Well sort of...
I played my first weekend morning session for a long time. Its the only time I really have to play tourneys. Woke up hungover, tired but unable to sleep so fired up some tables.
I kept four going most of the time, three tourneys and some cash games. The tourneys were a $10 killer and $24 + $2 on FTP and a $5 45 man on Poker stars.
I went deep in the one that counted, the $24 FTP tourney which attracted 400 odd peeps for a $9k prize pool.
I played solid poker throughout, sometimes aggressive and then sometimes like a total pussy, but I felt comfrotable...was chip leader with about 20 left, and made it to the final able with ease.
I write this slightly worse for the wear after a nite out and its funny but i only remember the suckouts. Once with qk v aq, when i rivered a j for a straight, and once with aj v aq when i rivered a jack.
I stopped playing aggressively twice, once near the bubble, and again on the final table...I ended up 7th for a $320 odd score but the winner, who was very beatable, got $2500. Busted with AKs v 10s for a standard flip, the only all-in flip I had all game.
wasnt to be tho, but def has got me thinking about poker again...
On the personal front I have started seeing someone finally after three years of singledom which is another reason for less play. She is away now which is why I can spend a morning playing.
Not my finest post but v v tired....see ya
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Exam blues
It has been a week since my exam so I thought I would post something on it.
I was studying for the CFA ((chartered financial analyst). It is most prestigious exam in the investment world but is an absolute nightmare.
Three levels, taking a minimum of 2.5 years, and a frightening 35% pass rate for Lvl 1 – the exam I took.
It is not actually uber-hard material wise, anyone with a decent brain can master the concepts, it is the volume of work that sucks.
Six big fat text books to plough through covering accounts, equity and bond analysis, economics, portfolio management, alternatives, corporate finance…the list goes on.
I basically attacked the thing all wrong – I decided back in Jan that I needed to take notes from the books, which I duly tried to do for the next four months.
I then discovered you could buy notes online for £50 which are very usable and they come with access to hundreds of past questions.
Taking notes is fine if you have time to learn them. I didn’t.
In the last week I ended up looking at two of the sections for the first time and ignored economics ‘cos I thought my A-level in it would get me by. (a mistake!)
It was a very strange exam day. Last Saturday at the Excel centre. And 8,000 people sitting the exam. Yep, 8,000!
I reckon about 75% were non-native English speakers. You have never seen a bigger conglomeration of geeks in your life. Maths geeks from China, India, Saudi, France, Russia – you name it – all trying to tap into the financial dream.
I hardly heard a single English accent and when I did they were posh as hell.
The majority were massive cocks in my opinion, but then again, I s’pose I’m doing the same – sucking corporate cock for fat dollar. I like to think I had a life first tho’ – three years bumming round Europe and five years as a hack – and didn’t decide aged 8 that I would tailor my entire life in getting a City job.
Anyway, I learned a lot during the studies, and despite the tone of the entry, I really made an effort for. I understand the markets better and if I failed, I reckon I will get it in Christmas.
Played one session of poker since the exam when I was steaming drunk.
I have cashed out $5k – so still only playing the $50 tables, fired up four on Mansion, and tried to get the tables on tilt by typing “Drunk Jimmmmmyyyyyyy!!!!” (which is my name there) after winning any hand. Kept raising.
It kinda worked but being the target on all four tables was tough to manage. I was getting pissy too, and started abusing some Finnish bloke for being depressed. I promised to send him a lightbulb in the post to cheer him up when I beat him to one hand. Usual crap.
I had about $20 left on that table and announced I would raise all-in every hand and either double up or bust.
I did, again and again and again, and no-one had the balls to call. $20! Come on!
Anyone, the Finn finally called with 10s v my 74o and I donated my money.
His parting shot was “Don’t play bingo here” – I wanted to tell him how little $20 compared to what I have won…but left with my head held high :)
OK, thats's all folks!
I was studying for the CFA ((chartered financial analyst). It is most prestigious exam in the investment world but is an absolute nightmare.
Three levels, taking a minimum of 2.5 years, and a frightening 35% pass rate for Lvl 1 – the exam I took.
It is not actually uber-hard material wise, anyone with a decent brain can master the concepts, it is the volume of work that sucks.
Six big fat text books to plough through covering accounts, equity and bond analysis, economics, portfolio management, alternatives, corporate finance…the list goes on.
I basically attacked the thing all wrong – I decided back in Jan that I needed to take notes from the books, which I duly tried to do for the next four months.
I then discovered you could buy notes online for £50 which are very usable and they come with access to hundreds of past questions.
Taking notes is fine if you have time to learn them. I didn’t.
In the last week I ended up looking at two of the sections for the first time and ignored economics ‘cos I thought my A-level in it would get me by. (a mistake!)
It was a very strange exam day. Last Saturday at the Excel centre. And 8,000 people sitting the exam. Yep, 8,000!
I reckon about 75% were non-native English speakers. You have never seen a bigger conglomeration of geeks in your life. Maths geeks from China, India, Saudi, France, Russia – you name it – all trying to tap into the financial dream.
I hardly heard a single English accent and when I did they were posh as hell.
The majority were massive cocks in my opinion, but then again, I s’pose I’m doing the same – sucking corporate cock for fat dollar. I like to think I had a life first tho’ – three years bumming round Europe and five years as a hack – and didn’t decide aged 8 that I would tailor my entire life in getting a City job.
Anyway, I learned a lot during the studies, and despite the tone of the entry, I really made an effort for. I understand the markets better and if I failed, I reckon I will get it in Christmas.
Played one session of poker since the exam when I was steaming drunk.
I have cashed out $5k – so still only playing the $50 tables, fired up four on Mansion, and tried to get the tables on tilt by typing “Drunk Jimmmmmyyyyyyy!!!!” (which is my name there) after winning any hand. Kept raising.
It kinda worked but being the target on all four tables was tough to manage. I was getting pissy too, and started abusing some Finnish bloke for being depressed. I promised to send him a lightbulb in the post to cheer him up when I beat him to one hand. Usual crap.
I had about $20 left on that table and announced I would raise all-in every hand and either double up or bust.
I did, again and again and again, and no-one had the balls to call. $20! Come on!
Anyone, the Finn finally called with 10s v my 74o and I donated my money.
His parting shot was “Don’t play bingo here” – I wanted to tell him how little $20 compared to what I have won…but left with my head held high :)
OK, thats's all folks!
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