Four months ago, I took the leap into the world of online poker. I started playing NLH and some Omaha H/L, 7-Stud, etc. Well, I burned though that cash pretty quick. As I pondered my play and desire to deposit more cash, I thought, do I have a gambling problem? I can to the conclusion of “NO” (a common response from an addict). So I added some cash and played tighter than ever. Again, NLH cash players beat me like a dog. So, as gamblers do, I made a deal with myself, I will deposit $50 more (half of my previous two deposits) and when that cash runs out, I am done with online poker.

I got back on the horse and quickly I was down to half my stack playing NLH. So I left the table. I didn’t look at the screen for four weeks. On Tuesday, I started up again, this time I went back to my roots, Limit Hold’em. I started at the $0.25-$0.50 table. I doubled up. Moved to the $0.50-$1 table and quickly doubled up again. Wednesday, I started at the $1-$2 and doubled my buy-in, left the table and moved to old-school $2-$4. I bought in for $100 and cashed out $275. That gave me $375 in my bank. I withdrew $250 (my total monies deposited overall) and the rest is “profit” that I can use to play online as needed. Along the way, I also won three $5 sit-n-go (pays $20 each). I’m feeling good about my game.

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The World Series of Poker (WSOP) started yesterday (Thursday). It looks like you’re going to need a lot of luck to win any event. Game 1, casino employees only game, drew 662 players; an increase of 383 players or 137%. Screw that. Since ESPN televised several events last year, I predict that every event will have triple digit % increases. Also, there are reports of crazy wait times just to give the casino your money. If you want to play in an event, the wait is about three hours. So you have to arrive no later than 9am to buy-in to a noon event. Having said all that, if you manage to place at the final table, you will be rewarded. Last years casino employee took home $40,000, this year employee winner raked in $83,390, but he had to outlast 383 more people, draws, bad beats, etc. Also, the game lasted 17 hours.