Blog Curse Returns- Never Publish Winning Sessions!!

I celebrated my wins too early.

I've been here before, most of the time while I was in Thailand, so I should have known what was going to happen. Cue loss of $350 of last night's $480 win :-(

I was actually up for the evening at midnight but decided to log back on for one last session, figuring I'll catch the drunks and tired fish. Turns out I was more tired than I expected and donated my chips around a few tables.

Looking through hands now, I don't think that there are that many terrible plays. I went with a read on one hand with QQ on JT4 board, 3betting all in on the flop when I would normally slow down / fold to a raise, but as I had notes that he slow plays trips I put him on a draw that was trying to outplay me (we have a lot of history). He had 44 so $100 dropped there. I then lost a flip with AK vs QQ for another $100 and then got oudrawn by QT on a T42 board in a 3bet pot, getting half stacks in on flop onlny for him to spike a Q for a third $100 beat in quick succession.

I played a couple of hands after that while on tilt for 20 BB then 30BB and never got the monster double up I needed to get my momentum going. C'est la vie.

I'm off to NFL tomorrow so unlikely now to get any hands in before Monday night at the earliest. This month was looking really promising profit wise, but back to grind fest next week now to try and hit my mental target of £1.5k. I'm running at £1k profit so far before rakeback so on track but would have loved to of had a monster month this month following the spendathon of Paris / U2 / Macau / Vegas.

Time to get pwning and run good next week - just one time!!

And boom goes the dynamite......

Shazam!!

No, I did not just get my leg over. Pretty good news though. I've just about recovered from evil man flu, and now healthy enough to be certain of heading to London for the NFL this weekend. Been looking forward to this for a while, and although I'm not as much of a New England Patriots fan as Briggs is, I can't wait to see all the yank razzamatazz on show.

I'm also running good again at poker. I've just finished probably my most profitable evening's play in the last couple of months, winning $480 before rakeback. It's amazing what winning a few flips can do for your bankroll, especially at NL100.

Anyway, gone 1 am here so time to crash. Been a while since I said it, so GL to all those playing out there :-)

Sniffle Sniffle

This is me.

I've been laid up with flu for the past couple of days, so not played any poker since my losing sessions on Saturday. I just don't feel as though I can concentrate on anything for more than 20 seconds so this is probably a +EV decision, so I'm spending my day on the sofa watching the NFL on Sky Plus with lemsip. Not the worst way to spend the day....

All going wrong

Can't find a winning session for love nor money. Lost about $500 now in the past 2 days and my confidence (and monthly profits) are fast disappearing up in smoke. Grim.

I should force myself to play tonight versus the drunks but just not feling the confidence. It's not helping that flu has taken hold and I'm my head is feeling all groggy, so it's probably a good idea to take a break. I'll see how I feel in a couple of hours.

Oh - in response to Brennan - he did do the majority of the PC fixing. Therefore if anyone has a PC problem please feel free to contact him and he'll happily remove any viruses / worms / problems your PC might have following any illegal downloads of movies, music or 'other'. The reason mine crashed was just due to bad luck of course due to an excel file being corrupted :-)

Rough 2 days

I think I'm getting the man flu, which everyone knows is the worst type, and I think my laptop was feeling left out so it decided to get a virus of it's own. 24 hours ish with no poker and constant texts / phone calls / emails to my technical advisor (Brennan) still left me a bit screwed, with no HOLDEM Manager and looking like I might be booking myself some unwanted time off while it got fixed properly. I then try a last ditch attempt of turning off my wireless router and back on again and hey presto! - my PC is back to working order. Who needs to have an IT degree..... (thanks though Brennan)

In some ways though I wish it didn't work. I've since managed to lose $200 on the poker tables, through bad luck, set ups and one or two loose plays. Not helped by my drowsy state of mind, but I do need to get my head sorted out before I play again tomorrow.

Good luck to mighty Spurs over weekend, although have a nasty feeling we'll come a cropper at Fratton Park. We rarely (never) win there, and they'll be well up for it against 'Arry. Our most influential player (Palacios) has also been round the world on World Cup duty with Honduras, and last time he did that before the Man Utd game he was crap (for him), putting in the worst performance of his Spurs career. Without him, we're average with no backbone. In fact, I think I've just talked myself in to an Azz style back against my team bet on Betfair....

Weekend, Azz Home Game and Circus Freezeout

I haven't had much of a chance to post on here as have been ridiculously busy over the past few days. On domestic front, we had Katrina's family here for the weekend and went out Friday night for her sister Lindsey's birthday in town for an Italian (Sabatini's I think). Thumbs up for the pizzas and the steaks, but I don't think that Mr and Mrs Jones would send out too many recommendations for the fish or chicken dishes!

Azz Home Game

Saturday involved getting beaten (just) in a 11 a side cup match, then an evening of poker round Azz's house. The first game can be summed up as follows:

• Carl tries to bluff Brennan who snap calls with 7Q on K72 board - 'I have nuts versus your range Carl' - rebuy Mr Richardson
• Carl gets all in versus Brennan again with jack high - rebuy Mr RichardsonCarl raises with KQ and can't get away from my squeeze shove - AA rock Holmes - rebuy Mr Richardson
• Another rebuy Mr Richardson
• One more rebuy Mr Richardson

Chips go back and forth as the alcohol and peanut consuming clan tries to outplay each other, and Brennan's monster chip stack is dwindled to a short stack by the end of rebuys as he runs in to a couple of monsters and getting himself pot committed with trash.

Carl is the first casualty after rebuys, as he calls my raise with 88 and flops 389. After slow playing the flop, he gleefully calls my check raise, only to find me holding 99 for the nuts, and his one out doesn't come. With 3 paid and 5 players left, a 3 way all in pre flop sees me and Briggs - the only 2 not involved - looking good for a cash finish. Gav's QQ is facing a flip versus Azz's AK, with luckbox Brennan needing a miracle to stay alive with 55. Flop of TAQ gives Azz hope then takes it away in 2 cards, with Brennan all but dead. But wait..... The miracle could still be on for as Azz picks up more outs with a K turn - and yes - it happens when the J comes on the river for a 3 way split. Grim for me and Briggs.

Brennan grinds back in to the money, after I vanish in 4th after being chip monster on the bubble. Gav raised early, Briggs took ages before calling from SB so I presume my big overshove from BB will just pick up the pot after Gav folds without any further incident. I wasn't counting on Briggs putting me on a bluff though and calling me with AQ. My KK still looks in great shape, especially as Gav tells us he's folded an ace, but not to be as the flop brings 2 aces and I'm back to short stack poker. No luck as my SB shove runs in to Gav's JJ on BB and I'm doomed. In true Ad King style, I take the poker beat very well and run off to the front room to play guitar hero rather than watch the rest of the action - although I know Briggs won (again) by beating Gav heads up.

Second Omaha game was a bit of a drunken blur, but I do know that I was out 2nd after I slow played my turned full house to sucker Carl in with his flush draw, only for him to hit his nut out on the river and obviously call my 'bluff' shove with a better full house. I think Azz won this game, but again by this time I was playing guitar hero in the front room with Brennan - which is near on impossible after 8 cans of stella, but even more so when the blue button is knackered Good evening entertainment though as always....

Sunday Evening

Sunday would normally have been a recovery day, however me and K had been invited to a (Canadian) thanksgiving dinner at our friends house. Steve and Kathleen put on a mint roast dinner for 6 and after putting their son Oliver to bed we got down to the serious business - playing Risk. For anyone that's not played this board game before I'd thoroughly recommend it, it's basically an excuse to pretend to be Napoleon / Roman Emperor / George Bush by invading the world and killing off your mates after making (and breaking) alliances. After being crushed in the last game by the Hass / Hass axis of evil, the Holmes / Jones alliance of the free reigned supreme and I took home the glory of 1st place. They'll be after revenge again soon I'm sure.

Poker

On poker front - I nearly shipped 2nd casino tournament 2 attempts when got knocked out in 4th of the Circus £30 game last night after heading there with Azz and cameo Cuswao. Rich threw his chips away at 12 when he sensibly realised that the game would be going on very very late, and that his work the next morning couldn't take a sleep deprived team leader. I'm sure they could of, but he does insist on telling me he's good at his job....

Anyway, me and Azz short stack our way to the final table, getting lucky and picking spots, before finally losing 'races' - Azz's K7 UTG shove losing to a dubious KT call from the SB to finsih 7th, then my KT losing when short stacked to a SB shover with AQ. £70 profit for the night for me, but don't think I'll ever play another midweek / weekend small stakes game as I didn't get home until 4:30 am and therefore slept through til 1:30 today, missing my online morning grind too.

Online has actually been going pretty well this month, and I'm about £700 up so far before rakeback. Long may this good form continue....

Daily Grind

Started today awful, losing over $200 in about 30 minutes. It didn't look good, but after a quick review of my losing hands I was pretty happy that I hadn't spewed off chips so didn't feel too bad and carried on. Won back my losses in the same session and ended only $15 down, which felt like a victory.

I caught a glimpse of Mark tearing up the PLO1000 table while relaxing in the Thailand sun / rain, so was tempted in to a game of this too. As I'm a novice I didn't sit down in the seat next to him, instead settled for a more relaxing PLO10 and PLO20 - much more my level :-). Did OK though and won $40 in 20 mins, even at these baby levels, so tempted to play a bit more later in the month.

Final session of today has been a 90 minute blast on Full Tilt, where I won a further $100 at NL50. Not an outstanding day, but until my bankroll is sufficient to sustain me at higher levels, I'll be happy with these regular wins and eeking out a pay day.

Off out for food tonight so unlikely to play later, but plan to hit drunks tomorrow night - either at casino or online.

AGGGGHHHHH!!!!! (annoyed)

Was having a decent day today, winning money at poker and winning at 5 a side football (19-2), so I should have known better than to log back on at 10pm tonight. I started the session $250 up and cruising, and as Ladbrokes was dying I decided to play NL50 on Full Tilt to try and build a bankroll from $500 start. Bad idea tonight.

I proceed to run QQ and AK in to KK pre flop for $50 buy ins, then JJ in to AA for $25. My 2 pairs are counterfeited and someone else hits their gutshot on turn after calling preflop raise and pot cbet for 50% of their chips w J8 on a K97 board. AK never any good for me there.

I only won one pot above $12, when I get lucky to hold AA against KK all in pre flop for a buy in, otherwise things could have been a lot worse. I lose $190 in the session so my profits for day are a measly $60, giving me online profits for month of $250 so far. It's a good job I won the Grosvenor on Friday or I would be a depressed man.....

A crappy day

Lost $250 today, although don't think I played that bad. Boards ran out terrible for me and couldn't seem to hit a barn door etc etc. Will get back on tomorrow and hope fortunes change.

Another Reasonable Day

Rattled off another 1.5k hands today for $200 profit on 6max cash. It's 1:30 am here and I've dropped to NL50 tables on Laddies now as it's full of fish virtually BEGGING you to take their money. Sadly I'm getting tired and need to get up in the morning otherwise I'd play a lot longer... not going to complain though. My kings ran in to aces for 150 BB otherwise this post would have been even more positive.

In non poker news, Northumbria Water tried their hardest to ruin my day by bursting 2 water pipes in our area, leaving us (and at minimum our immediate neighbours) without water for 5 hours. Katrina took the brave option of washing with remains of our bottled water, kettle water and anything else she could get her hands on. Being a man I took the alternative option of stinking like a b@$tard and hoping water came on tomorrow morning. As is my way at the moment, I ran good and the water came back on at 11:30 (after K had crashed) - meaning I got to relax in a warm shower working perfectly. I'll break it to her gently in the morning as she gets up for uni and I roll over for another lie in :-)

Ship It!!

After a rocky first few sessions, October has been smooth sailing so far on the poker front. I've logged nearly 5k hands and about $300 up on 6 max cash, playing well. I feel a lot more relaxed this month and not letting the big losing pots get to me as much, which is still my Achilles heel.

After a winning Saturday afternoon session online I rewarded myself with a trip to Grosvenor with Azz for there £25 + £20 one add on tournament. As value for money goes, this is actually really good, as you start with 6.5k chips with an option for one add on or rebuy for an extra 6.5k. As the blinds start at 25/50 then 50/100 for the first 90 minutes, there is plenty if play. In the olden days, I would have loved it - however my opinion now is that it could be a Saturday night wasted due to missing the drunks online. The fact there were only 29 players in it also meant the prize pot wasn't the biggest.

I had no problems getting to the final table but a lack of hands and plenty of others providing action meant I was short stack at bubble time with 6 left. With 18k and big blind of 3k, I'm looking to push any 2. After an UG limp and SB call, I look down on BB and decide my K5 suited is good enough to shove with - hopefully getting folds - but alas get called by UG AK. I was worried but the river brought me the magic 3rd heart for my flush - back in the game!

I then try to knock out the previous UG limper in the next hand when I shove from the SB with KQ to get turbo called by short stack with AQ. No luck for me this time and I'm back to where I started, short stack. We manage to play another hour without losing anyone, then I get my much needed double up, when my shove from mid position versus UG limper is cold called by the rock BB with JJ. My 77 looks in big trouble, but again I spike, leaving me comfortable at last. 3 people depart in quick succession and after losing a race (AK vs 99) then winning one (TT vs AQ) I go in to last 3 as slight chip leader - 120k vs 95k vs 85k. As it's 3:30 am I suggest a chop and I go home with the £275 split.

I took yesterday off so back to the grindstone today - hoping to run as well as the tournament on Saturday!

September P&L

What can I say? Rubbish stats. Playing so few hands is obviously not helping me (target was 40k), but the hands I did play weren't played perfectly. I ran bad at NL100 at the beginning of the month and then had to spin it back up by playing predominantly at NL50, which I managed to do - hence +ve bb/100 even though an overall loss:

NL Cash: -£60
(19k hands, 2.56 bb/100)

MTT: £20
Rakeback / Bonus: £398
ONLINE PROFIT: £358

Live Tournaments: -£30

Live Cash: £212
LIVE PROFIT: £182

OVERALL PROFIT: £540

Targets for October:

-Get a routine sorted!! My playing times are too erratic and still feel rushed, and I did not complete ANY poker theory revision due to my desperation to play.

-Play 40k hands.

- Update the blog more regularly :-)

Vegas Baby!!!

Unfortunately for Mark (and anyone else interested), this is not going to be a long post outlining the events of our 9 days in Vegas. 3 reasons for this:

1. I was too drunk most of the time to remember all of it
2. I could never do it justice writing it up at 1:30 am even if I could remember
3. Brennan has been tasked with pulling together a monster write up and video montage a la his Thailand efforts, therefore I do not want to steal his thunder.

What I will say is it was a class lads holiday, with some quality comedy moments starting on the flight out there (it was good upstairs) and not stopping until the flight back (was that the Flamingo??). Hopefully Brennan's official report will be available soon for all to see.

On poker front out there, I played a fair bit but didn't win anywhere near enough considering it's my job and most of the 1/2 cash tables were garbage. I ended about $300 up on cash over 5 sessions, mostly waiting for the nuts (or big overpair) to get my money in. As Ad can testify, nobody seemed to be able to find the 'fold' button meaning it was just luck whether your hand held up. I will definitely be playing more if / when I go back - as long as it's not with the mrs of course!!!