January 7, 2010
I Love Free Stuff from PokerStars!
by Luckbox

I have registered to play in the PokerStars World Blogger Championship of Online Poker! The WBCOOP is a free online Poker tournament open to all Bloggers, so register on WBCOOP to play.
Registration code: 544875
December 14, 2009
Luckbox Last Longer Challenge Results
by Luckbox
Thanks to everyone who participated in the 2nd Luckbox Last Longer Challenge. It was a huge success... made even better by the $2000 added prize pool from our friends at PokerStars!
We had 24 teams enter for a total of $720 in entry fees. If that doesn't scream, "Hammer!" then I don't know what does.
In the end, Team Roach bested us all with a remarkable combined finish of 43. Poker Gnome finished 5th, Recess Rampage finished 16th and Bayne finished 22nd. They each walked away with $120 plus $500 from PokerStars.
The lovely ladies from Team Hammer Girls finished 2nd with a combined finish of 65. Katitude finished 19th, Maigrey finished 21st and Maudie finished 25th. They each cashed for $72 plus $500 to split from PokerStars.
Last, but not least, Team Tao of Pot proved that chemical enhancements can pay off. Their combined finish of 78 was 8 better than 4th place. Change100 bubbled the final table in 11th, Derek finished 28th and Pauly finished 39th. They each took home $48.
Here's the rest of the top 10:
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(Apologies for any spelling errors or incorrect names. Please alert me in the comments.)
4th: Team Last Minute - Alceste, California April, DawnSummers (86)
5th: Team Waffles - Jordan, Dr. Chako, Waffles (90)
6th: Team Geek Nation - Penner, Alan, Garth (91)
7th: Team I Kissed One of These Girls - F-Train, CK, The Wife (92)
8th: Team LA D-Bags - Joe Speaker, Absinthe, Shane (98)
9th: Team Two Chicks and a Grump - Poker Grump, Katie, Writer Jen (105)
10th (t): Team Bonus Code Iggy - Obie VIP, Iggy, Rooster (113)
10th (t): Team Bad Football - Butch, Matt, Columbo (113)
Thanks again to everyone who participated. We'll definitely do this again, especially if we can get PokerStars involved!
Oh...
And for the record Team Up For Poker finished with a total of 132 which was ahead of the defending champs, Team Mizzou, who came in at 137.
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December 2, 2009
WPBT Sunday at the Sportsbook
by Luckbox
It was waaaay back in 2004 when the WPBT held it's first live event in Vegas. Back then, I wrote: "If you didn't know, our WPBT event coincided with the National Rodeo Finals. That meant Vegas played host to the largest collection of cowboy hats and plastic breasts since the release of Western Barbie."
One of the highlights of that trip was Sunday at the Mandalay Bay sportsbook. Here's what we wrote:
G-Rob wrote: "Another Damn trip report....I'm almost done...really!"
Otis wrote: "From Rock Gardens to Sherwood Forests"
The Luckbox wrote: Well... nothing. For some reason I teased an entry called "Sports Betting is Evil" but never got around to writing it. Instead, I'll give you this gem from the 2005 WPBT called "Too Drunk to Call."
Why am I telling you this? Well, if you're going to still be there Sunday, we've got a spectacular set up for this year's sports betting excitement!
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It's called Lagasse's Stadium and it's at The Venetian. We've got a private luxury suite reserved under the names of AlCantHang and The Luckbox for the entire day of NFL games. That suite has seating for 25 but room for others. It's got two 52" TVs with remotes, a pool table, a private bathroom and an iPod docking station.
The catch? Well, we're going to have to be sure to buy at least $1500 in food and drinks among the group. I figure with the folks we'll have there, it won't be too hard. The great people at The Venetian are giving us a pretty sizeable discount on the minimum food purchase. Once again, someone's showing some love for the WPBT!
The sports book opens at 8am and Sunday NFL kickoff is 10am. Space is limited so if you're name isn't AlCantHang or The Luckbox, you better make sure you get there in time to be part of our private luxury suite.
Here's an article in the Las Vegas Reivew Journal with more on Lagasse's Stadium. And if you check out the Casino City Gang podcast on November 19th, they talk a little more about the sportsbook.
If you think you'll be there Sunday morning at Lagasse's Stadium, let me know in the comments so we can get a sense of just how crazy the day will be!
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November 30, 2009
Update #1: Luckbox Last Longer Challenge
by Luckbox
I want to thank those of you who have already signed up for the L-cubed challenge with the $2000 added prize pool from PokerStars!
The best news is that the vast majority of teams entered thus far are horribly flawed. Team Up For Poker is ideally suited to run away with the $1500 top prize. The rest of you are still eligible to win the $500 consolation prize.
Before I list the teams currently entered, I'll remind you how to get your team in the challenge. Team entries can be left in the comments of Up For Poker on THIS POST, sent to cusephenom -@- yahoo DOT com, or done in person in Las Vegas between noon and 12:45pm during tournament registration.
Without further ado, the teams as currently entered:
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Team Up For Poker: CJ, Otis, G-Rob
Team Gambling Tales: Falstaff, Special K, Mrs. Falstaff
Unnamed Team: Bayne, RecessRampage, smizmiatch
Team Fluffy Unicorns: lj, chad, augie
Team Waffles: Dr. Chako, Waffles, Jordan
Team Canada: Fuel, Schaubs, Bam-Bam
Team "I Kissed One of These Girls": F-Train, CK, The Wife
Team LA D-Bags: shane, Speaker, Troublecat
Team D-Listers: lightning36, OhCaptain, pokerpeaker
Team Wheelchair: Drizz, AlCantHang, StB
Team Procedure: BadBlood, TheMark, Moutray
Team Name Forthcoming: iggy, Obie VIP, the rooster
Team Tao of Pot: Pauly, Derek, Change100
Another Unnamed Team: Astin and a couple of buddies
Team-To-Be-Named-Later: Katitude, Maigrey, Maudie
So far, those are the 15 teams entered for The Luckbox Last Longer Challenge. I'll update this as we go.
Also, when you talk about this on Twitter, Facebook and your own blog, don't forget to give PokerStars some love. After all, we don't want this to be the last time Stars throws a little money our way!
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November 27, 2009
The Luckbox Last Longer Challenge
by Luckbox
Let's start with the breaking news:
PokerStars will be adding $2000 to the Luckbox Last Longer Challenge prize pool.
Let me say that again.
The awesome folks at PokerStars are once again showing their support for the WPBT by adding $2000 to the prize pool for the Luckbox Last Longer Challenge at the Winter Classic (and find it on Facebook).
Let's just say this little contest of pride and wills just grew into something awesome. Now let's get to the details. With this much money now at stake, we're putting down some rules. Read carefully!
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- Teams of three must be formed before the tournament begins and submitted to The Luckbox. Team entries can be left in the comments of Up For Poker on THIS POST, sent to cusephenom -@- yahoo DOT com, or done in person in Las Vegas.
- The Luckbox will be at the tournament site at Noon, one hour prior to the scheduled start time of the tournament. Live registration ends at 12:45pm, 15 minutes prior to scheduled start time of the tournament. Sorry, no exceptions.
- Each team requires a $30 entry fee ($10 per person).
- If you are unable to find two teammates prior to the end of the Last Longer registration, you are ineligible to participate in the Last Longer competition.
- It is each team members' responsibility to notify The Luckbox (or his representative) upon his/her elimination. If notification is not made at the time of bust out, the player will be assigned the same amount of points he or she would have earned for busting out first.
- At the end of the event, each players' bust out number will be added together and the lowest total finishes first, 2nd lowest finishes second, etc. If two teams finish with the same total, the tie-breaker is the team with the top finishing player.
- From the added prize pool: $1,500 to winning team ($500 apiece) and then $500 for for second place team ($170 for top player on team, $165 for other two players). The added prize pool will be transferred into your PokerStars account. From the entry fee prize pool: 50% to the winning team, 30% to 2nd place and 20% to 3rd place. The entry fee prize pool will be handed out at the conclusion of the tournament. (Astin asked in the comments about people with no PokerStars account. First, it's free and easy to sign up! Second, you can provide us with whatever Stars account you wish if you're on the winning team. So if you want it deposited into someone else's account, we can arrange that.)
- Any and all disputes will be handled by The Luckbox and thisisnotapril. All decisions are final.
- By paying an entry fee, you are agreeing to the rules set forth here.
We want to make sure that the great people at PokerStars know how much we appreciate this so when you talk about the Luckbox Last Longer Challenge (we're going to call it the L-cubed), please give PokerStars some love (your blog, twitter, facebook, etc.).
If you have any questions about this, leave them in the comments or email me at the email address listed above!
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November 23, 2009
Why Bill Belichick Was Wrong
by Luckbox
I can't believe there's even a discussion about this. Everyone knows that Belichick was wrong. He made an arrogant decision that cost his team a victory. Yet rocket scientists and amateur poker players everywhere are breaking out their protractors to justify this game-losing decision.
Well, I spent about 10 minutes doing my own research. I present: Other numbers.
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Over the last 6 weeks of the 2009 NFL football season, teams have attempted to go for it on 4th and 2 on 14 different occasions (including Belichick's dumb decision). Any idea how many times those 14 attempts have been successful? I'll give you a minute to guess.
Yep, it's zero. That's right. A big 0%. Eight incomplete passes, two failed runs, two interceptions, one sack and Belichick's pass that came up inches short. I wonder if Belichick knew how difficult it is to convert 4th and 2 when he made his bone-headed decision?
Anyone who understands football understands the difficulty in converting 4th and 2. It's a little too far to run meaning teams can play for the pass. In fact, Belichick made it even easier on the Colts by emptying the backfield eliminating any threat of a run at all.
Of course, many argue that had New England punted that Manning (because he's so super-awesome) would have lead a TD drive anyway. I wonder what the numbers say?
Over the last 6 weeks of the season, Indianapolis has had 37 drives starting from the 30 or behind and they've converted TDs in 10 of them. That's 27%.
Over the last 6 weeks of the season, New England's opponents have had 44 drives starting from the 30 or behind and they've convered TDs in 5 of them. That's 11%.
What about when New England and Indianapolis play each other? Here are some more numbers.
In this year's game, Indianapolis had 12 drives starting from the 30 or behind and they converted TDs in 3 of them. That's 25%.
Since 2006 against New England, Indianapolis had 29 drives starting from the 30 or behind and they converted TDs in 6 of them. That's 21%.
Of course, Indianapolis got the ball from the 40 yard line or closer twice against New England since 2006 and, predictably, both resulted in TDs, including the game-winner a week ago.
So what do the numbers tell me?
4th and 2 conversion rate last 6 weeks: 0%
Indianapolis' TD rate from 70+ yards vs. NFL last 6 weeks: 27%
New England's opponents' TD rate from 70+ yards last 6 weeks: 11%
Indianapolis' TD rate from 70+ yards vs. NE last week: 25%
Indianapolis' TD rate from 70+ yards vs. NE since 2006: 21%
I don't know about you... but those numbers certainly don't support going for it on 4th and 2. Looks like NE had a chance somewhere between 75% and 85% of stopping Indianapolis on a long TD drive but very little chance of either converting the 4th down or stopping the Colts if they failed on the 4th down conversion. And that doesn't even include the fact that the Colts would have been attempting this drive with just 1 timeout and just 2 minutes left in the game which likely lowers the Colts' percentages.
Of course, lots of people will say I'm cherry-picking. Guess what? That's what statisticians do. They cherry-pick numbers to support their case.
This was a bad decision by Belichick. It's clear that the decision was last-second which only compounded the mistake. Had New England really intended to go for it on 4th down no matter what, there's little chance they throw the ball on 3rd down. Not only would a run have been a surprise on 3rd (giving it a better chance of succeeding) it also would have forced the Colts to burn their final timeout and it would likely have gotten them closer for their 4th down attempt (which, given the spot, would have made all the difference).
When New England failed on 3rd down, most of the offense was running off the field and New England was then forced to burn their last timeout which prevented them from challenging the spot on 4th down (although I'm not sure a challenge would have worked). If the plan was to go for it on 4th all along, wouldn't the offense have known that? After all, they had already burned a timeout in that same drive!
Not to mention, going for it in this situation brings all kinds of factors into play, including crowd noise and the potential of the home crowd to influence any close spot in favor of the Colts.
Of course, context doesn't matter to the people with their fancy equations. Context is irrelevant, right?
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November 19, 2009
The Challenge!
by Luckbox
On December 1st, 2005, I wrote this:
I haven't discussed this with Otis or G-Rob, but that's okay. They're just going to have to deal with my bravado whether they like it or not.
Up For Poker is issuing a challenge to any other threesome in a last-longer for the WPBT Winter Classic. Here's how I figure it will work:
1) Final results of the three entrants will be added together, lowest total wins.
2) Each member of each team will throw in $5 and the winning team will split the last-longer prize pool. (All teams are playing against all teams and the winning team will win the total prize pool.)
So find your team, and leave it in the comments. I'll bring a list to Vegas and you all can hand over your money. After all, you think anyone can beat the combination of Otis' skill, G-Rob's agression and my luck?
Well, guess what? I still haven't discussed this with Otis or G-Rob, but it's on again. The Up For Poker crew is challenging you. Same rules. Same prizes.
(FYI: Comments currently require approval while I work out some spam issues, so you won't see your comment right away.)
November 17, 2009
The Brink of Fantasy Football History
by Luckbox
I'm not sure how it's happened, but it has.
Otis, G-Rob and The Luckbox (that's me) are all above .500 ten weeks into the fantasy football season and all have a legitimate shot to make the playoffs.
Doesn't sound like a big deal? Well, let's take a look back at history. In the past 5 seasons, our three teams have a collective 4 playoff appearances and no Super Bowl crowns. We have a collective record of 89-104-3. We have a total of 5 winning seasons among us.
Of course, Otis does a lot to bring that total down. All I'll say about his career fantasy football record is that his only winning season is the year we played XFL Fantasy Football. I'm serious. He won the Super Bowl.
But this year, the three of us are bunched at the top of the Carolina Division. I'm at 8-2 and Otis and G-Rob are both at 6-4. If the playoffs started this week, G-Rob and I would both be in the playoffs. Otis trails G-Rob by just two points for the final playoff spot and both of them trail the 3rd place team by a game.
Of course, there's still 4 regular season weeks left for something to go wrong. The only thing guaranteed is that at least one of us will be in the playoffs this year. Which sure beats last year when we were a combined 15-26-1!
November 15, 2009
Game Review: Wii Sports Resort
by Luckbox
My shoulder hurts.
It's probably the number one reason why I find Wii Sports Resort to be one of the more realistic sports games I've ever played. The pain I feel in my shoulder is similar to the pain I experience after a round of frolf. Is that sad?
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Disc golf is just one of the two dozen plus games offered on Wii Sports Resort. There's bowling, golf, ping pong, archery, canoeing, water skiing, and more. And most of the games offer multiple variations.
The key to the game is the Wii Motion plus. It's a piece of hardware that connects to the bottom of the traditional remote. It's probably what the Wii was supposed to be when it was initially released, but the technology wasn't there yet. Now, instead of just tracking motion up and down and left and right, the game can sense when you turn your wrist. This makes games like frolf and bowling and ping pong just about as realistic as they get.
If you've got a Wii, I'd suggest you get this game. But if you do, be sure to the get the new version of the game that comes with the second Wii Motion Plus. For someone reason, the first release of the game included just one, which didn't make much sense. You can order the new version on Amazon for about 70 bucks. It's worth it.
And my next Wii purchase? I'd expect it to be the New Super Mario Bros. I'll let you know how that game plays as soon as I get my hands on it!
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November 13, 2009
One Month Countdown
by Luckbox
It's clear it's been too long since I've attened a "proper" WPBT event. It's been so long I can't even remember when it happened. I seem to remember Otis, G-Rob and I each brought along Up For Poker t-shirts as a prize to the players who busted us.
That's all about to change in a month.
It's the 2009 WPBT Winter Classic and I plan to bring all of my luckbox skills to bear on all of you. I've been saving it up. It's been months since I've pulled a three-outer on the river and I'm thinking I'm well over-due.
As an added bonus, many of you will likely get to meet Lady Luck. As part of my unbelievable string of good fortune, it turns out that Lady Luck thinks Vegas is amazing. This will be my fourth trip to Sin City this year and my third with her along. We'll be arriving on Wednesday night and I'll be spending the first two days with her. Starting Friday, it'll be a whole lot of poker, some championship Pai Gow action and a Sunday morning in the sports book.
Will I see you there?