Jena Delk’s Blog

On Sunday, November 21st at 4:00pm EST, @FallenHeroesUSA is offering a charity poker tournament for a $10 buy in, half of which goes back to the FallHeroesUSA.org fund.  Fallen Heroes raises funds to help the families of U.S. Law Enforcement Officers who lost their lives in the line of duty.  The $5+5 buy in tournament will host a number of bounties on various players, plus additional prizes and giveaways from a host of different companies.  Help us raise some money for this great charity. For more details follow: @FallenHeroesUSA and @DeputySD.

Register for this event and show your support! Full Tilt Poker Event ID: 190775719  |  Password: FHUSA

Just on the heels of final tabling Event 4 of the Isle Open Poker Champion, I have made day 2 in the Championship event.   I will be playing tomorrow in Day 2.  There were two day ones.  103 players were in the running on Day 1a with approximately 48 returning from that flight.

This is the Isle first $2,200 event and they are doing it with style. We were treated with a compilimentary surf and turf buffet at the acclaimed Farraddays.  What a menu! French Onion soup, buffalo shrimp, Seared ahi tuna, Rigatoni Carbonara, roasted beef tenderloin, lobster tail, roasted yukon potatoes, fire-charred tomatoes and roasted garlic and balsamic portablella mushrooms.  For desert we were offered warm chocolate cake, key lime pie, carrot cake, and creme brulee.  They tossed in a glass of wine and beer.  Really top notch stuff!

Off to dinner–I’ll write more later!

Here is an article written by guest writer, Glenn E. Franco. Thanks for contributing, Glenn!

Many poker players out there young and old play this game with the kind of aggression that reminds me of first person shooter video games. These include games like Halo 3, Call of Duty, Rainbow Six, and Rogue Spear truly the list goes on and on. Why would these things remotely relate to poker you ask? Well, if you have ever played any of these games or similar games you will have either run into a “spray & pray” player or been one yourself. Many poker players remind me of this and I will use these games as an example to show you why playing with this stubborn unwise aggression hurts your poker game & how folding is a much more effective offensive weapon than you can ever imagine!

Picture yourself beginning play in a first person shooter as described above. When the game begins you have your weapons chosen, your ammo is locked & loaded, your health is at 100%, and you have all your special equipment (grenades, etc) ready to rock & roll. You can see your health, ammo left, & score on the screen in front of you as you navigate the game. Hits cost you health & wasted shots deplete your ammo. This seems simple but as most game players know it’s NOT. You can pick up ammo & equipment from other players in the game as you take them out and if you’re lucky you run across health upgrades in the game too. You do have just a finite amount of ammo & health at any given time throughout the game and when you’re out of health & ammo … YOU’RE DEAD. Poker is NO different!

So what kind of gamer should you be to survive in a first person shooter environment? Should you be RAMBO all gung ho, jumping out & spraying bullets wildly at your opponents? NO WAY. Sure there are many players just like this but they always find themselves on the casualty list pretty quickly. In order to survive & thrive in the first person shooter environment you have to conserve ammo & protect your health from taking too many hits. You stay under cover as often as you can keep yourself out of your opponents’ crosshair’s & choosing your shots wisely. You continually watch your back picking up every stray bullet & health upgrade you find along the way. This is how you become a successful first person shooter gamer. Poker is NO different!

A lot of poker players see folding as one of the weakest options during poker play. They either play way too many hands all the time or they get bored quickly & begin playing weak hands. They may grumble & gripe about never getting a good hand and before they know it they start playing sub par hands just to end their poker boredom. All of these players find their stacks getting smaller & smaller. Playing weak hands in poker is exactly the same as taking risky shots & wasting ammo in the video game. You are showing yourself to the other players at the table leaving cover & taking “hits” on your chip stack. Folding weak hands in poker is actually one of the ultimate offensive weapons in your poker arsenal! Folding these hands and waiting on the right hand to play saves your chip stack “ammo” and keeps you “under cover” as the other players at the table get less of a read on you & don’t see you as reckless & waiting to be trapped. The more chips you keep in your stack not only protects you from a bad beat here & there it also maximizes your winning hands. The healthier your stack is also equals you lasting longer in the game.

So guys & gals the next time you sit down to play always remember this. Folding is a GREAT offensive weapon & it’s a great way to keep you alive in the game! When you sit down at the table picture yourself as a character in a first person shooter game and look at your table mates as the enemies in this game. Picture yourself taking careful shots from cover and eliminating your enemies with great shots taking very few hits yourself. When you minimize chip losses to bad hands and play poker the right way you will find yourself both lasting longer in tournaments and finding yourself in a great position to win! This also holds true in cash games where your “chips” is your actual cash money. You definitely don’t want to be wasting ammo in that game!

In closing I just want to say that I hope this helps shed some light on the power of folding and I wish you all the absolute best on the felt!

~GLENN FRANCO

1. When and how did you get started playing poker?

I was having some significant health problems in late 2005 and was not able to get out much. I was basically on bed rest for about six months. So my husband bought a laptop to help me pass the long days. In early 2006 after I got bored with hacking around on the internet, I found my way to the free games on Full Tilt Poker. The rest is history, so to speak. As my health improved, my first outings were to play live poker.

2. What would you consider to be the defining moment in your poker career thus far? The defining moment in my poker career was when I finally learned the hand rankings. I remember being in a live tournament trying to decide if a full house beat a straight or not. It’s humbling to admit I played video poker for years without knowing what comprised a flush. Who knows how much money I gave away by not recognizing the need to save cards of the same suit? 3. With 4 children how do you effectively balance poker and life? Since all of our children have graduated high school and moved out of the house balancing life with the kids really isn’t much of an issue anymore.

6. If you were asked to give a room full of young poker hopefuls one piece of advice what would it be? Know yourself and act on that knowledge to protect your game and bankroll. Identify anything that adversely affects your game and take steps to minimize its effects. It is a great sign of maturity to know and act on physical, mental, and emotional limits. If you are feeling angry, don’t play. If you are sick, don’t play. Listen to yourself and take care of your body.

7. How did you feel the day you won the New Orleans Bayou Poker Challenge? There were 269 entrants in this WSOP ladies event called the “Cajun Queen Classic”. In addition to the prize money and circuit title; I got my first piece of poker jewelry! The day started happily as I chatted it up with my table mates.I really enjoy the social side of the ladies events.Many of the less seasoned ladies will tell you how and why they played a particular way, if you have been friendly and ask. I struggled the first half of the day with no good spots or significant luck to build a stack. I headed to dinner break feeling somewhat defeated and short on chips. My friend Jack gives me a pep talk of a lifetime over dinner.I returned from dinner refreshed with a sense of determination. I doubled up on my first hand after dinner when I flopped a set of eights against an aggressive lady, who overplayed her top pair, good kicker.From there I literally did not lose a hand I selected to play.I was catching cards like I never had before in my short poker career. Talk about being a LuckBox! I knocked players out so fast that I did not have time to get my chips stacked between hands. It was so surreal.

10. I like to leave this open to you, is there anything you would like to say to those reading today? I am developing a relationship with Poker Pros Network. While we are in the early stages of development, I feel comfortable inviting you to check out my poker room on The Poker Pros Network. Just click on this link and choose “RUN” and Install. This will load your connection to the Jena Delk players lobby and my private offerings and games. Come Play with Me! Private games and educational opportunities are being developed. Please visit my website at www.jenadelk.com to keep up to date on my current happenings

PokerNations & TPT Charity Tournament

Hosted By Andy Bloch!

Date: Sunday, Sep 19, 2010
Time: 4pm EST (1600 server time, 1pm PST, 9pm GMT)
Site: Full Tilt Poker
Tournament ID: 172330870
Buy-In: $10+$10 ($10 to the prize pool, $10 to PokerGives)
Game Type: No Limit Texas Hold Em (1,500 starting chips)
Password: poker

September is National Poker Month and you can help show the world that the poker community is a positive force by playing in this event. You’ll be helping to contribute to four great charities while being able to compete with your favorite pros and become eligible for huge prizes!

Early Registration Bonus - CardRunners Membership (valued at $130)

You must pre-register for this tournament on Full Tilt Poker by September 1st, 2010 and play the event. You must post in our forum thread with your full tilt username by the same date in order to be eligible. One winner will be randomly chosen from all eligible early registrations.

Special Prizes - Awarded In Separate Drawings - Oct 4, 2010

The winner of our online event will be entered into a separate drawing along with the winners of other events held throughout National Poker Month at land-based casinos for the prizes below. Post your full tilt username by the end of Level 1 to be eligible:

(2) WPT Celebrity Invitational Seats - (value priceless)

Two winners will be selected to play in the World Poker Tour Celebrity Invitational Tournament. This is a $200,000 televised freeroll that you cannot buy into, you must be invited. You’ll rub shoulders with Hollywood celebrities and famous poker pros at the Commerce Casino in California.

WPT Boot Camp Seat - (valued at $1,895)

Take your game to the next level with in-person instruction from professional poker players who’ve racked up millions in winnings via cash games and tournaments and you could be the next poker millionaire!

CardPlayer Cruise Poker Trip - (valued at $1,200)

Enjoy a fabulous cruise to Mexico while playing your favorite poker cash and tournament games. You’ll meet pro players and fellow poker fans while enjoy life on and off the felt!

One Hour Private Poker Lesson - (valued at $300 each)

Mike Sexton and Linda Johnson have both graciously offered to provide a one-hour lesson via phone to two seperate winners.

Exclusive Prize To Our Winner - (valued at $100)

1 hour shadowing session. This entails an free online poker analysis and discussion (via skype or yahoo messenger). Prize can be gifted to a friend or family member. Provided by PokerInstructors.com

The following pros have expressed to us they will be playing

Andy Bloch, Linda Johnson, Jan Fisher, Susie Isaacs, Chip Jett, Karina Jett, Jena Delk

I have been reluctant to write for my blog because I have been overwhelmed with personal struggles. I have not focused on poker to the degree that is necessary to produce good poker posts. So I have avoided and delayed, waiting for focus to return to poker. After a month of procrastination, I have determined to write something. I will share my thoughts in hopes you find benefit from reading about my struggles.

Here goes:

My relationship with my husband it not where I want it to be. We are in a period of deep strain and hard work where both of us are trying to find out what we really want from our lives. Is there room for Michael in this new Jena? Does Michael like the gal I am becoming?

There are so many changes in our lives right now. My health has been improving. Our kids are grown and gone. The house is empty. My carpools, meetings, and homework supervision have ended. The day to day family life is finished; my “work” is done. Yet Michael must toil to continue to support us. Day after day he gets up in the morning to go to work. I find myself asking, “Where is his source of pleasure?” “Can I make him happy?” “Where do we go from here?”

Many men have asked me questions like, “What do you do back home?” or “What kind of work do you do?” They ask these questions at the poker table to gain information about me. They take my answers to speculate on what type of “game” I play, thus using my answers to formulate battle tactics. Knowing this, I like to give them unexpected answers in hopes they misinterpret and draw wrong conclusions. Often they become intrigued with my response and have many follow up questions. I try to use their distraction to my advantage by giving them a winning smile with my bluff.

For years I have proudly told them I am a “kept woman”. I love being a kept woman. Michael provides for my every need, want, and desire. Anything can be mine just for the asking. I am spoiled because my husband has devoted his life to my pleasure. As the men pressed me for more information, such as “Where is your husband now?” I would retort happily, “At work—somebody has to pay for all this”

However, I have come to realize I have enjoyed it too much. Gradually over time, I overstepped the bounds of proper and took too much. I abused my position, robbing him of resources that could be better invested in more meaningful pursuits. I came to expect him to meet my every whim while I disregarded his. Once I expected and even at times, demanded his gifts, they no longer were gifts; these expectations became burdens for Michael to provide. I kept taking and taking until he had no more to give. In my blatant egotism, I was oblivious to his pain. He gave freely out of love and devotion while I took with selfish abandon.

My destructive impulses have led me to devalue My Love in the process. The realization of this truth has caused me to question who I am. What are my values? Am I a person who can live with essentially using another human being? How can you live your whole life and not know who you are? These thoughts have provoked feelings sadness as I grief the loss of the person I thought I was.

This sadness has provoked me to take a deep look inside myself. I need to obtain a good understanding of the choices I have made and their consequences. I search to find the girl who was damaged, to heal her, and to bring her into my life where she does not have to be afraid anymore. This girl needs to grow up. And that is just she is doing.

Welcome to my journey….

Today I am looking forward to getting together with my friends of the High Heels Poker Tour at The Poker Room at Orange Park Kennel Club.  Lauren Failla, founder of HHPT, formed this company is to give women a place to improve their poker skills and provide recognition of their efforts.  of all ages the opportunity to expand their skills at the poker table.  The mission statement of HHPT is “Our Mission at the HHPT is to empower women who want to become champions in the growing world of poker. The HHPT wants to provide the best competitive environment where women can explore, develop, and continue growing and learning top strategies and their “A” game. Opportunities and Recognition are what the HHPT is all about.”

Thanks, Lauren!!

Next event:

Saturday, August 21st @ 6pm
Buy-in = $150
Starting Chips = 20,000
Blinds = 30 minutes
NO DEALER ADD-ON

PokerStars Game #48199314715: Tournament #325010003, $10+$1 USD Hold’em No Limit - Level III (25/50) - 2010/08/15 15:51:09 ET
Table ‘325010003 1728′ 9-max Seat #9 is the button
Seat 1: SuprDave7777 (1245 in chips)
Seat 2: d4prox (3520 in chips)
Seat 3: CrazyCool018 (3500 in chips)
Seat 4: gabriel73 (3160 in chips)
Seat 5: Jaccuse (3905 in chips)
Seat 6: nairy31 (2925 in chips)
Seat 7: kansur (1910 in chips)
Seat 8: Mr. LuPo (2645 in chips)
Seat 9: AUDITOR NURS (2670 in chips)
SuprDave7777: posts small blind 25
d4prox: posts big blind 50

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to AUDITOR NURS [3h Jh]
CrazyCool018: calls 50
gabriel73: folds
Jaccuse: folds
nairy31: folds
kansur: calls 50
Mr. LuPo: folds
AUDITOR NURS: calls 50
SuprDave7777: calls 25
d4prox: checks
*** FLOP *** [Qh 6h 9h]
SuprDave7777: checks
d4prox: checks
CrazyCool018: checks
kansur: checks
AUDITOR NURS: bets 200
SuprDave7777: folds
d4prox: calls 200
CrazyCool018: folds
kansur: folds
*** TURN *** [Qh 6h 9h] [Th]
d4prox: checks
AUDITOR NURS: bets 600
d4prox: calls 600
*** RIVER *** [Qh 6h 9h Th] [Kh]
d4prox: bets 750
AUDITOR NURS: raises 1070 to 1820 and is all-in
d4prox: calls 1070
*** SHOW DOWN ***
AUDITOR NURS: shows [3h Jh] (a straight flush, Nine to King)
d4prox: shows [2h Ah] (a flush, Ace high)
AUDITOR NURS collected 5490 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 5490 | Rake 0
Board [Qh 6h 9h Th Kh]
Seat 1: SuprDave7777 (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 2: d4prox (big blind) showed [2h Ah] and lost with a flush, Ace high
Seat 3: CrazyCool018 folded on the Flop
Seat 4: gabriel73 folded before Flop (didn’t bet)
Seat 5: Jaccuse folded before Flop (didn’t bet)
Seat 6: nairy31 folded before Flop (didn’t bet)
Seat 7: kansur folded on the Flop
Seat 8: Mr. LuPo folded before Flop (didn’t bet)
Seat 9: AUDITOR NURS (button) showed [3h Jh] and won (5490) with a straight flush, Nine to King

Club 52 - poker room in Melbourne Greyhound Park in Melbourne, FL.

Last night I played poker for four hours while Michael played golf. It was my first time out to play poker in Florida since the buy in limits were raised from a max buy in of $100.I went to Club 52 because of its proximity to Baytree, where Michael was golfing.  Club 52 is never my first choice for play in Florida, but it is my closest room, so it is sometimes selected out of convenience.

Club 52 fell out of favor for me in 2008.  The tournament director and/or management made a decision which would cause me not to return for more than a year.  Club 52 had advertised for several months that it would be holding a tournament which was guaranteeing a $10k entry into the 2008 WSOP Main Event.  I don’t recall the exact buy in amount for this tournament, but it was in the neighborhood of $150-200.  The day of the event came and the players were all seated and cards were put in the air.  The players were getting excited because there were not enough players to cover the guarantee amount, which meant Club 52 would have to kick in some of its own money to award the prize.

My table was on its second hand when the announcement was made that the tournament will be a re-buy  (Misnomer- actually it would be a re-entry) tournament. If you were knocked out, a player could return to the cage and purchase another entry to the event, thus paying the juice again.   Several players began to strongly object for various reason.  A lady at my table had traveled three hours to play this event with her husband and did not want to return home without playing.  Another gentleman did not play re buy events because those “wild young people” have no regard for money.  A multitude of people protested they did not bring extra cash with them or simply could not afford another buy in, thus putting them at a strong disadvantage to those with money in their pockets.  And a good many others do not like to play this type of event.

I complained and tried to convince the management to reverse their decision in the best interest of all the players.  My efforts were in vain.  In the end, I was refunded my entry fee as were a few others.