Woe is poker, but more to the point...

It's all gearing up for phase III in the evolution of poker (the next NASCAR). ESPN is going to go with "live" hole card play in the WSOP, the government plays hardball with the rouges to set up the sanctioned. And all of us in the meanwhile, await mystical Full Tilt payouts, complicated by rumors, impatience, and speculation.

That being said, it cant be good for Full Tilt... I wonder if Dutch Boyd is smirking?

Full Tilt impending doom?

I don't know how else to take the fact that PokerStars returned my US money and Full Tilt continues to "work on it". I fear that working on it is actually a euphemism for 'trying to decide what if anything they are going to return'.

I am sure the situation is complex and multifaceted that it seems on the surface, but there is no downside to timely return of funds. Expect for the fact that you would no longer have them! And so what happens with Full Tilt reneges?

Flush over Flush

I went into league night with a strong aggro desire. This worked well early and I pushed action pretty well and put chips to work. But when you take a flop with 74s and flop a flush, your going to get cracked by a bigger flopped flush (much like set over set). So be it. Was not deep enough to warrant different play, and believe me I took the time to work that out.

In then end I went from FIRST overall last year to unqualified this year. UGH.

Changing Landsacpe

The beginning of the next era is coming soon. This year, the WSOP will be telecast tape delay 2 hours with hole cards on ESPN2. (the more events the better.) Expect regulation and a play by Harrah's to roll out the first domestic online sites.