Brand New Ventures

Couple of new things going on.

First off is Jay and Kent's new website, rakebackheros. It's actually a pretty good idea, and anyone who plays poker online should check it out. The primary reason for it's existence is to give players the opportunity to sign up for rakeback. Basically, every hand you play online gets a certain percentage taken out, this is how the casino/website makes money. Rakeback is a feature some sites offer to attract and keep new players. By going through Jay and Kent though, people can get a premium percentage, currently around 35%, of all their rake from played hands back. This may not seem like a lot, but I know Kent, a regular 1-2 and 2-4 player, has seen almost $1000 of rake that would've gone to the website back in his account over a period of just 12 days!

Other than the offer they give to other players, they will also be posting some articles on the game that they write, links to their websites, and other stuff. Right now I'm doing what I can to help try and spread the word, and also help them with the site design, but it is a good idea and hopefully it works out for them.

On my front, pool is the hot topic. When I play, I always try to analyze my play on the table and look for any places where I can improve. I feel that the next breakthrough I need to make in order to take my game to the next level is utilizing the closed bridge on almost every shot. Success at anything, especially pool, is based on consistency. A loose and unsteady bridge can lead to missed shots and missed opportunities. By using a closed bridge on shots other than just draw shots, I'm hoping I can eliminate a good deal of the remaining inconsistency in my game and really start crushing dreams.

A point I should probably touch on is where "dream crushing" started. Basically it came from, you guessed it, pool. I know, my life is a pathetic series of repeating events. Last year, my game really took off, more than even I expected. Table runs happened frequently and I was playing the best pool of my life to that point. Sophomore year saw us adopt an open area for all students called Ross Commons as our billiards home (the table at the dorm blew harder than Paris Hilton on film). This lead to a steady flow of new players that we never saw before. As to be expected, we would quickly do away with these players in a show of raw talent and skill that they could not compete with. I can't tell you how many times some poor Emmo-toolbag group of freshmen would come up with their Spencer's $25 pool cue, expecting to kick ass, only to have their dreams crushed!

Being that I was the one to crush the most dreams, the nickname was born. That, and Tegatron 4000.... but that's a whole other story.