m currently sitting here watching a guy on PokerStars play in a couple of tourneys and giving advice along the way in a certain game. Mostly on Stud 8 and some on Stud. He has done pretty well and is at the final table of one tourney right now with the chip lead. Should be interesting to see if he wins. In the time I typed this sentence he just became second in chips. It is interesting watching people play mixed games that are weak in a couple. Fortunately he was bright enough to seek help. Anywho, not much else going on.

They are down to three. He has a decent chance to win. I guess we will see what happens.

Birthday, NL 2-7 Lowball, and Stud 8 or Better Runs

Posted on September 13, 2008 by compncards

September 13, 1975 is when it all started. From that day forth the world has been host to THE James. Today is the celebration of that day. And what am I doing for this grand day? My ass is getting up early, going to a bunkhouse kitchen and entering shooting scores into a computer. Ya, real exciting eh? Well, not all 4-H volunteer work is exciting, but it has to be done. I’ll be going a little early so I can go have a birthday dinner with my friend Summer.

Have you ever had one of your friends go off in such a rage of anger that you end up touched about how much they really care about you? That happened to me this week. I won’t go into the why my friend went off like she did, but by the time she was done I was really touched by what she said, even if she was hopping mad when she said it.

Tomorrow, I am going with my friend Erin to see Mamma Mia. She couldn’t get together with me today because of her working. Believe it or not, I picked this movie. For those of you that look at me cockeyed, realize I am a person who saw Sweeney Todd at the theatre 4 times. Besides, the only other movie I wanted to see I promised another female friend I would go see Wednesday.

Lately, I have been playing a lot of NL Single Draw 2-7 Lowball sit-n-gos on PokerStars. With the exception of one, I have at least cashed in every one. In these Sngs you must make it heads-up to make the money. Today I played 3. I won two and finished 2nd in the other one. I have been have somewhat poor results in triple draw limit lowball. I found out really quick in this game how wide of an array of hands you can consistently win with. One thing that I do like to still try and stick with is to try and only do 1 card draws while we are still 4 handed or more. Obviously that doesn’t always become the case, but I try.

My runs in Stud 8 or Better lately have been pretty bad. Some of it is frankly bad play on my part. I have been making a few plays and getting too fancy. In the last day or so, I have went back to playing with a little more sense and have at least finished ahead in every session. I think I need to go back and focus on playing some tournaments as opposed to the cash games I have been playing. I enjoy tournaments a lot more and I seem to focus harder on them.

Speaking of which, I have tried to pick up a couple of books to work on my Stud HI tournament game a little bit. I am a good stud player. I know this, but my tournament results live when I have played have been outright horrible. My feeling is my problem comes from playing a certain style that doesn’t work as well as it should in tournaments. I’m going to take a look at a couple of books and see if I can get some inspiration. I may just end up getting a friend of mine to sit me down and teach me some finer points like Bill Boston taught me regarding Stud 8.

I intended to go to Atlantic City sometime this coming week for the United States Poker Championships. That’s not happening now. I love the schedule, but I am holding onto my money and also focusing some on my writing. My gigs have really picked up lately, especially from one dude that has me writing a lot on poker. I talked to the guy at PokerNews about future gigs with them and it isn’t looking real promising. I got the “we may have work” line. I probably won’t hear from them until around WSOP time. That’s fine too. Actually, if things keep going the way they are with this one client writing, I may not want to take on any other gigs for a while. That wouldn’t upset me at all.

Anywho, have a great weekend all. Maybe Ill come back and tell you what Summer got me for my birthday.

So I Happen to Be Awake at 10 A.M.

Posted on August 22, 2008 by compncards

The last few days my sleep patterns have been reversed. For those of you looking at me confused, that means I am sleeping like a NORMAL PERSON. What the hell? The good thing is that I have picked up two more clients. I don’t know how the volume will pan out, but I have been paid for the work done so far. Seems like whatever I try and pursue, I wind up successful in some fashion or another.

Schedules have come out for events this month and next in Oklahoma and Tunica and both have a good mix of games. If it weren’t for the expense of getting to Oklahoma, I would go out there and play the events. I’m still toying with Tunica. I may choose that over Atlantic City. I haven’t had the best of luck in AC tourneys other than daily’s. Plus, the Tunica events are cheaper. The one downside is that the trip is twice as long as the AC trip. I may just go up to AC and play cash games. Yes, I’ve probably already said that, but I’m still toying with the idea. I saw the schedule for the Bike’s Big Poker Ocktober. I am not impressed. One Omaha Hi-Lo and one Stud Hi-Lo event, and the rest crapshoot. I am waiting to see what the Commerce puts out. Yes, I am contemplating a trip out west. When? Who knows. How am I getting the money? Who knows.

I wrote an article today on Omaha Hi-Lo. I thought I would have a hard time coming up with an 1,000 word article introducing the game and providing basic strategy. I fooled myself. There is so much involved just educating a player how to play the game properly that I didn’t really get much into starting hand values etc. I wound up making the article an introduction to Omaha and will have to write a second article on beginner strategy. Other games, I didnt have to do this as I didn’t have certain aspect of the game to explain. Works for me tho, more money from the articles.

For those of you asking, no, I haven’t heard anymore from PokerNews about future work. Others are getting gigs and I am not even getting replies to messages. Oh well. It’s always best to go out and find your own clients anyway folks. I would love to have enough writing and blogging gigs to where I don’t need another job. I’m working on it.

I truly think that I am done with the data business for good. I just don’t have the desire to work it anymore. The money was good while it lasted but the landscape of the business model changed too much to make my way of doing things profitable anymore. Change occurs inevitably. I cannot complain however. My house is paid for, as well as my car. Many people twice my age cannot boast that.

I was asked last night if I had been playing any lately. I wish I could say I felt like it, but I don’t. Online poker just doesn’t do it for me. If I am going to play, I want to play live. Even then, I can only play so much before I am bored with it. A certain person keeps trying to get me to come play a game locally and at their home game. I just am not interested. I’ll read about it, write about it, even watch it on TV. Play? Nah, don’t feel like it.

Bogus Comments and The United States Poker Championships

Posted on August 11, 2008 by compncards

Pingback and bogus commenters are getting a little more creative with their comments. I have a blog on Poker After Dark that gets a lot of bogus comments like this one. One comment I got just today was just too funny. It read:

“I’m the artist formally known as Beck. I have a genius wig. When I put that wig on, then the true genius emerges. I don’t have enough hair to be a genius. I think you have to have hair going everywhere.”

What??? I don’t smoke dope, but whatever this guy is smoking, I want some.

The United States Poker Championships have released their schedule for this fall. The event starts on September 14^th, the day after my birthday. Funny thing is, I was thinking of going to Atlantic City the week after my birthday. Look at the schedule for the event and you tell me if you can see why I am interested:

Sept. 14, 11:15am, Limit Hold’em, $300 + $40

Sept. 15, 11:15am, Seven Card Stud, $500 + $50

Sept. 16, 11:15am, Seven Card Stud Hi/Low 8 or better, $500 + $50

Sept. 17, 11:15am, Omaha Hi/Low 8 or better, $500 + $50

Sept. 18, 11:15am, 2-Way P/L Hold’em & P/L Omaha, $500 + $50

Sept. 19, 11:15am, H-O-S-E (Hold’em-Omaha H/L-Stud-Stud H/L), $500 + $50

What a fantastic way to open the event. Also, there is a Stud event on the 22^nd, a PL Omaha 8 event on the 24^th, an Omaha 8 event on Oct 1, a PL Holdem event on Oct 2^nd, ANOTHER Stud event on Oct 6^th and finally another PL Omaha 8 event on October 8^th.

I so want to go, but I really don’t know if I want to put up the money that all those events would require. Maybe I will go play the cash games. That sounds like a plan. I already know I can get a room for $33 a night in Absecon. It’s tempting folks.

I must say that I really respect the USPC for putting out a schedule like this. I was a little worried that they would get away from mixed games up there, but I guess my apprehension was misplaced.

In regards to my personal life, most of my time lately has been spent either blogging or job hunting. (Mostly for writing or blogging jobs) I hope that somewhere down the line I can pick up a few more contracts and continue working for myself. Also, I did apply for a Mainframe support job. It looked like entry level and from the looks of it, not all that difficult. There aren’t too many mainframe folks in the area. Actually, I’m not a mainframe person either, but I do have several years IT support experience. Hopefully that will get me a look.

Otherwise, not much is going on at the moment. I think it’s time to go submit myself for a couple more jobs. Take care all.

Who Cares About Barbara Enright?

Posted on August 5, 2008 by compncards

During the main event of the World Series of Poker, I mentioned to one of my field reporters that Barbara Enright is in his section and he should follow her. He replied that he knew and jokingly said, “Who cares about Barbara Enright?” Well lets see, just a majority of the poker world and the Poker Hall of Fame. That’s all. Enright just took down her third title of the year on sunday when she won the Ladies Event at Legends of Poker. So far this year, Enright has three wins, 6 final tables, and a cash at this past World Series of Poker. Maybe it me, but that sounds like someone worth following.

Great job Barbara, keep up the great work. Let’s see a deep run in the LOP Main Event!

I Have Returned

Posted on July 21, 2008 by compncards

This past Monday, I returned from my stint at the World Series of Poker as a blogger for PokerNews.com. It was a fantastic experience, one which I hope to get the chance to do again sometime. Playing in the World Series is a lot different from reporting the World Series. I actually enjoyed the later more this time. One reason is that I didn’t have the stress associated with playing. The last two years, I was burnt out by the time the World Series was over. This year, I could have continued on past the time my contract expired. I was glad to be done though. By the time 4-H Camp time arrived, I was sort of regretting my decision. I ended up figuring out later on that was just due to my missing camp. I talked with several people about camp, and things went well. Step will be taken to where I can attend next year. There is a small hole in me that is noticeably missing due to not attending camp. At the same time, we must make sacrifices in our lives at time to make our overall life better, or at least put ourselves in said position. Continue reading →

$3,000 H.O.R.S.E. event, $3,000 NL Event

Posted on June 15, 2008 by compncards

I am writing from Event #29, the $3,000 NL Event. Since I have last posted, we finished event #22, the $3,000 H.O.R.S.E. event. Jens Voertmann won the event, but it was a fantastic final table with Marcel Luske, Steve Zolotow, Hoyt Corkins, and Jennifer Harman. Out of those four, only Marcel had any real shot to win as he finished 3rd. He was up and down a long time but finally his loose style caught up to him. I am glad that Voertmann won out of the two left, especially after one hand late. Doug Ganger and Voertmann were playing a hand of Omaha Hi-Lo where Ganger slowrolled Voertmann. After that hand, it was as if Voertmann said, “Ok, we play now.” He just flattened Ganger after that point.

Today, I am covering the $3,000 NL event. Some big names, but a lot of the top tier names are over in the $10,000 Limit Event. I would much rather be there, but I guess I have to do time in the NL jail. Actually, it’s not too bad to cover. Its actually simple. I think thats the point. Its so simple a game that after a while, everything is routine.

After this event, in three days I cover the $10,000 Omaha 8 or Better World Championship. That should be a lot of fun. The only down side to all this is that I am beginning to miss some of my friends, which was to be expected.

Unless I make a last minute change, I probably wont play in a WSOP event this year. I am planning on playing the Stud 8 or Better event down at Binion’s on the 24th, but right now anything else will depend on my schedule and how I feel. I may hang around and play over at the Orleans open next month, but I haven’t decided.

Anyway, I will try and write again before the end of the 3k event, but this event isn’t all that exciting.

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