Funniest shit ever...

The edited transcript of Newcastle United's interim manager Joe Kinnear's first official press conference, taken from The Guardian:


Joe Kinnear Which one is Simon Bird [Daily Mirror's north-east football writer]?


Simon Bird Me.


JK You're a c**t.


SB Thank you.


JK Which one is Hickman [Niall, football writer for the Express]? You are out of order. Absolutely f**king out of order. If you do it again, I am telling you you can f**k off and go to another ground. I will not come and stand for that f**king crap. No f**king way, lies. F**k, you're saying I turned up and they [Newcastle's players] f**ked off.


SB No Joe, have you read it, it doesn't actually say that. Have you read it?


JK I've f**king read it, I've read it.


SB It doesn't say that. Have you read it?


JK You are trying to f**king undermine my position already.


SB Have you read it, it doesn't say that. I knew you knew they were having a day off.


JK F**k off. F**k off. It's your last f**king chance.


SB You read the copy? It doesn't say that you didn't know.


JK What about the headline, you think that's a good headline?


SB I didn't write the headline, you read the copy.


JK You are negative b**tards, the pair of you.


SB So if I get a new job next week would I take the first day off? No I wouldn't. If I get a new job should I call my boss and tell him I am taking the first day off?


JK It is none of your f**king business. What the f**k are you going to do? You ain't got the balls to be a f**king manager. F**king day off. Do I want your opinion. Do I have to listen to you?


SB No, you can listen to who you want.


JK I had a 24-hour meeting with the entire staff.


SB Joe, you are only here six weeks, you could have done that on Sunday, or Saturday night.


JK No, no, no. I didn't want to do it. I had some other things to do.


SB What? More important things?


JK What are you? My personal secretary? F**k off.


SB You could have done the meeting Saturday night or Sunday. You could have had them watching videos, you could have organised them.


JK I was meeting the f**king chairman the owner, everyone else. Talking about things.


SB It is a valid point that was made in there. A valid point.


JK I can't trust any of you.


Niall Hickman Joe, no one could believe that on your first day at your new club, the first-team players were not in. No one could believe it in town. Your first day in the office.


JK My first day was with the coaches. I made the decision that I wanted to get as much information out of them.


NH But why Monday, no one could believe it?


JK I'm not going to tell you anything. I don't understand where you are coming from. You are delighted that Newcastle are getting beat and are in the state they are? Delighted, are you?


NH Certainly not. No one wants to see them get beaten, why would we?


JK I have done it before. It is going to my f**king lawyers. So are about three others. If they can find something in it that is a court case it is going to court. I am not f**king about. I don't talk to f**king anybody. It is raking up stories. You are f**king so f**king slimy you are raking up players that I got rid of. Players that I had fallen out with. You are not asking Robbie Earle, because he is sensible. You are not asking Warren Barton? No. Because he is f**king sensible. Anyone who had played for me for 10 years at any level ... [but] you will find some c**t that ...


Other journalist How long is your contract for Joe?


JK None of your business.


SB Well it is actually, because we cover the club. The club say you are here to the end of October, then you say six to eight games which would take it to the end of November. We are trying to clarify these issues. We are getting no straight answers from anyone. How long are you here for. It is a dead simple question. And you don't know ...


JK I was told the length of contract. Then I was told that possibly the club could be sold in that time. That is as far as I know. That's it finished. I don't know anything else. But I have been ridiculed. He's trying to f**king hide, he's trying to do this or that.


There follows an exchange regarding the circumstances under which Kinnear had met the owner Mike Ashley and executive director (football) Dennis Wise.


Steve Brenner (football writer for the Sun) We are all grown men and can come in here and sit around and talk about football, but coming in here and calling people c**ts?


JK Why? Because I am annoyed. I am not accepting that. If it is libellous, it is going to where I want it to go.


Newcastle press officer What has been said in here is off the record and doesn't go outside.


Journalist Well, is that what Joe thinks?


JK Write what you like. Makes no difference to me. Don't affect me I assure you. It'll be the last time I see you anyway. Won't affect me. See how we go at Everton and Chrissy [Chris Hughton, assistant manager] can do it, someone else can do it. Don't trust any of yous. I will pick two local papers and speak to them and the rest can f**k off. I ain't coming up here to have the piss taken out of me. I have a million pages of crap that has been written about me. I'm ridiculed for no reason. I'm defenceless. I can't get a point in, I can't say nothing, I can't do nothing, but I ain't going to be negative. Then, half of you, most of you are trying to get into the players. I'm not going to tell you what the players think of you, so then you try and get into them in some way or another, so I've got a split camp or something like that, something like that. It's ongoing. It just doesn't stop.


Journalist It's only been a week.


JK Exactly. It feels more like a year.


Journalist It's early days for you to be like this.


JK No, I'm clearing the air. And this is the last time I'm going to speak to you. You want to know why, I'm telling you. This is the last time. You can do what you like.


Journalist But this isn't going to do you or us any good.


JK I'll speak to the supporters. I'm going to tell them what the story is. I'm going to tell them. I don't think they'll interpret it any different, I don't think they'll mix it up, I don't think they'll miss out things. I mean, one of them last week said to me ... I was talking about in that press conference where you were there, I said something like "Well, that's a load of bollocks ..."


Journalist "Bollocks to that" is what you said.


JK Bollocks to that. And what goes after that?


Journalist That was it.


JK No it wasn't, no it wasn't. What was after it? I don't know if it was your paper, but what went after it?


Journalist I don't know.


JK It even had the cheek to say "bollocks to Newcastle".


Journalist I didn't write that.


JK That was my first f**king day. What does that tell you? What does that tell you?


Journalist Where was that? Which paper said that?


JK I've got it. I can't remember. It was one of the Sundays, not a Saturday. It was a Sunday.


Journalist But you didn't say that to the Sundays, you said that to us. That was during the Monday press conference.


JK I'll bring it in and show it to you. Why would I want to say that?


Journalist Are you saying that someone has reported you saying "bollocks to Newcastle?"


JK Yes. Lovely.


Journalist I don't know who's reported that.


JK I'll tell you what, I'll bring it in.


Journalist That's obviously going to damage you. That's not a good thing. But I don't think someone's done that. We have to have some sort of relationship with you.


JK So have I. But I haven't come in here for you lot to take the piss out of me. And if I'm not flavour of the month for you, it don't f**king bother me. I've got a job to do. And I'm going to do it to the best of my ability. I'm not going to spend any more time listening to any crap or reading any crap. Stick to the truth and the facts. And don't twist anything.


Journalist You know, you know the game ...


JK Of course I know, but I don't have to like it.


Journalist Today we'll print the absolute truth, that you think we're c**ts, we can all f**k off and we're slimy. Is that fair enough?


JK Do it. Fine. F**king print it. Am I going to worry about it? Put in also that it'll be the last time I see you. Put that in as well. Good. Do it.

Much, much later after long discussions over whether Kinnear had promised Alan Shearer and Kevin Keegan would be returning to the club


Press officer Let's get on to football. Let's have an agreement that everything said so far, if anyone has got their tapes on, it's wiped off and we're not discussing it.


Journalist But that's what Joe has said he thinks of us.


Press officer I'm saying don't push it. Let's accept what's been said and try and move on.


Journalist: Move on to not doing any more press conferences?


PO: No, to doing something now.


Journalist: What, one press conference only?


(Silence)


Journalist: Any knocks?


PO: Come on, let's go football.


Journalist: What are your plans for training in the next three days? How's the training going?


JK It's going very well. No problems at all.


Journalist Enjoyed getting back in the swing of things?


JK Absolutely. I've loved every moment of it.

I suck at this game...

I have been playing poker for more than three years now and I can count the number of tourneys I've won on one hand.
I managed to take 2nd in a £2 Headhunter tourney just now, but couldn't take it down.
Even though I made £35, it still really, really fucks me off. I was heads up for an age against an average foe who limp called everything.
I had him all in with A7 against my 9s, he rivers a second 7, and then I went seriously card dead.
FUCK,FUCK,FUCK...second feels worse than bubbling.

Dropped $20 on $5 rebuy on Stars, made $60 playing last night on cash, lost it this morning.

Food now and hopefully a calmer Marky when I return.

Punting on shares

I have been playing poker only sporadically since my last post, mainly becuase work is frantic, the visit of friend for four days, a short break in Italy with my new girlfriend and studying for an exam.

When I have played it has been mostly successful and I've made about $200 piddling around on Stars on the low limit tables.

I have tho made a decent return on backing my employer. I doubled my £500 investment in two days on a share price spike and then banked the profit. Easy!
A bit dodgy but there was no inside information, and it was a genuine conviction call on my part - akin to calling an all-in with K9s in the BB against a known bluffer...:)

Checking my bankroll numbers and I think I may be up to $5,000 - which would be mighty fine. I will update them when I get the chance.

Mo' poker

Since my last post, I have spent four days in Italy, been saved in my job, started studying in earnest for an exam next week and still managed time to play a little poker.

Its all been on Stars, all peewee limits but mostly profitable.
Ten bucks here, twenty there...couldn't get anything going on the half-dozen tourneys/multi-table SNGs, but made a fair chunk playing $50 NL cash again.

Last night I four-tabled for two hours, clocking in 350 hands and made around $70 profit, spread evenly between all four tables.
On one, I made around $15 inside 10 mins after being dealt Ks, Js and As in quick succession.
On another I identified a calling station and an aggro-donk on another, reaping some more from them.

Other than that not much else to report. Loaded Party Poker, which has an all-new table software and layout. If they offered a deposit bonus I might be tempted to have another crack there.

As it is, I'll be sticking with short sessions on Stars until my exam is over next Thursday.

Another small score

Had supper, watched the progress of my employer, almost bet £500 on their shares, decided that was stupid, so decided to play so some small stakes SNG instead.
Busted out of the $3 45-man Turbo after my 5th and 3rd (it was third not fourth as I wrote in my last post) but had more success in the 180 $2 turbo, finishing 6th for a huge $18 score!
The luckiest hand was hilarious, in SB with no stack to speak of, call all-in with 75o, my flopped str8 beats AA and K10s no problem...

I've now made $75 pissing around on a few of these things and kept the stress levels well below tilt levels :)

Lets just hope i've got a job in the morning...

Mini SNGs

My multi-table tourneys/SNGs have been going well but made not much as the buy-ins have been so low.
I've been grabbing an hour here and there so can only really play 45-manners or turbo 180s.
Played two $3 + 40c 45 man SNGs and come 5th and 4th for HUGE cashes!
Also busted out of 2 $2 180-man turbos early and won a $26 token on Full Tilt.

What is focusing my attention is the trials of the stock markets which are utter madness right now and might mean me out of a job.

I've only been working in the City five months and then this happens - the chances of me getting another similar job are slim to none.

This may mean back to journalism - we shall see - I don't want to say which company I work for, in case I get in shit when they realise I'm a poker fiend - but suffice it to say, we are right in the firing line!!!

Decent Score

Tonight was a strange very strange night of poker.

It started off with one of those evenings when nothing whatsoever was happening. No double ups, no pocket pairs, no str8, no flushes...nothing.

On a full ring it is mighty hard to do much when nothing hits...either bluff a lot (which I do only sporadically) or watch yr roll dwindle.

I was three-tabling at Bodog, both $25 and $50 tables and can't remember the number of times I was forced to top up. I was pleased to be just $50 down.

At 8pm, I saw a tourney with a decentish overlay and decided to have a go. It was a $7 + 70c, $1,500 guaranteed. There were only 188 entrants so there was a $230 bonus put in by Bodog.

I played with two other cash tables open and played ABC poker to start with. I doubled early with Qs, then went back to even with Qs again against a short-stacked 9s.

I didn't get Aces once but hit TPTK to bust an aggressive foe, and kept busted smallstacks when I had them dominated. I remembered I could play tournies last Sat in the Pokerstars $10 run, and this time I made it count.

I busted a similar size stack with 10 8s, flopping two pr to my foes A10 TPTK and I was suddenly 2nd biggest stack with three tables left. It then went a bit wrong as I got too aggressive and got caught twice raising pre with 72o and a5s. Had to fold to pushes and I was suddenly back in the pack.

However, every time the chips went in I was favourite and luckily they were standing up.

One from the final table I had my first HUGE stroke of luck. Five left on my table and I'm third biggest, I rose in MP with 5s, my foe in the BB who I knew was aggressive, re-raised. It was either push or fold, I push, he calls with the powerhouse hand of 10 7s. A ten on the flop and I am suddenly small stack, a flush draw on the turn for him before a nice 2-outer 5 on the river.

So nice when it happens to me for a change.

The final table was very slow going and was being dominated by one very, very large stack who was raising pre every third hand.

My miracle 5 had put my back into the top five, with roughly the same size stacks as 2nd through 5th. I then went v v card dead and folded, folded, folded.

With seven left I had a premonition that i would make it to the last four against the three most aggressive foes.

I then had my second big break. I call a minimum raise from the BB with A7clubs. Four see the flop which is a beauty J63 two clubs. The SB (who just has me covered) immediately pushes, I call, two folds and he turns over j7 for top pair. Turn blank, river Ace for another big pot.

Soon we were four-handed, then three-handed and again the big stack, who had had a roller coaster ride but was still being very aggressive.

It was tight but I went card dead again and busted out with A5o v JKo, J on flop and IGHN.

The prize was $175, my first three figure win for some time and profit for the night.

More of the same please...but I'm gonna keep playing at least one tourney while playing cash from now on.

Bodogging

Despite the recent troubles at Bodog, I just logged off a decent $120 winning session.
I started playing the $25 tables due to lack of traffic when I logged on at the $50 tables, and decided to keep going after running good.
I doubled up a fair few times and suffered no bad beats, no busted big pairs, it all just came together.
Finally I'm in profit there with around $30 bonus money to come.
Is this the start of something? :)

Quiet August

It was a really quiet August for me poker-wise and I went more than two weeks without playing a single hand.
I returned to the felt on Saturday, entering two $10 +$1 tournaments on Pokerstars.
The first was a 2000 man donkfest, with a fair chunk of cash up for grabs.
I ran well and was in the top 300 for most of the tournie until we got down to 400 (300-odd cashed).
I flat called an early position raiser to my right with Qs, a short stack immediately to my left pushed, it folded round and the 1st position raiser also pushed.
I had both covered, went on my instinct and decided to call. Up against AK and JJ, so I was a favourite…just.
A king on the flop, and jack on the river sunk me.
Should I have called…it’s a tough one but in hindsight, I could and probably should have folded.
I was crippled with a pee wee stack but managed to double up twice and be left with a shot before my AQo couldn’t beat Ks and I busted 10 places from the money.
Very annoying.
I also had another pop at Tao of Poker’s $10 Omaha tourney but bubbled the final table.

Since then I have returned to Bodog grinding and after dropping $150 there from my original $500 deposit, I am back to even again.

Littlewood’s still haven’t sent me my Ipod but an email last week said it was coming.

I have another exam coming up so will continue to play sporadically but will keep updating. So keep checking back to see my progress.
I feel I am close to a big score. Its gonna come dammit!

As for the US Dollar – for all you UK players, the rally will definitely be helping your roll. I forecast $1.70 to $1.75 – as I write it is $1.77!!!
It has more to go but I am contemplating cashing out some of my roll for the first time in two years.

No poker, but some market views

The less said about the performance on the felt, the better at the moment.
Suffice it to say I have droped about $200 since I last updated, withdrawn most of my Pokerstars roll into my Neteller a/c and moved some of it into Bodog.

Why I'm updating is to talk a bit about the US dollar...

Ardent readers (!) may remember I talked about the US dollar strengthening versus sterling. Well its finally happening...£1.70 or £1.75 is not unreasonable.
This means if you can afford to keep your roll in dollars, do so.
It is £1.86 as I write (£2.02 when I made the prediction) and should continue to fall in the coming weeks. It has really come off this week and my $4500 roll is now worth around £2,400, meaning I've made £150+ by doing nothing.

My currency forecast has proved far more accurate than my share tip - Partygaming - which I sold a couple of months back, booking a 15% loss. It has since tanked further.

Bye for now.

Back from my hols

After a week in France and a hectic weekend at the Big Chill losing my mind, I logged on again tonight.
Went back to Stars and managed to win over $100 four-tabling the $50 NL tables in 90 mins.
I was about to log off about $20 up when I went on a mini-rush with this hand doing me very nicely indeed...

PokerStars Game #19412975593: Hold'em No Limit ($0.25/$0.50) - 2008/08/06 - 17:43:29 (ET)
Table 'Kale V' 9-max Seat #3 is the button
Seat 1: QuanticFive ($61.80 in chips)
Seat 2: royaldd ($48.50 in chips)
Seat 3: Ernestoxl ($45 in chips)
Seat 4: habfan123 ($29.50 in chips)
Seat 5: [M69] ($48.25 in chips)
Seat 6: RicoJay13 ($49.75 in chips)
Seat 7: Spy_Lord ($67.35 in chips)
Seat 8: fila1051 ($36.10 in chips)
Seat 9: retrofatgaz ($50.85 in chips)
habfan123: posts small blind $0.25
[M69]: posts big blind $0.50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to QuanticFive [9s As]
Three folds
retrofatgaz: calls $0.50
QuanticFive: calls $0.50
royaldd: calls $0.50
habfan123: calls $0.25
[M69]: checks
*** FLOP *** [5s Qs 2s]
retrofatgaz said, "nice king fila"
habfan123: bets $2
[M69]: folds
retrofatgaz: raises $2 to $4
QuanticFive: raises $10 to $14
royaldd: folds
habfan123: folds
retrofatgaz: raises $36.35 to $50.35 and is all-in
QuanticFive: calls $36.35
*** TURN *** [5s Qs 2s] [3s]
*** RIVER *** [5s Qs 2s 3s] [Ah]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
retrofatgaz: shows [Js 4s] (a flush, Queen high)
QuanticFive: shows [9s As] (a flush, Ace high)
QuanticFive collected $102.20 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $105.20 | Rake $3

A couple of $25 pots boosted my winrate further. I can't be bothered to run them through Poker-tracker but it was pretty easy to spot who to go for.
I tried to be a little more aggressive against certain foes which worked and meant I could keep my stacks at $50 without constantly having to reload.

Work today was a massive shock and the markets remain unfathomable. However, all the doom and gloom is totally misplaced and the world will sort itself out.

As a former hack of eight years, I know for a fact that a editor of one national got his staff to queue outside a Northern Rock branch for his front page pick. The next day, as if by magic, real customers begun queueing.
Now the tabloids bang on about the credit crunch without really understanding what it means.

My next poker-stop will probably be Bodog again...

Finally

After what seems like years, I have finally cleared 1000MPPs on Littlewoods to win a £140 Ipod. It cost me about £10 and several hours of my life to win it but its mine!

My roll there is a feeble £190, inc. rakeback, after a roller coaster ride on the lower limit tables there. There were very higlights, very few double-ups, just grind, grind, grind. With so few tables going it is very easy to work out the regulars, and for them to work out me!
Most of the losses came on the Omaha H/L tables where I must be down around $200 - but it cleared many more MPPs than the Hold'em tables, where I was up.

I went deep in one tourney, a $5 Headhunter with around 500 foes. I busted 21st for a mini-$25 win...

Not sure what next as my roll has stagnated while I was doing this Ipod challenge.

I shall take stock when I get back from my holidays which start tomorrow! France and then the Big Chill festival.

So long for now, back in the land of the living in ten days when I shall update again - promise!

A winning night!

Yes kids, that's right, I won a whopping $100 tonight. I was four-tabling on Stars, to try and get some practice in.
The Littlewoods Ipod bonus still needs to be cleared but I've been dying on that site. The traffic there is simply not good enough but I need another 200 MPPs to qualify for the ipod so I'm stuck there for the moment.

Anyway here is how I won some of the money...

PokerStars Game #18655548622: Hold'em No Limit ($0.25/$0.50) - 2008/07/07 - 17:59:26 (ET)
Table 'Erna V' 9-max Seat #7 is the button
Seat 1: tex0101 ($54.55 in chips)
Seat 3: QuanticFive ($47.60 in chips)
Seat 5: cee23 ($27 in chips)
Seat 6: DravenG ($14.60 in chips)
Seat 7: bec-n-ron ($47.25 in chips)
Seat 8: joforest ($28.25 in chips)
Seat 9: ihwtl ($30.75 in chips)
joforest: posts small blind $0.25
ihwtl: posts big blind $0.50
FlyingDutchE: sits out
funkyworms: sits out
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to QuanticFive [Ks Kc]
tex0101: calls $0.50
QuanticFive: raises $1.50 to $2
tex0101: calls $1.50
*** FLOP *** [Th 3d 7d]
tex0101: bets $1.50
QuanticFive: raises $3 to $4.50
tex0101: calls $3
*** TURN *** [Th 3d 7d] [6c]
tex0101: bets $2
QuanticFive: raises $6 to $8
tex0101: calls $6
*** RIVER *** [Th 3d 7d 6c] [Ah]
tex0101: bets $5
QuanticFive: calls $5
*** SHOW DOWN ***
tex0101: shows [9h 3h] (a pair of Threes)
QuanticFive: shows [Ks Kc] (a pair of Kings)
QuanticFive collected $37.85 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $39.75 | Rake $1.90
Board [Th 3d 7d 6c Ah]
Seat 1: tex0101 showed [9h 3h] and lost with a pair of Threes
Seat 3: QuanticFive showed [Ks Kc] and won ($37.85) with a pair of Kings

Then two hands later...

PokerStars Game #18655583782: Hold'em No Limit ($0.25/$0.50) - 2008/07/07 - 18:00:58 (ET)
Table 'Erna V' 9-max Seat #9 is the button
Seat 3: QuanticFive ($65.95 in chips)
Seat 4: funkyworms ($10 in chips)
Seat 5: cee23 ($50 in chips)
Seat 6: DravenG ($14.60 in chips)
Seat 7: bec-n-ron ($46.75 in chips)
Seat 8: joforest ($29.25 in chips)
Seat 9: ihwtl ($30 in chips)
FlyingDutchE will be allowed to play after the button
QuanticFive: posts small blind $0.25
funkyworms: posts big blind $0.50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to QuanticFive [Jd Js]
cee23: raises $1.50 to $2
QuanticFive: calls $1.75
*** FLOP *** [8c Jc 9s]
QuanticFive: checks
cee23: bets $3
QuanticFive: raises $3 to $6
cee23: calls $3
*** TURN *** [8c Jc 9s] [7s]
QuanticFive: bets $10.50
cee23: calls $10.50
*** RIVER *** [8c Jc 9s 7s] [9d]
QuanticFive: bets $38
cee23: calls $31.50 and is all-in
Uncalled bet ($6.50) returned to QuanticFive
*** SHOW DOWN ***
QuanticFive: shows [Jd Js] (a full house, Jacks full of Nines)
cee23: mucks hand
QuanticFive collected $97.50 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $100.50 | Rake $3
Board [8c Jc 9s 7s 9d]
Seat 3: QuanticFive (small blind) showed [Jd Js] and won ($97.50) with a full house, Jacks full of Nines
Seat 5: cee23 mucked [Kh Kc]

My first double in fucking ages. I have put so many people in and they keep folding, finally I found someone who was married to his cards.

July update

I've finally updated my roll stats which make very sorry reading.
Down $400 over the past two months and feel I'm going nowhere fast.
The following hand is a good example of what is happening to me, just can't win any key hands or build any sort of stack in tourneys.

Game #6055334903: HeadHunter $1.5K GTD (ID7618764) $5+$0.50 - Hold'em NL (25/50) - 2008/07/07 - 18:11:03 (UK)
Table "7618764 - 12" Seat 8 is the button.
Seat 1: DonV (1375 in chips)
Seat 2: Jgl2367 (1920 in chips)
Seat 3: Garya2007 (5105 in chips)
Seat 4: Quantic5 (1575 in chips)
Seat 5: holdon123 (4260 in chips)
Seat 6: Dragen (1125 in chips)
Seat 7: And251197 (1295 in chips)
Seat 8: Dden78 (4215 in chips)
Seat 9: Nicky38 (2180 in chips)
Seat 10: Bighuck (1000 in chips)
Nicky38: posts small blind 25
Bighuck: posts big blind 50
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to Quantic5 [3d 3c]
DonV: folds
DonV sits out
Jgl2367: folds
Garya2007: calls 50
Quantic5: calls 50
holdon123: calls 50
Dragen: calls 50
And251197: folds
Dden78: calls 50
Nicky38: calls 25
DonV sits back
Bighuck: checks
----- FLOP ----- [9h 5s 3h]
Nicky38: checks
Bighuck: bets 250
Garya2007: folds
Quantic5: raises to 1200
holdon123: folds
Dragen: is all-in 1075
Dden78: folds
Dden78 sits out
Nicky38: folds
Bighuck: is all-in 700
Returned uncalled bets 125 to Quantic5
----- TURN ----- [9h 5s 3h][Kd]
----- RIVER ----- [9h 5s 3h Kd][5c]
Dden78 sits back
----- SHOW DOWN -----
Quantic5: shows [3d 3c] (A Full House, Threes full of Fives)
Dragen: shows [7s 9s] (Two Pairs, Nines and Fives, King high)
Bighuck: shows [5h 9c] (A Full House, Fives full of Nines)
Quantic5 collected 250 from Side pot #1
Bighuck collected 3200 from Main pot
----- SUMMARY -----
Total pot 3450 Main pot 3200 Side pot #1 250 | Rake 0
Board [9h 5s 3h Kd 5c]
Seat 2: Jgl2367 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: Quantic5 showed [3d 3c] and won (250) with A Full House, Threes full of Fives
Seat 10: Bighuck (big blind) showed [5h 9c] and won (3200) with A Full House, Fives full of Nines

Basically lost to a three-outer this time.
This blog is turning into a moan-fest but unfortunately I don't have that much positive to write about.

I took the first part of my Investment Management Certificate this afteroon and I think I passed. 51 questions, 65% to 70% pass mark allows me 15 questions wrong. It was close but I think I made it.
Part 2 is much much more work, but I'm going to have a break from study for a while.

My work is really good at the mo, although the markets are doing terribly.

Hopefully next time I post it will more positive on the poker front.

More pain

Game #6030193583: Hold'em NL ($0.25/$0.50) - 2008/07/05 - 10:10:49 (UK)
Table "Partita" Seat 4 is the button.
Seat 1: Taalari ($47.50 in chips)
Seat 2: Quantic5 ($48.75 in chips)
Seat 3: memohb ($58.05 in chips)
Seat 4: W0TAN ($6.40 in chips)
Seat 5: demid ($18.28 in chips)
Seat 6: Jooper ($21.15 in chips)
Seat 7: Widowm ($50.49 in chips)
Seat 8: torpapa ($46.90 in chips)
Seat 9: 1860 ($47.25 in chips)
Seat 10: paxis ($49.50 in chips)
demid: posts small blind $0.25
Jooper: posts big blind $0.50
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to Quantic5 [7c 9c]
Widowm: folds
torpapa: folds
1860: folds
paxis: folds
Taalari: folds
Quantic5: raises to $1.50
memohb: folds
W0TAN: folds
demid: folds
Jooper: raises to $3
Quantic5: calls $1.50
----- FLOP ----- [8c 9s 7s]
Jooper: bets $2
Quantic5: raises to $8.50
Jooper: raises to $18.15 and is all-in
Quantic5: calls $9.65
----- TURN ----- [8c 9s 7s][8h]
----- RIVER ----- [8c 9s 7s 8h][2d]
----- SHOW DOWN -----
Jooper: shows [Kc Ks] (Two Pairs, Kings and Eights, Nine high)
Quantic5: shows [7c 9c] (Two Pairs, Nines and Eights, Seven high)
Jooper collected $40.45 from Main pot
----- SUMMARY -----
Total pot $42.55 Main pot $40.45 Rake $2.10
Board [8c 9s 7s 8h 2d]
Seat 2: Quantic5 showed [7c 9c] and lost with Two Pairs, Nines and Eights, Seven high
Seat 6: Jooper (big blind) showed [Kc Ks] and won ($40.45) with Two Pairs, Kings and Eights, Nine high

Game #6030212513: Hold'em NL ($0.25/$0.50) - 2008/07/05 - 10:24:58 (UK)
Table "Kapelle" Seat 6 is the button.
Seat 1: Omtatsat ($13.25 in chips)
Seat 2: torpapa ($97.85 in chips)
Seat 5: Quantic5 ($49.25 in chips)
Seat 6: Taalari ($45.70 in chips)
Seat 9: BigBulls ($161.87 in chips)
Seat 10: W0TAN ($14.20 in chips)
BigBulls: posts small blind $0.25
W0TAN: posts big blind $0.50
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to Quantic5 [Qs Ks]
BrutePoke joins the table at seat #3
Omtatsat: folds
torpapa: folds
Quantic5: raises to $1.50
Taalari: folds
BigBulls: calls $1.25
W0TAN: folds
----- FLOP ----- [3d 4d Qh]
BigBulls: checks
Quantic5: bets $2
BigBulls: raises to $4
Quantic5: raises to $8
BigBulls: calls $4
----- TURN ----- [3d 4d Qh][7c]
BigBulls: checks
Quantic5: bets $8
BigBulls: calls $8
----- RIVER ----- [3d 4d Qh 7c][As]
BigBulls: checks
Quantic5: checks
----- SHOW DOWN -----
BigBulls: shows [Qc Ah] (Two Pairs, Aces and Queens, Seven high)
Quantic5: mucks hand [Qs Ks]
BigBulls collected $33.75 from Main pot
----- SUMMARY -----
Total pot $35.50 Main pot $33.75 Rake $1.75
Board [3d 4d Qh 7c As]
Seat 5: Quantic5 mucked [Qs Ks]
#Seat 9: BigBulls (small blind) showed [Qc Ah] and won ($33.75) with Two Pairs, Aces and Queens, Seven high

Bad session

Running bad at mo...

PokerStars Game #18511543111: Hold'em No Limit ($0.25/$0.50) - 2008/07/01 - 15:11:26 (ET)
Table 'Luna V' 9-max Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: QuanticFive ($50 in chips)
Seat 2: Lorenzo6tr ($49.35 in chips)
Seat 3: alty88 ($142.30 in chips)
Seat 4: kayzai_86 ($14.25 in chips)
Seat 5: Pastafarian1 ($20.70 in chips)
Seat 6: rssoul20 ($40.40 in chips)
Seat 7: Dummkobb ($54.95 in chips)
Seat 8: jozsef75 ($7 in chips)
Seat 9: BaggieBoyyy ($9.50 in chips)
Lorenzo6tr: posts small blind $0.25
alty88: posts big blind $0.50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to QuanticFive [Ah Kh]
kayzai_86: calls $0.50
Pastafarian1: folds
rssoul20: folds
Dummkobb: folds
jozsef75: folds
BaggieBoyyy: folds
QuanticFive: raises $1.50 to $2
Lorenzo6tr: folds
alty88: raises $5 to $7
kayzai_86: folds
QuanticFive: calls $5
*** FLOP *** [8d Qc 9h]
alty88: bets $8
QuanticFive: calls $8
*** TURN *** [8d Qc 9h] [Ks]
alty88: bets $40
QuanticFive: calls $35 and is all-in
Uncalled bet ($5) returned to alty88
*** RIVER *** [8d Qc 9h Ks] [Jh]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
alty88: shows [Jc Jd] (three of a kind, Jacks)
QuanticFive: mucks hand
alty88 collected $97.75 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $100.75 | Rake $3
Board [8d Qc 9h Ks Jh]
Seat 1: QuanticFive (button) mucked [Ah Kh]
Seat 2: Lorenzo6tr (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 3: alty88 (big blind) showed [Jc Jd] and won ($97.75) with three of a kind, Jacks

I'm gonna have a go at Bodog again - it was the last site I managed to win on.

Rant

Poker is a very, very annoying game.
I cannot win shit at the moment, and am wondering how I made $5000 at this game.
Every all in tourneys I'm in, I lose.
Today I busted AK v KQ, all in pre; AA v J5 all in pre (!); 24 v AJ (flop 24A) - all-in, turn J.
I can't remember the last cash I've had in a tourney.

On Littlewoods, I managed to get to 350 points and release a £50 bonus but unfortunately this has gotten me to break even only as I'm down, mainly on Omaha H/L cash games which I seem to suck at.

I'm starting to get pissed off with Littlewoods as there are simply no games going. There are always loads of half buy-in tightees who limp As and AKs cos they're pussies.

I very much doubt I will make it to 1000MPPs by the end of July, let alone 2000.

I hate Stars, but at least there's games going and people aren't playing sss tight poker all the time.

Rant over

Profit at last

I have finally broken into the black on Littlewoods with some truly amazing play...
OK, actually two pushes with AA2x, double suited on the Omaha H/L tables that stood up.
These two hands netted me $50 and I've won and lost a £5 Double Yr Money SNG since then. My loss came when I busted with Ks v Qs, all-in pre...it had to happen sometime.
I'm still a long way from my Ipod - a Touch if I reach 1000MPPs by end of July and Classic for 2000MPPs.
I have a grand total of 200 so far!
More grinding needed me thinks

Weekend on Littlewoods

I spent a good few hours grinding on Littlewoods. I signed up through RaketheRake and if I manage to reach 2,000 MPPs I get an Ipod, £350 bonus and rake of 30%. Not a bad return.

I have to do this by the end of July, which will involve many hours but I think its doable. I deposited $400, roughly £200 and currently stand on...£200!

The positives have been decent wins on full-ring Holdem cash games. I'm also four for four on the £5 double yr money SNGs, which pay 5 out of 10 players. V V easy with some terrible players.

Where I've lost it is the 50c/$1 Omaha H/L tables, which rack up the MPPs the fastest but are dangerous as hell.

I also tried the Tao of Poker's Omaha blogger tourney on Stars but crashed out 28th out of 32. Not a very impressive debut!

A break but I'm back

Its been a while...
The reason for no posts is because I have been playing very, very little poker.
A few low buy-in SNGs on Stars, and a bit of cash games on Mansion is all I've been able to muster in the past two weeks.
Grand Theft Auto is one reason - I've played a lot and am still only half-way through - but I'm also studying for an exam at the end of the month.
If I'm serious about my new job I have a lot of exams to take. I'm currently studying for the IMC, which is two parts and is reasonably easy.
But there is this thing called the CFA which takes three years and is very, very, very hard.
My academic record is such - shit A levels, a degree from the Mickey Mouse School of Disney Studies - that I may be forced to go for it just to get to the next level. Call it building a bankroll, if you like, so that I have a shot at working for an investment bank, where life is very sweet indeed.

I'm out now in Clapham to see a friend off, who has taken a job in Hong Kong, but I have no other plans for the weekend so you may find me on the tables.
I've just signed up to Littlewoods poker, who are offering an free Ipod to gimps like me who can grind for five hours playing $100 cash games.

All Quiet on the Western Front

Until yesterday I had literally played zero hands of poker last week.
The reason: Grand Theft Auto IV - a beast of a game.
Yesterday I pissed around with the Omaha $3 SNGs again, taking a 1st and two 2nds in five attempts, but lost the small profit playing some HORSE.

As for my currency predictions - I'm still very confident of a dollar rebound, which is becoming the consensus view. One report by Morgan Stanley suggested the dollar was 15% overvalued versus the pound - pointing to at least $1.75. It may not get there until the end of the year but if you can hold on it beats any interest rate you'll get in a bank account.

Gonna play a bit of poker now so wish me luck!

Three tourneys, one cash

No cash games this weekend, but I had a go at three different tourneys today.
I busted just out of the money on the same Omaha H/L tourney I played last week. It was bad play by me when I misread a hand that prompted my demise.
I also busted out of a $10 + $1 NL Holdem tourney less than an hour in.
The cash was a fifth in a $10 + $1 90 man SNG on Full tilt, I got $55 and a few more for busting a couple of fishees.

Dollar

Currency predictions are very, very difficult. When I was a journalist it was pretty easy to find one economist to forecasting the pound would rise versus the dollar and another to say the polar opposite.

However, if I was a betting man, and I am, I would predict a stronger dollar than the pound on a 12-month view.

Maybe $1.50 is a bit ambitious; but I will definitely exchange some of my roll at $1.70. We stand at $1.95 today, down from a high of $2.10 late last year.

Reasons: first up the pound is overvalued – this is a consensus view. The Economist magazine created the Big Mac index, which measures the price of McDonald's famous burger in various countries. A bizarre concept but it is a measure that has gained some traction.

A Big Mac in the euro zone cost $4.17 in the UK vs. $3.41 in the US (this is back in July when the index was last updated).

Second, the main driver of currencies are interest rates. Where do the big financial institutions park their cash? Where interest rates are highest.

Interest rates in the UK are currently higher than in the US – BUT expectations are that interest rates will need to come down more in the UK than in the US. Our economy is in the mire, and growth stagnating, the market expectation is for interest rate cuts at some point to stimulate growth.

Against this the US is near the bottom of its rate-cutting cycle and the expectation is for one, max two more cuts.

Ok, I’m ignoring inflation pressures but this is just a blog after all and it is all very complicated.

Suffice it say I have been happy to keep my poker money in dollars on Neteller and various other sites, losing the potential for interest. This is partly for bankroll reasons but also as I feel the pound is too strong and had to come back.

Break

I think I need a break from poker.
Just dropped $150 bluffing like hell on Mansion in less than 45 mins, some of the calls people made on me were crazy but still...

My job is gambling - I'm basically spending every day working out how to make money from the markets - Are commodities in a bubble? Is energy a good bet? Can Japan come good this year? Will China rebound? The dollar or sterling?
Is this affecting my poker play? Not really, I'm drunk and need some food but it makes gambling when I come home every evening less appealing.

I'm addicted to this game so I'm sure I will carry on playing, but I'm worried about blowing through my stack on a whim.
My roll is in dollars and I think the dollar is set for a rebound. Some currency experts are forecasting it may get to $1.50. If it does I may consider withdrawing some of it.

Get over it

That's what I keep telling myself - but I'm still mighty annoyed about the bust in the tourney on Sat.
I basically threw away my chips when my foe made it obvious he had hit a set. For over three hours I was able to fold, but not at the crucial moment when the tourney was up for grabs.
Psyhcologically if you are slowly chipping up you feel in control but I started losing a few chips just before the final table and this sent me on mini-tilt. Not enough to throw me off my game but too eager to push all-in to try and win tem back.
When we made the final three I was shortie with 40k against my foes 80k and 100k, but with the blinds at 2,4k I had more than enough to play a few hands.
O well next time...

Didn't make the top 100 in the Planets challenge again, 400 points this time. I'm sure I'll try again soon when I know I have an easy week workwise coming up.

3rd sucks

Just finished an $5 Omaha H/L tourney in 3rd...
Good score but I was in the top two the entire tourney right up until the end.



I tripled up on the very first hand and basically limped A LOT, nabbed lots of pots and folded to any strength. For the first two hours the deck was hitting me in the face and I just chipped up and up.
I was only worried about one foe late on - who unfortunately was sitting to my left - and had worked out what I was up to.

During the week I haven't played much cash but pissed around with the $3 Omaha H/L games in an attempt to get on the Planets leaderboard again. I have one game left and need to come first or second to get a middling position.

Dropping $55

Sometimes the poker gods go against you...
I lost $100 on one table but got half of that back on the other three tables.
The two hands which killed me were AA v QQ - all-in pre-flop, foe spikes a Q and then set under set, my 555 v his KKK.
I managed to control the tilt, which I take as a plus, but still mighty galling.

Four-table grinding

Been putting in the hours this weekend, mainly on Mansion Poker.

My sessions over the last two days read like this:

2 hrs 17 mins, +$175.44, 392 hands

1 hr, -$43.25, 233 hands

1 hr 28 mins, +$74.75, 337 hands

1 hr 37 mins, -$50.05, 401 hands

53 mins, +$44.35, 99 hands

27 mins, +$4.70, 105 hands

So, around 1500 hands for a profit $200, or 13BB/100 hands which I'm very pleased with. Mansion is 90% Scandinavian and there are some super aggressive players. Even on ten-man tables there are certain players who play position very well and seem to chip up consistently.

The only way to play them is to put them to the test, as they are often playing with air.

He's a hand when I caught one out - I had played him before and knew he was very aggressive.

Hand P4-66930145-289, Started at 04/05/2008 20:40 (EDT)
Table 'Steyr': $1-$1 No Limit HE (Real)
Seat 0: Triglycenide ($220.05 in chips)
Seat 1: GiveUsATwirl ($100 in chips)
Seat 2: dvorn3k ($97.30 in chips)
Seat 3: Haieral ($99.80 in chips)
Seat 4: litemyfire25 ($139.70 in chips)
Seat 5: chiquili4 ($100 in chips)
Seat 6: SillySal x ($142.40 in chips)  (on the button)
Seat 7: GiveMeDolars ($102 in chips)
Seat 8: RIZLA POKER ($17 in chips)
*** Blind Bet Round *** :
GiveMeDolars : Post Blind ($0.50)
RIZLA POKER : Post Blind ($1)
GiveUsATwirl : Post Blind ($1)
Dealt to GiveUsATwirl: [ 6s. 8s]
*** Pre-Flop *** :
GiveUsATwirl : Check
SillySal x : Bet ($3)
GiveMeDolars : Call ($2.50)
GiveUsATwirl : Call ($2)
*** Flop *** : 2s Ks 9h (Flush draw)
GiveMeDolars : Check
GiveUsATwirl : Bet ($3)
SillySal x : Raise ($15) - Don't believe you

GiveMeDolars : Fold
GiveUsATwirl : Raise ($35)
SillySal x : Fold
*** SUMMARY ***
Pot: $61 | Rake: $2
Board: [ 2s Ks 9h ]
Triglycenide lost $0
GiveUsATwirl bet $41, collected $61, net $20

I also played three tournies on Stars and Full Tilt, I cashed in all three but didn't break the bank.

The first was a 10FPP $500 which attracted thousands, I basically folded/pushed my way to a 0.15c payout. Wooot!

I also reached the final table of $3, 90 man SNG on Full Tilt. 5th place. My Ks couldn't beat AQo.

And finally, I made it to 250th in a $5 tournie on Stars with 2500 entrants. I was card dead for the first hour like I've never been before, no prs and my best hand was A9s in 70 hands. I basically nursed my short stack into the money, winning about $15 for my trouble.

I'm also having another crack at the Battle of the Planets thing on Stars. Will update about that when I'm done, don't want to tempt fate!

Hello again!

After my blackjack woes of last weekend, I didn't play any poker until last night. The break did me good.

During the break I decided to play the $100 tables again.

Last nighy on Pokerstars, I managed to win $60 four-tabling on two $50 and two $100.

This morning I logged on to Mansion Poker and begun four-tabling the $100 tables.

One table in particular, an eight-man table was soooooo loose. If only foes could be this bad all the time.

TEXAS_HOLDEM, NO_LIMIT, P4-66808153-163

Seat 1: skriver2000 ($39 in chips)

Seat 2: tsekke ($29.25 in chips)

Seat 3: giuse75 ($70.55 in chips)

Seat 6: lucabrasi73 ($235.85 in chips)

Seat 7: geronimo62x ($82.85 in chips)

Seat 8: GiveUsATwirl ($143.45 in chips) - THIS IS ME ON MANSION

Seat 9: riela ($105.45 in chips)

Seat 10: orpedo ($153.95 in chips)

ANTES/BLINDS
orpedo posts blind ($0.50), skriver2000 posts blind ($1).

PRE-FLOP
tsekke calls $1, giuse75 bets $5, (I'd seen him do this with ATC including K7s and Q3s)

lucabrasi73 calls $5, geronimo62x folds, GiveUsATwirl calls $5 with [ QH,KD ], three fold, tsekke calls $4.

Four way action

FLOP [board cards: JD,QC,TD ]
tsekke checks, giuse75 bets $5, lucabrasi73 bets $19, GiveUsATwirl calls $19, tsekke folds, giuse75 calls $14.

 

TURN [board cards: JD,QC,TD,AH ] - O yes...
giuse75 checks, lucabrasi73 checks, GiveUsATwirl bets $30, giuse75 bets $46.55 and is all-in, lucabrasi73 calls $46.55, GiveUsATwirl calls $16.55.

RIVER [board cards: JD,QC,TD,AH,2C ]
lucabrasi73 checks, GiveUsATwirl bets $30, lucabrasi73 calls $30.

SHOWDOWN
GiveUsATwirl shows [ QH,KD ]
giuse75 mucks cards [ JS,TS ]
lucabrasi73 mucks cards [ JH,TH ]
GiveUsATwirl wins $60, GiveUsATwirl wins $215.15.

I wasn't folding top pr and an open-ended str8 draw against these two. Lucabrasi was sitting on a huge stack through luck rather than any poker skill and giuse literally couldn't check.

This hand makes me feel a lot better about poker!

TILT!

I just blew my entire Party Poker stack playing Blackjack.
What a tit...I was set on tilt on the poker tables, when I lost arond $60 in ten minutes. Why this set me on tilt I don't know...boredom, tiredness, frustration. I then busted out of the Bloggerment in 9th, fired up a blackjack table and blew $400 in half an hour.
I think I need a break from gambling for a while.

Partying

After struggling to make any headway on Stars I made the switch to Party Poker after cashing out a couple of months back.

The site was offering a $75 bonus which could be cashed out only after racking up 900 standard points within 14 days - no easy feat. They are also offering a 15% re-deposit bonus to run alongside this.

I deposited $200 to add to the $75 and started four-tabling $50 NL. It felt good to be back. The standard of play is a couple of notches below Stars IMO. The site is populated by mainly Canadian, British, German, Dutch, French, Russian and Scandinavian players.

There are a lot of short-stack tighties who deposit $10 bucks, wait for As and push. I've no idea why they bother - if their bankroll is that small they should be building at lower levels. The size of their stacks and their tightness mean that there is very little value calling their big pre-flop raises.

Thankfully there are some clueless newbies to play with thanks to Party's concerted advertising efforts across the continent.

I didn't break the bank but ended two longish sessions up $130. I shall stick with Party for the next couple of weeks; would be nice to get to $5k before the month is up.

Back to winning ways

No big wins but I took down a $3 45-man tourney this afternoon. I was two-tabling $100 NL on Stars when I started to play.
The cash games were pretty even, I lost a medium-sized pot with Ks v 7s when he spiked a 7 on the river but eeked it back.
The SNG was one of those games when everything went for me. I was last with 16 players remaining and got hands when I needed them. I knocked out the third placed player with K4s v his Ks with a flush. He rightly called me donk.
Heads up play took a while, I was up, even then down on chips before I took a stand with 8s v his Ako and I flopped a set.
Then my second pair was good enough to beat his opened ended str8 draw with two overs.
Its good to know I can still win multi-table SNGs...
No other play this week as I'm making an effort with work - its my first week after all!

Losing again and Presto

I'm struggling to get out of second gear on Pokerstars and am feeding the tight little fishes.
Eeked another $20 which is not much really but I played more than 400 hands - I couldn't hit shit.
Here are a couple of Presto hands (55), one which I lost and one which I won...

PokerStars Game #16889215165: Hold'em Pot Limit ($0.25/$0.50) - 2008/04/21 - 11:25:27 (ET)
Table 'Telamon III' 9-max Seat #4 is the button

Nine-handed

Seat 1: Bonpapa ($51.15 in chips)
Seat 2: THABANA ($32.30 in chips)
Seat 3: QuanticFive ($70 in chips)
Seat 4: Sfida ($4.85 in chips)
Seat 5: MIConfire ($116.45 in chips)
Seat 6: BlGGIESMALLS ($50.20 in chips)
Seat 7: magic_maniac ($49.25 in chips)
Seat 9: kbeefmeister ($21.65 in chips)
MIConfire: posts small blind $0.25
BlGGIESMALLS: posts big blind $0.50

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to QuanticFive [As Kc]
slythefly: folds
magic_maniac: calls $0.50
kbeefmeister: calls $0.50
Bonpapa: folds
THABANA: folds
QuanticFive: raises $1.50 to $2
Sfida: calls $2
MIConfire: folds
BlGGIESMALLS: folds
magic_maniac: calls $1.50
kbeefmeister: folds

*** FLOP *** [5c Ks Ac]
magic_maniac: checks
QuanticFive: bets $3
Sfida: calls $2.85 and is all-in
magic_maniac: calls $3

*** TURN *** [5c Ks Ac] [6d]
magic_maniac: checks
QuanticFive: bets $8
magic_maniac: raises $8 to $16
QuanticFive: calls $8

*** RIVER *** [5c Ks Ac 6d] [6c]
magic_maniac: bets $20
QuanticFive said, "set?"
QuanticFive: calls $20 (AGAINST A $50 TIGHTEE THIS IS A VERY BAD CALL...)

*** SHOW DOWN ***
magic_maniac: shows [5s 5d] (a full house, Fives full of Sixes)
QuanticFive: mucks hand
magic_maniac collected $70.05 from side pot
Sfida: mucks hand
magic_maniac collected $15.05 from main pot

Five hands later...

PokerStars Game #16889289368: Hold'em Pot Limit ($0.25/$0.50) - 2008/04/21 - 11:30:12 (ET)
Table 'Telamon III' 9-max Seat #9 is the button
Seat 1: Bonpapa ($51.65 in chips)
Seat 2: THABANA ($32.30 in chips)
Seat 3: QuanticFive ($50 in chips)
Seat 7: slythefly ($49.25 in chips)
Seat 8: magic_maniac ($92.60 in chips)
Seat 9: kbeefmeister ($19.60 in chips)
Bonpapa: posts small blind $0.25
THABANA: posts big blind $0.50
m0rFi: sits out
seems2easy: sits out

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to QuanticFive [5h 5d] - NOW I HAVE PRESTO...
QuanticFive: calls $0.50
slythefly: folds
magic_maniac: folds
kbeefmeister: calls $0.50
Bonpapa: calls $0.25
THABANA: checks

*** FLOP *** [5s 9c 4s]
m0rFi leaves the table
Bonpapa: checks
THABANA: bets $1.50
QuanticFive: calls $1.50
kbeefmeister: folds
Bonpapa: folds

*** TURN *** [5s 9c 4s] [Ah]
THABANA: bets $2.50
QuanticFive: raises $5 to $7.50
THABANA: raises $19.80 to $27.30
QuanticFive: raises $19.80 to $47.10
THABANA: calls $3 and is all-in

*** RIVER *** [5s 9c 4s Ah] [3d]

*** SHOW DOWN ***
THABANA: shows [Ad 9s] (two pair, Aces and Nines)
QuanticFive: shows [5h 5d] (three of a kind, Fives)
QuanticFive collected $62.60 from pot
THABANA said, "ouch"

*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $65.60 | Rake $3

Board [5s 9c 4s Ah 3d]
THABANA (big blind) showed [Ad 9s] and lost with two pair, Aces and Nines
QuanticFive showed [5h 5d] and won ($62.60) with three of a kind, Fives

Damp squib

Two hours of four-tabling netted me a loss of $20. I was down $20 inside two minutes, was up as high as $50 in the black but then lost a $120 pot with a full house v quads.
I was ahead until the river with 777 v my foes 444 - he rivered his one-outer to take the pot. I swore loudly.
Its big pots like these that are the difference between a winning night and losing one.
I managed to clay some of my losses back on another table when I flopped a str8 and managed to get some money of a player holding 72o, gotta love 'em.
My roll on Stars is about even today from the winnings from the SNGs...the big pots will come, I can feel it, I'm playing well but not getting the breaks.

On the personal front, I fly to Glasgow with a friend to see some old journalist colleagues. I also discovered that car insurance is way cheaper being in "banking" than in journalism...I'm not really in banking but its the closest I could think of. Little do they know I'm still a massive pisshead and 'my locked garage' is in fact the pavement on a dodgy street in Brixton! (although keep that one to yourselves)

Last Battle of the Planets

Well that sucked. 360 points for a disappointing end.
I kinda felt tilt coming at the end, I was going for wins and coming up short...
Bubbled four times in the 20 games, too many seconds, and too many stupid busts.
Not sure I'll be trying that again - I've wasted too much time playing piddly little stakes for a gain of $50. For the hours I put in that's terrible...

The clowns I was playing...ok, enough.
Gonna play some cash games after supper and MAKE SOME MONEY!

Battle of the Planets (Part V)

After 16 games I am almost exactly in the same position as last week.
330 points and needing a four decent games to break into the top 100. Last week, I had a first and three busts and ended up with 390 points. I need slightly better this time.

I played four tables on Stars $50 tables for a couple of hours last night but pretty much broke even. I was up $30 on one table but down on the others. My flopped set to a horrible player's turned flush was the big losing hand.

Battle of the Planets (Part IV)

I'm having another stab at the Battle of the Planets promo on Stars again.
My 390 points last week saw me end up 262nd, 30 points of 100th place.
I've played five games this morning and made one first place, two second places and a third for 130 points - a much better start than last week so here's hoping...

Home games

Just returned from five days in Brno and Prague in the Czech Republic, where I lived for four years between 1997 and 2001.
Quite a few of my mates from back then still live there, mainly Americans for whom returning to the States fills them with dread.
Most are married with kids now, to beautiful Czech wives, and they seem to have all turned into degenerate gamblers...without much skill.
We played a four-handed game for a few hours in a bar in Brno and I cleaned up. Tommy and Danny were down four buy-ins each, and Chris one and a half buy-ins.
Buy-ins were only 200Kc around £7, so I wasn't bankrupting them, but my aggression and downright luck seemed to be serving me v v well.
I was especially lucky against Chris, the only player who knew what he was doing - I rivered my second pair to beat his turned two-pair, and then beat his AQo with AJs when I turned a jack.
In Prague, we played a six-handed cash game with a 400Kc buyin and I trebled my buyin this time. It meant I hardly spent any money while over there!

Online - I received a $90 bonus for my time on Bodog and just won another $60 on Stars, four tabling.

Battle of the Planets (Part III)

Close but no cigar...
The last four games this morning ended with a first and three blanks, leaving me with 390 points and just outside the top 100.
Its not been the most profitable of ways of spending time on the tables but I really enjoyed the challenge.
I also re-loaded $600 into my Stars account so will playing their NL holdem when I get back.

Battle of the Planets (Part II)

My second block of 20 games is definitely going better than my first.
My first attempt ended with me racking up 140 points - good for 3777th!
My second sees me with 340 points after 16 games, a couple more places and I should be in the top 100 at least.



I started off slowly but then went on a run of seven places, two firsts, two seconds and three thirds.
I'll play all four games this morning and that will be my fill of poker for a few days.

Feeling slightly better

I managed to pass out at around 7.30am once the booze had left my system, slept til 1pm, then poker degenerate that I am, reached for the laptop for more punishment.
Its mighty slow going, one-tabling is so much easier and you can get a feel for the players and the ones you can push around.
I'm only on my fourth game, but one first, and two nothings so far. I'm not sure I will manage another block of 20 games at this rate before I fly to Czecho on Saturday. Not working helps tho :)

More misery

Couldn't sleep after a long, boozy session with colleagues on my last day of work so decided to log on at 4.30am.
Bad idea. Dropped 2.5 buyins at the $50 tables. Lost $50 with flopped set v turned nut flush after five minutes and it got worse from there on in.
O well, there's always the morning :)

Calmed down now...

Rant over, calmed down now and starting my very last day as a working journalist!
After today I will be "between jobs" for two weeks and then switch to being a fund analyst.

I have thought about yesterday's play and believe the main reason I played so badly was I was three-tabling.
Three or four-tabling cash games using the mini table view is my prefered way of playing. But with SNG's I was getting mighty confused.
I was concentrating on one table, and had no idea about my foes on others.
Its very different when you get down to four-handed play on three tables, compared to full-ring.
O well, lesson learnt.

The annoying part is I do not think I will manage to get in another block of 20 SNG before I start my new job as I'm visiting mates most of the two weeks I'm off.

I fly to Prague on Saturday for four days. Back for two days and then fly again up to Glasgow for a long weekend.

I'm back in London again on the Monday and start the new job the next day. I've been a hack for seven years so I'm actually quite excited to be starting a new challenge.

Battle of the Planets - tilting style

O deary me, what a horrible session.
After a solid $60 winning session on Bodog cash games I decided to have a sniff around the other sites and spotted the Battle of the Planets promo on Stars.
I won't go into the ins and outs but before I started I thought I was a shoe-in for a prize.
I wasn't. The $3+40c Omaha H/L games have been a recreational way of grinding up money.
I once went on a run of six straight wins and have an ROI of around 30% on them.
However once the tilt starts it rarley goes away for me. My results: played 12, first once, second once, third twice.
By my normal standards this is FUCKING SHIT.
I bubbled four times and feel mighty pissed off. The play is terrible but so was mine.
The last bubble was embarrassingly bad when I called off almost all my stack when another player was all-in.
Even thinking about makes me mad...too pissed off to write or think straight, need a cigarette and then bed :(

First blogger tourney

I put in a few hours on Sunday and managed to make it to my first blogger tourney, Bloggerment 53.
On the cash side, it was a evens day. I lost a $50 buy-in against a solid player who sucked me in to pushing on the turn.
I called in mid-postion with 57s (spades) three other calls before the SB pot-raised to $2.25, cut-off called.
I stayed in as I had position and had seen the SB make big continuation bets with nothing.
Flop 9,Q,K - all spades - SB led out $3, cut-off called, I raised to $10.
SB called, cut-off folded.
Turn 9h. SB led out $14, around half the pot, I had around $30 left. Looking back I think it was tough to get away here, it was either push or fold, my read was that this was a blocking bet, with the SB holding the ace of spades and a pair of kings.
I pushed, he called and he turned over QQ for a full house.
Later the same, pre-flop aggressor raised again from the SB $3.50, after three callers.
I was in mid-position and made a slightly tilty call with Kh10h. Four callers, pot $15. Flop 8,Q,Q (two hearts).
All checked to the button who bet $3, original raiser and cut-off folded, I flat-called.
Turn 9h. I checked, button bets $8. I was sure here that I was up against trip Qs, but his kicker was key. He flat-called from the button so Q9 was a possibity but raised $8 to $16.
He flat-called and I knew I was ahead. The river was a blank, a low card, I push, he calls and shows QJo.
This recouped all my losses from before and I decided to call it quits.
I also played a $4 180-man SNG where I actually fell asleep half way through, I woke up with 50 left and I was sitting on a 2,000 chip stack and in the bottom five.
I doubled up with Ks in the BB, then again with AJs v QKo, before busting out with four tables left with Qs v As.
The bloggerment was fun, I had been meaning to play one for ages but always forgot.
I outlasted three-qaurters of the field busting out 6th v Zagga, 7s v Qs. I could have got away from this but for some reason felt the need to gamble.
My run w/o a cash in multi-table SNG and tourney is long and barren, I last a long time before I lose my patience and push.
For some reasons tho I can sit for hours in cash games and chip away.
Why this is, I don't know, but I need to do something about it as they have been a good source of income in the past.

That's all for now.

Overbet for value

Readers of Fuel55's blog will now he is running a overbet for value contest up until the WSOP.
You can read about it here
This hand doesn't quite qualify as the overbetter lost - to me! - but I thought it would be fun to include it.
I've also sent it to Fuel; would be cool if he publishes it.
My foe was a big-stacked donkey with a penchant for firing out huge overbets. I thought about his riverbet and couldn't put him on anything that beat me.

BODOG Hand number: 1180464032

HOLE CARDS
QuanticFive calls 50c with [4c 4h]
latinumman raises $0.50c to $1
cringle calls
pokerdr calls
QUanticFive calls

FLOP [As 9h 2h] Pot size $4.25

latinumman checks
cringle checks
pokerdr folds (?!)
QuanticFive checks

TURN [As 9h 2h] [9c] Pot size $4.25

latinumman bets $ 0.50
cringle folds
QuanticFive calls $ 0.50

RIVER [As 9h 2h 9c] [4s] Pot size $5.25

latinumman bets $ 47.00
QuanticFive calls all-in $ 46.75

SHOW DOWN
latinumman shows [3s 5s] a straight, Five high
QuanticFice shows [4c 4h] - a full house, Fours full of nines

QuanticFive wins the pot ($96.75)

OBFV called $46.75 and the pot was $52 = 0.90

A $3.50 night

Another few hundred hands over 90 minutes and another break-even night.
I was hitting but no-one was calling - I hit top set three times, with Ks, Qs, and Js but couldn't get anyone to bite.
I don't think I've seen Bodog playing so tightly. The night before there was a huge fish on one of my tables, who was sending the table wild.

Back with a whimper

I was so tired after five days of hanging with my buddy that I struggled to focus on play last night.
I managed around 300 hands in 2 sessions, both marginal losers.
I also tried Bodog's $2k guaranteed, starting at 9pm UK time as there was 15% overlay as there are on many of Bodog's guaranteed tourneys.
I lost a bunch with Ak v A10 when he flopped top two, then doubled up when I luckily rivered a flush.
However, I crashed out when my flopped nut str8 lost to runner, runner full house.

Will have another go tonight!

No play

Quick update...
I've had a friend staying so I haven't managed to play a single hand since he arrived on Friday.
He's around until Wednesday so I doubt I'll get much play until he's gone.
So...erm...nothing to report really.

Pot odds

Played 400 hands on Bodog, no big wins, pretty static really before this happened:



At the end of the hand my foe said "pot odds", then left!
I had to add the hand manually to the site PokerHandReplays and the pot sizes are not quite right - he had a $40 stack so I won around $50 but a truly bizarre hand.

200 hands, up $30

Added another $30 to my roll playing Bodog after a short session.
Roll there close to $1,200 now.
The site has this nice facility for PokerTracker phobes like me which tracks your recent winnings.
Over three days I'm up $172, over seven days I'm up $356 and since I deposited ten days ago I'm up $695.

Speaking of PokerTracker, I'm going to try to get back to using it again. Its a no brainer really, I just couldn't be bothered to transfer all the data when I upgraded my laptop last year.

By the time my one-month bonus period is up on Bodog my roll should be $5k and I'm going to have another stab at the $100NL tables again.
I've been watching them on Bodog and Mansion and don't see much different to the $50 tables.

Last time I tried them for any length of time I got spanked so it will be a good test of how far I've come in a year.

Lastly, I've been reading this guy for a while now and he CRACKS me up.
If you haven't checked him out, you should: WAffles on Poker

Easter summary

Just played my last hand for Easter on Bodog as I'm pokered out.
I've put in a lot of hours - more than I have all this year.
Managed to double my buy-in on one of the three tables during my last one session, leaving me a stack of $1166.45.
I also have around $65 of bonus due next month.

My updated bankroll stats are on the right which shows I'm only up around $700 since the start of the year, although most of this has come in the last couple of weeks.

Anyway, back to work tomorrow...

Token woes

The $26 token satellites on Full Tilt are becoming the bane of my life.
I am currently 6 and 0 in these and it looks like it will soon be seven entries without a token - I am 140th out of 141 left in the daily $6 + 50c with a paltry 550 chips. The top 50 getting a token.

I'm also playing a $3, 90 man tourney also on Full Tilt where I'm 7th with 17 left - top 9 pay. Its one of those knockout ones, but not managed to knock anyone out yet.

On Bodog, I have edged up to $1,120 with a couple of double up with big pairs, one again an all-in check raise with a flush draw, the other was a slightly odd one.

25c/50c NL, 6-handed

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Button raises $2
QuanticFive raises $6 from SB with [As Ah]
BB calls $6
Button calls $4

*** FLOP *** [6c 3d 3h]
QuanticFive bets $10.50
BB folds
Button calls $10.50

*** TURN *** [6c 3d 3h] [Ac]
SB checks (Way ahead here and the Ace would have scared any high pair)
BB checks

*** RIVER *** [6c 3d 3h As] [Kh]

SB bets $24.50 (Hope he has something
Button calls $24.50

*** SHOW DOWN ***
QuanticFive shows [As Ah] a full house, Aces full of threes
UTG+1 mucks [2c 3c] - three of a king threes !!!

How the guy can call the pre-flop re-raise with 2,3 suited. Although I got v v lucky on the turn as I was going all in.

UPDATE: Just busted out 13th from the $3 tourney, four off the money.

650 hands....-$30

What are shitty day. Played a lot, and couldn't get anything going.

Everytime I won a decent pot, I would lose another. One foe in particular really got under my skin...he was hitting everything on me but was losing to everyone else.

The most galling was his $60 shove into a $30 pot, I had $40 left, and folded.

He turns over AQs for the $30 side pot, board was A 10 2 9 2, I fucking fold my AKo - my read was right but I pussied out.

Earlier he won a $45 pot off me with 109o, we got it all in on a A 10 9 flop, and he was the pre-flop aggressor.

He also won a $120 pot all-in pre with Ajs v kk. He rivered a str8.

Generally, the raising pre-flop was crazy, and the calling even crazier. One chap called me down with 42o...I raised pre-flop, post-flop and the turn with AQo. He wins a $30 with a pr of 4s.

I must have played 30 pocket pairs and hit once, with Ks, for a $15 pot.

My stack on Bodog, is now $1,030.

I shall try again tomorrow.

Bodog rules

Have more than doubled my $500 deposit in six days which I'm pretty chuffed about :)

Gonna play a lot over the Easter weekend and accrue as much bonus as possible before the 30 day offer period is up.

If I keep going as I am I should make another $150 on top of my winnings.

I'm not sure if its luck, skill or fishy players that is behind my winning run, prob a combination of the three, but long may it continue

More Bodogging...

Just finished another decent session on Bodog, winning around $90.

I should really move up as my bankroll is now around $4,300 - most experts would put my on at least the $1/$2 tables.

To be honest though I'm happier plodding along - it stressing me out losing, and I see this as my hobby rather than a source of income.

This evening I had no real stand out hands, although I won a nice $25 when I limped with Ako in mid position and milked the SB's AJo.

I also pot raised in the SB with AKo and got four callers.

FLOP was a rainbow Q, 10, 4

I checked, BB, who was pretty weak, bet $2 into a $12 pot, the button called, and I called, hoping to hit my four outer.

Bingo, Jc, making a club flush draw.

I check, BB bet $4, button called and I raised it up to around $18.

BB folded, button called, and then folded to my bet on the river when the flush didn't hit.

Anyway the bonus on offer has definitely galvanised my interest, as has the fact that I'm now working out my notice for a month and don't care as much about the magazine.

GL all!

Set mining

Been playing on Bodog, all weekend, with some success.
Some US bloggers refer to it as Bodonkey and I can see why. I couldn't get anything going and was only $80 up on Sat and early Sunday, despite playing more than 800 hands, but I knew it was just a matter of time. Too many idiots...

Set mining (Part 1)

QuanticFive 4s 4h
phil3333 Ad Kd

QuanticFive Call $ 0.50
phil3333 Raise $ 2.75
QuanticFive Call $ 2.25

FLOP 4c Kc Jd

QuanticFive Check
phil3333 Bet $ 6.75
QuanticFive Raise $ 13.50
phil3333 All-in $ 29.95
QuanticFive Call $ 23.20

Side pot = $80.15
TURN 9s
RIVER 10h
Rake amount $ 2.00


Quad mining (Part 1)

(MP) QuanticFive Call $ 0.50 55 (5h 5s)
(Button) RoyalME Raise $ 2.00
(BB) effoo Call $ 1.50
QuanticFive Call $ 1.50

FLOP 6d 5d 5c (QUADS!!!!)

effoo Check
QuanticFive Check
RoyalME Bet $ 2.50
effoo Raise $ 6.00
QuanticFive Call $ 6.00
RoyalME Fold $ 2.50

TURN Card dealt to table 4s

effoo Bet $ 9.00
QuanticFive Raise $ 18.00
effoo Call $ 9.00

RIVER Card dealt to table Ad

effoo Check
QuanticFive Bet $ 36.50
effoo Fold (had to be medium to high pair)

Rake amount $ 2.00
QuanticFive Hand result $ 54.75

Set mining (Part two)

BB ZeroCall 7c Ac
EP sealit Jh Ah
MP QuanticFive 2h 2s

FLOP 9c As 2c

ZeroCall Bets $ 4.00
sealit Raise $ 8.00
QuanticFive Raise $ 20.25
ZeroCall Call $ 16.25
sealit Call $ 12.25


TURN 7h

ZeroCall All-in $ 26.50
sealit All-in $ 13.30
QuanticFive Call $ 26.50

RIVER Kd

Rake amount $ 2.00
QuanticFive Hand result $ 130.05

I've put the last hand through an odds calculator.
Pre-flop I was actually ahead with a 36% chance of winning vs AJ's 34.75% and A7's 23.5% - although my foes had a 5% chance of splitting.

The flop, however, changed all that.

I moved to a 68% favourite, AJ down to 0.66% with A7 now at 30.5%

I papped my pants when I saw my foes cards after the 7 turn, but A7 now was down to 28.5% against my 71.5% with AJ drawing dead.

The bonus/rake system for the first month on Bodog, is pretty generous and I'm racking up the points. On the downside they only allow three-tabling, which will limit my gains somewhat.

I'm up $250 from my $500 deposit, with $25 of bonus to come, and this has put my roll up to $4,200.

Decent start to the year

February has treated me v v well.
I returned to FT to take advantage of the bonus on offer, a $75 for me.
From a starting roll of $80, I am now up to $500.
All four-tabling on the $50 tables.
I'm really pleased with my cash play at the moment, I am much more aggressive pre-flop and am mixin up my play well.
I still play ABC poker, but my starting range for pre-flop raises has increased, hopefully making it harder to put me on hand.
The stack would have been 600 if I could lay down As.
Twice now I've busted off a buyin in the face of aggressive on the turn or river. On both occassions I could probably have gotten away from it.
One foe in particular made it v v obvious he had hit his set but I carried on calling regardless.
PLayed another $24 + $2 just now but busted again jut out of the money.
I'm going to keep playing them as I feel a big cash is just around the corner.
Can't be arsed to work out my exact stack but it must now be approaching $4k.

Slow start

I have been playing very intermittently this month. with mixed success.
I'm up, probably around $100 only, after a tough couple of sessions ate into my roll.
The SNGs on Stars are also hurting and I have had a run without a cash.
But I have probably played just five or six times this month. My goal of doubling my bankroll to $7k this year seems a long way away.

The only tourney of note I've played, in fact the only tourney at all, was a $26 + $2on FT with my token.

I busted in the top 100 with 54 paying.

I feel I was unlucky as I had a top 30 stack when I lost all-in with Ks v AJo, 5s v AKs and AKs v Js, all against the same player.

Busted with AJ v AJ to a four flush...

Have bought the first two Harrington tourney books with points on Stars which hopefully might spark a run.

2007 update

Slightly late in coming but I was offline throughout the entire Christmas and NY period.

OK, here are my stack totals:
Mansion: $559.45
Pokerstars: $559.45
Party: $1527.75
Full Tilt: $81.11 (plus one $26 token)
Neteller: $673.64

This makes a grand total of...errrr...£3401.4 (plus token!)

Slightly on tilt when I write this from running sooo bad in Omaha H/L games, driving me nuts.


Anyway here were my resolution's last year:

1) Build my roll to $3,500.
$100 shy of this, would have easily made it if I hadn't used some of my roll to repay a debt to a friend.

2) Win a cash MTT with more than 100 entrants.
Nope, came close, but nope

3) Don't play limit holdem and NO RAZZ.
Succeeded in this, a bit of limit and Razz in the horse games on Stars but didn't do too much damage to my roll.

4) Learn how to use Pokertracker better
Used it, mastered it, changed PC, and no don't use it anymore :(

5)Try to vary my game more
Not really but I'm a better player than I was a year ago.

Soooo, this year me thinks I want to double the roll to $7k. Do-able but it will be hard.
I'm not playing as much as last year, and every time I moved up to the $100 tables I got my ass handed to me and I had to move back down.

We shall see.

I will be posting sporadically, just for fun. I know I don't really have any regualr readers but even if its just for me, it will be nice to keep the blog going.

GL on the tables.

Up and down

Just a quickie before heading to the boozer after work...again!
Been grinding at Party since they started the promo offer 'Winning Hand', many, many others have joined me, so traffic has been good.

Overall I have been losing small amounts here and there during the course of the promo, with a couple of big wins.
The promo bonus has netted me $115 clean, so I'm up to $1600 there, on a $950 deposit.

I'm thinking of making another switch soon as I am without a rakeback site (Mansion, despite its new software, still sucks IMO).
Ladbrokes maybe, not sure yet.
Pretty sure I won't get to $4k by the year end, been putting in some solid sessions but remain hovering around $3.5k.

Work is good so pretty content all round.

Running good

Had a couple of days of work so lots of poker.
My last seven SNGs have yielded 3 2nds and four firsts, and I'm running super hot according to Sharkscope.
Also running well on Party and have won $250 on the cash tables in the last three days. At this rate I may hit $4k by the year end...here's hoping!

Recent Results
GameID Date (GMT) Type EntryFee Profit
69507986 7-Dec-07 11:36 TURBO PL Omaha H/L $3 10 $11.60
69464421 7-Dec-07 01:51 TURBO PL Omaha H/L $3 10 $11.60
69459396 7-Dec-07 00:55 TURBO PL Omaha H/L $3 10 $11.60
69453366 7-Dec-07 00:03 TURBO PL Omaha H/L $3 10 $11.60
69399070 6-Dec-07 13:22 TURBO PL Omaha H/L $3 10 $5.60
69241149 5-Dec-07 00:28 TURBO PL Omaha H/L $3 10 $5.60
69136494 4-Dec-07 00:08 TURBO PL Omaha H/L $3 10 $5.60
68979027 2-Dec-07 13:34 TURBO NL Holdem $11 180 -$12

Very Pwetty graph

The run endeth

My mini-run on the tables is slowly grinding to a halt.
I've lost my mojo to play again after most nights over the past few weeks.
I've run my roll back up to $3.3k, this includes sending my mate $250, so I'm pretending its $3.5k.
No big wins, just grinding at the $50 tables, booking wins here and there.
I've been continuing with Party and Stars, with a bit of FTilt thrown in.
Also been railbirding my crazy gambler mate who has no clue but is playing SNG up to $220!
He was down $1500, then scored a big win on a $69 45 man SNG, and is slowly loosing it all again.
Prob do one more update to close out the year.
Byeee

This game is easy...even when I lose

Had a real yo-yo night last night. Four-tabling on Party again and managed to drop $120 in about an hour, nothing hit, my big pairs didn't stand up and I lost my mojo.
I logged off, had some supper, had a quick lie down and came back feeling ready for the fray, and won back $60. I misplayed a couple of nut hands where looking back I think I could have made some more.
At these levels, against these players, I think I can keep eeking out a profit.

Quick update

Poker going really well at the mo, hope it lasts.
Have managed to get my head around 4-tabling at last, and have won $350 in four days on PartyPoker.
Also up to $500 on Stars.

I have a foolproof system to make money....he-he...i wish. But its going well, fingers crossed it lasts.

Blogger tourney

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: 1682392

Quick update

It's been a month and I'm still alive and stillkeeping my hand in.
I had a little splurge on FT around the time they handed out the reload bonuses.
I owed a friend some $, deposited $500, transfered him $250 (his first real money deposit) and rolled it back up to $450-odd in the two weeks before the bonus expired.
My friend won't tell me what happened to his roll so I think he lost it!

On Stars I've taken my puny $50 deposit up to $250.

I also have a grand total of $564 in Mansion, where the traffic is frankly a joke. I'll withdraw this once I get round to sending them a copy of my passport.

Speaking of traffic I've been seriously considering taking a punt on Partypoker.
I write about the stock markets and speak to professional investors every day. They constantly talk about unloved stocks, and going against the crowd.
Partypoker is seriously unloved by the market.
It is sitting on 30p but was once a member of the FTSE 100 at 150p.
If you check out Pokerlistings.com, it now sits at no.2 in traffic, having disappeared off the radar following the US gaming ban.

Europeans have flocked to the site and when it makes its next trading update, early next year, it may surprise the market.

The key for Partypoker and many other sites is Asia, and the Chinese.
At the moment, the Chinese are going crazy for the stock market. Millions of dealing a/cs are being opened every day so that ordinary people can take a punt.
Inflation is running at 6% and you get 2% by depositing yr cash in the bank.
This is against a 10% gain EVERY MONTH from the Chinese stock market.

Almost every fund manager I talk to is talkign about a bubble.

It sounds simple but these guys like to gamble and if there is a crash, if the Chinese gambling instinct moves from playing the stock market to playing poker, and if Partypoker can get a slice of the pie, it could grow its earnings exponentially.

Lots of ifs, i know, and there is a danger that the Chinese could chose a homegrown site to play.

But on a one year view, I would hope to at least double my money.

I'm also going to invest in an Africa fund, but that's another story.

Holidays

After three months of non-stop work I am now enjoying a two and a half week break.
I'm spending a weekend at a festival in Ireland at the end of the month and then going to Prague again the following weekend.
I think in the last two days I've played more poker than the previous 2 months altogether.
I decided to deposit $500 into Mansion and have made $78 there in a couple of hours play on the NL tables.
I've also doubled up my mini-$50 deposit on Stars.
I went very deep in their nightly $2.50 +25c tourney last night. There were 3080 entrants and I came 20th!
I was third wth 50 left and was sitting 15th when I busted.
The hand that i went out was one of those i could have got away from but it was getting very frenetic.
I won $30 with 1st getting $1300 so v disappointing to spend four and half hours to come so close.
Came in the top 100 this morning in $1 tourney for pittance.
Now playing the same tourney as last night. 2126 entrants and down to last 450. I'm 88th.
Wish me luck!

Long Time

It's been a long time...too long.
What's been happening to me the past couple of months? Have I given up poker?
I think its fair to say I've seriously cut back but am still playing the odd game.

I have realised gambling is not good for me. When I say gambling, I mean playing medium stakes poker. I enjoy playing low-limit SNGs and cash tables, partly because I know I can beat them, and partly because I don't get pissed off when I lose.

When tilt gets me it is not pretty.

Tilt did get me a while ago and I blew about $500 very quickly. After this I withdraw every cent I had from all the sites, dumped the roll in Neteller and planned to take out the lot. $2,300. Poker career over.

I haven't. It is still sitting in Neteller. But I have put $50 back into PokerStars and I'm playing turbo $3 SNGs. I'm winning and according to Sharkscope my ROI is still in the high 30%.

I'm also enjoying playing again.

Work is brutal. For three weeks my editor was on paternity leave and I have to run the magazine which took a lot out of me. I'm also doing a lot of freelance work.
I just don't have the time to devote myself to the game and grind out a 5bb/hr on $100 tables. Nor do I have the time to sit for six hours and play deep into a tournie.

So $3 and $6 SNG it is. And maybe the odd low limit tournie.
I'll try to update a bit as well!!!

Same again

Two hours play tonight and exactly the same story.
Doubled up playing heads-up on FT, then lost it all against different foes.
Logged out at $285, exactly the same as I started the night.
However I did win another $50 on Stars playing full ring $100 NL and my stack there stands at $2800 now.
I'm v. close to releasing my $150 bonus there too.

Wild n' crazy times

Well not quite. But for the first time in quite a while I felt like gambling a bit.
I was spurred on by three pints and reading a heads-up player's blog who had ambitions for becoming BlueScouse.
Played some $100 heads-up. Doubled up my $40 buy-in after two mins with As.
Then lost a $40 buy-in, then won $15 then lost $90 and then won $90.
All against diff players.
The $90 loss was stupid as I could have stacked him a few hands before but got too cute.
The aggression from the foes was pretty unreal.
Bit of a roller coaster ride and my stack is exactly where it started.
At the same time I won $60 on Stars playing $100 NL full ring.
Was planning a proper update but doing this at work and I have shed loads of stories to write.
GL!

Nice run

My three-hour session on Saturday and it was the first time I managed to managed to win a reasonable amount of dosh for a while.

First this happened...

Seat 1: J-Wheezy` ($49.50 in chips)
Seat 2: ChipSoldier ($23.05 in chips)
Seat 3: Wallerwally ($58.75 in chips)
Seat 4: Kinl69 ($34.60 in chips)
Seat 5: Florkins ($69.60 in chips)
Seat 6: eypaul11 ($41.75 in chips)
Seat 7: QuanticFive ($51.60 in chips)
Seat 8: plurals ($10.75 in chips)
Seat 9: pronts ($47.70 in chips)
J-Wheezy`: posts small blind $0.25
ChipSoldier: posts big blind $0.50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to QuanticFive [Jd Qh]
Wallerwally: calls $0.50
QuanticFive: calls $0.50
pronts: calls $0.50
J-Wheezy`: calls $0.25
ChipSoldier: checks
*** FLOP *** [8d Th 9s]
J-Wheezy`: checks
ChipSoldier: checks
Wallerwally: bets $1.50
QuanticFive: calls $1.50
pronts: calls $1.50
J-Wheezy`: folds
ChipSoldier: folds
*** TURN *** [8d Th 9s] [4h]
Wallerwally: bets $2.50
QuanticFive: raises $5.50 to $8
pronts: folds
Wallerwally: calls $5.50
*** RIVER *** [8d Th 9s 4h] [6s]
Wallerwally: bets $15
QuanticFive: raises $15 to $30
Wallerwally: raises $18.75 to $48.75 and is all-in
QuanticFive: calls $11.60 and is all-in
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Wallerwally: shows [Ts 7s] (a straight, Six to Ten)
QuanticFive: shows [Jd Qh] (a straight, Eight to Queen)
QuanticFive collected $103.20 from pot

What a wally...

Then this:

Seat 1: Atze Cavallo ($25.40 in chips)
Seat 2: ChipSoldier ($21.65 in chips)
Seat 5: Florkins ($78.30 in chips)
Seat 6: eypaul11 ($38.75 in chips)
Seat 7: QuanticFive ($101.70 in chips)
Seat 9: pronts ($36.70 in chips)
ahlle will be allowed to play after the button
pronts: posts small blind $0.25
Atze Cavallo: posts big blind $0.50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to QuanticFive [Qc Qh]
QuanticFive: raises $1.50 to $2
pronts: calls $1.75
Atze Cavallo: calls $1.50
*** FLOP *** [Td Th Qd] - O yes!
pronts: checks
Atze Cavallo: checks
QuanticFive: checks
*** TURN *** [Td Th Qd] [Qs] - Mummy!
pronts: bets $2
Atze Cavallo: calls $2
QuanticFive: raises $5 to $7
pronts: calls $5
Atze Cavallo: calls $5
*** RIVER *** [Td Th Qd Qs] [Ts]
pronts: bets $15
Atze Cavallo: calls $15
QuanticFive: raises $15 to $30
pronts: calls $12.70 and is all-in
Atze Cavallo: calls $1.40 and is all-in
*** SHOW DOWN ***
QuanticFive: shows [Qc Qh] (four of a kind, Queens)
pronts: mucks hand
QuanticFive collected $22.60 from side pot
Atze Cavallo: mucks hand
QuanticFive collected $73.20 from main pot
Florkins said, "nh!"
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $98.80 Main pot $73.20. Side pot $22.60. | Rake $3
Board [Td Th Qd Qs Ts]
Seat 1: Atze Cavallo (big blind) mucked [Ah Jd]
Seat 7: QuanticFive (button) showed [Qc Qh] and won ($95.80) with four of a kind, Queens
Seat 9: pronts (small blind) mucked [Kd Kh]

No-one had a ten!

Got up to $185 before leaving on $165-ish.
Booked more wins that morning and tonight and I'm now back to a stack on Stars of $2,750, with $300 odd on FT and $19 left in Neteller.

Not much progress really but at least its not dwindling away.
Feel reasonably positive about my $50 game, wish the same could be said for my $100!

$100 tables

I've had a few stabs at the $100 tables since getting back from Monte Carlo.
I was doing well, then lost about $50 last night.
Actually managed to play ten hands in Monaco where I managed to double up on a $50 table with As v Ks.
Other than that just grinding away.

Low limit junkie

A quick update:
Moved up to $100 NL and had to move very quickly back down after getting my arse handed to me again in a big way.
Was way too aggressive, had all my bluffs picked off and lost a big pot with trip ks v trip ks, my j kicker losing to his a.
So went back to the $50 tables and slowly grinded it back up.
I'm still down overall but close now to realising the $150 bonus which should put me back in the black.
I'm off to Monte Carlo of all places on Tuesday through work for five days, so prob no play till then, although i'm taking my laptop so may get some hands in if they have wireless.
GL all!

Small win

Put another $600 in Stars from my Neteller a/c to boost my roll to over $1800.
Two tabled $50 NL and recorded small wins on both. I felted a loose short-stack with Qs v his A9o (nine high flop).
Also made a nice move on another shortstack on another table.
He had caught me stealing with position post flop and had shown down 94o for a bluff.
He was still on tilt having lost a $72 when his slowplayed As got rivered by 9s and a str8.
I found Ako in the BB and just checked. Only one caller, my tilting foe.
Flop A,K,J - basically a beauty.
I check, he bets $1, I put it to $3 (almost exactly what he did to me earlier), he pauses, pushes, I insta-call and win another $30 pot (He had j9o).
Anyway, gotta get back to work but I made about $35 in about 90 mins.

Moving up postponed

Got back later than I thought last night so only had about half an hours play.
Also was only able to deposit $600 into Stars, the top of the daily limit.
Will bung another load in tonight and $300 in the day after to make my $1500 limit for the week.
This should be enough to allow me to play the bigger tables.
The play I did have last night saw me make about $3 profit!

I need to move up

After a decent week on the tables and another load of wins on Sunday I feel I've gotta little bit of confidence back.
With my roll I need to at least be playing $50 and $100 NL, but I was loathe to risk my stack.
Tonight the plan is quit being a puss and put my $2,000 odd in Neteller to some use.
Its going in Stars to bolster the $675 I have sitting there so I can play some proper poker.
I built my stack playing $50 and $100 tables on FT since November 2006 before I started going backwards.
I know now after playing the $25 for the past month that I can beat this level easily, and I know from Pokertracker that I can beat $50 and break even on the $100 tables.
I will have another shot at the title this week. Self-motivation speech over.
Wish me luck!

Drunk again

Got home pretty pissed late on Friday night and still managed to win about $50.
4-tabled, $25 tables and logged off at 3am up $40 on one, $15 on two others and down a buy-in on the fourth.
Also won a few bucks playing limit HORSE.
This morning I logged on and tried three tournies - Sat morning seems to be the only time I can dedicate five hours to playing at a stretch.
Just busted out 40th in a $5 rebuy tournie for a $26.10 - a whole $1.10 profit on my investment.
Crashed out of $5 tournie on FT out the money earlier.
Gonna get some food now!

Wine and poker

Got home last night having shared 2 and a 1/2 bottles of red wine with a contact and thought it a good idea to play some poker.
It was.
Then woke up very early this morning needing some water, decided to play some more.
Doubled up again in 40 mins.
Up $90 in about 2 hours, most of which I was half cut, on $25 tables.
This game is easy!
Here are some hand histories:

How to double up in ten minutes!
HAND 1

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to QuanticFive [4d 6c]
EP raises $0.25 to $0.50
MP calls $0.50
CO calls $0.50
QuanticFive in BB calls $0.25
*** FLOP *** [Qh 5d 3c]
QuanticFive: bets $1
EP calls $1
MP calls $1
Ken7Card: folds
*** TURN *** [Qh 5d 3c] [7h]
QuanticFive: bets $2.25
EP raises $2.25 to $4.50
MP folds
QuanticFive: raises $5.75 to $10.25
EP calls $5.75
*** RIVER *** [Qh 5d 3c 7h] [Js]
QuanticFive: bets $7.25
EP calls $7.25
*** SHOW DOWN ***
QuanticFive: shows [4d 6c] (a straight, Three to Seven)
EP mucks (7s,7d) (Unlucky sir - left him with $4, should've taken it all)
QuanticFive collected $38.20 from pot

HAND 2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to QuanticFive [Kh Ad]
UTG calls $0.25
QuanticFive: raises $0.75 to $1
MP calls $1
MP2 calls $1
UTG calls $0.75
*** FLOP *** [Kc 7d Ac] - Bingo!
UTG checks
QuanticFive: bets $3
MP folds
MP2 calls $3
UTG folds
*** TURN *** [Kc 7d Ac] [9c] - Scary flush but must fight on...
QuanticFive: bets $2.75
Winestone: calls $2.60 and is all-in
*** RIVER *** [Kc 7d Ac 9c] [5d]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
QuanticFive: shows [Kh Ad] (two pair, Aces and Kings)
QuanticFive collected $14.80 from pot
MP2 mucked [As 4h] ...erm...

AND LAST NIGHT.
HOLE CARDS
Dealt to QuanticFive [Qc Qh]
EP QuanticFive: raises $0.75 to $1
SB calls $0.90
BB calls $0.75
*** FLOP *** [4d 5s 5d]
SB bets $2
BB folds
QuanticFive: calls $2
*** TURN *** [4d 5s 5d] [6h]
SB bets $5
QuanticFive: calls $5
*** RIVER *** [4d 5s 5d 6h] [9h]
SB bets $5.15 and is all-in
QuanticFive: calls $5.15
*** SHOW DOWN ***
SB shows [Qs Jh] (a pair of Fives)
QuanticFive: shows [Qc Qh] (two pair, Queens and Fives)
QuanticFive collected $26 from pot
SB said, "WOW" - He must've been drunker than me.

Sometimes you need to give up, or BET BIGGER

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to QuanticFive [Js As]
EP raises $0.75 to $1
QuanticFive: calls $1
*** FLOP *** [3h 5d Jc]
EP bets $1.25
QuanticFive: calls $1.25 - Don't believe you
*** TURN *** [3h 5d Jc] [2s]
EP bets $3
QuanticFive: calls $3 - Still don't believe you
*** RIVER *** [3h 5d Jc 2s] [9h]
EP bets $3.50
QuanticFive: calls $3.50 - O, please be lying...
*** SHOW DOWN ***
isoteck: shows [Qh Kh] (high card King) - yep
QuanticFive: shows [Js As] (a pair of Jacks)
QuanticFive collected $17 from pot

You need luck in this game
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to QuanticFive [Ah Th]
EP raises $0.50 to $0.75
MP calls $0.75
QuanticFive: calls $0.75
SB calls $0.65
*** FLOP *** [Td 5h Ac] - looking good.
SB checks
EP bets $3.50 - I have you beat son
MP folds
QuanticFive: calls $3.50
SB raises $8.30 to $11.80 and is all-in - But maybe not u!
$teveOH: raises $1.55 to $13.35 and is all-in
QuanticFive: calls $9.85
*** TURN *** [Td 5h Ac] [Kh]
*** RIVER *** [Td 5h Ac Kh] [3h] - NOW I HAVE THE NUTS!
*** SHOW DOWN ***
$teveOH: shows [Qd As] (a pair of Aces)
QuanticFive: shows [Ah Th] (a flush, Ace high)
QuanticFive collected $2.95 from side pot
ericbaasch: mucks hand (Ts, Tc) - unlucky sir.
QuanticFive collected $36.75 from main pot

WTF, I can lose...

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to QuanticFive [Jd Js]
QuanticFive: raises $0.75 to $1
SB calls $0.90
*** FLOP *** [Qc Ts Kd]
SB checks
QuanticFive: bets $1.50
SB raises $3.65 to $5.15 and is all-in
QuanticFive: calls $3.65
*** TURN *** [Qc Ts Kd] [6d]
*** RIVER *** [Qc Ts Kd 6d] [4s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
SB shows [Tc Td] (three of a kind, Tens)
QuanticFive: mucks hand

Yes, I can lose...
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to QuanticFive [Kh Kd]
MP raises $0.75 to $1
QuanticFive: calls $1
BB calls $0.75
*** FLOP *** [3d 8s 7d]
BB checks
ZenTrickster: bets $2
QuanticFive: calls $2
*** TURN *** [3d 8s 7d] [6h]
MP bets $4.50
QuanticFive: raises $5.25 to $9.75
MP raises $13 to $22.75 and is all-in
QuanticFive: calls $9 and is all-in
*** RIVER *** [3d 8s 7d 6h] [Ts]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
MP shows [8c 8d] (three of a kind, Eights)
QuanticFive: mucks hand - RELOAD!
ZenTrickster collected $42.40 from pot - lucky puppy

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to QuanticFive [6s 6c]
UTG raises $0.75 to $1 - Same guy who won a smallish pot with Ts v my Js earlier
QuanticFive: calls $1
*** FLOP *** [6h 2d As] - I WANT MY MONEY BACK
UTG bets $1.25
QuanticFive: calls $1.25
*** TURN *** [6h 2d As] [3c]
UTG bets $2
QuanticFive: raises $7.25 to $9.25
UTG calls $5.65 and is all-in
*** RIVER *** [6h 2d As 3c] [2h]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
UTG shows [Kc Ks] (two pair, Kings and Deuces) - terrible call
QuanticFive: shows [6s 6c] (a full house, Sixes full of Deuces)

So there you have some wins and losses.
The hands don't tell the whole story and I won some other pots too. But the game is great when you're winning!

losing run

My last post seems to have disappeared into cyberspace although it appeared on bloglines.
Being running bad last couple of days, mainly due to my loose play.
To be honest I'm not enjoying the poker at the mo and am not treating it, or my roll seriously.
Hopefully have something positive to say soon!

Lack of posts, lack of play

The title sums it up really.
I've been playing here and there, mainly on the weekend, and success has been fairly limited.
My roll on Stars is moving between $650 and $750 as I try to reach a 2,250 FPP target to release a $150 bonus.
It stands at around 900 at the mo.
Cash play has been solid but I've lost most of my money taking shots at various $20/$30 buy-in tournies.
The latest saw me get down to the last 200 with 150 paying on a $24,000 tourney before crashing out to a rivered flush, against my top pr, and then a four flush with me holding 10s and my foe holding 6s.
Will keep trying these, just need a bit of luck here and there.

I have $2,200 still sitting in Neteller, accumulating interest for them (kind soul that I am) and $300 on FTP, so my combined roll is over $3,000.

Hope to play a bit this week and I'll try to post some interesting hand histories soon.