Poker in Twitter: the iPad, J.D. Salinger, and Joe Sebok jumps off a plane.
With all that was going on last weekend, it is a wonder that any poker got played at all. Poker players tweeted feverishly about a wide array of topics: from J.D. Salinger’s death to the Grammys, from brown rice to Big Mac wraps. Someone offered $10,000 for an iPad, Doyle Brunson could not find food good enough for his dog and Joe Sebok plans to jump off a plane.
The highly expected iPad was presented by Steve Jobs, and as usual with Mac products it polarized opinions all around. Alex Outhred was the voice of reason in a sea of “I wanna” when he tweeted: “Everybody runs to buy 1stGen #iPad’s when we all know that 3rd Gens will have cameras and phone capablities #makesnosense”. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Rafe Furst is pulling all the stops to get his hands on one at least two weeks before it is released officially: “Screw the haters & naysayers: I want an iPad ASAP. 1st person 2 secure me 1 gets a $10K donation 2 charity of their choice.”
J. D. Salinger, author of the classic “The Catcher in the Rye,” passed away aged 91. The poker world waxed lyrical about the loss – while Joe Sebok went philosophical, musing “one thing that i have found so absolute, albeit bitingly cold, about death…is that life just rolls right along. those alive still live…” Andy Bloch went musical, tweeting his version of American Pie to mourn the passing of Salinger: “Bye bye Mr Salinger bye, drove my chevy to the library but the library was dry / And good ol boys reading Catcher in the Rye, thinking this is the day JD died, this is the day Salinger died.”
With all the travelling and casino-going, food is a main concern for most poker players, who go about nurturing themselves in ways as different as their playing style. Famously vegetarian Daniel Negreanu was glad to find healthy food in an unexpected place: “Bravo Dallas airport. Plenty of healthy food options. I was VERY surprised to see a brown rice tofu bowl at a fast food joint.” WSOP Champion Joe Cada wondered about a meal on the opposite end of the health spectrum: “Has anyone had the new Big Mac wrap at McDonald’s? It scares me a bit.” Doyle Brunson could not find food to his liking in London, and he did not mince his words: “Got back from London and it was the same, overcast and cold. I simply can’t find food there that I would give to Casper my dog. What’s wrong.” Finally, Joe Sebok and Amit Makhija made an eccentric food related prop bet: “bet is @amak316 has to eat a cake, this size, http://twitpic.com/10jeyd & then catch a duck in the allotted time. alli can say is, I AM IN.” No word on how the duck feels about this.
Many enjoyed watching the Grammy Awards (and tweeting about them), but musician and poker pro Scott Ian had some hefty criticism to voice: “The Grammy’s? How about a show on how labels do nothing to stop the illegal downloading and the Musicians Union that does even less.” Annie Duke and Joseph Reitman had the same objection to the showcase by Album of the Year winner Taylor Swift; while Duke asked “Oh please, I am begging you, don’t make me listen to Taylor Swift sing Fleetwood Mac again. I will do anything. Please. Make it stop”, Reitman wondered “i will never know how Stevie Nicks stopped herself from beating the living shit out of Taylor Swift on stage…” It seems the poker world is more partial to Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face” than to the new princess of country music.
Some poker players did indeed play poker over the weekend, but it seems luck was against most of them judging by the number of bitter tweets. We bring you a selection of the most painful ones, starting with Rob Perelman: “Another fun Poker Sunday… AA<QQ, QQ<KK, QQ<TT, and a guy snap-called my river shove w/33 after I missed a flush on a T2QK9 board. No joke.” Liv Boeree was again tempted to throw her laptop: “well that was fun. Got a retard to overshove preflop from the BB with J8. I snap with AK. Flop J 8 8. Thanks.” Vanessa Rousso showed some resilience: “I’m out of Jacksonville event. Didn’t win one pot all day
oh well, on to the Sunday Million on PokerStars!!
” and Jena Delk dealt with the bad hand blues the old fashioned way: “I think I’ll scream if I see another 94 offsuit! Just had a shot of Jack Daniels to try to calm my anxiety.”
Like every week, there are some weird and wonderfully random tweets in the poker world. Goodness knows what Todd Brunson was on about when he tweeted “This lapc Is alright. If you complain enough matt savage will bring u a botttle of boiling hot water straight from the microwave.” Eric Baldwin had a surprise celebration for his much-deserved Player of the Year award: “Oh no. Came over to justins for day after b-day cake to find a POY surprise party with friends from here and back home.” And @DougLeePoker (who may or may not be the real Doug Lee) send an acid tweet to Joe Sebok regarding his latest promo, where a lucky winner will get to skydive with Sebok over the Nevada desert: “@joesebok If I win, can I be in charge of packing your chute?”
Alex Outhred takes the arguable honor of being our Tweet of the Day, with the following gem: “Flight attendant just said the seat cushions can be used as a flirtation device. This is gonna be an awesome trip. #howYOUdoin.” Smooth tweeting!
If you are as addicted to Twitter as we are, be sure to follow us @PokerNewsDaily so you can stay up to date on all the breaking news in the poker world and be a part of some PND Twitter exclusives in the coming weeks.
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Poker dictionary:
- FIRE - To make the first bet in a betting round. Used to emphasize that the player bet when a check was possible, showing strength.
- TAP - In no-limit games, to wager all of one's money in one bet.
- RAGS - Board cards that are small, not suited and not in sequence, e.g., 9-5-2. When "rags flop", it is unlikely that anyone has a good hand, except possibly the big blind in an unraised pot.
- STUD - Any of several poker games in which some of each players' cards are exposed.
- ON TILT - Playing worse (usually, more aggressively) than usual because a player has become emotionally upset.
- LOOSE - Playing more hands than the norm. Antonym: TIGHT.

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