Cashed in Live Game + Bloggerment Returns

Yep,it's back this Sunday on Stars.Open to all bloggers,readers and Raise the River forum members + lurkers!

Despite the connection issues I've still been playing a ton of Black Ops this week although I did hit the virtual felt last night for a set of four sng's and managed to come 1st,2nd,3rd and 4th for a decent profit.

The Rangers home game was postponed due to burst pipes at the stadium so after a long lie today, I decided to go and play in the £22 Turbo tourney at the Alea Casino in Glasgow.There were 70 starters for the 3pm game and with 15 minute blind levels and 10k chips I didn't expect to be there for very long.As it turned out I managed to chip up nicely until I had my Kings cracked by AK just before the break at the end of level 6.

I hung in there when play resumed and winning a few key flips eventually saw me make the final table with a just above average stack of 91k.The top 7 paid and it seemed the shorties were doubling up every time they shoved.I had a Billy Mitchell lookalike on my right and an old guy with shaky hands who looked like he could have been Doyles Grandad on my left.

The old boy was a bit of a calling station and when it folded round to me in the small blind I probably made a mistake by just flat calling with Jh8h.( I had under 10 big blinds and should have shoved)The flop came Ace high with two diamonds and when I led out ( hoping he would fold if he didn't have an Ace), he called and I slowed down after the 8d came on the turn as I was sure he either had an Ace or was on a flush draw.When another diamond fell on the river making four on the board I was tempted to bluff at it as it was more likely he had an Ace and would be scared of the flush.I only had about 35k behind though and looking at his chipstack I reckoned he would call my shove and I checked behind.He showed AJ ( no diamonds) to take the pot and that made me glad I didn't shove preflop!

We lost the 9th and 10th place and the table agreed a £40 save for the 8th placed finisher so at least I knew I was at least getting my money back.I wasn't playing to min cash though and shoved Q8 and 96 sooted without contest to try and maintain some fold equity.

We lost one more and the old boy crashed out in 7th when his JJ fell to QQ.With the blinds getting crazy high,I shoved with K8 sooted when it folded to me on the button.The shortstacked big blind called with A8 and I was lucky enough to bink the King on the turn to knock him out.With 5 of us left ( £100 for 5th ,£470 for first) my luck ran out when I called a shove from Billy Mitchell and my tens were beaten by his A2.A few hands later when I shoved QK from utg ( first to act) he called with J10,hit his Jack on the turn and I hit road with £100 in an envelope for my 5th place finish.

Despite getting so close and losing out with the best hands at the end I left with a smile on my face.I'd got lucky with the K8 V A8 hand,come back from the KK V AK hand and won a few flips to get to the final table so there's no point in playing the "what if" game.

Away from the poker I enjoyed "The Apprentice" interview stage on Wednesday although I was disappointed to see Stuart Baggs finally bite the dust as he was great tv,calling himself "The Brand" and coming out with classics like "Everything I touch turns to sold" and "I'm not a one trick pony,I'm not a ten trick pony,I'm a whole field of ponies and they're literally all running towards this job".Liz was my favourite to win before she was fired last week and I reckon Stella deserves to win the final showdown.

I've been feeling quite fresh this week as I only had a smoke on Tuesday night.( off Wednesday) As it's coming up to Xmas and I'm playing poker tomorrow night I may have my first Sunday smoke in a long time tomorrow night.The problem ( ok,not really a problem)is that I've cut back so much that when I do have puff it's leaving me too zonked to play many tables.( in fact blinking seems quite strenuous after a puff of this stuff!)

Anyways that's enough wittering for tonight.Hope to see you at The Bloggerment felt tomorrow night.Back soon...