So I was up till almost 2 AM Friday night handicapping Saturday’s games.  I had my leans but had to make some decisions because I didn’t think I could wake up in time to double check my picks with the real handicappers on 2+2 who were running late.

My whole process is basically that when the lines come out each week I go up and down the page (if I have time) and do a rough analysis of every game based on stats, matchups, schedules, injuries, news, predictions, rankings and sometimes other stuff.  If I don’t have time I can usually pick out some that look solid.  When I get my leans I go to 2+2 and see what the chatter is, and usually I take the games that match my picks with 2+2 winning handicappers and bet them.  There’s usually a few I bet each week on my own too.  The 2+2 handicappers I follow are Ichabod1985 (#1, he killed the sportsbook last season), MyTurn2Raise (#2), then in no particular order bills217, pirateboy, rush66, and NajdorfDefense.

Anyways I got to bed late because none of those guys had posted Saturday picks yet and I had to do some of my own work.  I rolled over in bed at 7:45 AM this morning and decided to get up for COLLEGE GAMEDAY.  I grab my laptop, move to the living room and fire up the TV and 2+2.  People’s picks are in and I bet a bunch more I was leaning on now that I had some expert opinions.  Off to a bad start with the VaTech/E.Car game.  I think VaTech ran really bad with those two huge early turnovers in the red zone, but E.Car played a hell of a game and deserved to win.  Other than that it was just another NCAAF Saturday.  Sweat games all day long, hit some halftime bets live, sweat some more.  At the end of Saturday night I’m 17-9 for the week +8.11U.  Not a bad start at all.

We sat here all day while Rusty played a 7Stud multi and a Razz multi.  We said we’d get some food after he finished.  Instead we each had a cookie and he played all day in those, chopping 1st/2nd in the 7Stud and taking 4th in the Razz.  We finally picked up some In’N’Out Burger and it was gooood.  We sweat some night games and now we’re about to hit up some more midnight bowling at Sunset Station.  Expect more bowling degeneracy stories like last time.

Back to poker tomorrow.  Rusty said we might actually put in a full day working tomorrow during the day and then hit up the 3/6 Mix tomorrow night for some fun.  That’s alot of big talk from him so we’ll see.

Rolled to lunch today and found us a new gem.  Memphis BBQ.  WORLD CHAMPIONS OF BBQ!!!  We ate there and it was pretty good, duno about being world champions.  We get to Mirage and as usual nothing is going on so we walk to Venishun and jump on a new 1/2NL table.  Somehow it looks like 37 of 39 tables are running full and me and Rusty get on the one that is nitty.  Nitty except two fish who each stacked Rusty and cashed out shortly after.  No real big hands, up 35 bucks I decide to go play 4/8.  Play 4/8 for a couple hours and win 50 bucks and decide I’m not really paying enough attention (just sweating the football games) so I cash out from a table that is getting sorry too.  Walk back to Mirage to find Rusty and he’s AWOL so I sit in sportsbook and watch the games.  Pretty uneventful day.

Went 2-0 tonight in NCAAF (Blowing out Temple-7 and barely covering Over 41.5) bringing us to 5-2 this week +3.11U.  Solid start but tomorrow is the real deal that will make or break my week betting sports.

We also saw Tomer Benvinisti at Venetian playing in their daily tournament.  For those of you who don’t remember him he is the rather large gentleman who final tabled the main event in 03.  No real story, we just saw him.  Hopefully tomorrow will be pretty live wherever we play.

After yesterday’s disaster Rusty and I decide to get back to the basics.  We hit up Quiznos for lunch where we are undefeated after eating there for lunch.  Then we get an easy drive to Mirage where we park with great results.  Walk in, say hey to Todd, look around and not much is going so we go to Venetian.  I jump on the open 4/8 seat and Rusty sits 1/2NL.  I felt great going into today after a decent night of sleep, a shower, a shave, some washed clothes, Quiznos, etc.  It showed as I got on a table and did well today.  I had a few hands for some big pots but 3 of the 4 biggest pots I played today I lost.

I am stiffed in the big blind with J8 of diamonds and the flop is the nuts: 853 with two diamonds.  I bet and get three callers.  Turn is a 3 (bleh).  I bet, cawl, cawl, raise on button.  Bad turn but I call.  River bricks, check/call and lose to 34o.  Yay.  I called a guy down in another hand with 88 when the board came 654K9 and he showed me K6.  I led the action prior to the turn and called it after that.  Didn’t know why a random K or 9 hurt me but it did, too bad.  The biggest pot of the day was the one I couldn’t lose and lost.  I limp into multiway action with KT of hearts.  The flop is the joint again: 789 two hearts.  I bet and get called and raised.  We go to war and finally the action closes three ways seeing a turn.  KING!  POW!  I cannot lose this hand right?  Back to war! Bets, raises, etc.  River:  nothing.  Check/call and lose to 78.  Yay.  Every out in the deck and I miss.  I don’t remember all the exact action but I remember after this hand counting down 17 or 18 big bets in this pot that I bricked.

Things were looking bleak at this point when I pick up KQ at a short table (people were away) and raise UTG, get two callers.  Flop is AJ4 rainbow.  BB checks, I cbet, button calls, BB folds.  Ok I’m done with this hand until TEN ON THE TURN!  I bet and to my surprise it gets raised.  I reraise and he reraises.  I 5 bet and he calls.  River is beatiful blank leaving me the nuts.  3 bets go in on the river and the old man tables AT like its the winner.  I table KQ and his hand gets mucked instantly.  He gets really mad saying he won the hand and never saw my hand but the dealer said I tabled it, he called the straight and mucked the losing hand.  The old man continues to berate the dealer and me for my play (lol I’m not five betting the turn with a hand that AT beats monkey) and he racks up and leaves.

I use that momentum now at an even shorter table to bulldoze this table for chips.  I was literally squeezing every orphan dollar I could off this table where nobody wanted to bet.  Then the greatest thing ever happens.  This Frenchman sits down on my left and turns to me and says in broken english “At this table do we play against the house or the players?”  HAHAHA THANKS!  I tell him we play the players and he says “Good, I like that”.  Long story short he doesn’t know what’s going on.  One hand I have 89 in SB and complete, he checks BB after seriously looking like he was going to raise but finally deciding to call.  Flop is KQ9 and I think I’m just done.  Checks around.  Turn is another 9 and I bet.  He raises me.  Wow.  I call thinking I could seriously be beat.  River is nothing and I check/call his bet and he proudly tables A2 no pair no draw.  He really thought ace high was like a good hand.  Thanks.

So after beating up on him for a while we cash it out up two racks, Rusty cashes out a nice day and me and him both made up over half of what we lost yesterday.  We run home for pizza and college football opening night.  Made a few more bets including TEX@LAA Over 9.5 (MLB) which we won.  We went 3-2 tonight in NCAAF for a profit of .42U because my big bet lost.  Up 2.16U on the night total.  I’ll total everything up Sunday night for a weekend tally.

Off to a good start handicapping college football.  Week 1 is always hard but looking at the games, my bets and leans and the results, I’m feeling good about this season.