Heartless BastardsI am going to have to follow asphnxma’s lead. My temp gig has just shut down internet access for all of the click-monkey drones on my project. A tedious job is about to become unbearable.
I’m not sure what this means, since Rick is either on hiatus, or he is very, very upset about the election. Either way, he hasn’t blogged in a few days, and leaving the task to me is going to result in a lot of these half-assed late night posts. So here’s what I’ve got for you. (It’s actually not a bad post. I cover lots of topics.):
First, a comment on the Democratic Party. It seems that one of the reactions to the nationwide ass-kicking the party took is to tack right on issues like abortion and gay marriage. Surrender? Is that the best that the party can come up with? Throughout the election season the Democrats were criticized for being French. Who knew that Vichy France was the real model. Can’t this party get anything right? Bah. Back to talking about me.
I batted .500 today on stage. I think this may have been the first time that I did two shows in one night. It was interesting to see the contrast in reactions. The 7PM show at The Duplex went very well. The Duplex gets a real audience, and a real audience is usually a lure for some good comics. (How do you build an audience for an open mic? -ed Apparently two-for-one drinks during happy hour.) I did a solid six minute set and was invited back for next week. The show at The Village Lantern? Not so good. I hung out with some pals, but I didn’t get on until half the room left. And then I just sort of mailed it in. A callback joke I wanted to open with fell apart when the comic I was calling back to left while I was waiting to perform. The concept of a slightly stale alternative opening (that worked at The Duplex) was met with silence and I didn’t have the heart to follow through and just tell the joke. BOOOO, Ugarte! If I’m going to do this (and I am) I am going to have to develop a little more follow through. As another sad appendix, at both shows I screwed up a joke I wrote that afternoon about my lack of internet access, but I think there is something there and I will find it.
After the show I headed up to A.M. for a little no-limit ring (blinds at .25/.50). I know that my poker writing has been sparse lately. That’s because I haven’t been playing often, and when I have I haven’t been playing well. I haven’t been playing often because I am performing on tournament night, and the guys moved the side game from Monday night(convenient!) to Sunday night (not so much). And I’ve been getting killed on the river on Party Poker. (On the upside, Zinester finished 114th out of more than 1500 in the “New Player” tournament after she started a Party account. And she has been cashing at a high rate in the $5+1 SNGs into which she has tentatively dipped her toe. Oh Lord, what have I done.)
Tonight was pretty good, though. I bought in for $20 and quickly frittered away $8 before things turned around. Pocket Kings turned into a set on the flop, and they held up after I reraised all-in. On the next hand, I got pocket Aces. I raised to $2, JCatz reraised to $5 and I pushed. JCatz quickly called with AK (he is both an excellent player AND a gambler) and let out a healthy “Fuck!” when he saw the bullets. Eights fell on the flop and an Ace on the turn gave me the boat. And suddenly I’m sitting on almost $50.
I finished the night with $35. It could have been much worse. On three separate hands I caught a piece of the flop but laid down the hand when JCatz, sitting on my immediate left, pushed in behind me. On all three hands he had me beat. I am mostly very happy with my play here.
Hand one, A5 vs. A4. I knew my ace was better than his (With a 5? -ed. Yes.), but the four on the river scared me. And I was right.
Hand two, K3 vs. 8x. The flop was K88. I bet $2 and he called. The turn was a brick. I bet another $4 and then called the raise to $10. With the eights, I figured even if I was outkicked, the board would make the kickers moot. The river wasn’t high enough for me to feel good about my kicker, though, so I laid it down when he pushed. I probably shouldn’t have called the turn, but dodged a bullet when I folded the river.
Hand three, Q4 vs. QT. Again I caught TPNK in the blind and bet from early position. This may not seem like the sharpest thing to do, but JCatz will bet with nothing if he senses weakness. If you don’t try to get information by betting, you may as well just fold because a bet is coming in behind you and Q4 is just not a calling hand. He called the flop and then raised me on the turn. I knew my 4 was no good, and again I got away.
Anyone can play KK or AA by getting all of their chips into the middle. I’m glad I was able to read that I was beat and get away from some very dangerous hands. Now if only I could do this online…
My first comedy connection through poker with the improv crew: one of the players helps run a Thursday night show at R Bar in Williamsburgh. I can’t make it tomorrow or Thanksgiving, but I’ll be there on December 2. It will go on the schedule soon.
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