Friday fun

Wednesday night was a Halo fest with not much poker to report other than a $10 loss at a cash table.Rosie asked me if I limp with Ace rag at 6 max cash tables from the button .Hmm.I did that time and lost my $10 to someone limping with AK but the answer is the usual “it depends”.At a tight table I may raise from the button to try and take blinds which also helps disguise future raises with premium hands.

At a loose table I may limp and bet if I hit and try and judge if I’m beaten by a better Ace if I get called.( judgement made based on reads on villan and betting pattern in hand)

I read somewhere that Ace Rag is the biggest losing hand in poker and at a full ring game I can believe that.At 6 max though high cards gain in value although need to be played cautiously with poor kickers.

I mentioned the old poker adage “It depends” and I think that applies to my starting hand selection and how I play them.I don’t think I could write a starting hands chart for 6 max if I tried because I play hands differently according to position,opponents and table image.KQ may be worth an UTG raise at 6 max if I have a tight image and the table is passive but at a loose/aggressive table I may well limp and try and trap if I hit and fold quickly if I don’t.

Played three sng’s last night and bombed out of one,came 3rd and won another for a $25 profit for the night.I did get a little lucky with the game I won but I’ve just finished reading Matt Matros’s book for the second time and now I really crank up the aggression levels when it gets shorthanded.When the blinds are high I think the fold equity gained by opponents possibly folding helps make up for being slight behind ( QJ sooted V a6 etc) when I do get called.I’d recommend his book to anyone looking to improve their game as it’s given me a new way of looking at hands and how they play out.Took me a while to “get it” though as I read some of his analysis and my first thought was “I’d never put my money in there” but once I’d read why ,it made perfect sense.

Interesting that Matt says his default mode used to be to simply to raise and step up the aggression whereas mine is probably to tighten up and fold more.I’m not sure I’ll ever have the total disregard for money or gamble in me that’s required to be a top player but books like Matts certainly help open my eyes to new ideas and ways of playing.

My wee cousin ( well he’s 24 on Monday ) popped round for a while last night too and we have arranged to play some live poker on Sunday at Glasgows’ Wabash club.It’s a £5 nl rebuy which really needs a budget of £25-£30 to try and build a chipstack before the 1 hr 45 minute rebuy period ends.I’m not sure rebuy tourneys suit my style but I’ve really enjoyed my previous live experiences and look on my £30 as money already spent and any win as a bonusI’ve never played there but I was glad to hear the Cincinatti poker club in Glasgow which was raided the other week is open for business and as yet no charges have been brought.I read they kept the players hanging around for 6 hours to question them and wouldn’t let them go the toilet alone!( this included the 4 off duty policemen who were playing at the time of the raid!)

Been for lunch with Mrs A,Step A and Mother Acorn ( who is $40 up today at the tables).The cold sweat is over as the World Cup kicks off again today with Germany V Argentina first ,followed by Italy V Ukraine.I can see the first game going to extra time and Italy winning the other but what do I know!

England v Portugal and Brazil v France on tomorrow.Tasty games indeed.I reckon England and Brazil will go through to semis but just hope the games live up to the billing.There’s an awful lot of garbage being written in the media in Scotland and England about Scots not supporting England and wanting their opponents to win.English papers reporting gleefully that Scots die younger than English people and daft Scottish shops selling “grow dope: plant an Englishman” t-shirts.( they’ve sold 20 apparently yet it’s caused a huge fuss).

I will be cheering on Portugal tomorrow for sure but even if England did somehow win the World Cup I’m not going to be devastated by it and will be the first to congratulate my English friends.( more chance of me taking up Limit Holdem though than it happening though!).

It would be nice if the British Broadcasting Corp’s/ITV commentary remembered they cover the whole of the UK and not just England .They're supposed to be professional commentators not fans with microphones.

Ok rant over!