Poker

My poker playing online has been up and down recently and this month in particular I seem to be losing my way a little bit. I think my problem is me. There are periods where I will play some really good poker, stay disciplined and end up with profit. On the other hand there will be times when i call down big bets with middle pair, for no apparent reason other than in case my opponent is bluffing. I just cant seem to concentrate long enough on it anymore. Not sure what the answer is to this, but need to find it quick...

My live game however does not have this problem. Round Steve's on Saturday I played really well for six hours straight, finishing at about 2am! I really do prefer live play, because of the psychological part of the game. Studying my opponents movements, trying to put them on a hand by the way they carry themselves. I find that part of the game a lot more interesting than the statistics etc...although you need to know your rough odds to survive in the game.

If i could actually pass my driving test, i could go play cash games at the Casinos and Card clubs but there is nothing in Andover like that. If i could afford the Gambling license I'd set up my own card club here as I think it would do really well.

Failure, Newquay and IOW

Ok so I will post at least once a month, coz clearly I am never going to post every week. Failed my driving test by driving in a bus lane (which diguised itself as a normal road) for about 5 seconds. I now have to wait 7 weeks for another test! So its booked for 23rd July. (obviously booked a couple of weeks ago!)

Went to Newquay weekend before last with the lads. So nice to get away and have different surroundings for a few days. The campsite was ok for £5 a night, but the grass really needed cutting which was a little annoying. Fistral is such a great beach, its always clean and it wasnt packed like you get at Bournemouth as soon as the sun comes out. The bus service leaves alot to be desired though, and dont even bother reading the timetables; you just have to get lucky.

Went to Isle of Wight with Lucy and Jess weekend just gone, and I don't think i'll be going back. The roads and signposting are shocking. The caravan was ok, and the amenities at the site park were pretty good. The on site entertainment club has bingo at about 7pm....there is a song and dance to go with it, and i cant get it out of my head!

Poker has taken a firm backseat recently, just havn't had the time to play but maybe i'll get a chance this weekend

Bank Holiday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Firstly, in my last post I said I'd post at least once a week. I have stuck to this, despite the previous post being dated 10th April. I saved a draft of it on 10th April, and then updated it at the beginning of this week. However, it seems to have posted it under the date of the draft. Wonder how that got through Beta testing.

Anyway, the bloody DSA cancelled my driving test less than 24 hours before I was due to take it. The examiner has become 'unavailable'. I really don't fancy doing my test at 8 in the morning or 5 in the evening, so my test is now booked for the 31st May at 2.32pm! It's further away than I'd like but I don't have a lot of choice.

Poker is going much better this month so far, up about $200 in the last few days and I'm round Steve's tonight for a cash game. Got lots to do over the bank holiday so doubt I'll get much poker in. Marwell Zoo tomorrow with Lucy and her little girl Jess, and quiet night in with a pizza after that. Need to get in the garden on Sunday and dig up the weeds. It's gonna take me ages. Out on the razz on Sunday night with Big L and the Huge Crew. NTL (or Virgin Media as they are now) are coming round on Monday morning to fix the Internet, again. If they don't, I will lose it with them. Then me and Lucy have Tuesday off together.

Right, better do some work, or at least pretend to......

Catch up

Long time no post, mainly because I'm really lazy. But I am going to make myself post at least once a week from now on.

My weeks holiday in Gran Canaria was fun, although i was ready to come home by the end. It was pretty hot during the day, so at times it did get a bit much with my whiter than white skin colour! If you like sunbathing and you are on a budget, it is the perfect place though. The apartments we stayed in (sol y paz) were really good value for money. No frills, but it was very clean and situated literally across the road from the Europa shopping complex. One thing I cannot stand though is the people who stand outside the restaurants trying to get you to come in. Seriously, if I want to eat at your place, then I will walk in and take a f**king seat.

Got my driving test next Wednesday and I cannot afford to fail. I'm definitely ready and consider myself a good driver, but knowing my luck a chav will walk out in front of me and I'll put my foot on the accelerator rather than the brake.

My poker playing has been limited, partly due to the fact that my Internet connection is buggered (I'm at work writing this!) and partly due to the fact that i have got a bit bored of it. I needed a break and haven't played for about 2 weeks now except the odd 15 minutes or so at Lucy's place. Every time I do play I get spanked at the moment anyway, but I'm still $800 or so up for the year. Feeling refreshed now, so think I will start playing again soon. Maybe a few tournaments to start with.

On another note, I'm thinking about taking up a bit of gardening. I feel it could be the Yin to my Yang (my Yang being drinking and gambling) . I'm no Monty Don you understand, so I cant see our place ending up like Kew gardens, but I'm sure I can improve on the current weed colony.

Cash Games, $20,000 added Tournie & Holiday!

So played cash game round Steve's on Saturday which was 8 handed for the first couple of hours, and then gradually dropped to three handed by 2am! Played really well the whole time and was £100 up by the end. Coincidentally this is almost exactly what I am down online this month! So in six hours i managed to even the month out which is a result. If I can get a little bit of momentum going over the next week or so online, then maybe I can turn this month into a winning one after all.

The $20,000 added Tournament is tonight at 8 and it looks like its going to be a big field. I had a look on Sunday and there were already 330 registered for it, so I think it may well be a full 999 sellout. As its a re-buy I wouldnt be surprised if the prizepool is somewhere around the $80,000 mark....which would mean $20,000 for the winner. I'll be playing extremely tight early on, and loosen up once the re-buys are over (if I make it that far!). Not sure if the level up is every 8,12 or 15 minutes but the longer the better as far as im concerned. Cant stand speed or even medium length level up times, as you have to make too many gambles to avoid being blinded out.

Its less than 2 weeks until my first holiday (abroad) for about 5 years. Gran Canaria. Cant wait for a few beers on the beach front, and SOME sun. I will be doing my best to avoid getting burnt. I cant do 7 days in a row on the beach so im going to have to find something else to do. Any suggestions?

Can it get much worse?

I bloody well hope not. At the time of my last post, i was getting poor cards but not getting outdrawn too much - just a lack of premium hands. I was making a few mistakes and generally not getting the best of luck. But since yesterday afternoon i have had about 10 terrible beats. One was a 2 outer on the river for a $76 pot. I played it perfectly - thats the most annoying thing. I dont usually talk about individual hands to Lucy, but she heard about this one last night! I started the month with $300 and im now down to about $120 which is really not good.

Cash game tonight round Steve's place - and i think its going to be 8 handed.....could be painful

Bankroll issues

Having a poor run of cards at the moment, basically since the start of February so around $100 down this month so far. Lost about $20 of that in one pot yesterday and looking back I don't think I played it very well. I'm usually pretty good at spotting betting patterns but I don't know why but I missed this completely. It was the first hand i played!!!! So I was on the Big Blind. Q-7 off suit. Guy in 1st pos limps in, as does the guy on small blind. Flop comes Q-7-2 rainbow. I don't usually check 2 pair, only trips or higher, so I bet $2 into a $1.50 pot. They both call. I'm thinking one has a pair of Q's or 7's and the other the same or even fishing. Turn is 3. I bet $6 as there is now a flush/straight draw on and I don't want to get done on the River. Guy (now on button) calls and the SB folds. This is the point where I should realise I'm in trouble. There was no flush or straight draw on the Flop and yet he call my bet which was bigger than the pot, and has now smooth called the 3 on the Turn. Looking back on it, it's so obvious the guy has trips and its this kind of situation that I'm usually good at avoiding. Anyway the river is a 5 which doesn't make a possible Flush. There is a straight out there but it would have been an insider for $6 so I dismiss that. I bet $8 when i should have checked, and the guy instantly puts me all in, which is only another $3 so i have to call. He turns over Pocket 2's so he hit trips on the flop. Pretty unlucky to hit top two pair on the big blind and walk into a limper who hits trips; it wont happen very often, but still I felt I could have saved at least $8 from that pot on the river. If I had checked he would either have bet for value $4 or so, or gone all in which would have given me a chance to get away.

Well you live and learn I guess

Got a few big tournaments coming up soon. VC are doing a $100,000 freeroll but i have to beat 998 other players for the $24,000 first prize. Think it pays $200 down to 80th or so, so making the money would still be very worthwhile. They also have a $20 rebuy, with $20,000 added so I think this will be $60,000 or so total prize pool, with $16,000 going to the winner.

I'll be off to the World series in June if I was to win either of them ;-)