It's that time again Ladies and Gentlemen...
For the third straight year I'll be competing in "a charity" poker event connected with the Green Tie Ball.
The first attempt was successful (to put it extremely lightly as chronicled in my September 2006 blog post), but last year's attempt was much less enjoyable.
This is happening much earlier in the year than I was expecting. Usually the preliminary event is held just shy of a fortnight before the Green Tie Ball (which is in late September). But the organizers of the Green Tie Ball are having more pre-event fundraisers - and you can't blame them for it based on the huge success of this poker event. The other events aren't poker related, but Chicago Gateway Green (the organizers) are scheduling the poker event first because its the most established (IMO).
The shakedown is Wednesday June 11. I've got one week to boil the nerves out of my system. Thankfully, by then I'll be armed with the new My Morning Jacket album Evil Urges:
(Head's Up! Most of the new album is available to listen to RIGHT NOW on their MySpace page as an "exclusive")
Yeah, I'm on record as stating that The Chicago Gateway Green is the worst charity ever. Yes, I even said they were worse than P.E.T.A. to a coworker a few days ago. Sadly, it probably plays a role why not too many people will be at this tournament. It doesn't get a lot of exposure and the earlier date may also keep the competing field small. All this works in my favor of course.
I truly believe I'm playing the best poker of my life right now. Two months ago I had a setback at an Elks Lodge tournament that really made me put my mindset into focus. Since that collapse in which I roller-coasted my chip stack wildly and KNOWING I was tilting but still played crap hands, I've regrouped. Never before have I been this patient and had control of pot size in hands that I play. Luck is becoming less and less of a factor every time I play... But that's a war no poker player can avoid a casualty. It's been the cause of my tournament life the last two attempts at this charade.
(another large, deep breath)
Sometimes I want to run over the table next Wednesday in true madman fashion. Raising everything and putting full scale pressure on anybody who thinks about getting to a pot with me. Sometimes I think I just have to hope the hands come quicker than last year.
Just get me to the final table - I'll make my own luck and get to Vegas for the 2009 Main Event.
