A Night To Remember

  I was looking back at some of my old posts recently and I noticed all the ones about my results in poker tournaments have been about losses. You all must think I'm pretty bad at poker because my tournament finishes have been fairly disappointing. True, I only play a handful per year, but its been over 4 years since I've cashed. This past Sunday would change all that.

  Berkshire Poker's latest stop was at the Polish Community Center in Pittsfield. Buy-in was $85 (I forgot to pre-register) and had about 30 players. We started with 12,000 in chips. The first hour started slow. The dealer at my table had never played cards in his life and he couldn't shuffle. His girlfriend stood behind him and shuffled a 2nd deck while he dealt. He was a good guy though and he caught on quickly. The only hand I had in the first hour of play worth talking about was when I had A-K. Blinds were 100/200 and I made a raise to 1000. The guy to my left called and we saw a flop of 2-4-5. I bet 2000 and after thinking for a minute or two, he folded K-K face up. I literally almost shat myself. He had somehow convinced himself that I had Aces and declared it was too early to start messing around with K-K. I said nothing.

  At the first break I had 14,400 in chips and a new table with an extremely competent dealer who knew how to move the game along. Hour 2 wasn't much different from Hour 1. I held my own and continued to be patient. I sat at 16,900 going into the 2nd break.

  Hour 3 was insane. Sitting on about 16,000  I picked up A-Q offsuit in the big blind. There were 2 limpers in for 1000 each. I moved all-in and was promptly called by both players! Crap! I thought. Here we go again right? Imagine my surprise when they both turned over the same hand: A-J. Boom! After that hand I was sitting on 45,000 and into the driver's seat I went.

  A few hands later the guy who laid down K-K to me busted out and begged me to tell him what I had. "You had Aces right?", he asked. "No.", I replied/lied. "I had 4-4 for a set. You made a good laydown." There was no way in hell I was telling this kid the truth about what I had. Courtesy or no courtesy, I may have to play with him again someday. (More on this coming up in future posts). Hopefully he's not reading my blog. Ha! If so, sorry kid. Now ya know though. ;)

  I made the final table somewhat comfortably. I think I was running 3rd or 4th in chips with 10 to go and 4 people paid. Then, it happened. The ultimate suckout. Once again I had A-Q and moved all-in for about 45,000. I was called by a gentlemen two seats to my left who only had about 14 or 15000 so I had him covered in chips, but not in cards as he held the deadly A-A. Ouch! Flop was K-4-J. The 10 hit the turn giving me broadway. A meaningless 7 hit the river and he was busto. Terrible I know. I've had that type of thing happen to me many times (see previous posts) and I felt his pain. Still, I couldn't help but grin. Break 3 arrived shortly after and my stack sat at 53,500.

  We decided when we got to 6 handed that 5th place would get $50 back. A nice gesture and I gladly contributed. 6 players left and 5th would be considered a cash. My stack was modest and there was no need to rush things. I eventually grinded down to 3 handed play. Sweet eh? Only problem was I only had 30,000 chips left and blinds were 5000/10000. I was already thinking about what I was gonna have for dinner to celebrate my 3rd place finish when I went all-in with A-2 and was called by the kid on my left with A-9. Board ran out 6-10-4-2-4. 60,000 now. A couple hands later I moved with K-9 and was called by the same kid with J-10. K-9 held and now I was over 100,000 and very much back in it. I eventually got heads-up and was behind in chips. Before the first hand was even dealt, the guy offered to split the remaining money evenly and I gladly accepted. He got credit for 1st place, but I didn't care. Not like we get a trophy, or better yet, a gold bracelet. $490 was a nice payout. I threw Barry The Dealer a 10 spot and out the door I went. The monkey (or APE as I like to refer to him) was finally off my back. Not only was it a cash, but first place money! See? I DO know how to play.

  One interesting footnote: I was not dealt A-A, K-K, or Q-Q the entire tournament. Who needs good cards to win?
 

My Saturday at Skyline

   Skyline Country Club was the venue for Berkshire Poker's most recent charity tourney benefiting the Lanesborough Tree & Forest Committee. The buy-in was $75 and 25 people showed up to play. To say that I was card dead at this one would be a gross understatement. To be dead one must have been alive at some point. Didn't happen on this day. In 2 hours of play, I played a total of 2 hands. In the 3rd hour, hanging on for dear life, I doubled up with A-J vs K-Q. Even with that double up, I was still short-stacked. I just never got going. Eventually, with just 2 big blinds left (2000/4000) I picked up A-2 and ran into A-A! Ouch! Really not much to write about here. Sometimes you just don't get any cards, and there is simply nothing you can do. Despite the dismal run, I still managed to finish 11th. Imagine how well I could have done if I actually got a hand or two! I was happy with how I played, but I made one crucial mistake (not that it would have mattered) on the hand right before the 2nd break. I picked up 6-6 on the button and was contemplating whether or not to go all-in, when the moron to my left went all-in out of turn. He acted out of turn 3 times in fact! I folded my 6's and would have flopped quads. Nothing pisses me off more in poker than when people act out of turn. If it happens once it's fine, but when it happens more than that, it's inexcusable. I'm not blaming this cesspool of idiocy for my misfortune, but c'mon man! Pay attention!!!


   Anywho, my next planned tourney is the $10,000 guarantee at Mohegan Sun the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Buy-in is $120. Stay tuned for the results! Till then...

Bloody Mohegan Sunday

 

   My hopes were high as my friend Matt and I descended upon Mohegan Sun yesterday for their 5pm $120 super-stack No-Limit Hold 'Em tourney. Starting stack was 20K with 20 minute blinds. A much better structure than what I'm used to playing which favors the patient more conservative players. My mindset going in was to play small-ball in the early levels, then open up my game as the blinds increased. Deep into level 3 (75/150), I picked up Q-Q two seats to the right of the button. There were two limpers in front of me so I decided to raise it to 600. The button called as did one of the two limpers. The 3 of us saw a flop of 2-3-4 rainbow. The limper checked and I bet 1200 only to be raised by the button to 6025. The limper folded and it was decision time for me. Calling his bet was out of the question. I was out of position and I didn't want to get bet off the hand on the turn. I took a few moments to try and figure out what he had. K-K and A-A seemed unlikely. He probably would have re-raised pre-flop with those two hands. A set of 2's 3's or 4's? Maybe, but why raise on the flop? He probably would have smooth called my 1200 bet to entice me to bet more on the turn or river (at least that's what I would do). A-5 or 6-5? Again, why raise with the straight on the flop? You smooth call there to try to get more moola in the middle. There were no flush possibilities, so my final conclusion was a pair of 5's or 6's or A-K or A-Q. His raise seemed fishy to me like he wanted me off the hand cause he didn't know where he stood. I decided to raise all-in. My opponent snap-called with (if you guessed it you get a gold star!) 6-6! Ha! I had him right where I wanted him! Until the 5 hit the turn and I was out in 49th place out of 50. Felted again! Ugh! For the record, Matt finished 12th making another one of his patented deep runs. 8 were paid. His bust-out hand came when he moved all-in with K-J from the SB only to be called by the BB holding K-Q. (His sting wore off quickly however when, on our way out, he bet a $100 chip on black in roulette and it came up 15 black).

   This sparked a debate between the two of us at lunch this afternoon. If you're gonna bust out of a tournament, would you rather be ahead and get sucked out on? Or would you rather be behind the whole way? Basically, which one of us should be more frustrated? Now, for those of you who don't know me, I'm a very positive person, and for those of you that do know me, stop laughing. :) In all seriousness, the first 12-24 hours of a bust-out, I'm a terribly woeful and negative person, but after the natural frustration wears off and I've had time to honestly assess my play, reality sets back in. This is my thinking on it. I would MUCH rather be ahead and take a bad beat than be behind from the beginning. Bad beats hurt a lot more in the short-term. No doubt. But being behind from the start means I made a play that I shouldn't have, or wouldn't have had I known my opponent's hand. If someone had told me before I went all-in that my opponent had 6-6 to my Q-Q, I STILL would have gone all-in! Right play wrong result is better than wrong play. I think the reason my frustration level is so high when I go broke, is that I'm (almost) always AHEAD when it happens! At least at the end of the day I can feel comfortable blaming the "Poker Gods" for my loss, rather than myself. And that will always keep me coming back for more.

NBA Fantasy Results and more

Well readers the NBA is back and so is my 2012-13 fantasy team Benny's Ballers. No money on this one. Just a standard Yahoo! public league. I picked 7th out of 12.


Round 1- Josh Smith (Atl- SF,PF)
Round 2- Brandon Jennings (Mil- PG)
Round 3- Paul Pierce (Bos- SF)
Round 4- Joe Johnson (Bkn- SG,SF)
Round 5- Roy Hibbert (Ind- C)
Round 6- Carlos Boozer (Chi- PF,C)
Round 7- David West (Ind- PF)
Round 8- Jose Calderon (Tor- PG)
Round 9- Lou Williams (Atl- PG,SG)
Round 10- Brandon Bass (Bos- PF,C)
Round 11- Andre Miller ( Den- PG,SG)
Round 12- Dorell Wright (Phi- SG,SF)
Round 13- Jamal Crawford (LAC- PG,SG)

You won't see too many of these guys highlighting Sportscenter (other than Smith and Pierce), but it seems like it should be a decent playoff team. It's tough picking from the middle. Last year it got me 4th place.

In other fantasy news, the NFL team sits at 4-4 in a two-way tie for 1st in the division. I've earned $70 back on it so far. Long way to go though.

And still in other news, I'm playing in the $120 buy-in tourney at Mohegan Sun this coming Sunday. Sandy kept me from going Monday night and the itch to play is unbearable. Also, next Saturday (11/10/12) I'll be playing in a Berkshire Poker charity tourney benefiting the Lanesborough Tree & Forest Committee. Stay tuned to my blog for results! Till then...

MLB Playoff Picks Round 1

Detroit over Oakland in 3.

Reds over San Francisco in 4.

New York over Baltimore in 4.

Washington over St. Louis in 5.

Detroit was my pre-season pick to win the World Series so I'm sticking with them till the end. Stay tuned for the next round's picks! Till then...

Fantasy Football and Baseball Update

Well 3 weeks into the NFL season and my money team (Gridiron Goose) is 1-2. The only good news is my 1 win made me $20 for being 2nd overall in points this week. Stafford has started slow and may not play Sunday. Fred Jackson was hurt in the 1st quarter of week 1. Marques Colston has been disappointing as has Justin Blackmon, Shonn Greene and the San Francisco defense. It's still early though and I'm 1 game back in my division. The team I'm playing next was the leader in points this week. Ugh.

While my 3 NFL teams are all 1-2, and I'm out in my Survivor league (friggin Patriots!), my fantasy baseball team finished in 1st place for the second year in a row. Everyone stayed relatively healthy and that helped a lot. I actually tied the team I played in my first playoff matchup, but won the tiebreaker for having a better head-to-head record against him in the regular season. Then rolled through the finals. Going for the trifecta next year baby!


Stay tuned for my MLB playoff predictions coming next week!

Fantasy Football 2012 Draft Results

Well the results are in and I couldn't be happier with how the draft went. I had the 10th pick out of 12 teams. So without further adieu...

Round 1- Matt Stafford, QB, Detroit Lions

Round 2- Julio Jones, WR, Atlanta Falcons

Round 3- Fred Jackson, RB, Buffalo Bills

Round 4- Mike Wallace, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

Round 5- Marques Colston, WR, New Orleans Saints

Round 6- Shonn Greene, RB, New York Jets

Round 7- Justin Blackmon, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars

Round 8- San Francisco 49ers Defense

Round 9- Kevin Smith, RB, Detroit Lions

Round 10- Nate Washington, WR, Tennessee Titans

Round 11- Fred Davis, TE, Washington Redskins

Round 12- Alex Smith, QB, San Francisco 49ers

Round 13- Jason Hanson, K, Detroit Lions

Round 14- Brandon LaFell, WR, Carolina Panthers

Round 15- Pittsburgh Steelers Defense

Round 16- Randall Cobb, WR, Green Bay Packers

This team is built to win and win it will. Assuming I don't get plagued with injuries, I think this team has a legitimate chance to win the league. My first 4 picks are solid, and Colston is a STEAL in Round 5! I took a chance on Blackmon, drafted the NFL's number one defense early, and got a few sleepers in the later rounds. All in all, no mistakes I thought. Some of the other owners are gonna have a hard time this year. One guy had two quarterbacks with byes on the same week! Yikes! I can't wait for the season to start! Until then...

A Summer Recap

   So Labor Day is fast approaching, and as busy as I've been lately I finally found some time to reflect on my summer. Bearfest in Easthampton, kayaking, a 311 concert in Hartford, PechaKucha (Japanese for chit-chat) at the Berkshire Museum, and a wild game of horseshoes at a friend's party were the main highlights. There was only one thing I didn't get a chance to do and that was play poker. A couple of small home games and that was it. The itch is becoming tougher to scratch as the bankroll continues to grow. Just shy of $6000 now. Almost bankrolled to play the $120 deep stack tourneys at the casinos. Soon enough.

   Even though I haven't played much poker, it doesn't mean I haven't found something to throw money down on. This Thursday is my first Fantasy Football draft for real money. The buy-in was steep even by my standards. $235 to be exact. I know! The investment has some real potential to payoff though. 12 teams, 5 paid at the end of the season. 4 playoff teams and one "Toilet Bowl" winner of the 8 non-playoff teams. $700 for 1st, $430 for 2nd, $300 for 3rd, $250 for 4th and $150 to the winner of the "Toilet Bowl". Plus there are weekly prizes for the top 3 point getters. $30 for 1st, $20 for 2nd, and $10 for 3rd. I've been doing my homework and I think I'm ready. I'll be posting my draft results this weekend.  I wish my Fantasy Baseball league was for money as I currently reside in 1st place with one week to go before the fantasy playoffs. I have a pretty good chance to win my 2nd consecutive title.

   All in all it's been a decent summer. Jackie had knee surgery recently so recreational activities may be slowing down for us a bit, but that just means we both have more time to plan our well-deserved vacation. Right now the ever-growing list includes Costa Rica, St.Croix, the Bahamas, and Bermuda. Perhaps a cruise as well. Stay tuned for updates on more possible vacation destinations as well as my Fantasy Football draft results. Until then...

   

   

Finally!

Well, it took a year (almost to the day), but my first poker goal has been achieved. My bankroll has at last reached $5000. It took 3 jobs and a lot of small home game wins to get here, but it's done. Ironically, the richest prize in poker history will be given away today at the WSOP. The Big One for 1 Drop, a 1 million dollar buy-in tourney, concludes today with the winner getting 18.3 million. 

I see building a bankroll from scratch much like building a car. My car cost $5000 to build, but now it needs some gas or it just sits in my garage and goes nowhere. Just like in real life, fuel is expensive. The maximum I will put on a tournament with a bankroll this size is $100 (2 percent). Cash game max is $250 (5 percent). Sit-N-Go max is $160-$170 (30 buy-ins). So, to answer the many "what now" questions I will inevitably face from my friends and family: it's time to make some gas money so I can take this car for a spin!

Frustrated Incorporated

I arrived at Berkshire Hills Country Club on Sunday ready to play some A-game poker. It was Rock's Relay For Life poker tournament benefiting the American Cancer Society. The buy-in was $110. There were 62 entries and 8 players were slated to make the money. 

My first table was pretty stingy. There wasn't a lot of talking (except for the guy sitting on my immediate left) between the players. A couple of things kinda bugged me at this tournament. 1. There was no TV! The room was nice, but the walls were bare. I actually commented on this fact only to find that the owner of the club was sitting directly to my right. Insert foot in mouth. Glad I didn't comment on the sub par buffet! 2. We had to deal our own table due to a lack of volunteers. This was fairly disappointing considering it was a $110 buy-in. If it was $75 or less I probably wouldn't have cared, but when you're paying that kind of money, it's nice to have a competent dealer. Plus it slowed the game down I thought. The blind levels, after all, were only 20 minutes in length. The first hour was fairly uneventful. I won two pots. One was with KK pre-flop. the other was with JJ on the river. We started with 12,000 in chips and I was at 18K at the first break.

The 2nd hour I was card dead and dropped down to 11,500. I don't think I took a single pot. I figured I'd take the chip and a chair approach and grind it out. 

The 3rd hour I got hot. First I more than doubled up with AA against AK. I took another hand with AK in the big blind. I went all-in pre-flop and got a couple of limpers to fold. Then with about 15 players left I got QQ under the gun and it held against AQ. This put me at about 60K or so with the blinds at 2000/4000. Then, my inevitable coolers followed. With just 13 players left at a 7-handed table, and 2nd to act, I got AJ offsuit and popped it to 25K. It folded around to the big blind who went all-in. It was just 14K more for me to call so I did. He turned over 88. Sure enough, the magic 8 hit the flop and I was down to about 25K. A few hands later with just 10 players left, I picked up KJ suited on the button. It folded around and I went all-in. I was immediately called by the big blind who turned over AJ suited. An ace hit the flop and I was out on the bubble (It turns out 9th place got their money back. All 9 players volunteered to give up $10 of their winnings to the 9th place finisher).

It's a rite of passage as a poker player to finish on the bubble. Everyone who plays tourneys on a regular basis has had it happen to them. I'm no different. I will tell you that it sucks. There's no other way around it. It was particularly frustrating for me because I haven't cashed in a non-home-game tournament in 4 years. I guess you could say "I'm due". Oh well, it's on to the next one. 

The Home Game Wrap-Up

This week's game drew 6 players and my place was the venue. We played a mix of NLHE (No-Limit Hold Em) and PLO (Pot-Limit Omaha). Almost all of my $65 winnings came on one Omaha hand where I flopped a full house. I checked the flop and allowed two other players to catch up with lower boats of their own. That hand ended up being worth close to $100. I love Omaha. The game has been kinda thin lately as it's becoming difficult to get more than 6 players a week. I'm working the next 2 Thursdays too. At least I have a $110 tournament to play in on Sunday, May 20th. It's Rock's Relay For Life benefiting The American Cancer Society, and is put on by Berkshire Poker. It's usually the biggest one of the year and totally worth playing in. Should be a fun event. I'll be posting my results here and on Twitter so stay tuned!

A Night In The ER

This week was a tough one for me. I got very sick for a couple of days and thought I had the flu. After 3 days of feeling like shit I noticed I had a giant red mark on my left ribcage that looked like some sort of bite. It was the size of my fist. Apparently the problem was a skin and tissue infection called cellulitis. I went to the emergency room where they hooked me up to an IV and did some blood work. If not treated, cellulitis can spread and eventually lead to death. It's good that I went to the hospital when I did. The infection hadn't reached my blood stream, and I was given antibiotics to treat it.

In other news, there is no home game this week due to a lack of available players. Last week I was up a measly $18, but I'm up almost $400 overall. The online bankroll is being rebuilt and sits at $75, while the live bankroll is at almost $3300. Hopefully there will be a game next week and I'll have something interesting to post. Until then...

A Letter For You

Dear Constant Reader,

   My apologies for not having written much recently. Much has been going on in my life outside of the blogosphere, and I've just now found the right moment to sit down and write something. I was on the Cape April 6th-8th and celebrated my birthday on April 9th. Cape Cod was fun, and I got to meet my girlfriend's parents, brother and sister, and 14 year-old neice. They were very friendly and welcoming, even surprising me with a birthday cake. It was a great weekend. The casino trip I had planned for April 9th was cancelled due to my friend's daughter not feeling well. Not too disappointing though because it's looking like April will be a profitable month due to how much I've worked. First time that's happened in years. The online bankroll has disappeared due to some bad decisions on my part (what is it about April 15th???), but I'm holding my head high. I've done it once and I can do it again. The question is: do I want to? The online poker landscape is still unclear, and there is no guarantee my success will find its way to my bank account. If anything, online is just to keep my game sharp. I'm very close to having enough loot saved to play in a local home cash game on Monday nights where the buy-in is $200 to start. Success there could elevate me somewhat. We'll see. The Thursday night game is on at my place for this week and I haven't played in a couple of weeks. Gettin' a little itchy.

   In other news, my NBA fantasy team finished 4th out of 12. I won my first round playoff, but due to Kobe's injury and other injuries, I was defeated in the 2nd Round 5-4. The final two teams had the first two picks in the draft. Go figure. The team that picked 1st won. The fantasy MLB team currently resides in 1st place after a 2-0 start. Long way to go though.

   Well, that's it for now. Work should be slowing down a little next week, and I'm really looking forward to some chill time. I'll be live tweeting from the game on Thursday, and should be posting shortly after. Until then...

The Home Game Wrap-Up

   9 players once again this week, and the normal cash game stakes of .25/.50. I started off well as my pocket 7's rivered a boat against the unpredictable Joe Haugh. I raised pre-flop and bet every street. Joe had hit top pair on the flop, but he check-called every bet. Had he made a move before the river I would have been out of the hand. I was fortunate to catch that river 7, but never would have gotten there if I hadn't made up my mind to bet out till the end. That hand seemed to start a trend as it seemed every pot after that was $20 or more. There was even a $120 hand as Todd Gerssler tripled up through two players who had the same hand. Matt Sinico was the big winner however with a $150 profit on the night. I was up $61, putting me at $322 overall. The next two weeks, I'll be on hiatus as work comes calling once again. I do have a Mohegan Sun trip planned for my birthday on Monday, April 9th so stay tuned.

2012 Fantasy Baseball Draft Results...

   One of my favorite days of the year is the day I get to draft my fantasy baseball team. Last year I was champion of The New England League for the first time in my storied career as a fantasy manager. This year proves to be more difficult as the total number of teams goes from 10 to 12. A couple of managers have kids old enough to manage their own teams. That really makes it interesting. We don't bet any money or anything. Just for bragging rights. Finally, it's my year to brag.

Picking 10th out of 12 this year- Diamond in the Rough

Round 1- Robinson Cano (2B)
Round 2- Prince Fielder (1B)
Round 3- Felix Hernandez (SP)
Round 4- David Price (SP)
Round 5- Asdrubal Cabrera (SS)
Round 6- Aramis Ramirez (3B)
Round 7- Ichiro Suzuki (OF)
Round 8- Madison Bumgarner (SP)
Round 9- Jose Valverde (RP)
Round 10- Alex Avila (C)
Round 11- Cameron Maybin (OF)
Round 12- Corey Hart (OF)
Round 13- Ubaldo Jimenez (SP)
Round 14- Mark Trumbo (1B,OF)
Round 15- Carlos Marmol (RP)
Round 16- Billy Butler (1B)
Round 17- Russell Martin (C)
Round 18- Hiroki Kuroda (SP)
Round 19- Jemile Weeks (2B)
Round 20- Austin Jackson (OF)
Round 21- Scott Downs (RP)
Round 22- Alexi Ogando (SP)

   I'm happy with my draft considering I had to pick 10th. I had to break my own rule and draft a New York Yankee, but hey, I play to win baby! This lineup should hit a lot of home runs, and my starting pitching is better than last year. I guess we'll see!

Some Poker Survival Tips

 Perhaps one of the most difficult things a poker player has to endure is the inevitable downswing his/her bankroll will take. This will take its toll not only financially, but psychologically as well. How well you manage your bankroll and your emotions will define your success as a professional. Here are a couple of tips that have helped me immensely.

1. When you're not running well, don't play as much. It's impossible for a poker junkie not to play when they want to play, so the next best thing is to play less. Playing well below your maximum limit can help too.

2. Set your limits accordingly, and stick to them. 20 buy-ins for cash games, 30 for Sit and Gos, and 50 for Multi-table tournaments are the levels I have set for myself. That means I need $4000 MINIMUM to put $200 on a cash game, $6000 for a $200 Sit and Go, and $10,000 for a $200 tournament. If I don't have it, I don't play it.

3. Don't play hungry, tired, sick, broke, distracted, drunk, angry or desperate. If you do, you will almost always lose.

4. Learn how to play other poker games besides hold 'em, such as Omaha, stud, and 2-7 just to name a few. Also, learn the different variations (hi/lo, limit, pot-limit, etc.). Because knowledge is power!

5. If your bankroll is less than six figures, find a job if you don't already have one. I actually have three jobs at the moment. I don't have a bankroll big enough to live on, so I work. I don't like it, but it's what I have to do if I want to play AND pay my bills.

   These are just some of the things I try to do as I slowly work my way up to be a pro. Sometimes it's necessary to play above your limits when your bankroll is small, but I try not to make a habit of it. It helps if you have a residual income as well. I don't consider poker a form of gambling. I like to think of it as more of an investment. You're gambling when you play games against the "house", or when you can't afford to lose your buy-in. I tell people all the time: "I'm not a gambler, I'm a poker player."

Home Game Wrap-Up

     9 players in the game this week. We played a NLHE cash game with blinds at 0.25/0.50. I went down $40 early on when Jay Brown turned a flush against my top pair. A couple of hours later, with just 5 of us left, I picked up A-3 in the SB. I limped in and the BB checked. There were four of us in the hand and the flop came 10-9-3. It checked around and the turn came another 3 giving me trips. I bet $7 and the BB went all-in for around $45. I didn't call immediately. I was worried that my opponent (Phil Cohen) might have a full house. Phil doesn't play recklessly and he was in the BB and could have had anything. If I called and was wrong, I would have been down around $40 on the night. I came into the game up $156 overall, so after a couple of minutes thinking, I went for it. Phil turned over 6-3 and the river came an Ace. Even if he'd had a boat, I would have rivered him anyway. I ended the night up $105, most of it from that hand.

    The live bankroll now sits at $3100, while online has jumped to $145 thanks to a couple of profitable Blackjack sessions. I don't normally play Blackjack, but I hadn't been running too well in the poker games so I decided to chance it, and it paid off. Sometimes when you have a small bankroll, it's necessary to take some chances to get going. I didn't invest any money online anyway, so I felt like I was freerolling. I'll be taking a break from the Blackjack though now that I'm up a little, so it's back to the grind!

Another Week, Another Game

   This week's game drew only 6 players. Some people were out of town on vacation, so we played a $20 tourney which was won by the great Phil Cohen ($80). Yours truly finished in 2nd place ($40) once again. After the tournament we played a cash game with a three-game mix of NLHE, PLO, and 7-card stud hi. I ran hot in the PLO portion and made an $80 profit. All in all, up $100. Not a bad week considering the shortage of players. I think this Thursday we might feature a double-up tourney followed by a cash game. The double-up should be cool. It won't run as long because when you get down to 5 players it's over. Everyone that cashes gets paid the same, and it'll still be early. Plenty of time to lose back your winnings, or perhaps improve on them.

   The live poker bankroll still sits around $3000, but the online bankroll has crept above $70 as things continue to go well. Had to play out of my limits a couple times to get there (and keep it there), but I'm cashing in the right tourneys, and staying profitable in the cash games. Hopefully I can keep it up. Until then...

A Crazy Home Game And A Bankroll Update

   This week the home game drew 9 players. It was the first time we've done a cash game and it was action packed. Blinds were .25/.50. There was aggressive play by what are primarily conservative players. The theme seemed to be: play junk and win. I took a couple of brutal beats. One was when I got all-in on an A-A-8 flop with A-10. Unfortunately my opponent was holding A-8. No 10 came of course. Another good one was flopping a straight with J-10. Flop was Q-8-9. Turn was a 10 and river was a K. My opponent was holding A-J. Nice.

   When all was said and done I came out ahead $6. I was lucky enough to win a $40 pot with 2 hands left before we called it a night. The cash game was fun, but I actually prefer tournaments. Thinking that's what we'll play this week.

   While the live bankroll stays at $3000, the online bankroll has jumped to $35 thanks to my first MTT win on Lock Poker. It was a $0.30 buy-in with 209 entries. 1st place payed $14.11. Everyone keeps asking me why I don't deposit any money on there, and my answer is always the same: because I don't have to. Plus, after the whole Full Tilt debacle, I'm a little hesitant to say the least. Bodog also got shut down recently, and I can't help but wonder who's next.

   As I write this, 4am approaches (thanks to daylight savings time), and my eyes are getting heavy. Tomorrow will be my 7th day in a row of working with no end in sight. I can't turn down work in March even though it means I have to sit out my 2nd straight Berkshire Poker tournament. Guaranteed money is always better than a potential loss. The Berkshires can be a tough place to make a living in the winter and I'm happy just to be able to pay my bills this time of year.

   Well, that's it for me. I'm going to bed.

Marching Through March

   Week 4 of the home game is in the books, and the winners were Matt Sinico and the other Ben chopping $360 giving them each $180. It was a 9 person tournament. $30 1 re-buy and/or 1 add-on with 3 players paid. That now makes the third consecutive week that no one has repeated. I think this week is a cash game, and I'm lickin' my chops already. Due to my inconsistent work schedule, I had to miss last week's game.

   The online bankroll is now approaching $20. Lock Poker is the site I play on now that Full Tilt is out of existence. The real money bankroll still sits at $3000, but hopefully this week I can increase it. Not a whole lot going on this month, but at least I'm working a lot. This time last year I wasn't working at all so I'm not complaining. There is a Berkshire Poker Tournament being held this Saturday at 2pm,, but unfortunately I won't be able to play that one as work interferes once again. I'll have more next week. Until then...

Home Game Update...

   This Thursday's poker tournament actually began in two homes. We drew 11 players! $30 re-buy + add-on. Total prize pool was $780!! Our biggest game so far! Week 1 drew 9 players, week 2 drew 7 players. Week 1 winner was Fallon taking in $100. Week 2 winner was Natasha who pulled in $120, and this week's winner was the quiet, but crafty, Jay Brown taking down the $350 first prize.

   Although I was one spot out of the money (5th), I'm still up $50 over the first 3 weeks. Lots to be excited about. 2 new players were added to the mix, with more newbies to come. I envision the game getting up to 19 players soon.

   One thing I need to work on and adjust is the blind structure. This week's tournament ran long. We began at 7pm and didn't finish until 1am. That's just too late for most of us who have day jobs (although $350 IS worth staying up for). Unfortunately I'll have to wait until next week to see how it goes. I'm bartending for the Country Club this Thursday where the popular Irish band The Wolfe Tones are performing. I'll have an update next week on how things play out. Until then...

2011- And The Nominees Were...

127 Hours
Black Swan
Inception
The Fighter
The Kids Are Alright
The King's Speech
The Social Network
Toy Story 3
True Grit
Winter's Bone

And the winner was: The King's Speech. Starring Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, and Helena Bonham Carter, and directed by Tom Hooper. This film also won for Best Actor (Colin Firth), Best Director (Tom Hooper), and Best Original Screenplay.

2010- And The Nominees Were...

A Serious Man
An Education
Avatar
District 9
Inglorious Basterds
Precious
The Blind Side
The Hurt Locker
Up
Up In The Air

And the winner was: The Hurt Locker. Starring Jeremy Renner, and directed by Kathryn Bigelow. This film also won for Best Director (Kathryn Bigelow), Best Original Screenplay, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Film Editing.

2009- And The Nominees Were...

Frost Nixon
Milk
Slumdog Millionaire
The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
The Reader

And the winner was: Slumdog Millionaire. Starring Dev Patel and directed by Danny Boyle. This film also won for Best Director (Danny Boyle), Best Cinematography, Best Sound Mixing, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Original Score, and Best Song.

2008- And The Nominees Were...

Atonement
Juno
Michael Clayton
No Country For Old Men
There Will Be Blood

And the winner was: No Country For Old Men. Starring Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, and Tommy Lee Jones, and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. This film also won for Best Director (Joel and Ethan Coen), Best Supporting Actor (Javier Bardem), and Best Adapted Screenplay.

2007- And The Nominees Were...

Babel
Letters From Iwo Jima
Little Miss Sunshine
The Departed
The Queen

And the winner was: The Departed. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Alec Baldwin, and Jack Nicholson, and directed by Martin Scorsese. This film also won for Best Director (Martin Scorsese), Best Screenplay Adaptation, and Best Film Editing.

Sidebar: This film is on my top 10 of all-time list. If you haven't seen it, you should!

2006- And The Nominees Were...

Brokeback Mountain
Capote
Crash
Good Night And Good Luck
Munich

And the winner was: Crash. Starring Sandra Bullock, Don Cheadle, and Matt Dillon, and directed by Paul Haggis. This film also won for Best Film Editing, and Best Original Screenplay.

2005- And The Nominees Were...

Finding Neverland
Million Dollar Baby
Ray
Sideways
The Aviator

And the winner was: Million Dollar Baby. Starring Hilary Swank, Clint Eastwood, and Morgan Freeman and directed by Clint Eastwood. This film also won for Best Director (Clint Eastwood), Best Actress (Hilary Swank), and Best Supporting Actor (Morgan Freeman).

2004- And The Nominees Were...

Lost In Translation
Master And Commander
Mystic River
The Far Side Of The World
The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King

And the winner was: The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King. Starring Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler, Viggo Mortensen, and Sean Astin, and directed by Peter Jackson. This film also won for Best Director (Peter Jackson), Best Original Music Score, Best Song, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound, Best Film Editing, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup, and Best Writing.

2003- And The Nominees Were...

Chicago
Gangs Of New York
The Hours
The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers
The Pianist

And the winner was: Chicago. Starring Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renee Zellweger, and Richard Gere, and directed by Rob Marshall. This film also won for Best Supporting Actress (Catherine Zeta-Jones), Best Sound, Best Art Direction, Best Film Editing, and Best Costume Design.

2002- And The Nominees Were...

A Beautiful Mind
Gosford Park
In The Bedroom
Moulin Rouge
The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring

And the winner was: A Beautiful Mind. Starring Russell Crowe, Ed Harris, and Jennifer Connelly, and directed by Ron Howard. This film also won for Best Supporting Actress (Jennifer Connelly), Best Director (Ron Howard), and Best Adapted Screenplay. A Beautiful Mind is the story of a schizophrenic Princeton University math genius, and his struggle with the disease.

2001- And The Nominees Were...

Chocolat
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon
Erin Brockovich
Gladiator
Traffic

And the winner was: Gladiator. Starring Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix, and directed by Ridley Scott. This film also won for Best Actor (Russell Crowe), Best Visual Effects, Best Sound, and Best Costume Design.

2000- And The Nominees Were...

American Beauty
The Cider House Rules
The Green Mile
The Insider
The Sixth Sense

And the winner was: American beauty. Starring Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening,and Mena Suvari, and directed by Sam Mendes. This film also won for Best Actor (Kevin Spacey), Best Director (Sam Mendes), Best Cinematography, and Best Original Screenplay.

Back In The Game

   Last Thursday I had my first home game at the new apartment. I invited 8 people to play and all 8 showed up. Since it was the first game I've had in quite some time, I decided to keep the buy-in relatively small given that most of us are poor. Everyone played great. We had a 9 person $20 buy-in tournament. 3 players got paid. 3rd place $30, 2nd place $50 and 1st place $100. I came in 2nd.

   We're having another game on Thursday at a different venue across the street from where I live. I only have an 8 person table, but my neighbor has a 10 person table. Much more fitting for our group I think. I didn't expect all 8 players to play so the change of venue is perfect. Plus if we get more than 10 players we can have two tables going. Hopefully this is the beginning of a long and prosperous home game.

   Also, this weekend there is a local charity tournament going on which I'm entering. My friend Matt won $200 on a scratch ticket a couple of days ago and made an extremely generous donation by covering my $75 buy-in. Thanks Matty! More good news, I'm saving all of my tax return money which puts my current bankroll just over $3000! Feels great to be playing and winning at live poker again. I'll keep you all updated on the results from this weekend, and I'll try to put up more pics on my next post. Until then...

1999- And The Nominees Were...

Elizabeth
Life Is Beautiful
Saving Private Ryan
Shakespeare In Love
The Thin Red Line

And the winner was: Shakespeare In Love. Starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Ralph Feinnes, Geoffrey Rush, Colin Firth, Ben Affleck, and Judi Dench, and directed by John Madden. This film also won for Best Actress (Gwyneth Paltrow), Best Supporting Actress (Judi Dench), Best Original Screenplay, Best Costume Design, Best Art Direction, and Best Original Musical or Comedy Score.

1998- And The Nominees Were...

As Good As It Gets
Good Will Hunting
L.A. Confidential
The Full Monty
Titanic

And the winner was: Titanic. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, and directed by James Cameron. This film also won for Best Director (James Cameron), Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Score, Best Sound, Best Song, Best Sound Effects Editing, and Best Visual Effects.

1997- And The Nominees Were...

Fargo
Jerry Maguire
Secrets And Lies
Shine
The English Patient

And the winner was: The English Patient. Starring Ralph Feinnes, Kristen Scott Thomas, Juliette Binoche, and Willem Dafoe, and directed by Anthony Minghella. This film also won for Best Director (Anthony Minghella), Best Supporting Actress (Juliette Binoche), Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Original Dramatic Score, Best Costume Design, and Best Film Editing.

1996- And The Nominees Were...

Apollo 13
Babe
Braveheart
Il Postino
Sense And Sensibility

And the winner was: Braveheart. Starring and directed by Mel Gibson. Braveheart also won for Best Director (Mel Gibson), Best Cinematography, Best Makeup, and Best Sound Effects. This film is a 3 hour epic about Scottish war hero Sir William Wallace.

1995- And The Nominees Were...

Forrest Gump
Four Weddings And A Funeral
Pulp Fiction
Quiz Show
The Shawshank Redemption

And the winner was: Forrest Gump. Starring Tom Hank and  Gary Sinise, and directed by Robert Zemeckis. This film also won for Best Actor (Tom Hanks), Best Director (Robert Zemeckis), Best Screenplay, Best Film Editing, and Best Visual Effects.

1994- And The Nominees Were...

In The Name Of The Father
Schindler's List
The Fugitive
The Piano
The Remains Of The Day

And the winner was: Schindler's List. Starring Liam Neeson, Ralph Feinnes, and Ben Kingsley and directed by Steven Spielberg. This film also won for Best Director (Steven Spielberg), Best Screenplay, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, and Best Original Score. Schindler's List is a 3 hour black and white film about the Third Reich's holocaust.

1993- And The Nominees Were...

A Few Good Men
Howards End
Scent Of A Woman
The Crying Game
Unforgiven

And the winner was: Unforgiven. Starring Clint Eastwood, Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman, and Richard Harris, and directed by Clint Eastwood. This film also won for Best Supporting Actor (Gene Hackman), Best Director (Clint Eastwood), and Best Film Editing. Unforgiven is an 1880s western showdown between a retired bounty hunter and a corrupt sherriff.

1992- And The Nominees Were...

Beauty And The Beast
Bugsy
JFK
The Prince Of Tides
The Silence Of The Lambs

And the winner was: The Silence Of The Lambs. Starring Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster and directed by Jonathan Demme. It also won for Best Actor (Anthony Hopkins), Best Actress (Jodie Foster), Best Director (Jonathan Demme), and Best Writer/Screenplay. This film is a psychological horror/thriller about a cannabilistic serial killer, and his strange relationship with a newbie female FBI agent.

Sidebar: This was the first film in the horror genre to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. Even more surprising is it's the last Best Picture to date to win for both Best Actor and Best Actress.

1991- And The Nominees Were...

Awakenings
Dances With Wolves
Ghost
Good Fellas
The Godfather Part III

And the winner was: Dances With Wolves. Starring and directed by Kevin Costner. This film also won for Best Director (Kevin Costner), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Sound, Best Original Score, and Best Film Editing. Dances With Wolves is a three hour epic western which tells the story of a Civil War Union officer who becomes disillusioned  and heads west finding peace in nature with the Lakota Sioux Indians.

1990- And The Nominees Were...

Born On The Fourth Of July
Dead Poet's Society
Driving Miss Daisy
Field Of Dreams
My Left Foot

And the winner was: Driving Miss Daisy. Starring Jessica Tandy and Morgan Freeman and directed by Bruce Beresford. This film also won for Best Actress (Jessica Tandy), Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Makeup. Driving Miss Daisy is about the twenty-five year complex relationship between a Southern white widowed grandmother and her simple black chauffeur.

1989- And The Nominees Were

Dangerous Liaisons
Mississippi Burning
Rain Man
The Accidental Tourist
Working Girl

 And the winner was: Rain Man. Starring Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise and directed by Barry Levinson. Rain Man also won for Best Actor (Dustin Hoffman), Best Director (Barry Levinson), and Best Original Screenplay. This film is about two brothers, one an adult autistic, the other an ambitious hotshot car salesman, and the relationship that gradually develops.

My Super Bowl Pick...

Patriots by 10 or more. Done.

1988- And The Nominees Were...

Broadcast News
Fatal Attraction
Hope And Glory
Moonstruck
The Last Emperor

   And the winner was: The Last Emperor. Starring John Lone and directed by Bernardo Bertolucci. This film also won for Best Director (Bernardo Bertolucci), Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Sound, Best Film Editing, Best Art/Set Direction, Best Original Score, and Best Costume Design. The Last Emperor is about the life of Pu Yi, China's last Manchu dynasty emperor.

1987- And The Nominees Were...

A Room With A View
Children Of A Lesser God
Hannah And Her Sisters
Platoon
The Mission

   And the winner was: Platoon. Starring Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe, and Charlie Sheen, and directed by Oliver Stone. This film also won for Best Director (Oliver Stone), Best Sound and Best Film Editing. Platoon is a gritty violent interpretation of what it was like for foot soldiers in Vietnam.

1986- And The Nominees Were...

Kiss Of The Spider Woman
Out Of Africa
Prizzi's Honor
The Color Purple
Witness

   And the winner was: Out Of Africa. Starring Robert Redford and Meryl Streep, and directed by Sydney Pollack. Out Of Africa also won for Best Screenplay Adaptation, Best Cinematography, Best Art/Set Direction, Best Sound, Best Original Score, and Best Director (Sydney Pollack). This film is a romantic biopic based on Danish author Karen Blixen.

1985- And The Nominees Were...

Amadeus
A Passage To India
A Soldier's Story
Places In The Heart
The Killing Fields

   And the winner was: Amadeus. Starring F. Murray Abraham and directed by Milos Forman. This movie also won for Best Actor (F. Murray Abraham), Best Screenplay Adaptation, Best Art/Set Direction, Best Sound, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup, and Best Director (Milos Forman). This musical biopic/epic focuses on the court rivalry between Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and the less-talented Antonio Salieri, both composers for Hapsburg Emperor Joseph II.

1984- And The Nominees Were...

Tender Mercies
Terms Of Endearment
The Big Chill
The Dresser
The Right Stuff

   And the winner was: Terms Of Endearment. Starring Debra Winger, Shirley MacLaine, and Jack Nicholson, and directed by James L. Brooks. It also won for Best Actress (Shirley MacLaine), Best supporting Actor (Jack Nicholson), Best Director (James L. Brooks) and Best Screenplay Adaptation. This film is a blend of comedy and melodrama that focuses on a turbulent mother-daughter relationship.

1983- And The Nominees Were...

E.T.- The Extra-Terrestrial
Gandhi
Missing
The Verdict
Tootsie

   And the winner was: Gandhi. Starring Ben Kingsley and directed by Sir Richard Attenborough. Gandhi also won for (deep breath) Best Actor (Ben Kingsley), Best Director (Sir Richard Attenborough), Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Art/Set Direction, Best Film Editing, and Best Costume Design. This 3 hour long epic tells the story of India's great leader Mahatma Gandhi.

30 Years In 30 Days- 1982- And The Nominees Were...

   With the Academy Awards just 30 days away, I thought it might be interesting to take a look back at the Best Picture nominees and winners over the past 30 years. Check back daily as I will be posting another year each day leading up to the Oscars. So without further adieu, 1982!

Atlantic City
Chariots Of Fire
On Golden Pond
Raiders Of The Lost Ark
Reds

   And the winner was: Chariots Of Fire. Starring Ben Cross and Ian Charleson, and directed by Hugh Hudson. It also won for Best Screenplay, Best Original Score, and Best Costume Design. This film is an inspirational tale about the motivations of two Cambridge University students running in the 1924 Olympics in Paris.

Benny the Greek's NFL Playoff Picks- Round 3

Baltimore Ravens at New England Patriots- I want to say this is a no-brainer, but the Ravens have a NASTY defense while the Patriots' has been porous at times this season. Still, Tom Brady is likely to be considered one of the best QBs of all-time (that's right I said it) especially if the Pats go all the way. That would give him 4 rings. Only two others have 4 and no QB has 5. The home field advantage and Bill Belichick's coaching mastery will be too much for the Ravens to handle. Patriots 31 Ravens 17.

New York Giants at San Francisco 49ers- This might be the most difficult game to predict so far. Both of these teams are playing so well I wouldn't be surprised if it went into double overtime. I'm picking the Giants, but that's only cause the coin came up tails. Both QBs are fantastic, both running games are solid, and both defenses are aggressive. Giants have the experience though. Giants 24 49ers 23.

My Life Since Black Friday

   On April 15th, 2011 (just 6 days after my 37th birthday) the Department of Justice successfully shut down the three biggest online poker sites in the world. One of those sites was Full Tilt Poker, a site that I played on exclusively for 4 years under the screen name Gooseman18. They had the best software in my opinion and had recently introduced a new concept called Rush Poker which basically allowed you to play up to 4X as many hands per hour than at a normal table. In 13 months I turned $38 into over $1300. Most of that was from the Mini FTOPS Main Event. I won an entry to the tournament through a $3 sattelite and cashed for $600. That was in March of 2011. Just one month later POOF! All over.

  Although it wasn't much, my entire poker bankroll was on that site. I missed playing the game more than the money, but I'll admit now the money would help a lot. It was clear to me that the only thing to do was to go back to work and start saving to play live. It hasn't been easy. I've been in the restaurant business for the majority of my working life, and although the cash can be good in season, off-season can be brutal. I live in a touristy area where it's busy in the summer, and a ghost town in the winter. Every time I felt like I was getting ahead, something unexpected would come up that would cost me. Currently, I'm working in a chocolate shop making a measly $9 an hour, and bartending on random weekends at a hotel whenever there is a function or a wedding. It's not very often though. My resume is done however, and I'm in the process of trying to find a "big-boy" job.

   Since July of last year I've managed to somehow put away $2000. It's not much as far as poker bankrolls go, but it's a start at least. Ideally, I'd like to have around 6K and I'll start playing $120 deep-stack tourneys at Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun. Until then, I'm trying to organize some home games with friends, and playing local charity tournaments just to try and keep my game sharp. There are some online sites that apparently are accepting US players like Bodog or Lock Poker. (I'm currently playing on Lock Poker trying to start a bankroll from zero. I'm up to $0.51!)

   I know there are many of you that were affected by the shutdown. For those of you who haven't been reimbursed by Full Tilt and Absolute Poker, don't give up! You did it once and you can do it again. I realize it's difficult to stay positive, but if you have a passion for the game, no obstacle is impossible to overcome. Take the things that are important in your life like friends and family and focus on them. If it weren't for the shutdown, I probably would not have met my girlfriend. We've been together for 8 months now and she's been extremely supportive and optimistic. I can't tell you all how valuable and important that's been. She's also the one who encouraged me to join Twitter and start this blog.

   The landscape is rapidly changing in the world of online poker. Nevada and New Jersey have been making great strides towards legalizing and regulating the industry. The DOJ even admitted recently that online poker doesn't violate the Wire Act. This should spark a go-ahead for federal legislation that would help to legalize online poker in the US.

   To summarize: don't give up if poker is your dream, focus on the things and people in your life that are truly important, and stay optimistic that soon the laws will change and hopefully the DOJ will come through and reimburse the millions of dollars to the thousands of victims affected by April 15th's events. If you are fortunate enough to have a bankroll, manage it properly. Work hard and stay sharp my friends! To quote the great ambassador of the game Mike Sexton: "May all your cards be live, and your pots be monsters!"

If you liked this post check out Phil Galfond's blog post.

Benny the Greek's NFL Playoff picks- Round 2

Denver Broncos at New England Patriots- Ok Tebow you got me. Would've been 4-0 last week if not for your miracle 80-yard TD pass in OT. Seriously though, it's over right here. New England is just too tough and almost unbeatable at home. If the Broncos win the Super Bowl should I shave my head or go to church every Sunday for 6 months? Feel free to give me your suggestions readers! Patriots 35 Broncos 14.

Houston Texans at Baltimore Ravens- This is a tough one to pick. Ray Rice should go off in this game. I'm gonna go with the Ravens only cause they're at home. These teams seem evenly matched. Ravens 24 Texans 21.

New York Giants at Green Bay Packers- These two teams played each other in the regular season and the Pack Attack won despite being on the road. They will win again I believe, but expect the Giants to put up a good fight. Packers 33 Giants 27.

New Orleans Saints at San Francisco 49ers- Is it an upset if the Saints win this game? Well I'm calling it. The Saints will prevail. They are red hot and so are the 49ers. This is gonna be a good one folks. Look for Brees to light it up again. Alex Smith needs a little more experience and he'll be there. This should be a very entertaining game. Saints 38 49ers 30.

Benny the Greek's NFL Playoff picks- Round 1

Pittsburgh Steelers at Denver Broncos- TebowMania will officially be over after this game, if he even survives it. I'm going with the Steel Curtain on this one. It could be close because Mendenhall isn't playing, but look for Tebow and the Broncos to come back down to Earth. This is gonna be a reality check. Steelers 17 Broncos 6.

Cincinnati Bengals at Houston Texans- This is an interesting one given that neither team has ANY experience in the playoffs. I gotta give the nod to the Texans because of their running game. Cedric Benson will be ineffective, and look for the Houston crowd to be going nuts. They haven't seen a playoff game since Warren Moon's days with the Oilers. Texans 24 Bengals 20.

Atlanta Falcons at New York Giants- Gotta go with the Giants here. They're at home, and Eli Manning seems to be on a mission this season. The Falcons have been inconsistent, and Michael Turner will be a non-factor. The Giants just seem to win big games, a la the Cowboys last week. The home crowd will make sure the Giants don't lose. Giants 31 Falcons 17.

Detroit Lions at New Orleans Saints- This is gonna be the most exciting game of the 1st Round. If there's gonna be an upset it will be this game. I'm picking the Saints, but it's gonna be close. The home crowd, the experience, and the record setting Drew Brees will be the difference, but look for a lotta points to be scored. Saints 41 Lions 38.

Well there you have it. If I don't completely screw the pooch on these picks, I'll have Round 2 ready sometime next week. Enjoy the games!