Well did you think I wasn't going to blog cause the chase has been suspended? Might as well keep the journey recorded cause I don't think it is over quite yet. Got the good news that the D.O.J has already cut a deal with Stars and Tilt to return our monies to us. Happened way quicker than expected. Just more proof that online poker is going to be fast tracked into regulation, with clearer cut rules on deposits, and withdrawals. Should be a few weeks until Stars can get a payment system up and running so we can get our monies back. In the meantime I decided to mix in a little fun, and work while waiting for me money to be available so I can transition it to a live bankroll. Went to The Yardhouse at Santana Row on Tuesday for lunch with Tomas. That place is pretty sweet. Think of it as a super fancy B.J's with a way better beer selection. Over 130 on tap to be precise. I had a lienencugels sunset wheat from the tap. It was legit. Surprised it was so much better than out of the bottle. After that we went to Bay101 to play some 1-2-2. Only word is laughable. 5 limpers every pot, bottom pair payoffs to nits who hadn't played a hand. It was like going from fishing in the ocean trying to catch a Kracken, to fishing in a lake right in front of the trout farm. We didn't stay too long as we had to make our next stop, which was dinner at B.J's with The Gordo, Tomas, and Red Sox Sammie. Well there went three pitchers in about 30 mins. Ended up the night hitting up a couple of dive bars (is there anything but in Newark?), where we had a few games of pool (cutthroat), and got smashed by Sammie in every match. Ended the night at a 24 hr Carls Jr. Double Western is surprisingly, quite tasty at 4am. Got the requisite 6 hours sleep and headed off to the Red Sox Game on Wed. Sox won and despite the dreary weather and hangovers we managed to tailgate for a few hours pre game. Thurs brought some much need rest and cash as I took down our Thursday night poker game. I was dryer than a busted speakeasy during prohibition so that helped. I am getting excited for Vegas, and the WSOP right now. Always happens in late April. Our Club gives away 2 seats and I pretty much got one of them locked up. The other one is up for grabs, and it is gonna be a dog fight between the other 2 guys in contention. Friday I decided to go to Aj's, and see what the action was like there. The structure is better than bay 101. 1-2-2 but 400 max instead of 200 max buy in. Only problem is one table running could be a sign that the trip might not always be worth it. With gas prices the way they are, I have to add these things to my expenditures. Nevertheless, same kind of player, same result. Looks like live will be able to hold me over until online pokerz comes back. Saturday we took Ava to Menlo Park for an Easter egg hunt. Amazing how many people were there. A group of us and the kids went to The Office for some lunch. Overall a good week to be out of a job I guess. This week I plan on seeing if there is any action at Aj's cause as I said I like the structure. If not I'll probably just go to Bay101 cause the player traffic is greater there. When I finally get my roll of Stars I'll probably move up to the 2-3-5.

Happy Easter Everyone!
Tony Gags

Those of you that know me, and my cocky, smart ass, tongue in cheek, finger to the world License plate(pick one of those according to how well you know me, if you know me really well then all of them apply) can gather what the title of this blog refers to. Today the N.Y. Attorney Generals office. indicted Pokerstars on a number of charges. http://www.parttimepoker.com/hnr-415-poker-site-domains-seized-indictments-issued Things like money laundering, fraud, and all kinds of other legal mumbo jumbo. What does this mean to me and my SNE chase? Well simply put, it is over.....for now. I tis all fresh, and I have a number of opinions on the matter, but I just am not going to share all of them this early into the game. I will say that this seems like a calculated move by the Govt, Stars, and the land based Vegas casinos into getting legislation passed to legalize online poker in the U.S. I wouldn't be surprised if a deal was already done before the indictments went down. last month stars and Wynn partnered up, as did a lot of other sites with land based casinos. A month later they are being indicted? Hmmm smells fishy. There are too much political positions to be gained, too many tax dollars, and much needed revenue for the U.S., to be lost if they simply tried to eradicate a form of gambling that has been deemed a skill game by many states in this country already. Regardless I hope what comes of this is that they just legalize online poker in the U.S. This happens and now you can allow credit card transactions, and multiple other avenues for the recreational player to play online. Will it sting not to be able to complete my goal? Not to be able to play online for what amounts to probably anywhere from 6-18 months? Yes it does, but in the long run it could be a great thing for poker players in the U.S. In the meanwhile I apologize in advance if you see me sitting across from you at one of your tables at LC's or Bay101 real soon.
Tony gags

I know it has been awhile since I updated what has been going on. The reason. Well poker is just straight boring lol. I got sick in mid March and still haven't fully recovered. (In process of some tests at the moment) My results have picked up monetarily wise, which is good, but there isn't really anything new to report due to I haven't been playing a ton, and since I don't feel well I am not exactly going out a lot. To be honest this is the first time I ever have been anywhere remotely scared about my health. I am behind pace a few days now due to the week or so I was sick, so I pretty much have decided to abandon the goal of being done by November. It kinda makes sense anyway, cause me and tons of free time means way too much drinking and not enough motivation lol. I am going to just take days off when I need to, or have something fun planned(which should be the point of working for yourself anyway) I realized I am going to want to go to most of the Giants weekday afternoon games so the earlier plan would not of worked out. This takes a lot of pressure of getting so many hands done in a day, and the rescaling of my projected pace has me not too far behind. Mind you I need to get to 1 mirron by Dec 31st. I also have moved back up to 400nl, which is nice cause the size of the pots make the Vpp go way faster, so even getting less hands in a day has the same result as when I was grinding a ton at 200 nl. (which I still plan on doing for the sole fact the games are better there) Stable has taken a bit out of me this year. Seems people are not as into it as last year, and it has been a grind to get some new blood infused into the game. I don't expect too much rah rah cause poker is a solitary game, but in a few spots I have been hurt by some comments or misunderstanding of the game in general. Eh product of being in charge I guess. Hard to please everyone, especially when so many diff. personalities are involved, and sometimes poker is the only common denominator. Anyways. Upward and Onward folks. I am doing my best to reach this goal. It is tough but I am still on track and still chuggin along. GoGoGoGo

Vpp 219789
Vpp needed to be on pace 230952

Stack size that is dirty minded peeps! Pokerstars thankfully got rid of the 20-55bb tables and brought back the 40-100 bb tables. This effectively made all the ratholing short stackers leave the games and go to the 20bb cap tables. Probably isn't a coincedence that since this has happened my results have turned around. I just play better with deeper stacks, the rake can actually be beat, and the fish have to buy in for more. I don't think I ever really adjusted to the 50bb tables, at least to a point where I could consistantly know I could beat the rake. Still running way below ev in all in pots but with the bigger stack sizes I can make up for it with a lot more non showdown winnings. I am now about 6 days ahead of pace which is nice. My plan is to be 60 days ahead of pace by halloween so I can take the last 2 months off. Not much going on in the way of crazy happinings on the life front. Went to Sam's Chowder house and I highly recommend it. So dang good. Lobster roll is a must. Ava is growing so fast I can't believe it. Walking and talking with daddy attitude already. Anyways gonna keep this one short. Upward and onward gogogogogogo!

Pretty dull week on the homestead. Continure to grind my way through this thing and I have actully settled into a nice Rythm the last week or so. Pokerstars is getting rid of the 20-50bb Tables which will help with the variance from all this coin flipping I have had to do with these short stacks. I noticed seems to be more fish on the tables since pokerstars started their Homegames promo. Watching the Super Bowl was so depressing knowing the Niners coulda had Aaron Rodgers. I actually liked The Steelers to the over but I was wrong as usual lol. Good thing I didn't bet a dime on it. Next week gonna go to see the Giants WS trophy in Downtown Redwood if anyone wants to go.

Last 2 weekends have been great. Trekked up Edgewood with my daughter on my back which was unreal hard, but worth it to see how excited she got to be on the mountain. Just got back from Tahoe where I had a fun weekend with the family, and some friends. Tried to turn myself into a Simpsons character by falling and cracking my face on the railing next to the hot tub while checking to see if it was hot yet at 1 am. I mean, me and another guy did shovel 4 feel of freaking snow to get to it so I was pretty gun ho about going in lol.

Poker wise it is just not going well. I continue to pretty much be on the worse run of my life and I have had to drop down a level as of yesterday. I am still on pace, but it isn't going to matter if I run out of money. Hey anyone hiring at In and Out. Kinda like the food there lol. I review my sessions like religion and they make me want to scream. I'd tell you that my ev is unreal gross....blah blah blah but it's only a small part of the story. I actually cut my tilt down to almost zero which is an honest answer cause I know when I tilt. I haven't cracked yet but let's see. I can feel the thoughts creeping in........Was planning on posting some pics but not in the mood(first sign of breakdown?)

Started out the week with a donkament at my place on Saturday afternoon. Finished third which was meh, but was fun all the same. A bunch of us decided to go to downtown RWC to get some apps and have a few more drinks( like we needed them) Went to this place called Mandoulin, and the apps there were great. After we stumbled over to the Tequilla Lounge where we got fully wanded. Ummmm yeah you think the TSA is bad? I had to take a rape shower after that experience. Walked in there and it was salsa night. Nora somehow got Gordo out on the dance floor and was immediately back in 5 mins.....Nice college try G. Was not feeling the place as it felt like I was in the fanciest bar the gang The Bloods were allowed. After the 20th hard look I decided I was drunk enough to say something stupid so we left. We walked over to this place called The Living Room, and it was much better. Didn't even have to spread my cheeks to get in. What a bonus. There we settled down on a couch drank some really good old German wheat beer, and just chopped it up. We were interrupted by a few of the many Cougars roaming the wild, which was okay caused looked like Gordo was enjoying himself. I put on my Cougar repellent a.k.a Nora's sunglasses and proceeded to do what I always do drunk in these situations. Sit there with a stupid smirk on my face and people watch with my beer. Gordo's pet and her friend seemed like nice enough people so the conversation was cool. Neilsen decided to one up one of these said cougars by telling her he had higher security clearance at NASA. Well man he almost got his head bit off! lol. Anyways to end the night our roller skating waitress (it was 70's night) decided she hates the owner who's B day it was, so she gave us a bag filled with chocolates and the owners B day card lol. We sauntered...eerrr stumbled off, and somehow managed to find the only cab in RWC with a cab driver we couldn't tell if it was a man or a woman. Per usual we went to the JB drive thru to get some food to have with our 250 bottle of Utopias. Yeah made sense at the time lol. There I turned to Gordo in the light and said. "Look at her man hands!" Dunno if he/she heard but damn those hands were huge. We managed to make it home in one piece only to find I lost my cell....again. Eh wanted the Iphone back anyway. Ended the night just drinking some more and watching G turn my sink into a scene from poltergeist, and that was my cue to hit the bed. Woke up Sunday at around noon and went back to work.....

On to the poker. Not much to tell here this week. Ran about 3500 under ev, managed to keep my losses down, and my tilt at a minimum. I have noticed I am tilting once in awhile, so I think I might cut down on the amount of hours I play at a time from 4 to 3. Cashed in 3 straight donkament live , and still ahead of pace for SNE. Next week I will throw up some pictures and stuff in the blog since it will be my last one for the month.

VPP Needed 57036

VPP Earned 61243