In December 2004, I was getting ready to go to Vegas for the first WPBT Holiday Gathering when a comment appeared on a post in this blog. It came from someone purporting to be Lee Jones, noted author and poker room manager for the then second biggest online poker site in the world. He had a proposal for me.

I went to Vegas with this in mind and was nervous as hell. I stood with my cell phone in the lobby of the Excalibur hotel--of all places--and talked to Lee for the first time. His offer: blog the 2005 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure and get paid for it. I didn't tell him I would've done it for free. Lee was candid enough to tell me I was their second choice after Wil Wheaton, who had quite unexpectedly recommended me for the job (something I've come to think of as akin to Kato Kaelin getting a job because Robert Redford wasn't available, but still). Lee was kind enough to not assume he could get me for pennies (in retrospect, he did--I wouldn't work for that kind of money again unless it was backstage as Norah Jones' finger masseur). Lee asked for an e-mail and a few other particulars.

I didn't have a laptop with me, so I sent everything from the Excalibur's television internet service. Somehow I ended up with the job. While on the week-long freelance gig, Lee established himself as a guy I could trust. Toward the end of the week, I saw him in frequent conversation with people I'd come to know as important within the company. At the end of the week, Lee pulled me aside and asked, in essence, "How'd you like to do this all the time?" After a few more words of advice, Lee sent me on my way. Two weeks later I'd quit my job in television and was looking for my lost luggage in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Over the past three and half years, I've seen Lee in more places than I can count. Several conversations stand out--one overlooking a nightclub floor in Monte Carlo in which he summed up the poker boom and our place in it, and one just a few nights ago in Monte Carlo are a couple that stand out.

Lee told me a while back that his time with PokerStars and time with the European Poker Tour were about to come to an end. It was not completely unexpected, but it still made me sad to see him go. Lee is always good for a calming word, solicited advice, and the occasional unsolicited entertaining opinion. He's a helluva teacher, too. It's amazing to watch players seek him out at live events. He's become an icon without trying to be.

That's what makes the next step in his life so cool. Lee is headed off to be the COO of CardRunners.com and will be responsible for the daily operation of the company. I'm impressed as hell with the young men who hired Lee. At a time in my life when I was spending three or four nights a week in a bar, these guys have put together an exceptionally cool company.

So, it's not a goodbye to Lee, but a good luck. There was a time in my life where I would've written nice things about the guy because he was an important person in poker. Now I can write this stuff because he's a friend. He's moving just 45 minutes north of my house and I hope to get a chance to sit out on his porch and pick a little before my life takes me elsewhere (if you didn't know, Lee plays some mean bluegrass and puts my abilities to shame).

So, thanks, Lee. You're good people and deserve every bit of success that comes your way.

HERE'S WHAT I ASK

This isn't a blogroll question, but just for my use.

What poker blog should I check and read at least once a week?

Please don't nominate your own. And, for the record, there are some you don't need to suggest...

I already catch every update of Iggy, Maudie, Pauly, BadBlood, BG, Derek, and Al.

Who else?

Just wondering.

(CJ's note: The blogroll is just about due for some weed-pulling so the flowers are a little easier to see. Don't let yours die on the vine. The grass is always greener on the other side. And a rolling stone gathers no moss.)

***

It's morning, and that's about all I know. Twelve hours earlier, I knew what my job was and how I would do it. Twelve hours later, I'd wake up to a blur of chips, craps, video poker, and pre-taped dog race betting with Pauly. But at this moment, the sun is coming up and I'm standing in Binion's valet area. There's a limo there, but I know it's not for me. The stretch is for Tex Barch, his dripping hot lady, and--piquing my curiousity--Layne Flack. My synapses are misfiring and I'm trying to figure out how Flack fits into the limo. Is he part of some odd Montana-Texas menage a trois that I just don't understand? Did he actually win the WSOP an hour ago? Because, I didn't see him at the table. Is he drinking again? Or, more likely, is he following Barch to the cage to pick up his millions? I don't know. Even now, I'm wondering if I imagined it all, or if Flack wasn't with Barch at all.

The only other thing I know is that Jay Greenspan is standing beside me. It's Vegas Summer Hot and we're both hallucinations. There are no cabs, despite the protestations of the valet men that a taxi will be by at any time. I need to get to the Mirage. Jay needs to get to the Rio. We both need to sleep and do anything but play or watch poker. I think Jay is saying he is leaving the country, but that could just be a hallucination, too. We're in downtown Las Vegas and we're one of maybe 12 people who couldn't give a damn that we were in one of America's most decadent and intoxicating cities.

As Barch and Flack ride off on leather-appointed comfort, a taxi arrives. Jay and I look at each other, desperately wanting to be courteous to our fellow poker writer, but desperate to find a lumpy motel bed and greasy breakfast to make us feel one percent human until we can find an airplane to take us somewhere else.

Very few words are spoken as we climb into the cab together, somehow agreeing that one cab to two destinations is better than waiting five minutes for another cab to arrive.

We ride through an early morning hot haze and chat. Our words only serve to keep us awake and sane for the twenty minutes it will take to find a shower. When we reach the Rio, Jay again mentions that he's leaving the country. The hope brimming in his eyes makes me believe him.

That was the last time I saw or spoke to Jay. Like any road warrior, we said, "See you next time," secretly wondering if either of us had the strength to ever do this again.

I learned yesterday that Jay is alive and well and has started a new project to give us all a little more inspiration to make our writing good and our pursuit of poker more genuine. I'd encourage you all to visit Poker Scribes and check out what Jay has in the works.

***

Amy. That's a name that has popped up in my life a lot. It started with the first girl to steal my virtue. More recently, it's been that girl that most people know as, "The chick in the hat."

Amy Calistri has this thing about her. As ubiquitous as her black hat (and often, Johnny Cash-esque black everything) is the look in her eye that says, "I know something that you don't and holy crab cakes is it juicy." Even more hypnotic is the simple fact that, usually, Amy does know something you don't and it is usually more juicy than you could imagine.

Amy was a frequent guest of the Pauly and Otis Liquid Dinner Hour at the WSOP. She drinks red wine and smiles more after two glasses than she does after one. She's written for a well-known industry site that has morre turnover than a bakery and the Mizzou Tigers combined. And, be sure, she knows something that we don't. Always.

Now she is writing unfettered at her new blog, Aimlessly Chasing Amy. Give her a read.

And, here's to hoping I have a chance to see both of these fine writers again one day soon.

Dear Sir or Madame:

Thank you for your consideration of me to be "The Nuts". Please note that unlike many of your other candidates I am both already linked and quite confident that I can be "The Nuts". If selected I will represent "The Nuts" with my arsenal of talent. Enclosed please find my current resume. If you have any questions please contact me at idsn72-vegas at yahoo.com.

Nutfully-

Chilly
************************
Chilly
Infant Days Sleepless Nights
idsn.blogspot.com

Career Goal: To be the Nuts on Up4Poker.com

Feb 2005-Present
Blogger covering poker and parenthood with occasional wanderings into topics such as death, taxes and business
*Busted Up4Poker's own G-Rob in a $25 NL game on Party 10/19/2005
*Linked to by linksters such as Up4Poker, the Blogfather, AlCan'tHang, Dr. Pauly and TooloftheMan
*Once ate breakfast with Otis and his brother Little Willy
*Thinks CJ is a nice guy and can sympathize with nobody disliking him
*Never finished ITM in a MTT
*Likes to OR UTG or in EP with hands such as 98s
*Lifetime VP$IP of 18.73 on Party Poker
*Extensive knowlegde of poker abbreviations
*Voted "Best Poker Player I'm Married To" by Mrs. Chilly
*Recently began to shill
*Liftime LO8 winnings of $1.74

References available upon request.

-------------------

If that doesn't get you a little recognition, nothing will. Now if he could just work on his arch-enemy status, maybe someday he'll be at least Mr. Mxyztplk.

(FYI: Blogroll has also been updated.)

As any poker blog reader knows, Wil is a poker playing uber blogger with the grandest of hearts. If you've read his latest book as I have, you'll find that despite his cheery insistances on his blog, he suffers many of the same slings and arrows as us regular shlubs. He gets interviews, auditions, nibbles from possible employers. And he gets turned down. Just like a regular human being.

Though I don't think he's ever stated it outright, Wil seems to live his life with karma in mind. He's lived a life of success and failure in a short thirty-something years and knows the outright orgasmic feeling of success as well as the chug some gin with some sleeping pills type of failure. Maybe that's what makes him human. More than that, that's what makes him the approachable and fantasically good person he is.

So, why, when I have to write about ten more installments of the trip report have I chosen this moment to kiss Wil's ass? Well, it goes a little something like this:

In the hours before I left for Vegas last Thursday night, I got a strange comment here on Up For Poker. It came from a familiar name. It asked that I send him an e-mail so we could discuss something.

At the time, I thought it was a joke. Bloggers and blog readers tend to be the lead dogs in the practical joke pack. But just in case it wasn't a joke, I shot off an e-mail to the commenter and tried to catch a few winks before I had to leave for the airport.

After three hours of restless sleep, I got up, showered, checked the clock, and realized I had time to check my e-mail before I hit the road.

At 4am Friday morning, I sat in my home office and had to fight the dog from gnawing on something that had fallen on the floor. That something was my jaw. It somehow fell off my face as I stared in amazement at the screen.

I'd now been instructed to call the commenter on his private cell phone line. Four in the morning seemed like an inappropriate time to make such a call, so I headed for the airport and tried to put the possibility out of my head.

Several hours later, just minutes after finding the bloggers in the Excalbur poker room, I slipped out into the lobby and made the call. It seemed to confirm that this wasn't a joke. This was for real and it was, in short, way cool.

It appeared I was up for a freelance writing/blogging gig. The commenter asked me to send him a short proposal by Monday. So, Sunday morning before heading to Mandalay for football and poker, I pulled up the high speed access in my room and sent of the proposal.

Last night, I got another e-mail telling me I got the job.

So...

On January 4th, I'll be flying to the Bahamas to blog the Poker Stars Caribbean Adventure poker tournament. This will be a World Poker Tour event that eventually will be televised as part of the WPT series.

Jon Vorhaus did much the same thing for Ultimate Bet's Aruba Classic earlier this year.

After a lot of consideration about the possibilities of this blog and blogging in general, it's made me think about the future of the blogging medium and how important it can eventually be. I know that I've had discussions with a number of the blogging elite about the future of our poker blogging community. I can only hope this latest project can add to where we're going.

Oh, I never got around to why I'm kissing Wheaton's ass.

As it turned out, I wasn't Poker Stars first choice. They wanted Wil, but he had a conflict. Instead of sending Poker Stars the way of some famous guy's cousin, he pointed the site to me. And as a result, I get to add one more thing to my growing freelance resume. And it appears I'm going to have a damned ball in the process.

Wheaton, friends, is good people.

So, that's that. I'll have more details about the PCA blog in the coming days, where you'll find it, etc.

In the meantime, we'll return you the Vegas Trip Report series and your regularly scheduled programming.

I won't post the whole thing, but I'll give you some details with my reaction:

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your patience and understanding while we searched for a solution to get Choice Poker back into action.

No patience, no understanding. I wrote you off. You stole money.

Although we apologize for the length of time it has taken to organize a final compensation package, please understand that the extra time was necessary to ensure that your interests and your current balance are fully protected.

Compensation package? This ought to be good. And isn't it a relief to know are balances are fully protected? Bastards.

As part of the rescue package we have agreed that as soon as Choice Poker is re-opened on the ACR network, Choice Poker players with a current credit balance will have their credit balance restored in full and available for play as soon as we re-open.

Great, now I'll finally be able to get my money back. It's about damn time.

During this transition period Choice Poker players will be required to play "x" number of hands (on 1-2 games or higher) equivalent to their current credit balance before cashing out their credit balance. For example, if a Choice Poker player's current credit balance is $100, then that player will be required to play 100 hands on 1-2 games or higher before qualifying to cash-out of 100% of their credit balance.

Huh? What? You mean my hard earned money that you stole from me isn't even my money yet?!?!? My money that I deposited in your crooked poker site doesn't belong to me??? I've got to play at $1/$2 or higher to earn my money back?!?!? Is this some kind of sick joke?!?!?

In addition, Choice Poker wishes to compensate their valued players for being patient and understanding. Accordingly, all Choice Poker players that have had account balances since April 1st. will receive a "We're Sorry" promo bucks bonus equivalent to 25% of their credit balance on April 1st. 2004.

Wow... you're sooooo generous. Throwing us a few meaningless bucks while we toil at your lame poker site just to earn back the money we should rightfully have in our bank account. Bastards.

And finally, to "Cap it" all off, all players that remain loyal to Choice and continue playing until December 31st. 2004, will further receive a 50% "rake rebate" for the previous 3 month period of play. This is in addition to any bonuses, comps or promotional money that you may receive or subscribe to during this period.

Oooooh... you really "capped it off" for me. Now I have to keep playing at the worst poker site in the world to get another few bucks from you. Of course, what's to say you won't just steal my money again in three months. Why should you be trusted?

In closing we would like to thank Americas Cardroom and BetCRIS management for this generous offer and we hope that all of you will remain loyal to Choice Poker.

Have a Lucky Day!

Thanks, but no thanks. Luckily, I only had about $50 in there when they decided to steal it. I don't plan on wasting my time there. For some of you with larger bankrolls, it might be worth it.

If these guys really had their act together and really wanted to earn the trust of players back, they'd double all of our bankrolls and allow us to immediately withdraw what is rightfully ours. The rest could be a bonus that players could work off if they wished to.

Instead, they will continue to hold our money hostage. I plan on e-mailing this to the folks at Choice Poker hoping they'll come to their senses. I'll also inform them that hundreds of poker players every day will read this and inform them that I'll encourage every other major poker blogger to link to this. I'll let you know what I hear.

With that in mind, I've been reading Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods. I figure if I can't literally connect with a trail so close, the least I can do is connect with it literarily. Or something.

Bryson tells us there are two kinds of trail hikers on the AT, the NoBo and the SoBo. The NoBo ilk (North Bound) hike from Georgia to Maine. The Sobo kind do the opposite.

While the analogy is a bit weak, I find many of the poker bloggers out there can be divided into three geographic areas. There are the Northern Bloggers (No-Blos), the Southern Bloggers (So-Blos), and the Western Bloggers (The We-Blos). You can decide who falls into what region.

I simply know that I'm a So-Blo and my geographic ties are killing me this weekend. Many of the No-Blos are meeting in Philly for Al Can't Hang's Bash at the Boat. They'll being hitting AC's Borgata, then playing a homegame, then drinking until they can't see.

I wan't to do that.

Instead, we non-No-Blos will have to live vicariously through the writings of Pauly, Al, Boy Genuis and the like.

Sigh.

To ease the pain, I'm going to host a homegame Saturday night. BadBlood will be there, as will Up For Poker founder, CJ (on a So-Blo trek from LA to VA to SC).

So, if you find yourself on a southbound train, hit us up. We're thinking of working Dial-A-Shot into the night so we can party via cell phone with the No-Blos.

Didja know...I played at a table with BadBlood last night and pushed him off a hand. In my hand? You guessed it. The hammer.

Didja know...about a year ago, Up For Poker founder CJ and I were sweating a guy playing an Ultimate Bet SNG. We cheered in the chatbar as he took down hand after hand. He never responded. We thought he was being a little standoffish, what with being one of our best friends and all. See, we believed it to be our friend, Todd, who had recently taken over duties as our fantasy football commissioner. Why did we believe that? Because his screen name was TODDCOMMISH. It made sense. When he finally won, he escaped into the ether without a word. I asked him the next day why he never responded and he informed us that it wasn't him. Odd, I thought. Probably even odder for the guy we were sweating. Then in recent months comes the poker blogger named ToddCommish. Coincidence? I think not.

Didja know... CJ is driving halfway across the country next week and I'm thinking about putting together an old-school home game in his honor?

That should do it for now.

You know anything?

I've long believed green felt could've torn down the Berlin Wall. Few substances and even fewer fabrics have the ability to bring together such a wide variety of people, backgrounds, and mindsets. Maybe booze, but green felt is better to set your chips on.

If not for the inherent competition in the game, it could likely serve as the world's greatest relationship therapist.

I believed that even before CJ invited me to begin blogging here on Up For Poker. But once we started here I discovered something even greater. You don't even have to have the felt. You don't need chips. You just need a love of the game.

In the past year I've come to ethereally know some of the best players, writers, and thinkers out there in the poker world. In a few short months I felt myself actually thinking about these folks and talking about them to my wife. How one guy lost his job. How one guy was nursing his pet back to health. How one guy is on the road living a bohemian life.

That was pretty odd for me, to be honest. I typically care about a small circle of people and the rest be damned.

Then I figured it out. Most of the poker bloggers out there are the Northern Otis, The City Otis, The Backwoods Otis, The Left Coast Otis, etc. Or I am the Midwest/Southern version of them. That is, while all living different lives, we all spend, perhaps, an inordinate amount of time focusing on a game we love.

More than that, perhaps, most of us have an understanding that we're not only focusing on a card game. As we grow our game and our understanding of it, we grow our minds. We have a better understanding of how people work, how relationships exist, and how to make decisions based on experience. We are people who realize that poker is not just a means to play, or not just a means to a profitable end, but a means to some sort of greater understanding of our own minds. If we can understand why we make decisions in a game, me might better understand how or why we make certain decisions in our life.

Now, maybe that sounds a bit heady. Maybe I'm over-glamorizing the game. Maybe I've developed some romantic notion of poker that more experienced or more jaded people might view as an idealistic perception of an otherwise brutal pasttime.

Maybe. I dunno. But I know this: Since I started playing every day, I've started understanding a lot of things a lot better. Poker can be a stabilizing factor.

But even better, writing about poker is therapeutic. It helps me write about life, people, and stories through a lens that we all can understand. If I just wanted to write about anything, I'd stick to the blog I've been operating for the past three years. But here, CJ gives me an opportunity to filter many of my thoughts through a green-felt-lens.

It was in the writing and reading of other poker blogs that I came to know all these other folks out in the ether, the folks I appreicate, admire, and respect.

All that said, I think I went and offended one of them.

That sucks.

Sometimes in my overtaxed head I find a way to make real certain passing notions. I've done that recently.

So, this is a very public way to offer a private mea culpa to one of my fellow champions of the game.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled poker insanity.

Here's how it's going to work (Otis' idea, really). I'm going to run a contest. Submit your own blog entry to this e-mail address:
submission@upforanything.net

Here's who's eligible: Everyone.

It doesn't matter if you already have a blog of your own. Most of the current contributors already have their own blog, but that's not a requirement.

Starting next Monday, I'm going to post some of the best entries, and by next Friday, I'll announce the winner(s). Otis and I will be the judges (and we can be bribed rather easily).

This is your chance to get your poker thoughts read by hundreds of readers EVERY DAY!

So make a name for yourself. There's a seat open, and it's just waiting for you.