Poker Satellite Blog

After much talk and activity we finally decided to host another home poker game for our friends.  The guys were really anxious to play, since it had been a while.  Without much consideration at all it was decided to turn the event into a cookout also.  There is just something about the nice spring weather that makes you want to get together with friends and grill out.

This is where things begin to go sideways.  We had not used the gas grill in ages and it had been mostly outside, but under it’s vinyl cover.  We still had 2 weeks until the event, so I decided to test the grill and to get the propane bottles refilled.  Boy am I glad that there was plenty of time until the poker tournament.  The grill needed a couple of parts and it took about a week and a half to get them.  Finding the parts online was not too hard after finding a good gas grill parts website.  Sure is amazing what you can do with the internet these days.

Anyway, the cookout was a big success and the poker tournament was big fun.  So much fun, that we have another one scheduled for next month.

Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta or better known by her stage name, Lady Gaga is an up and coming pop sensation. To date her most popular hit is a song called “Poker Face”, which was released in late 2008. The hit topped the charts in several countries and the video for the song has been nominated for the 2009 MTV video awards.

The video is very provocative and illustrates a connection between gambling and sexuality. Many scenes in the video show a strip poker game being played, while the players are flashing cool cards and unique poker chips . The lyrics of the song are of course about how men cannot read Gaga’s poker face. It is a little surprising that a song about poker has become such a huge success, but the music charts don’t lie.

Today is the start of the 13th tournament for the Full Tilt Online Poker Series which lasts until August 16. The prize pool for this series is over $16 million. This is a rather substantial leap from the prize pool in 2006 which was a mere $1 million. There will be 25 events in this series with a $2.5 million main event prize. Each tournament will be hosted by on of the Full Tilt Poker pros. So, if you enjoy online poker this is definitely worth checking out.

Looking for something fun and inexpensive to do this weekend? Well, why not get a group of your buddies together and have a gaming night. Get a couple decks of Copag plastic playing cards and you’ll be ready to roll. Poker is always entertaining; the most popular of course is Texas Hold’em. Some other varieties are 3 Card Poker, Let It Ride and Caribbean stud. All of these are easy to learn and lots of fun to play. Then of course there is always the #1 favorite of all times, Blackjack, also known as 21. You could also play craps or roulette, but you would need to get the appropriate accessories to do so. Personally I would stick with Hold’em and Blackjack.

Some of you may not know this, but July 19-25 is National Poker Week. The organization Poker Players Alliance has been continuing its ongoing efforts in Washington D.C this week lobbying for legislation promoting legalized gambling in various playing arenas. Howard Lederer, Andy Bloch, Annie Duke and many other famous poker players have also gathered in Washington this week to go head-to-head with members of Congress. Approximately 100 Congressmen agreed to meet this week to discuss pending legislation regarding gambling in the USA. Maybe the attends should offer the members some Copag playing cards as a “peace” offering. As with many situations only time will tell if those who gathered for this weeks events were successful in their efforts, I wish them luck.

The 21st Century has been a new era for Poker, not only has the regular every day Joe caught poker fever, but many celebrities have as well. Obviously, most of the celeb’s aren’t playing for the money, but instead for the love of the game, or maybe they just enjoy using the really cool plastic playing cards .

 Ben Affleck actually won the $10,000 No Limit California State  Championship in 2004 which amounted to a grand prize of over $300,000, probably petty cash for him; maybe he donated the winnings to his favorite charity. Toby Mcguire, or better known as “Spiderman” has been in several tournaments since 2004 and has had a consistently high ranking. He even placed 1st in 2004 in the Phil Hellmuth Invitaional-No limit hold’em tournament. I bet that one of your favorite celeb’s is a poker pro too.

Are you slightly rusty on your blackjack skills and techniques? Have you ever seen those Vegas blackjack touch screen games? You play these just like table blackjack, minus the dealer. Unfortunately, if you use one of these touch screens in a casino and you haven’t played for a while you could possibly lose a bundle of money.

One great way to practice and get up to speed is with a Laptop Video Blackjack Game with Touch Screen .  This product is similar to playing the casino games, but you get the advantage of getting to practice, but aren’t out large amounts of cash if you don’t do so well. You can purchase one for under $100.00 and the dimensions are 7 x 9 x 8, which means it is the perfect size to take along and play anywhere you go.

Las Vegas is known as the town that never sleeps, do you know why? Let me give you a little Vegas trivia.

If you were traveling in space, guess what the brightest city you would see is. You got it, Las Vegas. It is the brightest city, mostly due to the Vegas Strip where outdoor lighting displays are everywhere you turn. If you can see these from space imagine how luminous it is if you are standing on the street.

There are over 68 Casinos in Vegas and they are open 24/7 all year long. Some of the most famous are the Bellagio, Flamingo, Rio, Caesar’s Palace and I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Circus Circus. The casinos in Vegas are unbelievable there is never a dull moment or a lack for something to do. Whether you like Hold’em, Craps, Slots or Blackjack there is something there for you. People that visit often leave sleep deprived because with all the excitement around no one wants to sleep in fear that something might be missed.

It is estimated that over 39 million people visit this sleepless city every year, why not plan to be one of those people.

Ever been to the Mirage in Vegas?  Me neither, but I want to go.  I was just on their website and it is awesome.  This definitely makes the urge to go stronger.  Upon clicking on the casino link you see more options ranging from slots and table games to poker and horse race betting.  Whatever you are into, it seems to be there.

Table games are my favorite.  A variety of table games are offered, including Baccarat, Blackjack, Craps, and Roulette. Some of the lesser known games are Crazy 4 Poker, Pai Gow, and Pai Gow Poker.  Not to mention the fairly new 3 Card Poker and Let it Ride.  Can’t wait to go and see it in real life.

Phillip the “poker brat”, is a 44 year old Poker Hall of Famer. He holds the record for eleven Texas hold’em World Series of Poker bracelets, and in 1989 he became the youngest player to win the Main Event. Although Hellmuth has never won a World Poker Tour tournament he is still ranked 6th on the WSOP All Time Money List at a whopping $5,859,080.

Hellmuth not only plays the game, he has also written several poker books and instructional videos. Phil Hellmuth’s Million Dollar Poker System DVD will literally change your game overnight. With this instructional DVD you will learn: Strategy, Pot Odds, When to Hold’Em, When to Fold’Em, Phil’s Top Ten Hands, Phil’s Majority Play Hands, Poker Psychology and much more!  Even if you have never picked up a deck of cards Phil’s book, Play Poker Like the Pros will have you well on your way. This book lays out the rules and set-up of each game and then moves on to easy-to-follow basic and advanced strategies. A unique feature of this book is the focus is not only on traditional table play but also on online gaming at which many high-end players are now prospering.