Monday, June 26, 2006

WSOP freeroll

Three days in Prague was the ideal preparation for my WSOP freeroll...well, almost.
My plane back from Czech was 90 mins late so I had to listen to the first-half of the England v Ecuador match on the radio.
Caught Beckham's goal, and saw England play poorly but without incident against a very defensive minded team.
They looked tired and lacked drive, but I still think they have a good chance of beating Portugal in the quarter finals.
Anyway, after the game I moved on to my PC and waited for the WSOP freeroll to start.
There were 39 registered for the game with $5,000 WSOP seat for the winner and $500 shared between the final nine.
I qualified after playing 2,500 raked hands in May.
Understandably, play started tightly with small pots and mild swings.
I lost an early hand button v big blind when I called a check-raise on the turn (for 5xbb) with top pair and a flush draw against a foe who had turned a str8.
But I got it back quickly when I held Ks and check raised an 8-hi flop.
Nine non-starters were then withdrawn and we were down to 30.
I hovered around 1500 chips for several hands and the table
There were two aggressive players - Villain and DeuceA1 - who were constantly tangling.
Villain took him down in two hands with 9s v Ako when Villain hit a four flush, and then Aqo v a slightly tilty A7o from Deuce.
The blinds were at level II and I raised early with AJs. All folded and it quickly became a raise/fold game round the table.
I won a nice pot at level III with Qs against Draco Malfoy again, in almost identical fashion - calling his 3xbb pre-flop raise then raising a low flop post flop.
My biggest hand came after 45 mins with Js

Table: 3 (Real Money) Seat #4 is the dealer
Seat 1 - ANECHKA ($3540 in chips)
Seat 2 - __VILLAIN__ ($3200 in chips)
Seat 3 - FIGAROCLEO ($1145 in chips)
Seat 4 - DRACO MALFOY ($1000 in chips)
Seat 5 - NIHILISTI ($1410 in chips)
Seat 6 - QUANTICFIVE ($1860 in chips)
Seat 8 - SHUUSH ($1005 in chips)
Seat 9 - THAT FISH ($3155 in chips)
NIHILISTI - Posts small blind $40
QUANTICFIVE - Posts big blind $80
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to QUANTICFIVE [Jc Js]
ANECHKA - Raises $240 to $240
QUANTICFIVE - Calls $160
*** FLOP *** [6s 9c Jh]
QUANTICFIVE - Checks
ANECHKA - Bets $240
QUANTICFIVE - Raises $480 to $480
ANECHKA - Calls $240
*** TURN *** [6s 9c Jh] [9d]
QUANTICFIVE - Checks
ANECHKA - Checks
*** RIVER *** [6s 9c Jh 9d] [9h]
QUANTICFIVE - Bets $400
ANECHKA - Folds
QUANTICFIVE - returned ($400) : not called
*** SHOW DOWN ***
QUANTICFIVE - Does not show
QUANTICFIVE Collects $1480 from main pot

Should have bet the turn but I was trying to let him catch up.

For the next half hour we were playing six handed and I slowly started to get blinded down until I had about $1600 with the blinds at $150.

The next hand couldn't have worked out better. I found As late against THAT FISH he was the most active player on the table - and had re-raised all in 3xbb pre-flop raises along with a couple of other players a few times.
Sure enough, he put me all in with qks and I doubled up.

The very next hand I found 10s and raised 3xbb again. Villain who had called the bb in 1st position called.
An A-10-9 flop, with 2 clubs was almost perfect. Villain led out $600 and instead of calling I raised all-in.
He was there to be taken and I should've fished him in. He was busted out about three hands later.
I was now 3rd out of about 10.
We played five handed for a while and we were soon onto the final table.
I was about 6th at the start of the final table, with about 4000 and blinds at 200.
I found As again and did the standard 3xbb raise but no=one called.
Eight hands later I got Ks, and won about $2000.
I was getting lucky with the hi pairs.

It got quite frenetic after this with lots of pre-flop bets and raises. I feel I didn't make a mistake until we were down to the last 3.
The chip counts were:

Seat 3 - PHANTOMSHARK ($23710 in chips)
Seat 6 - QUANTICFIVE ($8170 in chips)
Seat 8 - WILDSAMOAN ($13610 in chips)

I did my standard 3xbb with Ajo got re-raised by Phantom Shark, who I believed but instead of folding I shoved and lost to his Aq0.

Its only now that I write this do I realise how close I came to winning.
I had a very tight table image, and was starting to make some plays...I coulda outplayed them with the right cards.
I won $100, which is not to be sniffed at but it coulda been so much more.
Phantom ended up winning the $5,000 after a 30 mins heads up battle and deserved the win.

I then won $30 on an AP points freerol, coming 3rd again.

So long for now...

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Blackjack, no poker

I've played v little poker in the past few days.
I cashed out on Absolute and am still waiting for the money to hit my neteller a/c, so I've only been playing on Ultimate.
A few raids have netted pennies there and the bankroll still stands at around $330.
On Sunday, I decided to have a go at Blackjack bonus whoring for the first time.
I opened an a/c with 888.net, deposited $200 and played textbook (i.e mindless) blackjack for about four hours and withdrew $428.
I needed to play 20x my deposit to release the match bonus and just followed the strategy card.
When I've got a few hours spare I'll have another go at another site.
Work is brutal at the moment, but I'm off to Prague on friday for a couple of days to see my quasi-girlfriend and celebrate her b'day by getting horrifically drunk.
I hope to get back in time for the raketherake.com WSOP freeroll I qualified for last month.
It'll be a race from the airport but I should make it back in time.

Saturday, June 17, 2006

Ooops

Too late for the Pokerstars blogger freeroll.
O well

Questionairre

Saw this questionairre floating around a while back so though I'd have a go.

1. What is the biggest mistake people make at a NL table?

Overbetting top pair.

2. What is the biggest mistake people make at a Limit table?

Calling down with mediocre hands.

3. Why do you play poker?

I enjoy the buzz of playing. I'm a gambler at heart and I know I can beat the game, which makes it better than the blackjack and the horses any day.

4. If you weren't playing poker, what would you be doing?

Surfing, watching TV, chatting to my flatmate more (who complains I ignore him!) and prob. playing chess online. I still haven't turned down a night on the tiles to play poker but I'm sure that day will come.

5. What is your favorite poker book and why?

Big Deal by Anthony Holden. Hilarious and absorbing.

6. Who is your favorite poker player and why?

I normally root for any of the Brits when I watch on TV. Don't really have a favourite but I s'pose the Milkybarkid has to be a up there cos of his blog.

7. Which poker player do you dislike the most and why?

Erm...pass

8. Do your coworkers know about your blog?

No

9. What is the most you have won in a cash game or MTT (both live and online)?

Prob around $200 - all from one pot of Omaha H/L NL on Ladbrokes when I first started playing.

10. What is the most you have lost in a cash game or in one day total (both live and online)?

Prob around $100. I always stop if it gets too bad.

11. Who was your first poker blog read?

Not sure but Tao of Poker was one of the first US blogs, Milkybarkid and the internetpokerpro in the UK.

12. What satisfies you more, your aces holding up for a big pot or a bluff working for a big pot?

Bluff definitely as I hardly ever bluff. When I do I absolutely pap my pants. I s'pose this is why I'm a recreational player. I'm quite good at spotting bluffs though and getting someone to show nothing is always satisfying.

13. Why do you blog?

As a journalist writing stuff down takes no time at all and I like sharing stories.
I also thought it would help me play better if I recorded my winnings and a few hands.

14. Do you read blogs from an RSS reader like bloglines or do you visit each blog?

Mainly through bloglines but I sometimes check out sites direct.

15. Would you rather play poker for a living than do what you currently do for a living?

No, too much poker gets old quite quickly. I can tell when it s time to stop because I start playing loose and fast, and start playing too many tables out of boredom.
I have a great job and working with around 40 other journalists is a blast. They love going out and have loads of great stories to tell. Although a successfull poker player definitely earns a lot more than a journalist


16. Do you wear a tin foil hat on occasion?

Nope

17. If you had to pin it down to one specific trait, what does a great poker player have (or do) that separates them from an average player?

Balls the size of elephants, be able to bluff, be a great reader of other players and have a big roll. If you listen to interviews with successful players they are also very motivated to be the best - to win bracelets etc. Ambition is the key to any successful career.

18. Is Drizz the coolest person on the planet for naming his baby Vegas?

Have no idea.

19. What is your primary poker goal and are you close to accomplishing it?

I s'pose build a bigger bankroll and make more money. But I don't think I'm ever going to get rich from the game. In the past, I've always cashed out my winnings when it gets to a certain amount. We'll see when the roll reaches four figures again how broke I am!

20. What is your primary online site and why?

At the mo, Ultimate Bet and Absolute. But will soon change to some of the other biggie's. As far as I can tell there are fish at all sites, so I go by rake and rakeback, deposit bonuses and traffic as my main indicators for where to play.

21. What site do you dislike and why?

None really.

World Cup

Haven't been playing much poker in the past week, mainly because of the World Cup.
I haven't watch every game, but it's been pretty darn close.
We have a sweepstake going on in the newsroom which needed you to pick the correct score for EVERY first round game, then all the qualifiers for the 2nd round, 1/4 finals, semis and final.
Its a point based scoring system. At the mo, its 5 pts for a correct score and 2 pts for the correct result.
Basically the laws of probability took over for me and I went one-nil for every game.
This has seriously pissed off my colleagues cos I'm leading by miles.
I think there's been five 1-0s, while the rest of the newsroom got swept up in World Cup fever and were predicting scores like 3-1 and 4-0 for almost every game.
It's got to the stage where everyone knows what I've done and there are cheers when a 2nd goal goes in.
I played up to my role as bad guy during the England v T&T game by pretending to be pissed off when Gerrard knocked in the extra time 2nd goal.
Anyway, I think the money is mine.
What following little poker I have been playing, I've cashed out of Absolute - around $280.
And UB is sitting at around $320.
Gonna register for the blogger freeroll on Stars when I get home (I'm on an Saturday early shift at work today) if its not too late.

Friday, June 09, 2006

Mo money

Work has been dull this week.
I have a page to fill everyday, and as business editor, it also means I'm under constant pressure to produce page leads and front-of-the-book stories on top of this.
I had two splashes last week, including a great exclusive into a £3 milllion training centre which was under investigate for fraud.
But after the highs of last week, I basically spent this week resting on my laurels and peddling the crap.
Had no decent stories really.
On the poker front, my Ultimate Bet roll is slowing rising.
Up to $320-ish now from a couple of big NL Hold'em hands. Trips and top two pair all-ins.
The 'big' news is that I've qualified for a WSOP freeroll through raketherake at Absolute after playing 2,500 hands there last month.
Winner gets $5,000 towards a WSOP seat, with the cash not spent on entry fees going towards travel expenses.
There's also $500 to share out. With only 40+ qualifiers I should have a fair chance.

Wednesday, June 07, 2006

One month on

Ok, it's not quite been a month but its been too long.
I've been playing in fits and starts. Work has been brutal and the weather has been too nice to sit and play all the time.
My bankroll on Absolute has stagnated and I've almost given up playing there.
The traffic when I tend to play (between 5pm and 9pm) BST is very low.
I've not quite achived my aim of cashing out the $300 I lost playing blackjack, it sits at $250.
But I think I would be better served to move it all to another site. I'm looking at having a go at Party Poker for the first time, and maybe redepositing at Full Tilt.
The highlight at Absolute was winning my first over 100 person tournie. It was an bonus point tournie with cash for the final table.
At the same time, I came fourth in a $2 NL tournie with around 100 starters.
I felt I was v. unlucky in that. I was big chip leader twice but kept getting rivered and couldn't knock any of the short stacks out all in.
Only one of the one the players had a clue how to play short-handed.
Anyway, the real plus is that I've hit a run of form on Ultimate Bet and am finally now in profit.
The roll is up to $280, including winning about $75 last night from playing PL Omaha H/L and NL Hold'em.
Hit some great hands, quad aces on the flop at Omaha which paid off and trips 4s on an all low flop, both of which netted around $25.
I also managed to pair the board with trip 10s on the river against two players with str8s on the turn.
I was committed but it's nice when you ctahc up on the river for a change.
Anyway back to work

Friday, May 19, 2006

Rolling on

Back on Wednesday and immediately back to the tables.
Played at least 12 hours in three days, partly because I took Thursday off to have my fridge delivered.
Mainly played Omaha H/L $2/$4 limit on Absolute where I booked a couple of solid wins (around $50 to $70) before leaking some of it back again yesterday (Thurs).
Most of the table are rocks but there's usually at least one fish on every table playing every hand.
Sometimes they get lucky, but it always ends in tears.
My biggest weakness is when its heads-up blind v. blind. I hate being bullied and twice called off stupid bets with nothing, convinced my foe had nothing.
The rake is huge on Absolute, but so is the deposit bonus so it seems to attract the odd fish to play.
I've been playing the Hold'em limit tables - 50c/$1 too - with success, mainly because of the lack of big NL tables.
I have three days left to clear $60 bonus before I'll prob move to somewhere with more traffic and less rake.
Although I've earned $40 rakeback this month alone.
My bankroll currently stands at $220 and I'm managing to stay off the blackjack!

Friday, May 12, 2006

Prague

No poker or work for the next five days as on a five-day trip to Prague.
The weather is gorgeous and there are honeys galore.
Just before I left my bankroll started moving in the right direction with some solid Omaha and Hold 'em play.
Won a Omaha Sit 'n' Go, while three tabling (the most my brain can take) on two ring games.
The break will be good cos I was getting kinda loose by Wedsnesday night out of boredom.
The only downer is that I missed a blogger freeroll on Virgin which has a WSOP seat up for grabs. I tried to get my brother to play for me but he was playing football that night.
I have the next few days in Prague pretty much planned out. Cinema tonight to see a Czech film that I've been dying to catch.
And a theatre performance on Sat night which I'm filming for a friend.
Intermingled, I hope, with lots of boozing and flirting with the Czech honeys here.
One of my few talents is that I speak Czech fluently which helps.
Plus I'm spending Mon and Tues with my sorta Czech g'friend,
Prob no more updates until I'm back in the UK on Wedsnesday.

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Five days of nothing

Five more days of my life - most of it spent in the newsroom. I was w'end reporter so no boozing and very little playing.
But I did end up with my byline on the first four pages which I s'pose is an achievement.
When I did get back on it on Monday my play swung wildly from diabolical to err...not so diablolical.
I dropped $50 at NL, but won it all back playing $2/$4 Omaha H/L.
The worst hand was losing $30 with Ks on a Q9x flop to a player with Q9.
My notes on him say: 'So tight it hurts' so when he re-raised my post flop pot bet I shoulda laid down. Something I've been good at over the past few months.
But no I carried on betting, and another 9 then a Q came and I lost it all.
I then donked off another $20 for good measure.
I played a $6 rebuy tournie with 13 players on Absolute which I bubbled out at 4th.
I was sitting pretty with five players left as 2nd high chip stack, all without a single rebuy or add-on.
But I went TOTALLY card dead, and my chips frittered away as the blinds were huge.
Looking back at my hand history I shoulda made a stand somewhere along the line as one guy kept raising all-in, and no-one was calling.
O well.
My roll on Absolute stands at $140 and $140 on Ultimate where I qualified for the semi-finals of there $1m guaranteed.
Back to work now.

Thursday, May 04, 2006

Bank Holiday doldrums

Mixed bag on the tables over the Bank Holiday weekend.
Eeked my rool on Absolute to about $180 with no real highlights.
Came 3rd in 27 man tournie and won a bit on the NL and omaha H/L tables.
But got my hand caught in the cookie jar trying to slowplay flooped trips and losing to a rivered full house.
I've also found a feature that hides the blackjack tag - yippee - but also printed of the full, blackjack basic strategy table which I'm sooooooo tempted to try out.

As for work, we have a new associate editor starting in June who made her first visit to our cheery newsroom today.
Its his first appointment since he came over from a bigger, regional daily.
First impressions are mixed. Bouffon hair that didn't move, power dressing and saggy.
But as she'll be in charge of all content - features and news - I'll need to show her what a top guy I am...

Sunday, April 30, 2006

Running hot

Just logged off a very successful session on AP's Omaha H/L $50c/$1 limit tables.
I was playing two games at the same time and there are so many loose, clueless players.
On the first table it took more than hour to get ahead and I slowly eeked it up to a $20 profit.
But once I'd sat on the 2nd table halfway through the session things really started to hot up.
There were a couple of clueless players and the pots were huge.
I won my first three hands and was $16 up v quickly and I left in an hour $43 up.
The bank roll now sits at $140 on Absolute, which means I need $160 more to clear my Blackjack losses.
I still have $130 of bonus left to clear and will have racked up another $20 or so of rakeback so I'm pretty confident.
Gonna take another shot at the omaha h/l tables after supper.

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Gotta feel sorry for PDIZZIE, the victim in the last hand, cos this happened a few minutes later.


Stage #347989880: Holdem No Limit $0.10 - 2006-04-26 16:51:56 (ET)
Table: JAPONICA AVE (Real Money) Seat #3 is the dealer
Seat 3 - DASFX ($18.60 in chips)
Seat 4 - LIZTON ($52.80 in chips)
Seat 5 - HERO ($31.01 in chips)
Seat 6 - PDIZZIE ($29.11 in chips)
Seat 7 - SKAGIT ($10.80 in chips)
Seat 8 - LORD RONIN ($57.91 in chips)
Seat 9 - MATTYB3518 ($10.15 in chips)
Seat 1 - SHORT_GUY99 ($19.40 in chips)
Seat 2 - DOCTORWOLF ($20.65 in chips)
LIZTON - Posts small blind $0.10
HERO - Posts big blind $0.25
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to HERO [9c 7c]
PDIZZIE - Calls $0.25
SKAGIT - Folds
LORD RONIN - Raises $1 to $1
MATTYB3518 - Calls $1
SHORT_GUY99 - Folds
DOCTORWOLF - Folds
DASFX - Folds
LIZTON - Folds
HERO - Folds
PDIZZIE - Calls $0.75
*** FLOP *** [7h Ad 8s]
PDIZZIE - Checks
LORD RONIN - Bets $2.75
MATTYB3518 - Folds
PDIZZIE - Calls $2.75
*** TURN *** [7h Ad 8s] [5c]
PDIZZIE - Checks
LORD RONIN - Bets $4.25
PDIZZIE - Raises $8.50 to $8.50
LORD RONIN - Calls $4.25
*** RIVER *** [7h Ad 8s 5c] [4h]
PDIZZIE - All-In $16.86
LORD RONIN - Calls $16.86
*** SHOW DOWN ***
PDIZZIE - Shows [Ac 8c] (Two Pair, aces and eights)
LORD RONIN - Shows [3s 6h] (Straight, four to eight)
LORD RONIN Collects $56.62 from main pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total Pot($59.57) | Rake ($2.95)
Board [7h Ad 8s 5c 4h]
Seat 1: SHORT_GUY99 Folded on the POCKET CARDS
Seat 2: DOCTORWOLF Folded on the POCKET CARDS
Seat 3: DASFX (dealer) Folded on the POCKET CARDS
Seat 4: LIZTON (small blind) Folded on the POCKET CARDS
Seat 5: HERO (big blind) Folded on the POCKET CARDS
Seat 6: PDIZZIE HI:lost with Two Pair, aces and eights [Ac 8c - B:Ad,P:Ac,B:8s,P:8c,B:7h]
Seat 7: SKAGIT Folded on the POCKET CARDS
Seat 8: LORD RONIN won Total ($56.62) HI:($56.62) with Straight, four to eight [3s 6h - B:8s,B:7h,P:6h,B:5c,B:4h]
Seat 9: MATTYB3518 Folded on the FLOP

Didn't like my 97s this time and so glad I didn't.
Absolutely outrageous play from Ronin. A few hands later I was dealt AA on the button and raised 5xbb behind about three limpers.
Only Ronin called on the button. Q-Q-7 flop which Ronin check raised and then led out with a big bet on turn.
Had to lay down - not worth the risk, the guy coulda had anything.

Sweet hand

REALLY enjoyed this one!

Stage #347980203: Holdem No Limit $0.10 - 2006-04-26 16:35:41 (ET)
Table: JAPONICA AVE (Real Money) Seat #9 is the dealer
Seat 9 - MATTYB3518 ($12.30 in chips)
Seat 1 - SHORT_GUY99 ($18.70 in chips)
Seat 2 - DOCTORWOLF ($19.15 in chips)
Seat 3 - DASFX ($19.80 in chips)
Seat 4 - LIZTON ($50 in chips)
Seat 5 - HERO ($11.27 in chips)
Seat 6 - PDIZZIE ($52.38 in chips)
Seat 7 - SKAGIT ($11.40 in chips)
Seat 8 - LORD RONIN ($59.33 in chips)
SHORT_GUY99 - Posts small blind $0.10
DOCTORWOLF - Posts big blind $0.25
LIZTON - sitout (wait for BB)
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to HERO [9s 7s]
DASFX - Folds
HERO - Calls $0.25
PDIZZIE - Raises $0.75 to $0.75
SKAGIT - Folds
LORD RONIN - Calls $0.75
MATTYB3518 - Folds
SHORT_GUY99 - Folds
DOCTORWOLF - Folds
HERO - Calls $0.50
*** FLOP *** [2s 8s 5s]
HERO - Checks
PDIZZIE - Bets $1.50
LORD RONIN - Raises $5.50 to $5.50
QUANTICFIVE - All-In(Raise) $10.52 to $10.52
PDIZZIE - Calls $9.02
LORD RONIN - Calls $5.02
*** TURN *** [2s 8s 5s] [Ah]
PDIZZIE - Bets $11
LORD RONIN - Calls $11
*** RIVER *** [2s 8s 5s Ah] [10d]
PDIZZIE - Checks
LORD RONIN - Checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
HERO - Shows [9s 7s] (Flush, nine high)
PDIZZIE - Mucks
LORD RONIN - Shows [3s 4s] (Flush, eight high)
LORD RONIN Collects $21 from side pot-1
HERO Collects $32.36 from main pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total Pot($56.16:$34.16,$22) | Rake ($2.80:$1.80,$1)
Board [2s 8s 5s Ah 10d]
Seat 1: SHORT_GUY99 (small blind) Folded on the POCKET CARDS
Seat 2: DOCTORWOLF (big blind) Folded on the POCKET CARDS
Seat 3: DASFX Folded on the POCKET CARDS
Seat 5: HERO won Total ($32.36) All-In HI:($32.36) with Flush, nine high [9s 7s - P:9s,B:8s,P:7s,B:5s,B:2s]
Seat 6: PDIZZIE HI: [Mucked] [Qd As]
Seat 7: SKAGIT Folded on the POCKET CARDS
Seat 8: LORD RONIN won Total ($21) HI:($21) with Flush, eight high [3s 4s - B:8s,B:5s,P:4s,P:3s,B:2s]
Seat 9: MATTYB3518 (dealer) Folded on the POCKET CARDS

Blogger freeroll

I thought I'd have a go at this one.
It starts at 1am which is a bit late, but its on Saturday so I think I can manage it.

Bloggers Championship I am registered to play in the
Online Poker Blogger Freeroll
Win your share of $25,000 and a set
of Nevada Jacks poker chips.
Hosted By: Absolute Poker
Sponsored By: Poker Source Online
Registration Code: 69124780

Blackjack is goooood!

Just a quick update from work which is a little naughty, but heh I'm writing!
Braved Absolute again last night and their dreaded blackjack tables.
Had $20 from rakeback sitting in my a/c and sat on the 10c/25c NL table with half of it.
Lost it in about ten minutes to a v aggressive Swede who called my pre-flop ako raise with 76o and hit trips on the flop.
To be fair he sucked me in well.
I rocked up with my last $10 but slowly leaked it away until there was $6 left. The table had become v tight so I took the 'rational' decision to whack it on the blackjack table.
I then won several hands in a row (including blackjack and two 15 draws which 6s) and left with $35. Yeeeee - haaaaaa!
Won another Omaha H/L SNG and about $5 overall on several NL and went to bed with $45 in my account.
The rake is huge on Absolute - a $10 pot leaks back 50c to the site, compared to 25c at UB - but this means they can offer a great deposit bonus which seems to attract the odd fishie.

Sunday, April 23, 2006

Grinding

It's been a fruitful three days since my last post and the blackjack debacle.
Returned to UB and run the $20 that was left in the account up to $150.
Been sticking to the 10c/25c NL tables.
I can't remember a bad beat and only had a big pr cracked once, which I laid down on the turn.
The only thing I think that I've been doing differently is being able to lay down when I'm behind.
The tables are dominated by rocks who sit for hours waiting for the nuts - they NEVER bluff.
I've got some good notes on most of the regular players.
I sometimes watch a hand unfolding when the rock wakes up and starts betting, shouting at the unsuspecting fish to fold. I've never typed it onto the chatbox but i've been close.
I sit down with $10 and buy in another $5 if I slip too low.
* UPDATE Ooops, just had to lay down my As again. Might have been a bluff but there was a flush and straight on the board.
The guy later told me he hit trips on flop.
Ended up $9 down before table broke up but still happy with my game.

Thursday, April 20, 2006

I hate blackjack

O dear, its been a strange month for my poker bankroll.
On the poker front, I've been making steady progress and eeking out a profit most days.
However, my bankroll has taken a hammering because of blackjack.
About six months ago I had a brief foray onto The Gaming Club tables and lost my $50 deposit on the blackjack tables.
I decided never to deposit there again.
Then, Absolute start up their own blackjack tables which are easily accessible from the poker rooms and you can guess what happened?
First, I wiped out my $200 deposit. Reloaded $100, which I worked up to $140 playing poker in a couple of days while resisting the blackjack room.
But it kept calling me and I blew the lot in around 2 hrs which included a single $50 "please double me up bet" after I completely lost my head.
I have about $30 rakeback still on the site but I'm too scared to go back there :)

After the blackjack debacle, I've been playing Ultimate Bet again and staying on the NL Hold-em tables.
I had just $9 left there from my $200 deposit but I've run this up to $55. This included a a couple of six-pak SNG wins and a 5th place in an $1 omaha H/L PL tournie.
There were around 180 entries so I netted $15, i think, after being in the top 10 most of the tournie.

Despite the loss of the $300, I'm pretty confident about my Hold'em game. It's all about patience and not losing your head.
Its pretty easy to identify who will pay you off on a table and who're rocks.
The players on UB that seem to consistently win are rocks that bet hard with strong hands and I'm trying to copy that style.
I've also re-remembered how to lay down a hand when I'm behind.

As for work, we have a new editor who has fired no-one which is actually quite dull. After a couple of weeks of frantic work from the entire newsroom, its settled back down to 'normal' newspaper life...i.e an hour of frenetic typing intermingled with hours trying to sweet talk unsuspecting jo-schmo's into talking.
The paper is a lot busier, ie higher story count, which means more stories to write but Spring is also a good time. People are out more and doing shit, but haven't left for their hols.

Anyway, till next time

Monday, April 03, 2006

It's been a while

Oh yes it has.
Spent three weeks on my travels - in the UK and then in the US. Not a single hand of poker played.
On my return I got straight back on the tables and proceeded to squander around $150.
Sullked for a while, then got back on recently.
Played in a Noble Poker $10k freeroll last night, placing 45th for $25.
The most fun I had on my return was making the final table of a 2000 player freeroll on Absolute for a superb $2 - which equalled to around 50c an hour.
Total waste of time but its the deepest I've been in such a large tournie.
My MTT is definitely improving.
To be honest though, I'm really trying to cut down the poker habit as its affecting my life. I spend all day working behind a PC only to jump behind one as soon as I get home. Not healthy really.
I'm writing this from work so a longer update soon.

Monday, February 20, 2006

Up n Down

Played very little poker in the past week.
I've continued to run well on the Absolute Poker Omaha H/L tables and run my roll up to $55 from $8 last week.
On Ultimate however its been pretty terrible to be honest. Won about $25 set over set (Ks vQs) on my very first hand at one table on Friday.
But then squandered it slowly over the rest of the weekend.
Its looking like I might lose all my $200 buy-in from two months ago - the first time this has happened at any site.
I've decided to stick to Omaha H/L and go for bust or glory.
Looking back at my neteller a/c I'm still around $1,200 up since June 2005 and Absolute, Full Tilt and Bugsys Club have definitely been the most profitable so I'm gonna stick to those in future.