Hello guys,
long time no see. I didn't play any games during the holidays; instead, I went on a trip around Europe armed with only a backpack, questionable French, and a stubborn belief that Google.
Translate would save me..
First step Spain. I thought I’d blend in. I don’t speak Spanish, but I figured a friendly smile and a lot of “gracias” and "Por favor, una cerveza" would get me through. Wrong. I walked into a small local tapas bar and tried to order with a mix of broken Spanish, hand gestures, and hope. What I got was... still a mystery. It was fried, vaguely fishy, and may or may not have still been alive when it hit the table. I ate it anyway to avoid offending anyone, and now I can say I’ve tried something Spanish. I just don’t know what .After the adventures at last year's EPT Barcelona, I had enough of the casino. The tables were full of regulars who took my money because I was playing 4-card PLO, where I barely remember the rules, and these days I'm mostly battling in the chaos of 6-card action. That's why I skipped this EPT and this beautiful casino near the see.
Next stop: Italy. The plan was to visit the Colosseum, but thanks to my terrible sense of direction, I spent two hours wandering around Rome thinking every random ruin was it. I asked a local for directions and ended up joining a group of Italian grandmothers on a day trip to a vineyard. Honestly, best detour ever. The wine helped soften the fact that I still hadn't seen the Colosseum. Here, I was more in the mood to play. No offense to the Italians, but in Europe, it's usually them who bring the cash to the tables at all sorts of events. The problem was, I couldn’t find a casino that offered 5 or 6-card PLO.
Germany was next. I assumed it would be all sausages and efficiency. Instead, I missed my train three times, each time just as it pulled away, like a rom-com scene where the train was my love interest. Finally, I got on, only to realize I was going in the wrong direction. I ended up in a tiny town where no one spoke English, but the beer was cold, No complaints. I did manage to catch the Euro though – the Poland vs. France match in Dortmund. But unfortunately, I have to complain a bit about the organization. The Germans are known for their work culture and preparation, but here, they seemed to have completely forgotten that and just let things run on their own. The previously mentioned trains were delayed by an eternity. And no card payments in most stores? WTF?" Good beer, but sorry Germany it is not enough.
By the time I reached Prague, I was determined to stick to my itinerary. Naturally, I lost it somewhere between buying a magnet shaped like the Prague Castle and getting hypnotized by a street performer dressed as a giant squirrel. I never did figure out why he was dressed like that, but he offered me a selfie, and I couldn't say no.
I finally returned home, exhausted, with no clear understanding of how many countries I'd actually visited, but a newfound appreciation for beers, wrong trains, and squirrel selfies.
Time to get to work. I see that the quality of the games and the regulars in 6-card PLO is improving a lot. Not good, trouble ahead. Below is a graph from this whole year. Nothing impressive, but I haven't had much motivation to study either. Good thing winter is coming – maybe I'll force myself to watch an instructional video and spend a couple of sleepy hours with the solver.
In the stable, we have a new fitness coach, and he made a plan for me that focuses mainly on biceps. I think he knows what's good. Who needs to work out legs, anyway?
And how are you guys doing? Still grinding that boring 4-card Omaha, or are you, like me, jumping on the rollercoaster of 6-card madness with those wild, crocodile-shaped graphs?
Post scriptum: Do you know any cool vlogs on YouTube or documentaries with Omaha in the background? I honestly recommend 'House of Poker' and the episodes about Finnish Omaha players.
Especially the episode 'LAST CALL S2E2: Never Play PLO Against the Finns.' But if it's in another language, like that strange Finnish, it should at least have English subtitles!