Poker Blog Roll, part IV

This one, http://threeriverspoker.blogspot.com/, is an example of the standard fate of a blog, especially a freely hosted one. It’s so easy to start, as Google gives you all the tools, but carrying it on requires more than a little moxie. The disappointment is that like many, this blogger has a clear if not unique voice, and the potential is there for a quality web log. His best overall stuff is the most recent, focusing on the dynamics of playing with friends and family at the Casino; otherwise, he struggles to find a more personal approach. The thing is, when you call out your work in terms of a location, there is so much more to say. He writes about Wheeling Island Gaming and other locales, most of which I’ve never heard of and therefore should be interesting, but seems to have given up around the time he took up what looks like a better gig. Indeed, his best written post is about the betting line at the Meadows, which has locale, characters, action, and description: this is his true sweet spot, one which fits his 3rd party approach. Here some morons are in a battle of wits:

“You’re on losers dot com,” Tommy Lee retorted.

“You’re on losers dot com,” William came back.

See, that can be fun. Indeed, his writing style is easy, no sweat stuff, so these pieces aren’t exactly taxing. In fact, the real secret to this blog is that the author is a real as we breathe writer, with an extensive catalog of articles online, primarily focused on entertainment. He is good at film capsules, and even offers a summary of Halloween movies appropriate for children in a local rag.

I think we have lost Mr. Taylor, however, to journalism outside poker. Adieu.

Posting Frequency: Annual

Design: Standard Fare

Writing quality: Reportage

Overall rating: 109o

Moving along, our twelfth review is of http://toddwitteles.com/blog/.

This isn’t actually just one blog, but a sort of network of blogs, encompassing Todd Witteles’ former site, his new site (above), and to a lesser extent, Poker Fraud Alert. So right off the bat, I have to say that as smartly as his actual blog site is well designed, if vastly underused, PFA is a kind of ophthalmological tolerance test. Now, getting beyond that, TW is a player in the free poker content/information scene. His last serious post, on the Donald Sterling affair, was spot on and well written, if a little sanctimonious about “racists.” What we need is more articles and posts like this from Mr. Witteles. He apparently does have a radio show (though based on hearing him on the Sesh, he really has a voice for HTML).

This is especially made clear on his original site, where Todd provides a solid number of thoughtful articles and posts over two years. What I like about Todd, even when he is wrong, such as in that shouting match with Limon, is that I can see the independent thought in his communications. This is his opinion and his reasoning, not some rehash. This blogger deserves respect.

The Poker Fraud site, it turns out, isn’t even really a site all about poker crime, but more of a partially focused forum for malcontents within the already misanthropically crowded field of poker. A lot of cranks find their home with Todd here, but the key, valuable thread, if you are earnestly looking for Poker Fraud, is this one.

There are, in fact, a number of player blogs on PFA, peeling away the onion, but I think that’s another day for me. What I can recommend is Todd’s writing itself.

Posting Frequency: Steady Decline

Design: Excellent

Writing quality: Thoughtful

Overall rating: A9s