Redcars Blog

End of year report

2009-12-29T14:38:00.006Z

Well its that time of year again, and time to look back on 2009
After six consecutive losing months from April to September I finally turned things around in October, and look like having a break even year, after being down around $1000 at the start of December.
I've been playing predominantly on Party Poker since the end of September, no rakeback, but the deposit bonus makes up for that so far, and I've reached Gold level in the VIP scheme, which to be honest isn't worth much.
I've been playing 25c/50c and 50c/$1 dependant on my bankroll, my frame of mind and how juicy the tables look, I seem to do better at the higher level, maybe I just concentrate a little more at higher stakes.
I'm still fighting against tilt, not the crazy monkey tilt which drives some people to play above their bankroll or dump cash on casino games, just enough to make me change the way I play after losing a couple of buy-ins in a session, still trying to keep it under control.

I'm still running about $400 below EV according to Holdem Manager and I know that the general concensus is that this will even out over enough hands, but to be honest I think that I don't take enough risks, and I don't get it in when I'm behind often enough to pull back $400, maybe as my cash games improves I'll claw some of it back.
Away from poker I'm all over Manchester United this season, I have them at 100/30 to win the Premiership, 10/1 to win the Champions League and Rooney at 18/1 to be Prem top scorer.

Time for a change ?

2009-09-27T15:36:00.002Z

I've played more this month than in any previous month since I started on the cash games, and my total profit is just about zero.
I claimed $50 for playing on 25 days in September as part of Full Tilts 'Take Two' promotion, and a few extra FPP's, which are pretty worthless anyway as the i-pod I had my eye on has been taken out of the Full Tilt store.
I have lost $86 in the month will get $50 from the promo and about $150 in rakeback, so I'm up about $100 overall, but I haven't enjoyed playing at all.
The standard on FTP is pretty good so I always try to find the softest table, trying to target the fish.
The problem is when you find them there are usually 4 or 5 other regs trying to separate the fish from their cash.
My usual MO is to sit tight, wait for the prenmium hands, and let the fish net themselves, unfortunately to make this work I not only have to overcome the lunatics, but also the monster known as variance.
The hand below is a perfect example, I waited patiently for a hand, I had peviously laid down KK on the river when his (obvious) flush draw hit after I flopped a set, and I had been waiting for this (hence the pre-flop limp)

***** Hand History for Game 14968157897 ***** (Full Tilt)
$50.00 USD NL Texas Hold'em - Sunday, September 27, 11:25:41 ET 2009
Table AceKingNL (6 max) (Real Money)
Seat 5 is the button
Seat 1: batmanisno1 ( $108.80 USD )
Seat 2: redcar99 ( $60.90 USD )
Seat 4: iapoligizenow ( $50.00 USD )
Seat 5: TOANNGUYENAA ( $26.40 USD )
Seat 6: loliHasAces ( $52.25 USD )
loliHasAces posts small blind [$0.25 USD].
batmanisno1 posts big blind [$0.50 USD].
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to redcar99 [ Ks Kh ]
redcar99 calls [$0.50 USD]
TOANNGUYENAA folds
loliHasAces folds
batmanisno1 raises [$1.00 USD]
redcar99 raises [$5.00 USD]
batmanisno1 calls [$4.00 USD]
** Dealing Flop ** [ 6c, Jd, Th ]
batmanisno1 checks
redcar99 bets [$10.50 USD]
batmanisno1 calls [$10.50 USD]
** Dealing Turn ** [ 2c ]
batmanisno1 checks
redcar99 bets [$44.90 USD]
batmanisno1 calls [$44.90 USD]
redcar99 shows [Ks, Kh ]
batmanisno1 shows [4c, Tc ]
** Dealing River ** [ 3c ]
batmanisno1 wins $120.05 USD from main pot

That was just about the straw that broke the camels back.
I have come to the conclusion that I can't beat 50NL on FTP so I need to find a softer site or give up completely, so I have decided to cash out all my funds from FTP and try to make a profit on Party Poker
Its a shame because I really like the Full Tilt software, I think its the best around, but I just can't win there.
I will also have to give up on rakeback at Party, but hopefully I can actually make a profit from the poker rather than grinding away waiting for a weekly rakeback payment
Here's hoping !

Running Bad

2009-08-08T09:48:00.003Z

I've been running pretty bad recently, in fact the last three months I must be down about 12 buy ins, even had to redeposit on FTP last week.
I had to bite the bullet and drop back down to 25c/50c last week and after a couple of losing sessions I managed a couple of (small) winning sessions.
The only consolation is that Hold 'Em Manager says I am running at about $450 dollars below my EV so I guess with a little luck things wouldn't be so bad.
Fortunately my live game seems unaffected by the online downswing, I failed to qualify online for the Malaga €1500 + €150 event but I did play in the €100 freezeout at San Roque last Saturday managing 2nd out of 21 for around €570, I may go back tonight to play again in the €50 single rebuy or add on, or maybe Gib casino for the cash game after the £5 rebuy crapshoot.
I folded a full house playing online a few days ago, the hand history is below, I'd be grateful for any feedback on it, general consensus so far is that I'm an idiot to even consider folding but given that, check - call, check - call, push on river is standard donk play for 'I think I've got the nuts' at this level, I'm not so sure

***** Hand History for Game 13857503946 ***** (Full Tilt)
$50.00 USD NL Texas Hold'em - Thursday, August 06, 02:49:23 ET 2009
Table Pergola (6 max) (Real Money)
Seat 6 is the button
Seat 1: nicow777 ( $70.10 USD )
Seat 2: davewilk74 ( $31.50 USD )
Seat 3: n00b09 ( $50.00 USD )
Seat 4: Boogieman69 ( $47.70 USD )
Seat 5: Gnotschi ( $57.50 USD )
Seat 6: redcar99 ( $59.30 USD )
nicow777 posts small blind [$0.25 USD].
davewilk74 posts big blind [$0.50 USD].
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to redcar99 [ 6h Ah ]
n00b09 folds
Boogieman69 calls [$0.50 USD]
Gnotschi folds
redcar99 calls [$0.50 USD]
nicow777 folds
davewilk74 checks
** Dealing Flop ** [ 8s, Tc, 6s ]
davewilk74 checks
Boogieman69 checks
redcar99 bets [$1.00 USD]
davewilk74 calls [$1.00 USD]
Boogieman69 calls [$1.00 USD]
** Dealing Turn ** [ 8d ]
davewilk74 checks
Boogieman69 checks
redcar99 bets [$2.00 USD]
davewilk74 folds
Boogieman69 calls [$2.00 USD]
** Dealing River ** [ 6c ]
Boogieman69 bets [$44.20 USD]
redcar99 folds
Boogieman69 wins $44.20 USD
Boogieman69 wins $8.35 USD from main pot

Afterwards he typed in chat that he had flopped the straight which did make me lol, he was playing terribly so maybe he did, maybe he thought the straight was good ?

Back to the Future

2009-07-25T20:39:00.002Z

Back on Full Tilt cash tables again trying to refind my Mojo this week.
My old faithfull Poker Tracker 2 kinda gave up the ghost after FTP's recent upgrade, or to be more accurate, the Poker Ace Hud did.
PT Forum gave me a patch to ensure I could still download the HH's bt the HUD didn't work and I guess with PT3 having a built in HUD it wasn't a priority to sort out so I decided to bite the bullet and upgrade.
I am a bit of a Luddite in this respect, I find that every time I have some new software its nothing but trouble until it all eventualy gets sorted out, which is why I never upgraded to PT3 before.
I've had PT2 for ages so its value against the upgrade wasn't worth much and Players whos opinion I respect have told me Holdem Manager was better, so instead of PT3 I opted for Holdem manager.
Anyway, with the new software installed, I'm back on the cash tables. With my FTP Bankroll down under $700 I decided I really had to drop down to 50NL instead of the 100NL I had been playing, I had a little success but couldn't really take it too serious after playing at 100NL so I went back to the 50c/$1 tables and as I write this I'm up abut one buy in today, only 6 more to go to break even :)
There's a new weekly tournament just up the coast at San Roque casino on saturday nights, a work mate Fabio won last weeks €50 rebuy, and not only did he win, he did it without any rebuys and without the add on, well done Fabio.
It was a €50 buy in again this week with just one rebuy or add on available, I was tempted to go up and play but decided to keep my powder dry till next weeks €100 freezeout.
In the meantime I have been playing online qualifiers on FTP for the Poker Series Espana event 2 in Malaga. This is a €1500 + €150 buy in event so I'm trying to satellite in on the cheap, with the extra bonus that there is a €3000 package and I can drive there in an hour so if I do qualify I will have the cash bonus to spend on anything I want, maybe even go back to Vegas on holiday :)

Vegas Baby !

2009-07-18T10:25:00.003Z

Well, its been a week since I arrived back from Vegas, and I'm still feeling a little jet-lagged, it was my first time, but I hope it won't be my last.
I travelled courtesy of Mansion Poker to look after the online qualifiers for the WSOP main event, and while in theory that made it a business trip, its hard not to have fun in Vegas, even if you are working.
Craig and I managed to find time to play a few low stakes tournaments and also got involved in the $1/$2 cash games.
I managed a second place in a $70 freezeout at the Mandaly Bay, and Craig went one better, wining a $65 freezeout at Ballys and taking 2nd place in the same tournament two days later.
My cash game was showing a decent profit in the early part of the week I dropped a buy in first hand in a $1/$2 cash game at the Mandalay Bay, dealt KK I reraised from $8 to $25 with one caller, the flop was Q high with no stright or flush draw and we ended up all in before the turn, only for my opponent to show QQ for a flopped set, I did recover a few hands later, again with KK on a flop of KK5, another 5 on the flop gave my opponent a Full house, but my quad kings won the pot and also a 'high hand bonus' of $114 which amounted to about $79 after tax
Then two disasterous hands at the Venetian dropped me two buy ins in quick sucession.
First up I checked my option on the BB in a multi-way limped pot with 8h 9h and saw a flop of T J Q rainbow, with no pre-flop raise I figured my hand was pretty much the nuts and bet it as if it was, at showdown my opponent showed AKo, not a good start.
I reloaded and after about an hour of folding I picked up pocket Aces, my big pre-flop raise thinned down the field to one caller and a flop of A K J looked pretty good to me, the chips went in and my opponent tables QT for a made straight :(
Overall, I still showed a profit, and I think if I went again on holiday, without any work distractions I could definately show a profit in what were unexpectedly soft cash games

Just another Bad Beat

2009-06-20T17:58:00.005Z

Well after saying I didn't want to fill up the blog with bad beats, here's one I couldn't resist posting

FullTiltPoker Game #12926009452: Table Joyner (6 max) - $0.50/$1 - No Limit Hold'em - 12:54:18 ET - 2009/06/20
Seat 1: pooshda ($75.25)
Seat 2: D4da15T ($109.80)
Seat 3: redcar99 ($100)
Seat 4: nem3si5 ($108.75)
Seat 5: Dr Sweetleaf ($77.35)
Seat 6: Murderer45 ($63.70)
D4da15T posts the small blind of $0.50
redcar99 posts the big blind of $1
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to redcar99 [Ts Td]
nem3si5 folds
Dr Sweetleaf calls $1
Murderer45 folds
pooshda raises to $3
D4da15T folds
redcar99 calls $2
Dr Sweetleaf calls $2
*** FLOP *** [Th Kh Kc]
redcar99 checks
Dr Sweetleaf bets $9.50
pooshda folds
redcar99 raises to $25.50
Dr Sweetleaf calls $16
*** TURN *** [Th Kh Kc] [5c]
redcar99 bets $49
Dr Sweetleaf: i think im fcuked
Dr Sweetleaf: i cant fold
Dr Sweetleaf calls $48.85, and is all in
redcar99 shows [Ts Td]
Dr Sweetleaf shows [9s Kd]
Uncalled bet of $0.15 returned to redcar99
*** RIVER *** [Th Kh Kc 5c] [Ks]
redcar99 shows a full house, Kings full of Tens
Dr Sweetleaf shows four of a kind, Kings
Dr Sweetleaf wins the pot ($155.20) with four of a kind, Kings
redcar99 adds $77.35
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $158.20 Rake $3
Board: [Th Kh Kc 5c Ks]
Seat 1: pooshda (button) folded on the Flop
Seat 2: D4da15T (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 3: redcar99 (big blind) showed [Ts Td] and lost with a full house, Kings full of Tens
Seat 4: nem3si5 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: Dr Sweetleaf showed [9s Kd] and won ($155.20) with four of a kind, Kings
Seat 6: Murderer45 didn't bet (folded)

Not much to report

2009-06-20T12:15:00.004Z

Poker's been up and down recently, mostly down.
I don't want to fill up the blog with bad beats, hence the lack of recent updates.
I have 12,000 hands at 50c/$1 now and that old familiar, "can I actually show a profit" feeling is returning.
I tried dropping back down to 50 NL but to be honest, I cant find the motivation to play at the lower stakes any more, so I guess I'll have to battle on until I either make some money or go Busto.
On a more positive note, I'm off to Vegas a week on thursday with work. We have 10 WSOP qualifiers on Mansion so Craig and I are going over to make sure everyone has a good time.
I'm sure we'll also find some time to play a little poker and have some fun, we're both looking forward to it, roll on July 2nd
The live game is not going too well either, managed to win a little cash a couple of weeks ago, rocking up to the casino a little worse for wear about 11pm, managed to maintain a "drunk and loose" image whilst actually playing pretty tight, and managed a double up with Aces AIPF before staggering off home in the wee small hours, could have been even better as I managed to get all in with a full house on the turn with Q9 on a board of QQ95 against an opponent holding Q4 and he managed to hit one of the remianing two nines on the river for a split pot.
I've been playing the regular sunday evening freezeout without much success, I seem to last just long enough for the blinds to really start to bite and when people have to start making moves, then it seems I always get outdrawn, latest time was with AQ v JT when a jack on the flop did for me, but I suppose as long as I get it in ahead, then its only a matter of time before I cash again.

Contrasting Weekends

2009-03-27T12:46:00.002Z

Had a couple of strange weekends on the poker recently, 2 weekends ago I played 1500 hands and was only all in 3 times, losing all three, but still managed to make a profit of $250.
First was the ‘bad beat’ shown in the previous post when my full house got beaten by quad aces on the river.
The second was similar, I had pocket Jacks beaten by pocket 6’s , my pair was an overpair to the board and I lost when he made trips on the river.
The third time was my fault, I got a little impatient with the table lunatic and pushed all in pre-flop with AK only to run into KK.
Last weekend in contrast was a bit of an all in fest, Friday night I was down $300 in double quick time, so Saturday I started playing with the intention of getting back even.
By lunch time I was down another $300 and not feeling too great.
Things did improve later though and I recovered to a total loss over the weekend of $130 and a loss for the week of $80 which felt like a win from being $600 in the hole.
Rakeback will cover at least half of the loss so things not too bad overall
I also discovered this site : http://www.pokertableratings.com/ which is useful for checking out your opponents as well as seeing how your mates are doing and taking the piss out of the losers.
Its not perfect as it seems to be missing quite a few sessions, dissapointingly for me they seem to be winning sessions so I look even worse than I actually am...lol
Double coin flip lunch this week, Dan lost them both, so not only did I eat for free (again) but I'm still freerolling courtesy of Tim and the half marathon wager, who says there's no such thing as a free lunch ?

Ouch

2009-03-14T21:10:00.003Z

Apologies for another bad beat thread, but I have to get this one off my chest, rivered for $170

FullTiltPoker Game #11138750554: Table Momentos (6 max) - $0.50/$1 - No Limit Hold'em - 17:04:00 ET - 2009/03/14
Seat 1: love grinding ($100)
Seat 2: Lostit2 ($100)
Seat 3: PTP 21 ($48.95)
Seat 4: redcar99 ($146.75)
Seat 5: La Reunion ($81.80)
Seat 6: roflpwn ($114.30)
PTP 21 posts the small blind of $0.50
redcar99 posts the big blind of $1
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to redcar99 [7h 7s]
La Reunion raises to $3.50
roflpwn folds
love grinding folds
Lostit2 calls $3.50
PTP 21 calls $3
redcar99 calls $2.50
*** FLOP *** [7d As Ah]
PTP 21 checks
redcar99 checks
La Reunion checks
Lostit2 checks
*** TURN *** [7d As Ah] [Td]
PTP 21 bets $5
redcar99 calls $5
La Reunion raises to $34
Lostit2 adds $3.50
Lostit2 folds
PTP 21 has 15 seconds left to act
PTP 21 folds
redcar99 has 15 seconds left to act
redcar99 raises to $79.50
La Reunion calls $44.30, and is all in
redcar99 shows [7h 7s]
La Reunion shows [Ac 8d]
Uncalled bet of $1.20 returned to redcar99
*** RIVER *** [7d As Ah Td] [Ad]
redcar99 shows a full house, Aces full of Sevens
La Reunion shows four of a kind, Aces
La Reunion wins the pot ($172.60) with four of a kind, Aces
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $175.60 | Rake $3
Board: [7d As Ah Td Ad]
Seat 1: love grinding didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: Lostit2 (button) folded on the Turn
Seat 3: PTP 21 (small blind) folded on the Turn
Seat 4: redcar99 (big blind) showed [7h 7s] and lost with a full house, Aces full of Sevens
Seat 5: La Reunion showed [Ac 8d] and won ($172.60) with four of a kind, Aces
Seat 6: roflpwn didn't bet (folded)

A quick poker update

2009-03-14T11:46:00.007Z

I haven't really played a lot since I last updated, even though it was six months ago.
I have moved up from 25c/50c and can usually be found playing 50c/$1 these days.
Most of my cash play is still on full Tilt because thats the only site I get rakeback on, I find it hard to concentrate and play seriously on other sites, though I do dabble a bit.

The graph shows my first 2000 hands at 50c/$1, which I know is nowhere near enough hands to be significant, but I'm at least heading in the right direction.The problem these days is finding time to play, we're very busy at work, since the move to i-Poker the player numbers on Mansion have soared, the i-Poker network offers great liquidity and things have been going really well.Add to the long work hours, the fact that I've been trying to go to the gym regularly and I dont have much time for poker except at weekends
Maybe its just as well, play less hands, try to enjoy it more and hopefully keep in profit.

Marathon Man

2009-03-13T19:14:00.003Z

I haven't updated for quite a while, mainly because I haven't played much recently, but thought I'd post a funny story unrelated to poker.
Working for a gaming company, a lot of people at work like a bet
The title refers to a mate at work, Craig, who seemed to be terminally unlucky, we have a routine of going to a local resteraunt for lunch every friday, and flipping a coin for the bill, it started with just three of us and has now escalated to six.
Craig joined three weeks ago and promptly lost his first two coin flips and ended up paying twice on the trot, just when he was skint after having forked out two months rent on his new flat.
Craig will bet on anything, he and his former flatmate use to offer each other odds on what would be the first advert on tv in each break
Dan bet Craig £100 that he couldn't run 20 km on a treadmill in the gym next door after work on thursday, Craig accepted the bet despite conditions meaning he had to maintain a minimum speed of 8.5km/h throughout.
A former work mate, Tim who now works for a rival company in the same building took the opinion that it was impossible for Craig to complete the 20km, as did most other people at work, the difference is that Tim was willing to back his opinion with cold hard cash.
To cut a long story short, Tim took on half of Dans bet, gave me odds of 2/1 against his next losing 'friday flip' and laid Mike £20 also at 2/1, he was so confident of success, he even offered Craig a freeroll for his next flip, for a total of around £180.
So Thursday after work, Craig, Dan and myself trooped into the gym to see Craigs attempt at an indoor half marathon, half a km in Craig said to me "this is easy at this speed" (8.5km/h) "our money is safe".
He was as good as his word, the biggest danger to him completing was when I tripped Dan and he almost knocked Craig off the treadmill. Two hours and twenty minutes later the 20km was done and dusted.
In fact he was so confident he offered Dan double or quits on his £50 to run another 10km for a total of 30km, this was politely declined
Mike had the pleasure of telling Tim the morning after, as he put it "Cost to Tim £180, seeing the look on his face when he found out the result, priceless"
Well for a perfect end to the story, Tim would have also lost todays 'friday flip', but another former workmate, Cathy joined us for lunch and wanted in on the action, despite have gone home for lunch all week, to save money, the newcomers jinx struck again and Cathy lost the flip and picked up the £41 bill. The look on her face, was a picture, I'm still not sure she has seen the funny side of it yet.

The Angry Aussie

2008-09-28T12:10:00.003Z

Well its been a while but I thought this deserved a wider audience
This guy going nuts because he lost ten bucks.....

FullTiltPoker Game #8259554250: Table Arlene (6 max) - $0.25/$0.50 - No Limit Hold'em - 7:52:55 ET - 2008/09/28
Seat 1: redcar99 ($48.25)
Seat 2: mike0980 ($55.45)
Seat 3: ziborbor ($60.30)
Seat 4: That One Guy 00 ($13.95)
Seat 5: 51LBO ($34.35)
Seat 6: Potamology ($51.25)
redcar99 posts the small blind of $0.25
mike0980 posts the big blind of $0.50
The button is in seat #6
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to redcar99 [Qh Qc]
ziborbor folds
That One Guy 00 calls $0.50
51LBO calls $0.50
Potamology raises to $2.50
redcar99 calls $2.25
mike0980 folds
That One Guy 00 calls $2
51LBO calls $2
*** FLOP *** [Qs 8s 8d]
redcar99 checks
That One Guy 00 checks
51LBO checks
Potamology checks
*** TURN *** [Qs 8s 8d] [Kc]
redcar99 bets $2.50
That One Guy 00 folds
51LBO folds
Potamology raises to $8
redcar99 raises to $22.50
Potamology folds
Uncalled bet of $14.50 returned to redcar99
redcar99 mucks
redcar99 wins the pot ($25.20)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $26.50 Rake $1.30
Board: [Qs 8s 8d Kc]
Seat 1: redcar99 (small blind) collected ($25.20), mucked
Seat 2: mike0980 (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 3: ziborbor didn't bet (folded)
Seat 4: That One Guy 00 folded on the Turn
Seat 5: 51LBO folded on the Turn
Seat 6: Potamology (button) folded on the Turn
Potamology: well played
Potamology: i guess when you are a
moron you call with 89 from the small
blind
redcar99: lol
redcar99: dry your eyes
Potamology: lol, you utter spastic
redcar99: ha ha ha
Potamology: btw you extractred max
value then
redcar99: whinging aussie
Potamology: you play very well
Potamology: well i folded aces you
fuucking moron
redcar99: thanks for the
donation..donk
Potamology: lol, well i would bet
anything it was the right fold
Potamology: you fuucking moron
redcar99: dry your eyes
redcar99: u lost $10 stop crying
Potamology: lol, you ignorant moron
redcar99: u need to learn how to lose
redcar99: or play better
redcar99: mug
Potamology: lol, learn to fold a hand
51LBO: or dont play at all
Potamology: you fuucking idiot
redcar99: lol
redcar99: boo hoo
Potamology: its funny that you are too
stupid to admit that you played the
hand like a fuucking moron
redcar99: lol stop crying
redcar99: let it go
Potamology: way to win the minimum
genius
51LBO: it's poker
Potamology: lol 5ILBO shut the fuuck
up
redcar99: lol
Potamology: you uneducated blue
collar cuunt
51LBO: ha ha ha ha
Potamology: you are worse than redcar
Potamology: and that is saying
something
redcar99: let it go
redcar99: its only $10
Potamology: yeah thanks to you
Potamology: lol
redcar99: lol
redcar99: well thanks for it
redcar99: i appreciate the donation
redcar99: mug
Potamology: lol, you saying that just
proves that you dont even understand
what we are talking about
Potamology: you 'mug"
Potamology: lol
redcar99: ha ha
redcar99: stop crying
Potamology: i dont actually recall crying
Potamology: but you can keep
repeating that iff you like
redcar99: jeez your giving me earache
redcar99: stfu
Potamology: i wasnt aware that FTP
had audio support
redcar99: If you think you're sat with
bad players, why complain ?
Potamology: what is it like to have the
mental capacity of a 10 year old with
down syndrome
redcar99: oh dear
redcar99: u realy are a sad kunt
Potamology: loooool
redcar99: do you swear at everyone
who takes your money ?
redcar99: u must be one angry dude
Potamology: at least im not sdumb and
ignorant like your good self
redcar99: lol, it sounds like it
redcar99: im off thanks for the
donation donk
Potamology: ahahahahaha
Potamology: go and kill yourself

All quiet on the western front

2008-07-15T21:27:00.004Z

Things have been pretty quiet lately, still grinding away at 25c/50c on Full Tilt, still making a small profit, mainly due to bonus and rakeback, would be barely breaking even otherwise.
I recently signed up through poker strategy for a free $50 on Titan poker, anyone else who wants the free cash can sign up through this site. http://www.brickandmortarpoker.page.tl/Home.htm
The deal is, complete the quiz and get an immediate $50 in an account on a poker site of your choice, gain so many frequent player points and release further bonuses up to a total of $100.
Thats $150 for free, just for taking the quiz.
The tricky bit is not losing the original $50 to try and build a bankroll from nothing like Chris Ferguson, bank roll management is the key, I'll update on future posts (unless I busto in which case I'll never mention it again)
The actual strategy proposed by the site is a little strange though, it seems aimed at minimising any potential losses rather than maximising profit, by playing a strict short stack strategy, which is, I guess, the way to grind up a $50 bankroll, but its not much fun :(
Not much else to report, haven't played live for a while, will try to think of something interesting for the next post

Short-Stacking

2008-06-29T07:14:00.002Z

I think its fair to say that opinion is divided over short-stackers, while some people see this as a legitimate tactic, others look on shortstackers as the lowest of the low.
At my usual 50NL 6max cash games there are a number of regular short-stackers, most of whom make a loss, but some show a small profit according to my pokertracker stats.
There is one guy in particular who buys in for $10 and either folds or pushes every hand, never a call, never a raise, its all in or nothing, he multi-tables 6 or more at a time and must be showing some kind of profit, I wont name him, but I'm sure any Full Tilt regulars at 50 NL with know who I am talking about.
For me this type of player is pretty easy to play against, first you identify his range, (this is easy when he is multi-tabling, and you can data mine through PT), once you know this you can simply play the hands that beat his range and fold the hands that dont, this works pretty well for me, although I do avoid sitting to his right.
Against short-stackers playing a more orthodox style I tend to play my normal game, though I am more inclined to call them down, knowing that my losses are limited to the size of their stack.
This got me thinking, that if I am more likely to go to showdown against a short stacked opponent, then maybe I can reverse the position and take advantage of opponents calling me down lightly by short-stacking with $50 at NL100 or even NL200.
By playing a TAG style while short stacked at higher stakes, maybe I can get bigger raises called and more $100 pots than by buying for the max on a 50NL table.
I know that conventional wisdom says you should always buy in for the maximum, but I think that maybe this tactic is worthy of some investigation.
If anyone has tried this, I would be very interested in the results

Table selection

2008-06-11T22:00:00.002Z

I have long been of the opinion that table selection is one of the most important factors in winning online poker, but recently I have been reviewing exactly what makes a 'good' table.
My natural game is pretty tight (I'd like to say tight/aggressive, but one out of two aint bad) so I normally look for a pretty loose game where I will still get callers when I raise for the first time in three orbits.
Using PAHUD I look for tables where 2 or more players have a VP$ of over 40% with a table average VP$ of around 30%, or higher if possible.
The difficulty then comes with the fact that nearly all the pots I play are bigger than average, and with a couple of calling stations on the table, after a raise with maybe two callers, and a continuation bet with one caller, or maybe more, I have odds to call with almost any drawing hand, which can start to get expensive when I miss (and I miss a lot of draws).
I have been wondering if there is a better way to play, maybe by picking tighter tables to play on and playing more hands, a more LAG style.
This way I get to play more hands, see more flops, for less money, and once people see me playing more junk, I should get called down even more when I do hit a hand.
I'd be interested to know how any readers pick their cash tables, is the loosest game always the best ? I notice that from time to time, there is a big queue for a particular table for no apparent reason, I guess there must be a big fish sat there to have 7 or 8 people waiting for a seat, but I don't see the need to join a queue that long, as surely the fish is the first to leave and by the time 6 or 7 people in the queue ahead of you are seated any value must surely be gone.
If anyone has any strong views either way on this please post a reply.

Lady Luck

2008-06-10T22:19:00.002Z

I played a short session recently which just served to remind me how big a part lady luck plays in proceedings when you sit down at a poker table.
I played for a couple of hours without really getting into any big pots until with 22on the button I called a 13 x BB reraise to $6.50, hoping the initial raiser would just call.
He did and the flop came A92 rainbow.
It was checked to me, and hoping that they were both slow playing AK or AQ I bet the pot of around $20.
The initial raiser reraised all in and the other player folded, leaving me with a decision.
The villain was playing around 44/28 or something so I called, hoping for AK and not AA, he flipped A9 and I was celebrating until the 9 on the turn gave him the bigger Full house and I lost around $75.
I think the loss tilted me as I determined to take a stand against a couple of serial raisers soon after.
The first was on another table where the player to my immediate right kept raising my BB from his SB, and after folding A3, A5 and K9 I decided I would take a stand next orbit with any two cards.
As expected he raised to $2.50, and I pushed all in for around $50 with 75o (Yeah, I know), he insta-called with pocket Queens, and I was kicking myself until my straight hit on the river.
Back on the original table, another player kept reraising my $2 raise from the button to $12 on his BB.
After this had happened about 5 or 6 times, I decided I would again take a stand the first time I had any kind of hand on the button.
A couple of orbits later I find AQ and raise to $2, he reraises to $12 (again) and I push all in, he calls with AK. The flop is 55J, another J on the turn gives me a split, until a queen on the river hands me the full pot.
Despite being up around $100, I decide to call it a day before I tilted away the lot.

A dream come true

2008-05-17T11:45:00.002Z

I know I run the risk of being called an aftertimer posting this now, but I swear its true, the only person who can verify this however is my wife so if you dont believe me....c'est la vie.
I had a dream on Tuesday night where I dreamt the result of the eufa cup final, I woke during the night and nearly got up to write it down, as I thought I would forget.
In the end I didn't get up but went back to sleep after memorising 0-0 then 2-0, by the time I awoke in the morning, I had just about forgot the the dream, but remembered the mantra 0-0 followed by 2-0.
I wasn't sure if it meant 0-0 half-time and 2-0 full-time or 0-0 full-time and 2-0 after extra time.
I was a little bit dubious about risking hard cash on a dream, but decided I would rather risk a couple of small bets than kick myself afterwards if it turned out to be true.
In the end I had 3 x £5 bets on Draw HT - Zenit FT, Zenit to win 2-0 and Zenit to win in extratime.
I watched the first half on tv, and at half-time thought I had some kind of chance of a profit at least with a Zenit win in either the second half or extratime.
To be honest, the match was so boring I switched over in the second half and just flicked back ocaisionaly for updates.
At 1-0 I was thinking I had shown a profit, but when Zenit scored the second with the last kick of the game, I went from delight at winning £75 to disapointment that I had only had a fiver on.
I've been to bed early every night since, but as of yet, I still dont have any lottery numbers or the FA Cup final winner, but watch this space..........

Bad Beats and Retards

2008-04-27T16:04:00.003Z

The purpose of this blog is not to post all my hard luck stories, but recently it seems like lady luck is taking the piss.

I ran into another candidate for 'numpty of the week' today, I can think of no explanation for his play, maybe 4s5s is his 'lucky hand' or something, it was certainly pretty lucky against me.

The thought of this idiot running off with my hard earned is enough to make me want to puke, I don't suppose he will hang on to it for long playing like that.
After the first hand, I just reloaded and carried on, ater the second, I had to stop playing before terminal tilt set in.

FullTiltPoker Table El Greco (6 max)
$0.25/$0.50 - No Limit Hold'em - 11:49:06 ET - 2008/04/27
Seat 1: ($52.60)
Seat 2: ($22.05)
Seat 3: ($45.95)
Seat 4: j2ah1ve ($45.20)
Seat 5: redcar ($69)
Seat 6: ($58)
redcar posts the small blind of $0.25
Seat 6 posts the big blind of $0.50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to redcar [Kc Ac]
Seat 1 folds
Seat 2 folds
Seat 3 folds
j2ah1ve raises to $2
redcar raises to $7.50
Seat 6 folds
j2ah1ve calls $5.50
*** FLOP *** [Ad 7c 9c]
redcar bets $7.50
j2ah1ve calls $7.50
*** TURN *** [Ad 7c 9c] [4h]
redcar bets $15.50
j2ah1ve raises to $30.20, and is all in
redcar calls $14.70
j2ah1ve shows [5s 4s]
redcar shows [Kc Ac]
*** RIVER *** [Ad 7c 9c 4h] [5d]
j2ah1ve shows two pair, Fives and Fours
redcar shows a pair of Aces
j2ah1ve wins the pot ($87.90) with two pair, Fives and Fours

FullTiltPoker Game #6196663108: Table El Greco (6 max)
$0.25/$0.50 - No Limit Hold'em - 11:58:43 ET - 2008/04/27
Seat 1: ($48.80)
Seat 2: ($56.40)
Seat 3: ($36.95)
Seat 4: j2ah1ve ($84.90)
Seat 5: redcar ($77.25)
Seat 6: ($56.50), is sitting out
redcar posts the small blind of $0.25
Seat 6 posts the big blind of $0.50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to redcar [Qs Qh]
Seat 2 folds
Seat 3 folds
j2ah1ve raises to $2
redcar raises to $7.50
Seat 1 folds
j2ah1ve calls $5.50
*** FLOP *** [7h 5h 5c]
redcar bets $15.50
j2ah1ve has 15 seconds left to act
j2ah1ve raises to $77.40, and is all in
redcar calls $54.25, and is all in
j2ah1ve shows [5s 4s]
redcar shows [Qs Qh]
*** TURN *** [7h 5h 5c] [Kc]
*** RIVER *** [7h 5h 5c Kc] [4d]
j2ah1ve shows a full house, Fives full of Fours
redcar shows two pair, Queens and Fives
j2ah1ve wins the pot ($152) with a full house, Fives full of Fours

Numpty of the week

2008-04-20T16:28:00.005Z

Apologies for a bad beat post, but I had to get this one off my chest

Its been a bad day, down $100 early on before a recovery to about $40 down

HansFrans & Nayock420 are both retards and have been raising and reraising with atc
I've been patiently waiting my chance to stack either of them
I've already laid down QQ and JJ both on a K high flop to big raises of my C-bet
My chance finally come and this happens

FullTiltPoker Table Golfcart (6 max) - $0.25/$0.50 - No Limit Hold'em
Seat 1: Nayock420 ($42.70)
Seat 2: wyvern17 ($55.15)
Seat 3: redcar99 ($43.20)
Seat 4: toreds ($54.35)
Seat 5: Sloukka ($35.85)
Seat 6: HansFrans ($55.40)
wyvern17 posts the small blind of $0.25
redcar99 posts the big blind of $0.50
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to redcar99 [Th Ts]
toreds folds
Sloukka calls $0.50
HansFrans raises to $1
Nayock420 calls $1
wyvern17 calls $0.75
redcar99 raises to $5.50
Sloukka folds
HansFrans calls $4.50
Nayock420 calls $4.50 (well you have to call a reraise with J4o don't you)
wyvern17 calls $4.50
*** FLOP *** [2h 6s 4c]
wyvern17 checks
redcar99 bets $37.70, and is all in
HansFrans folds
Nayock420 calls $37.20, and is all in
wyvern17 adds $0.35
wyvern17 folds
redcar99 shows [Th Ts]
Nayock420 shows [Jh 4d] (Middle pair and no draw)
Uncalled bet of $0.50 returned to redcar99
*** TURN *** [2h 6s 4c] [Ac]
*** RIVER *** [2h 6s 4c Ac] [Jc]
redcar99 shows a pair of Tens
Nayock420 shows two pair, Jacks and Fours
Nayock420 wins the pot ($93.90) with two pair, Jacks and Fours

And just to rub it in he promptly leaves the table, what a twat !

Well done Nayock420, you are officially Numpty of the week

Learning to play cash

2008-03-31T02:28:00.003Z

I've spent most of the last month or so trying to teach myself to play 6 seater cash games on Full Tilt.
Thankfully the first deposit bonus and an apology bonus for some downtime on the site in February (Betfair take note) has kept me in the black.
I've played around 15,000 hands of 25c/50c over the last 6 or 8 weeks for a very small overall profit, but I do think I'm improving, my bankroll on full tilt is increasing thanks to the bonus payments and I feel I can hold my own at this level now.
The plan now is to persevere on full tilt or maybe another new site where I can release another first deposit bonus to try and earn enough to pay (or partly pay) for a planned trip to New York next January (Yes I know that sounds a little ambitious, but it helps to have targets).
The cash game has got me more focused on improving than I have been for a while, the bad beats hurt a bit more, and its easy to get bored and tilt away a few hours worth of grinding in a few minutes, but on the whole its been enjoyable and hopefully will remain so.
Im still playing the odd tournament, the groundhog day syndrome remains in the EPT and WSOP qualifiers on Pokerstars, I'm still stuck on level 3 and keep bubbling for the next level and returning back to level 3 again, and again, and again, but one of these days I'll be at level 6 with a trip to Las Vegas or Monte Carlo in my sights.
Enjoyed a couple of weeks off work over Easter, just took it easy for a few days, had a few day trips out and about in Spain, and generally chilled out for a while.
Also had an e-mail from Betfair offering me a £10 refund, win or lose if I transfered £10 to their casino and played. This I did and manged to release a first deposit bonus, make a profit at Blackjack, and get back my original tenner for a total profit of around £80, so thats the end of my casino career, quit while I'm ahead. :)

Groundhog Day

2008-03-07T00:34:00.002Z

It feels like groundhog day recently trying to progress in the steps tournaments on Pokerstars for EPT and WSOP seats.
I started off using player points to play the step one sit & go tournaments, bounced up and down to level 3 ($75 + $7) and eventually paid for a couple of $7 + $0.50 step one sats.
Im now going round in circles on level 3, with 4 third place finishes in a row leading to a new start on level 3, without getting to level 4. I'm at level 3 for both EPT and WSOP, but one of these days I'll crack it for a seat in one of the big live tournaments.
Heres hoping.....

I started off pretty well in the $50 satellite to the 'Mr Silent charity WSOPE' tournament on Betfair.
This was for a seat in a $500 satellite for a $23k WSOPE seat donated by Betfair player Mr Silent in a quite amazing show of generosity.
$50 is a big buy in for me, but I thought it would be churlish to turn up my nose at a charity event given how it was donated for free so I decided to play.
I managed to double up early on and held the chip lead for a while, and was playing pretty well, even though I do say so myself. I think I was second at the first break, but didn't make it to the second. The key hand was one where I raised 3 x BB in early position with AK, had one caller in mid-position and the short stack pushed all in from the button for about 9 or 10 BB's, I pushed all in to isolate the shorty and was called by the MP with 77 or 88. Shorty had AJ and the 88 held up and I lost about half my chips.
I never really recovered after that, was card dead for quite a while and blinded away for half an hour before taking a risk and pushing in only to lose a race and crash out.

Return of the blog

2008-02-28T22:40:00.003Z

Well, its been a while !

Six months without an update so where do I start ?
Well to be honest I never played at all in September and October, had a complete two month break from poker and I never even missed it.
I returned to the fold in November with a couple of MTT cashes for around $400 each on Pokerroom, 3rd in a $10 mtt and 2nd in a $5 mtt if I remember correctly.
I struggled on playing stt's on Betfair in December for a small loss on the month, stayed on the sit and go's during January without much success and in February I opened a Full Tilt account to play some small stakes cash.
Finally got to see some benefit from my Poker Tracker playing cash games and bought PA HUD to go with it, Its hard to beleive anyone playing cash games seriously can do so without this software. It really is terrific, displaying stats from poker tracker live on the tables showing you details of opponents previous history over however many hands.
Using this I managed to show a (very) small profit on the $0.25/$0.50 cash tables over around 5000 hands, and will be persevering with the cash tables for the forseeable future.
I also managed to win the Mansion staff invitational freeroll last night for a nice payday, doubled up on about the third hand of the tournament with pocket Aces, pushed all in for around 1800 on the turn with two spades on the board to push out any flush draw and was inexplicably called by 66 with three overcards on the board, his 2 outer missed and I got off to a good start, stayed in the top ten or so throughout despite donking off 1300 chips when misclicking and calling a huge river bet with what was obviously a made straight when I meant to fold.
I recovered untill losing a hand with trip 2's v a full house just before the final table and was last of ten going onto the final table.
A couple of well time bluffs and some decent cards when needed helped me build back up, and I eventually won the tournament, bragging rights at work, and a cool £1000 for my troubles.
I'll try to keep the updates a little more regular from now on , not just when I win a freeroll, and hopefully try to stay profitable in the cash games as well as the odd tournament

No Poker

2007-08-20T14:36:00.000Z

I must be the only poker blogger who never plays poker, well not for a couple of weeks anyhow.
To be honest I've been busy with the new house etc so I haven't had a lot of time to play, but a year or 18 months ago I would have found time to play at the expense of something else.
I'm just not as keen to play these days as I was, time was I would play at every opportunity, now I can't be arsed to set up the laptop.
There is a live game I may enter on Thursday night, £50 freezeout at the casino, but my elder daughter is flying out here on the same day so I may just go for a drink or stick around in the house with her instead.
I have another weeks leave booked next week so I'll be out and about in Spain again, maybe I'll play some poker that week, maybe not.
Judging by other blogs and the forums, I'm not the only one for whom poker seems to be losing its gloss. I guess the big winners and the pros will continue, but maybe the boom is over and numbers will now start to decline.
Then again, maybe this time next week I'll have won an online multi or the £50 freezeout and I'll be back n love with the game again, Time will tell.

At Last !! An Update !!

2007-08-04T20:33:00.000Z

Well I finally got moved house, sort of.
Had to move in before all the internal building work was completed, so my bedroom has only three walls, theres a bit of plastering and tidying up to do, and then of course decorating when its all finished, but at least we are now living in our own home again and paying a mortgage instead of rent. The tax breaks for the mortgage are also pretty good out here so another good reason to buy.
The decision to move all the stuff myself because it was only 50 yards further up The Rock turned out to be a BIG mistake, I spent 12 hours lugging suitcases and boxes of 'stuff' up the steps, I must have climbed everest with the number of trips it took.
But at least were moved, we have tv and internet access so I can start playing poker again soon, in fact I may play live on wednesday night as there is a £100 freeezeout at the casino.
I've dabbled in a few sit and goes on Paradise poker the last week or so with no great success, usual routine, everyone is tight as a ducks arse until the blinds start to bite, then it turns into a crapshoot with 5 or 6 players chasing the top three places. I won a couple and made a small overall profit, but more by good luck than good judgement really.
I have a few days off booked in August, My younger daughters pal from England is flying over for a week on Monday morning, then my elder daughter is coming over for two week holiday towards the end of August, so the home improvements will probably go on hold for a while until September (wife permitting).
Mansion finally stopped there charitable daily give away of around $45k a day in the $100k Gtd tournaments, but still plenty of value available in the weekly $110k Gtd on Thursday evenings and $150k Gtd on Sunday evening as well as some lower value $10 and $20 tournaments with Gtd payouts. Thats the advertising done, check the mansion poker site for details

Sorry for the Lack of Updates

2007-07-20T10:54:00.000Z

Apologies for the lack of recent updates
I'm in the middle of moving house and to be honest haven't any time for poker in between work, tiling, plumbing painting etc etc etc......

Poker in Gibraltar

2007-07-14T14:50:00.000Z

http://www.cardplayer.com/cpeurope/article/16799

Failure in the Main Event

2007-07-11T20:05:00.002Z

My success rate in the satellites for the $11k Gtd and $16k Gtd on Betfair is pretty good, qualifying from one in every three satellites I enter. The rate goes up for the 10 seat Gtd satellites which are usually my first attempt at qualification. This gives me pretty good value with an average buy in cost in the $11k Gtd of $36 as opposed to the actual buy in of $82.50, and an average cost for the $16k Gtd of $48 against the full buy in of $109. I'm actually getting in to them for less than half price. Its all the more frustrating then, to find out that my record in the actual Guaranteed tournaments themselves is pretty awful.
Apart from one tournament, where I finished 4th for $880, I have failed to make the money in any of the main events, and the cash I did make was assisted by AA and a double up first hand.
The tournament always seems to go the same way, I lose a couple of early pots, where I stay in with draws, because opponents give me the odds to do so, then I tighten up because I feel I'm below average on chips and blind away for a bit, then a crucial hand comes about, and I have a big decision to make, to either fold and leave a lot of chips behind, or take a gamble. I always seem to take the wrong decision, or if I take the correct decision, lady luck kicks me in the teeth.
Last night I pushed with AK pre-flop from late position to try and steal a few chips, I get called by the BB with AJ and the first card on the flop is a Jack. Today I raised from LP with AQ in a multi-way limped pot and get two callers from the blinds, flop is harmless looking 2 6 T rainbow, its check to me so I push in to steal (definately not the best move I could have made) and BB calls with 66 for a set. I feel I need a little bit of early luck to settle down a bit and get 'in the groove' once I increase my starting stack I can relax and play my normal game, losing early chips makes me edgy and this leads to bad decision making on my behalf.
Maybe its because the buy in is a bit high by my standards and I feel a little uncomfortable, I seem to want to make moves rather than sit back and play the same way as I do in the satellites.
Overall though, I'm enjoying playing, though a little profit would enable me to enjoy it even more, and hopefully I'll get to play live tomorrow in the £5o freeze out.

Satellites

2007-07-05T19:43:00.000Z

Betfair is slowly becoming a favourite site of mine again after hardly playing there at all following the move to Pokerchamps software.
The mtt structures are good with 15 minute levels and the higher value tournaments also have increased chip counts, allowing more poker to be played. Ive been back on the satellite circuit today, qualifying for the $16k Gtd and the $11K Gtd, via the 10 seat guaranteed satellites which offer overlay in the sat as well as the main tournament.
I Snagged £100 worth of tournament entries for around £15 which is value in anyones book.
Unfortunately the $16k main event didn't go so well, had to fold AQo early doors to a raise and re-raise pre-flop. Never really hit a flop at all as the first break approached and I was struggling with around 1750 from a starting stack of 2500 when I find KK in late position, theres a raise of 3 x BB (300) in front of me which I re-raise to 750, to push out the blinds and I'm heads up with initial raiser, flop is 8d 8s 3d its checked to me, and with two diamonds on the board, I push all in to find myself up against AA and that, as they say, was that.
The $11k Gtd was very similar, AKs first hand for a small pot, then nothing of note until I limped in late position with Ad 3d, two diamonds on the flop gave me some hope, and single opponent made it cheap enough to call until the third diamond hit on the river and I won a pot of around 600.
The joy was short lived however, a couple of hands later I'm all in Pre-Flop with JJ against what turns out to be QQ.
KK v AA in the $16k and JJ v QQ in the $11k, Thems the breaks huh ? still it was an enjoyable if profitless day, with the chance at two big payouts for a relatively small outlay, and there's always tomorrow

Three hands from Sunday

2007-07-02T10:24:00.000Z

An interesting day of poker on Sunday, started off with the 10 seat Gtd satellite to Betfairs $16k Gtd. Software problems stopped the tournament after about 35 minutes, just as I took over the chip lead, but a refund of $32 or double the buy in enabled me to enter the turbo sat to the same tournament on a freeroll.
Qualification from this left me in the $16k for free, and I tried the 1 cent wsope sat next, this again crashed without starting and credited my account with $2.20 or 220 x the buy in.
4th place in a sit and go on poker stars preceded my attempt at the $16k Gtd, but I never really got going and was eliminated before the break gambling with 33 v AQ.
Some interesting hands cropped up during the course of these tournaments, first of all, in the turbo sat. With ten seats available and 11 left in the tournament, I’m sat in 6th place on the button with around 7k in chips, blinds are (from memory) 1000/2000 with a 75 ante.
Two players on the other table have less than 1200, including the next BB, and one guy on our table has 145, less than 2 antes.
Obviously in this situation with any one of three short stacks all in within the next 3 hands, I’m not playing anything at all, and in fact was hoping for pocket rockets, just so I could fold them pre-flop.
The rockets never arrived I folded 2 poor hands and after the BB guy survived, Mr 2 antes was out next hand and I’m safely through.
A similar situation in a 9 handed STT on poker stars, 4 of us left, 3 on around 4k each and the shortstack on about 1200. In this instance I’m willing to take a gamble as the difference between 3rd and 1st makes it worthwhile, I raise from the button with 85o, BB (not the shortstack) calls. Flop is Ts5s2h I lead for 3 BB’s and villain re-raises all in. I cant believe he has flopped a set, no open ended straight draw unless he has 34, so I reckon he’s on a draw, possibly has 2 spades, or more likely Ace 3 or Ace 4 for a gutshot so I call. He has the flush draw and hits on river so I’m out in 4th, but that’s the cost of ‘taking a shot’
Next one is in the $16k Gtd on Betfair, I lost a chunk early on with my usual, ‘he must be bluffing’ thought process, and end up approaching the break after an hour with around half my starting stack of 2500
I limp for 50 in early position with 33, there are about 5 other limpers and the BB raises to 300, I decide to gamble and push all in for about 1200, the other limpers fold and the raiser insta-calls with AQo. The flop is 245 forfeiting his ace and giving me hope, but he hits a three outer on the river, and that’s that.
Three similar hands in very different situations, I would be interested to hear peoples thoughts on.
Maybe I was too rash in the stars stt and the $16k, but I got my money in while ahead and long term that’s +EV
What do you think ?

Sit & Go's

2007-06-27T10:52:00.000Z

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

2007-06-19T20:28:00.000Z

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

2007-06-18T20:54:00.000Z

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

2007-06-17T18:21:00.000Z

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

2007-06-16T17:58:00.001Z

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

2007-06-07T11:07:00.000Z

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 !!

2007-06-05T21:05:00.000Z

***** 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

2007-06-04T11:13:00.000Z

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

Life after poker

2007-05-11T18:32:00.000Z

Still not playing online much, have had a couple of bashes at the $10k Gtd on Pokerstars at 6pm EST without much success, manage to outlast 700 or 800 but still go out shy of the money.
But summers here, the suns out and theres lots of stuff to do away from the virtual green baize.
I did play live last night, £100 freeze out, 18 runners, managed 3rd place for £330, which was a little disapointing as I was chip leader with three left before getting it all in pre-flop with KK v TT. He raises, I reraise, he jams and I cant call quick enough. Unfortunately lady luck decides to stick her oar in and 4 diamonds on the board gives him a flush and me a short stack.
Didn't last much longer after that, nicked a few blinds before getting caught with my hand in the cookie jar, and that was that.
I did enjoy it though, and I intend to play as much live poker as possible in the coming months, whatever I decide to do about the online game.
Anybody local to Gib or in southern Spain on holiday, may be interested in the following:

http://www.gibpoker.org

http://www.playersloungespain.com/

I haven't yet visted the players lounge, but the games at Gib casino are pretty friendly affairs, and all are welcome, so if you're in the area give it a try.

Well thats about it for now, hope the poker gods smile on you.

Time to call it a day ?

2007-04-21T19:34:00.000Z

Regular readers, whom number very few, will have noticed the blog has not been updated for about three weeks.
In fact I have not even played a hand of poker for two complete weeks until yesterday.
Friday night I tried the £4k Gtd on Crypto and went out in three hands when I got unecessarily involved in a 4 way raise-fest with KTon a TJK flop.
Today I played the $10k Gtd on Pokerstars lasting two and a half hours before I reraised pre-flop with 77 while short stacked, pushed all in after my opponent checked a 668 flop, only to be called by AQ (you know the rest)
I also played the $10 deepstack on Pokerstars lasting over 3 hours before my KK was turned over by AQ (all in pre-flop)
Its not much fun at all, I didn't even miss it when I had 2 weeks off, I only played today because it was raining and I was bored.
Looking at my profit graph since I started in Feb 2005 I'm beginning to wonder if I can actually make a profit at thius game at all, 2005's profit was on the back of Betfairs birthday celebrations and the added value tournaments, 2006's profit would have been decimated if not for Mansions staff freeroll which netted me nearly £1k, and this year has been an unmitigated disaster.

Much as I admire the people who can make a steady profit, or even a living from the game, Im starting to realise that I'm not one of them. I'm keen, I'm enthusiastic, but ultimately I dont have the skill of Baretta, Dibble or Gatsby to make a regular profit.
I'm going to have another spell off and see if the enthusiasm returns, but if not, and this seems likely, this will be the end of the blog, at least as a record of my poker achievements.
Thanks for reading, and the best of luck to you all.

When your lucks out.........

2007-03-24T09:57:00.000Z

Apologies for more hand histories
Not even bad beats really, and just a $5 sit and go, but two hands in quick succession show the importance of a little luck in poker

PokerStars Game #9060675355: Tournament #46057902, $5.00+$0.50 Hold'em No Limit - Level III (25/50) - 2007/03/24 - 05:44:07 (ET)
Table '46057902 1' 9-max Seat #3 is the button
Seat 2: zhaozhao12 (2650 in chips)
Seat 3: Doris_All_In (145 in chips)
Seat 4: FU808 (1990 in chips)
Seat 5: TheConArtist (1095 in chips)
Seat 7: holker (2365 in chips)
Seat 8: Joe Momma13 (2865 in chips)
Seat 9: spindrifter (2390 in chips)
FU808: posts small blind 25
TheConArtist: posts big blind 50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to holker [Ac Ah]
holker: calls 50
Joe Momma13: folds
Doris_All_In said, "3 suckouts"
spindrifter: calls 50
zhaozhao12: calls 50
Doris_All_In: raises 50 to 100
FU808: folds
TheConArtist: raises 995 to 1095 and is all-in
holker: raises 995 to 2090
spindrifter: folds
zhaozhao12: folds
Doris_All_In: calls 45 and is all-in
*** FLOP *** [Kh Jc Kd]
*** TURN *** [Kh Jc Kd] [2h]
*** RIVER *** [Kh Jc Kd 2h] [8s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
TheConArtist: shows [Ad Ks] (three of a kind, Kings)
holker: shows [Ac Ah] (two pair, Aces and Kings)
TheConArtist collected 1900 from side pot
Doris_All_In: shows [2s 5d] (two pair, Kings and Deuces)
Doris_All_In is sitting out
TheConArtist collected 560 from main pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2460 Main pot 560. Side pot 1900. Rake 0
Board [Kh Jc Kd 2h 8s]
Seat 2: zhaozhao12 folded before Flop
Seat 3: Doris_All_In (button) showed [2s 5d] and lost with two pair, Kings and Deuces
Seat 4: FU808 (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 5: TheConArtist (big blind) showed [Ad Ks] and won (2460) with three of a kind, Kings
Seat 7: holker showed [Ac Ah] and lost with two pair, Aces and Kings
Seat 8: Joe Momma13 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: spindrifter folded before Flop

PokerStars Game #9060704830: Tournament #46057902, $5.00+$0.50 Hold'em No Limit - Level III (25/50) - 2007/03/24 - 05:49:35 (ET)
Table '46057902 1' 9-max Seat #8 is the button
Seat 2: zhaozhao12 (2750 in chips)
Seat 4: FU808 (1890 in chips)
Seat 5: TheConArtist (2610 in chips)
Seat 7: holker (1470 in chips)
Seat 8: Joe Momma13 (2590 in chips)
Seat 9: spindrifter (2190 in chips)
spindrifter: posts small blind 25
zhaozhao12: posts big blind 50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to holker [Jd Ah]
FU808: folds
TheConArtist: folds
holker: raises 100 to 150
Joe Momma13: folds
spindrifter: folds
zhaozhao12: calls 100
*** FLOP *** [Jh 7h 5s]
zhaozhao12: bets 350
holker: raises 350 to 700
zhaozhao12: raises 350 to 1050
holker: raises 270 to 1320 and is all-in
zhaozhao12: calls 270
*** TURN *** [Jh 7h 5s] [Kc]
*** RIVER *** [Jh 7h 5s Kc] [8s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
zhaozhao12: shows [Kh Js] (two pair, Kings and Jacks)
holker: shows [Jd Ah] (a pair of Jacks)
zhaozhao12 collected 2965 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2965 Rake 0
Board [Jh 7h 5s Kc 8s]
Seat 2: zhaozhao12 (big blind) showed [Kh Js] and won (2965) with two pair, Kings and Jacks
Seat 4: FU808 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: TheConArtist folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: holker showed [Jd Ah] and lost with a pair of Jacks
Seat 8: Joe Momma13 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: spindrifter (small blind) folded before Flop

What is it with Flush Draws ?

2007-03-18T17:29:00.000Z

I just can't seem to get away from flush drawers, I mean, how much do you have to raise to shake 'em off ?

PokerStars Game #8964256346: Tournament #44847005, $10+$1 Hold'em No Limit - Level II (15/30) - 2007/03/18 - 12:35:08 (ET)
Table '44847005 11' 9-max Seat #5 is the button
Seat 1: harley745 (5060 in chips)
Seat 2: sternace (7240 in chips)
Seat 3: HAWK012261 (5025 in chips)
Seat 4: holker (4225 in chips)
Seat 5: Prophet 22 (3775 in chips)
Seat 6: Nater311 (7570 in chips)
Seat 7: canukatm (7795 in chips)
Seat 8: Agriates (5120 in chips)
Seat 9: broncorubin (10950 in chips)
Nater311: posts small blind 15
canukatm: posts big blind 30
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to holker [Qd Ad]
Agriates: folds
broncorubin: folds
harley745: calls 30
sternace: calls 30
HAWK012261: calls 30
holker: raises 90 to 120
Prophet 22: folds
Nater311: folds
canukatm: calls 90
harley745: folds
sternace: folds
HAWK012261: calls 90
*** FLOP *** [2h Qc 3h]
canukatm: checks
HAWK012261: bets 120
holker: raises 240 to 360
canukatm: folds
HAWK012261: calls 240
*** TURN *** [2h Qc 3h] [7c]
HAWK012261: bets 150
holker: raises 1380 to 1530
HAWK012261: calls 1380
*** RIVER *** [2h Qc 3h 7c] [9h]
HAWK012261: bets 180
holker: calls 180
*** SHOW DOWN ***
HAWK012261: shows [Kh Ah] (a flush, Ace high)
holker: mucks hand
HAWK012261 collected 4575 from pot
holker said, "lol"
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 4575 Rake 0
Board [2h Qc 3h 7c 9h]
Seat 1: harley745 folded before Flop
Seat 2: sternace folded before Flop
Seat 3: HAWK012261 showed [Kh Ah] and won (4575) with a flush, Ace high
Seat 4: holker mucked [Qd Ad]
Seat 5: Prophet 22 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: Nater311 (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 7: canukatm (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 8: Agriates folded before Flop (didn't bet)Seat 9: broncorubin folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Flush Draws

2007-03-17T14:52:00.000Z

What makes it so hard for people to lay down a flush draw ?
At the minute, 9 out of 10 losing hands for me are against someone chasing a flush against the odds.
Subtlty is just not required in $10 sit and go tournaments, no-one respects a 3 or 4 x BB raise, so you have to put a BIG bet in to tell them you have a hand
But it doesn't matter, some looney will call with rags
The HH below is typical, he cant lay it down, they're sooooooted

PokerStars Game #8945815879: Tournament #45493355, $10+$1 Hold'em No Limit - Level I (10/20) - 2007/03/17 - 10:48:04 (ET)
Table '45493355 1' 9-max Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: holker (1500 in chips)
Seat 2: legendrey (1480 in chips)
Seat 3: Thorup1 (1480 in chips)
Seat 4: ZodiacBrave (1800 in chips)
Seat 5: melon157 (1500 in chips)
Seat 6: harryh4 (1500 in chips)
Seat 7: ScaryPapyrus (1260 in chips)
Seat 8: raul98 (1500 in chips)
Seat 9: thewizard999 (1480 in chips)
Thorup1: posts small blind 10
ZodiacBrave: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to holker [Jd Jc]
melon157: folds
harryh4: folds
ScaryPapyrus: calls 20
raul98: raises 40 to 60
thewizard999: calls 60
holker: raises 180 to 240
legendrey: folds
Thorup1: folds
ZodiacBrave: folds
ScaryPapyrus: folds
raul98: calls 180
thewizard999: calls 180
*** FLOP *** [Ac 5c Jh]
raul98: checks
thewizard999: bets 100
holker: raises 300 to 400
raul98: folds
thewizard999: calls 300
*** TURN *** [Ac 5c Jh] [2c]
thewizard999: checks
holker: bets 860 and is all-in
thewizard999: calls 840 and is all-in
*** RIVER *** [Ac 5c Jh 2c] [7d]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
thewizard999: shows [Kc Qc] (a flush, Ace high)
holker: shows [Jd Jc] (three of a kind, Jacks)
thewizard999 collected 3250 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 3250 Rake 0
Board [Ac 5c Jh 2c 7d]
Seat 1: holker showed [Jd Jc] and lost with three of a kind, Jacks
Seat 2: legendrey (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: Thorup1 (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 4: ZodiacBrave (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 5: melon157 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: harryh4 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: ScaryPapyrus folded before Flop
Seat 8: raul98 folded on the FlopSeat 9: thewizard999 showed [Kc Qc] and won (3250) with a flush, Ace high

Level one he wants to call a 12 x BB reraise with KQs ?
......and I know I should have raised more on the flop, but in all honesty he's calling no matter what, and I know the check on the turn means he has hit, but I push anyway, just to make sure.

Post when your winning

2007-03-06T18:30:00.000Z

Sorry for the lack of recent updates, it seems I've fallen into the 'you only blog when your winning' category.
I've been running bad all year to be honest but getting worse month by month.
I actually made a small profit last week ,due mainly to winning a couple of $10 STT's and a money finish in the Crypto £4k Gtd
I was chipleader at the second break in the £4k Gtd before being outdrawn 3 times in quick succesion to end up in 16th of 360 for £40 when I thought a grand was within reach.
Back up to the $25 sit and go's this week, but the standard of play is truely dreadful, I've just had a 4 x BB raise called by a muppet with 74o who obviously then flops two pair against my AQ with a Q74 flop, half an hour of careful rebuilding later I have my chance for revenge with KK, again he calls a 4 x BB raise, this time with K2s and flops a flush.
Its enough to make me want to pack it all in to be honest, after winning £700 in 2005 and £1600 in 2006 I'm already down £350 this year.
If I thought it was because other players are better than me and Im just getting left behind, that would be bad enough, but to be constantly outdrawn by complete idiots is driving me mad.
Its just not fun any more
Since typing this Ive just crashed out of 2 mtts on Crypto with AKs v A9o then AKo v AQs
Its so bloody frustrating, its the type of crap you expect in $5 tournaments not $25
I think I need a few days off

A better weekend

2007-02-19T10:50:00.000Z

Well, this weekend went a little bettter than the last one, which wasn't too hard considering.
After last weekend, I was a bit sick of poker and hadn't planned to play during the week as a kind of cooling off period after tilting on Sunday, but I did play in the Crypto £4k Gtd tournament on Monday night and finished 19th of 415 for a £42 return.
I then laid off the poker all week until Saturday, where I avoided the cash games and played a couple of $25 sit and go's on Betfair with no success, I also played the $1750 Gtd, which is becoming a bit of a favourite, and ran well until I bubbled in 19th.
Sunday I played a few $10 sit and go's on Pokerstars with 45 runners and managed a 8th place and a 12th place with 7 getting paid.
So onto Sunday night to try to turn the week into a winning one, I decided to try the $50 buy in $25k Gtd on Pokerstars at 9pm and play the $1750 Gtd on Betfair simultaneously to keep from getting bored.
The $1750 started well when my pocket Queens won against KK and AJ with a Q on the turn, and then went from good to better when with 46o in the BB I Flopped the nuts with 357 rainbow and had my bet raised and reraised by A7 and TT as we ended up all in to take my stack up to 9k and the chip lead on level 2.
After that start,things had to quieten down, and they did, but I reached the final table in 6th place, and thats where I finished when my 66 ran into pocket aces giving me a $96 return.
The bigger tournament on Pokerstars didn't start so good, 3 hands in I get dealt KK on the button, in an unraised pot, I raise from 20 to 80 and get two callers.
Thje flop is a nightmare AAx, I bet out 160 and keep one caller in the pot, turn is another Ace, oppo checks, and so do I, river card is harmless, and oppo bets out 360, I put him on a smaller pair and consider pushing all in, but Im scared of the case Ace, and dont want to crash out this early in a (for me) big buy in multi so I just call.......
....and he has the Ace.........lucky escape for me, opponent congratulates me on not going bust, and we move on.
Next hand of note was QQ, I had recovered a little, back to the 1500 starting chips, when I pick up QQ in late position, no raise in front of me so I raise to 4 x BB, early position limper reraises, I push and he insta-calls with AKo.
For the first time in living memory, my pocket Queens stand up against overcards and I double up to 3k.
A little later I get a huge stroke of luck when I fluke a flush with 99 v KK and I'm up to 9k and going well in the top 20.
The crucial hand came with the blinds at 300/600 and I have 99 again on the button, its folded round to me and I make it 2400, and get a call from the BB.
The flop is Th 7c 2s, and I make the mistake of not raising enough, because Im worried by the Ten, oppo checks, I bet 3000 and he flat calls, turn is 6h , oppo again checks and I bet 3000, he calls, by now I have no idea what he has but Im worried by AT or an overpair, the river brings a third heart, but to be honest Im not considering the flush until he bets 6000, with over 20k in the pot, I call fearing the worst (probably not thye best move), and he shows A4h.
Pretty poor play by him is rewarded, but if only I had raised more on the flop, I would have been in great shape, instead of crippled, from here I manage to limp into the cash, going out in 149th of 1179 for about $100, when an attempted button steal with A6s runs into A9.
Two cashes make it a rare profitable week in 2007, but also a string of 'could have beens'
I would be interested in peoples thoughts on the 99 hand, it seems that the conservative thinking which saved me early on with KK cost me later with the 99 hand.

A bad weekend

2007-02-17T18:27:00.000Z

Had a terrible weekend, so bad that its took me a whole week before I could bring myself to blog it.
Started off last Saturday playing 0.25/0.5 ring games on Betfair, I'd had a prety good week on cash so far and decided to try and improve the finances a little more by playing Saturday afternoon, whilst watching the football on tv.
Well to cut a long story short, it ended up a bit of a disaster losing $130 before I decided that I still had no cash game and packed in.
I've heard other people say its harder to win on the cash tables at the weekend than it is on weekday evenings, and thats what I have found too.
But worse was still to come on Sunday, chastened by my losses at the cash tables I decided to win it all back on the $25 sit & go's on Betfair and Victor Chandlers.
I then suffered the worst run of bad beats I have ever seen which, I guess started tilting me to even worse results.
I won't bore you with all the details, but I had AA beaten twice by smaller pocket pairs outdrawing on me. AKs v KJo losing as oppo made a flush etc etc etc
In all I played 15 games for a total buy in of $412 and all I managed were two third places for a total return of $90 :(
I started off 4th, 4th, 3rd, 5th, 3rd, 4th, before the tilt set in and I lost my complete bank on VC before I had the sense to log off.
Over £200 in a weekend is a disaster, but at least, hopefully, I can learn a lesson from it and not make the same mistakes again.
Funnily enough, one thing I did learn is that the standard of play on the $25 games is no better than in the more familar lower stakes games, sounds a little crazy after losing £200 in a weekend, but at least I have the confidence that I can play at this level, and I feel I have nothing to fear from the average $25 stt player
I guess time will tell if this is true or not.

Moving on up

2007-02-05T14:20:00.000Z

Back to a familiar theme this week, starting a determined attempt to step up a little in my tournament play.
I've decided to give up on the Crypto £4k Gtd, as although the std of play is generally poor, the blind structure turns it into a crap shoot befoe the final table is even reached.
I've turned my attention recently to the $25 Gtd on PokerStars which usually has a total prize pool of between $40k and $50k for a $50 buy in. I havent had much success in it so far, though from the 5 times I have entered, 3 times I have lost with a pocket pair against a smaller pocket pair, in the words of Phil Helmuth 'If it wasn't for luck, I guess I'd win them all'.
The standard of play on Pokerstars does seem better than a lot of other sites, I know it sounds strange, but I think this will help my game, too many idiots playing junk make it very difficult to put anyone on a hand. When a guy calls your 5 x BB raise pre-flop and the flop comes A33, you would assume that unless he has flopped quad threes your AK is ahead, but then they turn over J30 and your out of the tournament.
I've also been playing on Betfair again recently, the $1750 Gtd runs alongside the stars $25k Gtd and I like playing them both simultaneously to help stave off the boredom in the early stages and reduce the temptation to play too many hands.
I've also moved my cash game from stars to Betfair as the cash tables are undoubtably looser and easier to win on, I may try Crypto for cash in Feb as they are giving away up to £100 bonus for earning fpp's on UKBetting poker in Feb.
The year hasn't started too well with no major cashes in tournaments and an overall loss on cash tables, in conjunction with the increased cost of playing the higher value tournaments, but overall, I'm fairly happy with my game.
I think my luck hasn't been great so far and when it turns, I'll be in the money again.

Ring Games

2007-01-26T11:15:00.000Z

I'm still on a mission to improve my cash play, and at the same time, trying to earn enough FPP's on Poker Stars to release a $50 bonus.
My game seems to be improving, in as much as the losses are smaller than before, but I've already lost $50 trying to earn the bonus and I have only half of the FPP's required.
I think the stats show where I am going wrong, I'm playing too many hands and my win percentage at showdown is still below 50%
I seem to have got over my previous problem of losing whenever I played for too long, or to put it another way, playing too long when I'm losing.
I managed a 2 hour session on Saturday and a three hour session on Sunday for a total loss of just $7 and no reloads required.
I feel now for the first time that I know what Im doing when I sit at a cash table, still a long way to go , but at least I can see light at the end of the tunnel.
Im still hot on the heels of a win in the Crypto £4k Gtd, played 4 times last week and only missed the money once when I had QQ and TT outdrawn in succesive hands.
I watched fellow Betfair forumite and ex-Blogger Wyld play in the Mansion $100k Gtd on Thursday night. he played really well before coming unstuck near the end with AQ v AK to just miss out on a final table placing, but did take home $1000 for 11th so congratulations Andy and very well played. Maybe another couple of wins and the Blog will be resurected.

Mansion $100k Gtd

2007-01-20T17:48:00.000Z

Excuse me using my Blog to promote Mansion, but the $100k Gtd tournament which is on every night on Mansion Poker has been moved to 1800 GMT to suit European customers.
Anyone looking for value should make a beeline for this tournament which in recent days has been at 0300 GMT and aimed firmly at the American market.
Recent tournaments have been undersubscribed to the extent that Mansion have been putting up around $50k added in the tournament every day.
The entry cost is $100 with $90 of that going into the prizepool, the extent of the overlay, however, makes it the best value in online poker at the moment imo
How does $24k to the winner sound.
The tournament is on every night until further notice, so make hay while the sun shines

Stop Press

2007-01-13T14:46:00.000Z

I forgot to mention Baretta won the second of the Mansion Staff freerolls for £1500

A Profitable Xmas

2007-01-06T03:48:00.000Z

Well after a pretty bad run in December I was true to my word and had a few days off, coming back to play in the Mansion Invitational Freeroll for staff only with £5k Added and finishing 2nd of 108 for a nice xmas bonus of £925.
Deposited on Pokerstars soon after and played on there for most of the holiday period, with mixed success. I do like the site though, its possible to simplify the look of the tables and use big numbers on the cards for ease of use, must be a godsend if multi-tabling. The structures are good too, longer levels than Crypto, where I have been playing recently.
Followed up my second in the Mansion Staff tournie with a 10th place out of 110 in the second staff freeroll for £50, which coincidently was the buy in for the live tournament at the Casino on Wed 3rd Jan.
Managed another final table there too, agreeing a chop heads up for second place and £335 in Prize money to cap a profitable festive period.
I guess its the time of year to set out my objectives for 2007, so here goes

1. Firstly I think I will play less poker in general, look for value in Multi-table tournaments, and play at a highr stakes than in 2006

2. I'll set a profit target for the year of £2500 which is what I set out to achieve but failed last year.

3. I also need to address my cash game (If indeed I have a cash game) and try to at least generate a profit from it over the year.

4. I also want to make a profit from live play, as I managed in 2006

5. Maybe a final table on one of the larger Gtd tournies by the middle of the year and a win by the end of the year, or failing this to qualify via a satellite for a big live tournament

Well thats about it, thanks to all readers for looking in in 2006, and I hope you will pop in from time to time in 2007.

Wishing you all the very best of luck at the tables as well as in life

End of year accounts

2006-12-31T18:27:00.000Z

I had a look back at Jan 2006 postings to see what progress I've made in the last year

My targets for 2006 were :

1. A profit of £200 per month £2400 for the year, enough to pay for a holiday

2. To win one of the evening guaranteed mtt's on Betfair

3. To progress my cash game, and to make an overall profit on cash games

4. To make the final table in a live game at the Casino at Teesside Park by the middle of the year and a top 3 finish by the end of the year

5. To play and qualify from sattelites for the £10k or £15k Gtd on Betfair and to make the final table on one of them

6. To win a big mtt on Partypoker, I like the $2 mtt at 2.45 pm but unfortunately, work does not allow me to play it too often, or maybe the $5 rebuy with a huge prize fund

My results against these are as follows :

1. Total online profit for 2006 £1600.09 total live profit for 2006 £298
Total profit for the year, just short of £1900, not quite on target but better than I expected mid-way through the year.

2. A win on the old $5k Gtd fits the bill here, achieved on 28th June

3. The lease said the better as far as cash games are concerned, still have'nt got to grips with ring games and lost $170 overall on the year

4. Teesside park is a bit to far away from Gib, but I have won a live tournament in Gib Casino for £750 so I guess I can tick this one off too.

5. I won entry into a few higher value tournaments, but no final table yet

6. I cant play on Partypoker from Gib so this one is a no no, but I have won mtt's on Betfair, Wm Hill, UKBetting and Paradise.

Overall 3/6 not a bad attempt but must try harder in 2007

Next posting : Targets for 2007

Running Bad

2006-12-19T09:37:00.000Z

Im in the middle of one of those runs which makes you wonder why you bother with poker at all.
Yesterday I played 8 STT's and didn't make the money in any of them, in fact I think that I only actually increaded my chip stack beyond the original 1000 in one game.
I cant win a pot, never mind a tournament.
I have had AK run into AA, JJ into AA had AA busted by 44, it would be funny if it wasn't costing me money.
I keep thinking that my luck will turn soon, but it hasn't happened yet.
I played the challenge team Betfair tournament last night, had AQ on a Q high flop, pushed all in, only to run into AA again.
As I am typing this I have had top two pair beaten by a fish on a flush draw hitting on the river and top pair beaten by middle pair making trips on the river.
I think its time to follow my own advise and take a few days off from poker.
Work has a staff invitational freeroll on boxing day so maybe I'll sit out until then, see if I can come back refreshed

I know they pay you long term but........

2006-12-17T11:54:00.000Z

How the hell can he call with A8

I know the raise with KJ is a bit dodgy but I was getting impatient

but what was he thinking ?
its calls like this that really get me down

I moved away from the £2 mtts to avoid this, and it happens in a £10 game

Game #2806691223: Hold'em NL (100/200) - 2006/12/17 - 11:50:26 (UK)
Table "1" Seat 1 is the button.
Seat 1: White029 (1960 in chips)
Seat 3: __data__ (8700 in chips)
Seat 4: Nick10001 (4505 in chips)
Seat 5: tiddles (6522.50 in chips)
Seat 6: redcar (2677.50 in chips)
Seat 7: Chas10 (2005 in chips)
Seat 8: Redan11 (2857.50 in chips)
Seat 9: Calcichew (7250 in chips)
__data__: posts small blind 100
Nick10001: posts big blind 200
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to redcar [Jd Ks]
tiddles: folds
redcar: raises to 600
Chas10: folds
Redan11: folds
Calcichew: folds
White029: folds
__data__: folds
Nick10001: calls 400
----- FLOP ----- [8c Kc 5h]
Nick10001: checks
redcar: bets 600
Nick10001: calls 600
----- TURN ----- [8c Kc 5h][3d]
Nick10001: checks
redcar: bets 1477.50 and is all-in
Nick10001: calls 1477.50
----- RIVER ----- [8c Kc 5h 3d][8d]
----- SHOW DOWN -----
redcar: shows [Jd Ks] (Two Pairs, Kings and Eights, Jack high)
Nick10001: shows [Ad 8h] (Three of a kind, Eights, Ace high)
Nick10001 collected 5455 from Main pot

So near yet so far

2006-12-14T11:29:00.000Z

Thats the story of the week this week, I always seem to be able to get past the first break, but as we creep towards the bubble, I always seem to find the wrong spot to gamble.
Im either unlucky and get outdrawn by a muppet caling with rags or I run into a monster.
It cant all be down to bad luck though, I must be doing something wrong. Im still having problems with mid pocket pairs, after two orbits of folding I always want to raise with them in any position. The problem then comes, after raising to 600 I think Im good on any flop but AKQ.
Especially out of position, any meaningful bet seems to get me pot commited and even if I'm ahead I end up losing.
I guess I'll just have to fold em in early position, and risk the death of a thousand cuts that is blinding out, Im trying to be more aggressive though and this does go against the grain.
Maybe I need to be more aggressive earlier on in the tournament to build a big enough stack to ride out losing a few pots later on.
I guess the truth is, there are so many bad players, even in the later stages of mtt's that its very difficult to read anyone.
Just because he called with 5 limpers before him, doesn't mean he can't hold pocket Jacks, and that big raise under the gun doesn't necessarily mean he has a PP or a Big Ace, sometimes you just have to put you tournie life on the line, and take the rough with the smooth

Dont play turbo Sats !

2006-12-08T22:56:00.000Z

I know I should avoid them like the plague, but I've fell into the trap of trying to qualify for decent tournaments via turbo structured sats. Its a recipe for disaster.
I have been playing the $2.5k Gtd and the $4k Gtd on Crypto recently at my new standard buy in of $25, I will also play the £4k Gtd if I can play earlier in the evening.
Im playing almost exclusively on MTT's at the moment, I've played 124 MTT's and only 4 STT's since October, and I have just about given up completely on cash games.
Crypto is my online poker room of choice since Betfair shot itself in the foot with the Pokerchamps "upgrade".
I still venture onto Betfair now and again, due to some misplaced sense of loyalty, but the delays between hands are a real pain in the ar$e and single tabling is therefore not an option.
My live game is on hold also, the only venue for live poker on the rock is the Casino, which is now booked up for Xmas parties for the rest of the year.
I seem to have developed a habit of finishing in third place in MTT's having finished there for my last three paid finishes.
I have gone out to some pretty unlucky hand though, trapping with the nut flush, only for the board to pair on the river to give opponent a full house in the most recent demise.
The previous beat was when limping from the BB with T6, the flop is JT6 and after I check, the button is all in with QJ, turn and river are both Kings to give him a bigger two pair.
All in all I'm pretty happy with the way Im playing, have to fight the urge to push too hard when I start to get bored and keep looking for value added tournaments with slow structures.
And above all, repeat after me......" I must not play Turbo sats for tournaments"

Another 3rd Place

2006-12-04T19:51:00.000Z

I managed another final table, and third place again on the Crypto $2.5k Gtd last night for $290.
It was a funny tournament to play, I had no cards at all early on, but every time I took a gamble I got a call and managed to win 3 or 4 50/50's to stay in contention.
Then just as the bubble approached I had a great run of cards to take the chip lead, even all my mid pocket pairs made trips, or even full houses.
Got down to the final three with about 40k, chip leader had 70k and short stack about 20k.
Needless to say the short stack came back to win.
Its a bit dissapointing when you get so close and fail to win, apart from the cash, $580 for 2nd and $870 for 1st, its a while since I actually won one of these things, it would be nice to break my duck before Christmas.
The late night Gtd tournaments on Crypto don't seem to have too much value in them since Betfairs split, the $5k Gtd is now only $2.5k Gtd. They do run $4k £8k and £12k Gtd tournaments, but all the satellites are Thunder format with 6 minute levels, which makes qualifying a bit of a crap-shoot, but I guess also guarantees an above average proportion of fish in the main events than would normally be the case.

Another Payday

2006-11-26T21:41:00.000Z

Made the money in both this weekends payday tournaments on Crypto, thats not as good an achievement as it sounds as they pay 50 and Saturdays £ 2k Gtd had only 64 entrants and Sundays £3k Gtd only 90.
I finished 3rd on Saturday for £160 and a valuble boost to the bankroll, Sunday I managed only 34th for £18 and a meagre £7 profit.
Wyld /John Terry won the £2k Gtd event on Saturday night for over £500 and his biggest win to date, playing some great poker to come back from being short-stacked early on to dominate at the end despite a couple of bad beats along the way.
These tournaments are becoming the new flashmob with ukgatsby, AJ Cairns, Dibble Snap, Keliwah, Chalfont fan etc all playing.
Mid pairs were again my nemesis in Sundays £3k Gtd, I seem to get a lot more than my fair share of 88 and 99, early doors Im happy to limp or raise and fold to any show of strength after the flop if I dont improve. When the blinds rise, I seem to always overplay them, either not being able to put them down if I miss the flop, or re-raising and convincing myself I will win despite all the evidence to the contrary.
If anyone reading has any good advice on playing mid size pocket pairs when the blinds are biting, I would be grateful for any pointers

Mid Pocket Pairs II

2006-11-24T19:10:00.000Z

Why can't they all pan out like this

Game #4074891364: Hold'em NL (15/30) - 2006/11/24 - 18:54:08 (UK)
Table "£8K FRI Thunder Sat 3802312 - 1" Seat 8 is the button.
Seat 1: Flopadop1 (1460 in chips)
Seat 3: Mic290133 (1290 in chips)
Seat 4: Kingyrm (1390 in chips)
Seat 5: Cubantony sits out
Seat 6: Matt20026 (1845 in chips)
Seat 7: Wookie99 (4870 in chips)
Seat 8: Luckynic (1925 in chips)
Seat 9: Spicyal (840 in chips)
Seat 10: redcar (1640 in chips)
Spicyal: posts small blind 15
redcar: posts big blind 30
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to redcar [7d 7h]
Flopadop1: folds
Mic290133: folds
Kingyrm: calls 30
Cubantony: folds
Matt20026: calls 30
Wookie99: folds
Luckynic: calls 30
Spicyal: calls 15
redcar: raises to 90
Kingyrm: calls 60
Matt20026: calls 60
Luckynic: calls 60
Spicyal: calls 60
----- FLOP ----- [8s 9s 7c]
Spicyal: checks
redcar: bets 300
Kingyrm: calls 300
Matt20026: folds
Luckynic: folds
Spicyal: folds
----- TURN ----- [8s 9s 7c][8d]
redcar: bets 300
Kingyrm: calls 300
----- RIVER ----- [8s 9s 7c 8d][Tc]
redcar: bets 950 and is all-in
Kingyrm: is all-in 700
Returned uncalled bets 250 to redcar
----- SHOW DOWN -----
redcar: shows [7d 7h] (A Full House, Sevens full of Eights)
Kingyrm: shows [Ks Js] (A Straight, Jack high)
redcar collects 3050 from Main pot
----- SUMMARY -----
Total pot 3050 Main pot 3050 Rake 0
Board [8s 9s 7c 8d Tc]
Seat 1: Flopadop1 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: Mic290133 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: Kingyrm showed [Ks Js] and lost
Seat 5: Cubantony folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: Matt20026 folded on the Flop
Seat 7: Wookie99 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: Luckynic (button) folded on the Flop
Seat 9: Spicyal (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 10: redcar (big blind) showed [7d 7h] and won (3050) with A Full House, Sevens full of Eights

Mid Pocket Pairs

2006-11-23T18:14:00.000Z

I managed to get myself in a lot of trouble overplaying mid-ranking pocket pairs this week.
Crashed out of the Payday tournament on UKBetting on Sunday night with 88.
Raised Pre-flop and got one caller, flop was Qxx opponent checked it to me so I checked also, turn card was another rag, he checks again, so I make a play for it with a pot size bet and get reraised, I should just bow out here, but instead I managed to covince myself he was bluffing and push all in, he has QQ and I'm out.
Impatience seems to be a recurring theme, I used to think I was a decent mtt player at low stakes, but it seems like I've forgotton all about patience, in my attempts to be more aggressive, I have to go back to basics.
I did a similar move in the £4k Gtd earlier this week against Dibble, raised pre-flop with 88 only to be reraised by Dibble, now I like to think I give him credit for a big pair here , but he types in AA ? and for some reason I think hes also on a bluff, hes not and again has QQ, I rivered the straight to all but knock him out (Sorry mate).
I did the same again last night with 99 limp utg and get raised by the button, I decide instead of folding or calling to push all in, and he calls with AQ (not the best call in the world), anyway, he hits a Q on the flop and Im out again.
I have to get some patience back into my game. Aggression is all well and good, but I have to learn how to pick my spot a bit better than I am currently

Bubble Boy

2006-11-16T14:11:00.000Z

I haven't played online much for the last week or so, travelling over to the UK for a family function at the weekend.
Returned to Gib in time for the £100 freeze-out at the casino on Wednesday night, my biggest ever live buy-in.
I enjoy the freeze-out tournaments rather than the usual rebuy frenzy, even if £100 is somewhat outside my normal stakes, with 5000 starting chips and a slower structure, it gives time to play some poker without the usual lunatic rebuys every other hand.
I never really had a good starting hand early on, managed to pinch a few blinds and nick some pots from the BB before doubling up just before the break when I raised into the chip leader with AdTd, only to get reraised. The re-raise told me I was behind, but I called to see the flop of 3 rags with 2 diamonds, I pushed on the nut flush draw, my opponent showed pocket Kings, but I was lucky enough to catch a diamond and win the pot.
After the break, I had a run of decent cards and built my stack up to around 30k and pretty near the chip lead for the tournament.
Then I moved tables and was completely card dead for about an hour and a half before the final table formed at about 1.00 am.
I was one of about 4 short stacks on the final table with 6 to get paid so I had to make a move before the blinds got me.
I thought my time had come with AKo utg and raised to 3 x BB, it was folded round to the table short stack on the BB who reraised all in. I quickly called, and he flipped over AA, Whoops !
My luck held however when 4 diamonds on the board gave me the nut flush and the pot.
We were soon down to seven remaining, and with six to get paid, the table tightened up. I decided to try and take advantage of this and raised from mid-position with Qc8c, only to get a call from the 2nd chip leader from the BB. The flop was 6c 7c 7s so when it was checked to me, I pushed my luck with a flush draw again by going all in, only to be called by trip sevens. For once my luck ran out and I busted out in 7th, qualifying for a free smoothie from Joost in Main Street as the bubble boy, at £100 its probably the most expensive "free" smoothie I'll ever have so I better enjoy it !

The King Ten Lunatic

2006-11-08T15:47:00.000Z

Apologies again for posting another hand history, but I just finished playing a small stakes mtt with a complete lunatic who never folded, raised with junk and just kept hitting.

Game #3911816164: Hold'em NL (150/300) - 2006/11/08 - 15:06:55 (UK)
Table "Tourney 3803589 - 3" Seat 10 is the button.
Seat 1: Eddcase (2130 in chips)
Seat 3: redcar (7145 in chips)
Seat 5: Bowwows (15090 in chips)
Seat 6: Mag3456 (2965 in chips)
Seat 7: Bugsy76 (10917.50 in chips)
Seat 8: Gbhmfc (2055 in chips)
Seat 9: Acealan29 (10480 in chips)
Eddcase: posts small blind 150
redcar: posts big blind 300
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to redcar [7c 7d]
Bowwows: folds
Mag3456: calls 300
Bugsy76: folds
Gbhmfc: folds
Acealan29: calls 300
Eddcase: folds
redcar: raises to 1200
Mag3456: calls 900
Acealan29: calls 900
----- FLOP ----- [5d Ah As]
redcar: checks
Mag3456: bets 1765 and is all-in
Acealan29: folds
redcar: calls 1765
----- TURN ----- [5d Ah As][Kh]
----- RIVER ----- [5d Ah As Kh][Kd]
----- SHOW DOWN -----
Mag3456: shows [Td Ks] (A Full House, Kings full of Aces)
redcar: shows [7c 7d] (Two Pairs, Aces and Kings, Seven high)
Mag3456 collects 7280 from Main pot
----- SUMMARY -----
Total pot 7280 Main pot 7280 Rake 0
Board [5d Ah As Kh Kd]
Seat 1: Eddcase (small blind) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: redcar (big blind) showed [7c 7d] and lost
Seat 5: Bowwows folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: Mag3456 showed [Td Ks] and won (7280) with A Full House, Kings full of Aces
Seat 7: Bugsy76 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: Gbhmfc folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: Acealan29 folded on the Flop

after that hand I was waiting for another opportunity to get in a pot with him and when it finally came, guess what happened

Game #3912020364: Hold'em NL (200/400) - 2006/11/08 - 15:27:53 (UK)
Table "Tourney 3803589 - 2" Seat 5 is the button.
Seat 1: Dee3105 (6910 in chips)
Seat 2: Jacey (5850 in chips)
Seat 3: Mckenn006 (14762.50 in chips)
Seat 5: Gbhmfc (2710 in chips)
Seat 6: _foggi_ (6500 in chips)
Seat 7: Mag3456 (18830 in chips)
Seat 8: redcar (5730 in chips)
Seat 9: KAAK (11210 in chips)
Seat 10: Deltag (12052.50 in chips)
_foggi_: posts the ante 50
Mag3456: posts the ante 50
redcar: posts the ante 50
KAAK: posts the ante 50
Deltag: posts the ante 50
Dee3105: posts the ante 50
Jacey: posts the ante 50
Mckenn006: posts the ante 50
Gbhmfc: posts the ante 50
_foggi_: posts small blind 200
Mag3456: posts big blind 400
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to redcar [Qs As]
redcar: raises to 1200
KAAK: folds
Deltag: folds
Dee3105: folds
Jacey: folds
Mckenn006: folds
Gbhmfc: raises to 2660 and is all-in
_foggi_: folds
Mag3456: calls 2260
redcar: calls 1460
----- FLOP ----- [9h Kh Ks]
Mag3456: checks
redcar: checks
----- TURN ----- [9h Kh Ks][7c]
Mag3456: bets 1200
redcar: raises to 3020 and is all-in
Mag3456: calls 1820
----- RIVER ----- [9h Kh Ks 7c][5d]
----- SHOW DOWN -----
redcar: shows [Qs As] (A Pair of Kings, Ace high)
Gbhmfc: shows [Ah 8s] (A Pair of Kings, Ace high)
Mag3456: shows [Td Kd] (Three of a kind, Kings, Ten high)
Mag3456 collects 6040 from Side pot #1
Mag3456 collects 8630 from Main pot
----- SUMMARY -----
Total pot 14670 Main pot 8630 Side pot #1 6040 | Rake 0
Board [9h Kh Ks 7c 5d]
Seat 1: Dee3105 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: Jacey folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: Mckenn006 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: Gbhmfc (button) showed [Ah 8s] and lost
Seat 6: _foggi_ (small blind) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: Mag3456 (big blind) showed [Td Kd] and won (14670) with Three of a kind, Kings, Ten high
Seat 8: redcar showed [Qs As] and lost
Seat 9: KAAK folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 10: Deltag folded before Flop (didn't bet)

......and I know I should have seen it coming but he really was a complete lunatic, thats all I can say in my defence.

Higher Stakes (Part 3)

2006-11-07T23:11:00.000Z

I've been playing in a couple of higher stakes tournaments on Crypto this week, and while I haven't made the money yet, I haven't felt out of place in them either.
There are certainly less crazy calls and less fishing with draws, but there is also more respect for raises and people actually realise what you are representing when you make a move, instaed of the "call regardless with any pair" attitude which exists on the low stakes mtts.
Having said only yesterday that I would avoid the thunder format satellites for the AWF tournaments on Crypto, I did the opposite and qualified for the $100 + $9 $4k added on Monday night at the first attempt.
I was delayed on Tuesday night so played the satellite for the $50 + $5 $3k added instead and again qualified at the first attempt, so two decent value tournaments for a total stake of around 12 quid and a return to form in the satellites even in thunder format.
I had a decent run in the $4k added, spotted the fish at the table early on and watched as he inevitably built up a big stack by hitting everything in sight. He even won one pot when his overpair v two pair (all in on the flop) paired the board on the turn to give him another double up, and as the chips slid over towards him typed in chat "That was confusing" lol, I don't believe he even realised he had won the pot.
He raised me off two pots when I limped in with Ax suited as I tried to pick my spot while watching him donk off chips in all directions. I eventually found JJ on my BB and as he did his usual pre-flop raise, I pushed all in confidently expecting him to call with Ace Rag or a lower pair, and call he does..........and then he flips over Pocket Rockets.
That did for half of my chips and two outdraws later I was out in 71st of 231, but a good experience in my highest value mtt to date.
The $3k added on Tuesday was less enjoyable, never really got going, lost half my stack with AJ on a board of KKKxx v JJ and went out soon after defending my BB with KT v AJ, just before the first break. I did however have the honour of the famous Azimut on my table for half an hour, without ever getting in a pot against him

Another small profit on the week

2006-11-06T13:49:00.000Z

As the title says, I managed to scrape another small profit on the week.
My strategy, playing mainly MTT's is to break even most weeks and wait for the big win to boost the bankroll. The variance in MTT's is such that its very difficult to keep making a weekly or even monthly profit, so any week that ends up in the black is welcome, even if its only by a couple of quid. As they say, "Profit is Profit"
I've been playing mainly on Crypto this week via UK betting, the Payday tournaments, as always, had plenty of value and the value added AWF tournaments have some overlay as well.
The problem with the AWF tournies, at least as far as I'm concerned is that all of them except the $2k added $33 entry are above my normal stakes, no problem if there are satellites, except for the fact that all the sats are thunder format, which means the qualifiers are decided more by good luck than good judgement.
I made a decision a couple of weeks ago to avoid the thunder format tournies as I never seem to do well in them, maybe I should play stt's to try to win the entry into the $50 and $100 tournaments.
I tried to use Betfair again this week, but have to say its very awkward to use, despite the value added tournaments, it's too temperamental to trust money to, even opening the lobby takes up 50% of my cpu usage, compared to about 6% for the UK Betting site, I'm no IT expert but I'm sure thats not good news, and probably the reason that my laptop crashes frequently if I even have the software open, never mind playing it.
There are some good value tournaments in their online BAPT promotion, but if the site is so unstable it caused my computer to crash, then I think I'll have to side step it.
I wont play much over this weekend as I'm heading back to the UK for a few days to attend an engagement party for my nephew, can't say I'm looking forward to it. Apart from meeting some people who I haven't seen in a while, its going to be cold, wet and expensive. Bah Humbug.

Evidently Chicken Town - A poem by John Cooper Clarke

2006-11-04T06:51:00.000Z

EVIDENTLYCHICKEN TOWN

the fucking cops are fucking keen
to fucking keep it fucking clean
the fucking chief's a fucking swine
who fucking draws a fucking line
at fucking fun and fucking games
the fucking kids he fucking blames
are nowehere to be fucking found
anywhere in chicken town
the fucking scene is fucking sad
the fucking news is fucking bad
the fucking weed is fucking turf
the fucking speed is fucking surf
the fucking folks are fucking daft
don't make me fucking laugh
it fucking hurts to look around
everywhere in chicken town
the fucking train is fucking late
you fucking wait you fucking wait
you're fucking lost and fucking found
stuck in fucking chicken town
the fucking view is fucking vile
for fucking miles and fucking miles
the fucking babies fucking cry
the fucking flowers fucking die
the fucking food is fucking muck
the fucking drains are fucking fucked
the colour scheme is fucking brown
everywhere in chicken town
the fucking pubs are fucking dull
the fucking clubs are fucking full
of fucking girls and fucking guys
with fucking murder in their eyes
a fucking bloke is fucking stabbed
waiting for a fucking cab
you fucking stay at fucking home
the fucking neighbors fucking moan
keep the fucking racket down
this is fucking chicken town
the fucking train is fucking late
you fucking wait you fucking wait
you're fucking lost and fucking found
stuck in fucking chicken town
the fucking pies are fucking old
the fucking chips are fucking cold
the fucking beer is fucking flat
the fucking flats have fucking rats
the fucking clocks are fucking wrong
the fucking days are fucking long
it fucking gets you fucking down
evidently chicken town
LYRICS © JOHN COOPER CLARKE

The Betfair Disaster

2006-11-01T22:29:00.000Z

Well, not a bad time recently on the poker front, no mtt win this week but a couple of final tables and but for a bad beat or two, well, who knows.
Played in the UKBetting Poker Payday tournaments this week and despite the huge overlay, managed just a small overall profit.
Had a good run in Mondays when my J9 on the BB was rewarded with a J99 flop, lots of cagey checking, calling and eventually re-re-raising on the river, was the order of the day as my opponent had T9 and despite flush and straight possibilities called my all in on the river with trip nines - happy days.
Unfortunately it didn't last, a few hands later I limped with QJ and saw a flop of 89Q.
When a ten came on the turn, I thought Christmas had come early and was all in v Opponents KQ unfortunately a J on the river gave him the higher straight and shortly after I was gone for a small profit when I thought a final table was in reach and maybe a big payday.
The biggest news of the week, however has to be Betfairs new poker platform.
The worst kept secret in poker for months has been Betfairs imminent move from Cryptologic and onto the PokerChamps software.
I thought, however that they had been upgrading and updating it for months prior to the changeover to provide a state of the art poker platform to compete with the best, what they have actually launched on, is Pokerchamps with blue tables.
I honestly couldn't believe how poor it is, you still have to decide before you sit down, how many tables you want to play, just like the old pokerchamps set-up.
The tables are way too small, or fill the complete page (Where is the PokerStars style re-sizing option ?)
On top of the awful graphics there have been all sorts of problems with stability and connectivity and the Betfair poker forum has been full of complaints from regular forumites and newcomers alike.
Some Betfair stalwarts are doing a stirling job of defending the indefensible, its not Betfairs fault, wait until the problems are sorted out, etc, but It looks very much like a lot of players will, like me, be looking for a new site to play on, at least until Betfair sorts out all the problems, and that may be quite some time.

Another mtt win

2006-10-24T12:36:00.000Z

Hot on the heels of my win in the 50 eoro added, I win another mtt, this time a $10 buy in on Paradise for $182
Missed the flop a couple of times after raising in the early stages to drop down to around 500 chips, but staged a recovery to get to average chip stack by the first break.
Played pretty well (though I do say so myself) for the next hour and arrived on the final table as chip leader.
Stayed as chip leader or fairly near for most of the final table and eventually there's three of us, all pretty level on about 35k each with the blinds at 600/1200
One guy was pretty aggressive so it was just a matter of waiting for the hands to re-raise with. He took chips from the other player, and I nicked them from him.
Eventually he took out the third place finisher and we were heads up with me on about 25k of 100k.
I played pretty well heads up folding crap and raising big whenever I had a hand, eventually I raised all in with KT, Q5, JJ then AK in succesion before he called with K8 to give me the chip lead.
10 minutes later I won, can't remember the hand very well but I raised all in with KT I think, he called with K7 and that was that.
A very satisfying win, my first on Paradise and my second in two days.
This PMA really has something going for it.
Gave a little back in the Betfair £4k Gtd and the 8pm £2.25 MTT but overall a pretty good weekend.

Starting to turn it around

2006-10-23T10:50:00.000Z

Well after all the bad luck, bad beats and outdraws of the last week or more, things began to turn my way on Sunday.
Two bets on the football, Man Utd and Spurs, both won and I managed a long overdue MTT win in the 50 Euro added on Betfair Poker.
Helped by one outrageous stroke of luck when I re-raised what I thought was an attempted steal from the button with K9s, to find he actually had AK. Thje poker gods smiled on me however with a 9 on the turn and a new lease of life.
I felt I played pretty well from there on in and won 108 euro for my trouble.
Played the Flashmob game on Betfair later on Sunday evening with my usual (lack of) success, I ran AK into AA.
I dont think I've ever won a flashmob game since it became an organised mtt and not just a crashed sit and go, despite cashing 2 or 3 times.
I also played the 8pm £2.25 mtt on Betfair and was running pretty well in about 10th position out of around 18 when I doubled up with TT v K8 all in pre-flop, until a few hands later I was all in pre-flop again, this time calling with KK only to find myself up against AA again and no help this time so Im out in 15th out of 492 with a tenner for nearly 3 hours play, but at least there were no hard luck stories, or frustrating outdraws.
Im playing from today with a positive mental attitude, avoiding the thunder format games, and determined to have a prifitable week.
Heres hoping.......

Frustration !!

2006-10-21T15:23:00.000Z

Thats the only word for it at the moment, everything I do at the poker table backfires, I cant remember the last time I had any stroke of good luck at all.
I just finished playing a satellite to the $4k Gtd on Crypto tonight, I only played 2 hands in 45 minutes.
First hand I play blinds are 25/50, I raise to 3 x BB with AJo from SB with only one pre-flop limper, BB folds, limper calls. Flop is 555, I figure if he had a pair on the button with no-one in ahead of him he would raise, so I assume AJ is ahead and bet 5 x BB (250) he calls, which is half his stack. Turn is a 3 so I put him all in and he calls with.............89o, river is, of course, an 8.
The other hand I have K7 on the BB, One limper with around 1500 chips, SB folds so I check, flop is 37J with 2 hearts, opponent checks so I push all for 750 hoping to take the pot there and then and not give him a chance to outdraw me, he calls off half his stack with an T high flush draw, and of course makes his flush on the river.
So I try again in the sat for the $3k Gtd, going ok as my AhQh all in pre-flop outdraws oppo who calls with 77 and two hand later I find KK, two limpers in front of me so I raise to 450 (3 x BB) from the SB, BB folds and both limpers call.
Flop is 7 high with 2 spades so I push and get a call from a flush draw who called my raise with the mighty K8, needless to say he hits, they allways do
This is typical of how its running at the moment, I never hit a draw and my opponent never misses. If I play aggressively, I end up bluffing off my chips to some numpty who cant put down bottom pair. If I play conservatively, I sit and slowly blind myself out.
Its all just so bloody frustrating

UKBetting Poker

2006-10-18T21:35:00.000Z

Ive been playing on a new Crypto skin poker site this week, UKBetting Poker.
Keliwah put me onto it a week or two ago when they were running $3k Gtd tournaments, $10 buy in and a minimum of 50 runners required to start.
They were back on the site last weekend with only 10 required to start.
I think the first one went off with 24 runners, the second with 35, and still with the top 50 paid. You could sign in, go to bed and see how much profit you had made in the morning, it really was "free money".
The word soon spread and by Monday when the last two tournaments ran the entrants were up to about 65, still excellent value with $3k Gtd, and value even if full as they were limited to 200 runners.
Betfair announced its new site today, moving off the Crypto network and onto the pokerchamps software on 30th October.
The screenshots shown on the betfair page are a little small to see much, but look better than the current Pokerchamps software, I kinda like Crypto though, like the interface, like the tournament structure.
I guess I'll give Betfair a try, but as I have said in the past they seem too geared towards the high stakes, cash players. Thats their perogative, but as a small stakes tournament player it doesn't really float my boat.
I notice that they are now going to award MPP's for tournaments as well as cash so maybe a gesture towards the tournament players, I wont hold my breath.
Haven't been able to play live for a while due to work commitments, and to be honest I haven't really had much playing online for a while, even backgammon has lost its appeal at the moment. Maybe I need a complete break from it all for a while.

Straight Flush

2006-10-12T23:05:00.000Z

Forgive me posting another HH but its over a year since I last saw one of these

-----HAND 5------
Game #3577405384: Hold'em NL (10/20) - 2006/10/12 - 23:34:57 (GMT)
Table "Tourney 3642544 - 9" Seat 4 is the button.
Seat 1: "_8_" (1500 in chips)
Seat 2: Domdabomb (1380 in chips)
Seat 3: Hattitude (1470 in chips)
Seat 4: steve28 (1850 in chips)
Seat 5: Jim B (1620 in chips)
Seat 6: GuessWhat (1500 in chips)
Seat 7: Mumzee (1140 in chips)
Seat 8: holker (1300 in chips)
Seat 9: Stelac001 (1480 in chips)
Seat 10: Dangerman (4600 in chips)
Jim B: posts small blind 10
GuessWhat: posts big blind 20
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to holker [8h 9h]
Mumzee: calls 20
holker: calls 20
Stelac001: folds
Dangerman: calls 20
"_8_": folds
Domdabomb: folds
Hattitude: folds
steve28: folds
Jim B: calls 10
GuessWhat: checks
----- FLOP ----- [Th Jh 6h]
Jim B: checks
GuessWhat: checks
Mumzee: checks
holker: bets 100
Dangerman: calls 100
Jim B: folds
Jim B sits out
GuessWhat: folds
Mumzee: folds
----- TURN ----- [Th Jh 6h][5c]
Jim B sits back
holker: bets 200
Dangerman: raises to 400
holker: raises to 1180 and is all-in
Dangerman: calls 780
----- RIVER ----- [Th Jh 6h 5c][Qh]
----- SHOW DOWN -----
holker: shows [8h 9h] (Straight Flush, Queen high)
Dangerman: shows [3h Ah] (A Flush, Ace high)
holker collects 2660 from Main pot
----- SUMMARY -----
Total pot 2660 Main pot 2660 Rake 0
Board [Th Jh 6h 5c Qh]
Seat 1: "_8_" folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: Domdabomb folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: Hattitude folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: steve28 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: Jim B (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 6: GuessWhat (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 7: Mumzee folded on the Flop
Seat 8: holker showed [8h 9h] and won (2660) with Straight Flush, Queen high
Seat 9: Stelac001 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 10: Dangerman showed [3h Ah] and lost

Discipline.......Thats whats needed

2006-10-06T03:01:00.000Z

Things are still not going too well, but I've at least decided to spare you any more bad beat hand histories.
Tried to stick to my plan for the week to play low stakes stuff until my luck improves, and did pretty well until tonight when I played the $5k Gtd by buying in after failing in the last gasp thunder satellite.
As it happened I made the money finishing in 19th out of 191 for a small profit, but had to survive a blow in level 2 when I called a pre-flop all in from a player who had lost half his stack the previous hand. He showed A6o vesus my KK and of course hit an ace on the flop.
I recovered and played pretty safe to try to limp into the last 20 and a pay day.
It didn't quite work out like that, however, On the bubble I was dealt AsQs utg+1.
I let the clock run down, hoping someone on another table was all in ahead of me before pushing my chips in, I got a caller with AhQh and when the flop showed 2 Hearts and a Spade, I feared the worst, turn was another spade, and as I chanted "spade spade spade" and my opponent yelled "heart heart heart", a club fell and we split the pot.
Next hand and first to act I had pocket 66, still in 19th place out of the remaining 21, and with the blinds approaching, I again let the clock run down before pushing all in. This time it was folded round to me and I was happy to take the blinds and antes. After tha hand, my AQ opponenet from the previous hand told me he had folded AcQc to my all in raise with the sixes.
After that the small stack on another table fell and I was in the money. Within a couple of hands I was calling a pre-flop all in and subsequent call with AK, running into KK and AJ, I didn't improve and that was that, no real complaints.
It seems that KK is unlucky for me at the moment, if Im not getting my Cowboys beat, Im getting beat by them.
On another note I would urge anyone needing a laugh to read the blog entry "Holding the Nuts" in The Wasters blog, link on right. It is the funniest thing I have seen on a blog in a long time.
As always, thanks for reading, I'll try to keep thing s a bit more upbeat in future and stay away from the bad beat hand histories for as long as possible.

It doesn't get any better

2006-10-04T22:31:00.000Z

Game #2552887253: Hold'em NL (50/100) - 2006/10/04 - 23:22:52 (UK)
Table "$5K WED Thunder Sat 3543877 - 1" Seat 2 is the button.
Seat 1: madjambo0 (2440 in chips)
Seat 2: Anna29111 (3025 in chips)
Seat 3: Leopard16 (3260 in chips)
Seat 5: Chr200 (1665 in chips)
Seat 6: Redcar (1650 in chips)
Seat 7: Tiancross (1745 in chips)
Seat 8: Gonnaneed (1320 in chips)
Seat 9: Bob7070 (1750 in chips)
Seat 10: Area51 (1270 in chips)
Leopard16: posts small blind 50
Chr200: posts big blind 100
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to Redcar [Td Kh]
Redcar: calls 100
Tiancross: calls 100
Gonnaneed: folds
Bob7070: calls 100
Area51: calls 100
madjambo0: folds
Anna29111: folds
Leopard16: calls 50
Chr200: checks
----- FLOP ----- [Ks 9h 2c]
Leopard16: checks
Chr200: checks
Redcar: bets 300
Tiancross: calls 300
Bob7070: folds
Area51: folds
Leopard16: folds
Chr200: calls 300
----- TURN ----- [Ks 9h 2c][8s]
Chr200: checks
Redcar: bets 1250 and is all-in
Tiancross: raises to 1345 and is all-in
Chr200: folds
Returned uncalled bets 95 to Tiancross
----- RIVER ----- [Ks 9h 2c 8s][3s]
----- SHOW DOWN -----
Tiancross: shows [As 9s] (A Flush, Ace high)
Redcar: shows [Td Kh] (A Pair of Kings, Ten high)
Tiancross collects 4000 from Main pot
----- SUMMARY -----
Total pot 4000 Main pot 4000 Rake 0
Board [Ks 9h 2c 8s 3s]
Seat 1: madjambo0 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: Anna29111 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: Leopard16 (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 5: Chr200 (big blind) folded on the Turn
Seat 6: Redcar showed [Td Kh] and lost
Seat 7: Tiancross showed [As 9s] and won (4000) with A Flush, Ace high
Seat 8: Gonnaneed folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: Bob7070 folded on the Flop
Seat 10: Area51 folded on the Flop

FFS !

2006-10-04T00:46:00.000Z

I've been playing poker in safe mode for the last few days because I just cant get a hand to stand up.
My luck has been just about non-existant unless you count bad luck.
Played low satkes stuff so as not to damage the bankroll won entry into the $5k Gtd on Betfair via a satellite and then this happens :

Game #2540451023: Hold'em NL (25/50) - 2006/10/04 - 01:33:26 (GMT)
Table "$5K TUESDAY GTD 3537025 - 6" Seat 5 is the button.
Seat 1: Psb131 (775 in chips)
Seat 2: holker (850 in chips)
Seat 3: looty123 sits out
Seat 4: noudidnt (1525 in chips)
Seat 5: Ballyroan (3105 in chips)
Seat 6: Dannyjude (1955 in chips)
Seat 7: Foyger (3035 in chips)
Seat 8: NutsNathn (1460 in chips)
Seat 9: Chriss005 sits out
Seat 10: DaVinch (1545 in chips)
Dannyjude: posts small blind 25
Foyger: posts big blind 50
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to holker [Kc Kh]
NutsNathn: folds Chriss005: folds
DaVinch: folds Psb131: folds
holker: raises to 200
looty123: folds
noudidnt: folds
Ballyroan: folds
Dannyjude: raises to 1955 and is all-in
Foyger: folds
holker: is all-in 650
Returned uncalled bets 1,105 to Dannyjude
----- FLOP ----- [7d Ts 6c]
----- TURN ----- [7d Ts 6c][3c]
----- RIVER ----- [7d Ts 6c 3c][4s]
----- SHOW DOWN -----
Dannyjude: shows [4d 4h] (Three of a kind, Fours, Ten high)
holker: shows [Kc Kh] (A Pair of Kings, Ten high)
Dannyjude collects 1750 from Main pot
----- SUMMARY -----
Total pot 1750 Main pot 1750 Rake 0 Board [7d Ts 6c 3c 4s]
Seat 1: Psb131 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: holker showed [Kc Kh] and lost
Seat 3: looty123 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: noudidnt folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: Ballyroan (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: Dannyjude (small blind) showed [4d 4h] and won (1750) with Three of a kind, Fours, Ten high
Seat 7: Foyger (big blind) folded before Flop (didn't bet) Seat 9: Chriss005 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 10: DaVinch folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Fuming !

2006-10-02T14:15:00.000Z

I am fuming at the moment, nothing is going my way and i'm absolutely fed up with it.
Trying to remain calm and think positive but its so hard when youre on a run of luck like this
I just crashed out of a $10 mtt on Paradise with the first hand I played after nearly 15 minutes of folding. I raise with KK utg have a re-raise and two callers, so I push all in, two call with TT and A3o (Ace 3 offsuit ffs !)
Well as per normal a ten comes o the turn and Im out, not the worst beat in the world but Ive had a whole bloody weekend of them.
Sunday night was all in pre-flop twice, with TT and 99 against A5 and A8 and on both occaisions my opponent flopped not just one but 2 bloody aces.
I can't remember the last time my pocket pair made trips, honestly cant remember, at least 2 weeks ago I reckon.
my AK never improves and my pairs are allways outdrawn, my luck is simply unbelievable at the minute.
I wont bore you by posting hand histories, to be honest I'm only posting to calm down or I'll tilt away even more funds.
It really is hard to keep believing in the randomness of the cards when you're on a run like this, it makes you want to pack it all in.
I know things will turn, and I know people will say, take a break, dont play for a few days, and I know its good advice but I dont want to take a bloody break, I want to get some fair cards and maybe win a race now and again, is that too much to ask.

Aces no good

2006-09-29T17:46:00.000Z

I entered the wrong mtt last night, I wanted to play in the £4k Gtd on Betfair at 19:00 UK time, but clicked on the other £10 tournament starting at the same time, and found myself in a 40 runner mtt with a £400 prize pool instead of £4k.
It was an interesting game, with the blinds at 50/100 two players were all in pre-flop AA v QQ a Q on the flop meant curtains for the guy with pocket rockets and much ul gg in the chat box.
A couple of hands later I have QJ of clubs utg and limp in, 3 other limpers and the sb calls, bb checks.
Flop was 9T3 with 2 more clubs, giving me a flush and open ended straight draw, I check hoping for a cheap turn card and surprisingly, so does everyone else. Turn was a rag so I bet 300 thinking I may well take the pot down here, and if not, have loads of outs on the river. All fold except the sb, I figure he is probably on the flush draw too. River is Kd giving me the straight, so I bet out 600, sb raises to 1200, so I push all in and he calls.
What does he have ? Pocket Rockets !
I've rarely seen them played so poorly.
He limps in with 4 previous limpers and the bb still to play
Checks the flop and lets all of us have a free card
Then when I bet out, instead of raising and taking the pot, he flat calls and lets me make the straight.
But instead of laughing at this inept play, everyone thinks it is unlucky
The chat box is full of ul gg and "aces no good tonight"
I was tempted to try to explain to them how slowplaying them until your opponent makes a hand is not unlucky, its crap play, but I held my tongue and laughed under my breath.
The story even has a happy ending as I went on to finish 2nd for £96, after the winner knocked out just about all the final table one after another

One Tournament - Two Hands

2006-09-27T02:34:00.000Z

Played for just under an hour in Betfairs $5k Gtd, and never had a hand at all, pinched a few small pots by betting or raising with position, but was limping into the break with less tha 2k in chips, when I had two hands in a row to put me top of the leaderboard

-----HAND 3------
Game #3536834854: Hold'em NL (75/150) - 2006/09/27 - 01:56:47 (GMT)
Table "$5K TUESDAY GTD 3490005 - 3" Seat 8 is the button.
Seat 1: SoSick (5111 in chips)
Seat 2: holker (1632.50 in chips)
Seat 3: Tnttnt (10615 in chips)
Seat 5: ukpaul (10065 in chips)
Seat 6: Niilex2 (6362.50 in chips)
Seat 7: 1foxyfoe (2485 in chips)
Seat 8: Usettler sits out
Seat 9: Sannesk (1605 in chips)
Seat 10: selbs (1905 in chips)
Sannesk: posts small blind 75
selbs: posts big blind 150
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to holker [Qc Qh]
SoSick: calls 150
holker: raises to 450
Tnttnt: calls 450
ukpaul: folds
Niilex2: folds
1foxyfoe: calls 450
Usettler: folds
Sannesk: calls 375
selbs: folds
SoSick: calls 300
----- FLOP ----- [As 5s 7h]
Sannesk: folds
SoSick: checks
holker: checks
Tnttnt: checks
1foxyfoe: checks
----- TURN ----- [As 5s 7h][2c]
SoSick: checks
holker: checks
Tnttnt: checks
1foxyfoe: checks
----- RIVER ----- [As 5s 7h 2c][9d]
SoSick: checks
holker: bets 1182.50 and is all-in
Tnttnt: folds
1foxyfoe: calls 1182.50
SoSick: folds
----- SHOW DOWN -----
holker: shows [Qc Qh] (A Pair of Queens, Ace high)
1foxyfoe: shows [Tc Th] (A Pair of Tens, Ace high)
holker collects 4765 from Main pot
----- SUMMARY -----
Total pot 4765 Main pot 4765 Rake 0
Board [As 5s 7h 2c 9d]
Seat 1: SoSick folded on the River
Seat 2: holker showed [Qc Qh] and won (4765) with A Pair of Queens, Ace high
Seat 3: Tnttnt folded on the River
Seat 5: ukpaul folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: Niilex2 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: 1foxyfoe showed [Tc Th] and lost
Seat 8: Usettler (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: Sannesk (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 10: selbs (big blind) folded before Flop (didn't bet)

------HAND 4------
Game #3536835214: Hold'em NL (75/150) - 2006/09/27 - 01:58:14 (GMT)
Table "$5K TUESDAY GTD 3490005 - 3" Seat 9 is the button.
Seat 1: SoSick (4661 in chips)
Seat 2: holker (4765 in chips)
Seat 3: Tnttnt (10165 in chips)
Seat 5: ukpaul (10065 in chips)
Seat 6: Niilex2 (6362.50 in chips)
Seat 7: 1foxyfoe (852.50 in chips)
Seat 8: Usettler sits out
Seat 9: Sannesk (1155 in chips)
Seat 10: selbs (1755 in chips)
selbs: posts small blind 75
SoSick: posts big blind 150
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to holker [Ac As]
holker: raises to 450
Tnttnt: folds
ukpaul: folds
Niilex2: folds
1foxyfoe: folds
Usettler: folds
Sannesk: folds
selbs: folds
SoSick: calls 300
----- FLOP ----- [Th 6c 9d]
SoSick: bets 4211 and is all-in
holker: calls 4211
----- TURN ----- [Th 6c 9d][Ah]
----- RIVER ----- [Th 6c 9d Ah][7d]
----- SHOW DOWN -----
SoSick: shows [Td Jh] (A Pair of Tens, Ace high)
holker: shows [Ac As] (Three of a kind, Aces, Ten high)
holker collects 9397 from Main pot
----- SUMMARY -----
Total pot 9397 Main pot 9397 Rake 0
Board [Th 6c 9d Ah 7d]
Seat 1: SoSick (big blind) showed [Td Jh] and lost
Seat 2: holker showed [Ac As] and won (9397) with Three of a kind, Aces, Ten high
Seat 3: Tnttnt folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: ukpaul folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: Niilex2 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: 1foxyfoe folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: Usettler folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: Sannesk (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 10: selbs (small blind) folded before Flop (didn't bet)

I began to think I was going to win it again, I was even moved to post the hands on Betfairs Poker Forum, unfortunately, it was a case of "after the Lord Mayors Show" after the break.
It took me nearly another hour of death by blinding away before I raised with TT only to have it beaten by A7 (All in pe-flop)
And that was it, never had a sniff until getting desparate and short stacked I push with KJo and run into 99, I dont improve and thats it.
What a waste of time, all that patience.....
and all for nothing

Confidence is taking a bit of a battering recently, had a few losing weeks recently and at the higher stakes its giving my bankroll a bit of a bashing.
Its make your mind up time again I guess, do I stay on the $25 games or drop back down to the £2 mtts and £5 stts to build the confidence, and hopefully the bankroll

I have seen the future !

2006-09-23T14:49:00.000Z

I have seen the future of online gaming.............

..........and contrary to popular belief its not pokerchamps, nor is it PKR poker with its chip riffling tricks and playstation graphics.

Its BACKGAMMON

I played my first ever game on Tuesday after opening a play money account with Gammon Empire, by Friday I had played $100 up to $300 and earned a $20 real money bonus, so I have now had two whole days playing for real money, albeit only for a dollar a game, and I'm completely addicted.
I may even decide to be backgammon world champion instead of WSOP main event winner if this keeps up.

I think though it may be very difficult to beat the rake, the explanation of rake contribution on the site is confusing to say the least. It says the max rake is 5%, but every time I win a dollar I only get 86 cents, thats about 14% by my calculations.

I'm still showing a very small profit after around 40 games, but those dice are more frustrating than having your pocket aces rivered by a lunatic with 72 off suit
It does keep you coming back for more though, updating the blog is the longest time I've spent awake without playing backgammon all week.
If anyone reading this also plays for small stakes, perhaps you could advise which are the best sites, lowest rake etc.

Incedently, if anyone is reading this on Saturday afternoon, there is a great value poker tournament on Mansion at 20:30 GMT tonight with a $50 entry and extra bonuses tied in with the Ryder cup, $500 per point diference in the final scores and extra cash for knocking out the hosts. At the present time there are only 11 people entered and two of them are the hosts, so if you have a mansion account, fill your boots.

Good Luck

I have been to Paradise

2006-09-21T21:26:00.000Z

I have been to Paradise......and its full of rocks
My search for a new "home" once Betfair does a moonlight flit to Pokerchamps, which incidently is the worst kept secret in the online poker world, took me to Pardise this week; or to be more precise Paradise Poker.
Now my idea of paradise is probably similar to yours, golden sands, swaying palm trees and scantily clad hand maidens with cool drinks on order.
Well I can tell you, that in fact, pardise is full of rocks.
Its rockier than the Marciano family photo album.
I thought the structure for the sit and go tournaments looked good, 1000 chips with blinds starting at 5/10, and so it would have been were it not for the fact that no-one plays a hand unless its pocket aces, for the first four levels.
Now this should be an invitation to steal blinds, raise pots and generally give it the whole "total poker" treatment, but it doesn't seem to work like that, I had a run of 8 consecutive games without getting in the top 6 never mind the money, finished up with 2 wins, 1 second and 3 thirds from a total of 18 STT's for a small loss overall.
I would have still made a profit on the week if I hadn't ventured back on the cash tables again. I don't know why I bother to be honest, I expect to lose, and no matter how often I tell myself to have a positive attitude, deep down I know I'm a fish in the shark infested cash tables water.
So back on the tournament trail again this week, maybe even venture back to paradise.

How good do you have to be ?

2006-09-09T08:27:00.000Z

I've been wondering recently, how good do you need to be to make a profit playing small stakes poker ?
There are some truely awful players out there, and while things may change in the medium to long term, it is possible to make it pay at the moment with very little skill.
Anybody who can read a decent poker strategy book, and who is patient enough to follow the basics can make a profit in my opinion.
It is also true that trying to use any advanced stratgies may well backfire on the small stakes tables as people simply dont realise what you are trying to represent, are not paying attention or merely dont care what you do.
You only have to read some of the poker blogs out there to see the number of good players who are driven to despair by being continually outdrawn by fish who dont have a clue.
Some players will call to the showdown with nothing, some are unable to lay down big pocket pairs when it is obvious they are beaten (I admit I occaisionaly fall into this category myself), and some appear to have no knowledge of how to play the game whatsoever.
I assume that this phenomenum is less apparent as the stakes increase, but I'm sure that to some degree it is present in most online poker games.
This does also lead to the question, If you are a profitable player, are you ny good, or are you simply grinding out a profit on the basis that most other players are even worse than you ?
and should you care ?
A profit is a profit after all, and if it comes because you are good, or because others are spectacularly bad, what does it matter ?
Well it matters if you want to move up in stakes, because as previously stated this phenomenum must reduce as the stakes increase.
Is it possible to make a consistent profit at £5/£10 NL playing basic strategy with no fancy moves, or in £200 sit & goes ?
Maybe any higher stakes players reading this could comment.

Juiced Up

2006-09-04T02:10:00.000Z

Saw some good cards tonight both in qualifying for the $5k Gtd and in the tournament itself.
I flopped a full house in the satellite, but unlike last time when my opponent hit a bigger Full house on the river, this one held up and paid me off.

Game #3327669214: Hold'em NL (50/100) - 2006/09/03 - 21:02:37 (GMT)
Table "$5K SUNDAY GTD 3339525 - 2" Seat 2 is the button.

Dimsy: posts small blind 50
Marenn001: posts big blind 100

----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to holker [Qs 9s]
holker: calls 100
JB_07: calls 100
Flipaflop: calls 100
Dimsy: calls 50
Marenn001: checks

----- FLOP ----- [9c Qh 9d]
Dimsy: checks
Marenn001: checks
holker: bets 100
Flipaflop: raises to 200
Dimsy: calls 200
holker: calls 100

----- TURN ----- [9c Qh 9d][Kh]
Dimsy: bets 400
holker: calls 400

----- RIVER ----- [9c Qh 9d Kh][5h]
Dimsy: bets 700
holker: raises to 1400
Dimsy: is all-in 675
Returned uncalled bets 25 to holker

----- SHOW DOWN -----
holker: shows [Qs 9s] (A Full House, Nines full of Queens)
Dimsy: shows [Ts Js] (A Straight, King high)
holker collects 4650 from Main pot

I started the $5k like a train as well, won a good pot early on with AK v AT v 55 all in Pre-Flop
Then I found some else who couldn't lay down KK (I'm not the only one)
In his defence, at least there was no ace on the board
but what did he think I had ?
Serves him right for not raising pre-flop imho

Game #3332360264: Hold'em NL (50/100) - 2006/09/04 - 01:40:58 (GMT)
Table "$5K SUNDAY GTD 3339520 - 3" Seat 9 is the button.

Brummy39: posts small blind 50
shazman: posts big blind 100

----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to holker [6d 6h]
BRODrYEAH sits back
BRODrYEAH: calls 100
holker: calls 100
rob2495: calls 100
Brummy39: calls 50
shazman: checks

----- FLOP ----- [5d 6s 8h]
Brummy39: checks
shazman: checks
BRODrYEAH: bets 200
holker: raises to 600
BRODrYEAH: calls 400

----- TURN ----- [5d 6s 8h][2c]
BRODrYEAH: bets 500
holker: calls 500

----- RIVER ----- [5d 6s 8h 2c][2s]
BRODrYEAH: bets 700
holker: raises to 2000
BRODrYEAH: calls 1300

----- SHOW DOWN -----
holker: shows [6d 6h] (A Full House, Sixes full of Twos)
BRODrYEAH: mucks hand [Kc Kh]
holker collects 6700 from Main pot

I finally bowed out in 46th after being in the top 10 for most of the tournament, when my top pair was outdrawn to a guy going all in on the nut flush draw
and I was gone next hand

Game #3332682544: Hold'em NL (150/300) - 2006/09/04 - 02:22:00 (GMT)
Table "$5K SUNDAY GTD 3339520 - 3" Seat 3 is the button.

janosikow: posts small blind 150
pyrites: posts big blind 300

----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to holker [Kh Qh]
Phidia001: folds
holker: calls 300
Mo - star: calls 300
Bifrost: calls 300
janosikow: calls 150
pyrites: checks

----- FLOP ----- [7h Kd 4d]
janosikow: checks
pyrites: checks
holker: bets 300
Bifrost: raises to 4030 and is all-in
holker: calls 3730

----- TURN ----- [7h Kd 4d][3d]

----- RIVER ----- [7h Kd 4d 3d][Qd]

----- SHOW DOWN -----
Bifrost: shows [Ad Jd] (A Flush, Ace high)
holker: shows [Kh Qh] (Two Pairs, Kings and Queens, Seven high)
Bifrost collects 9560 from Main pot

I am a muppet.......FACT

2006-09-03T00:46:00.000Z

Playing in the $5k Gtd on Betfair(again)after qualifying via a satellite (again), I'm going along nicely, early stages, 12 minute levels, no need to take too many chances, patience is the key, and then I go and do this......

-----HAND 5------
Game #3316260514: Hold'em NL (25/50) - 2006/09/03 - 01:35:43 (GMT)
Table "$5K SATURDAY GTD 3333453 - 6" Seat 5 is the button.
Seat 1: Ellz321 (1290 in chips)
Seat 2: Johnf1210 (3525 in chips)
Seat 3: wuck72 (1310 in chips)
Seat 4: jammyhoor (2905 in chips)
Seat 5: Matt84 (700 in chips)
Seat 6: Alanalan (4655 in chips)
Seat 7: Lionmanok (4430 in chips)
Seat 8: holker (2045 in chips)
Seat 9: HillyFish (4065 in chips)
Seat 10: Noseyboy (3100 in chips)
Alanalan: posts small blind 25
Lionmanok: posts big blind 50
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to holker [Kh Kd]
holker: raises to 200
HillyFish: folds
Noseyboy: folds
Ellz321: folds
Johnf1210: folds
wuck72: folds
jammyhoor: calls 200
Matt84: folds
Alanalan: folds
Lionmanok: calls 150
----- FLOP ----- [5d Jh Tc]
Lionmanok: checks
holker: bets 325
jammyhoor: calls 325
Lionmanok: folds
----- TURN ----- [5d Jh Tc][Ad]
holker: checks
jammyhoor: bets 2380 and is all-in
holker: is all-in 1520
Returned uncalled bets 860 to jammyhoor
----- RIVER ----- [5d Jh Tc Ad][Ac]
----- SHOW DOWN -----
jammyhoor: shows [Qh Ah] (Three of a kind, Aces, Queen high)
holker: shows [Kh Kd] (Two Pairs, Aces and Kings, Jack high)
jammyhoor collects 4315 from Main pot
----- SUMMARY -----
Total pot 4315 Main pot 4315 Rake 0
Board [5d Jh Tc Ad Ac]
Seat 1: Ellz321 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: Johnf1210 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: wuck72 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: jammyhoor showed [Qh Ah] and won (4315) with Three of a kind, Aces, Queen high
Seat 5: Matt84 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: Alanalan (small blind) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: Lionmanok (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 8: holker showed [Kh Kd] and lost
Seat 9: HillyFish folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 10: Noseyboy folded before Flop (didn't bet)

WHY ?

FFS I have to stop doing this

(Rant Over)

Statistics

2006-08-28T17:49:00.000Z

Having just read AJCairns blog "3 times the big blind" (see link opposite) I looked up my stats on poker tracker to see how I compare.
These are taken from a smaller sample than AJ's and are a little out of date, but here goes :

Total Tournament Hands 13,920

Most Dealt Hand : 83o - No surpise there
Least dealt hand : KTs - could have sworn it was AA

Best win percentage : AA 87.69%
Worst win percentage : 15 Hands I have never won with, every one suited, why is that ?

Most money won : 44
Most money lost : QJo

Most raised pre-flop : QQ
Lease raised pre-flop : There are lots of hands (I am a rock ;) )

Best Hands

Straight Flush : 1
4 of a kind : 34

Most played players :

Jackhigh 11
Capefear 10
Xaarcasm 8
Goodurge 8
Spig 7
AJCairns 6
Sucrose 6
Panama04 6
MmmmmPaul 6
Baby_mari 6
Shalima 5
USARacing 5

Satellites

2006-08-28T16:52:00.001Z

I'm a big fan of satellite tournaments as a general rule, they provide a good way for decent players with limited funds to enter some worthwhile tournaments and pitch their skills against the big boys.
I know some players disagree on this point, Highstack has said he would rather play STT's to win the money to buy in direct, I know Gatsby is a fan of the sats so I guess its each to his own.
Recently I've been playing sats for the $5k Gtd, £10k Gtd and £15k Gtd on Betfair with differing amounts of success.
The $5k remains my favourite with a win and a couple of final tables recently, I've also played the £10k without much success, but the £15k Gtd remains tantalisingly out of my reach, I can never seem to qualify for it, all my bad beat stories seem to revolve around satellites for this particular tournament.
As I'm still fuming from my latest demise, I'm afraid I'm going to inflict a hand history on you, I was going well in this sat, held the chip lead for a while before running two pair into a flush and halving my stack, I was on a recovery mission and was delighted to see KK when this happened
------HAND 4------
Game #3237562484: Hold'em NL (300/600) - 2006/08/28 - 17:39:46 (GMT)
Table "£15K_MONDAY 3300933 - 1" Seat 7 is the button.
Seat 2: Xxzuluxx (14080 in chips)
Seat 3: postus (7555 in chips)
Seat 4: lynchem (10440 in chips)
Seat 5: holker (5312.50 in chips)
Seat 7: ViceCity (7210 in chips)
Seat 8: 000si01 (2809 in chips)
Seat 9: ruffo (12117 in chips)
Seat 10: Kenpat001 (4845 in chips)
000si01: posts the ante 75
ruffo: posts the ante 75
Kenpat001: posts the ante 75
Xxzuluxx: posts the ante 75
postus: posts the ante 75
lynchem: posts the ante 75
holker: posts the ante 75
ViceCity: posts the ante 75
000si01: posts small blind 300
ruffo: posts big blind 600
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to holker [Ks Kc]
Kenpat001: raises to 4770 and is all-in
Xxzuluxx: folds
postus: folds
lynchem: folds
holker: raises to 5237.50 and is all-in
ViceCity: folds
000si01: folds
ruffo: folds
Returned uncalled bets 467.50 to holker
----- FLOP ----- [Ad Td 4h]
----- TURN ----- [Ad Td 4h][5c]
----- RIVER ----- [Ad Td 4h 5c][9h]
----- SHOW DOWN -----
holker: shows [Ks Kc] (A Pair of Kings, Ace high)
Kenpat001: shows [7h Ah] (A Pair of Aces, Ten high)
Kenpat001 collects 11040 from Main pot
----- SUMMARY -----
Total pot 11040 Main pot 11040 Rake 0
Board [Ad Td 4h 5c 9h]
Seat 2: Xxzuluxx folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: postus folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: lynchem folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: holker showed [Ks Kc] and lost
Seat 7: ViceCity (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: 000si01 (small blind) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: ruffo (big blind) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 10: Kenpat001 showed [7h Ah] and won (11040) with A Pair of Aces, Ten high

One of these days I will qualify, and when I do, watch out, because I'm going to win the bloody thing

(Rant Over)

Another Final Table

2006-08-27T03:06:00.000Z

I made another final table tonight, in my favourite late night tournament, the $5k Gtd on Betfair.
Fairly steady away in the early stages, but manged to stay in touch by virtue of hitting the flop from my BB on a couple of occaisions to win a couple of decent pots I wouldn't have contested from any other position, and made it to the break in mid position with about average chips.
Nothing much after the break except QQ on my BB which I duly raised, only to see the whole table (5 limpers) fold it back to me.
Had the pleasure of fellow Flashmobber, Brabzinho on my table for a while, and briefly DaJazzMan also before he moved tables again.
Limped past the bubble in 19th with 20 to pay, had a couple of hands hold up to get into a decent position, then after a good call with ATs against an attempted steal by the button with A8o was outdrawn with an 8 on the river was back in the cellar.
Just about scraped onto the final table but then won a couple of pots to get back to about 5th, where I sat for 20 minutes letting the blinds slowly kill me.
Raised in early position with Ac8c but had to fold to a re-raise and an all in Re-Reraise, then had to watch as 3 clubs hit the board.
Eventually went out in 7th position for $200, after, short-stacked, I defended my BB with Th7h against what I though was an attempted steal, but was infact KK.
But still, two final tables out of three attempts in this tournie in the last few days give cause for optimism for a second win to boost the bankroll, and after all $200 is not to be sneezed at.

Back in the swing

2006-08-24T03:10:00.000Z

After a couple of weeks off and a couple of half-hearted attempts this afternoon, I was back on the mtt trail tonight with an entry into what is becoming my favourite tournament, the 1:00am $5k Gtd on Betfair.
My attempt to qualify via the satellite route failed miserably when my full house lost to a bigger full house on level 4...........such is life.
So after forking out the full $25 + $2 to enter I was determined to give it a decent shot.
A couple of hands early on and I mange to treble up into a position where I can afford to be patient, and patience is the name of the game as I'm card dead for over an hour.
Then I cant win a hand until I outdraw KK with JJ and I limp into the money in 20th place of 20 to get paid, I need to make a stand somewhere, and a couple of all ins with 55 which stands up against AK and then the following hand immediatley after has me thinking lady luck is smiling on me.

------HAND 5------
Game #2317359493: Hold'em NL (400/800) - 2006/08/24 - 03:13:26 (GMT)
Table "$5K WEDNESDAY GTD 3268772 - 2" Seat 3 is the button.
Seat 1: Billzer (25475 in chips)
Seat 2: g.culo (19677.50 in chips)
Seat 3: topbuzz (19210 in chips)
Seat 4: Grant2000 (10415 in chips)
Seat 5: timesplit (14270 in chips)
Seat 6: Undrseige (24730 in chips)
Seat 7: Simonli (4020 in chips)
Seat 8: holker (3030 in chips)
Seat 9: Topboss (2895 in chips)
Seat 10: Simpleton (10557.50 in chips)
Grant2000: posts the ante 100
timesplit: posts the ante 100
Undrseige: posts the ante 100
Simonli: posts the ante 100
holker: posts the ante 100
Topboss: posts the ante 100
Simpleton: posts the ante 100
Billzer: posts the ante 100
g.culo: posts the ante 100
topbuzz: posts the ante 100
Grant2000: posts small blind 400
timesplit: posts big blind 800
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to holker [Qh Js]
Undrseige: folds
Simonli: folds
holker: raises to 2930 and is all-in
Topboss: is all-in 2795
Simpleton: folds
Billzer: folds
g.culo: folds
topbuzz: folds
Grant2000: raises to 10315 and is all-in
timesplit: folds
Returned uncalled bets 7,385 to Grant2000
----- FLOP ----- [4s 6d Qs]
----- TURN ----- [4s 6d Qs][Jc]
----- RIVER ----- [4s 6d Qs Jc][9d]
----- SHOW DOWN -----
Grant2000: shows [Kc Ks] (A Pair of Kings, Queen high)
holker: shows [Qh Js] (Two Pairs, Queens and Jacks, Nine high)
Topboss: shows [Ad Ah] (A Pair of Aces, Queen high)
holker collects 270 from Side pot #1
holker collects 10185 from Main pot
----- SUMMARY -----
Total pot 10455 Main pot 10185 Side pot #1 270 Rake 0
Board [4s 6d Qs Jc 9d]
Seat 4: Grant2000 showed [Kc Ks] and lost
Seat 8: holker showed [Qh Js] and won (10455) with Two Pairs, Queens and Jacks, Nine high
Seat 9: Topboss showed [Ad Ah] and lost

AA a couple of hands later and Im in third position, but no fairy-tale ending as I have two pair outdrawn to a flush on the river to go out in 10th for $100, not the big win I was hoping for, but hey, a hundred dollars is a hundred dollars. It will do for starters

No Poker

2006-08-21T13:11:00.000Z

Well it seems I'm a bit overdue for an update, but I haven't actually played any poker for a couple of weeks now.
I've been on holiday from work, and to be honest I've been too busy to play. I've had a few days out in Spain and a trip across to Tangiers in Morocco.
Tangiers was a bit of an eye opener, I went with my wife and youngest daughter on an organised tour, which I cant say I would recommend to anyone. I think we would have been better off on our own, which is what I would do next time we visit. I would also like to see a bit more of Morocco, maybe Casablanca and Marrakesh, I think forming an opinion of Moroco on a trip to Tangiers is like formimg an opinion on England on the basis of a day in Portsmouth.
We had a day out in Spain to a little town called Ronda, this is one of the pueblos blancos, or white towns of Andalucia. The town is split by a huge gorge, El Tajo, and we had lunch in a small restaurant over looking the gorge with its 130 metre drop and spectacular scenery.
What has surprised me most since moving to Gibraltar, is the beauty of some of the surrounding countryside over the border in Spain. Not the fish n chips and british beer of the Costa del Sol, but the Costa de la Luz, Tarifa and Cadiz, and also the mountains inland and the National Park, Los Alcornocales.
Well, the holiday is over soon, and ts back to work on Wednesday, and the hire car also goes back so I will be playing some more poker to get the blog back on topic, so until the next update, good luck on the tables.

The nearly man

2006-08-06T13:40:00.000Z

My recent strategy of playing more live games, less online and at higher stakes than previously, seems at first glance to be pretty unsuccessful, however I feel positive about my game at the moment and Im sure a decent payday is just around the corner.
Played in the Betfair $5k Gtd tournament three times last week, qualifying via sattelite on two occaisions, made the money just once for $50, but overall felt I played well and was a little unlucky not to have done better.
Also played live on Thursday in a £20 rebuy, where I never saw a flop for the whole of the first hour until the rebuy period ended, hit a couple of hands after the rebuy, and despite my rock like image managed to get some action and built my stack up to around average by the time we went to two tables. Thats when my recent bad luck continued, not really a bad beat but a little unfortunate I thought. Dealt 57o on the big blind and with no pre-flop raise, I limped in to see the flop, which was a very welcome 57J rainbow, SB checked, I raise to 3 x BB (3000 chips) The original limper calls, SB is all in for 3500, and obviously we both call. Flop is Kh leaving two hearts on the board so I push all in for about another 4k, Opponent calls with Kh9h Top pair and a flush draw, and hits his 9 on the river for two bigger pair to send me home.
Have had a couple of days off poker since, as I've not been feeling too great, have a couple of weeks off work coming up also so I may not get to update as often as I would like, as Im sure I'll be busy exploring southern spain.
You may also notice a new addition to the blog in the form of a site meter logging the number of hits on the site, I was pleased and quite surpised to see hits from USA, Canada, Singapore and the Czech Republic as well as UK, Gibraltar and Spain.

Still no luck

2006-07-31T01:30:00.000Z

Well, I played live again on Wednesday night (26th July), lots of runners this time so a re-buy rather than a freeze out, and just as well as far as I am concerned.
First hand I get dealt QQ in late position, rasied from 50 to 600 and get called by the dealer.
Flop is ten high and I push all in, and the dealer shows pocket aces, not the best of starts.
After a re-buy I was pretty much card dead and struggled to pinch a blind or two, won a couple of hand just before the re-buy period ended and after the top up I was on about average stack of around 6k. Pushed with KQ on a Q high flop in an unraised pot, and walked into AQ and that was that, ah well, there's always next week.
Luck has pretty much deserted me online too, won entry into the $5k Gtd on Betfair via a satellite and was going well in the last 50 or so when this happened

------HAND 5------
Game #2070995593: Hold'em NL (150/300) - 2006/07/31 - 02:20:46 (GMT)
Table "$5K SUNDAY GTD 3116800 - 5" Seat 2 is the button.
Seat 1: Poker_vic (1500 in chips)
Seat 2: Weih30101 (6490 in chips)
Seat 3: spwing (8550 in chips)
Seat 4: Box_fresh (1340 in chips)
Seat 5: QuantumXG (1890 in chips)
Seat 6: danick (13240 in chips)
Seat 7: Fatmole (3320 in chips)
Seat 9: holker (4955 in chips)
Seat 10: Lewis147 (6215 in chips)
spwing: posts small blind 150
Box_fresh: posts big blind 300
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to holker [Qc Ah]
QuantumXG: folds
danick: calls 300
Fatmole: folds
holker: raises to 900
Lewis147: folds
Poker_vic: folds
Weih30101: calls 900
spwing: folds
Box_fresh: folds
danick: folds
----- FLOP ----- [2d Qs 8s]
holker: bets 900
Weih30101: raises to 5590 and is all-in
holker: is all-in 3155
Returned uncalled bets 1,535 to Weih30101
----- TURN ----- [2d Qs 8s][9d]
----- RIVER ----- [2d Qs 8s 9d][As]
----- SHOW DOWN -----
Weih30101: shows [9s 9h] (Three of a kind, Nines, Ace high)
holker: shows [Qc Ah] (Two Pairs, Aces and Queens, Nine high)
Weih30101 collects 10660 from Main pot
----- SUMMARY -----
Total pot 10660 Main pot 10660 Rake 0
Board [2d Qs 8s 9d As]
Seat 1: Poker_vic folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: Weih30101 (button) showed [9s 9h] and won (10660) with Three of a kind, Nines, Ace high
Seat 3: spwing (small blind) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: Box_fresh (big blind) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: QuantumXG folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: danick folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: Fatmole folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: holker showed [Qc Ah] and lost

It doesn't stop there either, trying to qualify for the $5k Gtd on Betfair again I had pocket nines undone by a King on the river after someone called my pre-flop all in with KQo and then my nut flush against two pair, made his full house on the river.
Ah well, bad luck doesn't last forever, and when it changes I must be due a decent run of good fortune :)

Not much luck

2006-07-26T01:29:00.000Z

well, seeing as I got lambasted for the lack of updates, I decided I better update again.
Not too much to report really, played a bit more online, this week with no notable success.
I have been playing a little on Virgin recently, I find the standard of play on there pretty poor at the $5 $10 $20 level, so its just a matter of ABC poker and wait for a monster as there is always someone to pay you off.
Still pursuing another win in Betfairs 01:00 am $5k Gtd, have gone out just shy of a payday a few times this week, but overall I think my play is prety good, confidence is high and a good win is, Im sure, just around the corner.
I will probably play live again tomorrow night at the casino here in Gib, will be my last chance for a while as work commitments will prevent me from playing for a couple of weeks after this.
Hopefully numbers will be low and we will play a £50 freeze out like last week, as opposed to the usual £20 re-buy. The format for the freeze out is miles better imo, I've almost a mind not to play if its a re-buy, but once you get there its hard to walk out without playing.
Well if you'll excuse the short posting, thats all for now.
See you next time

Playing Live

2006-07-22T21:19:00.000Z

Apologies for the lack of updates, I never realised I had so many readers !
Thanks for taking the time to look and I'll try to keep up to date in future.
Haven't played too much online since the win in the $5k, but did manage another money finish at Gib casino on wednesday 19/7/06, finishing second of 19 in a £50 freeze out tournament for £216.
The usual format for the weekly games at the casino is £20 rebuy with 1500 chips, this time, because of lack of players we had a £50 freezeout with 5000 starting chips, a much better format imo.
In fact I was unfortunate not to win, All in pre-flop with AJo v A6o Jack of Diamonds on the flop looked good until 3 more diamonds in quick succession gave my opponent a flush.
Details are at http://www.lalineapoker.com/19_07_2006.html if anyone is interested, including video footage of the last hand as it played out (all very high-tech from a mobile phone)

A Big Win !

2006-06-29T04:10:00.000Z

I have to blog my biggest win to date, $1500 for winning the in the $5k starting at 01:00 on Betfair this morning.
Thats one of my targets for 2006 knocked off, and gives my total profit to date this year a very healthy boost.
Just to make the win a little sweeter (as if it needed sweetening), I won entry for only $3.50 via a sattelite at the second attempt after bubbling for a small cash prize at the first attempt.
I had Poker Queen for company for most of the later stages, which was very entertaining to say the least. The banter was good throughout, and I was handily placed from a long way out.
Pocket Aces held up for me as chip-leader against the second placed player to leave me with over half the chips in play with 6 left in.
I had about a ten to one chip lead heads-up and finally won with pocket 33 making a full house against the unlucky Jampe2906 with another 3 and a pair of jacks on the board.
I haven't been playing much poker recently (the weather here has been to good to waste indoors), but this has really rekindled the flame so expect to see me on a final table near you soon
All the best

A couple of hand histories

2006-06-23T21:03:00.000Z

I dont like to post too many hand histories on my blog, as I know they are boring and I always skim past them when reading other blogs (apologies to all concerned), but these two hands came up in quick sucession and just show the highs and lows of online poker.
The first hand came just as France had a shot saved on the line in their World Cup match with Togo, I jumped up to see the replay and timed out just as I sat back down to play, and of course I hit everything on the board

Game #2783976704: Hold'em NL (10/20) - 2006/06/23 - 20:39:24 (GMT)
Table "$5K FRIDAY GTD 2852225 - 2" Seat 9 is the button.
Seat 1: Foxy15 (1220 in chips)
Seat 2: Luscos (1490 in chips)
Seat 3: Amos2003 (970 in chips)
Seat 4: holker (1470 in chips)
Seat 6: OldPunkie (1470 in chips)
Seat 7: Reddog23 (4750 in chips)
Seat 8: Tokimano (1370 in chips)
Seat 9: jontickle (1710 in chips)
Seat 10: Breda1 (2050 in chips)
Breda1: posts small blind 10
Foxy15: posts big blind 20
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to holker [Jh Kh]
Luscos: raises to 80
Amos2003: folds
holker: folds
holker sits out - because he was watching the football
holker sits back
OldPunkie: folds
Reddog23: folds
Tokimano: folds
jontickle: folds
Breda1: calls 70
Foxy15: calls 60
----- FLOP ----- [Js Ks 8d] giving me two pair
Breda1: bets 40
Foxy15: folds
Luscos: raises to 120
Breda1: calls 80
----- TURN ----- [Js Ks 8d][Kd] making my Full House
Breda1: bets 60
Luscos: raises to 120
Breda1: calls 60
----- RIVER ----- [Js Ks 8d Kd][3d]
Breda1: bets 200
Luscos: calls 200
----- SHOW DOWN -----
Breda1: shows [As Td] (A Pair of Kings, Ace high)
Luscos: shows [Qc Qs] (Two Pairs, Kings and Queens, Jack high)
Luscos collects 1120 from Main pot

The next hand was full of ups and downs, I was dealt pocket aces, which is always nice, and the raiser in front of me has been playing like a maniac, so I reraise and we both end up all in pre-flop. He shows K8o and I couldn't be happier.............

Game #2784023534: Hold'em NL (15/30) - 2006/06/23 - 20:42:33 (GMT)
Table "$5K FRIDAY GTD 2852225 - 2" Seat 2 is the button.
Seat 1: Foxy15 (1125 in chips)
Seat 2: Luscos (2045 in chips)
Seat 4: holker (1470 in chips)
Seat 6: OldPunkie (1470 in chips)
Seat 7: Reddog23 (5780 in chips)
Seat 8: Tokimano (1370 in chips)
Seat 9: jontickle (1710 in chips)
Seat 10: Breda1 (1530 in chips)
holker: posts big blind 30
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to holker [Ad Ah] very nice !
OldPunkie: folds
Peaceman sits back
Qwertyl sits back
Reddog23: raises to 180 - which is just what I wanted to see
Tokimano: folds
jontickle: folds
Breda1: folds
Foxy15: folds
Luscos: folds
holker: raises to 450 against the "raise every hand maniac" who is Reddog23
Reddog23: raises to 5780 and is all-in - which again, is just what I wanted
holker: is all-in 1020
Reddog23: shows [8s Kh] lovely I think
holker: shows [Ad Ah]

----- FLOP ----- [8c 2c Kd] Oh No ! hes only gone and flopped two pair - jammy git
----- TURN ----- [8c 2c Kd][2h] by now I'm not looking at the cards - too busy swearing
----- RIVER ----- [8c 2c Kd 2h][Qd] oh wait, the board has paired
----- SHOW DOWN -----
Reddog23: shows [8s Kh] (Two Pairs, Kings and Eights, Queen high)
holker: shows [Ad Ah] (Two Pairs, Aces and Twos, King high)
holker collects 2940 from Main pot lovely jubbly

The World Cup

2006-06-12T06:25:00.000Z

Well, the world cup has finally started, and my plan to watch every match live has been assisted by work installing a large plasma tv in the office.
Work commitments and the world cup have curtailed my poker for the last week or so, which is just as well as I have been losing steadily on the low stakes cash tables.
I wish I was able to take advantage of some of the offers on Mansion, with free world cup tickets, $40 for being dealt pocket 66 and this http://www.mansionpoker.com/suprestars/ the chance to play Phil Ivey, Chris Ferguson, Daniel Negreanu et al for a million dollars with tuition and advice from the pros.
This blog is turning into a bit of an advert for Mansion recently, but I cant emphasise enough the value available on the Mansion site at the minute, while player numbers are low, and bonuses and added value are everywhere.
My family fly out to Gibraltar to join me a three weeks time, so things will get back to more like normal then, and we can all settle down to enjoy the summer sunshine.

Pokerstars online poker blogger tournament

2006-06-04T15:13:00.000Z

I have registered to play in the PokerStars World Blogger Championship of Online Poker!

This Online Poker Tournament is a No Limit Texas Holdem event exclusive to Bloggers.

Registration code: 7575606

Getting back to normal

2006-05-31T03:40:00.000Z

Things are getting a bit nearer to normal now, I have broadband (or what passes for broadband in Gib) in the flat and I have been playing a bit more online.
I had my first losing week for a while last week, mainly due to playing on Betfairs low stakes cash tables. I cant seem to win on the cash tables no matter what I try, I either get outdrawn or Im up against a monster, I guess a lot is just down to bad luck, but its hard to go into a cash game with any confidence when things are running so bad.
Not much luck playing live either, I played in the weekly £20 rebuy tournament in Gib Casino on Thursday, lasting only 2 hands past the rebuy period before my pocket Queens ran into pocket rockets.
Still its a good night out, plenty of craic and some good company, even if it is over a little sooner than I would have liked.
I had the unexpected priviledge of playing against JPJ, Dubai Millenium and Fishpoo in a $10 STT on Betfair this morning, unfortunately my luck ran true to form and I busted out with top pair versus slow played pocket aces before I could claim a famous scalp to brag about in the flashmob game, maybe we can persuade the illustrious trio to join us in the fllashmob one week soon.
Flying back to England tomorrow for what will be the last time for a while, my wife and youngest daughter will be coming out to Giraltar on 2nd July, and then things will really get back to normal, except with a bit more sunshine.
Thanks to anyone taking the trouble to read this, and good luck.

More from Gib

2006-05-13T11:25:00.000Z

Apologies again for the infrequent updates but I should be able to get on top of the blog again now as we now have broadband acces in the flat
Still haven't played much poker, either online or live recently, no internet access put paid to the online side, and work commitments ko'd the live tournaments as well.
Things are still going well for me out here, work is good, now the site is live www.mansion.com we are getting busier and I am learning more about the business.
Mansion also have some great offers at the moment, all this weekend the tournamenys are all added value, and with as few as 2 entrants per tournament they are excellent value. So if you are reading this and dont yet have Mansion Poker, Download it now.
Yhere are also some great offers coming up in the next few weeks, big prize pool freerolls, poker dome qualifiers and wsop seats up for grabs so keep an eye on the site.
Thanks to all the guys who have msn'd and e-mailed me there support over the last few weeks and good luck to the flashmobbers and others playing on the Mansion site next week. I will try to play the flashmob game this week to contribute some 'dead money' to the prize pool

Gibraltar

2006-04-19T21:26:00.000Z

Apologies for the lack of updates recently
I finally moved to Gibraltar on 24th March, and as a consequence I have had no internet access (apart from at work) for the last month.
This has meant two things, firstly I have played very little on-line poker in this time so not much to write about, secondly it has been difficult to access the blog to update it.
I have, however found time to play a couple of live tournaments at the casino here in Gib. I even managed to win one, on a technicality, after agreeing a deal with the most chips whilst heads up on the final table
http://www.lalineapoker.com/12-04-2006.html
Thanks to everyone who has e-mailed or MSN'd me with good wishes for the move, Im pleased to report that everything is going well so far, work is good, weather even better, and I move into a new flat on Friday.
Hopefully I will soon have internet access at home so will play more on-line and hopefully keep the blog updated a little better

Winners at Cheltenham

2006-03-19T17:03:00.000Z

Had another tough week since my last update, played a few £2 thunder mtt's on Betfair during the last week, 6th place for £47 is the best I managed.
Got some consistency back into my game, cashing in 3 from 5 small stakes mtt's at the start of the week, but cant find any momentum at all in the Crypto £4k Gtd, which is having an effect on my bankroll.
Had a profitable Cheltenham (for a change) Spudy gave me a great tip on the first day, Dun Diore, that won at 9/1, and I backed War of Attrition at 10/1 (as well as Beef or Salmon) in the Gold Cup.
Also had a good tip from Spud on Saturday in the midlands Grand National which finished 2nd at 12/1, so a nice profit on the Gee Gee's this week, which is just as well as the poker is not going well.
I can't win an stt to save my life at the moment, did qualify through a sat for Saturdays £10k Gtd on Betfair, but could only manage 69th out of 348 with 40 getting paid.
Felt that I was at least building my confidence at the higher stakes mtt's so I decided to enter the 1000 euro bonus game on Betfair on Sunday afternoon with a 20 euro buy in.
Was going quite well too until this hand.

------HAND 5------
Game #1933393923: Hold'em NL (150/300) - 2006/03/19 - 16:48:14 (BST)
Table "1000BONUS 2121099 - 1" Seat 3 is the button.
Seat 2: schardel (11507.50 in chips)
Seat 3: senny168 (7480 in chips)
Seat 4: CrackA2 (2840 in chips)
Seat 5: jaytee (2715 in chips)
Seat 6: delta (4627.50 in chips)
Seat 7: redcar (6385 in chips)
Seat 8: Eyes101 (7100 in chips)
Seat 9: .family. (15330 in chips)
Seat 10: evadney6 (2677.50 in chips)
CrackA2: posts small blind 150
jaytee: posts big blind 300
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to redcar [Kh Kc]
delta: folds
redcar: calls 300
Eyes101: raises to 7100 and is all-in
.family.: folds
evadney6: folds
schardel: folds
senny168: folds
CrackA2: folds
jaytee: folds
redcar: is all-in 6085
Returned uncalled bets 715 to Eyes101
----- FLOP ----- [As 5s 4s]
----- TURN ----- [As 5s 4s][9s]
----- RIVER ----- [As 5s 4s 9s][7d]
----- SHOW DOWN -----
Eyes101: shows [Qs Qd] (A Flush, Ace high)
redcar: shows [Kh Kc] (A Pair of Kings, Ace high)
Eyes101 collects 13220 from Main pot

Apologies for posting a bad beat hand history, but I felt the need to get it of my chest. Had I won that hand I would have been second in chips with 17 left and 10 to pay, as it was I crashed out in 18th place

Apologies also if this ios the last update for a while, Im off to Gibraltar a week today, and dont know what (if any) internet access I will have when I get there

Ended the week on a slightly more upbeat note despite falling short in the £4k Gtd again, by winning a £5 stt and finishing second in the flashmob tournament to reduce the weeks losses to a mere £30

Lady Luck is deserting me

2006-03-11T14:51:00.000Z

What a terrible run of luck I've had today, between 11am and 4pm I played 8 tournaments and one hand on a cash table as follows :

£2 mtt finished 142/280
£10 stt finished 7/10 lost 3 hands to the river card
£5 mtt finished 40/55
£2.70 mtt sat to £10k finished 88/88 KK v AA first hand
£10 stt finished 10/10 AK v JJ first hand (maybe tilting a bit by now)
£10 stt finished 8/10 99 v 88 outdrawn
£5 stt finished 6/10
switched to a cash game $15c/$30c NL
dealt 77 first hand, flopped trips and lost my buy in to a flush on the turn
£2.70 sat to £10k AA v Q9s all in pre-flop, flop QQ7

think I should give up :( :(

This how it allways seems to go when I try to play at slightly higher stakes, however I have set a limit to play these stakes until the bankroll dropped to £800 I'm still just over £900 which is a big drop from £1100 2 weeks ago.
I'm tempted to go back to the small stakes again to try to rebuild my confidence, but if I keep dropping back down again so soon, Ill never build up my bankroll to the levels I was hoping to achieve.
The problem is that the bad beats, the outdraws and the bad play just hurt more when the amount of cash unvolved is more significant, and I'm just not enjoying my poker as much as I was.

just because you're necessary.......

2006-03-09T15:43:00.000Z

doesn't mean you're important !