Today Is The First Day Of The Rest Of My Life

OK, it's time to get a little personal.

Unlike some of our Home game players, I have no interest in becoming a Pro Poker player. First, I don't think I'm good enough. If I had to survive for a month or two between jobs, then I probably could grind it out.

Second, I just cleaned out all of my debt in the spring, and I don't have any interest in getting back into debt.

Third, I already have a good job. For those who don't know me personally, I'm a mailman in the city where I live, Elyria, OH. I've been with the USPS since January, 2004. I'm making between 55k - 65k a year depending on overtime.

Living in NE Ohio all of my life, I really want to get of here. This area is dying. The political leaders are completely clueless, and only care about getting re-elected. In any of the "Top Ten Cities" lists that are published about anything negative, Cleveland always seems to be in the Top 5. It's also 2+ hrs drive to any casino. Yes, Ohio finally approved one casino to be built in Cleveland. But as things usually go in Cleveland, it will be the last one built, and it will probably be two years behind schedule, like 2014.

Working for the USPS, I could transfer anywhere in the country as long as there is an opening. So where do I want to go? Obviously, somewhere with casinos near by. While I don't want to go Pro, I would like to play more, and eventually play bigger than I am now.

Being a mailman, the weather is a big factor. I hate walking in the rain. An all-day soaker is just the worst. I'm not thrilled with the Heat, but I can live with it. I actually prefer working in the Cold rather than the Heat. I can always put on an extra layer when it's cold outside.

I know that Dry and Casinos sounds like Las Vegas. As a Poker Player, I would love to live in Sin City. But as a mailman, it's just too damn hot in the summertime. This year they had temperatures in the 110+ range. In early July, they had a stretch of five or six days that the low temperate at night didn't drop below 90.

On Saturday, October 9, I will be reporting to work at the post office in downtown Reno, NV. Yes, I know that will technically be the first day of the rest of my life, but you get the point.

For those who haven't been to Reno, it's sort of a cross between Downtown Las Vegas and Niagara Falls. There a lot of small casinos, and a few mid-sized ones, but no mega-resorts like Bellagio or Venetian. It's also about an hour north of Lake Tahoe.

As for the weather, the temperature is basically the same as Cleveland with winter and summer. There is just no rain (or snow or humidity).

As for the Poker, Reno is not the Poker town that Las Vegas or Atlantic City have become. All of the casinos have a poker room, but most of them are really small. Limit Poker is big in Reno, with most places having 3/6 Limit and maybe some 1/2 NL. Bigger games like 2/5 NL are rare, with only two or three rooms spreading it. The biggest regular game in town is 20/40 Limit at the Peppermill, which is the premier room in Reno.

As for the tournaments, many poker rooms have smaller tournament series throughout the year. The buy-ins in the $100-$500 range and a variety of games for these tournaments. But the Daily Tournaments leave a lot to be desired. Here's an example:

Daily Tournament Schedule

Daily at 10:00 a.m.

Texas Hold'em 1 Hour Shootout

We start taking sign-ups at 9:00 a.m.

    * $16 buy in for $500 in tournament chips ($15 buy in + $1 entry fee)

    * No rebuys

For an extra $2, get $200 more in tournament chips. All monies go into dealer's pool. Add-on must be taken at table before tournament starts. If we have a live game that goes all night, the tournament will be cancelled.

No phone-in allowed for morning.

Blind Structure: 25/50 for 30 min. round of Limit and 100/100 for 30 min round of No Limit Distribution of Prize Pool varies by the number of players.

Payouts: 2-22 players 65/35%; 23-30 players 50/30/20% 

I will be flying out to Reno on Sunday morning (August 22), and flying back home on Wednesday evening (August 25). While out there, I will be checking out apartments, and I'll be visiting my new Post Office to meet my new bosses. If there is any time left in the day, I may be able to get in a few hands of Poker.

With this little life change, this blog will undergo a few changes as well. I'm not exactly sure what changes will happen, but it will still be a Poker Blog primarily. I do know that there will be a name change for the blog. If you have any suggestions, please feel free to let me know. Right now, the only two candidates are "The Biggest Little Poker Blog In The World" and "Her Name Is Reno".