This weekend kicks off the Worldwide Blackjack Tour! As things stand now, it is a live televised tournament that pits blackjack pros vs. poker pros in seven separate blackjack tournaments. When I initially signed on for this exciting event I was still considered more of a blackjack pro, even though poker is my new game of choice. It really doesn't matter which side I represent because I'll kick some serious *&% regardless!

While this particular happening is more of a practice tournament there are still some great prizes to win. My prize for winning first will be either a BMW convertible or Porsche Boxter. Naturally I would choose the Beemer, but it was just pointed out to me that it might be a Z3, which I don't care for at all. So, unless it's a 3 Series convertible (M3 preferably) I'll be rockin' the Boxter. Confidence is paramount in this type of event, so I'm in full-on pump up mode! Send some positive vibes this Saturday if you like, and I'll hopefully bring home a win and a new ride!

 

It seems that my favorite poker duo, Karina and Chip Jett, faired rather well at the WSOP Circuit event in Tunica, Mississippi. Karina (who I always root for given that she's a fellow female player and a friend) finished third in the No-Limit Hold'em Ladies event on August 21. Her husband Chip finished 16th in the Main Event pulling down $17,365. Not too shabby for this remarkable husband and wife team!

As I write this, the action is down to six players in the final day of this event. The lucky-skilled six players are:  Sonny Perry, Jeff Wood, Bobby Law, Bryant King, Steve Rassi, and Gregg Merkow. Check back soon to find out who will take home the $572,970 for first place!

For those of you who have read my last few of posts, you'll be happy to know it's back! My mojo, that is! After a bogus couple of days, I am on the up and up! First stop, The Bicycle Casino for the Yosh Nakano super satellite.

The Bike’s Legends of Poker is winding down and there are a few events left that look pretty good, with the Nakano satellite being one of them. There is also a Mariani/Buss tournament on August 25^th that looks like fun. (For you non-NBA fans, Jerry Buss is the owner of the Lakers and a formidable poker player. He placed 2^nd in a WPT event to Layne Flack.) The buy-in is $3000. Go to www.thebicyclecasino.com for more info.

Additionally, I’ll be playing in a million dollar blackjack tournament in Las Vegas. I still don’t have many specifics on this event; however, I’ll be in LV this weekend for a “practice” tournament. I say “practice” loosely, as the first place prize is a lease on a Porsche Boxter for a year. I’ve always maintained that if it’s not a 911, I don’t want it, but talk to me after I win this thing!

I knew there was a plethora of high rise condos popping up in Vegas and sure enough, the business section of today’s LA Times confirmed it. About 8,000 condos are under construction in Las Vegas or expected to start. One question remains though; Will this glut on the market eventually cause the prices to tumble? Regardless of this speculation, many poker players are snatching up units on the Strip for obvious reasons. One of my favorite players and fellow So Cal resident, Barry Greenstein, has purchased a 1.2 million dollar condo at the Panorama Towers. Greenstein spends approximately three months a year in Sin City and chose the Panorama for its proximity to the Bellagio. "Some of the other high-stakes players are moving into that building, so we will have a little community there," he said. Well, if all goes well at the Yosh Nakano Super Satellite this Wednesday at the Bicycle Casino’s Legends of Poker, perhaps I’ll be a neighbor!

I figure since I’m not playing poker right now (see last post) I may as well wax poetic about some other happenings with my career. (And speaking of my last post, I appreciate the nice comment from Paris. I was a teensy bit apprehensive about scribing such a brazen post.) Undoubtedly the most exciting thing right now is my induction into the Circle of Outlaws. The COO is a handpicked group of up and coming poker players guided by poker superstar Marcel Luske. I am thrilled to not only be part of such a troupe, but the only woman! Check us out at Circle of Outlaws for more info!

Also, I am in the process of building my website, which has turned out to be so much more work than I ever imagined! EricaSchoenberg.com should be live soon, so stay tuned!

I’m just going to put it out there – I am suffering from a nasty case of PMS. In fact, as I write this, my Napster playlist is pumping out some seriously angst ridden chick rock that would usually NEVER grace my speakers. I am so NOT on my A-game that I won’t play poker. It’s like I’ve been beaten by the ADD/sensitivity stick; I can’t focus on a darn thing and when I do, I just want to cry. I just cannot play during my period, period. The one positive thing about this is realizing my strength in the form of recognizing my weakness. I know that my game would be terrible so I’m not playing until I regain my mojo. More players should know when to say no. Anyway, here’s my ultra-weird playlist.

Well, I have to admit that I was definitely expecting a few outrageous comments on some of my posts. (Especially from the Ohio faction of my family and friends!) However, I have been pleasantly surprised by all of the nice remarks.

From Pat and Think Tank (fellow poker players, I believe) to Lou C. on the East Coast, I am thrilled with the feedback. Please continue to follow my gaming saga and feel free to post any questions, comments or criticism. On second thought, keep the criticism to a minimum; trust me, I get plenty!

Following my disappointing week of online tournaments, I was tilting - hard. In an attempt to revive myself and regain my mojo, I headed for the desert. Palm Springs to be exact. As soon as I saw the windmills on the 10 freeway I felt my excitement bubble with the prospect of a relaxing (and hopefully profitable) weekend.

First stop, Casino Morongo poker room. (It should be noted that it truly was my first stop, as I had yet to even check into the resort where I was staying.) I got there just in time to register for the Saturday morning tournament. I specifically wanted to play this tournament as I had heard it really was a mixed bag of good, decent and just plain terrible players. A good poker player needs to be able to play against all skill levels and I have yet to figure out how to win against inexperienced players. Hence my newfound interest in playing smaller, more obscure tournaments.

Well, I just busted out of an online tournament on Bodog.com..... WAAAAAA! It's such a mix of emotions when you finish in the money (yea), but don't win the whole enchilada! So here's the scenario...

149 players, top eighteen cash. When we got down to nineteen there was a five minute break. I realized during the break that I was the short, short stack. Dead last, barely hangin' on with 1600 in chips, whereas the chip leader had 50,000. I decided that when play resumed I was not going to play anything but aces to ensure I land in the money. (There were quite a few other short stacks.) What did I get dealt, you ask? Kings, of course. Naturally, I played them, and they held up against the nines that called me. Sweet, I doubled up.

I am trying a new approach with my pre-poker music. Just as an experiment, I am attempting to “bring it down” a couple of notches and chill out. If you happened to read my playlist from a couple of weeks ago, you may have noted that my choices are usually really high energy. Well, I’m switching it up to see if perhaps more relaxing music will help my mindset. (Speaking of mindset, mine incidentally, has been in the toilet lately. The flu, some bad beats, and a nasty breakup with my boyfriend are to blame, but more on that later….) Needless to say, I’ve been on tilt and I’m trying to get the train back on the tracks! Here’s what’s on my new Creative Zen Micro MP3 player now.

Las Vegas is a wild place to begin with…. Factor in the Super Bowl of poker and it becomes even more rowdy! I was right in the thick of it all – parties, parties and more parties! Oh yeah, and a little poker, too. I started my party circuit at the Full Tilt soiree at club La Bete inside the Wynn. Of course, all the Full Tilt guys were there (Howard Lederer, Chris Ferguson, Phil Ivey, etc.) in addition to most EVERY other major name in poker. (This turned out to be the case with pretty much all of the parties.) This particular shindig was OK, but it got much better when the charity poker games ended and the dance floor started heating up. This was probably a direct result of two things - the open bar and my inebriated self doing the worm across the dance floor…Just kidding.  I did, however, turn out a little robot action.  Oh yeah…

 

My trip report from San Manuel is a bit dated, as I was there almost a month ago, but this is the first free day I’ve had! I went to play blackjack with a friend/mentor, but I was also hoping to win a chance in the “money machine” from a promotion called Grab the Green. (Much to the chagrin of my friend who thinks this stuff is a waste of time and I’m silly.) Unfortunately, I didn’t win the drawing, but I did leave San Manuel a winner…..barely.

One of the hardest things about gambling is putting in serious floor time and getting little to no value for your time. For example, driving two hours to a casino only to play for eight + hours and win a measly c-note. Sure, it’s better than losing, but when you factor in gas, time spent, quality of life (i.e. smoke filled casino with a rather unpleasant clientele), it makes for a miserable drive home at 5 a.m.

Here’s what happened in a nutshell.

Well, the past two weeks have been crazier than Tom Cruise, but I'm back! I have a lot to recap from my San Manuel experience to my two trips to Vegas. Rather than go in chronological order, I'll begin with something a little more recent. (OK, I really just need vent about something!) 

I generally try not to blame my poker losses on bad beats. Unfortunately, they happen all the time - it's just a part of the game. (In fact, after my most recent "bad beat" I was waxing poetic with Michael "Grinder" Mizrachi, who told me just to move on. That's all you can do. But I'm getting ahead of myself!)

Well, it's been a while since I've posted because I've been burning the candle at both ends in Vegas. Meeting and greeting (OK, it's really shmoozin' and boozin') at night and playing cards during the day! So I returned from Sin City with a plethora of stories to recount, but alas, I am leaving for the airport in just a few short hours. Yep, you guessed it... back to Las Vegas! I have a last minute photo shoot for a new poker venture which I will describe when I return (have to sign the paperwork first) and one more World Series of Poker event that I simply must play and win! It's a thousand dollar buy-in event tomorrow that would yield not only a WSOP bracelet, but a pretty hefty payday also. This is my last stab at the 2005 World Series! Send me some positive vibes and I will surely recap what will hopefully be a winning tournament!