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Keeping Things in Their Proper Perspective


Recently I went to Las Vegas to play in my first WSOP Circuit Events. My family took the trip with me, so I had to spend some quality time with them and I wasn�t able to play any satellites.

Already at four and three my twin girls think they own Vegas. Every where we go, people are always asking us if they are quads, because they are only 14 months apart and all have a similar look.

They pose for pictures several times a day with not only the poker players I run into, but with tourists from all over the world who are in Las Vegas on vacation. The girls put their arms on each others shoulder and give out a big "Cheese" for everyone and anyone with a camera. They truly are adorable and are the lights of my life.

They are the reason behind my article today. They are the reason I am proud to be a father of seven. They are the reason I get up every morning and have the motivation and desire to succeed in my daily activities. Whether it�s at my job, or if I am going to the Golf course or if I am hitting the felt today. I have been blessed by the birth of these girls and they have made me a better person because of them coming into my life.

I was playing very smart and I was really focused in my first ever Circuit Event. Although it was a second chance event with a buy in of two hundred dollars, I was thrilled to be playing at Caesars in a tournament that had several professional players and a WPT champion participating.

The tournament started with about 200 players. Within the first hour 90 of those players had busted out and I was actually up to 6400 chips after starting with only 1500. I made a couple of good reads on some of the players at my table and when ever I had a showdown with a player I was always ahead and ended up winning the hand. I used those showdowns to make a couple of bluffs and by the time we were down to 50 players I had close to 28k in chips.

It was an above average stack. During the break, I walked around looking at the other tables to see some of the other stacks. I have always done this at tournaments for some unknown reason.

Right after the break I was in seat 7 and had won about 1400 from the player in seat 5. I had pocket 10's and he had pocket 9's as we both checked the jack on the river.

The very next hand I am the big blind and I look down at KK. Seat 5 on the button raises to 3600 when the blinds were at 1200. I decided to see where I was at as seat 6 folded. I tossed in a third of my stack 7200 chips.

Seat 5 just called my raise and the flop of J-4-8 rainbow hit the table. Seat 5 immediately went all in. Well I knew he didn�t have jacks because he would of checked raised me. I put him on AJ or pocket 10's. I called his all in and he turned over Queens. I felt good, but nervous. Then seat 6 told me he folded Q-10 of diamonds and I felt a sense of relief come over me until the river hit a queen and left me with 2 chips.

I was very upset with the poker gods. I had played so well and I know its poker but I have been hit so hard on the river lately it made me almost sick to my stomach.

I went back to the hotel and was telling my wife what had happened to vent some. I called a couple of friends to talk with them about it, but as you all know poker players do not want to hear bad beat stories. But I needed to get it off my chest. Maybe because this was Caesars and my first Circuit event, I don�t know, but I was truly bothered by that river card more so then ever.

Well as we arrived home late Friday night I sat down to unwind and watched the evening news. There was a breaking news story out of Mission Viejo California on the 5 freeway. A family of 5 had just been rear ended by a semi truck and all perished in the accident. A mother, father a 6 or 7 year old boy and a set of 3-year-old twin girls.

I just leaned back in my chair and called my girls over. I put them all on my lap and gave them big hugs and kisses. I had a huge lump in my throat and it was partly due to my sadness for the family who died, but it was also for the guilt I felt about complaining that my Kings got beat on the river.

Where in the world was my Perspective on life. They were right here sitting on my lap! Never again will I feel like I did after losing. I have so much to be thankful for and I let a game make me forget about what is really important in life.

We take so many things for granted day in and day out. I cannot imagine how life would be if a tragedy such as this was to happen in my life. I have lost both of my parents, a godmother who raised a foster brother and me. Several Aunts, Uncles and the only Grandparent I ever knew.

I have been to way too many funerals for my friends and peers and I am sure with the line of work I am in I will unfortunately have to attend more in the future.

I have been given the authority by the State of California to serve and protect. I thought I could save the world when I took my job like my heroes of my childhood did every Saturday morning when I watched them on television.

Being able to put on a uniform and at a split seconds decision have the authority to take someone�s life is a huge responsibility. Only the good Lord has the ability too be able to do that.

PERSPECTIVE, so my Kings got busted on the river. I will never let the game of poker or any other game get in the way what is really important in life.

I have been to so many tragic scenes in my twenty years of being a Deputy, however this hit home and it has changed me as a person as well as a poker player.

Take care and please be safe.

Scott Diamond AKA The Deputy

Source: http://www.wisehandpoker.com/articles/index.php?article=Keeping-Things-in-Their-Proper-Perspective.html

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Matthew Hilger is generally recognized as one of the best authors on the subject of internet poker. He and some of the most knowledgeable players and writers in the poker industry have joined to contribute columns on every aspect of poker. Contributors range from Tournament Pros like the Hendon Mob� to Internet Poker Pros from the Internet Texas Holdem community. Beyond Texas Holdem Strategy, this section covers Omaha, Backgammon, Sit 'n Go tournaments, multitable tournaments, cash games, poker psychology, mind sets and general revelry.

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