Belize

I am in Belize at a sleepy little resort about 90 miles south of Belize City on the coast. I haven't been on a non-poker related trip in quite sometime and I'm really enjoying it. I am staying in a rustic tree house, although not that rustic in that it has running water and air conditioning, about 50 yards from the water. They hold a maximum of 40 guests here and most of the activities center around the water. I went on a half day of snorkeling yesterday and just got back from two dives on the barrier reef. Belize has the second largest barrier reef in the world with the number one being in Australia. I have not played a hand of poker since last Friday and will not until I get back to Vegas on Tuesday for the Bellagio 5 Diamond. I am looking forward to that series, I do feel a sense of being at home in the Fontana room where the tournaments are held at the Bellagio. I just finished my last dive which was really great and back to reality tomorrow.

I am trying t get my January schedule set, and with Borgata, Aussie Millions and PCA, something is going to have to give, but I will definitely be at The Borgata. It is good that we have a lot of choices when it comes to tournaments, but sometimes you have to wonder if they couldn't schedule them a little better. You would think it would be good to have competition for the tournament dollar, but it doesn't seem like most places are in touch with what the players might find desirable. By this I mean why not give the players more of what they want? Instead it appears that many give you what they want, with out regard to what might be the sentiment out there. Believe me I know if you bring ten poker players together you get eleven opinions on how things should be. You can't make everyone happy, but why not try, at least a little.

One way I always thought would be useful is a survey at the end of each series of events that participants could fill out online and the results looked at. Another item I would like to see looked at is the use of electronic devices at the table. I liked what they did at this year's WSOP, allowing text messaging and emails, still requiring you to step away from the table to use your phone. If you are going to allow music devices and headsets then email and text messaging should be allowed. Someone inevitably brings up cheating be text messaging. I think if you want to cheat you will do it anyway. Once you can listen to music with an Ipod and have a headset on it is easy to cheat if you are so inclined. I also think when a player is caught cheating their names should be published so that everyone knows, and can watch for it. I heard the 60 minutes special on internet cheating was aired. Can't wait to see it.

For more information on Roy Winston, you can visit his website: www.oraclepoker.net or send him an email. The contents presented herein on this blog are purely the opinions of Roy Winston, and are not intended to reflect or promote the opinions of any other person, group, or entity. If you like what I write than thanks for reading, and if not well, thanks anyway.