Three ways to tell you're in Asheville, not Las Vegas

1. The mountains are green, rather than brown.

2. Unrepentant hippies.

3. Bears.

Poker tells on NPR

I heard this story today on "Weekend Edition Sunday": http://www.npr.org/2013/04/14/177204411/a-poker-players-tells-are-in-the-hands-as-much-as-the-face

The audio and transcript will be posted later today.

Deuce-Four works down under

The first thing I found when logging onto Twitter this morning was Kevmath alerting me that The Mighty Deuce-Four had won a key hand in the WSOP-APAC High Rollers tournament. I quickly looked up the live updates (here) and found this:

As I write, Cheong is heads-up for the title, with the chip lead.

Ray Bitar's lament

The news today is that former Full Tilt Poker CEO Ray Bitar is in need of a heart transplant. I couldn't help but be reminded of a famous song from an equally famous movie....

When a man’s under indictment

There should be some excitement

And yet I’m torn apart

Just because I’m a-pleadin’

That I coulda had my freedom,

If I only had a heart.

I’d be happy, I’d be mellow,

I’d be really quite a fellow

With such a new restart.

I’d make up with all the payors,

Reimburse all the players,

If I only had a heart.

I’d reclaim the CEO spot

Refurbish the old yacht

And this time play it smart.

I’d suck up to Howard’s allies

Fill the board up with our own guys

If I only had a heart.

(Image from here.) 

Deuce-Four strikes again

When I woke up too early this morning, unable to go back to sleep, jumping into an online poker tournament for the first time since I arrived in North Carolina somehow seemed like a good idea. I found a $5 one on Bovada that had just started.

Though I went out in about the middle of the field, I was dealt the Mighty Deuce-Four three times, and won all three hands. I consider this a sign from the poker gods, welcoming me back to the game.

1:

With blinds at 50/100, I raised from UTG+1 to 250. He reraised to 400. I called. On the flop he bet 200, I called. Turn and river were checked down.

2. 

I raised pre, had one caller. Continuation bet on the flop took it down. Obviously I had the best hand, or he would have called, right?

3. 

This one was the most fun.

(Bovada has this silly feature that it shows the winning cards on fire if you make a flush or full house, and shows them "electrified" for quads or better.)

Here's how it played out:

Arriving

Seems strange that it was just a few hours less than one week ago that I wrote that last post. I spent four days on the road, arriving in Asheville late Monday afternoon. Cardgrrl was at my apartment (she had picked up the keys from the landlord in case I arrived in town after hours) with roses and a chocolate cake to welcome me. I'm starting to think that maybe she likes me.

The last three days have been a whirlwind of buying stuff, unpacking boxes, getting deliveries, assembling, cleaning. Everything is new and in need of figuring out--how the microwave works, how the dishwasher works, how to distribute dishes and food in the cupboards, how long the washer and dryer run, which bank to choose, where to get good pizza, how to navigate to the Walmart, how the trash and recycling work, how to get new email working, and on and on and on. But it's all getting done, one thing at a time, and my work station is now set up sufficiently that I can resume gainful work tomorrow, which is exactly the day I had planned on when tentatively setting up a moving schedule a month ago--so yay me.

Weather here is mild for February compared to everyplace else I've ever lived except Las Vegas.

Strangely, I have not yet woken up confused or mistaken about where I am. Maybe I've been planning this long enough that it's not a shock to my brain. On the other hand, I see my friends tweeting about a poker game at this or that casino, and have an impulse to go join, until I remember that I'm not there anymore.

Cardgrrl and I spent hours assembling a new desk. I needed to finish it today. It was in the first bedroom, which I had planned to use as an office. But it was a bright, sunny day, and the light was so nice through the windows of my south-facing living room that I changed plans. I am going to try making the living room my work space just for the nice light and view. Which leaves me with a bedroom without assigned purpose for now. I'll probably put my books in there when I get some shelves, and likely use the space to work on my bike when it needs repair/maintenance. Will need to mull over what to do with it.

Tons of work to catch up on, so probably no poker trips for a couple of weeks anyway.