Going Up? Think Again!

I'm pretty sure I heard myself agree to go on a zip slide across the River Clyde in Glasgow from the top of a 150 feet high crane on March 25th after the next Old Firm game.It's been a dreadful season so far on and off the park for Rangers and this charity thing may turn into a jump instead of a slide if we don't beat the mutants from across the city at Ibrox that day!It's for Sports Relief and hopefully some of you kind readers will sponsor me nearer the time!

Nacho has been reading Josies blog recently and only her kind words about him in her comments section kept him from hitting the "unfollow" button after he clocked the "Dogs are Vermin" post from the other day.

He did agree though that not all dogs are as smart as him and some are extremely daft indeed....



Poker content? Well I did play a bit last night but a combination of not smoking during the week and some particularly strong weed meant I was completely monged as I played and instead of it keeping me focussed and tuned in I was resting my head on the back of the couch and half opening my eyes every time the Pokerstars software beeped at me to let me know it was my turn.

I played just a few Mtt's without much joy and had an awful run at the $7 and $30 6 max hypers.I was watching "The Big Game" as I played and inspired by the high stakes cash I sat down at a $50nl 6 max cash table and a full ring $50 nl game too.I used to be a cash game player ( on Ladbrokes and Interpoker) until I caught the sng bug a few years ago.Sadly I forgot the rule about not going broke with an overpair and lost a buy-in with KK to a flopped set of sixes on the 6 max table.

I followed up that piece of brilliance by making a tilty call from the big blind with 56s on the full ring table and check calling an early position preflop raiser on the flop and turn before making a half assed attempt to represent a straight on the river and being called down by two pair.

Mtt mistakes,cash game tilt and a ton of run bad have been the story of my poker month so far in Feb and I suppose I should be glad I'm slightly up and not deep in the hole.Hopefully I can find my best game and some run good tonight as I'll probably play a load of turbo Mtt's.

I've still not played any live poker since last August but I have been practicing my poker face at work to help make myself unreadable when bluffing.We have glass lifts and it's very annoying when I'm running late in the morning, get in,hit the 5th floor button and as the door is closing some asswipe still fumbling with their pass at the turnstyle somehow manages to teleport themselves across to the front of the lift just in time to press the open door button.When it happens several times in a row just as the lift is about to get going it's enough to make me .....smile politely through gritted teeth at my new lift companions!

Well that still happens but if they're not quite quick enough I now incorporate my poker skills and bluff going to press the open door button,making actual contact just above the button.It's very simple and just requires me to make like I'm holding a ball in my hands,giving a small shrug as I raise both eyebrows while hollywooding a surprised look as the door shuts firmly in their face.See ya,wouldn't like to be ya!

Back soon...

Congrats to Mair the Bloggerment Queen!

Congrats to Mair for taking down the Bloggerment on Sunday evening and thanks to all 30 people who turned out to play in it for making it another fine battle.Bloggerment 26 is now open for registration!

I finished a lowly 17th after folding a medium pair to a reraise preflop and then not being able to fold KK on an Ace high flop when Dull Trev bet into me with his AJ.

Not much else going on at the poker tables as I’ve been very tired over the last couple of nights and haven’t played a lot.


Edit: This post contained the silliest attempt at a strategy post of all time and I've now deleted that part!

It’s funny how the mind works too sometimes.I played a $16 turbo last night ( 11th after losing with KK to Ace rag!) and I limped with 22 then folded without much thought to a decent sized raise.Now with 5 minute blinds everything is a little forced in turbos and many players play AK very hard indeed preflop.It’s not uncommon to see many AK/AQ v Med pairs all in preflop, even quite early on.I may well have gambled myself with AK in that position, but would usually only push if I felt there was a chance the villain may fold ,giving me the chance to win it right there or at showdown.

The point is that 22 beats AK yet I instantly folded it ,despite the fact I may have pushed with Big Slick.Maybe it’s just that if you have 22 and are all in v AK then you have to watch five cards fall and as soon as an Ace or King falls ,you’re dead unless you hit that unlikely two outer.

With AK v 22 there’s always hope until the river card falls that an Ace ,King or ( depending on the board) some kind of straight or flush will save the day and I think that appeals more to the mindset of most people.Maybe it's just me! If so then enjoy the photo....




Anyway,I’ve now got the keys to my flat and have a mate starting the decortating today after my sister and I bought all the wallpaper yesterday.Still tons to do and I’ve realised I've a lot more stuff to move than I first thought.

It's also all going to cost a bit more than I first anticipated and I may need to raid the poker bankroll to some extent.I do have nearly $6k online and taking out $2k should cover it will still leave me 40 buy-ins at $100nl and enough to feel secure with.


Ok,here’s a wee poker related laugh from todays paper...


THE Guinness drinker in a Glasgow bar the other night was explaining that he had a few mates round one night and decided they would catch up with the growing popularity of poker. So when one of his mates was going for the carry out, he asked him to bring back a couple of boxes of matches which they could use as chips.

When he returned he said the shop didn't have matches - so bought him a lighter instead....

Blogger Tourney + Breaktime

Big thanks to Tan for producing the excellent banner below for the blogger game.

We have eight registered and I'm sure there's a few more ( dD for a start) to come so it looks like we're going to fill at least one full table which is the dogs dangly bits.Keep up the pimpin'!

On the poker front I began with a FT freeroll which was basically a qualifer to another sat which started when I'm away to the Dam.On the first hand I was dealt Kd8d and everyone ( bar one) went all in and I decided to join 'em.I made a winning flush and knocked out seven players at once before moving to a new table with a $12k stack.I began playing Laddys late night crapshoot and tried to donk out of the freeroll ,only to win big hand which took me to $65k in chips.Only 1st qualified and I soon managed to donk out and focus on the crapshoot.( finished 80th).

I played six $15 ,18 player turbos at 'Stars after that and managed a 3rd and 2nd after going out of two others on sick beats and one when I ran 44 into QQ.Sometimes I wish there was no flop and we just flipped our cards up preflop and whoever had the best hand won there and then.

I made a good call with AQ soooted via a loose player who had played 47% of flops and was pleased to see him turn over j10 only for a 10 on the turn to send me to the rail.I think winning at least one race is required to stand a decent chance in these games of making the last few but they are so soft that one guy who was sat out for the whole game came 9th( from 18)!

Ok,last post before I head off tomorrow for a few days.After reading about the cost of wi-fi in Amsterdam hotels at Marks blog the laptop is staying at home.I did buy Medal of Honor heros for the Psp though so that'll be coming with me.

It's great being off work this week.I did forget to tell the tale of the stand in manager we had last week telling us how wonderful he is with customers.He was just adding that he had "no special skills or talents" when a voice from the back shouted "Aye,that's coming across well".Maybe you had to be there...

Check out Yorkshire Pud's latest post if your looking for laughs.He has a new blog too dedicated to his days behind bars which is also worth checking out.I worked behind the bar downstairs at the Barrowlands concert venue for nearly ten years.I saw some great bands on my break and have a few tales of my own I could tell.

One happy memory was of the rowdy punter at the bar who was being a nasty prick.We called over the bouncers and just as he was getting thrown out my workmate motioned to the prick to move closer and whispered in his ear that immortal Glasgow line "Go smell yer Maw" ( Maw meaning mother!).Well the prick went ballistic and as he was being carted out with his feet in the air ,head first he was shouting "Did you hear whit he said? He telt me tae smell ma maw".( meanwhile we were all pisssing ourselves laughing).

Ok,thanks to all for reading this here blog,don't forget to register for the blogger tourney and I'll be back at some point if I manage not to completely fry my brain over the next few days....