Party Poker Blog

"So I picked up the Poker Tracker Guide, and now I've got a new post-session routine that feels like it's helping; I've got a new set of auto-rate rules and a complete understanding of exactly why I'm using them; and I've got some new strategies for using the available information while I'm actually at the table."
Tapin, Poker Tracker forum.

Thank you, Sir.

I know I've been lax in posting, my humble apologies. I even read a hilarious post from Fred stating that he wanted to start a 'Let's put Iggy back to work' campaign so that the quality of my blogging improves. It seems that I used to be a better blogger back when I was working and shoulda been doing other things, as opposed to the currently unemployed Iggy.

He's got a valid point.

But I've told myself I'm putting up a quality uber-post on Sunday night, even if I'm drooling over the keyboard by the end of it.

Shoulder update - out of sling.
Physical therapy is excruciatingly painful.

Quick announcement. Felicia asked if I could get us a little WPBT HORSE tournament going, which I have done. For the record, Perry Friedman at Full Tilt rocks. They should be paying both he and Hank much, much more money than they do.

Where was I?

Oh yeah:
Let's do a $5 tourney on

Sunday. March 13th
9pm EST
Name of tourney: WPBT HORSE Tournament
Full Tilt Poker
password: thehammer

Felicia loves HORSE. The smart money is on her.
Damn, this tourney oughta be a hoot and a half. I'll be out in 10 minutes...

Anyway, little back story - one of my faithful readers, Travis AKA WAXMAN13 who finished third in our last WPBT tournament had emailed me. He said because he had missed out on signing up with Bonus Code IGGY but that he would like to try bonus whoring on Full Tilt and asked if I had an affiliate account with them. I didn't, but I set one up. A hoist of the Guinness to Waxman.

Long winded point - Here's my damn shill link.
Full Tilt Poker - they claim there is a Bonus Code IGGY available but nobody's ever tried it, so who knows. Also, as you hopefully know, Full Tilt offers a generous 100% matching deposit bonus, up to $600 damn dollars.

So now I can shill Full Tilt Poker AND bonus code IGGY on Party Poker and don't ferget the Poker Tracker guide book. Yikes, I'm even making myself ill.

A huge thanks to anyone who has helped out with the guide. Seriously. I've seen some too kind posts - thank you.

In fact, I made a few banners...just fooling around. The ad actually works better for Poker Tracker itself.

Plenty more to come - this is just a taste. Hell, the possibilities are infinite.

Disclaimer: no offense meant. I suffer from a poorly developed sense of humour.

Segue.

Fellow bloggers, want a dream blogging job? Check this insanity out.

100k to blog every day about Dukes of Hazzard. I received this info on a mailing list and immediately thought of several bloggers who would chew this assignment up like a hot knife through butter, present company excluded, of course.

Oh the humanity.


CMT has put together a job: get paid $100K to blog daily about the Dukes of Hazzard.

Through the CMT Dukes of Hazzard Institute, the Vice President position will be responsible for spreading the gospel of all that is Dukes by watching and then blogging about the show on CMT.

Thanks for all the support for the Poker Tracker Guide book. The reviews have been overwhelmingly positive but we still need help getting the word out.

Been a good day. I woke up late and resumed the Hunter S. Thompson documentary, Breakfast With Hunter. If you're a fan, you owe it to yourself to check it out.

I'm gonna sit down and pound out a genuine uber-post tonight. Tis been awhile.
addendum: too drunk:

Also, there may a blogger tourney or two in the next few weeks. Stay tuned.

But I just received this press release about the new ESPN Poker club, opening today. Here's the home page, stating: "Welcome to the ESPN Poker Club, your new home for poker content, coverage and analysis."

Yeah, with Jackpot Jay anchoring your crack poker staff, I'm sure you'll be my new home base for poker.

Anyway, here's the skinny. Back in a bit.

----

All In: ESPN Poker Club
3 March 2005

(PRESS RELEASE) -- ESPN today announced ESPN Poker Club, a multi-faceted poker initiative that will reach across many divisions of the Worldwide Leader In Sports, including ESPN.com, ESPN Wireless, ESPN Books and ESPN Enterprises, the company's brand extension and new business development arm.

The initiative kicks off today with the new ESPN Poker Club on ESPN.com, which includes the site's new free online poker game. The first 11 weeks of play on ESPN.com will be exclusively devoted to the Degree® All-In Poker Challenge, with the tournament winner earning a seat in the Harrah's 2005 World Series of Poker courtesy of Degree®.

In coming months the initiative will also launch a wireless poker game; a poker-related book from ESPN Books by syndicated poker columnist Steve Rosenbloom; DVD's of the 2004 World Series of Poker and the ESPN Original Entertainment series TILT; and a line of high-end poker-related consumer products.

ESPN Poker Club On ESPN.com

Beginning today, poker fans will find an entire section of ESPN.com dedicated to the game they love – including a free online poker game for users over the age of 18. Created by game developer Micropower, the game allows poker aficionados of every skill level to choose from six different games: Texas Hold'Em, 7 Card Stud, 7 Card Hi/Lo, Omaha, Omaha Hi/Lo and 5 Card Stud. After an initial software download, ESPN.com users can compete against other ESPN Poker Club players at online poker tables in single- and multi-table tournaments.

In addition, ESPN Poker Club on ESPN.com will feature a robust collection of editorial content including "How To Play" information on each of the games offered, tips for playing winning poker, answers to frequently asked poker questions, and exclusive columns from ESPN's "Jackpot" Jay Lovinger, poker guru Phil Gordon and more.

The Degree® All-In Poker Challenge

The 11-week Degree® All-In Poker Challenge on ESPN.com is a series of weekly qualifying tournaments that lead to a final 500-player tournament in May, with the winner earning a seat in the Harrah's 2005 World Series of Poker courtesy of Degree®. The Degree® All-In Poker Challenge is the only completely free way online to earn a seat in the Harrah's 2005 World Series of Poker.

Each Sunday at 2 p.m. ET for 10 weeks, ESPN.com will hold a Sunday Qualifying Tournament for the Degree® All-In Poker Challenge that will include all players that qualified in the week prior. The top 50 players each Sunday will earn a seat in the Finals tournament beginning May 15 at 2 p.m. ET. The winner of the Finals tournament will earn the seat in the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas in June.

Each week, players will have four ways to earn a spot into the weekly Sunday Qualifying tournament:

· Play 750 hands during the week from any combination of the games offered;

· Win five single-table tournaments (10 players, available at any time)

· Win one multi-table tournament (30 players, start every 20 minutes)

· Finish high enough in the rankings of a Big Play tournament (one per day, 8 p.m. ET )*

* For every 40 players, one top-ranked player qualifies. Example: if 200 people play in the tournament, the top five players qualify. If there are 320 players, the top eight players qualify.

In order to play in the Degree® All-In Poker Challenge fans must be 21 years old, download the ESPN.com online poker game and register a player profile. All players will begin with 1000 points worth of chips, and will be eligible to get more chips twice each day.

"When we play poker, we must realize, before anything else,
that we are out to make money."
David Sklansky, Theory of Poker

The bold text above is actually Sklansky's and not my doing.

Again, so much to blog about but instead of a Workplace-Destroying-Guinness-Fueled uber-post, I've got something much different. A way to hopefully help you make more money playing online poker. And something new for me to shill - woohoo!

I've hinted about an announcement several times in this here humble poker blog. And after much hard work, (I consider the process something akin to childbirth) we're ready to throw it out there.

When I started this poker blog, I constantly harped on tracking your online poker play. If you aren't using Poker Tracker or a StatKing, you simply aren't doing the basics.
It's that important. That easy.
Crucial.

HDouble & I started getting requests to write a PokerTracker how-to book. Let's face it - PokerTracker is not a program for superficial analysis. It requires some time under-the-hood, some heavy lifting and cold hard logic skills.

Who better to team up with than HDouble?
Answer: Nobody.

He has a giant juicy chess club brain, this is a well known fact. And despite being hairy as a Yeti, Hank has considerable analytical skills.

And now we have a 64 page tome, complete with screenshots that's passed peer review and is now endorsed by Pat, the author of this brilliant software. Pat freaking rules. Go buy Poker Tracker now if you haven't. Try out the free 1,000 hand demo, for heavens sakes. You'll love it.

And then check out our book:

Poker Tracker Guide

And so there it is. Hell, for the $20 bucks it costs, I'd personally pay more than that for HDouble's auto-rate players rules alone, included along with the book. That's gold, Jerry, Gold!

Quite frankly, Hank did all the heavy lifting - I'll freely admit he's a much brighter bulb than I. And hell, I couldn't think of a better guy to collaborate with.

Hank > Iggy

Please go hit The Cards Speak for Hank's perspectives on this sordid affair. His post is far better than mine.

It's always frightening to put yourself out there in the marketplace of ideas, especially over a goofy $20 poker ebook, but damn, this is good stuff. I wish someone had written this freaking book 3 years ago.

But it's written now. And according to serious Poker Tracker users, it's damn good.

And that means money in your pocket.
This book will help any poker player who wants to work on their game.

So bear with us. It's a work in progress. After all, we're primarily poker players, not authors. So have mercy - we're still struggling with the payment crap, and hell, we're only two guys.

I can only hope our readers find it worthwhile. Alot of hard work went into this.

For $20, it's a steal. I wanted to charge $120 and stipulate a Bonus Code IGGY signup, but Hank wouldn't let me.

A huge thanks to the folks who read drafts and offered valuable insight - advice. We are in your debt.

Whew, I can't believe I'm finally writing this post. I thought this day would never come. Thanks for reading and any support you may offer. We ain't gonna get rich writing something for such a specific niche audience, but we felt it was a worthwhile cause.

Bottom line, I hope this book helps your bankroll.

Check us out:
Poker Tracker Guide

Back soon....