Hello card fans,
Just a quicky. Didn't get the job. Gutted actually. Would have really sorted me out. They don't know what they're missing.
I did however read the June issue of Poker Player Magazine (see link on the right). In it there was an article in playing late position by Nick Wealthall. He said;
"...when you're in late position it's time to become a real poker player. It's here that you can make moves, be creative and really gather chips. Someone once asked me what i listen to on my non branded iPod equivalent. I replied, 'In early position it's whale music, in late position it's gangsta rap.'..."
Nice one. So there you are breathe like a Buddhist through the first few positions waiting for the big guns only. In late shake it up, grab your 9 and bring it.
Good luck ma homies
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. That better.
Ok gang! Things are looking good and i feel back on track.
As you know, i wanted to attempt to build a bankroll through the lowest level sng's upwards. However i was struggling even amongst the babies and frankly, was ashamed of myself.
I had 20 dollars, lost it and re bought 10 dollars here and there - well, now i have just stopped to write this at....."tum te tum" $57 dollars. Nearly triple the original buy in. This is not just a good run, i am finally killing these low limit sng's, and so i bloody should be. I have read so much about, and watched the game for more hours than is probably healthy. My losing streak nearly drove me to quit but no more. Nay sayers may say that i only wrote yesterday about how much i suck at these games. Things in my head feel different though. In the last few days i have been contacted about 3 jobs, all of which i should be able to do. I received a £150 cheque this morning which i had forgotten was coming. I have a (semi) proper job interview tomorrow and am still to meet regarding my company. I have just remembered (duh!) that on top of all this, this afternoon i was given the all clear by the Cardiologist. They said blood- good, thyroid- good, haemoglobin -good. They had originally worried that my cholesterol was high. It turns out that it actually is. The reason it is, however, is because my "good" cholesterol is very high, subsequently raising my overall level to a number above average (5.4 i think). Basically they are not worried and claim that what i was experiencing was not heart related. I honestly believe that a positive mental state is key to life (and playing a good game of poker).
Back to "the poke". There is a lot of talk about not bluffing in the low limits. This i believe is true, but only to a certain extent. For example, if a 3rd card of a suit hits the river and you could (but don't) have the flush - your bet here, more often than not, would be called by AK on a A high board and therefor be a waste of chips. At this level i obviously make mistakes, play like shit and therefore lose, but, BUT!, i was making too many "complicated" plays on the basis of; if he has "x" and thinks i have "y" (he is clearly doing equations and should be paying more attention to the game). This is the "bluffing" that is incorrect. The bluffing that does work is aggression pre flop. If it is all limped to you and you hold a playable hand- raise it. Position is great to have, but even that isn't such a big deal at this level, it just makes the process easier. When you raise they may fold and you win the pot there. If they call - (they are not going to re raise!) - chances are you have the best hand anyway and a continuation bet will see you take the hand on the flop. On the occasions they play back at you - fold. What you have lost in chips here you will make back 10 fold later. Give them their moment of power. Later when they don't have cards they will fold their blinds repeatedly. The other great thing about this is that even blind people will eventually realise you are raising a lot. I can't tell you how great this part is. They are angry and want to win a pot so play back at you. Do they wait for great hands to do this? Not necessarily. By this time i can fold and pick a better spot because i have so many chips, i can call with my (often better) hand and be ahead and win, i can call thinking I'm ahead, find out I'm behind and still win. If i lose, it doesn't matter, i can afford it and if the present play patterns continue i will wait until they are beaten down again and repeat the process.
Basically ladies and gentlemen i am switching the laptop on expecting to win. That is a good feeling.
Good luck, and if you are out there - I know you are - leave a message.
As you know, i wanted to attempt to build a bankroll through the lowest level sng's upwards. However i was struggling even amongst the babies and frankly, was ashamed of myself.
I had 20 dollars, lost it and re bought 10 dollars here and there - well, now i have just stopped to write this at....."tum te tum" $57 dollars. Nearly triple the original buy in. This is not just a good run, i am finally killing these low limit sng's, and so i bloody should be. I have read so much about, and watched the game for more hours than is probably healthy. My losing streak nearly drove me to quit but no more. Nay sayers may say that i only wrote yesterday about how much i suck at these games. Things in my head feel different though. In the last few days i have been contacted about 3 jobs, all of which i should be able to do. I received a £150 cheque this morning which i had forgotten was coming. I have a (semi) proper job interview tomorrow and am still to meet regarding my company. I have just remembered (duh!) that on top of all this, this afternoon i was given the all clear by the Cardiologist. They said blood- good, thyroid- good, haemoglobin -good. They had originally worried that my cholesterol was high. It turns out that it actually is. The reason it is, however, is because my "good" cholesterol is very high, subsequently raising my overall level to a number above average (5.4 i think). Basically they are not worried and claim that what i was experiencing was not heart related. I honestly believe that a positive mental state is key to life (and playing a good game of poker).
Back to "the poke". There is a lot of talk about not bluffing in the low limits. This i believe is true, but only to a certain extent. For example, if a 3rd card of a suit hits the river and you could (but don't) have the flush - your bet here, more often than not, would be called by AK on a A high board and therefor be a waste of chips. At this level i obviously make mistakes, play like shit and therefore lose, but, BUT!, i was making too many "complicated" plays on the basis of; if he has "x" and thinks i have "y" (he is clearly doing equations and should be paying more attention to the game). This is the "bluffing" that is incorrect. The bluffing that does work is aggression pre flop. If it is all limped to you and you hold a playable hand- raise it. Position is great to have, but even that isn't such a big deal at this level, it just makes the process easier. When you raise they may fold and you win the pot there. If they call - (they are not going to re raise!) - chances are you have the best hand anyway and a continuation bet will see you take the hand on the flop. On the occasions they play back at you - fold. What you have lost in chips here you will make back 10 fold later. Give them their moment of power. Later when they don't have cards they will fold their blinds repeatedly. The other great thing about this is that even blind people will eventually realise you are raising a lot. I can't tell you how great this part is. They are angry and want to win a pot so play back at you. Do they wait for great hands to do this? Not necessarily. By this time i can fold and pick a better spot because i have so many chips, i can call with my (often better) hand and be ahead and win, i can call thinking I'm ahead, find out I'm behind and still win. If i lose, it doesn't matter, i can afford it and if the present play patterns continue i will wait until they are beaten down again and repeat the process.
Basically ladies and gentlemen i am switching the laptop on expecting to win. That is a good feeling.
Good luck, and if you are out there - I know you are - leave a message.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Random thoughts
Good evening
Why do i drop about 50% of all shampoo i place in my hands onto the shower floor before applying it to my large cranium. This does not bode well for chip handling should i ever make the move to live casino play.
Someone in "InsidePoker" magazine said that YouTube is sooo last year and that PokerTube is where its at. I am happy to agree. YouTube has way more content and can be used to hunt for some deeply hidden poker (and other) gems. However, newer site PokerTube has some stuff i have never seen and can only increase its content (See links on the right).
In the same magazine there was talk of the WSOP and how it has changed. This was written by an Irish player (i assume he was Irish anyway) called Padraig Parkinson. I am disregarding all poker links here and concentrating on the name. How did they get that spelling?? I know! I know! If you say Patrick in an Irish accent (I'm an actor, I know this) it sounds like Padraig. I honestly think they were an Irish family who wanted to call their son Patrick. Unfortunately there was a verbal miscommunication at the alter and Padraig was the result. This same complex formula does not apply to the Irish spelling of Owen - Eoghan - What??
This evening i watched the new poker show on channel 4 - Party Poker Premier League. It has 12 poker pros playing a series of 6 - 6 handed sit and go's. Each player receives a different number of points in accordance with their finish position. The result after 6 games should give an indication as to the best over all player. (Last week Phil Hellmuth won.) I mention this really because of a couple of "online hands" that occurred during the show. In the first hand of note Roland De Wolf was down but not out and raised all in with 10 8 off suit. It folded round to Kenna James who sat for a reasonable amount of time whilst calculating his pot odds and thinking it through. All pretty reasonable and routine you may think . However he hadn't looked at his hole cards and on our screens for all to see was a lovely pair of aces! He eventually looked and instantly called, flipped them and apologised.
Kenna A A
Roland 10 8
flop 10 10 9
lol
Turn x
River A
Mental - if that's not a PokerStars set up you've seen too many times to count....well... you probably play another site.
Later heads up between Juha Helpi and another chap (!), the other chap is dealt 10 diamonds 10 hearts and raises - Juha looks down at ... 10 spades 10 clubs and moves all in - other dude calls and its all laughs. Until the flop brings 2 clubs giving Helpi the freeroll. Turn club, river...club. Game Helpi. This is some luck as he had just doubled through after he had moved all in over Kenna James' raise holding AJ off suit which Kenna was all too happy to call with KK. This happiness landed only as far as the turn when the ace dropped giving Juha the hand.
This weekend was a bank holiday, not that it matters to me. I don't work, everyday is a holiday. The best part of the weekend and these days for me is that i get to spend them with my lovely girlfriend. It was a miserable day outside in the real world and we lay in bed all day and watched the second Pirates of the Caribbean (which was just ok) as well as "The Holiday." This was released here last Christmas starring Jude Law (very good in this - not usually bothered about him), Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz and Jack Black. For me this was the PERFECT film to watch with your loved one snuggled up on a rainy day. It is a Working Title film and definitely feels like one but this does not stop the willing viewer going on the journey with these characters and falling for them all and their respective differences and difficulties. See it
I'm off to bed in a minute. I have to go to the hospital tomorrow. I have been having tests on my heart on and off since an incident i experienced just before Christmas. Tomorrow is the final consultation and when i receive my results of all the tests. I assume as they haven't rushed me in that everything is alright. This is England though, service is always slow and everybody hates a queue jumper!
Goodnight my loves
Why do i drop about 50% of all shampoo i place in my hands onto the shower floor before applying it to my large cranium. This does not bode well for chip handling should i ever make the move to live casino play.
Someone in "InsidePoker" magazine said that YouTube is sooo last year and that PokerTube is where its at. I am happy to agree. YouTube has way more content and can be used to hunt for some deeply hidden poker (and other) gems. However, newer site PokerTube has some stuff i have never seen and can only increase its content (See links on the right).
In the same magazine there was talk of the WSOP and how it has changed. This was written by an Irish player (i assume he was Irish anyway) called Padraig Parkinson. I am disregarding all poker links here and concentrating on the name. How did they get that spelling?? I know! I know! If you say Patrick in an Irish accent (I'm an actor, I know this) it sounds like Padraig. I honestly think they were an Irish family who wanted to call their son Patrick. Unfortunately there was a verbal miscommunication at the alter and Padraig was the result. This same complex formula does not apply to the Irish spelling of Owen - Eoghan - What??
This evening i watched the new poker show on channel 4 - Party Poker Premier League. It has 12 poker pros playing a series of 6 - 6 handed sit and go's. Each player receives a different number of points in accordance with their finish position. The result after 6 games should give an indication as to the best over all player. (Last week Phil Hellmuth won.) I mention this really because of a couple of "online hands" that occurred during the show. In the first hand of note Roland De Wolf was down but not out and raised all in with 10 8 off suit. It folded round to Kenna James who sat for a reasonable amount of time whilst calculating his pot odds and thinking it through. All pretty reasonable and routine you may think . However he hadn't looked at his hole cards and on our screens for all to see was a lovely pair of aces! He eventually looked and instantly called, flipped them and apologised.
Kenna A A
Roland 10 8
flop 10 10 9
lol
Turn x
River A
Mental - if that's not a PokerStars set up you've seen too many times to count....well... you probably play another site.
Later heads up between Juha Helpi and another chap (!), the other chap is dealt 10 diamonds 10 hearts and raises - Juha looks down at ... 10 spades 10 clubs and moves all in - other dude calls and its all laughs. Until the flop brings 2 clubs giving Helpi the freeroll. Turn club, river...club. Game Helpi. This is some luck as he had just doubled through after he had moved all in over Kenna James' raise holding AJ off suit which Kenna was all too happy to call with KK. This happiness landed only as far as the turn when the ace dropped giving Juha the hand.
This weekend was a bank holiday, not that it matters to me. I don't work, everyday is a holiday. The best part of the weekend and these days for me is that i get to spend them with my lovely girlfriend. It was a miserable day outside in the real world and we lay in bed all day and watched the second Pirates of the Caribbean (which was just ok) as well as "The Holiday." This was released here last Christmas starring Jude Law (very good in this - not usually bothered about him), Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz and Jack Black. For me this was the PERFECT film to watch with your loved one snuggled up on a rainy day. It is a Working Title film and definitely feels like one but this does not stop the willing viewer going on the journey with these characters and falling for them all and their respective differences and difficulties. See it
I'm off to bed in a minute. I have to go to the hospital tomorrow. I have been having tests on my heart on and off since an incident i experienced just before Christmas. Tomorrow is the final consultation and when i receive my results of all the tests. I assume as they haven't rushed me in that everything is alright. This is England though, service is always slow and everybody hates a queue jumper!
Goodnight my loves
Friday, May 25, 2007
Poker Magazines
I currently subscribe to the following poker magazines; Poker Player, WPT and Inside Poker. Occasionally some of their content is similar but it is never a noticeable problem. They each have their own styles and i enjoy each of them for different reasons. I was excited recently to see Card Player Magazine in WH Smiths. I have heard lots of talk of this magazine but so far i am not impressed. I guess primarily due to its uninspired lay out. If i see it again i may well give it another chance as so many people can't be wrong. (Can they?)
I have a pile of about 10 by my bed that i have got behind on. I basically lift the freeroll information out of them and stand them by for future reading. I guess because i am not travelling into work (and my life is just so God damn busy) at the moment they are not getting read. I do however skim them when hey arrive for interesting nuggets such as this.
Watch the video below for a brutal confrontation between John D'Agostino and Hoyt "Ahm all iyn" Corkins. Back to back madness. No spoilers but apparently this was just the peak of a day that ran like this. We are not alone people.
Enjoy
I have a pile of about 10 by my bed that i have got behind on. I basically lift the freeroll information out of them and stand them by for future reading. I guess because i am not travelling into work (and my life is just so God damn busy) at the moment they are not getting read. I do however skim them when hey arrive for interesting nuggets such as this.
Watch the video below for a brutal confrontation between John D'Agostino and Hoyt "Ahm all iyn" Corkins. Back to back madness. No spoilers but apparently this was just the peak of a day that ran like this. We are not alone people.
Enjoy
Too excited! I'm really quite faint.
Now, to the three of you this may seem like small potatoes, but i have just gone on a small tear and won 3 uber low sng's on a row. In the past i have played good poker and played, at that time, winning poker up to 12 dollar sng's and cash games at the 50$ tables. Still not massive but big enough to earn money to pay for real things. Right now, given my non existent income, winning these sit and goes at a profit of about $25 feels great. Even though recent cash deposits still exceed this amount I have played good and still got my money in best. I feel that the amount i now have should not, i said i said, SHOULD NOT, drop far from this amount. If it does, frankly I'll be embarrassed and ashamed.
I hope i don't come crawling back red faced. Whatever happens i promise to be honest about it.
COME ON!
I hope i don't come crawling back red faced. Whatever happens i promise to be honest about it.
COME ON!
Thursday, May 24, 2007
The Descent into poker blogging
I have just watched the film The Descent http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0435625/ . Holy Moly! Shocker! As i mentioned before, i don't really get scared by films. I think to a certain extent i have seen it all. However, what this film did do particularly well was utilise shock tactics to its best advantage. I was in by myself and was tensing up and jumping about like an epileptic at a disco. Along with the "boo factor" (which is what i think this should actually be called - "i give this a boo factor 9" etc) they showed some shocking stuff - not like a man stabbing a baby or anything like that, but rather surprise, shock elements that made you jump and feel disgusted at the same time. I don't know about you but there are certain things that can be shown on film that really get to me. One example - not from this film, ( no spoilers here!) is dentistry. Not general dentistry "ahhh yes Mr Smith , very good teeth - do keep them clean!". NO! I mean pulling teeth with rusty implements, stabbing the mouth, the end of American History X ( http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120586/ ), drilling, wrenching etc etc. Ohhherrr makes me cringe thinking about it. Point is, it makes me feel wrong inside and there were moments in this film which did that to me. The only reason i put it on the list and watched the film is cos Empire Magazine ( http://www.empireonline.com/put ) put it in their list of 201 greatest movies of all time at number 200. I transferred all films i hadn't seen to my list and will see them all in due course. For those of you who don't know, "the list" is the never ending list of films to rent from my online supplier Blockbuster http://www.blockbuster.co.uk/ . Cannot recommend them enough actually.
As for poker. My god this game is sick. I still get vexed and annoyed getting busted by the morons. I don't care if they will make me money in the long run. I may run out of money before my time comes! I'm not kidding. Twice i got my money in with flopped sets (Jacks both times) only to be runner runnered and beaten by a straight and a flush. These were not on as a straight draw when the money went in you understand. If i move all in with a set and someone calls with an overcards and a straight draw then fair play and good luck but this is madness. I made a play i never make today which worked out really well. Check it out...
I'm in the bb dealt AJ off. The guy (dumb looking photo on Pokerstars as his avatar - begs the question why do people who aren't good looking advertise the fact- anyway) he is one off the button - he raises. I figure positional raise and reraise just over 3 times his bet. This incidentally is the play i never make with a hand this weak. He ponders and calls. Flop J33 - "great flop" thinks i. A move i do like to make in this spot is the double bluff continuation bet. I want it to look like a standard continuation bet so they get involved, usually on a flop like this by raising - and lo and behold - he repops me from about 280 - to 700 -now i know he hasn't got an over pair or a 3 - if he has a J its not AJ - so i reraise all in - he calls with AK off - Interesting the board hits runner runner spades to put 4 spades out and give him what is more commonly known as the nut flush.
Bollocks.
Anyway - Poker faults of the day - 1) Emotional - get angry and want to beat certain individuals - 2) Impulsive - sometimes good but i often act and wish I'd just pondered the board/situation a little closer/longer- 3) Impatient - sometimes i sit like a rock playing 3 hands in 49 minutes and others i want to call any raise with any hand - I KNOW WHEN THEY HIT THEY HIT MASSIVE AND CANT BE SPOTTED BUT MORE OFTEN THAN NOT THEY DON'T SO JUST PUT IT ASIDE AND FOLD.
Enjoy your evening and remember its the way to bring a lemon do climax is to tickle the citerus
Night
As for poker. My god this game is sick. I still get vexed and annoyed getting busted by the morons. I don't care if they will make me money in the long run. I may run out of money before my time comes! I'm not kidding. Twice i got my money in with flopped sets (Jacks both times) only to be runner runnered and beaten by a straight and a flush. These were not on as a straight draw when the money went in you understand. If i move all in with a set and someone calls with an overcards and a straight draw then fair play and good luck but this is madness. I made a play i never make today which worked out really well. Check it out...
I'm in the bb dealt AJ off. The guy (dumb looking photo on Pokerstars as his avatar - begs the question why do people who aren't good looking advertise the fact- anyway) he is one off the button - he raises. I figure positional raise and reraise just over 3 times his bet. This incidentally is the play i never make with a hand this weak. He ponders and calls. Flop J33 - "great flop" thinks i. A move i do like to make in this spot is the double bluff continuation bet. I want it to look like a standard continuation bet so they get involved, usually on a flop like this by raising - and lo and behold - he repops me from about 280 - to 700 -now i know he hasn't got an over pair or a 3 - if he has a J its not AJ - so i reraise all in - he calls with AK off - Interesting the board hits runner runner spades to put 4 spades out and give him what is more commonly known as the nut flush.
Bollocks.
Anyway - Poker faults of the day - 1) Emotional - get angry and want to beat certain individuals - 2) Impulsive - sometimes good but i often act and wish I'd just pondered the board/situation a little closer/longer- 3) Impatient - sometimes i sit like a rock playing 3 hands in 49 minutes and others i want to call any raise with any hand - I KNOW WHEN THEY HIT THEY HIT MASSIVE AND CANT BE SPOTTED BUT MORE OFTEN THAN NOT THEY DON'T SO JUST PUT IT ASIDE AND FOLD.
Enjoy your evening and remember its the way to bring a lemon do climax is to tickle the citerus
Night
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Very nice flop
Ch, ch, ch, check it out.
PokerStars Game #10063636923: Tournament #51010212, $3.00+$0.25 Hold'em No Limit - Level II (15/30) - 2007/05/23 - 08:52:45 (ET)Table '51010212 1' 6-max Seat #5 is the buttonSeat
1: amoremio2 (1600 in chips)
Seat 2: willnot67 (1440 in chips)
Seat 3: PinkDiamond7 (1560 in chips)
Seat 4: Poggi26 (1890 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 5: HERO (1430 in chips)
Seat 6: mpreißler (1080 in chips)
mpreißler: posts small blind 15
amoremio2: posts big blind 30
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to HERO[2h 5h]
willnot67: folds
PinkDiamond7: calls 30
Poggi26: folds
HERO: calls 30
mpreißler: calls 15
amoremio2: checks
*** FLOP ***
[Ah 3h 4h]
...
Wowsers! - flopped straight flush. Needless to say i won that one. My opponent bet into me on the flop, turn and river. I reraised the river all in- he thought long and then folded. I should have reraised the turn and raised less on the river but i didn't want to lose business and thought the over bet on the river looked more like a missed flush with a single A/K hearts.
In the past i have flopped quads a few times (2 of which were on particularly good occasions) i have turned a royal flush once and seen the flop, turn and river craete a royal flush on the board (all 5 community cards making up the royal flush). I have also seen the board make a community straight flush but obviously this was slightly less exciting.
I am currently reading Paul Phillips' blog - (see the link on the left) damn theres a lot of it! - i think he has been writing it for 6 years or so. It is quite entertaining. He clearly doesn't give a shit about what anyone thinks of him or his recent poker celebrity status. He can also be very funny, see snippets below;
"I continue to boggle my mind by falling asleep with the television on. This time, I awoke to hear what sounded like an impassioned telephone conversation coming from the kitchen. The speaker was obviously crying, in great emtional pain, but with normal telephone pauses. I thought it was my friend Steve. After about half a minute I realized nobody was at my house, that everyone had left the previous evening.Since Steve isn't exactly the sort to blubber on the phone while at my house, I was in mental wackyland."
Love that "mental wackyland" i feel that i go there frequently
also.....
"Dreams. Last night I dreamed I was having a conversation with a fish and a seal. The fish was flopping around out of the water (but didn't seem too unhappy about it.) Still, I guided us all back to the nearby well so the fish could jump in. We continued to discuss the party we were going to attend that evening. Then the seal accidentally dropped his cell phone in the well. I chuckled that it was probably gone for good, but he said it would be retrievable tomorrow when there was more light."
I am also reading "guinness and poker" http://guinnessandpoker.blogspot.com/ which is also worth a look if you like an intelligent, amusing and opinionated blog with a look at analysing your game.
In other news i have just recieved payment for some work i did a while back and have word that another cheque is on its way to me which i had forgotten about. This is great news as it affords me another 2 months of sitting about doing nothing. Erm... i mean looking for work. On that note i have an audition next week for a TV pilot, (ooohhh!)it is very hush hush right now but i will reveal more if and when i become involved. Sounds like a wicked project though. I want it - i want it bad! Oh yeah, bad like a mother.
Good luck addicts
PokerStars Game #10063636923: Tournament #51010212, $3.00+$0.25 Hold'em No Limit - Level II (15/30) - 2007/05/23 - 08:52:45 (ET)Table '51010212 1' 6-max Seat #5 is the buttonSeat
1: amoremio2 (1600 in chips)
Seat 2: willnot67 (1440 in chips)
Seat 3: PinkDiamond7 (1560 in chips)
Seat 4: Poggi26 (1890 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 5: HERO (1430 in chips)
Seat 6: mpreißler (1080 in chips)
mpreißler: posts small blind 15
amoremio2: posts big blind 30
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to HERO[2h 5h]
willnot67: folds
PinkDiamond7: calls 30
Poggi26: folds
HERO: calls 30
mpreißler: calls 15
amoremio2: checks
*** FLOP ***
[Ah 3h 4h]
...
Wowsers! - flopped straight flush. Needless to say i won that one. My opponent bet into me on the flop, turn and river. I reraised the river all in- he thought long and then folded. I should have reraised the turn and raised less on the river but i didn't want to lose business and thought the over bet on the river looked more like a missed flush with a single A/K hearts.
In the past i have flopped quads a few times (2 of which were on particularly good occasions) i have turned a royal flush once and seen the flop, turn and river craete a royal flush on the board (all 5 community cards making up the royal flush). I have also seen the board make a community straight flush but obviously this was slightly less exciting.
I am currently reading Paul Phillips' blog - (see the link on the left) damn theres a lot of it! - i think he has been writing it for 6 years or so. It is quite entertaining. He clearly doesn't give a shit about what anyone thinks of him or his recent poker celebrity status. He can also be very funny, see snippets below;
"I continue to boggle my mind by falling asleep with the television on. This time, I awoke to hear what sounded like an impassioned telephone conversation coming from the kitchen. The speaker was obviously crying, in great emtional pain, but with normal telephone pauses. I thought it was my friend Steve. After about half a minute I realized nobody was at my house, that everyone had left the previous evening.Since Steve isn't exactly the sort to blubber on the phone while at my house, I was in mental wackyland."
Love that "mental wackyland" i feel that i go there frequently
also.....
"Dreams. Last night I dreamed I was having a conversation with a fish and a seal. The fish was flopping around out of the water (but didn't seem too unhappy about it.) Still, I guided us all back to the nearby well so the fish could jump in. We continued to discuss the party we were going to attend that evening. Then the seal accidentally dropped his cell phone in the well. I chuckled that it was probably gone for good, but he said it would be retrievable tomorrow when there was more light."
I am also reading "guinness and poker" http://guinnessandpoker.blogspot.com/ which is also worth a look if you like an intelligent, amusing and opinionated blog with a look at analysing your game.
In other news i have just recieved payment for some work i did a while back and have word that another cheque is on its way to me which i had forgotten about. This is great news as it affords me another 2 months of sitting about doing nothing. Erm... i mean looking for work. On that note i have an audition next week for a TV pilot, (ooohhh!)it is very hush hush right now but i will reveal more if and when i become involved. Sounds like a wicked project though. I want it - i want it bad! Oh yeah, bad like a mother.
Good luck addicts
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Poker Stars - where the stars play poker...
...especially at the lowest limits.
So i deposited a few more 10$ and embarrassed myself by looking at my sharkscope stats. it looks a bit like this
You get the idea. Up 500 very steeply and gradually dropping off on a long slow descent. Destination Poverty - population 1. Me. (Poverty in this case being a sad corner of my bedroom - we are not talking on a global scale.) Its actually only dropped 50 dollars but its 50 dollars in the wrong direction and it needs to be rectified.
I have just run one of these investments down to near virtual felt before winning it back after dominating a tiny 2 table tourney. How nice and refreshing to regularly see the best hand hold up. I often look at my play and criticise myself, but, i will say that so often i am busted holding the best pre flop hand. In that situation in the past i have walked away from the game frustrated and angry. I should learn from it instead. We know this is a game where any 2 cards can win so why am i surprised to go broke if i don't play a flop and regularly gamble with the best cards pre. If i have the best hand it should, more often than not, remain the best hand post flop so lets see what happens.
Just played a classic with this sort of thinking in mind. Sng - 5 players left - me short stack but still 25x bb - I'm on the button with AQ suited - I go to move all in on the blinds - I stop and think - they will probably fold - raise to build a pot with the best hand - I raise 3xbb and the sb calls - the bb moves all in instantly. I know he hasn't got a big hand - small pair maybe - i give him credit for something as i have only played a few hands - so i put him on a small pair - i laugh to see he has made this play with 86 off suit. I laugh less when the flop is K79 - and less again when the turn is a 5 completing his straight. I congratulate him on his stellar performance and leave.
What can you do?? Seriously??
Good luck everyone
So i deposited a few more 10$ and embarrassed myself by looking at my sharkscope stats. it looks a bit like this
You get the idea. Up 500 very steeply and gradually dropping off on a long slow descent. Destination Poverty - population 1. Me. (Poverty in this case being a sad corner of my bedroom - we are not talking on a global scale.) Its actually only dropped 50 dollars but its 50 dollars in the wrong direction and it needs to be rectified.
I have just run one of these investments down to near virtual felt before winning it back after dominating a tiny 2 table tourney. How nice and refreshing to regularly see the best hand hold up. I often look at my play and criticise myself, but, i will say that so often i am busted holding the best pre flop hand. In that situation in the past i have walked away from the game frustrated and angry. I should learn from it instead. We know this is a game where any 2 cards can win so why am i surprised to go broke if i don't play a flop and regularly gamble with the best cards pre. If i have the best hand it should, more often than not, remain the best hand post flop so lets see what happens.
Just played a classic with this sort of thinking in mind. Sng - 5 players left - me short stack but still 25x bb - I'm on the button with AQ suited - I go to move all in on the blinds - I stop and think - they will probably fold - raise to build a pot with the best hand - I raise 3xbb and the sb calls - the bb moves all in instantly. I know he hasn't got a big hand - small pair maybe - i give him credit for something as i have only played a few hands - so i put him on a small pair - i laugh to see he has made this play with 86 off suit. I laugh less when the flop is K79 - and less again when the turn is a 5 completing his straight. I congratulate him on his stellar performance and leave.
What can you do?? Seriously??
Good luck everyone
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Robin Williams, let him entertain you.
Sup fools? Cheers for reading my blog. Yes you. I know there is one person so this is dedicated to you. As you are anonymous, for the purposes of this dedication i shall call you Juan. So Juan, this blog's for you baby.
this weekend i have watched the following films
Dead Man's Cards - British gangster flick and i would recommend it as a good reason to know where you're going before you visit the north of England. Also, like and "Easter Egg" there is a little game involved, that only a few Internet nerds know about, it is called "One shit voice, one bad actor" basically you have to spot the worst fake accent you can and the worst actor - clue - looks the part but god knows who he paid to get the part.
Deja Vu - Crazy concept thriller starring Denzel "the man" Washington - directed by Tony Scott - enjoyable film- great idea - hated the end - no givaways but seemed like a bit of a cop out to me.
Rent -Yes the film of the musical - erm, i'm an actor - its research! Surprisingly good - saw the musical on Broadway and in the West End and loved it. This changed things but in doing so didn't lose anything. Plus - big bonus here - the beautiful, scantily clad, hot dancing Rosario Dawson. Wow. In one scene in particular, believe me you'll know the one, she is so ho hooo hot. So hot she made me want to.....buy the DVD.
Smokin' Aces - Do you ever watch a film and think it may be good but your mood is such that you don't get into it. That is what happened here. Its premise is ridiculous. A Vegas entertainer has got in with the mob and fucked them off big time. Now they have put a contract on him and want his heart. Meanwhile, as the contract is so high all the assassins and crazies are on their way to find him, so are the Feds and so are some bounty hunters. It was when they all arrived at the hotel at the same time my brain went; this whole film is just an excuse for a director to do some serious gunfighting and assassination attempt set ups under the flimsy guise of a gangster film. My then bowed out and refused to participate, leaving my confused body watching this emotionless tosh.
The Night Listener- This was the all round best film of the bunch by a county mile. A psychological thriller based on a true story which kept me guessing and thinking all the way through. The overall tone of the film created such a discomfort inside me. I am never scared by films but this really kept me on the edge even though it maintains a relatively gently pace. (Incidentally the nearest i have come to been shocked/scared at a film in recent years is watching Wolf Creek. Sick) The great things about this film were the performances of Robin Williams and Toni Collette (Murials Wedding, Little Miss Sunshine, In Her Shoes). Robin Williams was excellent as usual. He is not a "shapeshifter" of the acting world but he always convincing in what he does. Here he plays an aging homosexual who is finding himself increasingly drawn into the tragic world of a young boy, through late night telephone conversations. Toni Collette is amazing as the mother of the child. I'm not giving anything away to my throngs of readers here, but she has some real challenges presented to her with this part and she not only rises to them, but delivers a superb character that ranges from sensitive and alone to desperate and frightening.
As for the poker - I'll be brief - deposited small funds for tourney as mentioned - lost - and lost quickly - then deposited another 20$ over yesterday and have been playing $4.40 180's on poker stars. You'll know me as I'll be the shit one! No, just kidding. I feel a bit better about it. I need to stay patient. I think that's my biggest problem. "Tourneys - Not a sprint" i need that spay painted on my bedroom wall. I have gradually played more patiently this weekend. I read a good article in WPT magazine by Eddie "Nice Guy" Gaines and remembered an old article i had read which was an interview with Joe Hachem. He said that you cant look at a tourney as you beating the whole field. Keep track on how many are in and where you stand in relation to number of players left and number of chips etc. But just play to beat your table. Always a max of 8 other people. If you concentrate on this, before long there will be another 8 players, and so on until you are making some money. We shall see what happens.
Good luck
this weekend i have watched the following films
Dead Man's Cards - British gangster flick and i would recommend it as a good reason to know where you're going before you visit the north of England. Also, like and "Easter Egg" there is a little game involved, that only a few Internet nerds know about, it is called "One shit voice, one bad actor" basically you have to spot the worst fake accent you can and the worst actor - clue - looks the part but god knows who he paid to get the part.
Deja Vu - Crazy concept thriller starring Denzel "the man" Washington - directed by Tony Scott - enjoyable film- great idea - hated the end - no givaways but seemed like a bit of a cop out to me.
Rent -Yes the film of the musical - erm, i'm an actor - its research! Surprisingly good - saw the musical on Broadway and in the West End and loved it. This changed things but in doing so didn't lose anything. Plus - big bonus here - the beautiful, scantily clad, hot dancing Rosario Dawson. Wow. In one scene in particular, believe me you'll know the one, she is so ho hooo hot. So hot she made me want to.....buy the DVD.
Smokin' Aces - Do you ever watch a film and think it may be good but your mood is such that you don't get into it. That is what happened here. Its premise is ridiculous. A Vegas entertainer has got in with the mob and fucked them off big time. Now they have put a contract on him and want his heart. Meanwhile, as the contract is so high all the assassins and crazies are on their way to find him, so are the Feds and so are some bounty hunters. It was when they all arrived at the hotel at the same time my brain went; this whole film is just an excuse for a director to do some serious gunfighting and assassination attempt set ups under the flimsy guise of a gangster film. My then bowed out and refused to participate, leaving my confused body watching this emotionless tosh.
The Night Listener- This was the all round best film of the bunch by a county mile. A psychological thriller based on a true story which kept me guessing and thinking all the way through. The overall tone of the film created such a discomfort inside me. I am never scared by films but this really kept me on the edge even though it maintains a relatively gently pace. (Incidentally the nearest i have come to been shocked/scared at a film in recent years is watching Wolf Creek. Sick) The great things about this film were the performances of Robin Williams and Toni Collette (Murials Wedding, Little Miss Sunshine, In Her Shoes). Robin Williams was excellent as usual. He is not a "shapeshifter" of the acting world but he always convincing in what he does. Here he plays an aging homosexual who is finding himself increasingly drawn into the tragic world of a young boy, through late night telephone conversations. Toni Collette is amazing as the mother of the child. I'm not giving anything away to my throngs of readers here, but she has some real challenges presented to her with this part and she not only rises to them, but delivers a superb character that ranges from sensitive and alone to desperate and frightening.
As for the poker - I'll be brief - deposited small funds for tourney as mentioned - lost - and lost quickly - then deposited another 20$ over yesterday and have been playing $4.40 180's on poker stars. You'll know me as I'll be the shit one! No, just kidding. I feel a bit better about it. I need to stay patient. I think that's my biggest problem. "Tourneys - Not a sprint" i need that spay painted on my bedroom wall. I have gradually played more patiently this weekend. I read a good article in WPT magazine by Eddie "Nice Guy" Gaines and remembered an old article i had read which was an interview with Joe Hachem. He said that you cant look at a tourney as you beating the whole field. Keep track on how many are in and where you stand in relation to number of players left and number of chips etc. But just play to beat your table. Always a max of 8 other people. If you concentrate on this, before long there will be another 8 players, and so on until you are making some money. We shall see what happens.
Good luck
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Erm... i dont know how to say this...
...i've lost my 20 dollars -
Tonight i thought i'll play some s+g's and undo the bad night i had yesterday. I'm not going to go into detail about each game. I will however mention one hand which kind of sums up the whole experience.
Me under the gun - KK - limp - no raises - flop 9x3 with 2 hearts - i bet the pot - 1 caller on a shortish stack - turn 8 - i bet he raises - i think 98 at the worst - but doubt it - I think i'm ahead and put him all in - he calls with...34 - river 4. He wins.
Later i get AK into AQ - lose
and
1010 into AK - lose.
Erlier i called a big stack who had been moving all in regularly - i had just doubled by calling his stack size pre flop raise (12xbb) - me KK him 33 - i called another one and he showed K8 - i had A9 - flop xx8 - turn 8 - its time to call it a sng day i think.
I'm going to play a low limit tourney now and see what happens. I will assess how i feel this weekend about playing again. I know i am better than these idiots. I don't play as if i'm the best player, act arrogant and lose that way. It just frustrates me to watch these people play ridiculously and build stacks whilst i sit folding marginal hands.
See you in a bit Fictional Readers and good luck
Tonight i thought i'll play some s+g's and undo the bad night i had yesterday. I'm not going to go into detail about each game. I will however mention one hand which kind of sums up the whole experience.
Me under the gun - KK - limp - no raises - flop 9x3 with 2 hearts - i bet the pot - 1 caller on a shortish stack - turn 8 - i bet he raises - i think 98 at the worst - but doubt it - I think i'm ahead and put him all in - he calls with...34 - river 4. He wins.
Later i get AK into AQ - lose
and
1010 into AK - lose.
Erlier i called a big stack who had been moving all in regularly - i had just doubled by calling his stack size pre flop raise (12xbb) - me KK him 33 - i called another one and he showed K8 - i had A9 - flop xx8 - turn 8 - its time to call it a sng day i think.
I'm going to play a low limit tourney now and see what happens. I will assess how i feel this weekend about playing again. I know i am better than these idiots. I don't play as if i'm the best player, act arrogant and lose that way. It just frustrates me to watch these people play ridiculously and build stacks whilst i sit folding marginal hands.
See you in a bit Fictional Readers and good luck
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Hey?? Whats that you say?? Are you talkin' to me? Are you saying i'm the shittest poker player on the planet??
Oh you are...
Well in that case, i have to concede.
What the Christ on a bastard has gone on today? I have played 9 sngs at the heady heights of $3 (+25c) and have lost 6, won one and come second in one. Here is a quick lowdown of what went down as best as i care to recall. I'll review it as i write it and see how bad i truly am.
1st -
Place - 4th of 6 - i flopped top pr (10) and didn't believe some monkey called me all along w ace 9 (no pr) and rivered a straight - the 4 straight was on the board but i didn't lay it down after betting flop turn and getting small raised on the river -
final hand - shoved A6 into AQ
out
2nd -
4th of 6
notes on 1 player - loose caller-note says calls raises wahey too much
me kk limped in first no raisers- damn - flop dangerous w J98 - i bet it he calls - i think J9 worst scenario - turn 9 - i bet he calls - i think now his JJ 99 is behind to my KK 99 - river 9 - i bet he moves all in - i call as the poss flopped straight is now irrelevant as my FH would beat it - he shows J9 for runner runner Quads- what a cunt- i have 300 left - bb 30 not doomed - move all in w decent aces and no calls - find 88 on the button - sb calls with 33 - nice - later - everyone limps i find KK in the bb - all in suspecting someone to call - same player does with the unknown "special" hand of Q5 suited. Nice - later push on the button w A8s - call from KJ off - my hand holds and we're back. Final hand - me KK in the bb - 2 limpers - raise 3x - button calls - flop 878 - i bet - he calls - turn J - i check raise all in he calls w Q8 - obviously
out
3rd -
5th of 6 - wtf is going on - im cursed because i said id be ok at this level
basically raised his Ak into my call with KQ suited - K high flop did me - i kept pushing decent holdings till i move in position with K9s and got called w AA
4th -
1st of 6
awesome game and good cards -
me raise pre with QJ suited - bet out on a AJx flop- opponent calls - we check it down he has 66
another player limps - i raise QJs he calls from behind - flop gives me flush draw and 2 overs - i bet he check calls turn blank - i bet he calls - river Q - i bet he calls and mucks
same player - i raised sb - KK - he reraises after limping- i think (ha) and reraise less than half his short stack - he reraises again leaving 30 chips (hmmm) - i put him all in he calls shows Q10os
down to HU with the 66 player - he was making some bad calls but had got more chips than me through other players- one hand i was holding J10 and reraised a Q high flop continuation bet which he called - his fast cont bet indicated he had missed - turn was a J, pairing me - i moved all in - he called with A10 -gutshot straight draw which missed - i knew i just had to be patient - trapping him a few times- raising with him folding - i could tell he was frustrated - final hand - I raise button w AKos - he reraises all in - i call he shows K4s - i LOL - only for a short time though when the turn is a 4 - have the last laugh when the river is an A- hooray
5th and 6th - you know in war movies where there are insane battle scenes where noone knows what the fuck is going on its just absolute carnage. That is what happened in these games only with cards instead of guns and chips instead of bullets. There was blood as i had a nose bleed so it was quite realistic. (that last part was a lie)
7th
2nd of 6
Called a raise on the button w 66 - flopped a set on a low flop - i raised opps bet on the flop he moved all in with 1010 nice -
I got low again and raised all in with 1010 - big stack doubled me up after calling with 89 off suit. Heads up i lost after limping the button hoping to trap with A8 suited - he obliged by raising and i movea all in he called w K10 - flop AJx giving me top pair - turn Q making his straight.
8th
erm of 6
Not sure what went on here. I lost some chips early on after raising legitimate hands in good position and have to let them go on the flop after not connecting and receiving heat from other players. I was clearly frustrated as i lost the rest with 2nd pair no kicker against a flopped straight on a single suit flop. That was truly the play of a retard and i didn't care. I may as well have been slamming the keyboard with a hammer and enjoying the random outcomes that created.
9th
2nd of 6
Should have definitely won this one - Down to 3 handed i take a huge lead after re raising with JJ and my opponent moves all in with A8off.
Heads up i am nailing my weak weak weak opponent. He is literally dripping chips and it is just a matter of time. At the peak i think i have 7k to his 2k. He is the kind of player that folds his sb voluntarily and hid bb to a raise. Every 3 - 9 hands he moves all in at which point i fold. He is on the ropes and we both know it. Then this happens. He moves all in and i call with A9off suit - he wins with A10 off suit - later i raise with Q10 suited he moves all in - not too much more to call - he has KK - later he limps and i move all in with J8 suited he calls with 99 - the only vaguely real play he has made all day - he takes the lead - he raises - i push all in w 22 - he calls w A9 suited flops the flush draw with his 2 overs still live and flushes on the river - now i just want to kill myself and push all in from the sb J9 - he insta calls with 55 - flop is a Jack - hooray - the turn gives him the 4 flush and the river gives him a set. I'm done in second. Grrrrrrrrrr!
Looking at the results its safe to say i am bad. But here is the thing - i don't think i played all that bad - in 3 of the games i have a hazy recollection - that is enough for me to think that - if in 3 out of 9 games i played that bad i was out before i know whats going on then that is way too many. I should have won both games where i came second and odds dictate that more often than not i would have won. In another 2 games i did a lot of chips with KK when someone caught a very lucky flop and lost to another outdraw. This is slightly encouraging as i may not have lost these the majority of the time.
I will say this though, i know for a fact that i need to fold more. I like to play a lot of flops but i need to be more conservative with the amounts i am paying to play them either raising with substandard hands or calling after limping and catching just enough to do me in.
I will work on this for next time.
Just watched
1)The Football Factory- http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0385705/ - Quite good - but not as good as
2)Goodbye Charlie Bright- http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0217824/- by the same director Nick Love - his first film and really worth watching
and completing the violent british film day is
3)Essex Boys- http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0191996/ - this was recommended to me to watch for Sean Bean's performance as i am not really a fan. I have to say though that i really enjoyed the film and his performance. If only he had escaped his "Northerness" that much for The Lord of the Rings. "Ya can't just walk int't Mordor"
Well in that case, i have to concede.
What the Christ on a bastard has gone on today? I have played 9 sngs at the heady heights of $3 (+25c) and have lost 6, won one and come second in one. Here is a quick lowdown of what went down as best as i care to recall. I'll review it as i write it and see how bad i truly am.
1st -
Place - 4th of 6 - i flopped top pr (10) and didn't believe some monkey called me all along w ace 9 (no pr) and rivered a straight - the 4 straight was on the board but i didn't lay it down after betting flop turn and getting small raised on the river -
final hand - shoved A6 into AQ
out
2nd -
4th of 6
notes on 1 player - loose caller-note says calls raises wahey too much
me kk limped in first no raisers- damn - flop dangerous w J98 - i bet it he calls - i think J9 worst scenario - turn 9 - i bet he calls - i think now his JJ 99 is behind to my KK 99 - river 9 - i bet he moves all in - i call as the poss flopped straight is now irrelevant as my FH would beat it - he shows J9 for runner runner Quads- what a cunt- i have 300 left - bb 30 not doomed - move all in w decent aces and no calls - find 88 on the button - sb calls with 33 - nice - later - everyone limps i find KK in the bb - all in suspecting someone to call - same player does with the unknown "special" hand of Q5 suited. Nice - later push on the button w A8s - call from KJ off - my hand holds and we're back. Final hand - me KK in the bb - 2 limpers - raise 3x - button calls - flop 878 - i bet - he calls - turn J - i check raise all in he calls w Q8 - obviously
out
3rd -
5th of 6 - wtf is going on - im cursed because i said id be ok at this level
basically raised his Ak into my call with KQ suited - K high flop did me - i kept pushing decent holdings till i move in position with K9s and got called w AA
4th -
1st of 6
awesome game and good cards -
me raise pre with QJ suited - bet out on a AJx flop- opponent calls - we check it down he has 66
another player limps - i raise QJs he calls from behind - flop gives me flush draw and 2 overs - i bet he check calls turn blank - i bet he calls - river Q - i bet he calls and mucks
same player - i raised sb - KK - he reraises after limping- i think (ha) and reraise less than half his short stack - he reraises again leaving 30 chips (hmmm) - i put him all in he calls shows Q10os
down to HU with the 66 player - he was making some bad calls but had got more chips than me through other players- one hand i was holding J10 and reraised a Q high flop continuation bet which he called - his fast cont bet indicated he had missed - turn was a J, pairing me - i moved all in - he called with A10 -gutshot straight draw which missed - i knew i just had to be patient - trapping him a few times- raising with him folding - i could tell he was frustrated - final hand - I raise button w AKos - he reraises all in - i call he shows K4s - i LOL - only for a short time though when the turn is a 4 - have the last laugh when the river is an A- hooray
5th and 6th - you know in war movies where there are insane battle scenes where noone knows what the fuck is going on its just absolute carnage. That is what happened in these games only with cards instead of guns and chips instead of bullets. There was blood as i had a nose bleed so it was quite realistic. (that last part was a lie)
7th
2nd of 6
Called a raise on the button w 66 - flopped a set on a low flop - i raised opps bet on the flop he moved all in with 1010 nice -
I got low again and raised all in with 1010 - big stack doubled me up after calling with 89 off suit. Heads up i lost after limping the button hoping to trap with A8 suited - he obliged by raising and i movea all in he called w K10 - flop AJx giving me top pair - turn Q making his straight.
8th
erm of 6
Not sure what went on here. I lost some chips early on after raising legitimate hands in good position and have to let them go on the flop after not connecting and receiving heat from other players. I was clearly frustrated as i lost the rest with 2nd pair no kicker against a flopped straight on a single suit flop. That was truly the play of a retard and i didn't care. I may as well have been slamming the keyboard with a hammer and enjoying the random outcomes that created.
9th
2nd of 6
Should have definitely won this one - Down to 3 handed i take a huge lead after re raising with JJ and my opponent moves all in with A8off.
Heads up i am nailing my weak weak weak opponent. He is literally dripping chips and it is just a matter of time. At the peak i think i have 7k to his 2k. He is the kind of player that folds his sb voluntarily and hid bb to a raise. Every 3 - 9 hands he moves all in at which point i fold. He is on the ropes and we both know it. Then this happens. He moves all in and i call with A9off suit - he wins with A10 off suit - later i raise with Q10 suited he moves all in - not too much more to call - he has KK - later he limps and i move all in with J8 suited he calls with 99 - the only vaguely real play he has made all day - he takes the lead - he raises - i push all in w 22 - he calls w A9 suited flops the flush draw with his 2 overs still live and flushes on the river - now i just want to kill myself and push all in from the sb J9 - he insta calls with 55 - flop is a Jack - hooray - the turn gives him the 4 flush and the river gives him a set. I'm done in second. Grrrrrrrrrr!
Looking at the results its safe to say i am bad. But here is the thing - i don't think i played all that bad - in 3 of the games i have a hazy recollection - that is enough for me to think that - if in 3 out of 9 games i played that bad i was out before i know whats going on then that is way too many. I should have won both games where i came second and odds dictate that more often than not i would have won. In another 2 games i did a lot of chips with KK when someone caught a very lucky flop and lost to another outdraw. This is slightly encouraging as i may not have lost these the majority of the time.
I will say this though, i know for a fact that i need to fold more. I like to play a lot of flops but i need to be more conservative with the amounts i am paying to play them either raising with substandard hands or calling after limping and catching just enough to do me in.
I will work on this for next time.
Just watched
1)The Football Factory- http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0385705/ - Quite good - but not as good as
2)Goodbye Charlie Bright- http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0217824/- by the same director Nick Love - his first film and really worth watching
and completing the violent british film day is
3)Essex Boys- http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0191996/ - this was recommended to me to watch for Sean Bean's performance as i am not really a fan. I have to say though that i really enjoyed the film and his performance. If only he had escaped his "Northerness" that much for The Lord of the Rings. "Ya can't just walk int't Mordor"
Back to Basics
This blog is not exactly the rags to riches tale that i had hoped it would become. I suppose that is why so many writers give up blogging, when the spotty kid from Liverpool realises he isn't aggessive, intelligent or Swedish enough to become a successful player. I, on the other hand realised that I was starting a blog as my passion for the game was fading. I guess after reading of other people's successes or downfalls i felt motivated to write rather than play. I just didnt have the desire to keep reading up on the game, or more inportantly, being patient enough to implement the new strategies that may make me a winning player. This also ties in with other areas of my life at the moment. I am currently unemployed and have been since December. I am not a drain on our Government and live in London off my own savings without help or benifits.
The thing that links my life to the current poker situation is 2 fold.
1) I am poor. It is shit to feel that i have to play at the very lowest limits until i build a more substantial bankroll. I don't multitable. The only time i ever have was at the start of my poker experience just over a year ago. At that time i thought poker was easy and that i was its latest genius. The fact was i was cash rich and had no clue what i was doing. When thinking about real bankroll management, i cannot afford to play cash games at any level due to the swings involved. The other shit bit about playing when poor is that anything i win, i want to withdraw just to pay for simple things, rent, bills, shopping, travel etc. I'm talking like £20 feeling like decent money at the moment. A far cry from just before christmas when i had $1000 and rising in one account which was withdrawn to put towards rent and annual tax bill. I feel that if i am at all concerned about money i cannot play my best game so am not playing too much at the moment.
2) The second part is about passion and enthusiasm in life and poker. Right now, as i am not working i can get down, i don't want to say depressed as i know depression is a real issue for some people and i wouldnt want to use it like an excuse. The acting industry feels so cruel and competitive and has so many knock backs that some days i feel that i can't do it at all. I have read a lot about poker and still have loads to learn. I still want to learn about the game and love talking about it. But, right now, as i am not working and am down about my career it is hard to be motivated to play a game. Any pro who i have read about or heard from on this subject say that they have a true love for the game. Obviously this is helped by the fact that they are generally making money but right now i do not love playing. I have days when i know i play well. I love to play a crafty hand and out smart/manoever an opponent. But, so much of the time at the moment i play, too loose, too aggressive, lose, get frustrated and just keep paying to be playing. This obviously makes me feel wors as i feel that despite all ihave read, i cannot even win at the lowest levels.
Resolution;
Poker - i have just read the blog http://100-2-a-million.blogspot.com/ (which is excellent by the way, my only complaint being that it is too short!) He lays out a 3 year plan to turn an initial $100 investment into a million dollars. I am not aiming for that (in fact 10% of that would be amazing). What i am going to do instead is adopt a regular bankroll update policy. I originally stated this blog would be honest about my game and attempt to get feedback, help and advice. So here it shall begin. After withdrawing $500 for rent I currently have $19.60 in Pokerstars and this will be my starting money. I will begin at the lowest level 6 handed turbos - which on Stars is $3 (+25c). This is clearly not good initial bankroll management but i am confident that at this level, with the amount I have, I can rise from here and progress accordingly. I must also realise that just because John Juanda claims that he never lost money when he started out playing, it is not the end of the world if after a year and a bit i have not become a master of the game ;-D. When (oh yes, when) my account reaches $160 will move up to the $5 -$6.50 turbo sngs
Life- I have applied for 2 jobs today - 1 i already know i haven't got - the other is for a part in a budget feature film. It sounds perfect for me and i hope to at least have a meeting for that role. If i don' i will go throught the usual split emotions. A part of me will go "oh well, it is obviously not meant to be". The other part of me will call them a bunch of narrow minded cunts as i rant about the fact that they, like so many others, have judged my ability to accurately portray a character i am perfect for, on the basis of a single black and white photo.
Reading - Poppy Shakespeare - by Clare Allen
Recently/Just Watched - "Harsh Times" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0433387/ (really enjoyed it - Christian Bale is excellent as the ex soldier on a downward spiral. This film was criticised in one article i read for its scenes being largely set in the confines of their car. Now although i am an actor and a huge film fan, i can often miss out on the deeper meanings and subleties a director may have slipped into his work. However, in this situation, the confined space of the car is obviously like the melting pot for the whole film. The confined space and restrictions it brings just serving to intensify and speed up the explosive journey that Bale's character goes on. Quite suprising that someone who reviews films for a living would not spot such a connection, especially as e is so at ease on areas of tranquility.
"2 Fast 2 Furious" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0322259/ Ha! Intellectual commentary out of the window - I love fast cars and fit women, what can i say?
Listened to - John Mayer - Continuum
Ben Folds Five
Live - The Distance to Here
Bankroll - $19.60 (and rising - oh yes)
The thing that links my life to the current poker situation is 2 fold.
1) I am poor. It is shit to feel that i have to play at the very lowest limits until i build a more substantial bankroll. I don't multitable. The only time i ever have was at the start of my poker experience just over a year ago. At that time i thought poker was easy and that i was its latest genius. The fact was i was cash rich and had no clue what i was doing. When thinking about real bankroll management, i cannot afford to play cash games at any level due to the swings involved. The other shit bit about playing when poor is that anything i win, i want to withdraw just to pay for simple things, rent, bills, shopping, travel etc. I'm talking like £20 feeling like decent money at the moment. A far cry from just before christmas when i had $1000 and rising in one account which was withdrawn to put towards rent and annual tax bill. I feel that if i am at all concerned about money i cannot play my best game so am not playing too much at the moment.
2) The second part is about passion and enthusiasm in life and poker. Right now, as i am not working i can get down, i don't want to say depressed as i know depression is a real issue for some people and i wouldnt want to use it like an excuse. The acting industry feels so cruel and competitive and has so many knock backs that some days i feel that i can't do it at all. I have read a lot about poker and still have loads to learn. I still want to learn about the game and love talking about it. But, right now, as i am not working and am down about my career it is hard to be motivated to play a game. Any pro who i have read about or heard from on this subject say that they have a true love for the game. Obviously this is helped by the fact that they are generally making money but right now i do not love playing. I have days when i know i play well. I love to play a crafty hand and out smart/manoever an opponent. But, so much of the time at the moment i play, too loose, too aggressive, lose, get frustrated and just keep paying to be playing. This obviously makes me feel wors as i feel that despite all ihave read, i cannot even win at the lowest levels.
Resolution;
Poker - i have just read the blog http://100-2-a-million.blogspot.com/ (which is excellent by the way, my only complaint being that it is too short!) He lays out a 3 year plan to turn an initial $100 investment into a million dollars. I am not aiming for that (in fact 10% of that would be amazing). What i am going to do instead is adopt a regular bankroll update policy. I originally stated this blog would be honest about my game and attempt to get feedback, help and advice. So here it shall begin. After withdrawing $500 for rent I currently have $19.60 in Pokerstars and this will be my starting money. I will begin at the lowest level 6 handed turbos - which on Stars is $3 (+25c). This is clearly not good initial bankroll management but i am confident that at this level, with the amount I have, I can rise from here and progress accordingly. I must also realise that just because John Juanda claims that he never lost money when he started out playing, it is not the end of the world if after a year and a bit i have not become a master of the game ;-D. When (oh yes, when) my account reaches $160 will move up to the $5 -$6.50 turbo sngs
Life- I have applied for 2 jobs today - 1 i already know i haven't got - the other is for a part in a budget feature film. It sounds perfect for me and i hope to at least have a meeting for that role. If i don' i will go throught the usual split emotions. A part of me will go "oh well, it is obviously not meant to be". The other part of me will call them a bunch of narrow minded cunts as i rant about the fact that they, like so many others, have judged my ability to accurately portray a character i am perfect for, on the basis of a single black and white photo.
Reading - Poppy Shakespeare - by Clare Allen
Recently/Just Watched - "Harsh Times" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0433387/ (really enjoyed it - Christian Bale is excellent as the ex soldier on a downward spiral. This film was criticised in one article i read for its scenes being largely set in the confines of their car. Now although i am an actor and a huge film fan, i can often miss out on the deeper meanings and subleties a director may have slipped into his work. However, in this situation, the confined space of the car is obviously like the melting pot for the whole film. The confined space and restrictions it brings just serving to intensify and speed up the explosive journey that Bale's character goes on. Quite suprising that someone who reviews films for a living would not spot such a connection, especially as e is so at ease on areas of tranquility.
"2 Fast 2 Furious" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0322259/ Ha! Intellectual commentary out of the window - I love fast cars and fit women, what can i say?
Listened to - John Mayer - Continuum
Ben Folds Five
Live - The Distance to Here
Bankroll - $19.60 (and rising - oh yes)
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