Football Picks, August 31st

Several interesting games on the first Saturday of the college season.

$22 @11/10 on Northwestern (-5.5) over California

The Bears trot out a new quarterback, a new head coach, a new offense, and a new defense. That's a lot to overcome. The Wildcats return 15 starters from a bowl winning team.

$66 @ 11/10 on Baylor (-28) over Wofford

I guess I'm being a bit of a homer on this one, but the Bears offense should roll with Seastrunk (1,000+ yards LY) at RB and Reese (9 TD) at WR. Senior Petty takes over under center for Baylor. The Terriers run the triple option, throwing only 88 times the entire 2012 season. They lost 3 O-Line starters from last years 9-4 team.

$20 on Clemson (+125) over Georgia

#8 hosts the #5 Bulldogs in a match up of two Heisman QB candidates. Boyd takes the snaps for the Tigers and Murray for Georgia. The Bulldogs lost 7 starters from last year's 12-2 team. 

Starting Bankroll         $2,000.00
Profit/Loss                      ($54.00)
Current Bankroll          $1,946.00

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks, August 30th

One game in the bigs looks worth a bet.

$80 on Texas (Darvish) over Minnesota (Hendricks) -1 1/2 @ -140

Darvish is 12-5 with a 2.73 ERA this season. Hendricks is 0-2 with a 6.20 in his four starts. The Rangers are 7-2 in their last 9 games. The Twins have dropped 5 straight and only scored 6 runs in those 5. 

Starting Bankroll                          $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                                      ($46.00)
Current Bankroll                          $1,454.00

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

Football Picks, August 30th

One game on the college gridiron looks promising.

$40 on SMU (+185) over Texas Tech

The Mustangs host the Red Raiders tonight in Big 'D'. Senior Garrett Gilbert leads SMU against the two headed starting QBs of Webb and Mayfield, both freshmen. Will experience and home field win out? At +185 it's worth a look.

Starting Bankroll         $2,000.00
Profit/Loss                      ($14.00)
Current Bankroll          $1,986.00

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

NFL Picks Contest Returns!

It's BAAAAACKKKK!!!

If you participated in my NFL Picks Contest last year (and your name isn't Memphis MOJO), I hope you'll sign up for this contest and try to redeem your name. Right now, you're a loser and an embarrassment to both your family and the blogging community.

Here's your chance to redeem your name.

You don't have to be a blogger, all readers of this missive are welcome to join in the fun!

Once again, the winner will receive either a tee shirt or sweatshirt with the logo of your favorite NFL team emblazoned on it. Cool!

Here are the rules;

1) You pick the winner of one NFL game each week. Must be a Sunday or Monday game (no Thursday or Saturday games).

2) If your pick wins, you receive 10 points.

3) You will receive additional points based on margin of victory. One point for each point your team wins by. For example, if you pick the Steelers to win this week and they are victors by a score of 29-17, you would receive 22 points for the week, 10 for the win and 12 for the margin of victory (29 minus 17 = 12).

4) If your pick loses, you receive 0 points for picking the winner and points will be deducted based on margin of loss. For example, if you picked the Raiders and they lost by a score of 30-14, you would have 16 points deducted from your point total (30 minus 14 = 16).

5) The person with the most points at the conclusion of the Super Bowl will be declared the winner and will receive a free shirt. If there is a tie, whomever picked the most "winners" on the season will win the tie breaker. If there is still a tie, then all players who are tied for first will receive a shirt.

Sign up today by either commenting below or e-mailing me at harris.creek at yahoo.com. Deadline to sign up is September 7th and your pick will also need to be in by 6pm (CDT) that same day.

Thursday and Saturday games are not eligible for this contest (too hard for me to keep up with), but that still leaves the majority of each week's schedule (Sunday and Monday) from which to choose.

Sign up today and have some fun!

Football Picks, August 29th

Are you ready for some FOOTBALL?

College football returns tonight with several games on tap. One of them looks like a good chance to make a few bucks.

$20 on Vanderbilt (+150) over Mississippi

Vandy beat the Rebels 27-26 LY on foreign soil. Ole Miss returns Wallace (17 int LY) under center to run their fast paced offense. Vandy's RB Lee Stacy is now a St. Louis Ram and will be replaced by a committee of three backs, so that's a concern for the home team. The Commodores finished last season with 7 straight wins.

Starting Bankroll         $2,000.00
Profit/Loss                      $6.00
Current Bankroll          $2,006.00

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks, August 28th

Quite a few interesting games on the agenda today.

$25 on LA Dodgers (Nolasco) over ChiCubs (Jackson) -1 1/2 @ -110

Nolasco is 4-0 with a 2.97 ERA in his last 5 starts. Jackson is 0-2 with a 8.18 in his last 4 trips to the bump. LA has beaten the Cubbies 8 of the last 9. Chicago is 2-6 in their last 8 games.

$40 on Boston (Lackey) over Baltimore (Norris) -1 1/2 @ +130

Lackey is 5-2 with a 2.07 ERA at Fenway. Norris has been hit hard lately, as evidenced by his 10.13 ERA in his last three outings. The Sox have won 4 of their last 5.

$40 on Detroit (Fister) over Oakland (Straily) -1 1/2 @ +120

Fister is 5-2 with a 2.56 ERA in his last 8 trips to the hill. Straily is 0-4 with a 6.75 in his last 6. The A's are 3-1 in their last 4 games.

$20 on Houston (Cosart) over ChiSox (Sales) First 5 @ +200

Cosart is 1-1 with a 1.36 ERA on foreign soil this season. Sales is 2-1 with a 5.09 ERA the last 3 ties he has thrown the horsehide. The Astros are 4-2 versus the White Sox this season. Chicago is 9-2 in their last 11 games and Houston is 3-2 in their last 5. Betting the first 5 innings should eliminate the Astros bullpen, always a good thing.

Starting Bankroll                          $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                                      $31.25
Current Bankroll                          $1,531.25

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks, August 27th

Only one game worth a gander on the MLB docket today.

$30 on LA Dodgers (Kershaw) over ChiCubs (Wood) -1 1/2 @ -145

Kershaw is 3-0 with a 0.38 ERA in his last three trips to the hill. Wood is 0-3 with a 5.16 in his last 5 starts. The Dodgers have won all five games with the Cubs this year and have beaten them 8 straight stretching into last year. LA is 5-2 in their last 7 games and Chicago is 1-6 in their last 7.

Starting Bankroll                          $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                                      $61.25
Current Bankroll                          $1,561.25

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks, August 26th

Two games of interest on today's big league schedule.

$50 on LA Dodgers (Grienke) over ChiCubs (Arrieta) -1 1/2 @ -120

Greinke is 3-0 with a 0.42 ERA in his last three trips to the bump. Arrieta is 1-0 with a 3.71 ERA this season. The Dodgers have won all four match ups with the Cubs this year and have beaten them 7 straight stretching into last year. LA is 4-2 in their last 6 games and Chicago is 1-5 in their last 6.

$20 on Detroit (Sanchez) over Oakland (Griffen) -1 1/2 @ +120

Sanchez is 7-2 with a 1.92 ERA at home this year. Griffen is 5-5 with a 4.12 in enemy territory. The Tigers have won 6 of their last 8 and the A's have dropped 5 of 6. 

Starting Bankroll                          $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                                      $39.50
Current Bankroll                          $1,539.50

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks, August 25th

One game is worth a peek on today's MLB menu.

$20 on Tampa Bay (Cobb) over NY Yankees (Nova) -1 1/2 @ +150

Cobb is 5-0 with a 2.91 ERA this season at home. Nova is 2-2 with a 3.86 ERA on the highway. Both teams are hot, with the Rays winning 7 of their last 9 and the Yankees 5 of 6. Tampa has won 5 of the last 6 between the two teams. 

Starting Bankroll                          $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                                      $59.50
Current Bankroll                          $1,559.50

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks, August 24th

One game worth a peek on the MLB ticker.

$20 on Cincinnati (Arroyo) over Milwaukee (Peralta) -1 1/2 @ +105

Arroyo is 3-0 with a 1.80 ERA in his last three starts. Peralta is 8-13 with a 4.60 ERA this season. In his last outing he was rocked for 7 runs in 4+ innings against these same Reds. Cincy has won 4 of their last 6 games and the Brewers have lost 3 of 5.

Starting Bankroll                          $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                                      $38.50
Current Bankroll                          $1,538.50

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

Football Picks, August 23rd

One game looks like a winner on tonight's NFL schedule.

$22 @ 11/10 on the OVER (43) Seattle/Green Bay

Starting Bankroll         $2,000.00
Profit/Loss                      $28.00
Current Bankroll          $2,028.00

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks, August 21st

Two games look like winners on today's MLB menu.

$25 on Detroit (Sanchez) over Minnesota (Correia) -1 1/2 @ -110

Sanchez is 7-2 with a 1.98 ERA at home this season. Correia is 3-7 with a 6.10 ERA on foreign soil. The Twins have lost 6 of their last 8 games.

$20 on Atlanta (Wood) over NY Mets (Neise) -1 1/2 @ +120

A battle of southpaws in the Big Apple today. Wood is 1-0 with a 0.98 ERA in his last three trips to the bump. Neise is 2-0 in his last three, but also has an unimpressive 4.70 ERA. Both teams have won 4 of their last 6 games.

Starting Bankroll                          $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                                     ($8.25)
Current Bankroll                          $1,491.75

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks, August 20th

The first game of a twinbill between the Jays and Yankees looks interesting.

$60 on NY Yankees (Nova) over Toronto (Rogers) -1 1/2 @ +165

Nova is 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA in his last three outings. Rogers is 0-2 with a 8.36 in his last three. The Yankees are 8-1 versus the Jays this season.

Starting Bankroll                          $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                                     ($107.25)
Current Bankroll                          $1,392.75

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

At the Auction

As I have mentioned previously, Ms. Duck and I have a room in an antique store in the small town of West. This community is about 15 miles north of Waco and gained some notoriety a few months ago when they had a huge explosion in their town, killing most of the local volunteer fire department.

The name of the store is Olde Czech Corner Antique Shoppe, "Czech" because it is mainly a Czech community. In our room we sell clocks, china cabinets, slot machines, artwork, home accessories, etc. Click here for more info. We decided to get involved in this business to help fray the cost of sending two kids through college. And I'm glad we did! Our daughter began graduate school earlier this summer, and our son is due to receive his bachelors degree sometime next year. Believe me when I tell you it ain't cheap.

In order to keep our room stocked with interesting items, Ms. Duck and I will occasionally visit a local auction house. We did so this past Saturday and came home with some unique finds. Included were:

A new office chair for me- $25

A brass fire extinguisher lamp-$30

.

 

A set of carved wood ducks (of course)-$25/set.

A box of nine old iron tree/flag stands-$50/box

 A matted and framed print, "Sunday at Augusta" by Ted Hamlin-$55

 

 We also bought a Hoover "Wind Tunnel" vacuum for $7, a couple of globe style lamps ($75), and another golf print by Simon Stallwood , titled "12th Hole at Augusta" for $25.

The best and most interesting purchase of the day was the large lighted china cabinet pictured below.

Ms. Duck and felt we could fetch between $500-700 for this jewel, so we set our max bid at $225. We had noticed in the preview that it had a small hole in the top above the glass.

 We felt we could repair it, but wondered how it had gotten there. The auctioneer mentioned when it came up on the block, that the hole was actually a bullet hole. It seems the owners had died last month in a murder/suicide here in Waco. The husband was only 60 years old and had just been diagnosed with alzheimers. Apparently the news was more than he could handle, so he shot and killed his 58 year old wife and them turned the gun on himself.

Because of the story behind it, we were able to buy this piece for only $125. An excellent price, but I have to admit an uneasiness about having it in my possession. I'll be happy when we get it repaired and sold.

And loading it in my truck was no picnic. Thank goodness for Advil.

Football Picks, August 19th

Today's NFL tilt looks like a bet.

$11 @ 11/10 on the OVER (38) Pittsburgh/Washington

Starting Bankroll         $2,000.00
Profit/Loss                      $39.00
Current Bankroll          $2,039.00

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks, August 18th

One game on the menu today looks good.

$10 @ +155 on Houston (Oberholtzer) over LA Angels (Vargas)

Obey is 2-1 with an 0.87 ERA in his last three outings. Vargas is 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA in his last three. Both teams are bad against lefties, with the Astros posting a 10-20 record and the Halos 11-20.

Starting Bankroll                          $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                                     ($122.75)
Current Bankroll                          $1,377.25

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

Football Picks, August 17th

One game on the NFL schedule today is worth a peek.

$11 @ 11/10 on the OVER (38 1/2) Jacksonville/NY Jets

Starting Bankroll         $2,000.00
Profit/Loss                      $29.00
Current Bankroll          $2,029.00

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks, August 17th

Two games on the menu today look interesting.

$30 on Cincinnati (Latos) over Milwaukee (Gallardo) -1 1/2 @ +110

Latos is 2-0 with a 0.86 ERA in his last three starts. Gallardo is 4-5 with a 5.18 ERA at home. The Reds have won 5 of their last 6.

$30 @ +135 on Cleveland (Jimenez) over Oakland (Straily)

Jimenez has a 1.96 ERA in his last three starts. Straily is 3-3 with a 4.33 at home this season. C=The Tribe has won 4 of 5 versus the A's this year.

Starting Bankroll                          $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                                      ($133.25)
Current Bankroll                          $1,366.75

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

Football Picks, August 16th

One game on the docket tonight.

$11 @ 11/10 on the OVER (40) Tampa Bay/New England

Starting Bankroll         $2,000.00
Profit/Loss                      $19.00
Current Bankroll          $2,019.00

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks, August 16th

Two games worth a look on the MLB schedule today.

$60 on Atlanta (Wood) over Washington (Jordan) -1 1/2 @ +130

Wood is 2-0 with a 1.89 ERA in his last three outings. Jordan is 1-3 with a 4.14 ERA on the season. Both teams are hot, with the Braves winning 8 of their last 10 and the Nats 5 of their last 6. Atlanta has beaten Washington 5 straight times.

$20 on Detroit (Verlander) over Kansas City (Duffy) -1 1/2 @ +135

Verlander is 2-0 with a 2.57 ERA in his last 3 starts. Duffy is starting for the second time. Thus far this season he's 0-0 with a 4.91 ERA.

Starting Bankroll                          $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                                      ($53.25)
Current Bankroll                          $1,446.75

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

Football Picks, August 15th

Four games on the NFL menu today, but only one worth a peek.

$11 @ 11/10 on the OVER (37) San Diego/Chicago

Starting Bankroll         $2,000.00
Profit/Loss                      $9.00
Current Bankroll          $2,009.00

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

Vegas or Bust Poker League

There were 10 of us seated around the poker table Friday night for the fourth of 12 league tournaments. The two highest finishers win seats to the 2014 WSOP in Las Vegas.

From left to right on your radio dial were J-Dawg, Dealer Larry, Ranger Rick, Bobby Dee, Tin Man, Stamps, Lil' Annie Okie, Philly Phanatic, Big Daddy, and yours truly, Lucki Duck.

For the third time in four tourneys, Big Daddy was the first to fall on his sword. Surprisingly, Stamps was next to go when he shoved his set of queens and was called by Bobby and his up and down straight draw. The straight hit on the turn and the board didn't pair on the river, and just like that, Stamps was gone.

Ranger Rick was next to receive a toe tag. When Rick joined the league this year, I thought he would be one of the top players, but he's gotten off to a slow start and finds himself near the bottom of the standings at the one-third mark of the season.

I was next to go. I had a four flush on the flop and bet half the pot after it was checked around to me. Tin Man was the only caller. The turn missed me, and Tin Man check/called my second bullet. The river also missed me, but now there was four to a straight on the board. Tin Man checked and I nudged forward a 3/4 pot bet, hoping to push him off his hand. He struggled with his decision, but finally made the correct one and called me. I tabled my busted flush draw and Tin Man showed his flopped set of sevens. The hand crippled me and I was unable to recover, finally shoving with pocket fours. Bobby and Annie both called, so when I didn't hit my set I knew I was a dead duck. Tin Man did me in with two pair.

Philly, J-Dawg, and Dealer Larry were the next three to get felted, followed by Tin Man.

Lil' Annie Okie was able to outlast Bobby Dee, winning her second tournament in four tries. Combined with her two second place finishes, she has built a commanding lead and will be hard to catch.

Click here for the complete standings.

Till next time, win the flips.

MLB Picks, August 12th

I don't see anything on today's docket that is worth betting. Nothin' better than takin' Monday off :)

Starting Bankroll                          $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                                      ($53.25)
Current Bankroll                          $1,446.75

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks, August 11th

Two games look like good opportunities on todays schedule.

$45 on Detroit (Verlander) over NY Yankees (Pettitte) -1 1/2 @ -105

Verlander is 2-1 with a 2.25 ERA in his last three trips to the hill. Pettitte is 0-2 with a 6.32 in his last three. The Tigers have won 17 of their last 19 games. The Yankees have dropped 5 of 6.

$20 on LA Dodgers (Kershaw) over Tampa Bay (Hellickson) -1 1/2 @ +125

Kershaw  is 10-7 with a tidy 1.91 ERA this season. Hellickson is 1-2 with a 6.00 in his last three starts. Dodgers are 36-8 in their last 44 games. The Rays have lost 4 straight.

Starting Bankroll                          $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                                      ($33.25)
Current Bankroll                          $1,466.75

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

Football Picks, August 11th

Only one game on the docket today.

$22 @ 11/10 on the OVER (36.5) Buffalo/Indianapolis

Starting Bankroll         $2,000.00
Profit/Loss                   ($11.00)
Current Bankroll          ($1,989.00)

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

Football Picks, August 10th

Another football season is kicking off, so let's test the waters.

$11 @ -110 on the OVER (36) NY Giants/Pittsburgh

Starting Bankroll         $2,000.00
Profit/Loss                   $ 0.00
Current Bankroll          $2,000.00

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks, August 10th

A couple of games on the docket look interesting.

$30 @ -135 on Pittsburgh (Burnett) over Colorado (Nicasio)

Burnett is 1-0 with a 1.17 ERA in his last 3 starts. Nicasio is 0-2 with a 7.04 ERA in his last 3. The Pirates are 5-1 in their last 6 games. The Rockies have dropped 9 of 11.

$20 on Detroit (Sanchez) over NY Yankees (Hughes) -1 1/2 @ +100

Sanchez is 2-0 with a 1.31 ERA in his last 3 trips to the bump. Hughes is 0-1 with a 7.30 in his last 3. The Tigers have won 16 of 18. The Yanks have dropped 4 of 5. 

Starting Bankroll                          $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                                      ($23.25)
Current Bankroll                          $1,476.75

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks, August 9th

I kind of like the run line bet on the Cards/ Cubs game, but Rusin is a leftie and the Cards are 12-17 against southpaws, so I'll pass.

Starting Bankroll                          $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                                      ($23.25)
Current Bankroll                          $1,476.75

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks, August 8th

One game on the MLB schedule looks interesting.

$10 @ +130 on Miami (Fernandez) over Pittsburgh (Cole)

A good price on a favorable pitching match up.

Fernandez is 3-0 with a 1.57 ERA in his last 3 outings. Cole has thrown well this season, but is suspect at home, posting a 3-4 record with a 4.20 ERA.

Starting Bankroll                          $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                                      ($13.25)
Current Bankroll                          $1,486.75

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks, August 6th

I still don't see anything that excites me on the MLB schedule today, so I'll sit on the bench and remember this golden moment in Texas Ranger history. Twenty years ago yesterday.

Happy Anniversary guys!

Nolan "Knuckle Sandwich" Ryan enjoys his first multiple
hit game against Robin "I'm Bleeding" Ventura.

Starting Bankroll                          $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                                      ($13.25)
Current Bankroll                          $1,486.75

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks, August 4th

Nothing on the Sunday MLB schedule is worth a bet, so I'll take the day off.

Starting Bankroll                          $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                                      ($13.25)
Current Bankroll                          $1,486.75

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks, August 3rd

One game on the docket today looks good.

$50 on Detroit (Scherzer) over ChiSox (Danks) -1 1/2 @ -125

Scherzer is 15-1 with a 3.01 ERA this season. Danks is 0-5 with a 5.36 ERA on foreign soil. The Tigers have won 6 straight and the White Sox have lost 8 in a row.

Starting Bankroll                          $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                                      ($53.25)
Current Bankroll                          $1,446.75

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

PokerPalozza!

We had a light crowd at the Duck Blind last night, with only five of us seated around the felt. Dealer Larry and Ollie the Accountant were in Laughlin, supporting the local casinos. Bobby Dee had business to attend to in Dallas, so that left Stamps, J-Dawg, Ray-Ray, Farmer Harry and myself.

Harry picked up pizza on the way, including a bacon pizza. Mmmm. It came with a 20% off your next bypass coupon from one of the local heart surgeons :)

Ray-Ray locked up the High Hand Jackpot early in our dealer's choice $20 buy in limit game, when he hit a straight flush to the 9 in a hand of Omaha. Even with the jackpot, he went home down a dollar for the evening.

J-Dawg took the biggest hit, dropping around $30, with Harry and Stamps both breaking even. I walked away $30+ to the good.

We play a hybrid form of Pai Gow at our PokerPalooza. As you may know, when playing Pai Gow in a casino, you are dealt seven cards. From those seven cards you have to make two hands, a five card hand and a two card hand. Your five card hand must be higher than your two card hand. You are playing against the dealer, and to win, both your hands must beat both dealer hands. To lose your bet, both dealer hands must beat both your hands. If one wins and one loses, it's a push, which happens a lot.

In our game everyone is dealt six cards and you are playing against all the other players at the table, not just the dealer. Each player makes two hands,using three card poker rules. In our game you can play your stronger hand either up front or behind, which adds another level of strategy. The hand begins with two cards dealt to each player, then a round of betting. Two more cards are dealt and a second round of betting. Then one card, bet, and the last card and a final round of betting. The pot usually gets split between two players, but it's big enough to make it worthwhile even when chopping.

I can't believe they're not dealing this game at the WSOP!

In one six card Pai Gow hand last night, I was dealt 4 ducks, but couldn't play my quads because I had to split the hand into a couple of three card hands. So I played trips on one hand and crapola on my other hand and won half the pot.

Another fun evening with friends pitching cards. And I won a few bucks. Not a bad night.

Till next time, win the flips.

MLB Picks, August 1st

Nothing on today's MLB menu strikes my fancy, so I'll sit out today.

Starting Bankroll                          $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                                      ($53.25)
Current Bankroll                          $1,446.75

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!