Saturday, March 20, 2010

Cash Out Curse

I'm hoping this will evolve into a Cash Out Anti-Curse. 

For the first time EVAH, I have decided to take money out of Full Tilt Poker.  In the good old days of Neteller I was continuously moving $$$ from one site to another to take advantage of deposit bonuses and other miscellaneous bonus whoring opportunities that presented themselves at the myriad poker sites that existed at the time.

Then the crap hit the fan.

I consolidated my bankroll to three sites: Full Tilt, Poker Stars and Cake.  Cake was abandoned rather quickly.  I never had much on Poker Stars; when I played the Ante Up AIPS series I needed to have some money on Poker Stars.  Since then the AIPS events were scheduled for Wednesday nights - my bowling night.  I haven't played on Stars in ages but I am, for some strange reason, reluctant to take that last little bit off of there.

On March 15th, after getting fed up with my epic case of "Run Bad" on Full Tilt AND with a huge boner for a new laptop I decided to take the majority of my bankroll off of Full Tilt.  I knew this would mean that I would have to step down in limits in order to continue playing.  I have always been good about bankroll management - usually seriously overrolled for the stakes I play.  I have no problems stepping down.  On the contrary, I have been delighted at how bad the 25nl players seem to be. 

I have always been a recreational player, serious, but still only recreational.  The fact that I have over time managed to accrue enough bankroll to pay for a new laptop is nothing short of a delight to me. 

My only concern was that I would regret my decision to pull out. 

Then the news hit that the UIGEA would not have any more reprieves - it goes into effect in June.  I can't help but believe this will significantly effect online poker.  There is already a dearth of really bad players - the kind that we enjoy a few years ago.  I may even decide to pull more, if not all, of my bankroll off until the legal issues are resolved. 

The next season of the PokerSlut Tour has been scheduled and will run until the middle of June.  At the point we might have to call it quits depending on the status of online poker. 

I do have live poker available to me here but I don't have much desire to actually go play.  I have a live bankroll that would support regular play but I just don't have any motivation to play.  Now that my boys will both be in middle school next year - and won't be home until almost 4pm - I will have more time to play live if I want.  I believe they even have a couple of tournaments now.

Hell, I might even develop an addiction to Craft Warriors of the Netherworld Dungeons of Doom XVIII after I get my new screaming laptop.

I doubt this will be the end of my poker playing.  As long as there are online freerolls and playchip poker I can satisfy my poker appetite.  After all, isn't that where we all started?

6 comments:

Donna Blevins said...

Why has it taken so long for us to meet? While talking with Lupe Soto today by way of Video Skype, I clicked through from LIPStour.com to your blog. What a scream you are!

Donna Blevins
BTW, I'm the BiG Girl of Poker at 6'5" tall...

gadzooks64 said...

Thanks for stopping by Donna!

Donna Blevins said...

I'm in your pokersluts FTP tournament... having a blast! thanks!

gadzooks64 said...

Awesome! What's your screen name!?!?

Short-Stacked Shamus said...

I'm with you on thinking online poker is gonna be affected come June 1. A new challenge to bankroll management it'll be (for many), I think.

gadzooks64 said...

There's been a dearth of fish in the pond for some time now. I can't help but believe that situation is only going to get worse when the UIGEA is enforced.

I sure hope online poker can survive until regulation/legalization happens. Heck, I hope it survives AFTER legalization/regulation.