Well got AA the very first hand of my NL session after posting after the button passed and raised just 3.00 after one early limper. I figured to perhaps get maximum 2 callers but I got three which was ok when I flopped a set with A10x with two diamonds, hand follows: I did manage to finish a few dollars up while clearing the bonus so it wasn't too bad.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $ BB (9 handed)

UTG ($120.8)
UTG+1 ($101.8)
MP1 ($274.35)
MP2 ($96)
MP3 ($0)
Hero ($100)
Button ($96.95)
SB ($370.45)
BB ($215.85)

Preflop: Hero is CO with , . Hero posts a blind of $1. SB posts a blind of $0.5.
2 folds, MP1 calls $1, 1 fold, Hero (poster) raises to $2, Button calls $3, 1 fold, BB calls $2, MP1 calls $2.

Flop: ($12.50) , , (5 players)
BB checks, MP1 checks, Hero bets $3, Button folds, BB raises to $10, MP1 folds, Hero calls $7.

I underbet the pot here because of my powerhouse just to see if I got any action. Well to my joy I got raised by the BB and I just call waiting to see the turn.

Turn: ($32.50) (3 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $15, BB raises to $30, Hero calls $15.

Not a bad card in my mind because it's not a diamond and I really put the BB on either two pair or a smaller set after his flop raise. I bet about half the pot making it too much to call for a flush draw but not enough to chase him away and to my amazement get raised. Well I certainly don't put him on QJ so I just call and get ready to push on the river barring something stupid.


River: ($92.50) (3 players)
BB bets $30, Hero calls $57 (All-In), BB calls $27.

Well the 7 hearts doesn't scare me as I am only beaten by QJ so I raise all in and get shown QJ What a way to start the session.
Final Pot: $206.50

Results in white below:
BB has Qd Jd (straight, ace high).
Hero has Ac As (three of a kind, aces).
Outcome: BB wins $206.50.

Yeah I kind muffed this one up. This is not my normal way of playing things as I very rarely underbet a pot whether I have something or not. I don't know if it would have made a difference here as he had a flush draw as well, for some reason the Ad did not show up in hand. His raise on the flop and then on the turn looked very much like an underset or two pair so that is the reason I didn't put in a big reraise on the flop or turn as I figured he was drawing dead or nearly dead and I could get it all in on the river. Never suspected the QJ

OK, he had a flush draw AND gutshot. Now I see why he check raised the flop. I still dont like it though. I wouldve led out with and when you raised , I wouldve put you all in (but then I dont call raises out of position with QJs).

Really been taking it easy on the poker scene the last few days. Started work on my Peruvian moss field guide a couple of weeks ago and I have now finished 15 of the 24 families. I still need to do the illustrations or attempt to get permission from a couple of presses to use ones previously published which will be much nicer since my artistry skills are not the best. Really enjoying putting it together and having thoughts about starting on a much bigger project with writing the Moss Flora of Venezuela. That will probably take me 5 or so years at my pace while playing poker but something started is almost half the way finished

Decided to play at Stars today to work a little on the bonus I have there. Was playing 2 tables of 7 stud H/L one of my better games against just a school of fish but just kept getting brick and brick after brick. One hand I get rolled up Kings against a guy who has Aces in the hole and we cap the flop heads up and we cap 4th street and we cap 5 street and he hits a god damn A on 6th street and I don't feel up on river and he does. Shit like that over and over. Moved up to 3060 7 stud H/L and won a little and moved back down to 24 and lost again. Finally played some 400 NL and recoved all my losses and turned a little profit before shutting it down for the night.

Went to the field again today to collect. Had a very nice time. Leaving to sign the papers for my land on Thursday and then continuing up into and through the Northern Andes. It will be my first time through the northern part and I am really excited about it. You would think the moss flora would be similar in both the Northern and Southern Andes but they are pretty different as the Northern part is characterized by Paramos and the Southern part by Punas Nothing much more exciting to me than hiking up over 5000 m and being the sole person around for many, many miles. The vegetation at that altitude is very different. It is beautiful and the peacefulness of no other humans around just adds to the magic.

Having a very nice trip thus far. Currently in Estado Tachira in the far west of Venezuela staying at an uncle of my wife´s. I have seen some very impressive sights thus far with tremedous waterfalls and mountain views above 4K meters. Also seen some tremedous devastion in a river valley were floods two months ago left many people dead and caused vast destruction of the roads and houses along the river.

Managed to play some poker to begin clearing the first of three Empire bonuses while here at the uncles. Should finish up one tonight as we are planning to get back on the road tomorrow and head through Estado Barinas where virtually no botanical collections have been taken so I am looking forward to that. Should be back in Caracas by Monday or Tuesday night.

Managed to finish the legal aspect of buying my land out west here. The lawyer and land surveyor cost me about as much as the land but I can´t complain too much because I bought nearly 20 hectares for a little under 3000.00. So if any of you guys get ready for a little vacation in 6 or so months just let me know and you can come visit me in the sticks and perhaps take a horse into the paramo for an adventure and try out my hash that I´ll hopefully have by then.

All in all been a very nice trip and break from the everyday grind of the tables.

In all seriousness. How safe is it there in Venezuala? I know you were the victim of a home invasion robbery. Are there kidnappings and things like that there?

What is a "hectare"? Some version of an acre Im guessing?

Welll I made it back home a few minutes ago along with several hundred collections, a bird, several new wood sculptures and some paintings and more importantly the car held up the whole way without problems

On the issue of safeness there are some areas in the border states that are rumored to contain Columbian guerrillas and I don't doubt that that is a destinct possibility. I didn't venture too far into Estado Zulia which borders Columbia or Esatdo Apure which borders the southestern part of Columbia as well. I personally don't fear going into these areas at all but I had my little girl along so I didn't tempt things. I did get stopped at one of the MANY border checks but was to get out of it without anything happening although my tourist VISA expired about 9 months ago. Need to get that fixed

The land that I bought is in the foothills of the Andes in southestern Estado Lara in a little hamlet called Buenos Aires. It has many coffe trees on it from the last owner that are still producing well. Beyond that I think it will support Cannabis sativa just fine. It overlooks a beautiful fast flowing river and is pretty much neighboring on a huge, beautiful unused national park because of its isolation. So it has it's uses and more than that it just an enclave of peacefulness away from people, traffic etc. Looking into building a pretty good size house on it and the cost I found out is only going to run about 3 to 4K. Pretty damn sweet.

Well time for a little rest from the road, a couple of beers and then back to work.

for the other guys.

Well how does a person as tight as myself lose 365.00 in 9 sessions of 36 limit over 667 hands. Well you run into alot of shit hands beating the hell out of you. In 9 sessions I had one victory. Just a nightmare run since late last night.

Some hands for your disenjoyment.

Party Poker 3/6 Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with , .
1 fold, UTG+1 calls, 1 fold, Hero raises, 1 fold, CO calls, Button calls, 2 folds, UTG+1 calls.

Flop: (9.33 SB) , , (4 players)
UTG+1 checks, Hero bets, CO raises, Button folds, UTG+1 folds, Hero calls.

Turn: (6.66 BB) (2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets, Hero raises, CO 3-bets, Hero calls.

River: (12.66 BB) (2 players)
Hero checks, CO checks.

Final Pot: 12.66 BB

Results in white below:
Hero has Kd Kh (one pair, kings).
CO has 5s Ts (two pair, tens and fives).
Outcome: CO wins 12.66 BB.



Party Poker 3/6 Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with , .
1 fold, Hero raises, 1 fold, MP2 3-bets, 2 folds, Button calls, 2 folds, Hero calls.

Flop: (10.33 SB) , , (3 players)
Hero checks, MP2 bets, Button calls, Hero raises, MP2 3-bets, Button folds, Hero calls.

Turn: (8.66 BB) (2 players)
Hero checks, MP2 bets, Hero calls.

River: (10.66 BB) (2 players)
Hero checks, MP2 bets, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 12.66 BB

Results in white below:
Hero has Qs Qh (two pair, queens and sixes).
MP2 has Kh Ac (two pair, aces and sixes).
Outcome: MP2 wins 12.66 BB.


Party Poker 3/6 Hold'em (8 handed)

Preflop: Hero is Button with , .
1 fold, UTG+1 calls, 3 folds, Hero raises, 1 fold, BB calls, UTG+1 calls.

Flop: (6.33 SB) , , (3 players)
BB checks, UTG+1 checks, Hero bets, BB calls, UTG+1 calls.

Turn: (4.66 BB) (3 players)
BB checks, UTG+1 checks, Hero bets, BB calls, UTG+1 raises, Hero calls, BB calls.

River: (10.66 BB) (3 players)
BB bets, UTG+1 calls, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 13.66 BB

Results in white below:
BB has 5s 6c (three of a kind, fives).
UTG+1 has Qc 9d (two pair, nines and fives).
Hero has As Ah (two pair, aces and fives).
Outcome: BB wins 13.66 BB.


Party Poker 3/6 Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: Hero is Button with , .
1 fold, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls, 1 fold, MP3 calls, 1 fold, Hero raises, 2 folds, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls, MP3 calls.

Flop: (9.33 SB) , , (4 players)
UTG+1 checks, MP1 bets, MP3 folds, Hero calls, UTG+1 calls.

Turn: (6.16 BB) (3 players)
UTG+1 checks, MP1 bets, Hero raises, UTG+1 folds, MP1 3-bets, Hero calls.

River: (12.16 BB) (2 players)
MP1 bets, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 14.16 BB

Results in white below:
MP1 has Tc Qc (two pair, queens and tens).
Hero has Ad Qs (one pair, queens).
Outcome: MP1 wins 14.16 BB.


Party Poker 3/6 Hold'em (10 handed)

Preflop: Hero is CO with , .
5 folds, MP3 raises, Hero 3-bets, 1 fold, SB calls, 1 fold, MP3 calls.

Flop: (10 SB) , , (3 players)
SB checks, MP3 checks, Hero bets, SB calls, MP3 raises, Hero 3-bets, SB folds, MP3 caps, Hero calls.

Turn: (9.50 BB) (2 players)
MP3 bets, Hero raises, MP3 calls.

River: (13.50 BB) (2 players)
MP3 bets, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 15.50 BB

Results in white below:
MP3 has Js Ah (three of a kind, jacks).
Hero has Ks Kh (two pair, kings and jacks).
Outcome: MP3 wins 15.50 BB.

All I can say is ouch.