Sit & Go's

Despite taking a chunk of cash from the 'loss column' for 2007 with 4th place in the $11k Gtd, I'm still in the red for the year.
I've been playing some sit and go tournaments to try to build the profit for the year and get back into the black.
I've stuck to low stakes stuff, $10 buy in with the odd $20, and had some success, including three wins on the trot on Paradise poker $10 STT's
I've also had a few shots at the low level satellites for the wsope on Betfair and still played the Gtd seat satellites to the $11k and $16k Gtd, with rather less success.
I'm actually considering laying off the multi-table tournaments for a while and concentrating on sit and Go's and low stakes cash to try and build the bankroll a bit.
Maybe still try to qualify for the Guaranteed tournaments on Betfair from cash/stt profits (if there are any)
Live games are still showing a profit, and I may try to play a few more live tournaments, the house purchase should be completed this week, so maybe I'll buy a car once all the finances are sorted out, which will allow me to get to a few more games over the border in Spain.
I've still not been tempted onto the live cash tables yet, too many sharks for my liking, inexperienced players and newcomers to live poker seem quite happy to take their chances in live tournaments, but the cash games seem to be filled with the more experienced players and therefore seem to be of little value, easier cash games on-line imho.
All the best to Barretta who's recent elevation into the ranks of the poker pro's appears to be going well, good luck in Vegas mate.

$11k Again

I qualified for the third night in a row for the $11k Gtd on Betfair, and sat down, full of confidence, unfortunately there seem to be as many fish in an $75 buy in tournament as a $5 tournament.
Apologies for posting another hand history, but I really expected better in a tournament which costs $75 to enter.
What makes people want to put their whole tournament on the line on level two of an MTT ? May as well play roulette ! Notwithstanding this kind of play, the $11k and $16k Gtd tournaments on Betfair are becoming my favourites at the moment, especially with the 10 seat gtd Satellite tournaments.
All I can do is take a deep breath and start again.

***** Betfair Poker Hand History for Game 220871081 *****
NL Texas Hold'em $75 Buy-in + $7.50 Entry Fee, Level:2 Blinds(15/30-(no ante)) - Tuesday, June 19, 20:24:48 GMT 2007
Daily $11k GTD #79339
Table 2 9-max (Real Money)
Seat 9 is the button
Total number of active players : 9
Seat 1: potkiller ( 2,420 )
Seat 2: PUSSYMGNET ( 2,435 )
Seat 3: holker ( 2,330 )
Seat 4: TWoods18 ( 1,895 )
Seat 5: paoulo ( 2,335 )
Seat 6: beanos ( 3,562 )
Seat 7: TMSO.R ( 2,675 )
Seat 8: keeper ( 2,895 )
Seat 9: michaelg2 ( 1,953 )
Tourney Level:2 Blinds(15/30-(no ante))
potkiller posts small blind [15]
PUSSYMGNET posts big blind [30]
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to holker [ Js, Jd ]
holker raises to [96]
TWoods18 calls [96]
paoulo calls [96]
potkiller calls [81]

** Dealing Flop ** [ 8c, Th, 4c ]

potkiller checks
holker bets [440]
TWoods18 folds
paoulo folds
potkiller goes all-in
potkiller raises to [2,324]
holker calls [1,794]
holker goes all-in
Returning uncalled bet [90] to potkiller

** Showdown **
potkiller shows [ 7c, Ac ] for a flush draw on level 2
holker shows [ Js, Jd ]
** Dealing Turn ** [ Qh ]
** Dealing River ** [ 2c ] obviously
** Hand Conclusion **
potkiller wins 4,882 from main pot with a Flush - What a muppet !!
************ Game 220871081 ends ************

I know that idiots like this will pay off in the long term, and if I keep getting my chips in while I'm ahead, I'll take their cash, but ffs, all in with a flush draw on level 2, when he must know I've hit the flop.
If it happens in a $5 tournament, I'll call him a twat and play another, but after playing for three hours in a satellite just to qualify for this, It really pisses me off.
Ah well, rant over, I'll be back, after all, if the Gauranteed tournamenmts are full of muppets like this, I'll be rich in no time
Thanks for reading, and best of luck at the tables

After the Lord Mayors Show

Well, after the excitement of last nights final table on the Betfair $11k Gtd, today I started full of confidence. (Though half expecting to go to Badbeat city).
I started off with the 10 seat Gtd satellite to Betfairs $16k Gtd but was eliminated in 15th out of 41 runners with A9 v KK on a board of AK995. I guess however I played it, I was going bust on that board.
I tried two tabling on 25c/50c cash tables on Betfair for a while, but my heart wasn't really in it so I quit after 20 minutes up $10 on one table and down $10 on the other.
The 10 seat Gtd satellite to the $11k Gtd was next up, I managed 17th out of 54 before some french numpty called my all in with the nut straight to catch runer runner for a flush, he even had the cheek to type 'bye' as I was eliminated, oh for spectator chat !!
I did qualify for the $11k Gtd eventually via the turbo sat later in the afternoon, and played a £5 headhunter tournament on William Hills at the same time, I made the final table in the headhunter tournament and raised from the button with 66 in a multi-way limped pot, 2nd chip leader calls with T8o (Thats TEN EIGHT OFF-SUIT), well of course he hits with the first card on the flop and I'm out in ninth.
The actual $11k Gtd was a bit of an anti-climax also, I lasted till just before the first break with a stack of around 1700 from a 2500 start, I hit a flop of J72 with QJo on the button and pushed after it was checked round to me, unfortunately someone decided the flush draw was enough to call, he hits, and I'm out.
I'm still pretty pleased with my play at the moment, sometimes lady luck doesn't smile on you, and sometimes she does, but play well, keep positive and keep doing the right things, and I'll end up profitable this year, just like the previous two.
Thanks for reading, stay positive and be lucky.

Waiting for the rewards

I feel like I have been playing pretty well recently without getting the reward. Played a $25 buy in $5k Gtd tournament on Paradise last night. Had a stroke of good fortune when my AJ outdrew AK all in pre-flop on what I thought was a steal by him on my BB. Then ran 66 into the Big Blinds AA when I tried a steal myself from the button.
My play on the cash tables yesterday was disciplined, and but for two strokes of misfortune would have ended in profit, a 3 outer on the river followed by a 4 outer on the river did the damage so no need for despondency.
Played some more cash on Betfair today, 45 minutes for a profit of around $10 is never going to get me rich, but its a step in the right direction, which is whats needed at the moment.
I also played a satellite to the $11k Gtd tournament on Betfair tonight and won a seat after a war of attrition for two and a half hours.
I'm determined to play my way out of this slump by concentrating on one table at a time and looking for value in my choice of tournament, and also being patient on the cash tables to undo the recent damage to my bankroll.
Update on $11k Gtd : Got off to a good start with a double up on only the second hand with AA v KQ on a Q high flop, stayed in top 20 throughout, and made the final table with about average chips. Eventually went out in 4th for $880. McLucky was the chip leader and pushing the table around a little, I made a stand with AJ when he had QQ, no Ace when I needed it and I'm out. Pleased with the payout though, my third biggest cash ever online and I think I was about due a decent payout.
Congratulations and well played to McLucky who went on to win the tournament

Lady Luck kicks me again

I've been playing back on Betfair poker recently, I still don't like the software, but people keep telling me its the place to play low stakes cash, and there are now satellites to the evening Gtd tournaments with ten seats guaranteed in each so I thought I'd give it another try.
I particularly like the satellites with guaranteed seats, they give overlay in the satellite and overlay in the main evening tournament too, I love a bit of value.
Anyway, I decide to try the $11k Gtd satellite, still on level one, I pick up KK in mid position and there is a raise to 80 from utg, one caller so I reraise to 240, the caller folds and utg raises to 440. I do consider that he has Aces, but decide that there are a lot more hands he may have that I am beating so I push all in. He insta-calls with A8s (lol). Of course the first card over on the flop is an ace and I'm out.
Never mind, I'll play some cash, Buy in for $25 on a 25c/50c table determined to play like a rock and wait for a monster, full in the knowledge that I'll still get paid if I raise for the first time in 4 orbits.
After an hour, i'm still on $27 having peaked at $32 and been as low as $17, still waiting.
Eventually the hand arrives, utg min raises, I call with AQo, one other caller from the BB.
The flop is perfect, Q high, no flush or straight draw, BB checks, original raiser bets $2.40, I raise to $4.80 BB folds, raiser calls.
Turn is a second spade, but otherwise harmless, I decide not to risk the flush and go all in over his $4.80 bet thinking we must be splitting the pot if he calls and hoping he doesn't have AsQs, he calls quickly and shows QJo, no spade. Happy days I think until the Jack hits on the river. To rub salt in the wounds he leaves the table 2 hands later.
I persuade myself I'm not going to tilt and that a reload would be a good idea, so another $25 and I'm again playing the waiting game, this time its only 10 mins before I pick up JJ, my $2 raise is called by 2 players and I hit a set on a flop of 7JK rainbow, BB bets $2, I reraise to $5, one caller and BB folds.
Turn is a harmless 2, I push all in and get a quick call with AQ, a ten on the river and I'm bust again.
Time to log off.
I'm still trying to stay positive, I know that I'm playing well and that lady luck will smile on me again soon.
Nil Illegitemis Carborundum (Don't let the bastards grind you down)

Credit where credit is due

After looking through some of the recent tournaments I've played and the crucial hands which have cost me a payday, or a better cash, I have come to the conclusion that I am giving players too much credit.
For example, under the 'fresh start' thread My pre-flop raise of 4 x BB was called from the SB with 34o, who then called a pot bet with middle pair on a 732 flop.
When a 4 comes on the turn, I cant see any hand I'm behind to apart from 77 so I'm sure I'm ahead, and end up losing the lot.
Maybe its me being niaive, but I coulodn't envisage anyone calling a raise on level one with 34o in a $100 buy in tournament, nor a pot size bet with middle pair on the flop.
I think Im just going to have to give a lot more thought to what an opponenet may be holding in any particular scenario, not write off some hands on the bass of 'he couldn't have called the pre-flop raise with that'.
I suppose the upside is when a player acts as demonstrated in the 'you called with what' thread. Although it cost me when he hit a 4 outer on the river, the fact that he will call my pre-flop raise with T2, a pot size bet on the flop with bottom pair and eventually get all in with the worst of it will be +EV in the long term, but in the short term its damn frustrating.
I also seem to treat too many players as if they think carefully about what they're doing, which is definately a mistake, for instance if they make a large raise, I think, if they really had the goods, they wouldn't make it so obvious, therefore he must be bluffing, or I assume a check means they have hit the flop and are inducing a raise so I slow down. In actual fact, in most cases, a big raise means, I have a hand, and a check means I've missed the flop.
The overall picture for 2007 is pretty gloomy, down £600 this year, which equates to around 25% of my total online poker profit, it is offset slightly by a £120 profit from playing live this year so around £480 down overall.
The problem seems to be that if I buy in to mid-stakes tournaments ($20-$50 buy in) I run through the bankroll too quickly and end up playing scared, but if I stick to the small stake stuff (<$10 buy in) I have trouble taking it serious and end up playing too loose, bluffing my stack away etc.
I know that just one decent win in a good MTT would put everything right, but to be honest, I cant see where its coming from right now.
Anyway, I'll be positive, try to give every game 100% concentration and hope that the breakthrough comes.

You called with WHAT !!

***** Betfair Poker Hand History for Game 216028790 *****
NL Texas Hold'em $5 Buy-in + $0.50 Entry Fee
Level:4 Blinds(50/100-(no ante)
Tuesday, June 05, 21:02:03 GMT 2007
Regular $5+$0.50 NLH #76741 Table 4 9-max
(Real Money)
Seat 5 is the buttonTotal number of active players : 9
Seat 1: giz123 ( 654 )
Seat 2: mandalou ( 2,974 )
Seat 3: JinxRock ( 6,957 )
Seat 4: bamse11 ( 8,845 )
Seat 5: redcar ( 5,378 )
Seat 6: fishy28 ( 3,594 )
Seat 7: SCRUBS46 ( 5,788.50 )
Seat 8: fla ( 8,529 )
Seat 9: carefree75 ( 4,882 )
Tourney Level:4 Blinds(50/100-(no ante)
fishy28 posts small blind [50]
SCRUBS46 posts big blind [100]

** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to redcar [ Kc, Kd ]
fla calls [100]
carefree75 folds
giz123 folds
mandalou folds
JinxRock folds
bamse11 folds
redcar raises to [400]
fishy28 folds
SCRUBS46 folds
fla calls [300]

** Dealing Flop ** [ 2d, 7d, 7h ]
fla bets [100]
redcar raises to [1,250]
fla calls [1,150]

** Dealing Turn ** [ Ts ]
fla checks
redcar goes all-in
redcar bets [3,728]
fla calls [3,728]

** Showdown **
redcar shows [ Kc, Kd ]
fla shows [ Th, 2s ]
** Dealing River ** [ Td ]**
Hand Conclusion **
fla wins 10,906 from main pot with full house, Tens full of Sevens
************ Game 216028790 ends ************

A Fresh Start

After a couple of weeks off, I decided to make a fresh start in online poker, forget what has happened so far this year, start with a clean slate and see if I can actually make a profit.
I managed a seventh out of 77 in UKBetting Pokers 1200 Euro Gtd Tournament on Thursday for just over £50 and had a run at $10 and $20 Sit and Go's during the week.
Unfortunately I still cant seem to get back in the swing of STT's I managed a 2nd on sunday afternoon, which was exactly 20 STT's since I last cashed.
Not sure where I am going wrong in these, I seem to either suffer a horrible outdraw or run KK into AA or JJ into QQ.
20 in a row says its not just bad luck, but bad play somewhere along the line, so I'll continue to analyse my play to see if I can find the leak.
I qualified for the $16k Gtd on Betfair via a satellite on Sunday afternoon and was looking forward to playing on Sunday night, things didn't go to plan however.
I managed to win a decent pot early on with K9o in the BB on a 9 high flop against oppo's 9Js.
The table was pretty loose and aggressive so I decided to sit tight early on and see if I could get paid when I did hit a hand.
I thought the hand had come towards the end of level one when I was dealt KK utg, I raised 4 x BB to 80 and the whole table folded except the SB who called, The flop came 7d, 2c, 3d, SB checks so I bet 200 and he calls, turn is 3h, oppo checks again so I bet 600 and he raises to 1200. I can't see that he has hit the flop unless he has 77, maybe he thinks I have AK and hes trying to push me off the pot. I decide his most likely holding is 88/99 or A7 so push all in, he insta-calls and shows 3c4s for trip threes.
This leaves me with around 200 chips and a few minutes later I'm gone.
I would appreciate any advice on the hand above, if anyone feels I played it particularly poorly, maybe I could have let it go to the re-raise on level one ?
Anyway despite this I feel a bit more confident in my play, Im going to target the MTT's a bit more carefully try to play when I'm sure I can give it my full attention, avoid stakes so small that I dont concentrate properly, forget multi-tabling and above all try to enjoy it.
Thanks for reading, and be lucky