Well, with 2009 just around the corner, I thought I had all my plans set up ready to go for next year, then NOIQ announce they are moving away from iPoker, which throws the whole of it up in the air !!
Still not sure what to do, but will probably tinker about on a few sites in Jan before deciding where to play for the rest of the year.
Still gonna concentrate on cash, even though my records show that I made a slight loss over the year at the cash tables. Overall though, finished the year $6150 in profit, which is up on 2007, so can't really grumble. But most of that was from bonuses and rakeback, along with a couple of $1k promo MTT wins, I guess $$ is $$ at the end of the day, but I need to be winning at the tables to even consider moving up to the next level.
I have set my goals for 2009, will post what they are once Jan is in full flow and I have a better idea which sites I am gonna play with.
Overall 2008 has been a great year for me. Got a lot of work done on the house, new car, pay rise at work and still alive after all of the mad drinking binges.
Lets hope 2009 is even better, especially on the poker front, as I need to move to the next level if I am to fulfill my dream of playing poker full time for a living by May 2012, Happy new year to all of you that take the time to read my blog. I hopefully plan to put more into it next year and make it more interesting !!
Goth
New Order - True Faith
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Its XMAS !!!!!!
The one great thing about xmas shopping, is my xmas shopping day with my bud Stu. The day out is now legendary in our workplace and is now in its 19th year. The day consists of a big fry up breakfast at about 09:30. Then the traditional first pint in the Yard of Ale pub on New St in Brum at about 10:00am. Now this pub is amazing, in the 20 years that I have been going in there the only thing that has changed is the brand of cider and the now lack of fog from fags pf the customers, whose average age must be over 100. The decor, the layout, the carpet have not changed since time began, truly a pub amongst pubs.
The day then continues with a bit of shopping, then on to the next pub. I think you then start to get the jist of things. By 1pm, the time spent in the shops is exactly in proportion to bladder control and the need to get to a toilet to empty the previous pubs beverage. The only place to go to the bog is of course, another pub. A pattern quickly emerges.
The day always ends up with us in one of brums many casinos. The last two years, I have played in whatever tourney was going when I landed. This year, there was no tourney, just one cash table so I thought oh well, not going to play any poker. So sat at the bar and as we were so drunk we could not drink any more cider we did what any sensible human being does. Yes, you've guessed it, start drinking double Jack Daniels and ice, you know it makes sense. It was at approx 10pm we realise that we had not yet eaten as our normal routine of eating at 6pm was changed as another m8 met up with us on his way to the annual Pogues xmas gig, so we had to entertain him for 4-5 pints. So we managed to get some food, then Stu decides to call it a day and leave at midnight. I decide I need more drink so stay, with my eyes firmly set on the cash table. I drift over and see what is going on. As you all know, I play cash online at the 25c/50c tables at the moment. So, when I get to the table I find that they are playing £2/£5 well beyond my limits, so I walk away, not home, like I should of, but str8 to the cashier and whip out £500 and sit my arse firmly in at the poker table with the live fish.
So, the one thing in my favour when I sit down is body language. I can't see my cards cos I am that pissed, so if they get a read on me, fook knows what signals I will be giving off. Now this is where you all think a large tale of woe and bad beats is gonna come out. But no. Basically, they were shit, unbelievably shit.
The game started off interestingly, when I picked up KT sooooooted and raised. The dealer picked up one of my chips and threw it back at me. I thought thats strange, but carried on regardless. Now, when it got to the 6th time he did it, I had to say something, ie "why the fck do keep giving me some of my chips back when I raise ??"........"Its pot limit, SIR" came the polite but stern reply. I could feel myself blush as I realised I had played over 1/2 hour not even knowing it was Pot Limit, what a twat....
This didn't alter the fact that they were poor and played any ace from any postion. I am not the greatest cash player in the world, but even in my drunken state, somehow I managed to take about £300 off them. I think I might even try and go back sobre one day and see how I get on then, although I think when playing sobre, I might be thinking a bit too much about the money.
The following few days were a bit of a blur, as Tuesday saw me have the hangover from hell vowing never to ever drink again, but vows are made to be broken of course.
Online, I have hardly played at all, just had too many things to do for xmas. The only real thing of note was managed to come 58th in the Stars World Blogger tourney, which got me a few step 3 ticket for my troubles, not much to shout about I know, but it was free, so can't grumble.
So its all go for xmas now, can't wait, looking forward to a day in the pub on boxing day, starting off watching ManU at 12:30, hanging on in there to watch the mighty Villa give the Arsenal one up the arse !!!
So a big merry xmas to all of you out there, hope santa emptys his sac all over your lounge....
I hate xmas songs and carols an all that shite, so gonna put up one of of my fave slow songs from one of my fave artists.
Neil Young - Old Man
The day then continues with a bit of shopping, then on to the next pub. I think you then start to get the jist of things. By 1pm, the time spent in the shops is exactly in proportion to bladder control and the need to get to a toilet to empty the previous pubs beverage. The only place to go to the bog is of course, another pub. A pattern quickly emerges.
The day always ends up with us in one of brums many casinos. The last two years, I have played in whatever tourney was going when I landed. This year, there was no tourney, just one cash table so I thought oh well, not going to play any poker. So sat at the bar and as we were so drunk we could not drink any more cider we did what any sensible human being does. Yes, you've guessed it, start drinking double Jack Daniels and ice, you know it makes sense. It was at approx 10pm we realise that we had not yet eaten as our normal routine of eating at 6pm was changed as another m8 met up with us on his way to the annual Pogues xmas gig, so we had to entertain him for 4-5 pints. So we managed to get some food, then Stu decides to call it a day and leave at midnight. I decide I need more drink so stay, with my eyes firmly set on the cash table. I drift over and see what is going on. As you all know, I play cash online at the 25c/50c tables at the moment. So, when I get to the table I find that they are playing £2/£5 well beyond my limits, so I walk away, not home, like I should of, but str8 to the cashier and whip out £500 and sit my arse firmly in at the poker table with the live fish.
So, the one thing in my favour when I sit down is body language. I can't see my cards cos I am that pissed, so if they get a read on me, fook knows what signals I will be giving off. Now this is where you all think a large tale of woe and bad beats is gonna come out. But no. Basically, they were shit, unbelievably shit.
The game started off interestingly, when I picked up KT sooooooted and raised. The dealer picked up one of my chips and threw it back at me. I thought thats strange, but carried on regardless. Now, when it got to the 6th time he did it, I had to say something, ie "why the fck do keep giving me some of my chips back when I raise ??"........"Its pot limit, SIR" came the polite but stern reply. I could feel myself blush as I realised I had played over 1/2 hour not even knowing it was Pot Limit, what a twat....
This didn't alter the fact that they were poor and played any ace from any postion. I am not the greatest cash player in the world, but even in my drunken state, somehow I managed to take about £300 off them. I think I might even try and go back sobre one day and see how I get on then, although I think when playing sobre, I might be thinking a bit too much about the money.
The following few days were a bit of a blur, as Tuesday saw me have the hangover from hell vowing never to ever drink again, but vows are made to be broken of course.
Online, I have hardly played at all, just had too many things to do for xmas. The only real thing of note was managed to come 58th in the Stars World Blogger tourney, which got me a few step 3 ticket for my troubles, not much to shout about I know, but it was free, so can't grumble.
So its all go for xmas now, can't wait, looking forward to a day in the pub on boxing day, starting off watching ManU at 12:30, hanging on in there to watch the mighty Villa give the Arsenal one up the arse !!!
So a big merry xmas to all of you out there, hope santa emptys his sac all over your lounge....
I hate xmas songs and carols an all that shite, so gonna put up one of of my fave slow songs from one of my fave artists.
Neil Young - Old Man
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Learning Curves
Playing at the moment while typing this, 6 buyins down. 4.5 of them I am happy with my decisions.
So, question. Should I still be playing. People say you should have a stop gap when you are losing. My stand on it, is if you start making bad decisions, only then should you stop. although, I can honestly say 1.5 buyins I lost were cos of tilt.
I am a very calm person, I control all of my anger and hide it inside. But does this just create a capped volcano awaiting to pop ?? Time will tell.
Sessions like tonight really do make you query why you do it. I think I am doing something fundamentally wrong at the level I am playing at. Someone with my experience should be able to beat this level quite comfortably. I have heard that some people when they move up find it easier, tempted to try this, but could be an expensive lesson.
Already wrote this month off, close to scrapping the years stats as when I look at them, they make me start thinking of what could of been. 5.5k up after 6 months of year and now only 6.2k up............
Just want to start a afresh next year, but why wait. Might just clear my stats and start now !!
Well maybe the weekend..............
If being a good player is Venus, this is how far I am away from it at this very moment (Courtesy of jat7065)
So, question. Should I still be playing. People say you should have a stop gap when you are losing. My stand on it, is if you start making bad decisions, only then should you stop. although, I can honestly say 1.5 buyins I lost were cos of tilt.
I am a very calm person, I control all of my anger and hide it inside. But does this just create a capped volcano awaiting to pop ?? Time will tell.
Sessions like tonight really do make you query why you do it. I think I am doing something fundamentally wrong at the level I am playing at. Someone with my experience should be able to beat this level quite comfortably. I have heard that some people when they move up find it easier, tempted to try this, but could be an expensive lesson.
Already wrote this month off, close to scrapping the years stats as when I look at them, they make me start thinking of what could of been. 5.5k up after 6 months of year and now only 6.2k up............
Just want to start a afresh next year, but why wait. Might just clear my stats and start now !!
Well maybe the weekend..............
If being a good player is Venus, this is how far I am away from it at this very moment (Courtesy of jat7065)
Saturday, December 06, 2008
November Pain
Bit late with the stats this month and no pretty graph either as I have played cash across a few sites that don't support PT3.
Finished the month in profit for about $340, taking the yearly profit back up to approx $6600.
Hardly played the last two weeks of the month, not sure why really, just could not seem to fit it in, so only played about 15k hands, well short of the 20k target. So def gonna make sure that I hit the 20k hands in December.
Managed to reach Green VIP Level on NOIQ for December and will almost certainly move up to Blue ready for the start of January. The plan is to grind Jan/Feb and hopefully be at the brown VIP level ready for March. Then will see if it really is possible to get up to the Black level. Theres a big jump between Brown and Black, 20k points up to 50K points. Will prob need to be be playing min 40k hands I reckon. Might even add some SnGs to help as well.
December has started off badly, dropping almost 6 buyins in the first few days. The annoying thing is that I don't feel that I have done nothing wrong, just not been paid off when hit and not hitting much else, no bad beats, just slowly leaked away a shed load of cash. I guess this is something that the best cash players just don't do.
Once thing November has taught me is how far I am away from being a decent cash player. As I said in a previous post, it looks like over the year I am going to be slighly down overall on the tables and only in profit due to rakeback and bonuses, some people might say a profit is a profit, but I do want to get to the stage where I am at least a consistant 2ptbb/100 winner when grinding out the hours.
Still feel fairly positive. Have worked out my bankroll plan and goals for next year, will drop those up here in the next few days.
As for todays song, I guess with the title of this entry, there could only be one track to choose.
Guns n Roses - November Rain
Finished the month in profit for about $340, taking the yearly profit back up to approx $6600.
Hardly played the last two weeks of the month, not sure why really, just could not seem to fit it in, so only played about 15k hands, well short of the 20k target. So def gonna make sure that I hit the 20k hands in December.
Managed to reach Green VIP Level on NOIQ for December and will almost certainly move up to Blue ready for the start of January. The plan is to grind Jan/Feb and hopefully be at the brown VIP level ready for March. Then will see if it really is possible to get up to the Black level. Theres a big jump between Brown and Black, 20k points up to 50K points. Will prob need to be be playing min 40k hands I reckon. Might even add some SnGs to help as well.
December has started off badly, dropping almost 6 buyins in the first few days. The annoying thing is that I don't feel that I have done nothing wrong, just not been paid off when hit and not hitting much else, no bad beats, just slowly leaked away a shed load of cash. I guess this is something that the best cash players just don't do.
Once thing November has taught me is how far I am away from being a decent cash player. As I said in a previous post, it looks like over the year I am going to be slighly down overall on the tables and only in profit due to rakeback and bonuses, some people might say a profit is a profit, but I do want to get to the stage where I am at least a consistant 2ptbb/100 winner when grinding out the hours.
Still feel fairly positive. Have worked out my bankroll plan and goals for next year, will drop those up here in the next few days.
As for todays song, I guess with the title of this entry, there could only be one track to choose.
Guns n Roses - November Rain
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