Deeps runs and Boogie Nights.

First up I do like the new Boom poker hand replayer on Stars but apologies to readers who find it annoying that hands automatically start to play when you visit my blog.Almost as annoying as the special effects on Lightnings blog No good at all when trying to grab a sneaky read at work or somewhere quiet!

Not much to write about on the poker front.I was out on Friday night and played last night while nursing my Peroni induced hangover with Two Pies over for company.I made a few deep runs,a few small cashes and got unlucky in a couple of spots late on that would have made a real difference.

I also spewed off a ton of chips when I had a big stack in one game.I had QQ and the flop came King high.I told myself I'd call one street and ended up calling all the way to the river only to see the villain show AK.I was annoyed at myself for that one as it was obvious I was beaten.

Explaining what I was doing to Two Pies ( my cousin)actually helped me focus and think more deeply about the game and it was quite satisfying to be able to put my opponents accurately on a hand or narrow hand range just from watching the action unfold.It was a bit of a confidence booster too as I'm very much a feel player and when I read hands people post on forums I struggle to see things as clearly as I do when a hand is actually playing out in front of me.

It was actually interesting to hear top cash game player Danielle "dmoongirl" Anderson say the same thing about being a feel player in a recent 2+2 Pokercast interview.While I'm nowhere near her level it was reassuring to know some players like her who play much higher stakes than I do also play a more feel based game.

I was nursing a hangover yesterday after going out to a leaving night an old friend had in a Glasgow pub on Friday evening.It started at 5.30 but by the time I got home from work,sorted Nacho out and got ready it was nearer 8pm when my bus arrived in the city centre.I've been friends with L who is heading down to Liverpool to work as a lecturer since we were 12, although I hadn't actually seen her for 7 years.( she blamed a jealous ex boyfriend for that).We've also had a few snogs in the past but nothing more.

Anyway, her friends were very welcoming and I was getting on very well with a girl that joined me for regular smoke breaks outside.L told me her friend D really liked me and that if I liked her she would arrange for us to swap email/numbers etc.D also tried ( and failed!) to persuade me to open a Facebook account and get in touch that way.

There is a club upstairs from the pub ( The Butterfly and the Pig in Glasgow) and at some point the remaining four girls and I headed up for some more drink and a bit of dancing.I thought trendy clubs still played dance music ( like the excellent recent Pacha podcasts)but I ended up dancing like a Grandpa to 70's stuff like "Yes Sir,I can boogie" ( err no I can't!).

The next part is why I'll never understand women.L went from setting me up with her pal to snogging me and eventually telling me to follow her out to a taxi rank where we headed straight back to my place.Good times all round.She heads down South in a couple of weeks but we've talked about meeting up again before she goes.Perhaps just as she's leaving would a good time to remind her she was going to give me her hot friends phone number....

Hungover or not I was at Ibrox yesterday for the first home game of the season and was part of a world record crowd for a 4th tier professional football game ( just under 50,000).The company behind Rangers may have been liquidated but our history carries on and after all the financial strife it was just great to be watching football again, even if we've had to start again in Scotlands lowest division.The atmosphere was fantastic and after a ropey start we won 5-1 v East Stirlingshire.After a poor 2-2 draw away at Peterhead last week it feels like our journey back to taking our rightful place as Scottish Champions ( 54 time winners!)has truly begun.

Thanks for reading.Back soon...

40 and Counting....

I mentioned the vid my Dad emailed me and decided to post it.This may be a public blog but it's my personal diary too so don't bother clicking the youtube thing unless you want to see 16 day old Acorn ( yes my Mum was in Hospital for 16 days after I was born) being brought home for the first time set to the old "Our Tune" music!

Yes I finally made it to the big 40 on Monday and went clothes shopping with my folks and then out for dinner with them and my sister.The highlight of the day was being asked if I had a student card in a clothes shop, although so far all the friends I've mentioned this to reckon the shop assistant must have had a white stick and a guide dog!

While at the shops I bouught a book called "My first thousand words" for my wee nephew.It amused me no end that on flicking through the book one of the words was "customs officer".Ok,so it's two words but why does any two year old need to know learn that?!




Two Pies was over last Sunday night and I hit the tables as usual.I'd taken Monday off work for my birthday so I registered for about 20 tourneys and included a few shots at $44's and $55's.The pain from my $55,$160 Gtd exit hand ( below) has almost gone now but it was very frustrating to finish 224th from thousands for $131 when the big money was just around the corner.



Here's a sexy wee AQ from another game....


Not much else going on this week.I did get an email out of the blue yesterday from the ex girlfriend I was engaged to 20 yrs ago and met up with last March.It simply asked if I was still single and subsequent emails/texts have been about how unhappy she is in her relationship and how she could use cheering up.That suits me fine as I don't think I really want to get back together with her but if she wants to jump my bones who am I to argue.Her man sounds like a total prick so I certainly wouldn't feel any guilt about it! She certainly knows the way to my heart though.When I mentioned being asked for a student card in that shop she replied "wow you don't look 40,no wonder you got asked for id".Couldn't agree more.....

I mentioned a while ago I've never really watched many of the mainstream HBO boxset type series.Well I've finally finished "The Shield" and would highly recommend it to anyone.I intend to go back to "The Wire" too and start off from where I left off at the end of series 2.That will have to wait though as I bought season one of "Breaking Bad" and after two episodes I'm hooked.It certainly lives up to the hype.

Time to walk Nacho and hit the tables.Back soon....

A hard and gruelling life...

Well after 18 years of happily digging into my pocket at work for all the birthday/leaving/pet hamster needs an op envelopes that go around the office, it was finally my turn today.My seat was covered in balloons and Happy 40th banners.My colleagues also bought me shop vouchers,a Roary the Racing car t-shirt,a huge cake and my old boss even wrote a poem.It began...

"Heartiest congratulations Acorn on reaching the big Four-O

You've had a hard and gruelling life and fuck us,does it show"

My birthday isn't actually that close ( aprox 3120 minutes,187200 seconds to go) but I took Monday off and they did the presentation today.No plans for the big day other than going out for a late lunch with my folks.I'm just looking forward to a day off work and a late night playing tourneys on Sun night.Step A also sent me a text to say her and Nacho have bought me a present so I'll be popping over to see her at some point too.

My Dad also emailed me a video ( cine film I think) of my Mum carrying me into the house for the first time after I was born.Incredible to think that the wee baby boy in that film would go on to own his own Roary the Racing car t-shirt just 39yrs 363 days later...


The poker actually went quite well last weekend.I made two more final tables and although I ran 44 into A9 and QQ into A8 to finish 4th and 6th it gave my roll another much needed boost.

Back soon...