I'm nothing if not a follower. I've followed the crowd onto the poker craze bandwagon. I haven't become a fanatic about it, but I do occasionally enjoy watching television coverage of professional poker tournaments and play poker now and again online. I even checked out one of the local poker leagues in town once, but haven't made it back to play anymore live games. I like to play the game but am not willing, or able, to put real money where my cards are. At least not yet.
I am among the most amateur of amateurs. But I have won a couple of qualifying tournaments on Bravo TVs Celebrity Poker site. But when you when a qualifying tournament, like I did recently, you are prohibited from playing in their tournament again until the championship tournament, which is in January or something.
So, I signed up with a free online poker website, PokerStars.com, to play there. I signed up earlier today to play in a qualifying tournament for a tournament in the Bahamas. I didn't really expect much out of it, but a way to spend some time and perhaps learn a little more about the game from competing against other people -- across the web if not across the table.
The top 200 finishers qualify for the next round, but the tournament allowed 10,000 to register. So I didn't have any delusions of qualifying, but I hoped to finish "in the money," which required a finish of 1,250th or higher.
After a few hours of playing, I found myself still "sitting" at a virtual table with a stack of digital chips. And I made it into the money. Then I revised my goals to finish higher in the money. And then, eventually the top 200 was within reach. Then, there I was. In the top 200. And still playing.
I eventually made it to the final table of 10. Then the top 5.
I did not, however, win the tournament. But I did finish second. Second out of 10,000. Pretty fucking cool, if I say so myself!
So who else do you tell about an amazing finish in a virtual tournament, but your virtual friends on a blog.
In honor of the finish, here are 10 songs about (sort of about) poker/gambling/cards from my iPod.
Ride Gambler Ride -- Randy Newman
Viva Las Vegas -- ZZ Top
Ace in the Hole -- George Strait
From a Jack to a King -- Ricky Van Shelton
Aces -- Suzy Bogguss
Luck of the Draw -- Bonnie Raitt
Ace Up Your Pretty Sleeve -- Vince Gill
Desperado -- The Eagles
Good Run of Bad Luck -- Clint Black
Viva Las Vegas -- Elvis Presley
4 comments:
Hey! Hey! Virtual High Five!!!
Good going!
That's so awesome! Way to go G-Man!
Congratulations you high roller!
;-) (Wait, that isn't poker is it?) Never understood the draw to this video poker, (pun intended) but I know a lot of people love it. Including my 23 yr old son, who was so caught up in it, his (once again) fiance made him swear it off.
Congrats. on doing so well. Perhaps if I was that good, I would enjoy it too.
You forgot the Kenny Rogers song, You got to know when to hold em, know when to fold em, know when to walk away, know when to run. nananana (that's all I remember)
I hope that you had an enjoyable Birthday G-Man. I thought about you a lot that day. And today is Paul's Birthday. (Something he doesn't like me drawing attn. to, which goes against my natural inclination.) Damn men.
;-)
Hope you have an enjoyable Monday.
Love to you,
3T
A big reason I don't have Kenny Rogers' "The Gambler" on the list is because I don't have it on my iPod. I don't own the song, so I didn't put it on the list. But that was, indeed, a favorite Rogers tune back in the day. I had it on 8-track. That probably dates both me and Kenny.
I may have to do some more shopping on iTunes.
Post a Comment