Overtime...

I did my first ever weekday overtime at work last night.As I may have mentioned I'm not that fond of my day job, but I'm quite lucky that for what I do I get paid reasonably well and there's usually plenty of overtime available.In some ways I think I'm daft for staying up so late at weekends playing poker, when I could make a lot more by getting a decent sleep and going into work for a few hours.They say money won is twice as sweet as money earned though and I reckon that's true.

My employer also provided a meal which meant when I arrived home about 7.30 ish I could get straight into watching a cardrunners vid.I watched a LAG ( Loose aggressive) player run over a couple of tables and eventually hit the $50nl 6 max tables at Bet 365.

I was trying to keep my preflop aggression up and keep putting pressure on my opponents.A donkey shortstack came over the top of a quite regular preflop raiser and I decided to shove with AK to isolate the donk.Unfortunately for me the preflop raiser had AA and although the donk showed KJ my Big Slick had little chance and I lost a buy-in.

I am very keen to improve my game, however I'm a 7bb winner at $50 nl and I need to make sure I'm not ignoring my instincts in favour of misplaced aggression,especially as it's not easy to get many $50nl players to fold at times.I can't expect to make changes to my game without making errors and as long as my game gets better overall, then I can take a few hits to get there.

Righty,here's a quick one from the paper for my English readers.

Such larks from the England fans. A Scot working in a London office was sent the following e-mail which is doing the rounds of the excitable Nigels.

It reads: "I've just been offered corporate hospitality for the game on Saturday in Paris, all-expenses-paid and I can take a mate.

"So, I was wondering - can you put my bin out on Monday morning?"

Ho ho ho!!

The Losers

When I began playing poker online for real money nearly 3 years ago after becoming a play money zillionaire,I had no grand plans or ideas above my station.I worried about becoming an addicted losing gambler and gave myself a £50 per month budget for my hobby.I actually only started playing for real money because Pokerroom withdrew their play money tables and ran a "real money isn't scary" type Halloween promo back in '05.

I've always been aware that the vast majority of players lose money online and although I've been stunned by the extent of those losses at times, ( usually when checking Sharkscope for info on tourney opponents) I've never given it too much thought.I always assumed that these guys/gals were probably earning a lot more than me in their daytime jobs and could afford large losses at poker.

Last night though I read a few poker blogs ( no names and they are not linked by me) where the blogger is posting about losing at poker, constantly feeding more money in and losing that too.Poker was a priority over food and the basics of life for this blogger and it did make for a very sad read.

Maybe the guy who shoved his KJ v my Aces the other night preflop ( I was genuinely surprised as I expected him to flip QQ/KK)is one of those players chasing the thrill of winning that big pot.Perhaps he gets his money in as huge underdog to punish himself in some psychological self-loathing way.

I've played plenty of turbos won by very poor players who don't know where the fold button is and are involved in every hand.Sure,I shake my head as they suck out time after time and run up huge stacks and maybe that's the rush they play for.The stats don't lie and though every dog ( or fish) has his day ,on most days these guys lose and lose again.

I've never been one to get angry with guys like Mr KJ.( even after he busted my rockets!) It's my own bad luck that I curse and I always remember I want to have players with weak hands calling my big bets when my holding is strong.Maybe now though I can understand better why they would make such a play.

On another point this blogger also mentioned how boring the blogs of small-time winners can be and to some extent I agree. I sometimes look at my blog and reckon my daily posts detailing every small profit/loss would induce sleep in even the worst insomniac.I named the blog "poker and life" to give myself the chance to bore people to death with life stories too and to avoid repetitive hand histories and bad beat tales becoming all I post.

No bad beats last night though!I entered a $12 slow speed 6 max sng on Stars by mistake and donked out of it before managing 4th ( for $27) in a $16 turbo.

Nacho was staying last night and I was really looking forward to runninng Step A to school this morning until CW texted me to say the wee one was at her Grans and didn't need a lift when I dropped Nacho off.I really miss having her around and I'm looking forward to going over to CW's ( the ex) and looking after her tomorrow night while CW is working.

I've not missed CW as much as I expected since I've moved out, which is a good thing, but it does worry me that I don't seem to know my own mind very well at times.I did tell my sister I was unhappy back in Feb and maybe I'm just such a creature of habit and routine that I just accepted the situation I was in.

Righty I'm watching the Lyon v Rangers Champions league game tonight followed by some pokery fun.We're in the toughest group and I'd be delighted with a draw against the six in a row French Champions.

Back later in the week.Until then here's the fantastic Amy Macdonald.....

Gambling Man

I read an excellent quote from Layne Flack interview at Pokerworks where he says that many players simply can't handle the losses and failures due to their pride getting in the way.I expect that's why so many fish are convinced poker is rigged.It can't possibly be that they don't have the skills or emotional strength ,therefore it must be fixed in some way.

I've no doubt I need to be stronger too in the face of repeated beats and crappy cards and in truth it's a factor which has probably prevented me attempting to move up to $100 nl and beyond on a more permanent basis.

I think sometimes I also need to be less critical of myself and accept that sometimes there are no sure things in poker.It may be a calculated gambling but it's still gambling none the less.

Last night for example I won a buy-in at Party with QQ v JJ.The flop was low and ragged and I kept firing until the chips came my way.If he had flopped trips does that mean I'm a donkey for my play?

I suppose it's never as simple as above as I've not mentioned that the villain had lost a few big pots and had rebought.He also seemed the fishiest player at the table and seemed likely to be overplaying a pair lower than mine or AQ/AK.

I am a donkey (ok just a little one seeing as I'm being less harsh on myself!)for losing a buy-in at a 'Stars cash table a short time later after a blind steal went wrong.

I raised with A4 in the small blind and the bb called.The flop came 4 Q Q and I led out thinking I may be ahead anyway.He called and I fired again after a 10 on the turn.When the Ace came on the river I reckoned that I was good and as only KJ or any hand with a Queen beat me that I would bet out again.I was put all in for my last $17 and despite taking time to consider it, and despite the villains actions screaming "I have a queen", I talked myself into the call and he showed Q10 for the boat.

I went back to Party and won another $15 to give me a tiny profit for my nights play.I'm now down to $97 at 'Stars and will probably gamble ( that word again!) on a few $16 turbos and see how they go.

My biggest gamble of the day will be away from the tables though.I've promised Mrs A another driving lesson.....