The Long Game

There's been good news on the poker front over the last week.Playing less seems to mean I'm more focused when I do play and I also seem to be losing my desire to lock up a winning session and stop playing if I get off to a good start.I did originally begin this post by writing that there was good and bad news ,with the bad news being that despite playing about 80 games since my last post, my Party roll has dropped to $293.Then I realised that there's no point in writing about trying to play more games regardless of results and then making a big deal about losing $100 over just 80 games!Of course if I'd stopped at 65 games.....


Away from the poker I'll be working alternate full days from next week.I can't really complain as I've been back at work since the end of May and have been getting full pay for working 15 hours per week.I have asked my boss about only working 4 days per week for about 6 months ( on reduced pay) to give my back more time to heal and he's going to let me know.I can afford to do it and using the "back to work" process will hopefully mean I can do it for the 6 months without having to change from a fulltime contract.

Not much else going on.I did manage to secure a couple of Silver tickets for the Scotland v Spain Euro qualifier on Oct 12th via my work and I'm really looking forward to seeing the World Champions live.

It may not be any good for Scotlands co-efficent but I also had a good laugh at celtc being humped 4-0 by Utrecht and crashing out of European football last night.I was disappointed that Villa couldn't beat Rapid Vienna though as this means that Rangers new signing from Rapid will not be able to play in our Champions League games.Without Jelavic it will make the task of trying to beat the Turkish champions to the 3rd place spot in the group even tougher.

The huge amount of money paid to the bigger countries for tv rights means 3rd place would be a decent achievement.I did listen with interest to 5 live on the way home and apparently there are plans to exclude debt ridden clubs ( most of the EPL,Barca,Madrid etc)from the Champions League from next season.Money talks and I can't see it happening but that's the plan apparently.Sky keep propping the EPL up but I think the bubble will burst one day ( it already has for clubs like Portsmouth) and then perhaps the playing field will be more even.

Anyways have a good weekend and run well at the tables...

Fri Update

I really not sure I can call this a poker blog for much longer. I'm still only playing small sessions every few days and even then if I'm one tabling low level cash games or playing less than 10 sng's in a session then the results are meaningless and there isn't much motivation to write about them.For anyone who cares I've broken even this week after winning a buy-in with quad fives and losing one after getting KK in preflop v AK.

Overall I'm down about $30 at $50nl over a small sample of about 1700 hands which considering I've not played cash games for years isn't too bad I suppose.If I can stop being coolered or overplaying hands like 1010 v Aces then perhaps I can make some $$! I've not played many sng's either since my last post.I'm such a bankroll nit that I've stuck to the $11's on Party which is probably just as well as I'm down about $90 this week.

Away from the poker it was great to be back at Ibrox last weekend for the first game of the season and the unfurling of our 53rd league title flag.Rangers have also signed players for the first time in two years and hopefully we can be strong enough to retain our title.

I enjoyed taking Step A out for a Mcd's last night to celebrate her 16th Birthday last week.She now has blue hair to go with the pierced lips and tongue.It was good to see her although I'm sure most of my old fart lectures about being polite to the police and the only thing on teenage boys minds go in one ear and out the other.

Right,I'd better get going.The s-man is coming round later and I'm taking Nacho over to stay with Step A for the weekend.

Back soon...

We No Speak Americano

Pud's comment on my last post reminded me of the incredible sight I witnessed last week when walking Nacho.I'd just reached the top of the path at the back of my place when I had to do a double-take and rub my eyes to be sure I wasn't hallucinating.Yes,hanging on a washing line ( leading me to believe it had actually been in a washing machine) was the green and grey hooped top of Rangers title rivals.( no name checks here!) Bookies are already offering long odds on the rare chance of another such sighting before Halley's Comet is due to appear again in 2061!

Ahh the weekend is nearly here and after another herb free evening last night,I'm feeling quite springy again today.I wish I'd cut back years ago, but the stress of my job,the split from the ex Mrs A a few years back and the boredom I suffered being off sick for nearly seven months made it hard to contemplate until recently.

Smoking so much and a couple of failed relationships had also affected my confidence and in truth left me feeling like a bit of an empty vessel with not much to say for myself.To be fair on most of the failed internet dates I've been on so far all I've really wanted to say for myself is "bye,please don't call again!".

I heard some bloke on the radio the other day saying he'd sent 753 individually tailored emails to ladies on dating sites and had 3 replies so I suppose I should be happy that my profile continues to attract plenty of visits,winks and emails.( even if many of the ladies do look like they reside under their local bridge!)

After my last date in May with another of Moby Dick's ugly sisters I haven't bothered replying to any contacts as I have major doubts that it's possible to meet anyone and really find some attraction and chemistry via these sites.
I also really like a local girl at the moment, but she has a boyfriend ( says it's not serious though!) and my flirting skills aren't up to much so it probably won't come to anything.

To the poker and apologies to anyone wondering where the Sunday "Bloggerment" game has gone.After a few weeks where it was cancelled due to a lack of numbers I haven't bothered setting it up at all recently.It only works if people want to play and perhaps it will be worth giving it another go in September when the nights are darker and the World Cup summer seems like a distant memory.

My own online poker roll stands at a total of $1279 at the moment with $512 on Party and $767 on Stars.I really fancied playing a $55 Mtt on Party the other night,( despite the presence of fellow blogger and top pro mtt player Liquid Eyes!) but even although I'm only a hobby player I feel I don't have much bankroll leeway at the moment and gave it a miss.Hopefully not having the roll for the games I want to play will motivate me to want stop hunting down 12yr olds for revenge kills on Modern Warfare 2 and into getting back into grinding out at least 300-400 sng's per month again!

Music wise I'm still listening to Eminem's "Recovery" a ton and I'm also seriously addicted to the catchy wee tune below.Enjoy your weekend.Back soon..

Bring on Number 54...

I had a wee laugh at Rosie wishing me a happy birthday last Friday and calling me Mr Grumpy.I know Rosie was just teasing, but reading over some of my previous posts I do sometimes wonder if the people who don't know me in real life think that all I do is moan and whine about everything!

Anyway in todays happy go lucky post I'm going to joyfully write about winning money at poker and further increasing my Modern Warfare 2 KDR.It's riveting stuff so read on....

I haven't been jogging since my last post and although I've agreed to play badminton with the s-man, my back and side have been giving me quite a bit of pain ( let the moaning commence) over the last week or so and despite the fact I could usually beat the s-man wearing a blindfold,I'm a bit unsure about taking to the courts again.

On the poker front I'm still not playing nearly as often these days,mainly due to my ongoing addiction to Call of Duty.( kdr now 1.27!) When I have played I've felt much fresher and my results haven't been too bad.I'm now over the threshold needed to move back to the $22's on Party and managed to run well and take down the first one I played since moving up from the $11's.

I've also been playing more cash games on Stars and have been treading water since my last post.When I used to play cash a few years back I was quite nitty and this time around I've been playing far more aggressively.That means I've butchered a few hands trying to be too creative, but I'm enjoying the change from the auto-pilot mode I use for sng's.

Away from the poker I'm looking forward to the start of the football season on Saturday.I've renewed my season ticket and hopefully I'll get to see Rangers go on and clinch 3 in a row and a world record 54th League title.I was listening to Talksports latest inquest into why England failed at the World Cup on the way home from work.I've mentioned before I think most of their players are over hyped and nowhere near as good as they think they are.

I remember Gerrards comment about the Algerians after they drew 0-0 when he told the press "That was their Cup final".I agree Algeria are one of the smaller nations and England are a bigger country in footballing terms ( despite winning hee haw for over 40 yrs), but Algeria qualified for the World Cup just as England did and as far as over hyped, arrogant twats like Gerrard are concerned the game should have been just as much of a cup final for his own side.

Ok,thanks for reading.Back soon..

Exclusive Dudley Footage!

As it's my 38th birthday today and I'm fast approaching my mid 30's ( shut it,they start at 38 1/2)I thought I'd write a wee post.I've not had a bad day, although I was very upset after passing under several bridges on my way to work this morning, and finding that not one had a stained bedsheet hanging from it wishing me a happy birthday.( what a life changing thrill that must be)

Not been up to much since my last post.The Big Chap was over on Wednesday night and it was great to see him and catch up.After pizza and a few beers/smokes I hit the virtual felt and cashed in the first set of sngs before running like crap in the second set for a small overall profit.

Last night I actually went jogging! It was only about a 10 minutes worth and already tonight I can feel my legs beginning to seize up.By tomorrow I'll probably be on crutches...

It's not been long since Dudley moved down South and I was fortunate enough to come across this footage of him visiting Scotland recently...( he appears after about 17 secs)




Thanks for reading.Back soon..

Jog On

Thanks to everyone who commented on my last post.I'm going to stick a tenner on Burton as per Wildcats tip.If they win League Two at 33-1 I'll be looooooling all the way to the bank! ( imo)

On the poker front I'm only $12 away from my $440 Party target and I reckon that's close enough to step back up to the $22's again.If I run like crap and drop to $220 I'll step back down to the $11's, but hopefully I can get off to a decent start and avoid that scenario.I've also been playing more 6 max cash on Stars and I'm up about $80 over about 5 hours worth of play at .25-50nl.

With my 38th Birthday coming this Friday I've been reflecting a lot on things over the last few weeks.I left a comment on United113's blog agreeing that life can be quite boring and mundane when it just seems to be work,home,tv/net/poker/call of duty and then bed.Although I feel like that some of the time,I'm actually quite grateful I have so much freedom to live my life the way I see fit.

Maybe I was just with the wrong woman, but I felt pretty restless and bored much of the time when I lived with the ex Mrs A too.Cutting back on the weed and almost killing myself last year ( car accident) seem to have helped give me a more balanced outlook and in general I do feel happier with my lot in life these days.

So much happier in fact that I've found reading Waffles posts on jogging are almost inspiring me to give it a go.I'm not sure if my back could take it and I don't intend training for any marathons, but a little light exercise couldn't do any harm.....

Righty,I'm away to exercise my thumbs on my ps3 controller...