Why haven’t I been blogging?

Well not much has been happening, but that’s never stopped me before. 

 

Work has basically blocked all access to message boards and forums (this includes blogs) and also blocked the emails of my rss feeds.  Being isolated from the blogosphere has kinda made me lose interest in the whole thing, but that’s not the only reason I haven’t been cranking out my usual monster posts.  The other factor is that I was very disappointed with the response to my blog contests.  Altogether only five people entered (when you count both contests) and I only received a total of ten votes, these were hardly encouraging results.  This left me disappointed and a little depressed that my effort to provide amusement and entertain was mostly ignored.  It was The Schpat Dope all over again, and it reminded me of another project that, while very close to my heart, was generally underappreciated by the intended audience.  I speak of course about SchpatCON. 

 

You see I’ve always been an organiser.  From as far back as I can remember I’ve been a person that gets things going.  People want a party? Sure, I’ll sort it out.  Varsity is boring! Lets watch videos, I’ll get the TV.  Varsity is still boring!  Let’s get totally shit-faced and have ice fights and puke and pass out on the couch, I’ll get the hooch.  Ok, that one seemed like a good idea at the time.  It could very well just be an intense need to be the centre of attention stemming from a poor self image and the fact that I wasn’t breast fed as a baby, but I doubt it.  You see I like to make people happy, and I like to do cool shit.  That’s the major reason I came up with the idea of SchpatCON in the first place.  It was a cool way for gamers who were no longer at varsity, and involved with CLAWs, to stay active in the scene and also to give the CLAW committee a chance to take part in an event without having to organise it themselves.

 

SchpatCON was first held at Tokai Library, a venue with a bunch of fond memories of the war gaming club I had a major hand in organising, and other things too.  I put hours into the event writing modules and organising prizes, of course I had some help with module writing.  The turn out was twelve people, the organisers had put in twice as many man hours as all the participants put together.  I was disappointed to say the least, but I decided to run another one in 2001.  That time we had a few more people, but nobody was very enthusiastic.  In fact everybody had left before it was even time to hand out the prizes.  To this day I still have R200 in Outer Limits gift vouchers floating around to remind me of my failure.  That’s how I’ve been feeling lately, and probably the reason that there’s been no news about SchpatCON this year.

 

Then last night a conversation about old times and past experiences reminded me just how much fun things used to be, and you know what, things in general weren’t very different back then… but my attitude was.  I’ve realised that SchpatCON is not a failure.  By 2002 I was working with a team of people that are were so good that their enthusiasm energised me and made the whole thing worthwhile.  Together we’ve gone on to organise three of the best gaming events that I’ve ever attended, and I’ve had so many good times.  The general epiphany was that I just need to get off my arse and get on with things.  So I’ve started blogging again and “SchpatCON VII: Deadly Sins” is in the works.  I’ll give out some more information about it at a later stage but for now just keep September 22-25 free in your diaries.

 

I’ll be blogging again, but it probably won’t take the same form as as before.

 

WBT

I have registered to play in the PokerStars World Blogger Championship of Online Poker!

This Online Poker Tournament is a No Limit Texas Holdem event exclusive to Bloggers.

Registration code: 6165065

They wanted this in the sidebar, but it was just too dang wide. I’m looking forward to it.

schpat out

WBT

I have registered to play in the PokerStars World Blogger Championship of Online Poker!

This Online Poker Tournament is a No Limit Texas Holdem event exclusive to Bloggers.

Registration code: 6165065

They wanted this in the sidebar, but it was just too dang wide. I’m looking forward to it.

schpat out

Ask a ninja

I was up late last night finishing off the latest installment in A Song of Ice and Fire by Geroge RR Martin, this after the poker. The poker was great, I made good decisions but went out when my opponent hit an three outer on the river, bummer but these things happen.

I’m not going to blog much today, I’m pretty tired, but for the benefit of your amusement I present: A Ninja!

For more of these great little shorts check out AskANinja.com.

schpat out

Ask a ninja

I was up late last night finishing off the latest installment in A Song of Ice and Fire by Geroge RR Martin, this after the poker. The poker was great, I made good decisions but went out when my opponent hit an three outer on the river, bummer but these things happen.

I’m not going to blog much today, I’m pretty tired, but for the benefit of your amusement I present: A Ninja!

For more of these great little shorts check out AskANinja.com.

schpat out

Where’s the Ninja

It’s Wednesday, where’s the Ninja? Rest assured he’s here, you just cant see him! I have it on good authority that he’ll make an appearance tomorrow. But beware, this ninja’s main purpose in life is killing, just because you can’t see him doesn’t mean he can’t see you.

In the meantime, wish me luck for the poker tournament tonight, it’s going to be tough and see that I didn’t get very much sleep last night it might be even tougher.

schpat out

Where’s the Ninja

It’s Wednesday, where’s the Ninja? Rest assured he’s here, you just cant see him! I have it on good authority that he’ll make an appearance tomorrow. But beware, this ninja’s main purpose in life is killing, just because you can’t see him doesn’t mean he can’t see you.

In the meantime, wish me luck for the poker tournament tonight, it’s going to be tough and see that I didn’t get very much sleep last night it might be even tougher.

schpat out

Return of the A game

This is a poker post, if you have no interest check back tomorrow when I might introduce you to a funny ninja.

Last night after catching up with LOST I fired up the poker machine for a game or two, you know, for practice. I stuck to the $3 + .40 single table SnG’s and my B game put up a helluva fight in A’s absence. In the first game a bubbled (that’s finished one off the money) when I made a move with KJc and was taken out by A4o. In the next game I finished in 6th when JTh ran into A7, my J paired on the flop but my opponent stuck around (against the odd mind you) to suck out with a runner runner gut shot, but that’s poker. I decided that if I lost another one I’d have had more than enough practice at losing, so one last game it was.

In the first hand I was dealt KK in the 6 seat. I bet 4xBB and got one caller. Exactly what I’d hoped for. The flop was KQQ rainbow, a fucking awesome flop giving me a full house. The only hand I was worried about was QQ for four of a kind, but as two time world champion Doyle Brunson says, you can’t worry about four of a kind. I wanted to show weakness so I lead in with a small bet hoping to be raised by AK. AQ, KJ, QJ or even KQ or AA all of which were possible holdings by my opponent, hell it’s internet poker he could have been holding K3o and would still have called. He did in fact call, not what I wanted, but ok. The turn was an 8 and I lead out again with a half-pot bet, he called, the pot’s now up to about T$800 and the river is an J. sweet mother of Jesus I think, if he just paired his J I’m gonna score big, there’s almost no chance he’d have played AA like that. He’s called all the way so far so I pump on another half-pot bet of T$400 for value, he calls. What do you think he showed? That’s right QQ. I paid him almost two thirds of my chips just to see four of a kind, thanks Doyle. Honestly I wouldn’t have done anything different, The chances that he had that hand were so small the odds I was getting on my bets were great, incidentally he played the last street badly, with the nuts he should have bet out at me, I probably would have called and he could have won a lot more money. Doyle also says that big pairs are dangerous hands, either you win big, or you lose big. Thanks for stating the obvious…. never worry about four of a kind… grumble.

So I’m down to like T$600, out of T$1500, and looking like a complete schmuck, what am I to do now? In burst those mercenaries A game in tow with a sack on his head. The wasted no time tying him to a chair and beating him with rubber hoses until he saw the error of his ways and agreed to start playing again. Hell I even think the mercenaries got in on the action a little bit showing some real aggression. Within the space of ten hands I was chip leader, I rode that all the way to the end of the game, $15 cash, woo-hoo.

That game was over pretty quickly and I decided I needed more practice winning so I signed up for another. A game was really excited to rediscover how much fun winning was again. I had to make a few tough calls, like calling a all-in pre-flop with KQc, but ended up winning that one too. Total of $30 won for the night and a 120% ROI for the night.

I now have enough frequent player points for a cap.

I hope A game sticks around for tomorrow night, I could certainly use it. I want to get some more practice in this evening but I’ve got to get a good nights rest before the big game.

Tomorrow: a ninja.

schpat out

Return of the A game

This is a poker post, if you have no interest check back tomorrow when I might introduce you to a funny ninja.

Last night after catching up with LOST I fired up the poker machine for a game or two, you know, for practice. I stuck to the $3 + .40 single table SnG’s and my B game put up a helluva fight in A’s absence. In the first game a bubbled (that’s finished one off the money) when I made a move with KJc and was taken out by A4o. In the next game I finished in 6th when JTh ran into A7, my J paired on the flop but my opponent stuck around (against the odd mind you) to suck out with a runner runner gut shot, but that’s poker. I decided that if I lost another one I’d have had more than enough practice at losing, so one last game it was.

In the first hand I was dealt KK in the 6 seat. I bet 4xBB and got one caller. Exactly what I’d hoped for. The flop was KQQ rainbow, a fucking awesome flop giving me a full house. The only hand I was worried about was QQ for four of a kind, but as two time world champion Doyle Brunson says, you can’t worry about four of a kind. I wanted to show weakness so I lead in with a small bet hoping to be raised by AK. AQ, KJ, QJ or even KQ or AA all of which were possible holdings by my opponent, hell it’s internet poker he could have been holding K3o and would still have called. He did in fact call, not what I wanted, but ok. The turn was an 8 and I lead out again with a half-pot bet, he called, the pot’s now up to about T$800 and the river is an J. sweet mother of Jesus I think, if he just paired his J I’m gonna score big, there’s almost no chance he’d have played AA like that. He’s called all the way so far so I pump on another half-pot bet of T$400 for value, he calls. What do you think he showed? That’s right QQ. I paid him almost two thirds of my chips just to see four of a kind, thanks Doyle. Honestly I wouldn’t have done anything different, The chances that he had that hand were so small the odds I was getting on my bets were great, incidentally he played the last street badly, with the nuts he should have bet out at me, I probably would have called and he could have won a lot more money. Doyle also says that big pairs are dangerous hands, either you win big, or you lose big. Thanks for stating the obvious…. never worry about four of a kind… grumble.

So I’m down to like T$600, out of T$1500, and looking like a complete schmuck, what am I to do now? In burst those mercenaries A game in tow with a sack on his head. The wasted no time tying him to a chair and beating him with rubber hoses until he saw the error of his ways and agreed to start playing again. Hell I even think the mercenaries got in on the action a little bit showing some real aggression. Within the space of ten hands I was chip leader, I rode that all the way to the end of the game, $15 cash, woo-hoo.

That game was over pretty quickly and I decided I needed more practice winning so I signed up for another. A game was really excited to rediscover how much fun winning was again. I had to make a few tough calls, like calling a all-in pre-flop with KQc, but ended up winning that one too. Total of $30 won for the night and a 120% ROI for the night.

I now have enough frequent player points for a cap.

I hope A game sticks around for tomorrow night, I could certainly use it. I want to get some more practice in this evening but I’ve got to get a good nights rest before the big game.

Tomorrow: a ninja.

schpat out

Dance Dance Revolution

I had a great Weekend. Saturday was spent with family, some German cousins are out in South Africa and we had a get together to say hi. It was a lot of fun to see people that I only vaguely remember form my childhood, they’re good people. There was also awesome food. On Sunday I took Elisabeth out to the market at Green Point Stadium to buy african curios for her brother in Alice Springs Australia, I wonder if he likes egg on his pizza. We had breakfast at the News Cafe and then a really late lunch at the Tibetan Tea House in Simonstown. I had a sweet potato and pea curry with much ginger and it totally rocked. We also watched more LOST.

On the poker front, I took my solid B game to the tables last night to feed off the chum left after the weekly $1M on PokerStars. Lots of people pay $220 for the chance to win the $1M but most of them are really sucky players that drop out in the first hour, the ones that drop out in the first few minutes are the worst. These are they guys that are sitting around still wanting to gamble that I like to tackle in the micro stakes SnG’s. I say me B game because my A game seems to be on holiday on some tropical paradise and not responding to the urgent voicemails I’ve left it. Still I played 4 games last night and cashed in 3 of them, two thirds and a second, for a total profit of $7.40 or a 54% ROI. Not too bad. I’m thinking of hiring a bunch of mercenaries to find my A game and bring it back kicking a screaming before my minitournament on Wednesday night.

There is so much fucked up shit in the news at the moment that I’m not even going to mention it here. If you’re interested go check it out a IOL.

During my internet foray over the weekend I did come across this very funny video. It’s only for people with large pipes, but extremely funny. Who say’s white men can’t dance?

Also, Fisherman’s Friends are awesome, thanks to the guys at role-playing for suggesting them. I loves me the strong mints.

schpat out