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    <title>foxypham's blog</title>
    <link>http://www.tworags.com</link>
    <description>Tworags.com - poker guide for serious poker players who play Texas Holdem and Other Poker Games</description>
    <language>en-us</language>
    <lastBuildDate>Tue, 30 Sep 08 20:18:46 -0400</lastBuildDate>
    
    <item>
      <title>Transformations...</title>
      <link><![CDATA[http://www.tworags.com/index.php?ACTION=blogs&todo=view&ID=1283]]></link>
      <author>admin@tworags.com (foxypham)</author>
      <description><![CDATA[Sorry I haven't updated in awhile, been sort of lazy about it I guess. Nothing much has been happening since my last entry. I've been grinding live 2-5 NL for awhile and its going pretty well, but have not cashed in any MTT for some time now. Hopefully I'll get a big score in a MTT soon. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Otherwise just got back from Las Vegas for a five day trip, but nothing eventful happened out there. The games were horrible, probably b/c everyone is at Foxwoods now. Only reason I went was b/c my buddy got a room comped at MGM Grand so hotel + flight cost me only $200. It was nice to be around warm weather as it is starting become bitter here in AC and did see the Cirque Du Soleil show "O" at Bellagio which was much better than Cirque Du Soleil KA at MGM (saw that over the summer during the roadtrip). The point of this entry is that I am going to discuss 3 areas of my life that I am going to focus on. [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]]]></description>
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      <pubDate>Thu, 08 Nov 07 01:26:53 -0500</pubDate>
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    <item>
      <title>Don't Trust Anyone...</title>
      <link><![CDATA[http://www.tworags.com/index.php?ACTION=blogs&todo=view&ID=1086]]></link>
      <author>admin@tworags.com (foxypham)</author>
      <description><![CDATA[Throughout my life, I have been seen by other people as somewhat of a "realist".My thoughts about the world and life in general has been described as negative or pessimistic, though these so called negative opinions are based from actual experiences. I have made a considerable effort recently to become more positive and try to look at the brighter side of things. Unfortuantely, I have put myself in a horrible situation and I feel I must share it so others can learn from the error of my ways.

Since my short sucess in poker, I have been extremely generous with my winnings. I have helped out a couple friends in need and also assisted my parents into a more comfortable lifestyle. I feel obligated to do these things as I have been extremely lucky to have the opportunity to play a "game" as my source of income while many other people I know are working countless hours a week at jobs that they just plain out HATE just to make ends meet. [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]]]></description>
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      <pubDate>Tue, 16 Oct 07 22:03:02 -0400</pubDate>
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    <item>
      <title>Are live SNGs worth it?</title>
      <link><![CDATA[http://www.tworags.com/index.php?ACTION=blogs&todo=view&ID=980]]></link>
      <author>admin@tworags.com (foxypham)</author>
      <description><![CDATA[Its 6 in the morning, I can't sleep so I'm posting this entry to answer a question I've been asking myself for the past few weeks. Are live SNGs worth it? I've been playing many of these recently at Borgata, but have not been doing all too well in them, though this could be due to short term variance. The structure of these things are decent in my opinion:

Starting chips 3K for $270 and 4K for $530   
20 min. rounds
Blinds
25-50
50-100
100-200 25 ante
200-400 50 ante
300-600 75 ante
400-800 100 ante
600-1200 200 ante
800-1600 300 ante

Payouts for $270 1500-600-400 and for $530 3500-1000-500

 [b]Pros[/b] 

The most obvious benefit of live SNGs is the incredibly weak competition. A large part of of these SNGs are made up of people just busted out of MTT who are steaming and people who see a big first prize they can claim for only a couple hrs. of play. [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]]]></description>
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      <pubDate>Thu, 04 Oct 07 03:36:15 -0400</pubDate>
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      <title>Borgata WPT recap</title>
      <link><![CDATA[http://www.tworags.com/index.php?ACTION=blogs&todo=view&ID=921]]></link>
      <author>admin@tworags.com (foxypham)</author>
      <description><![CDATA[Well, I just wrapped up a grueling 2 weeks at the Borgata. I was playing everyday averaging over 10 hour sessions. Unfortunately, it was not a profitable WPT as I'm stuck a few grand for the duration of the event. Here is a recap of the WPT:

[b]SNGs[/b]

I played a total of 22 SNGs (mostly $500, a few $250, and one 1K for a seat to the ME). There was always at least a couple guys in each SNG who I considered dead money, but ran badly at the end of these SNGs to show a 2k loss for them overall. The payout structure for the $500 SNG was 3500-1000-500. With the structure skewed heavily towards first place, most SNGs were chopped. The big mistake regarding the SNGs were the deals I was making. People were always talking chop when down to 3-4 players, and too many times I caved in on bad deals for myself. I felt that I should of demanded more in the deals as I was always the most aggressive in the end game and I could capitalize on the fears of the other players. [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]]]></description>
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      <pubDate>Wed, 26 Sep 07 22:01:05 -0400</pubDate>
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    <item>
      <title>A long time coming...</title>
      <link><![CDATA[http://www.tworags.com/index.php?ACTION=blogs&todo=view&ID=828]]></link>
      <author>admin@tworags.com (foxypham)</author>
      <description><![CDATA[I know its been forever since you heard from me, but I’ve been busy making the move to Atlantic City. I now live in a completely furnished apt. in a beach town called Ventnor and am one block away from the border of AC. I feel great that I finally moved as I started to think about doing this for about a year now. I still remember when my current roommate and I would drive to card clubs in the Philly area. During the drive, we would talk about how great it would be if we moved to AC and now it is a reality!!  I will post pics of my new place when I can as my digital camera was sent back to the manufacturer for repairs.  

As for poker, I was on a downswing ever since being in Las Vegas for the roadtrip, but that all changed the weekend before Labor Day. I chopped the weekly Borgata $280 for 19K that weekend. I have only played this tourney 7 times ever and have chopped for first twice now in a tourney that averages over 400 players. I’ve had a sick run in this tourney thus far. [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]]]></description>
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      <pubDate>Mon, 17 Sep 07 13:12:55 -0400</pubDate>
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    <item>
      <title>Moving to AC!</title>
      <link><![CDATA[http://www.tworags.com/index.php?ACTION=blogs&todo=view&ID=625]]></link>
      <author>admin@tworags.com (foxypham)</author>
      <description><![CDATA[I have finally decided to make the jump and move to Atlantic City. I will be living with a friend who is a fellow poker player. He is a really strong player who uses a lot of psychology in his game. His only problem is his bankroll management is not the best. I feel that we will compliment eachother very well as our strengths in poker are different (mine being discipline, patience, and game selection and his being reading people and manipulating his table image). This should give us a lot to learn from one another. We just found a place in Ventnor which is a beach town right next to AC and will be moving down at the beginning of Sept :) 

Its now been 3 weeks since I've been back from the road trip. I've been going to Borgata every weekend playing 5-10NL as well as $270 SNGs. The cash games have been very swingy lately for me as I am not playing optimally. I lose focus after playing long hours, make too many moves for live cash, and been losing patience. [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]]]></description>
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      <pubDate>Tue, 07 Aug 07 11:57:33 -0400</pubDate>
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    <item>
      <title>TILTED in Vegas!!!!!</title>
      <link><![CDATA[http://www.tworags.com/index.php?ACTION=blogs&todo=view&ID=575]]></link>
      <author>admin@tworags.com (foxypham)</author>
      <description><![CDATA[Location: Lansdale, PA

WARNING: This blog contains negative content they may damage your positive demeanor so please read at your own risk!

I am back home now after spending 10 long days in Las Vegas. Let me first tell you guys the biggest piece of news since the last blog. Matthias on his ride back to Alabama was in a car accident somewhere in Texas. I have recieved all this info secondhand as Matthias lost his cellphone in the accident. All I know is that his wagon ended up underneath a tractor trailer and he suffered a concussion and other injuries. It seems he will make a full recovery, but had to spend several days in a ICU. The likely cause of the accident is that he fell asleep at the wheel. I will post more details as I get them, but even I am in the dark about the incident. Obviously, this makes me feel guilty as a driving partner would make a significant difference in long distance driving. [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]]]></description>
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      <pubDate>Tue, 17 Jul 07 12:28:12 -0400</pubDate>
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    <item>
      <title>Viva Las Vegas!!</title>
      <link><![CDATA[http://www.tworags.com/index.php?ACTION=blogs&todo=view&ID=538]]></link>
      <author>admin@tworags.com (foxypham)</author>
      <description><![CDATA[Location: Las Vegas

Well, I have finally arrived into the sin city! This is my first visit here and I am really excited about it. Let me first tell you guys what happened in SoCal. In LA, we spent one day at Santa Monica which was incredible. I loved everything about it: the beach, girls, and biking. Matthias and I then headed down to Venice Beach where a very liberal and hippie crowd hang out. There were a few hundred people gathered on the beach for a drum dance (my first) and the atmosphere was surrreal. For those of you who don't know, a drum dance is a few hundred people gathered in a circle. There are all type of instruments being played and they combine to make a snchronized beat. If you want, one can dance in the middle of the huge circle. It was cool just seeing everyone relaxing and enjoying themselves. That night we headed to Commerce. I heard the action here is crazy, but the rake stinks. [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]]]></description>
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      <pubDate>Sat, 07 Jul 07 12:04:58 -0400</pubDate>
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    <item>
      <title>down but not out...</title>
      <link><![CDATA[http://www.tworags.com/index.php?ACTION=blogs&todo=view&ID=503]]></link>
      <author>admin@tworags.com (foxypham)</author>
      <description><![CDATA[Location: Hollywood, CA

So I don't even to know where to begin with this blog. Its been so long seen I have last updated a few of you might of thought I dropped off the face of the Earth. I had a nice blog written when we were in Oregon, but the trip took a turn for the worst when our 88' Subaru was broken into in San Francisco. Matthias lost many important items including his laptop, passport, IPod, sunglasses, and spending cash :(. The thieves somehow did not take anything of mine though. The weird part about this was that we always take in our laptop at our destinations and this was the first time we left it in the car. The robbery happened in broad daylight in a nice part of SF Pacific Heights while we were at dinner. The police called Matthias during dinner and notified him of the break-in. The event definitely soured our trip, but we were both determined to move on and finish the trip on a strong note. 

Here is a brief recap of what else happened since the last blog. [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]]]></description>
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      <pubDate>Mon, 02 Jul 07 11:18:40 -0400</pubDate>
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      <title>Stranded in the Rockies....</title>
      <link><![CDATA[http://www.tworags.com/index.php?ACTION=blogs&todo=view&ID=445]]></link>
      <author>admin@tworags.com (foxypham)</author>
      <description><![CDATA[Location: Buena Vista, CO

I have not updated this blog as of late, because we have been making long driving legs between stops of the trip. From Chicago, we drove through Wisconsin, Minnesota, and most of South Dakota to make it to our next stop. There is plenty to do in South Dakota, but all the attractions are near Mt. Rushmore which is on the western border of the state. Our first stop in SD was Badlands National Park. The park contains ever changing rock formations that erodes every time after it rains. The neat thing about this park was that there were no off limits inside the park and you were free to roam wherever you pleased. Matthias and I ended up hiking over 6 miles in the heat. Talk about a workout! That night we headed to Deadwood (place where Wild Bill got shot with Aces and eights) to find some poker action. Matthias did not join me at the casino as he has been fighting the cold ever since Myrtle Beach. [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]]]></description>
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      <pubDate>Wed, 20 Jun 07 17:44:42 -0400</pubDate>
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      <title>Chicago, my kind of town!</title>
      <link><![CDATA[http://www.tworags.com/index.php?ACTION=blogs&todo=view&ID=413]]></link>
      <author>admin@tworags.com (foxypham)</author>
      <description><![CDATA[Location: Chicago, IL

I last left you guys on the way to Myrtle Beach, SC. So we got there late last Friday night and decided to crash for the night to make it a full day on Saturday. Our campground was within walking distance of the beach so that was really nice. The beaches were full of high school seniors and college kids as I think schools had just let out in South Carolina. It was ridiculous to the amount of southern girls roaming around. This was great, but when I see girls on the street, they all seem they can be anywhere from 16 to 25. It seems like every girl you meet, you have to screen to make sure shes legal. That night we went to this club called Kryptonite, but it was nothing special. We were considering hitting up the Outer Banks in NC, but our campground neighbors recommended us to Chimney Rock, NC so we decided to go their instead. Chimney Rock was nature at its best with plenty of hiking, a 2250 ft waterfall, and scenic lake. [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]]]></description>
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      <pubDate>Thu, 14 Jun 07 12:16:17 -0400</pubDate>
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      <title>Key West to Atlanta non-stop</title>
      <link><![CDATA[http://www.tworags.com/index.php?ACTION=blogs&todo=view&ID=396]]></link>
      <author>admin@tworags.com (foxypham)</author>
      <description><![CDATA[Location: Atlanta, GA

Hey guys, how is everybody doing?  I left you guys from my last entry in Key West. Key West was obviously beautiful with its Carribean-esque beaches. The only night we were there Matthias and I went out to eat for the first time on trip (We’re trying to keep expenses low by eating out as little as possible). We went to this Jamaican restaurant and had the local delicacies fried conch and key lime pie. All the food there was good, but the key lime pie was amazing!!!! Key limes are like regular limes but super limier so the taste is much more intense. After dinner, we walked Duval St. (where most Key West bars are located), but not too many people were out. It must not be tourist season yet in Florida, because all the destinations we hit up are lacking people. I guess everybody is out at Vegas for the WSOP . [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]]]></description>
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      <pubDate>Sat, 09 Jun 07 08:43:17 -0400</pubDate>
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      <title>chillin in the sunshine state</title>
      <link><![CDATA[http://www.tworags.com/index.php?ACTION=blogs&todo=view&ID=374]]></link>
      <author>admin@tworags.com (foxypham)</author>
      <description><![CDATA[Location: Key West, Florida

Hey guys! Well I'm 5 days into my trip and there so much to talk about.  Our first stop was in Panama City (known for wild spring breaks). Of course when we get there, the town is pretty much dead. Matthias and I hung out on the beach during the day and went to the famous Club La Vela at night.  It's the biggest night club in the USA, but the night we went there was like only 30 people total!!!!!!  Way too much space for so few of us. Nothing eventful happened to say the least.  The next day we headed to Orlando "the place where dreams come true".  Sorry just had to throw that in there.  We ended up at Sea World which was ok but nothing spectacular. That night we headed to Pleasure Island.  Its where all the night clubs are in downtown Disney and each club has a different theme. There's a club for hip-hop, 70's and 80's joint, and beach club etc... So the first night at Disney, we end up at a Top 40 club Motion. [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]]]></description>
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      <pubDate>Mon, 04 Jun 07 17:26:36 -0400</pubDate>
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      <title>The journey begins....</title>
      <link><![CDATA[http://www.tworags.com/index.php?ACTION=blogs&todo=view&ID=357]]></link>
      <author>admin@tworags.com (foxypham)</author>
      <description><![CDATA[5/30/07
Location: Mobile, AL

Hey everyone and welcome to my blog! I am in a unique position of having the freedom to travel the country for the next 5 weeks spanning over 7000 miles to explore this great land and play poker of course. I have been playing poker as my sole income for the past 6 months. My friend Matthias just graduated with his Masters from University of South Alabama. His poker experience is limited to $5 buy-in home games and I will guide him to becoming a winning casino poker player. I am just fresh off of a weekly tournament win at the Borgata in AC and usually play 2-5 NL cash games. I plan to stopping at 10 to 15 casinos during our trip to negate the expenses through poker. This will all culminate when we head to Las Vegas and the WSOP!

Frankly, I am quite nervous about this trip. I expect to encounter the unexpected and I plan on rising to the challenges that await me.  We are driving Matthias' 88' Subaru station wagon with 150K miles on it. [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]]]></description>
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      <pubDate>Fri, 01 Jun 07 17:27:46 -0400</pubDate>
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