Pokerati » Karridy

Fun with Fake ZeeJustin

Karridy — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 17:47:58 +0000

About 2 years ago, I received an instant message from ZeeJustin (Justin Bonomo), completely out of nowhere. This was weird because Justin Bonomo didn’t have my AIM contact info. But whoever was IMing me did …Or, they were using a poker-related email database, hoping that some players would have their AIM ID’s tied to the same email account. I replied at the time, simply asking “Who is this, really?”, which was returned with silence. My response probably spooked my contact, because as the coming days would show, Justin Bonomo’s IM account had been compromised and used to scam poker players out of money by ‘borrowing’ on Bonomo’s name.

Just a while back, during the Doyle Brunson 5-Star event at the Bellagio, I saw my old friend log in again. Pretty hard to do, considering Bonomo was at the tables at the Bellagio. So I thought I’d have a little fun.

Karridy – 2:48
  Wassup man
ZeeJustin – 2:48
  chillin you
Karridy – 2:48
  Just finished taking down a nice score on Stars. Feeling great.
ZeeJustin – 2:49
  LOL
Karridy – 2:49
  You at bellagio today?
ZeeJustin – 2:49
  how much did you win Karridy?

Karridy – 2:49
  About 30k today, and 15 yesterday. Not big, but big for me
  …as you know
ZeeJustin – 2:51
  Im not at bellagio sorry
  why whats up?
Karridy – 2:51
  Was just curious. Thought maybe I could take a piece of you in the 5star if you were.
ZeeJustin – 2:52
  Im trying to get ahold of Mr Zahman on stars
  can you sit at 25/50 Hersilia and talk to him for me
Karridy – 2:53
  What do you need?
ZeeJustin – 2:53
  need to speak to him involving something
  would appreciate it
Karridy – 2:53
  Sure. What should I tell him?
ZeeJustin – 2:54
  sit down and ill type it to you
Karridy – 2:54
  Go fuck yourself, scammer.
ZeeJustin – 2:54
  you faggot
Karridy – 2:54
  LOLOL
ZeeJustin – 2:54
  go suck a dick
  i knew what was up
Karridy – 2:55
  You don’t know shit, or you’d know that everybody knows tis account is fake
ZeeJustin – 2:55
  Karridy your a bitch
  go fuck yourself
  diagf
Karridy – 2:55
  What are you hoping I’d do?
  You’d still have to beat me out of my money, which would take more than a full table of your loser friends.

I think PokerStars needs to check out the table action and identities of “Mr Zahman”, as well as the others at that table, on that day. – And no, I haven’t contacted Stars. This is as much time as I care to spend on this. It was good for a quick chuckle.

Texas’ “Cowboy Capitol” becomes “Poker Capitol”

Karridy — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 22:01:53 +0000

More than 250 players from 98 towns and four different states drove in to Stephenville, TX, for the 6th Annual Cowboy Capitol Poker Tournament. ($300+0 NLH)

I feel compelled to explain that I am writing this post on my laptop, on the back patio of Risky’s Bar-B-Q in downtown Fort Worth, Texas, during possibly the most beautiful day that Spring will bring to my beloved city. I smile as I listen to one Australian tourist at the table behind me attempt to explain to his mates the American concept of “All-You-Can-Eat Ribs”.

How It Works
The Best Real-Money Poker Tournament
in Texas

Doc Fletcher: “It’s like trainin’ a horse. After a while you don’t have to keep whippin’em. They go where you want to go.”

Interview with Stephenville Tournament Director Doc Fletcher 6:58

Zoom up and out to a poetic blend of southern culture and urban bustle that has made my fair city of Fort Worth a Texas jewel, and the subject of 3.4 million Asian tourist photos. Somewhere a diminutive, fair skinned traveler points out the genitalia of the bovine shaped shrubbery (ala Scissorhands), and covers her mouth to giggle before turning and rushing off in very short, quick steps. And I order another Dos Equis.

A couple of blocks away is the ornate and grandiose Bass Hall. The Hall is big sister to the Maddox Muse Center, which was once slated to host, what was at the time to be, the largest poker tournament in the state of Texas; The Southwest Poker Invitational. Well,… Until the powers that be leaned on us, referencing an obscure liquor license, used for the occasional wedding reception, and shut us down and took tens of thousands of charitable dollars out of play. The call came on Friday; The tournament was scheduled for Sunday. Just like that 325 players and countless deserving beneficiaries of the charitable event were sucked out on at the river. I remember well, because it was my tournament. Go Texas!

Cowboy Capitol: West Texas is ready for big-tourney action.

Some of the more loyal Pokerati readers may recall a post I once penned, telling of my road-trip with Poker Legend, T.J. Cloutier, to a mammoth Texas tournament, held in an “undisclosed location”. While I received many comments and emails asking that I complete the multi-part recounting of the event, I eventually mucked my hand at the request of the Tournament Director, who was concerned about the attention that the post might bring so close to home. I was disappointed. I don’t post often, but when I do, I like to get it all out. And this was a great story about a great Texas tradition; Stephenville’s Annual Cowboy Capitol Poker Tournament, a $300+0 No-Limit Texas Hold’em event that I competed in last month.

For the last 5 years, the Cowboy Capitol Poker Tournament, affectionately referred in Texas poker circles simply as “Stephenville”, has exceeded expectations every year, making it the to-play event in the Lone Star State. This is quite an accomplishment when you are forced to fly slightly under the radar. I say “slightly” while remembering Dan Michalski and myself ~~covertly interviewing~~ chatting with a Sheriff’s Deputy who guarded the door in 2007. It’s even more impressive when you consider that every year this event has been operated as a self-deal tournament, operated entirely by volunteers and with absolutely NO RAKE! It couldn’t be said any better than this cut-n-paste from this year’s tournament invitation:

â€œIt is our love of the game that drives us, friends that encourage us, and stupidity that allows us to take on such an endeavor.â€ – anonymous

Mmm, free beverages at what some are calling the Texas Amateur Poker Championship.

Despite the “Don’t mess with success” mantra of the Capitol’s Tournament Director, “Doc”, this year’s tournament was a great contrast to prior years. To start, the group of volunteers came together to help form a Club. This allowed them to charge an annual club membership fee that would help account for the sizable operational expenses associated with operating an event of this size. In addition, as a Club Member, one would also receive two free meals during the Club’s primary meeting. Tipping and other forms of compensation were strictly prohibited, as proclaimed in the Club Declaration and Membership Application that was received via postal mail by the players of years past.

See, that’s what’s great about “Stephenville”. Once you’re in, you’re in. Speaking as the “city boy” that Doc reminds me I am, I will tell you that once you make your way past the veritable sea of Duallies and enter the steel-fab building in the middle of nowhere,… Much like the new motto of my fair city, “You get it when you get here.”

A big check for the winner goes a long way toward making your poker tournament a success.

This year’s tournament was scheduled on what would be an unseasonably cold day in late March, where temperatures barely peaked 40â„‰. To make matters worse, the South end of the building hosting the event was open-air. A laundry line stretched from one side of the building to the other with huge flags draped to guard players from the elements. Propane fueled turbine heaters littered the floor. In any other tournament, this would have been an abomination. But anybody who’s ever played Stephenville knows that this is Good Ol’ Boy poker at it’s finest. Nobody’s making any money and nobody’s getting rich. Well… Maybe except for the Champion, who’ll pocket 20-30k in hard cash. But the rest of us know that we’re playing in a superbly run, no-rake, volunteer tournament that gives Texas players a chance to test themselves against a semi-major field, with major talent, at a minor price. Go Stephenville!

As in prior years, more than a handful of friends accompanied me out to this year’s tournament, now as Members. Also like prior years, our crew met at IHOP in South Fort Worth at 6:30am to talk shit and negotiate pieces of each. This year’s agreed mutual was 2 percent, which adds up quick.

We fell one by one until only two remained; Myself, and Chris Miller. We broke through the money bubble and entered the final two tables of the 254-person tournament with $137k and $80k, respectively. We would soon both leave the tournament in 12 and 13th, also respectively, taking an average of $1,100 each.

Sixteen hours of tournament poker in a given day is a daunting task for anybody. But if you’re looking to sharpen your skills against a real field, with real players, for real cash… Set course for Stephenville during March of 2010. I’ll see you there with my Pokerati patch on, far from my beloved city and the legal reach of the sensibly challenged.

Congratulations to this year’s Cowboy Capitol Club, Texas Amateur Poker Champion, Sam Washburn of Glenrose!

While I still love Fort Worth, most notably Risky’s Bar-B-Q, I’m going to leave it to our friend Men Nguyen to best explain our Texas Poker appetites…

CSR Report

Karridy — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 01:10:02 +0000

Stephenville: Up to 160. Maybe leader? 32 left. Pays 25.

CSR Report

Karridy — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 22:10:02 +0000

Still in @ Stephenville. 60k @ 1/2k+100

CSR Report

Karridy — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 20:20:01 +0000

Chipleading in Texas Amateur Chapionships. 50k @level 4.

Review: WSOP Poker Academy @ Winstar

Karridy — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 15:37:53 +0000

WSOPA Student Interview

Many Dallas Fort Worth poker players can clearly remember when Winstar didn’t give two hoots about Poker. At that same time, the then soon-to-be ‘big games’ were popping up all over North Texas. Many of those have since come and gone as players come to prefer driving an hour north over getting shot to death. But this alone wasn’t going to do the heavy lifting required to further increase the infamous Texas vs. Oklahoma license plate ratio of the Winstar parking lot. It would take a few years, an upstart tournament series and TV show, and finally one damn nice poker room upgrade. It appears now that the players are taking Winstar as a serious poker venue, so are promoters. Most recently, the WSOP.

Last weekend, I was given the opportunity to join a few dozen amateur players for the most recent installment of the WSOP Poker Academy. This event’s focus was near and dear to my heart; Tournament Strategy. Although I get more than my own fair share of top-notch professional tournament wisdom via poker and biz bud, Tom Schneider, I was very much looking forward to the ever present contrast that would be offered by different pros, including Bernard Lee, Michael Gracz, Greg Raymer, and friends. I would not be disappointed.

I arrived late on day-1, during the live hand demonstrations. This fun and intimate portion of the schedule was clearly where student players would get the most bang for their $1,700 bucks. It wouldn’t have taken Joe Navarro to tell me that the leaned-in, uber attentive players agreed. I was actually surprised with the enthusiasm with which the lessons were provided. It was immediately clear that instructors were really enjoying the opportunity for players’ direct interactions and were making the most of each and every mock hand.

Next up to the podium was Mindset Coach, Sam Chauhan. I’ll start off by saying that I am a big fan of such studies and disciplines as hypnosis, NLP, and Subliminal Persuasive Linguistics. However, I never felt like Chauhan really connected with the audience at a subject matter level. You can rest assured that there were plenty of interesting psych-related facts, stories, and antidotes. But a player looking to relate this specifically to poker would likely miss a lot of the lesson while they silently bridged the gaps in their heads. I think some poker-based scenarios would have been an invaluable application of Chauhan’s prowess and something that student players would have been chomping at the bit to implement. None-the-less, this segment was more than adequate for the amateur player pool, and a very welcomed addition to this informative series.

If you were looking for well explained points on tournament strategy, the Class sessions lead by Mr. Raymer, Lee, and Gracz did not disappoint. While their on-stage microphone tug-o-war’s were occasionally distracting and often led to off-topic insider banter and impromptu prop betting, it was soon clear to me that while I might have wanted to call clock more than once, the student-players were totally eating it up. Additionally, their explanations of the finer points and strategy rationale were very well considered and communicated just as clearly. Even from the back of the class, I could see light bulbs over a sea of regularly nodding and attentive heads.

One of the great bonuses of this series is the Day-1 Tournament, where the player-students get to put freshly sharpened pencils to paper in a live tournament featuring all of the professional instructors. For many, playing in an event of this size (super small) with a WSOP Main Event Champ is worth the price of admission alone. But instead, to the winner goes the following spoils: All expense paid trip to Vegas for a pre-Main Event primer and single-table satellite into the big show, and paid entry into the WSOPA Tournament of Champions, Free WSOPA entry for the event of their choice, and a shiny new pair of Oakleys. Not bad!

While I later went on to win the tournament, which was very exciting, it’s certainly the people, camaraderie, and insta-friends that stole the show for me. In fact, I’ve already been in email contact with a few of them who I very much enjoyed meeting and are looking forward to reading this post. As it turns out, all of these events seem to create the same environment, explained a member of the staff.

If that’s true, I’m definitely looking forward to my next WSOP Academy! If you see me there, say Hello. I’ll be the guy at the final table with the Pokerati patch on.

CSR Report

Karridy — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 01:20:02 +0000

Pokeratizen, Waldo, is dealing for me at the WSOP Academy tourney.

CSR Report

Karridy — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 21:30:01 +0000

Listening to Mindset Coach, Sam Chauhan, at WSOP Academy @ Winstar. Good Stuff.

Congrats, Allen Carter! – WPT Champ

Karridy — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 18:59:49 +0000

After spending quite a bit of time as the small stack, Dallas’ own Allen Carter bested the most recent WPT Final table at the Southern Poker Championship in Biloxi, MS, taking home $1,000,000, an entry into the WPT Championship, and his first major bracelet. This win also marked his first 6-figure drag.

Allen is a member of a very elite group of poker players. Not because of his new bracelet or his arguable transition to pro ranks. It actually has little to do with how he plays, but more to do with why he plays. In my opinion, there are about 5 different kinds of players. Let me also note that I recognize that the majority of players belong to more than one of each.

1) Those who play for fun (Think Guy Laliberte)

Even his txt msgs have the right attitude.

2) Those who play for profit (Tom Schneider)
3) Those who play for action (Dan Michalski)
4) Those who play because of addiction (Endless list)
5) Those who play for lack of better options (Think tomorrow’s Madsen and other young guns turn college drop-outs of today)
…and finally…
6) Those who play purely for competition (Allen Carter)

I first met Allen in ’06 in the DFW airport, waiting to board a flight to the WSOP. He had won an entry into the Main Event through and online tournament. Actually, I should be clear,… He won FOUR entries. Pretty awesome in its own right, but totally redonkulous if you consider that he did all of it in only 6 attempts! And I believe that I remember he also came in 2nd in another one of those events.

You can’t enjoy success like that if you can’t commit yourself completely and exclusively to a single player category. And in case it isn’t obvious, the only two categories capable of supporting such are 1) Profit and 2) Competition. Allen has expressed to me multiple times that competition is his only reason for playing. Without that, he simply won’t play.

I understand that this philosophy almost completely contradicts the principles of the only other successful player category, profit, where you try to find the juiciest and softest game available. But maybe what Allen has figured out is that as long as you have enough water in the sports bottle (bankroll), you should always opt to play against the young, tall, black team, and never against the short, white, computer nerd, poker enthusiasts. Because with poker, unlike any other sport, you can put yourself or find yourself in the ‘big game’ at any time. This time it was a white, 40-something, former CPA from Dallas who prepared for and conquered the biggest game of his life. While he was preparing, you were checking your fish lists and looking for the softest SnG’s you could find.

Winstar: K-train goes off the rails

Karridy — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 20:32:16 +0000

…Actually, I’m just the opposite. I went out middle, at level 6. Four PP’s (55,77,99,QQ). I hit one flop, never saw a turn all day, much less a river. Never played a loser through… until about 10 minutes ago. Never been so card dead. *cry,bitch,moan,walk*

Shawn Rice is nursing a short stack of about 7k, as we enter $400/$800+$75. We are at that pivotal point where all you can hear is “Seat Open on X”.

As I noted in a comment to a prior post, one player actually advanced with a single chip. That drive will suck. Another player advanced with ZERO, after coming in 2nd in a 3-way all-in. No word on whether he has to drive in to collect.

I still can’t get my hands on yesterday’s survivors. I’m packing it up and going home. The media table is now officially empty. (Again)

Winstar: Thursday, Last Day 1

Karridy — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 15:24:58 +0000

According to Craig’s list, the Winstar Thrusday chips are a hot property, as people are asking $3,000-$5,000 for the sold-out $2,100 seats. I’m curious as to how many of those folks are having any luck. Comments? Anybody? Personally, I’m not seeing any deals working and am thinking that there will be a lot of late comers who couldn’t flip their chip.

Thursday is starting up the TV crew is running about. I’ve requested Survivor updates for Wednesday and should have those later today. I would already have posted them, but the person with the goods told me that he didn’t want to walk over to the poker room and get it. He’s a nice enough guy, but when, oh when will Winstar figure out that there’s live “Beyond The Tent”. (Is that domain available?)

Updates to come.

Winstar: TBR Live

Karridy — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 02:06:20 +0000

While I hate to push down Dan’s post on the HardRock, here’s some video goodness from the Pokerati people who still give a damn about ~~Texas~~ Oklahoma.

Winstar: Survivors Update

Karridy — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:18:01 +0000

Here’s the survivor data thus far. I’m pretty surprised that I don’t recognize more names than I do. One name that we’ll all know and didn’t make this leader list is that of Mr. Scott Clements, who enters the Saturday play-down with $68,000.

I’m not gonna be here long, but I’ll try to get a chipleader update and at least one interview. Like I’ve told the folks here, without more up-front coordination with online media, their coverage is going to be sparse, if anything. If I had brought my camera, I’d show you the lonely “press table”. But picture this: There’s one semi-handsome fellow seated there all by himself. …And I can shit in his pants. Cumon, Winstar!

Betting on Winstar/Harrah’s

Karridy — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:11:37 +0000

As Dan has informed me, my gambling has become a problem. However, the compulsive gambling that I’ve been accused of takes place nowhere near a casino. And quite honestly, in this game of roulette, I’m betting on the house.

Pokery Domains I own… And, yes, would consider selling

*** Oklahoma Poker ***
REDRIVERROUNDUP.COM/.NET – I don’t think Winstar abandoned this one after the rebranding. I’m thinking they never thought to buy it.
WINSTARBLOG.COM – Not bad. I actually know the guy who bought WinstarPoker.com,.net, etc. He’s somewhat to blame for my addiction.
OKIEPOKER.COM
OKPOKERBLOG.COM,.NET
CHEROKEEPOKERBLOG.COM,.NET
CHOCTAWBLOG.COM,.NET
CHOCTAWLIVE.COM,.NET
INDIANPOKERBLOG.COM,.NET
INDIANPOKERNEWS.COM,.NET

*** WSOP/Harrahs ***
THENOVEMBERNINE.NET,.CO.UK,.INFO,.ORG,.TV – Not sure why somebody doesn’t buy all versions of the domain. Didn’t they learn anything from the WSOP.com ownership battles?
THENOVEMBER9.NET,.CO.UK,.INFO,.ORG,.TV
THENOVNINE.COM,.NET,.INFO
THENOV9.COM,.NET,.INFO

*** Texas Poker ***
TXPOKERBLOG.COM,.NET
TEXASPOKERBLOG.COM,.NET
NORTHTEXASPOKER.COM

*** Misc Poker ***
BACKERTRACKER.COM
ANTEESTABLISHMENT.COM,.NET,.ORG
ANTEEST.COM,.NET,.ORG
BANKROLL101.COM
HOWIWIN.COM
HOWUWIN.COM

*** Poker People ***
DAVEBENEFIELD.COM
HOTCHIPSPOKER.COM
TIFFANY-HOTCHIPS-MICHELLE.COM
TIFFANYHOTCHIPS.COM
TIFFMICHELLE.COM

Pokeramic: World Series of Dealers

Karridy — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 20:08:55 +0000

Photo(s) by Danm

Now if I just had about 8 more LCD’s… this would make a hell of a multi-monitor wallpaper. Let us know if any of you guys want the 9.4mb Hi-Res version.

Please check out this gallery at Harrah’s Sports Entertainment!

Karridy — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 03:20:08 +0000

Click on the link to go to the gallery.

CSR

Karridy — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 23:34:02 +0000

I’m in the terminal and Vegas Bound. Keep up at http://Twitter.com/Karridy

CSR Report

Karridy — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 17:12:03 +0000

Dan likes boys

Cartoon-erati: Good Read?

Karridy — Thu, 22 May 2008 21:39:41 +0000

All aboard the K-Train. Woo-woo!

Karridy — Wed, 21 May 2008 04:34:15 +0000

…Okay, that title may be the single gayest line I’ve ever typed. My bad. I’m draining Dos Equis and blogging via Hooters WiFi.

I’m about to fire off an email to friends, family, etc., inviting them to take a piece of me in a second $1,500 NLHE Event, which I wasn’t originally planning on playing. I’m actually interested to hear your opinions on how I’m handling the two-event split and the Main Event equity parlay.

Check out the details at my super-new personal blog (blog.karridy.com), and let me know if you think I’m drawing dead.

ALT HED: For sale: BackerTracker.com – $1,500