Winner

As you probably know by now, Negreanu ended up winning $755k for first place at the WSOP Circuit Main Event in Tunica. He played very well, just ask him.

Another $10K Event in Tunica

Danny Negreanu, who has followed the best stretch of tournament poker ever in 2004 and early 2005 with a slump that has his critics questioning his committment and ability to adapt his play, is close to breaking through. To put it in perspective, Negreanu has made around 30K less than TBR in tournament play over the last 10 months. As Day 3 continues at the WSOP Circuit Main Event in Tunica, 21 players remain (top 18 make the money) and Negreanu is among the chip leaders. You can follow the action here.

WPTunica

They've battled to the final 6 at the WPT Event at the Goldstrike in Tunica. Heavyweights Scotty Nguyen, Michael Mizrachi, An Tran and Gavin Smith (TBR + Gavin = Love) are still alive battling for the nearly $1,000,000 first prize. Just missing the final table was Dallasite and Pokerati Man Crush Rodeen Talebi, who has to settle for 8th place and $50,342.

Alt Hed: When Man Crushes Collide

UPDATE - NGUYEN WINS

Rankings

Here they are. If you like them and wish to make a positive comment, please address it to me. If you are unhappy, offended, irritated or embarrassed, please contact Shane. If you aren't a batface and don't like inside-jokes and gay porn, I suggest you go elsewhere.

Also, PI 8th place finisher Zach B (Son of Sue) was not ranked due to excessive absence from the home game in 2005. Had he been ranked, I'm sure he would have made the top 17.

The Reason for This Site's Existence

The Batfaces played in a tournament Saturday and did poorly. One year ago, we would have detailed this on Dan Michalski's web site. The reason The Batfaces site exists is because most of us are fascinated by how the confluence of math, personality, and luck conspire to make poker so addictive. The reason this site exists is to explore this (as well as to chronicle other poker-related b.s.), and Dan, bless his heart, isn't capable of understanding this. He believes if you win, you are good, and if you lose, you are bad, and that is the heart of what makes posts such as this so funny, in a sad sorta way. Taking my play as an example, he doesn't realize that I played better in this tournament than I did in a 50-person Platinum Room tourney a few weeks back, even though I came in fourth in the PR tourney. To him, that is impossible. To place 25th is worse than placing 4th, therefore you must have played worse. To argue this point with him is to argue with an anthropomorphic bong.

Quick example of how results don't indicate good decisions: I went out in 25th-or-so place in both this weekend's tourney and the TBR tourney last year. Both times I was all-in pre-flop with 99s against A-10 suited. Both times a 10 came on the flop and I was out. In the TBR, I played the hand horribly and felt awful. Here, I played it the only way I could and got out-raced.

At the TBR, I was in early position and, for some reason (scared of everyone behind me, looking to hit a monster if I tripped up, something stupid like that) simply called the BB. Three others called before Adam raised it in late position. Now, I should have folded here with everyone to act behind me. OR I should have raised before the turn and had a better read of what was going on. I did neither, obviously. At this point, I re-raised all-in, was called by A-10 behind me (who thought I was trying to steal), and I lost heads-up. I hated the way I played the hand.

Saturday, however, it was pretty simple: I had been crippled when someone decided that, even with Kings, he was going to push all in after the flop with an ace and after I raised all-in. He was in fuck-it, go home mode, and so even though I made a sound play to represent the ace, I didn't take his mood into account and was properly punished for it. After that, I only have 5 times the BB, so when I see 99, I push in, am called by A-10 suited, 10 comes, that's life.

At the TBR, I played a hand poorly and was punished. At the Invitational on Saturday, my biggest poor decision was not to re-raise a too-aggressive player in an earlier post-flop situation, which would have given me enough chips to survive the mis-read I made on the guy ready to push and go home. Seemingly similar last hands and place-finishes had nothing to do with a self-evaluation of my play.

I hate 2006

So far in the year 2006, I have yet to win at our home game, lost twice on the river in heads up, won once in heads up, but that was against Dan, and came in 49th out of 50th place in the Pokerati Invitational. I have been criticized, well deserved, for my poorly written blogs. I guess Todd has been right all along, I suck at poker and doubly suck writing about it.

One thing I do find interesting is that our esteemed colleague, Dan, hosted that great tournament this weekend and wrote about it on his web page. The only problem was that he had no problem listing how terrible most of The Batfaces did, but he didn't mention who won the tournament. Only Karridy, who was runner up. Did I miss something? If I did, I'm sure someone will let me know.

Tournament Weekend

This weekend we have the competing web page who sometimes break stories before us, invitational tournament Saturday. Expecting around 70 people including most of the batfaces. Also, we should have the results of the annual batface rankings. Should make for lots of good blogging in the next week.

My new Gavin

I've been reading his blog for a long time, and it keeps getting better and better, especially if you play a lot of tournies online. Spend a few minutes scrolling through his poker journal when you have a chance. Warning: very mathy for having.

Hey Matt, can we put him on our helpy links list?

Because Pokerati hasn't gotten to it

Plano's Gregg Merkow won another tourney in Tunica. Not a bad return on his $500. You wonder why his name sounds familiar. It's because he was mentioned here about a month ago.

Why does Southwest make it so easy to get to Vegas?

Somehow in the midst of Rose Bowl celebration in Pasadena, I decided that it would be a good idea to spend a couple more days celebrating in Vegas before returning to Dallas. Less than six hours later I was watching Gus Hansen, Johnny Chan, Sam Farha, Chip Reese and David Benyamine eat breakfast in the Bellagio Poker Room. I played little poker on Thursday as I caught up on sleep and sobriety. Despite the distractions that Vegas provides, I planned on Friday being a day of solid, if not spectacular Tiny B poker. Caesars' new poker room was the setting for a noon $130 tourney that Freeze and I entered. I ran over my table for the first two levels (40 minute levels) running my starting stack of 4,500 to over 15K until I lost consecutive hands with QQ, the second time all-in pre-flop against KK. Back around par, I was unable to make anything happen and finished 16th or so in the 40 person field. Acording to Freeze, the story of this tournament was Freeze, who finished in an even four-way chop that resulted in a $1000+ pay day. Later that night/the next morning while I was giving away money at the blackjack table, Freeze asked no less than a dozen times if I was going to blog about his victory. He played very well, a game with which I didn't think he was familiar. He only got lucky once and made two huge laydowns that kept him alive. It must have been his week, because I even witnessed him have a winning blackjack session later that evening.
Shane, who was rumored to be in Vegas working, finally left his clients long enough to appear Friday night in time to join me at Caesars for the evening $230 tourney. Once again, four spots were being paid from the 35ish entry field. I have no doubts that eventually we'll see a People You Meet column from Shane regarding a couple of the idiots at our first table. Shane was knocked out in 14th by a three-outer on the river. He handled it graciously by screaming Fuck Me! very loudly after being away from the table for 30 seconds or so. I finished in 7th after being crippled with AQ against QQ. We also watched the Mavs win by 2 at Denver while giving up 2.5, which sucked.
The big side game at Caesars was a $400/$800 limit game of Badugi. An interesting group, including Eskimo Clark, Billy Baxter, David Grey, Allen Cunningham and WSOP bad boy Shawn Sheikhan spent all day at the Badgui table. Can't wait to get Rogers in a game of Badugi after watching his head almost explode the first time he played Omaha.

Live Poker Dallas Style

Looks like T.J. Cloutier is getting on the live poker bandwagon. He is hosting a tournament at Gilley's in Dallas in February. The Batfaces might have to lower themselves and actually go to Gilley's to play.

Hook Em

As Gentle Shane and I walked into the Rounder Club tourney, I told him that I plan to play perfect poker and win all races in 2006. Not sure about the first part, but the second part worked out pretty well as I won the 88 player event on Monday night. After chopping the majority of the top two prizes, I was able to defeat Rounder Club President? GM? Czar? Don in the solid heads up battle that lasted 40-50 hands. I think this is a good sign for the Horns.

UT 37
SC 34

Big game for Jamal Charles.

I Blow

Sitting here at my old buddy Scott Fawcett's for his new year's batch just trying to figure out when I can sneak home. Honestly, I'm glad to put 2005 to bed, since it was something of an ambiguous year for me.

Anyway, here's hoping that 2006 treats you all well and that poker karma finally catches up with me.