Funny Business

All grins here at Hard-Boiled Poker just now. Had some SNG successes today -- something I haven’t really even tried in months -- which is always fun. (Will write about that in the next post.) Also in the past few weeks I’ve come across some poker-related raillery I thought it might be time to share. The yuks begin paragraph after next, so get ready to start laughin’ . . . .

A little while back I finally found Pocket Fives, a website devoted to online poker that’s been around since early 2005. They host a very active forum, post articles containing strategy advice and other items of interest, and produce a highly-listenable weekly podcast. Even though the site has been up and running for less than two years, Pocket Fives has already built up a significant presence not just online but in the poker world at large. Several regular contributers to the Pocket Fives’ forums achieved major success at this year’s WSOP, including three who won bracelets: Jon Friedberg (Pokertrip) in the $1,000 NLH event (Event No. 17), Ian Johns (Ian J) in the $3,000 LH event (Event No. 23), and Scott Clements (JRAvila) in the $3,000 Omaha 8/b event (Event No. 24). Also, back in April there was a bit of a dust-up when Full Tilt Poker sent out one of its regular “Tips from the Pros” containing material plagiarized from a Pocket Fives post. The pro in question was Clonie Gowen, and her tip about playing re-buy tourneys contained an entire paragraph taken almost verbatim from a post by jsup on Pocket Fives. (Here’s a well-written summary of the sordid affair posted on the poker blog O-Town.)

The July 20th episode of the Pocket Fives podcast features a couple of interviews. One is with WSOP bracelet-winner Friedberg (who sounds like an intelligent, likable guy). The other is with someone introduced as “one of the funniest posters ever to grace the site,” a fellow who goes by the name of “BigHems.” His post “OMG?!?! YOU LIKED THE LAST ONE THIS ONE IS 83957894x WORSE!” won the site’s award for funniest post of 2005. Here’s the post followed by all the responses. Check it out.

Here are a few other funnies I’ve come across lately (via forums and blogs): Click here for undisputable proof that online poker is rigged. Click here to read a list of ways to know when you’re running bad. Click here to see one of those hilarious online poker videos by TuffFish (the guy who rants himself into a stupor while playing NL online at Party). Click here to read an old thread on the 2+2 Forums begun by a enterprising young man soliciting advice about starting his own home casino. And finally, click here to see Jon Stewart of Comedy Central's The Daily Show explain H.R. 4111, that version of the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act passed by the House last month.

Hope them links all worked for ya. Remember, when in doubt, do like BigHems and go all in to see where you’re at.