Win/Win/Win!

Hi SmBoatDrinks ,

To show support for the Poker Players Alliance, PokerStars is hosting a series of $5,000 freerolls. The freerolls will run 3 times a day on Wednesday 11th, Thursday 12th and Friday 13th at 20:05, 21:55, 23:05 ET.

On top of that, if you place first in one of the freerolls, you'll get to play me personally at the end of the series on April 15th along with other freeroll winners in a 10 seat single table tournament. Who knows, you might just win yourself $1,000 and the bragging rights that come with beating a world champion.

The PPA is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the game of poker (online and live), its integrity, as well as the rights of American poker players. I myself am a member, along with thousands of other poker professionals and enthusiasts. In fact, I think it is so important, that I also volunteer as a Director on the Board. Registration is free and instant when you play in one of the $5,000 PPA freerolls. All you have to do is register and play.

For more information on the freerolls and joining the PPA, click here. http://www.pokerstars.com/sites/ppa

Take part in the freerolls and support the PPA - poker is worth it!


Regards,
Greg "FossilMan" Raymer

Royal!

Got my Royal Flush for 2007!

Finally, a Politician I Can Respect!

Subject: Senator Alfonse D'Amato Takes Leadership Position with the Poker Players Alliance


Dear PPA Member:

You probably have heard that the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) has enlisted a key ally to support our cause. Yesterday, we announced that former U.S. Senator Alfonse D'Amato is joining the PPA as Chairman of the Board and to help lead our efforts in Washington D.C. The PPA has been your voice for the past 18 months, now we have elevated our organization and will have even more influence with policy makers.

Senator D'Amato will be a tremendous advocate on your behalf. First of all, he is a passionate and skilled poker player who loves to win in both poker and politics. He has a distinguished 18 year record serving in the United States Senate and worked in a bipartisan fashion to achieve results for the people of New York. Now he is taking his enthusiasm, tenacity and political savvy directly to Congress to produce results for the Poker Players Alliance. We are proud that he has joined our team and we are excited about our prospects to get something done for poker in the near term.

I also want to take this moment to personally thank Linda Johnson, the First Lady of Poker, who was the inspiration behind the Poker Players Alliance and served as the PPA's first Chairwoman. Without her guidance the PPA would not be the great organization it is today.

I encourage you to go to the New York Times Web site
(http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/05/technology/05poker.html) for more news about Senator D'Amato joining the Poker Players Alliance and to visit our site at
http://www.pokerplayersalliance.org./

Sincerely,

Michael Bolcerek, President
Poker Players Alliance

Senator Alfonse D'Amato Takes Leadership Position with the Poker Players Alliance

Poker Aficionado and former U.S. Senator to Lead Efforts to Protect One of America's Pastimes

Washington D.C.(March 5, 2007) - The Poker Players Alliance (PPA), a grassroots organization of more than 160,000 poker enthusiasts, announced today that former United States Senator Alfonse D'Amato has joined the PPA to serve as Chairman of the Board and help lead efforts in Washington D.C. to protect the game of poker.

"I have had a passion for poker since my childhood, and for politics almost as long. This new position will allow me to fuse these passions and help establish sensible policy that allows Americans to enjoy the great game of poker in the venue of their choosing," said Alfonse D'Amato, the new Chairman of the Poker Players Alliance.

"We are thrilled to have Senator D'Amato take up our cause to promote and protect the game played by millions of Americans. His enthusiasm, tenacity and political astuteness will bolster the influence of the PPA and help earn poker a much deserved exemption from the recent online gaming law," said Michael Bolcerek, president of the PPA. "For the past 18 months Linda Johnson, the First Lady of Poker, skillfully lead our organization as Chairwoman, today the First Senator of Poker will lead the charge."

It is estimated that more than 23 million Americans enjoyed playing poker on the Internet in 2006. Yet, the recent government crackdown on Internet gaming has swept poker into its net of prohibition and have made it increasingly difficult for poker players to enjoy this great form of entertainment on the Internet. The Poker Players Alliance will be working with Congress to provide a skill game exemption for poker and pave the way for eventual regulation and taxation of the industry in the United States.

"Prohibitions don't work, they only create unintended consequences. The American people know this and we are going to make sure Congress knows it too," said Senator D'Amato. "We need common sense regulation of Internet poker. Prohibition will only drive the industry underground and strip away any protections for children and services for problem gamblers."

The Poker Players Alliance was formed in 2005 to protect the right of poker players to enjoy the great American tradition of poker in the venue of their choice, and Linda Johnson was critical in the organization's development. "I would like to personally thank Linda Johnson for her service to the PPA as its first Chairwoman, and in her continued service as a board member as we take the organization to its next level," stated Bolcerek.

###

The Poker Players Alliance http://www.pokerplayersalliance.org/ is a non-profit organization advocating on behalf of American poker players.

Fun Poker Test

Here's a neat test... pretty straightforward and slightly time consuming (approx 30 minutes):

www.DonkeyTest.com

I got a 108 for poker IQ

My strengths were:
- Computational Speed - Better than 88.49%
- Small and Medium Pairs - Better than 89.74%

Opportunities include:
- Tournaments - Better than 2.66%


Reply with your scores!

January 2007 Results

OK, ever since I started posting my monthly results they have been much less than desired or previously. January wasn't much different, so maybe I'll stop posting $ results monthly & see if I can change the SmBoat karma. I was up live!

This whole Neteller arrests/clampdown/freeze really blows. I've been waiting 2 weeks to get the rest of my fundage out of there. Doesn't seem like many others are having better luck.

Looking forward to Vegas in March!!

December Results

BEST FLOP OF 2006!!!!

December Totals:
Live: - $341.00
Tournament: -$442.23
Ring: -$238.65
Total: -$1021.88

Biggest Win:
12/14/06
FTP $30K Guarantee
$100 + 9
13th of 370
$407.00

Obviously a less than stellar way to end 2006................. Hopefully my year end #'s will cheer me up a little.........................

2006 Totals:
Live: + $696.00
Tournament: +$8,339.59
Ring: +$443.51
Total: +$9479.10

Biggest Win:
2/17/06
10K Guarantee FTP
$69 + 6
2nd of 215
$2,447.78


Next we will review 2006 Resolutions & come up with new ones for 2007!

November Results

Ring Games: -289.05
Tourneys + S&G's: -51.98
Live: -46.00

Total: -387.03

Congrats to Dave Neuman!

Congrats to one of my home game buddies, Dave Neuman, for finishing 3rd in a WSOP Circuit Event and earning $12,269 in the process!

Way to go Dave!!!

You can see all the details here:

http://www.cardplayer.com/tournaments/results/6807


I'm jealous, now he has his own page on Cardplayer & is ranked!!!

http://www.cardplayer.com/players/results/Dave_Neuman/48927

October Results

October Results:

Ring Games: +95.15
S&G/Tourneys: +319.99
Live: +74.00
Total: +489.14

Get Out The Vote!

With Election Day just around the corner, remeber to vote against any member of congress who voted for the Internet Poker Prohibition attached to the Port Security Bill.

If your not sure how your local rep voted, The PPA has a list at http://www.pokerplayersalliance.org/

Click on "Poker Vote"


We need to respond en mass as poker players, to get this law changed.

Although to be honest the law doesn't affect the legality of playing.

First, we should all join http://www.pokerplayersalliance.org/ if we can spare $20.

Second, you should vote against candidates that snuck this bill through in an unrelated port security bill, while cutting out rail and mass transit security measures that the senate had passed.

Third, if you can afford it, you should contribute to their opponents

Senator Kyl was probably the biggest sponsor of the legislation, his opponent is Jim Pederson, www.pederson2006.com

Frist isn't running for reelection, but it would be great if his seat was won by the other party, Harold Ford is the candidate to support there.

Another good candidate for poker players to support is Loebsack, running against Jim Leach. Here's a quote from Loebsack: "While the 2nd District loses jobs, Jim Leach can think of nothing more important to do than focus on Internet gambling."

We're talking about securing the future of online poker. Voting out the people who were most responsible for passing the recent bill.

The Hold'em Player's Guide to Table Etiquette

Special thanks to MJ (aka Bankhead) for this one:

Many new players feel intimidated by casino poker with its seemingly baffling rituals and pomp. Even the seasoned player will make the occasional faux pas, so a short refresher may be helpful to avoid looking like a "newbie" in your favorite cardroom.

PROTECT THY HAND
Protecting your hand means just what you would expect: Cup your hands concealing the fact that you even have cards. Wait until the action passes you and the dealer turns the next card before calling out, "Hey, what about me?"

WHOSE BUTTON?
Having the button confers upon you an enormous positional advantage. Thus you will want to get the button as often as possible. If the button is to your immediate right or left, but the player in that position doesn't seem to be paying attention, simply slide the button in front of yourself.

IS IT MY BLIND?
Never post a blind until the dealer asks you for the second time. If the dealer forgets to ask, you are not required to pay. Often they make a mistake. Ask how much it is.

TIME PULEEZE!
Players are often unsure when it is appropriate to ask for time. In general this is proper in any of the following conditions:You are first to act.You are last to act.It is your turn to act.You are looking at the menu.You are reading the Racing Form.

SPLASHING THE POT
Chips should always be splashed into the closest side pot.

TABLETALK
Always discuss all hands in play. If three deuces flop, loudly proclaim that no one can have quads because you folded the deuce. The other players will offer their sympathy and maybe even announce what they folded. This makes the game more interesting and is merely a courtesy to those no longer in the hand.

SHOW?! NO YOU SHOW!
The best hand will want to build suspense by waiting until everyone else has shown. However the worst hand will also want to do likewise to avoid the embarrassment that comes from letting other players see what crummy cards he played. This tends to create a deadlock where no player is willing to show a hand. If this happens, simply reach out and sweep up the chips for yourself exclaiming, "Hey if no one else wants it.". Alternatively invoke the speed rule: The first person to show gets to take a chip out of the pot. The last to show is forced to throw one additional chip in.

OVERCALLING YOUR HAND
is not only amusing, it is sometime vital in order to get a player with a better hand to muck his cards. You run the risk of being accused of "angling", so smooth things over by offering to give the pot to your opponent. Exception: If the pot is large, request the decision of the floorman - it cannot hurt.

CRITICIZING OTHER PLAYER
Slacks class. That is why the expression "Nice Catch, sir!" was invented. Use this expression on every hand you lose even if the sir in question is female. If a person criticizes you, demand to know why "If they are so good, why are they playing low limit?" If you play 72off for the hell of it and flop a full house and some wiseguy starts spouting off, "Malmuth say..." or "Lee Jones says..." immediately cut them off and say, "statistics-shamistics, those guys are snobs and there is more to poker than mathematics." This is not only a clever thing to say it is also correct. Remember even Einstein who was poor at math, went on to discover matter or something and become fabulously wealthy.

FLINGING CARDS
Once consider a sign of immaturity, this is now the hallmark of the seasoned professional. New players however are often confused when it is appropriate to fling cards at the dealer. This is really a matter of taste but the rule of thumb is to do this whenever you have been dealt two consecutive bad starting hands. If you have pocket Aces cracked, flinging of the cards is automatic. Aim for the face. Flicking lit matches at the dealer is dangerous and is not advised.If the flop gives you the nut monster hand but no one calls, it is OK to fling the cards over the dealers head onto the neighboring table.Flinging cards at another player is a high variance play. He may be armed. It is safer to just fling your cards across the table in an attempt to foul his hand. If he protests, remind him that it is his responsibility to put a chip on his cards.

DECISION PLEASE
Although the floorman's decision is final, this rule is frequently misunderstood. What this really means is that the decision of the final floorman is final. If the first floorman does not side with you, do not give up until you have called over every floorman on that shift.

COLOR CHANGES
Request a color change when you have amassed exactly 101 chips. Immediately break down the big chip on the following hand. Ask the dealer for one of each color chip. Chip runners should only be used when the dealer has begun to ignore your requests. As a side note, it is OK to order food and drinks from the chip runner if there are no food servers or cocktail waitresses nearby.

DECK CHANGES
Requesting a deck change cannot alter the laws of probability and only serves to slow the game down. Thus you should only ask for one if someone else is winning.

LOBBYING
You are permitted breaks from the table for restroom visit, eating, or just wandering about to stretch your legs. Typically 20 minutes is permitted, but there are ways to increase this, by "lobbying at the table." Request an out button while you eat dinner at the table. Once you have finished, you have an additional 20 minutes to walk off that meal. Return to the table, play one or two hands to reset the clock and then wander off to chat with one of the waitresses for an additional 20 minutes. When you return, post only one of your blinds. If the dealer reminds you that you missed both, ask incredulously, "how much!?" Request an out button again while you watch your own game from the rail.Or better yet go off and play Pai Gow. There is no rule that you can't play in more than one game at a time.

PASSING CHIPS
is generally prohibited except that spouses are encouraged to share chips when one is getting low on funds. There is also the custom of the lucky chip. Whenever you win a pot, it is customary to toss a lucky chip to each of your friends or to the chip leader. That person should immediately acknowledge your generosity by rolling a lucky chip back to you. Sometimes you can get everyone rolling chips to each other.

THE NAME GAME
Whenever any deuce flops, loudly exclaim, "doooces never loooses!" or "Acey Deucey Never Loosey." You just cannot say it often enough. It is just as clever the thousandth time you hear it. Many hands in Holdem have cute widely known names such as "Big Slick" or "Heinz57", "Broderick Crawford" and even the "Montana Banana." But there was a time before these hands had names - someone had to name them, why not you? It is perfectly acceptable to christen hitherto unnamed hands with whatever strikes your fancy. Example: "Hooks-n-crooks" for Jacks and Sevens. Use your imagination. Any two cards could be "The Big 'W'". Obscurity and pithiness is what you are striving for. Even Mike Caro suggests that feigning insanity can help your table image.

NON-SMOKING SEATS
Exist on either side of the dealers and are reserved for smokers who are just joining the game. It is OK to smoke while seated there, but if noticed you must hold the cigarette an extra foot further away from the table. Notice that if you smoke standing up, you are not violating the rule.

TOKING THE DEALER
Toking, or tipping the dealer is a personal decision. Since dealers often claim that they are not at fault when they ruin your hand on the river, by symmetry they are equally not responsible when you win. They cannot have it both ways. So why bother? Tipping should be considered charity that you might give a pathetic homeless person. If you do tip, ask for a receipt.Another way to appear generous and look like a tipper, is after winning a big pot, just ask the dealer if you toked him. Often he will not remember. There - you just saved some money. If he says no, ask him if he's sure. If he still insists, say you are pretty sure that he's wrong and that you already toked him, but that you'll be certain to get him next time.

TABLECOPS
Tablecops are sniveling irritating players usually heavily stuck and imagines that it is his or her responsibility to point out every minor infraction such as folding out of turn, or showing hands to other players still in the hand or using a 2-way radio to communicate with ones partner. If you should be unlucky enough to find one of these sanctimonious holy-rollers at your table, a simple reminder such as, "Just because you are losing doesn't mean we can't have fun here" should suffice to reset the mood. Ask the dealer if you can have the whiner's seat when he busts out.

If you follow this advice, you will quickly gain the respect and admiration of all the regulars and you just might increase your expectation by a bet or two. Bet? Who bet? Is it on Me?

September Results

Tournaments + Sit & Go's: -$291.35
Ring Games: -$629.02
Live: +$35.00
Total: -$885.37 (OK, guess I can't quit my day job yet!)


Current Recommendation - Play the 180 man S&G's on PokerStars.

Register for WRGPT16

Played in this last year & it was fun. Most time you'll ever have to make poker decisions!

Registration for WRGPT16 has opened. You can register at: http://www.wrgpt.org

The deadline for registration will be October 20, 2006.

The practice round will start about October 9. The real tourney will start about two weeks later. So, register if you are interested in playing this year.

Good luck!

August Results

Tourneys: -499
Ring: -243
Live: +444

Total: -298


Thoughts: Last September was my 1st big month, beginning with taking 1st of 250 in a $20 MTT for $1500 on 9/6/05 so here's hoping this September is a repeat!