Sorry to have been out of touch, been working a lot, traveling a bit. Wish I could say I was buried playing the world series of poker, but that isn’t true.only made three events this year but no cashes, sad to say. A rather abysmal series but no one to blame except for projects which interest me more than poker. Poker isn’t going anywhere so no worries there.

Well they pullled the plug on Kathleen’s nephew on Monday, the autopsy is today so maybe there will be some answers. Won’t change the outcome but the suddenness of events may help his loved ones understand. So very sad ….

Ya know, the World Series if just fabulous for bringing them out. The old “No Child Left Behind” theory. No one at the tables ever gets underneath my skin, unless they are unfair to a dealer, so when this idiot at the table berates the guy to my left, excessively, over calling his pre flop raise with J 8 and flopping two pair, my antenna went up. Not soon after that, there’s a raise, idiot calls, I look down at AA and re-raise. Idiot calls of course. Flop is J 8 5, I fire and idiot reraises me, we get all in so I can look at 5 3 offsuit, yes he called with that preflop. The 3 on the turn made him a genius of sorts, at least in his own mind.

I say “Nice hand and ship over some chips.” Someone else at the table says to him “how can you do that when you’re giving this guy a hard time for calling your raise with J 8”. Idiot says “I’ve made 4 WPT Final Tables so I obviously play GREAT.” I say, “four, really, that’s great, what’s your name? He tells me, I pull the IPAD out in my lap. Guy gets nervous. Says “what are you doing?” I said, “just wanted to see where those four final tables were”. He turns red and says “well they weren’t on television, I haven’t made one of those yet, but I will, I’m going to.” I smile big.

I look the guy up and he not only doesn’t have four final tables to him, he’s so innocuous he doesn’t even have a single listing, not even his name has made the data base … which would only require a $100 cash somewhere. I look at the guy again and say “How did you say you spelled your last name?” and he fires “How do you spell yours?” I say T-O-D-D. Guy to my right who has been sitting very quietly through all of this looks around to the guy and says laughing, “You don’t want to look up her stats.”

Whatever, it’s poker, and lying is allowed at the table. Oh and even though I rarely refer to people as Idiot and would never let my children do that … the guy was so unimpressive (his persona and his stats) I can’t remember his name.

Had some business in LA on Saturday so drove over. Right after that my sister text and emails that her nephew, 23, star student at Michigan State Vet School, never been sick, was found by his mother yesterday morning, blue. His mother performed CPR, but it would seem it was too late. Kathleens oldest son said “why, Mom, the two cousins (and there aren’t many) who were going somewhere in life, the two who were going to make a difference, both gone?” My son Hayden being the other. God Bless them is all I can say. Terrible news. Headed back home today.

Sometimes there is justice in this game, not always but sometimes. One of my many tables yesterday was a truly obnoxious middle aged man who must have only been used to his home game in podunk. He berated the other players, called with 4 2 and hit trips, he was running good and thought he was great. There was a limp under the gun, he raises, guy to my left who was short moves all in, original limper moves all in and Mr. Obnoxious tanks. “I thought you were Hollywooding, did you limp with aces?” Dealer has to tell him you can’t discuss the hand. Obnoxious calls and turns over queens. Limper turns over AK. Obnoxious has quite a few obnoxious comments about Mr. AK’s play, bad play, poor play and on and on. Short stack to my left has A 10 off. Flop comes 8 5 3. Mr. Obnoxious says loudly “A couple of deuces would be good here dealer”. Dealer peels off a 4 on the turn. Obnoxious again calls for a 2 which miraculously hits the river. Idiots yelps and pumps his fists in the air while I laugh. He scowls, “why are you laughing?” and I say “because now you’ve got to pay them both off.” He says “NO I DON’T, I HAVE QUEENS”. “Yep, and you’re calling for that 2 gave them both straights.”

I have to tell you it was funny. Guy has a fit but actually got what he deserved. Be careful what you ask for …..

The big WSOP has been going on at the Rio, they’ve added a few more games that I don’t know how to play, which precludes me until I learn those games. Which I will by the way, it’s just a function of time, something I seem to have little to spare. But one day.

I’ve been playing the daily deep stack $235. They’ve had up to 1100 runners for it last week, yesterday was 989. I struggled all day to make non hands look like hands and finished 55th. I was happy, decent cash return but a great tribute to playing without hands, just playing the other players.