An Update, An Alteration and an Announcement Walk Into a Blog...

An Update:

"Me? I'm very well, thank-you."

I think it's only fitting that I begin with that very impersonal, non-descriptive and utterly vague sentence because it's the exact line I've been reading back to myself while sitting in bed or at my desk for just about every day of the last few months. I have a lot to say, with no easy way of getting it into text as I have discovered. Life has changed wildly for me recently. Make no mistake, it certainly didn't change over night, but at this point it is considerably different from when I began this blog three years ago.

After the passing of my father in 2007, I decided to act upon a long standing dream that he had inspired in me. A common link we always shared was card games and poker was at the center of it. I heard stories growing up and witnessed the skill and talent he had first-hand as I grew older. On more than one occasion I even had the opportunity to show him my own skills; thankfully he was present at every tournament I won up to the point of his death. Soon after this, I chose to leave my full-time "real world" job, despite the pleasure I took in it and the success I achieved. For me, acting with my heart was the right thing to do and as luck would have it, I was led on a fantastic journey of wins & loses, people & places and the opportunity to create Quad Seven Poker. As I progressed with Q7P, I met many other players and bloggers, built some unforgettable friendships and continued to learn, live and breathe the best game on earth.

My interest in poker and writing then led me to create my Gambler Chronicles website...


An Alteration:

Throughout 2009 I had great fun creating and posting chronicles about my character, Greyson Slate, on my Gambler Chronicles website. I felt immediately that this served as a wonderful creative and literary outlet for me to present an examination of the poker world and the people I have met and heard tales about over the years; the feedback I received is still very much appreciated. As my ownership of the website came to a close this year, I chose to rescind my claim over it and focus on a new project that would fulfill a concept I've had for a very long time. With regards to the current state of the Gambler Chronicles .com variation - it appears to be an online casino strategy page; I have no current ownership or affiliation with it and I can no longer vouch for its contents.

That being said, I have begun a new and entirely different project that I have been developing over many years. I hope you'll take a few moments to have a look and delve into a world very different from poker, though not lacking in any excitement or mystery...

The Announcement:

As I said, prior to my decision to enter the world of poker on a full-time basis, I had a successful career in the "real world." I worked in the same industry from my teenage years into adulthood and realized over time that there were some very compelling stories to be told about the people I've met and events I've witnessed. After leaving it all behind, I could not have known if I would ever re-enter the field however, and go back to what I put aside for poker.

On a whim and a dash of curiosity, I put my resume out for available positions to see if there was still room for me. To my surprise, I landed a few interviews and for whatever reason - I attended them and accepted a relatively small position to feed the craving. Within a few months an offer of promotion and advancement presented itself and I took it, then a couple more months and another advancement offer came. At this point, the real world had already begun to impede on my poker and I had to decide if I was prepared to commit to a change.

After careful consideration, patience and calculation, I decided there was room for expansion in my life, so jumped in with both feet. The best part of this development is that I also took the leap creatively and launched my newest venture:

ConfessInns: The Innkeeper Chronicles.

After Thought:

The meaning of that impersonal, non-descriptive and vague first sentence has changed for me now as I complete this entry. I've found a nice balance and I remain optimistic. Me? Oh I'm very well, thank-you.



Wishing Big Flops and Bigger Pots,

Delik

Delik Strikes Back

The calendar may say spring, but from the door step of my home in North Carolina, the air feels like mid-summer. The grass simply will not stop growing; I’m thinking of laying cement in my yard to cut down on mounting lawn-scaping costs.

After a busy few months I feel settled enough to commit myself again to my passion of poker and writing. During my recent sabbatical from my blogs: Quad Seven Poker and Gambler Chronicles, I was able to regain my creative juices and arouse some passion…not to mention play a lot of poker and discover my new favorite obsession: Twitter.

So I present to you a “re-launch” of sorts. Have a look around and you will discover updates to every area of Quad Seven Poker, which serves as my news/editorial/fun and games haven. Beginning today, this site will return to daily updates and postings with the addition of being linked to Twitter and therefore my own personal microcosm in the world. I invite you follow along and join in - after all, poker is the best game in the world and despite Joan River’s thoughts on the matter, poker players are some of the best, brightest, most funny and interesting people on the face of the earth.

I’d like to close with a great thanks to my dedicated readers and new discoverers alike. You all rock and I wish every last one of you Big Flops and Bigger Pots.

Delik James

Last Days 2008

The last few months of this very long year have flown by with such cat-like speed that I have even refrained from sleep at times in an effort to avoid missing a moment of it. But the inevitable has come now: We have a newly elected President (woo-hoo!), made it through the annual turkey holocaust and Christmas is now behind us too...kind and joyful holiday sentiments stuffed away like decorations for another year to become dusty and forgotten until the next go-around and the days before New Years can be counted on one hand.

As 2009 nears I have positive expectations for what's to come: I look forward to new experiences, new casinos, new people, new people's money, new strategies, lots of blogging, travel, plenty of tournaments, saftey and health.

Thanks for visiting me here at Quad Seven Poker and over at Gambler Chronicles.

Wishing you Big Flops, Bigger Pots and a Happy New Year!

Delik

New Site On The Block

I'm pleased to announce the arrival of Gambler Chronicles **

My new website is officially up, running, and expanding more each day.

With the intent of funneling my energy into a single project, I've launched the chronicle of a semi-fictional gambler on a journey through life and the places, people and bets he comes across. Greyson Slate is in a world of endless wagers and a life of unknown outcomes.

What does this mean for Quad Seven Poker?

I will still post at Q7P and update news and features often. Lots of updates are made and will continue to be made in the Grease the Rail Section and poker tools will remain active!


And Don't Forget!

I will have a weekly post at Poker Bankroll Blog with an eye towards Poker News!!


Thanks for all of your continued support.

Wishing you Big Pots and Bigger Flops,

Delik James

Gig

Growing up, through elementary school and right on up, I would sometimes think about how in high school, you get to have a little quote under your picture in the yearbook. I would wonder what my quote would be, what it would mean to me and whether it could make me laugh. I decided early on though, that I would make no commitments or serious considerations until I would eventually have to fill out the form in the winter of my senior year.

I can be a bit of a quote junkie sometimes.
Saying just the right thing in just the right way is quite appealing...

"Things turn out best for those who make the best of the way things turn out."

"Bereavement is a darkness impenetrable to the imagination of the unbereaved."

"You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else."

Of coarse, I still remember my quote and consider it to be a true testament of my feelings at that time. Different from the typical "NBHS Hurricanes rule!" however, I can honestly say it reflects my mindset still today.

I thought of this because of an announcement I have to make:
I'm excited to report that in addition to blogging here at Quad Seven Poker, I'll be joining the great team of bloggers over at Poker Bankroll Blog as a weekly blog author, providing a new post every Friday on their site!

If somehow you haven't visited them yet, definitely surf on over. It's a great resource for improving the way you look at and operate your bankroll. Not to mention, there's a great Poker BRB Forum and an awesome cast of characters blogging throughout the week...hmm, I guess I did mention it after all.

So my yearbook quote?

"Fill what's empty, Empty what's full, and scratch where it itches."

Life is good.

Del


Note: Poker Bankroll Blog is now featured in Quad Seven's Top 7 Links

Still Kicking

Yep, still kicking; thanks for your e-mails.

So, I've been a little under the weather the last few days. Let's chalk it up to too much spicy asian food, long hours and no sleep...a deadly mix. But, I am happy to report my recovery period has ended and I'm back at full force. Just in time too - I hate playing while I'm sick, I don't even drink at the table, so mind-altering medications are completely out of the question and have cost me a handful of days and more than a handful of chips. Needless to say, I can foresee alot of 'making up for lost time' in my immediate future.

So how did I spend the last week? Well, I watched about every poker re-run on televison, followed a never ending stream of news from CNN regarding 'Election 2008' and spent so much time with my pillow, I think we are legally married in five states.

Wishing you big flops and bigger pots,
Delik

Look out Ukraine, here I come!

What comes to mind when you hear or read the word 'Ukraine'?

For me, I am reminded of a very significant country in the game of Risk. "The gateway to Asia" we'd call it growing up. Truth be told, I've never given the country too much more thought and don't know much more about it than its capital (Kiev). Then something happened that made me give Ukraine another look...

I've made quite a few friends through my recent (and very late) introduction to MySpace. One such friend is a woman named Olga from Ukraine. We met primarily due to our mutual love of poker and struck up a few conversations right from the start. My interest was peeked when I found out she was the editor-in-chief of Hroniky Azarta, a gambling magazine in Ukraine - 'the first and best' she says dutifully.

A few random chats later came a surprise for the ages, she's working on having a 'dynamic and bright dialog' with pro players that have some character and will share their experiences and opinions with her readers ...I guess Mike Matusow was busy? Apparently poker is getting big in Ukraine, but they are far behind in the world of poker magazine availability and lack ways of exposing more readers to the game. So there you have it, I'm being profiled in a Ukraine gambling mag - wow.

So I'm not really sure how I will be perceived by my friends to the East, or if they'll care much - but hell - the chance to enlighten and interest people about poker on the other side of the globe is pretty exciting. After reading...strike that, translating - then reading a few of her past articles of a similar nature, I was relieved to find a smart author with well composed articles; so I agreed.

We had our first 'interview' a few days ago and plan to wrap up in the coming days. So far it's been really fun and the questions are like none I would have expected - truely interesting. I'll next need to decide which pictures I'd like to have displayed for print next to my thoughts and sarcasm. Nothing too dramatic - maybe a red teddy on a bed of roses... really get those issues off the shelves!

Big Pots and Bigger Flops,
Delik


Check out Hroniky Azarta online.

And if your in Eastern Europe anytime after July - check out their bilingual version: Hazard Chronicles.

The 411

So you may have noticed a few new things around here lately - not so much redecorating, but additions of features and tools. This blog has been a great outlet for me to share my poker experiences and admiration for the game, so I've made a commitment to my visitors to make things as easy-to-use and as entertaining as possible.

I'm not exactly a pro when it comes to HTML, but I really liked the idea that if someone popped in, to check out a particular section of the blog - they could do so without too much scrolling or searching - so I hope you enjoy this feature! I'm also pleased to share news/entertainment related poker headlines in The Leak, with an easy to use scroll box - incase you missed a day or two. I tend to carry a lot of fun little stories like these around with me to spew on fellow players during passing conversation - drop some knowledge on 'em!

Also, it was hard to let my weekly poll go, but I've got nothing but good mail about the Poker Quizzes - they're really a lot of fun and range in difficulty - It's one of the many things I like to do to pass the time between online games.

Lots have been going on including, a shock: I had an interesting Part 1 interview recently with a Ukrainian journalist...of which I'll delve more deeply in a future post.

Shout Out! to my recent MySpace friends I've made around the country and world all because of our love of the best games on earth: Poker!

Big flops and bigger pots,
Delik

New Stuff

Hi All,

Lot's of new stuff coming tomorrow including an easy navigation tool through my Blog and a revamping of The Leak, which will serve as a Poker News section rather than my weekly poll. I will now offer a Poker Quiz instead of the poll - in my Grease the Rail section.

The Q7P Dealer Button Spotlight continues to be successful and I appriciate all the e-mails I've been recieving.

Also - Another new blog post tomorrow and don't forget to check my daily poker slangs in Language/Slanguage.

Wishing You Big Flops and Bigger Flops,
Del

UPDATES!!!

The QuadSevenPoker Blog will return too 100% beginning 2/9/2008!!

A lot has been updated to make it even more fun, entertaining and hopefully informative.

Have a look around, and see what's new.

(Blog entry section - check back tomorrow for that!!)
Including tons more postings each month!!!

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: DELIK JAMES NOW ON MYSPACE.
(see Quad 7 Links below)

Delik