Usual ramble + new blogs linked

Began last nights play at Pokerrooms lucky $1 turbo mtt.Came 33rd from 890 for a whopping $4.21 payout.Blinds were up every 1-2 minutes so it really was a bit of a luckfest..

Took 2nd in a $5 turbo sng after that and really enjoyed the experience.I find it hard to play my best game at a normal speed $5 sng when I know that I could be making much more $ at a ring game.

For example I didn’t want to go to bed last night.I was at a Party $50 6 max nl table which had an average pot size of $41! It was crackers! I almost had to double check it wasn’t play money as one player would raise $6 and most of the table would call or reraise.Took my $50 down to $35 before a sweet set grew my stack to $85 and a bad beat knocked me back to $55.More bad beats are expected at that type of table and I hardly blinked despite getting it all in post flop with K5 ( from bb in about the only unraised pot I’d seen) on a k J 5 board and watching the villan take the pot with K6 when a 6 hit on the turn.I actually cracked a huge smile at that one and just wish it had been earlier in the evening and not 1.10am as I’d loved to have stayed longer.Yes the variance may be high but overall these tables are goldmines.Forget the fancy stuff.Wait for the nuts and get paid!

Party was my late night fun after I’d played for an hour or so at Interpoker first.I’d managed to increase my £25 buy-in to £37 and had been playing a solid game before the table broke and I moved to another table.Once again I committed the cardinal sin of playing on when my concentration was slipping.At least I can recognise it I suppose but I must force myself to take a break more often or even finish playing when I get that feeling.No point in playing profitably for an hour then throwing most of it away with a couple of rash moves.


Overall I made $32 for 1 hr ¾ play so no complaints.I do wonder how I would do if I had the discipline to put in more actual table hours.I don’t like playing unless I feel ready for it.My recent warm-up routine has been to play a $5 sng first to get me into the right frame of mind.Seems to work better than just jumping into a 6 max nl game cold and usually too eager for action.

Still trying to resist a bankroll raid.$1500 would help me out immensely just now and still leave me enough to cope with the swings at $50nl and below.It would however leave me even further away from my current $5k goal.Part of the beauty of having a decent sized roll for the level I’m at is that it works as an excellent tilt stopper.I had a winning night last Sat but only after taking a few hits first.I’d actually left Inter with my stack down to $988 feeling cheesed off with the beats I was getting.I went back to my Sunday stats post and reminded myself I can play this game and that’s how I’ve built my roll.I also reminded myself that its these situations that separate the winners from losers in this game.Feel sorry for myself and donk off a few hundred out of anger/self pity or get my head straight,play my best game and get back to winning or if the cards really aren’t falling my way I want to minimize any losses.Should be a no contest everytime.


Moved to Party with the right attitude and won before moving back to Inter and making up my losses plus some more.


Part of this is down to confidence.My poker confidence is a strange beast.If I’m ahead at the table I can ride almost any beat but if I’m down ,fold and watch the flop match my folded hand my confidence in my judgement can waiver and my play suffers.To some extent that’s when I wonder if all this blogging introspection is good for me or whether it encourages endless pondering of the unponderable.The Nike slogan “Just do it” springs to mind.


Been working long hours at work to make up some of the flexi-time I owe.One of my workmates is a definite elevator fiend.We work on the 3rd floor and every time someone gets in from another floor he tries to start some kind of rumour by asking us ( within earshot of victim) if we’d heard that the 1st/ 2nd floor staff are all going to be fired/downgraded/moved to India/made to eat worms.Maybe you’d have to be there!

Added a few new links to new blogs today. Klopzi is a good read ( I'm at end of Jan so far).Just checked his blog and he's been kind enough to link me too.Liked the old Scottish adage too.Very true!

Humanuat's blog is also bookmarked for a thorough read through.Thanks to Iggy for pimping these guys today and also for banging on and on about the joys of Party.( bonus code:Iggy).

One last thought before I go.Why would anyone fold when offered a free card? Even if I had 23 o/s on a board with 2 high pairs with the river to come there may still be a bluffing opportunity if nothing else is on.Sign of an ego ( and usually poor player) at work.

Back later in the week...