That's Not A Guide Dog

After a highly enjoyable first week off work I went down with a bad dose of man flu the night after my MTT win and spent most of the second week blowing my nose and feeling miserable.I did actually make the final table ( 6th for $353) of a $5 Hyper Turbo Mtt on that Friday night after my last post but any thoughts that I may actually be running well and on a heater have been quickly put to bed by my luck at the felt since then.

Things went a little better last night, although I only managed a few small cashes and just missed out on the final table of a $5,$10k Gtd ( 3500 runners) when I ran QK into AK and AA.At least when the cards were turned up I was so dead in the water there was no need to sweat the flop,turn or river I suppose!


I've also been messing around a bit trying to find more spots to put other players to the test, but while getting creative is fun,staying out the way during most of the 3,4 and 5 betting wars that are standard in Mtt's these days is probably more profitable.It was interesting to hear the guy that came 2nd in the WCOOP Main event ( behind Mr "I WONT MILLION") saying on the 2+2 Pokercast last week that his way of combating the aggressive nature of that tourney was simply to nit it up and play a tight game.


That's not to say there isn't room for moves at the right time.My current favourite is probably 3-bet shoving with a wide range over light openers/limpers.Even if I do get called there's always the chance of sucking out and it also means that if I've been playing a tight game,I'm more likely to get action in future on my big hands if they've seen me 3-bet shove with an average hand.


Away from the poker life has been pretty quiet.I had my 1-1 with my manager at work and asked about only working 4 days for 6 months.I asked before and was told there would be no guarantee I could come back fulltime but the complaint queues are down at the moment and we have new management so it could be a good time to ask.


For all the talk about how "flexible and agile" the company is I think they'll still tell me it would have to be a permanent change to my contract.Even if that is the case I'm pretty sure I'm going to do it.If I'm going to be stuck in a job I don't enjoy then only doing it for 4 days instead of 5 would make it far more bearable.At the moment thanks to poker winnings I don't have a car loan,car insurance bill,council tax bill etc and I've calculated that if I did have those bills to pay I could still live in relative comfort.Dropping 20% of my salary would mean less treats and a tighter budget but as I reminded myself on Mon morning when the alarm went off,it would also mean every week would be like a bank holiday week! ( and I assume I'd get an extra day off when there was a bank holiday if I get Mondays off as I would like).


On the subject of work Step A has volunteered to work in a local charity shop and I'm delighted she's finally going to be doing something as she's never worked since she left school just before her 16th and she's just turned 18 now.I think she's finally got bored of playing Final Fantasy all day and she also said the encouragement ( nagging I think she called it!)from me and her Gran also persuaded her to give it a go.

Ok,thanks for reading.I'll finish with this fine tale.It was posted on a forum as having happened to the OP ( original poster ) but it's an old one that's been around a while so I don't mind pinching it and posting it here.Subtitles for anyone outwith the UK who hasn't seen Trainspotting... "Dug" = Dog. "Whit huv" = What have.Ah = I.Ma = My

I was working in an old Social Security office years ago and was interviewing the punters.The office has a strict no dogs policy unless needed.

I call a guy into a room and he comes in wearing sun specs-it was summer- and has a wee scabby mongrel on a leash.

"Sorry sir but you cannot bring your dog in here." says me
" Ah needs it mate, it's ma guide dug," replies the claimant
Me noticing the er, breed of said dog..." guide dogs are usually Labradors"

The reply?

" How, whit huv they gave me?"

I let the dog stay.

Back soon....