I am THE James

Last year the United States Poker Championship drew over 164 players.  The winner took home over $606k in prize money.  ESPN had another set of poker reruns that they could run over and over again.

Enter the 2008 United States Poker Championship…..

ESPN decides not to renew their contract to broadcast the USPC.  What happens as a result?  The total number of players for the Main Event clocked in at 52, and that was after they let 2 players register late.  What a difference a year, and a lack of TV coverage makes.

This goes to show you the state of a lot of major poker championships.  If there isn’t any TV exposure involved, then the drawing power just isn’t there anymore.  Events like the World Series of Poker will still draw crowds regardless of TV coverage.  It is the World Series.  People will come.  However, what reason do they have to come for the United States Poker Championship.  The answer used to be, “To get on TV.”  Now the answer is…….you tell me.   It isn’t to win the prize money.  If that is the case Antonio Esfandiari would have hung around and played.  He showed up, but decided not to play.  I guess 200k just isn’t worth the effort.  It goes to show you that money isn’t the only driving force in poker today.

With that said, what about me?  What have I been up to?  Writing, writing, and more writing really.  I have had a couple of projects that have taken up a lot of my time.  The good news is that I have made enough money to where I am not going to be struggling to pay bills for a while.  In fact, I am seriously looking to find a tournament set I deem worthy to play.  Shakopee is out.  I looked at the schedule and it was “ok,” but the structures are horrible.  The USPC is out because I was too busy and bluntly, I have never played well overall in AC in tournaments.   Tunica is a possibility.  I am waiting for the schedule.  The Golden Nugget in Las Vegas is holding a tournament next month that is all Non-Holdem events.  The buy-ins are somewhat low and I am considering that one.  I could actually stay 7 days across the road at Binion’s and probably play the entire set for a grand total of $2,000, including airfare and plane ticket.

I think I will look around a bit more before making a final decision.  I would really like to do Tunica tho as I might could tie it into my writing better since it is a WSOP Circuit event and two of my blogs are WSOP blogs.  Of course, the AC Circuit is in December, but I will bet you that it will be all NL crapshoot.

Pingback and bogus commenters are getting a little more creative with their comments.  I have a blog on Poker After Dark that gets a lot of bogus comments like this one.  One comment I got just today was just too funny.  It read:

“I’m the artist formally known as Beck. I have a genius wig. When I put that wig on, then the true genius emerges. I don’t have enough hair to be a genius. I think you have to have hair going everywhere.”

What???  I don’t smoke dope, but whatever this guy is smoking, I want some. 

The United States Poker Championships have released their schedule for this fall.  The event starts on September 14^th, the day after my birthday.  Funny thing is, I was thinking of going to Atlantic City the week after my birthday.  Look at the schedule for the event and you tell me if you can see why I am interested:

Sept. 14, 11:15am, Limit Hold’em, $300 + $40

Sept. 15, 11:15am, Seven Card Stud, $500 + $50

Sept. 16, 11:15am, Seven Card Stud Hi/Low 8 or better, $500 + $50

Sept. 17, 11:15am, Omaha Hi/Low 8 or better, $500 + $50

Sept. 18, 11:15am, 2-Way P/L Hold’em & P/L Omaha, $500 + $50

Sept. 19, 11:15am, H-O-S-E (Hold’em-Omaha H/L-Stud-Stud H/L), $500 + $50

What a fantastic way to open the event.  Also, there is a Stud event on the 22^nd, a PL Omaha 8 event on the 24^th, an Omaha 8 event on Oct 1, a PL Holdem event on Oct 2^nd, ANOTHER Stud event on Oct 6^th and finally another PL Omaha 8 event on October 8^th. 

I so want to go, but I really don’t know if I want to put up the money that all those events would require.  Maybe I will go play the cash games.  That sounds like a plan.  I already know I can get a room for $33 a night in Absecon.  It’s tempting folks. 

I must say that I really respect the USPC for putting out a schedule like this.  I was a little worried that they would get away from mixed games up there, but I guess my apprehension was misplaced. 

In regards to my personal life, most of my time lately has been spent either blogging or job hunting.  (Mostly for writing or blogging jobs)  I hope that somewhere down the line I can pick up a few more contracts and continue working for myself.  Also, I did apply for a Mainframe support job.  It looked like entry level and from the looks of it, not all that difficult.  There aren’t too many mainframe folks in the area.  Actually, I’m not a mainframe person either, but I do have several years IT support experience.  Hopefully that will get me a look. 

Otherwise, not much is going on at the moment.  I think it’s time to go submit myself for a couple more jobs.  Take care all.