Michele Katz Blog

NEW POST 2010
Home Games

Remember when home games were one night a week with a group of friends and everyone knew everyone? There were no rakes and no animosity. Poker was not considered a blood sport then. Rather, it was friends hanging out, talking about the lighter side of life, making sarcastic remarks and sharing in the laughter.


Are those days a distant memory?


Due to the recession (is “recession” politically correct? Are you supposed to say “challenging economic times”?), many home games have popped up all over Orlando and surrounding areas. On any given night there are at least five home games that I know of, and I know little!


I have taken the past several months to attend these games so that I can share my experiences with you. What I have learned is a bit daunting to say the least!


There are games in apartment lofts where the rent is $1,700.00 a month and the person living there does not have a “regular” job. He runs home games twice a week and averages $6,000.00 in rakes per week! He orders catered food and has your favorite beverage readily available in his kitchen. His beautiful girlfriend serves the players and she makes tips averaging $300.00 per night! The home games have dealers working for tips. Not only do they get tipped every hand, but they get a percentage of the overall intake for the night. One dealer I know makes 25% of the total intake every night he deals. He claims to make approximately $700.00 per night! They explained the reason for the high priced location was due to local home games being robbed!


At another home game in a private gated community, where you must show your Driver’s License to the gate guard, they found two well known “cheaters” from around town were attending their games. Because the hosts were new to the home game circle, they did not have background on people. When it was pointed out, they asked the disrespected parties to leave. It was too late. Their game was over before it got rolling because of the reputations of these people. They are struggling to make a fresh start.

Another man has a home game three times a week at his house. He has no less than two tables running at a time. He built on a room to his back porch to allow for the space. He boasts a full bar and homemade food at every game. With dealers at the tables, a waitress and massage girl, people do not notice the 15% rake per hand the House is getting!

These home games all have gimmicks in their competition with one another. They have hourly high hand pay offs. They have “rocks” which immediately start the betting round at $5.00. They have two rocks at some of the home games.

Finally, one home game host advertised rakes at 10% per pot and no more than $5.00 per hand! His game picked up a great deal after this. This is the same amount of rake taken at either casino you can get to within an hour from Orlando.


The amount of money these home games bring in is incredible. The amount of drama and gossip that comes around in that world would put a high school to shame. What amazes me is the number of people running these games that have no job outside of this and live off of their untaxed income.

I am all for people making money but legally. I am all for home games. I am shocked at the level to which people go to attain money. I do not know why I am shocked by this, but I am. I view poker as a something fun. I see it as “respectable”. Yes, it is also competitive and it is about winning money and playing well. At home games though, it should also be about friendliness.


Remember when it was just fun? friends hanging out? People de-stressing after a long week of work? Remember when you brought your own beverages and maybe a bag of chips to share? You never looked over your shoulder when the door opened wondered if someone was going to rob you.


Those were the good old days!


Thankfully I still attend a Tuesday night home game where the rake is zero and the laughter is plenty. There are no dealers or waitresses, but there are drinks in the fridge for everyone. All in the spirit of fun!




OLD POST OCT 2010
Michele Katz




HAPPY PLACE


Often, therapists tell people to go to their “Happy Place”. When a client or a child is feeling frustrated or disturbed, we teach people to change their thinking to go somewhere peaceful and joyous. We encourage people to retrieve a memory of a place where the feelings are serene.

My Happy Place has always been the Sistine Chapel in Italy. The first time I stood under Michelangelo’s “Creation”, I was changed forever in my heart and in my mind. The majesty of this masterpiece took my breath away unlike anything ever has in my life! It is a room filled with utter perfection and beauty the likes of which has never been replicated. Every single time I go to that Happy Place, my heart is filled with awe and magic.

There are many happy places. Most people have more than one. Other Happy Places I enjoy include the beaches of Siesta Key and Clearwater, Florida, my bedroom and the dog park. My most recent Happy Place is The World Series of Poker Woman’s Tournament in June, 2010.

I arrived at the Rio in Las Vegas on June 9, 2010 and walked 14 miles away from the front entrance (it was not really 14 miles away but it sure did feel like it!) to the WSOP playing site. Upon entering this enormous room, I experienced a sudden burst of WOW at the shear size of this seemingly endless layout of what appeared to be thousands of tables with lights, chairs and high energy. It was overwhelming to me to see that the room I have seen on TV really does exist, though in person, it was different. This room offered a chance for dreams to be realized and bracelets to be won!

After a complete inspection, and several obviously touristy pictures, I went to register for the tournament taking place in two days. I had planned all year to do this. It was on my “Bucket List” to just play this one tournament, one time. A dream come true for me!



After registering, the most amazing thing happened. I walked down the hallway (the vast gate to happiness) and happened upon the HHPT woman hosting an appreciation and welcome room for woman poker players.

Let us pause for a moment here to reflect on our experience meeting woman in groups throughout our lives as girls and woman. They have not always been happy experiences for me anyway! The thought of High School still makes me cringe!

That did not happen upon entering the HHPT Hospitality Room. What happened was a miracle! Woman, including WSOP Professional Poker Players approached me!

ME!!

They introduced themselves and offered me bagels! With cream cheese and fresh fruit!

NICE Woman! They let me take pictures with them! I was given stickers and cards and books and bags and pens and candy! You have to love people who offer you food and candy right? I mean, come on! They even let my boyfriend come in and offered him kindness as well! Everyone was welcomed here!

We ended up staying in this paradise on earth for almost two hours exchanging stories, laughter and experiences. I was introduced to the originator of the HHPT, Lauren, and she made me promise that I would come back the day of the Tournament and keep her updated on my status. She was not the only person who was interested! At least a dozen women asked for the same thing. I was also invited to exclusive Woman’s Tournaments while I was in Vegas that week. I was incredibly happy.

On Tournament day, I was excited and had continually changing goals. The first goal was not to throw up. (It was overwhelming to finally live this dream.) The next goal was to not go out of the Tournament first. (That would have sucked!)

I entered the HHPT Hospitality Room before the tournament and everyone remembered my name. They said hello to me as if I was “one of them.” Another “WOW”. I was hugged and offered more bagels (I like bagels, by the way), water and stickers to wear on my shirt representing these amazing woman and their companies! I felt included and special.

I sat at the table, number 19 seat 3, and was welcomed by the women players with smiles and handshakes. This was not a shark fest. This was a meeting of like minded people who could play aggressive poker without being aggressive people. There was a professional player at my table who had cameras on her frequently. She was kind and helpful to all the woman at the table. I was impressed with her and everyone at the table.

Did you ever just have so much energy being exuded from your being that you could not lose? That is what happened to me. For the first two hours I was winning every hand I played. This was not usual for me, but very exciting. I made it to the first break and was

told by a few dealers I was big stack in the room. (I later found out this was not the case, but I was alright with the misinformation.) I went into the vast hallway to call a friend who has WSOP experience and ask him to tell me how to breathe again because I had forgotten. This moment was comparable to Marie Osmond when she danced on Stars and hyperventilated to the point of passing out! In a good way! My friend told me to just enjoy this moment and to “act as if” this was just a regular daily occurrence for me.

Yeah, Right.

Next Goal, make it until Lunch Break! I did. I was doing pretty well in fact!

When I sat in the lunch room eating my black beans and rice, a woman who was also sitting at Table 19 in seat 8 asked if she and her boyfriend could sit with me.

I was delighted. She boldly said to me, “Do you want to know what you are doing wrong?” I said, “Yes, please.” She proceeded to teach me what my “tells” were and how my facial expressions and movements were dead giveaways to other players. She told me how to correct these things. I thanked her profusely!

On the way back to the room Robin, from PMS fashion wear, approached me and asked me how I was doing. I told her. Robin proceeded to explain to me what the “M” factor was and gave me a myriad of advice as to how to proceed with this tournament. I was shocked at the generosity of these women and was deeply grateful for their time and willingness to share with me.

Upon returning to the table, I was a new person. At that moment, I transcended from someone who “played poker” to being a “poker player”. It was a life altering moment for me.

Next Goal, make it to midnight.


They have antes in the WSOP Tournaments. I did not know that. I was shocked by this news. I played the best poker of my life for the rest of that night. I did not fold a winning hand. Every hand I played, I won. The table changed, new woman came and the energy was shifted. I did not get as many good starting hands and was careful not to play anything marginal out of position. I shoved about 6 times in position and built up a nice size stack. I had to keep paying antes. My stack was shrinking rapidly. Midnight came and went. At ten minutes after twelve, calculating (to the best of my nonmathematical ability) the “M” factor, I knew it was time to make a bold move. I had pocket 8’s in the big blind. I shoved. I was second short stack at this time. A woman out of position who also had a short stack called with AK. She hit the A on the turn and my WSOP experienced came to an end.

No one tells you how flooded with emotion you are during this entire day. No one prepares you for the fact that you must hide your emotions all day long and be stoic.

No one enlightens you to the fact that when you are done, you go into the restroom (or somewhere safe) and finally release all of the pent up tension, excitement , disappointment and ecstasy of the day. (by hysterically crying, of course!) (In a good way!)

I came in number 177 out of 1,054 players. I far exceeded every one of my goals. I stayed in longer than most of the professional players I have seen on TV. I was a champion that day in my own mind.

The most important part of this story is that I added a new Happy Place to my repertoire. Going back to that day of dreams being fulfilled at the WSOP due to fabulous women who gave advice and support unconditionally made this experience perfect. I made lifelong friends that day.

My gratitude to these women who taught me how to play poker is infinite. I will be back next year. My goals have changed. Now, I just want another day as memorable as that day and another place to go to be happy.