It's dawned on me that I'm perhaps finishing in the money too much without getting a decent spot in the money, basically, I'm paying for myself some of the time, but not actually making anything.

So tonight I tried to open up a bit more. I just hasn't particularly worked out well. I seem to have got away with things a few times, but I'm exiting competitions in such a sad way it's just unbearable. My last competition exits have been AK (me) being called by AT, AQ called by KT, QQ beaten by TT and 9T being called by 87. I wouldn't mind but they've all called my bets and just beaten me.

I'm currently running ok in a Party $33 event which hopefully will cheer me up otherwise it's a grim end to the year for me having spunked my Stars account yet again.

Plan for the New Year,

Avoid Stars again - trouble is they have the best comps by far. Not only in terms of structure, but times and buy ins too.

OK avoiding Stars doesn't make that much sense. Well it does, but I don't want to so I'll cut down on Stars. I'll try and only play one or two of the $22 with 1 rebuy/addon or one $55 per week there and avoid the other ones I play. Perhaps the 360 max player $16.50 would be a good one for me. I can do it, I know I can, I just need to tweak something and as soon as I find out what it is, I will!

Watch the Cardrunners mtt vids - I must do more of this, I don't do enough. Must take notes where applicable.

What's that saying, if you don't recognise the fish after being sat at a table for 30 mins......... Trouble is I've been sat at it for over 2 years now.

I've discovered the delights of PLO ring games. Well, I have played them before, but I'm getting in to them at the moment and I think I'll be giving them a decent bash.

Won a golf comp today too, only 9 holes but managed 22 points - was running good.

Managed to come 61st for $280 in the Stars game. Quite nice as I was down to my last $5 after registering for it! Crazy tournament at the late stages, it really is all in or fold. Another good cash for me though.

Poker is a funny old game and she doesn't take many prisoners. I've been feeling particularly sorry for myself recently as I've just been unable to cash in any tournament I've played in for what seems ages. Not only that, I've lost all my races, my aces keep getting cracked, I can't get people of flush draws regardless on the amounts I raise - you get the picture? Anyway, it does get me down I'll be honest.

I didn't think tonight was going to be much different after I had my aces beaten by 99 early on in the $30k on iPoker. I also managed to suffer some bad beats in a couple of 180 man sng's I was playing, but in the Blue Sq league event, things suddenly started going my way. I had a nice run of cards that all held up, made the FT as CL, took out a couple more people, then lucked out when my 77 beat TT and ended up coming 3rd for a small profit. In all honesty, bit disappointed not to win, but overall, delighted with 3rd. I'm even more happy with the boost to the bankroll which is pretty much what I've probably lost recently.

Not only that, but I'm hanging around in the massive Stars $100k. Only 20,000 runners to get through, but we're down to the last 1315 at the moment and OK I am struggling, but I'm on enough cash to make up for earlier losses in a sat I played to the Sunday Million.

As things would have it, it's turned out to be an ok night for me. I can't tell you how pleased I am to finally make a couple of cashes, it really does make it all worth while!

It's a funny old game!

Missed out on the Mansion promo this week, but I think it was because I dropped down a cash level. Moved back up to NL100 and was going ok till tonight. I was so so patient then I had AK and AA in two hands, raised to $3 and took the blinds. Then nothing for ages until I wake up to KK. I'm UTG so I just raised to $3, someone else raised to $10 and there's a caller - happy days? I push in and they both call, both having aces. No need to say anymore.

Meanwhile on my other table, I have 99 and limp in, hit top set on a 5 8 9 board and it's to me so I check. Matey bets $4.5 into a $3 pot so I assumed he was betting against draws so I flat call. Turn brings a 7, OK not too happy now, but I bet the pot and he moves in, which I call but he's already hit the straight with his JT. Apparently over betting the pot means it's a draw with him, crazy. No more to say here either.

Two buy in's gone in the space of about 20 seconds and thus ends a bad night for me. I hope the loss is enough to get me in the tourneys next week!

After a busy week at work, I decided to pop to The Western for the freezeout last night. Nearly didn't make it due to bed time duties and also the crappy traffic on Hanger Lane. I was at the lights to go on to the roundabout for Hanger Lane at about 8.12pm, it was 28 past by the time I got off it. It's just shit. Oh that reminds me, I need to look up what 'sklep' means.

Anyway, made it in time, sat down, got moved, sat down again, played a few hands, moved again and finally settled down. I don't really think I got going during the first period but just before the break I managed to win a few and was about average again. Nothing then till I made a raise with 7's only to be put in but I was pretty committed so I called and thankfully he had 6's. The only other bits of bother I got into were with AQ to be called by 10's but thankfully I hit my ace and doubled up. With 14 left, I was obviously wanting to make the FT which thankfully I did as it seemed to take no time at all to get there. Nothing much happened there apart from sneeking a few blinds to keep up, then I doubled up with KK, took another pot with AT (I think it was) and all of a sudden we're down to 4. UTG with AK, I raised to 12k and the guy to my left pushed. He had me covered and I made the call and I was relieved to see AQ until the Q came on the flop and that was that. Disappointed to go out obviously but pleased with 4th. Think I played ok too. I was quite card dead for ages but I kept focus and didn't really get my chips in in desperation which I'm pleased about.

Looking forward to next time now.

So I started my challenge on Stars. It wasn't really intended but I managed to go almost busto and only had $11 in my account so rather than reload, I thought I'd give my $10 challenge a go, albeit with $11.

It's been just under two weeks and my first observation is that it's bloody hard at this level. The poker isn't so hard, it's avoiding the bad calls that's the hard bit, it's just amazing. Today I raised preflop to 600 (3xBB) and was called and beaten by T4o.

Anyway, I started off playing 1c/2c NLHE ring games and actually did ok for a while. Managed to double my roll pretty quickly but it's been a bit downhill since then. I managed to lose a massive $5 all in to pocket 8's holding KK but apart from that, I didn't really suffer too many losses. Ironically, my top 5 losing hands at this level include AA, KK and AKs. Was quite surprised at this. My most profitable hands include AKs (thankfully) QT and J8o :D

After the knock back with that monster pot, I moved to LHE but at 0.25/0.50. I wasn't rolled for this yet but played about 100 hands and just managed to not lose anything. Had a go at lower limit LHE but made small losses here.

After just under 1900 hands at this demoraling level, I thought stt's may be the way forward, but there's 20% juice for the $1 stt which is pretty pricey and they're full of bigger idiots/people that can't play than the cash games so I may avoid these again.

So at the moment, my Stars account is on $16.58. My most profitable game is full ring 1c/2c NLHE, I'm running at 24 BB/100 there, but I just not sure I can go back to grinding it out :cry: The only plus side to these is that you don't really need to concentrate so I generally fire two up whilst playing $0.25/$0.50 on another site where I can actually make money!

Anyway, it's just a small record like Knighters on how I can do at the small stakes with the goal of trying to build the account up to wherever.

The GUKPT has made me realise I need to be cutting down on internet play and getting more live games in so I've decided to try and really only play on the net Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Then I am hoping to miss out on Thursdays net activity to go and play at the Western. Reason for playing these three days is that I qualify for the Mansion biggies which are on these days. I'm not that fussed about the Thursday one as it's a $50 rebuy and that level is outside my BR.

Anyway, I've also decided that I'm going to try and concentrate on cash and satellites on the net when I do play. Cash because I need to play it to qualify for Mansion, but also because at my low levels, the games shouldn't be that hard. I'll try and use some of the money I make to play satellites which will either be for live events or for big mtt's. Currently I have qualified for ECOOP #4 which is an Omaha event, but sadly it's a $100 rebuy. I may not rebuy though!

Prior to the GUKPT, I'd pretty much done my Stars BR in playing tournaments. I'd only left $11 in there - not so tasty, so rather than deposit again, I'm going to grind out at the lowest limits. Tonight I played NL2 for 574 hands and made $9.56, nearly double my roll on there so I'm quite pleased. Running at 41 BB/100 can't be too shabby. OK, it's an easy level but I'll build gradually. Thankfully I stayed sane by playing NL50 on Mansion and finished a lovely $110 up!

OK it's Wednesday and that's supposed to be a non poker day, but the missus was out, what else am I supposed to do!

Started day two in reasonable shape, 34k, just over average, but the blinds of 600/1200 with 100 ante soon started to take their toll. Not much happened for a while for me. I managed to pick up a couple of small pots. Lost a small bit trying to get the blinds a couple of times, a lady who was in a Ladbrokes shirt either had my number or was just defending her blinds when I was after them. Anyway, she cost me about 5k which was quite painful early on. Knocked out a a short stack with AQ against his A8 which was a nice pot for me, then later on I raised from EP with AKs and faced another shorter stacks all in. If I passed then I'd have been in trouble myself but winning would have moved me back to average so I called and thankfully hit a K on the river to beat his QQ. Mad Marty then joined our table to a welcome of "Hi, I'm Mad Marty and I'm here to get all your chips". Quite a character, but I wasn't there for long before I was moved to Micky Wernock and Jeff Kimbers table.

Nothing went well for me here for ages. I had AJ in the BB but Leo Kam obviously had to raise the pot and I cowardly passed as I'd have had to move all in. He did it again when I held AQ, but I decided again to pass. Weak? Perhaps but I just don't know where I am. Finally I picked up AQ UTG+1 and raised to 12k (blinds 2k/4k 300 ante) and picked up the pot. A chip big stack raised later on and in the SB I had 77 so I pushed and was gutted to see him flip over 88, but thankfully a 7 on the flop let me sit back down again. Back up to 40kish but still needed a double up to be average and I thought it was coming when I completed the small blind with 76. There had been 3 limpers. The flop came 567 (2 diamonds) Top two, ok danagerous board but I had outs too I guess. Out of position, I bet 15k into the pot. All fold to the Big Stack who moved all in.

The worrying thing thinking back, is that I instacalled. OK, folding would have left me in trouble, but I didn't think to consider what he might have. I thought I was ahead when the flop came and didn't stop to consider other options. I went from being elated that I was about to get back in the game big time to gutted when he fliped pocket 6's. The 4 on the turn gave me a small hope of the straight, but there was no further help and I was out in about 42nd.

Overall, I'm quite pleased with things. My goal was to make the second day, which I obviously did, but having come so close to the money, I'm pretty gutted at the moment.

Back to the hotel who have a dodgy 'entertainer', typical old persons type entertainment so I've got IACGMOOH to drown out the wails and am going to take down the iPoker 6k and a $20 omaha tourney on Stars.

Thanks to blonde and Virgin for the opportunity to play in this GUKPT leg, it's been a great experience and I've really enjoyed it and it definately something I want to be playing more off. I was hoping to win that seat to the Grand Final, but I guess I'm going to have to qualify online now ;)

made it into day to in reasonable shape. Currently on 34,700 ish which is, going by last nights average, just above average.

Been a great day and I'm pleased to have been on tables full of well known poker names. I think the first table I was on was the best for a giggle. Neil Channing, Simon Zach and lots of others - Daniel Something, a young Liverpudian guy, others I can't remember, but they seemed to know each other and it was just good fun and I have to admit, I was a bit disapointed when our table was broken. Not much happened here for me except hitting a FH against a straight. Put me up to 11k and I sort of hovered around there till the table broke.

2nd table saw me on with Roberto, Ross (who I've just found out is Ariston), man does he talk, but he's a great character, the guy who won the Vic leg of this tour, and well, I just don't know who these people are but that's probably a good thing, but another good bunch to be sharing a table with. Ariston did give a bit of a moan when I checked down 3 way in a pot with AQ against his JJ and someone elses AJ. Well, you never know where you stand sometimes do you. He's moaned a bit though, it's all good fun. I was quite surprised when he called Roberto's raise with 73s and then hit two pair thus cracking his aces. Don't think Roberto was too pleased either. I guess the cash games will make up for it. Had a few nice hands at this table and was bumbling along nicely, then just before were broken, I had KK and a shorter stacked pushed with 88. Thankfully my cards held (I hit trips infact) and I took another 10k or so.

Table break again. Moved back to a table with Ariston, Willie Tann, Chaz Chattra, and again, apologies, I just don't know who you all are. I was on about 40k here and tried to raise with AJ but missed the flop with 1 caller, really missed it, raised with ATs against Aristons BB. He put me all in but i passed and he showed KK (good pass) and then I had to pass TT in the BB to a raise from someone that had me well covered. I just didn't want to get into it so late in the day and he showed AK so perhaps that was a good pass too. Thankfully we'll never know.

So on to day 2. I came here with day 2 as my goal and I've made it. Not only that, I'm in reasonable shape.

Cash games here are just sick. I haven't a clue what level the game I watched was at, but some guy paid £225 to see that he was beaten. He said he knew he was beat but he wanted to see! £225. The total pot was around £600 I think. Another pot I saw involved a bluff of £1200, when the other guy called, he just mucked his cards. It's a sick sick game and they're sitting there with thousands like it's nothing. It's just scary, I'll stay away. I did toy with having a bash on the £50 game but I chickened out and decided to throw away £20 on roulette instead - I'm such small fry it's unbelievable Cheesy

I've got to check out at 11am, so I guess I'd better get some kip, The room I'm in is booked out to someone else but there are other rooms I can move too, so I'll probably do that. I did consider moving closer to the hotel as it's about a mile away, but the walk is quite nice actually and probably does me some good if I'm just sitting there all day.

I'd like to say I was going into the GUKPT in good form, but I find myself yet again in a losing period. I have managed to go and play live though, at the APAT satellite at the Vic on Saturday, but I couldn't cash and finished an annoying and disappointing 14th. Thankfully I don't think I played that bad, just got unlucky when I pushed with AJ into a big stack who called with 88. Had to do something though as blinds were at 1500/3000 and I only had 14k.

Booked the hotel today and have hopefully got a nice room overlooking the sea. I think it has wifi so when I go back all by myself, I can take down an internet tourney to boost morale to carry me into Fridays activities!

I'm going to try and not play that much this week online, I have tomorrows Mansion tournament, but I'm not planning on playing much more.

Had to reload my Betfair account yesterday due to some unlucky punts, but managed to turn my £20 into £37.91 today thanks to Chelsea, Villa, Celtic and Rangers all winning (acca and individuals) but I think I may have done a bad thing having just laid Leon to be the next eliminated from the X Factor at 9.2 to win £4. Word on the forum is that he should be safe, but I'm a bit nervous betting £33 to win £4. Hopefully he'll be safe!

Paid my entry for the GUKPT yesterday at Reading Grosvenor. All went smoothly and I'm also registered for the Friday which means I can sail up at a leisurely pace. I better just confirm that I am on the Friday just before I leave though as getting there and finding out I'm being blinded away would be a bit of a shocker!

Although it's great to win this prize, I'm a little disapointed about the 'bells and whistles' associated with it. I'm not sure what I expected, but some form of note and message of good luck from Virgin would have been nice, but all the did was lump the money into my account, even without telling me, it just appeared. I kind of thought they'd say Well done, and try and get me to wear a Virgin Poker shirt or something like that. Alas, that wasn't to be and I'm just one of a few that's bought their own way in. I'm dead excited to be going though, can't wait but I need to get my live game on in the coming week.

Talking of live game, I didn't realise until today that the next regional APAT game is next Saturday so it's another trip to the Vic for me. That was good fun last time and I'm hoping not to suffer such bad beats this time!

As I've written, I've managed to trade out on the X Factor for a whopping £0.43 profit regardless on who goes out. I'm more comfortable now :)

It started off going so well last night, but then things seemed to all come down at once. I was playing in the Mansion $50 rebuy and because I'm not rolled for these but they are a free entry, I just play tight for the rebuy period and hope to double up, then get to work after the break not taking the add on. Anyway, goal achieved at the break sort of and I was on 3.9k, the average was around 4.8k prior to the add on. After the break I got a bit busy and was playing pretty good even if I do say so myself and managed to get in the pay out spaces and on around 12.5k, which at the time was just above average - good going.

Then in the BB I find myself holding TT. There's a preflop raises to 1000 (Blinds 200/400 so nothing special), all folds to me and I make the call. 1000 has been the standard raise for a while and seems to be taking down pots uncontested. Flop came 9 5 3. It's at this point the whole position thing has sunk in. The pots at around 2.9k, so I make a bet of 2.5k into it. The raiser flat calls. Turn brings an 8. What the hell do I do here? Checking would be the sensible thing, but I decide my tens are still good and push my stack into the middle. The other guy has no hesitation calling with his pocket aces and knocks me out and I've lost two hours of solid play because I insisted playing an average hand out of position.

At the same time I was playing two cash games to try and qualify for next weeks promo. In one game I was $10 up, the other $10 down - after two hours play! I'd been down a bit but got things back until one of the idiot short stacks joined our table with $10 and decided to just push every hand. On the third one, I had AK and decided that I had to be good so I made the $12.75 call (he was first to act, blinds 0.25/0.50) folds to another guy who had been quite aggressive when there had been other raises into the pot who pushes too for another $34 to me! So the pot is around $75 and it's going to cost me another $34 to get in. Rightly or wrongly, I figured that I was getting 2/1 and that it was worth the call. Anyway, idiot shortstack has KJo, matey has QQ and there's me with the AK. Sadly the flop came with a King and a Queen on it and I lost the pot. At the same time on the other table, I lost a bit more with another average hand.

I'm not quite sure what happened in that short ten minute period, but it all went wrong. I'm certainly not a good cash player though. I don't really have the nerve for it and I'm only doing it for the promotion.

It wasn't all bad though, I decided to give casino bonus whoring a go and made a $200 deposit on Victor Chandler and played blackjack for an hour. It started off OK and I managed to get from $200 to $240 pretty easy but then things started the other way and I lost half my starting stack. I carried on and in the end made a slight profit of $3.50 (wooo, get the champagne out!) which isn't great, but I qualified for £50 bonus and I should also get £25 in Rpoints bonus making a nice profit of about £75 for an hours nervous work. I'm not really sure I have the constitution for this either, but it seemed to go well last night and if I get the bonus out, I'll be a happy punter and may try another one. I understand things can go wrong, but it seems fairly easy to make (and lose) money.

I'm not sure how it happened, but I managed to win the blonde/Virgin league last night and with it a seat in the Blackpool GUKPT. I don't have anything specific to say about the game as I didn't really do much. One key hand I was all in for my last 420 chips on 200/400 blinds and somehow won a pot with king high against two other people which helped.

These league events have been great fun and it's been a pleasure to have such a great team for the competition. We all had great results over the past few months and with the exception of last month, have always been in contention. To Ripple, Sheriff, Moskvich and apart from the last month, Maldini, it's been a pleasure to be on the same team as you all. I'll do my best in Blackpool and will bring you home something, even if it's just a stick of rock!

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't gutted. In fact, I don't think I've ever been a bit disappointed having won over $1000 in an evening. Hell, I've only done it once before and that was last Sunday!

The reason for my disappointment was the poor showing in the last event of the Blue Sq league. I only managed 12th but I don't think there was anything I could have done about it. I was dealt two nice hands all tournament. Firstly AKo utg. I flat called but the next to act raised to 360. Blinds were only at 40/80 so there was no need to panic yet and after calling and losing with AKs the other day, I chose to fold. The total rubbish came my way until I had only 400 chips left. The blinds increased to 150/300 and I saw JJ so I shoved them in....along with AA, TT and 66. 66 took the pot after hitting trips and my GUKPT quest was over. Matey I needed to finish above went on to finish 6 and take the seat.

On the plus side, I did get 2nd spot which is good for $500. I also cashed in the Mansion $150k for $495 and made the money in the Stars lottery $10 $100k.

Overall though, it was a great night. The second week in a row I've collected more than $1000 which is amazing.

I'm not sure I'm destined to qualify for a major live poker tournament. Without a doubt, I was in the driving seat for two seats to the GUKPT but sort of blew the blonde league one last Tuesday but was in good shape in the Blue Sq league. Last night I settled down to the $5 rebuy PLO penultimate BSQ event, the APAT mtt, the blonde penultimate event and was also scheduled to play in the $50 rebuy on Mansion. All going ok when I recieved a call from my best mate. He became a father for the first time over the weekend, but the poor wee fella has jaundice quite badly and has been taken back to hospital. Anyway he called to see if I fancied a pint or two as he didn't want to be alone really and just wanted a chat. Obviously I went but sadly that was it for the tourneys. Thankfully I managed to double up in the blonde one and blinded out in 8th, but the APAT one did nothing and the Blue Square one I blinded out in 20th. The unfortunate thing being that the one person in the league I didn't want to do well either, won the event and I think we're now level on points with one event left and now it's really all to play for, but to be honest, I'm not feeling that confident either. I've seen a lovely 22 point lead vanish in two or three events.

I have my own Mastercard advert

3 tickets to The Tweenies - £45
Parking, petrol and food - £22
Time out to drive to oxford and back - 2.5 hours
Heather deciding she really didn't like the Tweenies live from the 1st minute - priceless :(

Yep, as soon as they came on stage, she didn't like it and bless her, she was really upset about it too. She did manage to make it to the interval though when she whispered "can we go home now" all sadly again, so we left. We were talking to another Mum with her children and she said they either love it or hate it. It's apparently common for the children to hate it live and in fact there were quite a few kids crying in the theatre. I enjoyed what we saw anyway! Obviously we finished early so Amber decided that, well, she asked and I said yes, to a visit to John Lewis on the way home. Mistake No 1. By the end of that, I was shopped out. Then it was off to Asda, Mistake No 2. We spent 20 mins finding a parking space (this is a bad sign) 10 minutes shopping and half a bloody hour in a queue to pay. I hate Asda, it ranks higher up my hate list than Ikea, it's just a grotty place.

Thankfully I'm home now. Hoping to go to the cinema tonight.

Just give me a break!!!

Made the final table of the Blue Sq event tonight but was so card dead it was unbelievable. It didn't help having the chip leader immediately to my left who had a habit of calling raises and raising calls. When I finally decide I have to make a stand, it folds to me on the button with 76 but the BB had AK and I'm out in 7th. It's just annoying watching people go in massive underdogs and lucking out when I can't even get decent hole cards, yet alone luck out. The one time I do, I run into a monster.

Also dropped $100 playing cash. KK v AA for most of it but 99 v 87s for the rest. Matey just couldn't fold middle pair no kicker on the flop and when he hit trips on the river, I of course paid him off. I hate cash games. If it weren't for the promo, I wouldn't bother.

Right Blue bloody Square. I'm still leading the league and thee's two events to go. I'm going to be so pissed off if I lose out. Doesn't help that there's still 3 people at the table I could have done with finishing above. Now my lead will be cut again.

Well it was for me anyway. It was the final event of the week in the Blue Square league - a $25 freezeout with $500 added and I managed to take it down for $540. I was very pleased with my 3 way and heads up game play. It's quite often been a weakness of mine. I was short stacked when there was three left but I made some great plays (even if I do say so myself) and managed to become the CL when it was heads up and didn't really look back. I managed to continue my aggression and took it down. This extends my lead at the top of the league with only 5 events to go. I'm easily catchable so I must make sure I have some more good results this week. I'm determined to win the GUKPT seat in either this or the Blonde poker league.

Also made 79th in the Mansion $110k for $405, not to bad considering I was freerolling into it. I lost one key hand in this with KK against 99 and AQ. The pot would have moved me into 2nd but the ace showed on the flop and I was down to dangerous levels, but I held on through the bubble and somehow lucked 79th. Incidentally, I noticed Zpaceman just missed out of the money. I guess he wasn't fussed about just squeezing in like me, but nice to notice him. I'd have watched him for a bit had I noticed earlier, it was only when I was watching for other shorties I noticed him.

Also made a bit on the cash tables tonight and I think it's the most money I've made in one night for me tonight. I'm certainly pleased with my results tonight. So pleased with taking down the Blue Sq event, even if it was only a low runner tournament, the points mean lots to me (as does $540!)

Nothing too exciting to report about tonights league happenings. We're still top of the blonde poker league. Didn't have a great set of results tonight but two of us made the FT so we did ok. We're 31 points clear with 3 events to go so it's all going down to the wire.

I think I have moved top in the Blue Square league after my 5th (again) in the PLO rebuy. I was a bit disappointed with my exit hand as I even called his hand. I had AKT9 on a AKJ flop and basically didn't let go. Needless to say he had the QT and my hand didn't improve. That said, if I'd won the hand, I'd have been Chip Daddy. It was a bad push by me though, I had plenty of chips. Still, I think as things panned out, I should move top with 6 events to play. Hopefully I'll get a win soon, I'd like to cement the top prize!

I'm sort of running good again at the moment. Even though I still think they are an excellent way of building a bankroll, I've decided against playing the turbo sats. I've failed in too many recently and I'm not sure the turbo structure is my game at the moment. This brought me back to normal length tournaments and so far it's not going too bad. Blonde Poker run a team competition each month in conjunction with Virgin. Top prize is for the person in the winning team with least points (low scores are good) is entered in to the GUKPT for that month and we're currently top of the league with 4 events left and I'm top of our team. I'm not getting overly excited yet because I've been in this situation a couple of months ago with one game left, then I ran aces into 10's who hit twice on the flop, then JJ into 44 who hit 4's on the flop - that was my GUKPT dreams over - two bad beats away from going. Still, this month, I'm more focused.

Blue Sq also run a league with entry and I decided to have a bash at this a week or so ago mainly for the added money they put in, but I've played 5 events and made 4 final tables so far. I'm not going to be far of leading that either when tonights points are added. Not sure how many events are left in that, but I'll keep playing them. Aside from the lovely bonus prizes (entry for 1st, money for 2nd, 3rd & 4th) they're turning in to a nice little earner

I'm still plugging away for the Mansion promo. Playing cash right now and was down a buy in and a half after playing only 3 hands in about an hour, but thankfully someone decided pocket 2's were monsters against my AA and doubled me up then paid me off again on a bluff when I had trip 3's. He's just gone from about $140 to $30 (this is only at NL50) from playing like a donkey!

God bless the fish.

Betting

hmmmm rubbish. I did give up and unless Ernie wins, I'll probably be giving up again. I seem to back things that lose a lot. This week, I've lost a bit on Taylor losing to the unknown Gray in the Darts and also tonight had over 2.5 goals in the U21 match. I wouldn't mind so much but it's not like I was making a fortune if they came in, they were such short odds. I really don't know why I bother anyway, I can make more money playing poker than betting the odd few quid here and there. I just like to have winning bets, the amount doesn't really matter, I just can't help it.

That said, I'm not betting like I was before. I've managed to kick that habit - stupid one goal or more bets, trying to trade the (rigged) tennis, all -EV in the long run for me.

It's a weakness, it's probably not too good for me. I'd say I'd stop, but I know I'll have something on Engand v Estonia and again in the Russia game midweek, then it's back to the Premiership/other leagues. I only punt for small change though - that's my only defence.

Neverends!

Not so good is the answer :D

Probably the most enjoyable betting idea I had was to be on every market Betfair offered. I started at the top and worked my way down. I didn't actually make it that far but it was fun. Stuff like Pelota turned in to a nice earner compared to the football bets and I know nothing about it! I didn't even know what it was at the time, but it was interesting looking into things like that - bandy was another one, it was a good 'project' and one I may do again, if I get the urge to deposit again!

My grand plan went horribly wrong last week. It was one of those weeks where nothing goes right and you just suffer bad beat after bad beat.

I thought I'd have a bash at the live APAT event, partly to get my mind of the bad form on line but also to play live again as it's been a while. I thought that the seats for the APAT were going to sell out quickly so wanted to make sure that I was up there in time, as it turned out, an hour before the casino opened which I had to spend dodging the traffic warden. Got in, got registered and the massive queue turned out to only be 4 people and registering wasn't a problem. Pint and lunch later, and I'm back for the game, along with 47 others. Won't bother rushing next time!

Started off quite loose, making a few iffy calls here and there, but managed to grab hold of myself and tighten up after only spending 400 of the 3000 chips. Patience seemed to pay off when a bit later I was dealt AA and managed to get it all in against an Aussie guy who had 99. The 9 on the flop didn't help me much and I was down to under half my chips. Picked up a few more small pots and at the first break, I was just over the starting stack at 3500. Tried to steal a few blinds after another level but it didn't come to much, then I had QQ and made a standard 3xBB raise to 600. It left me 1400 back and the BB decided to put me in for the rest of it. Obviously I called and was quite pleased when he flipped 66. The flop of Q78 made me smile even more, but the turn of 9 and the river T soon wiped that off my face and also took all my chips and dumped me out.

Lady luck was continuing to piss on me and even by escaping to the Vic didn't help.

The misery continued that night at home and again on Sunday. Actually last night I was pretty low about the whole poker thing. I think I've lost to more hands like the last one at the Vic this week than ever before all added up, it all seems to be going wrong.

The last of my T$ went on the $22 with one rebuy and add on last night where my AK was beat by A9 who hit 4 clubs to match is 9c. Fired up a couple of $4 180 man sng's and did nothing in one, but the turning point was getting 18th in the other. Yes it was only 18th and I only got double the buy in back, but it proved that I can make the money still and more importently, it was my first cash in about a week!

But, my post isn't to moan, mearly to embrace the situation. I woke this morning, not dreading poker, but looking forward to it again. I think I need to avoid rebuys on Stars for now because I can't afford them and I also need to steer clear of turbos for now. Not sure what I'll do on Stars, but it will have to involve proper length tourneys.

Onwards and upwards. We'll get there, it's just going to take a little bit longer.

I have registered to play in the PokerStars World Blogger Championship of Online Poker!

This Online Poker Tournament is a No Limit Texas Holdem event exclusive to Bloggers.

Registration code: 5360029

Started on the new scheme to build my fortune and take the poker world by storm last night but sadly it wasn't as exciting as I had first hoped. It was a couple of hours before my cheap rebuys were due to start and just about to start was the $10 rebuy to the nightly $162 comp - easy eh! Well, there were 22 spots available and the bottom line is that I came 26th! I ended up all in on my BB with 72o and if that wasn't bad enough, I had hit two pair on the cards but someone hit trip 5's and that was that. Not really sure I could have done much more about the tourney but the main error was spending 1/4 of my current Stars roll on a tourney. Thankfully I made the grade in one of my usual events later on and made a slight profit for the day, albeit a small one.

On another site I'm playing, I managed to qualify for three nice tourneys this week. They run a promo where the highest rakers in the previous week get entry to two $100 events and a $50 rebuy, although it's only the initial buy in paid for this. Somehow I qualified last week and made $100 playing 50NL. The first event is tonight so a cash would be nice. I did this before back in April/May time and managed to get around $1000 from the whole experience so I'd be pleased if I could do the same again this time. Played some more 50NL there last night to try and qualify for next week. I only sit down with $30 and really only play premium hands, literally, the top hands, and I still managed to get around $60 for my troubles. I think I played about 4 hands last night starting with AJs from the BB. I'd blinded down from my $30 to $25 and was dealt the AJ. UTG+2 raised to $1.50 and it all folded to him so I called for the extra buck, two spades for the flush draw and an ace on the board saw me crack his pocket kings and take about $25 for my troubles. Next hand I have pocket aces in the CO. Crazy loose man raises UTG to $2.5 (standard from him), Someone else raises to $6.50 so I just repop to $20. I'd have been happy to take the cash here but crazy loose man pushes for all my stack, matey that raised to $6.5 folds and I obviously make the call and thankfully take the pot as his AQo are no match! Clearly he'd not been watching me fold fold fold for about an hour. I also took a couple smaller pots and called it a night when the satellite I was playing finished.

This promo is great for me and I know that buying in short isn't recommended but to be honest, I don't care. The main aim for me is to qualify for the following weeks tourneys and I play when I'm playing other tourneys so it works out nice enough.

I've been playing poker for a couple of years now and I'm still hacking around the low level of entry games. My preferred games are multi table tourneys but I've never had the bankroll/balls to play the decent entry level games for any long period of time. By decent entry, I'm only talking about $50 games, but if you don't cash in a few, the cost soon builds up, especially if you like to play daily as I do. So, I end up with all the other hopefuls hoping for a mega luck fest in the $5 ish buy in tourneys. I've have played higher buy in games before and I know I can cope with them, but I can't cope with going on a non cashing run of several tourneys as it just ruins my bankroll.

I'd love to say I was one of those that deposited $50 a couple of years ago and now I'm playing $100/$200 NL ring games, but my poker life is way off that. I've tried cash games and I've tried stt's but I'm a break even cash player at best and get frustrated playing low level stt's partially because of the correct fold fold fold strategy you need to adopt to become a long term winner, but also because of the low pay out, I'm seduced by the thoughts of winning thousands from my $5 entry fee and so I mainly stick to my multi tables but have a dabble here and there in the other games when I feel good about things.

Anyway, my point? Whilst I'm not one of life's poker prodigys, I'm going to try and concentrate and perform good bankroll management for mtt's and get myself playing the $55+ tourneys on a regular basis whilst not having to worry about any losing spells. I think I'm an above avereage player and whilst I haven't turned my first ever deposit into millions, I have build up some nice funds and can't remember the last time I reloaded from my 'real life cash'. So, how am I going to fund my life in a bigger buy in world you ask? (well you probably aren't asking but I'll tell you) - by avoiding the cheap 2000 runner mtt's and concentrating on building up a bankroll of T$. Now I still have to start of cheap but Stars have introduced $5 turbo rebuys to the later on $55 tourneys - excellent news. They attract just under 200 people usually and usually have at least 1 seat for every 4 people in them. It's only a small profit but for $15 I can get $55 back and do it on a regular basis, and profit is profit. The only downside is that they start late for us UK players, but we'll get a bit quieter at work soon so I'll play them late in the night and go into work late after a bit of kip hopefully.

The plan is to play these until around $700 then I'm going to start playing sats to the Sunday Million to build up quicker. Every now and again, I'll play the event I qualify for and if I cash then that's great, but if not, there's nothing lost. This has already started pretty much, but I'm going to concentrate more starting October as I have a heavy weekend ahead

So after ruining my bankroll at cash games, I took in a few mtt's tonight and managed to cash in 3 out of 4 turning a nice profit for the day and making a small profit after my losses in the cash. Quite pleasing and perhaps I should stick to tourneys.

My best result was 41st in the $25k on blonde, but it was a bit of a sick ending. I had 99 on the button and when it folded to me I min raised to 20k and the big blind called. Flop came 8 high, he checked, I bet 50k into, he moved all in, he just about had me covered so I had to call. Anyway, he had Jacks and I was out. Bit disappointing as it was right on a bubble, one more out and I'd have doubled my $74 to $145 which is annoying, especially as there was a couple of shorties on my table of less than one big blind.

Still, I was going for the win I guess and it's still a profit for the night, very pleased overall.

In a bid to build my crappy bankroll back up, I thought I'd play some limit cash again. First couple of days went ok and I showed a nice profit. Well, a profit. The last couple of sessions seem to have been shit though. I forgot that you can't get people off bottom pair no kicker in limit games so when they hit runner runner to hit the straight, your nice hand pre and post flop looks amateur and you've lost half the buy in in the process. Anyway, bottom line is that I'm down $100 now. I'll get it back though, I think I'll move back down to $0.50/$1.00 and rebuild. Perhaps a better starting hand strategy would help. I'm away for a week soon so I'll read the Small Stakes Hold em book that I have properly.

On the plus side, I'm quarter of the way to Silver again on Stars - wooo! I may have to get a new iPod soon so getting silver or preferably gold, would be an advantage, although I'd rather not go busto in the process!

Goodbye Plymouth

I had decided that I was going to be playing tight for most of the last blonde/Virgin tourney tonight. The first couple of levels passed with me just folding then on level 3 (I think it was) I was quite pleased to see pocket aces. An early raise was nice, perhaps I'd pick up more than the blinds, so I repopped a large amount of about 3 times the raise. I'm repopped instantly all in, well, they were all in, I had 750 left. Flips over pocket 10's and my smile faded quickly as another ten came on the flop followed by the last one on the river.

Down but not out, I was hanging in there and was eventually dealt Jacks, a prompt call by pocket 4's saw my exit as they too managed to hit trips and I was out in lowly 29th.

To say I'm gutted is an understatement, all I had to do was play tight and I'd be on the trip to Plymouth for the £1000 ME next week.

I'm just so appauled at pocket 10's moving all in so early on in a tourney. Words just fail me at the moment. It was about 2 hours ago and I'm still gutted about it. All in with a pair of 10's so early on.

I have a big weakness in my game, I can't let go of hands. Just been playing an $8 tourney on Stars and went from fairly ok in 30thish out of 60 to, well out with KQo. Folded to me on the cut off and I raised to 3600 (3xBB) SB calls, others fold. Flop J22 and I put the continuation bet of 6k in (pot 9.somethingK) He calls. Now alarm bells should have been ringing a bit I guess, but no, the turn brings a 6 and he checks. I decided to move all in and he calls with AJ.

Until then, I'd played pretty well, but that hand, I don't know what it was. I was at the stage where my M was getting low, it was about 8 and I wanted to pick up some more blinds, but I couldn't accept that he had me beat.

Anyway, fairly please with the performance until the last hand. The win will come soon I expect.

Feeling a bit sorry for myself over the last few days. I seem to be on another losing streak. No matter what I do, I will lose. I think it started Sunday and I haven't won a bean since then. This is a standard example I had played about 3 hands all night, so he must have know I have something better than a pair of crappy 8's but the luck isn't on my side. My last three tourneys I've been knocked out by callers to large raises with K8, A4o, A4s. The last one hurt most, it was a $30 DS sat to a $1050 final sat and was heads up against someone that was pretty weak. I called with my KK knowing he'd put the raise in which he obliged me with, then proceeded to flop the ace he needed. Doesn't matter what I go in with, I seem to lose - I lost 4 times with AA in the same tourney Sunday night, luckily all to shorties but you'd expect one to hold. My AK's miss against small pairs, my big pairs get outdrawn, I'm just a little fed up with it.

It's not Karma, it's bollocks.

Moan over, boring to read I know, but it feels better talking/typing about it. I'll keep plugging away and hope to hit something sooner or later. Scrub that, 7 times out of 10 I don't even need to hit, I just hope they don't!

Non event pretty much last night. I decided that I was only going to play the Poker Player Magazine freeroll, the V Points freeroll and the blonde/Virgin tourneys and that would be it. Well, it was uneventful in all of them despite a few bad beats so I tried a cheapy blonde Poker, again few beats and that was that.

Then I was a sucker for the $55 $25k on Stars at 10pm and managed to finish about 150thish but nothing special. I had so many mid pairs and didn't hit trips once it was annoying and I think this cost me really. Managed to get a nice stack, but then a few preflop raises with said pairs, couple of callers and two over cards on the board and I'm not in such good shape all of a sudden. Quite pleased with the play though, you can't win them all and I was in there with the top 20% anyway. On the plus side, I did win a seat to a $55 in a satellite crapshoot so I was only a few bucks down overall on Stars.

I'm quite pleased with the 'step up' to the $55's. I don't think it's out of my league and if I get a nice cash there, then I should be ok. There's a fair mix of players play them, I guess it's the higher end of the regular recreation players and perhaps the very bottom end of the better players but overall the standard is a lot better and makes for a better game. I do like the $22 with one rebuy and the add on too but it starts just an hour too early really for me, but the numbers in this is ideal - only attracts about 350ish but that's enough to build a nice prize pool, especially with the rebuy and add on.

Night off tonight, not sure I'll play much tomorrow, but Sunday I'm back and looking to take advantage of the weekend players.

Ended up 3rd in the $4k for $320ish. Bit disapointed as I was CL for a while, then some guy took 5th out, next hand took 3rd out, then he raised my bb the next hand and I had QT so pushed thinking he was at it, he had AQ! 3 nice hands in a row for him and 3 victims.

Pleased with 3rd though, pleased with $300 for $5 too!

Been a good night.

I've been watching some of Zpaceman's mtt's from Cardrunners today and I think I've learnt a few things from them. Played the $22 with one rebuy and one add on on Stars which I quite like as it only gets around 330 people playing and despite donking off my first 1500 chips, I managed to go quite well and made the money but in a more positive fashion. I was going really well at one point. I had a bit of a to do with Moorman who was to my immediate right for ages but I knocked him out with my pocket 9's against his ATs. I was glad to see the back of him to be honest, you don't really want to be on a table with Moorman, well, I don't anyway, but thankfully he was on my right.

Then I was moved to a table with 6 short stacks and 3 big stacks (myself included but the lower of the three) The other two were directly to my right and every time I entered a pot to steal, the big stack would call, then bet me off the pot if I didn't have anything. Eventually he bubbled after making some pretty aweful calls, but getting a bit unlucky too and I was moved to another table. Unfortunately, I tried to steal with A7s and ran into pocket 9's but I pretty much commited myself on the flop but my flush draw, over card and gutshot failed to hit and that was that. The bad news was that I just got my money back, $60 for first level of money, the good news was that I played to win, kept a level stack until Mr Playallmypots joined the table and played more positive in general - oh and it's another ITM for me.

I'm also down to the last 30 or so in the blonde $4k, but I could use some cards now. I've had aces four times and they've lost them all! One time, please hold!

I was right not to give up (bar a self bok here) the higher entry tourneys. Decided to play the 10pm Stars $55 and it's been a case of hanging on in there. Managed lose most of my chips on a flush draw (I was getting the odds though) but didn't give up and have come back from 750 chips and am currently 21st out of 92.

The reason for the early post? This hand - probably one of the most important hands I think I've ever had

Will post an update after

Ah well, I guess the luck had to run out sooner or later. On the plus side, it was a pretty loose call by him. After I'd raised him preflop, then moved all in, what did he think I had? Anyway, out in 52nd for $100. Not quite the $10k I was aiming for but better than a kick in the arse. At least after battling through 700 players I got $50 profit, better than the usual $10!

The step up in buy in level seems to be having a worse effect than I had hoped. I didn't think I was playing that bad, but people seem to be happy to call my preflop raises with any two cards, then if they bet out on the flop and I reraise them all in, they seem happy to call on a draw, which they seem to hit. My pocket pairs seem to lose to rag aces and I can't seem to catch a break recently. Perhaps it's just all evening up with my good form prior to moving up the levels, I don't know, but I do know it's annoying watching Q8 call your preflop raise, then seem happy to call an all in on a flush draw.

That said, had I called the small raise in second hand, my pocket 4's would have turned in to a lovely full house and had I not tried to bluff my way on a KQ999 board with AJ, I'd have had some more chips and not found myself in the desperate situation
where I am trying to get someone off a flush draw.

So far I've played 1 x $55, 1x$20 rebuy ($42 invested) and 1x$24 on FT with zero returns.

I'm not going to give up yet, I can do it, I just need to catch a break, well, I just need others not to catch a break, I've been ahead when my chips have gone all in.


edit:sigh! Never ends, KJ decided to call my raise but my AA were no match, then next hand I have AJ in the sb, button calls, I push, button has KK, obv no ace to save me and I'm out.

A Win!!

Been playing reasonably ok recently but not getting any decent cashes but yesterday I finally took down a small mtt. OK, it was only 49 runners and only for £100, but at least it was good old Pounds Sterling and not those cheap Dollars, and it was a win! Can't remember the last time I won a tourney so I'm quite pleased. Also I went pretty well in a Stars comp, finishing 90th out of over 1100 but sadly only picked up $18.51 for that, money does suck at the lower levels. Also qualified (and cashed out) of a 5 card draw tourney which was fun. I may give draw another go soon as most didn't really know what they were doing!

Pretty pleased with game at the moment and I'm hoping for a decent cash on Stars soon.

I am tempted to go up to the $50 mtt's and try half a dozen or so. It's where the money is. There's less people to go through and in the ones I've played in the past, I have managed to make the money before so I'm definitely capable of playing them.

Disapointing night. Played a sat to the APAT event in Luton and also the Inside Edge freeroll to Luton funnily enough, but that was the GKUPT thingy. Anyway, was going well in both until I decided to call an all in with AK on the button in the APAT site and lost to KQ or KJ, something like that and went out in 23/4 - 15 seats and I was just 7 away. The IE one was going well too but I managed to bust out in about 40th. Then played a $2.5 mtt on Stars to vent off. This was quite fun and I managed to get really low, then really high and with 200 left, I was in the top 50, then I decided to call a small raise with 99 and push someone all in on a Q66 board but he had AA, then pushed the rest in for pot odds on a straight draw but it never happened. Also managed to spend a bit in a sat to the nightly $150k but failed to make a seat.

Lots of losses tonight. I'm a bit disapointed about the APAT one and also with the $2.5 one, I was so tempted to fold the 9's, I just had a feeling but when he bet small on the flop, I convinced myself he had missed and maybe had AT, AK, AJ - well I got one card right anyway.

On the plus side, I think I'm playing better at the moment, on the downside, my account don't really agree with me!

Onwards and upwards.

Took some more macros over the weekend. Took loads actually, but most were rubbish and I only ended up posting 3.

Following on from Monday nights small success, I played another sat tonight, the $5 rebuy into the $55 $50k on Stars and managed to win a seat, so more T$ for the collection. Also went quite nicely in the $5k $5 on Stars, finishing about 145ish out of about 2000 people. Had to go for it towards the end, not getting any decent cards and even if you made the final table you only got $120 I think. The payout seemed pretty crappy and very very top heavy to me. I'm not keen on paying 400 runners, especially when you've got go get so deep to get a semi decent return. I think even 200 into the money we are only on about $10 back. Surley it's not worth playing for 3 hours to get $5 profit? Anyway, I knew the rules before I started so I can't complain. Nice to cash in two out of two on Stars tonight.

Also played the Open on Sky but the software was so bad it was unplayable but I did hit a nice full house on a cash table to win a small profit.

Had a good day yesterday. Played golf for Richies birthday then off to the boozer for a few, as you do! Didn't feel great this morning, but I've been worse. I think I may give up the booze for a month or so, try and lose a few pounds and try to get a bit healthier in general, perhaps my concentration will improve - you never know.

One of those nights where you lose loads, the nights when aces don't ever hold - beaten three times and only won once when I picked up the blinds, every time I made a move, I ran into decent hands and lost, the just when I was going to give up all hope and go to bed in a bad move a strange but wonderful act of kindness by the poker Gods occured.

I was in a $10 rebuy sat to the nightly $162 and about 25th of 50ish with 11k in chips. 40 spaces were being paid out but the blinds were 2k/4k and going up every hand with the amount of time it took people to act. Anyway, I was getting concerned as it looked like I was due to be in the BB in two hands for about 6k when all of a sudden, someone went out and my table collapsed and I was moved to the button seat of the new table and didn't have to face another blind :D

Thank you Poker Gods, I needed that, the T$ are a help, I shall no doubt donate them back again in due course, but thank you for moving me.

Also a strange thing. Some guy was UTG +2 and had only 700 left or so and it was a 600 ante and he's called with A5 and got knocked out. Not quite sure why he did that, there were about 7 all in's that hand and pushing the fold button would have got him a seat. Perhaps he got one anyway, I'm not sure, but it was a strange move.

Sunday donkaments

Amber and Heather away - check
Internet on - check
Laptop on - check
Day of poker - double check

Aim for the few days the family are away is to play as much poker as I can, including hitting the Western Club as many times as possible. The plan was to go today, tomorrow, find a cheap freezeout on Wednesday and go Thursday but this is already looking unlikely as I have to bowl tomorrow and they're coming back Thursday. I may not find a suitable game on Wednesday which leaves tomorrow nights the last one for the week!

Anyway, started the day off with a few games on Stars where my best result was 90ish in the $8 rebuy, but I collected enought to make a profit for the day. That finished around 7pm for me and then I had to wash up then spend about 15 mins trying to get the chickens back into the coop. Rushed out, then hit traffic on the M4. At 8:30, I'd just pulled off the M4 on to the north circular which was thankfully clear. Made it there 10 mins late but they were running behind so it was all ok.

Started off nicely, picking up AK early on and managed to get some chips of the guy to my right who had AQ. Then disaster hit. Same guy raised to 600 preflop on the button. There were two callers, I looked at QQ and called. Flop came 9 high so I bet 1500 into the pot. He pushed and for 900 more, I had to call. Needless to say, he had KK. Down to 1400, called a preflop raise on the bb with 88, flop came 6 high so I pushed, ran into JJ. Not my night, out before it was dark! Bit disapointed as I was hoping to win some nice cash tonight after doing most of my cash at Ascot yesterday.

Back home to Stars. there's a tourney starting at midnight that I may play in that I like the look off, but in the mean time, I seem to have joined a limit game (again) by mistake!

Edit: damn, not only is it limit, it's not the game I ment to join - it's a 750 fpp sat, I ment to play the $4 rebuy!

Well it's been a while and sadly I don't have too much to shout about. I managed to get an invite to the Sky Poker live event in Birmingham which was great fun. Did no good in the ME but did manage to win a sit and go from being down to 75 chips and in the big blind for 50! Also played an omaha sng with Norman Pace who was quite good fun. It was a great day out and if you get the chance to go to the next one, I'd certainly recommend it.

I've treated myself to a nice new 150mm Macro lens for my camera. I should have bought one of these before instead of the other lens I bought but never mind. The other lens is still great, but the macro lens is such fun.

Couple of samples below but the galleries can be found here I'll be adding fairly frequently from now on!

Had some nice tournament results recenlty. I've finished second twice in the new blonde Poker League and also made 8th in the $20 on blonde the other day.

Went to the Western last night for the £20 double chance and was really looking forward to playing again as it's been a few weeks since I played there now. Despite Heather waking up at 5am (she's got chickenpox) I was determined to go. First hand and I'm in the bb with KK. All fold to the sb who checks (25/25 blinds) I raise another 100 and he calls. Flop comes 66T with two hearts, he checks, I bet 200, he raises another 250 and I call. Check/check the queen on the turn and the river brings another heart. MB bets out 450 and I have no choice but to fold. I don't know what he had, but I've seen several times aces against kings and queens against kings in the first hand there. Either had me beat and that's without the flush or of course a 6. Managed to get rid of nearly half my first 1500 in the first hand. Luckily I managed to get it back a few hands later with AT against someones A7. I've played with the opponant a couple of times and I think it's the first time ever I've got sort of a tell out of anyone. I knew he had an ace (board KK9A4) but knew he didn't have a king, I just new my hand was good. Managed to take his second stack of 1500 too with AK against his Ace something or other. First break and I'm doing very well. Managed to look after myself in the second section and eventually made it to the final table, but fairly short stacked. Doubled up in the first couple of hands and then really just scrapped through the blinds now and again. Three hands from my exit, I made probably the only real mistake of the night which I'll put down to tiredness. Blinds at 3k/6k and I only have 23k left. On the button I have TT. UTG calls. UTG has at one point when there were between 18 and 10 left, about half the chips in play. He's calling everthing and seems to be hitting everything too, so I just flat call. Flop comes 5 4 K (two hearts) and everyone checks. The turn brings another heart and it's checked to the BB who bets out and we all fold. I'm still disapointed on how I played this and a couple of hands later I'm UTG with pocket 6's and push all in and the CL calls with T9 and hits his ten on the river. Out in 6th which in all honesty, I'm quite pleased with but I did hope for better once I'd made the FT. The tens was played so badly I think, not only not pushing preflop, but given the chance to do so on the flop and I still didn't take it. I was going out in 6th anyway, so not pushing with the best hand I'd had in ages was a bad nove. Quite pleased overall, just not with that hand. Lesson learned though, won't be doing that again.

I seem to have found some form with my tournament game recently and I think I'm going to concentrate on this. My cash game has been pretty poor as late and I seem to be losing a fair bit playing at the cash tables so I need to stop. I only have another $3 to earn on FT before making the next $20 so I may play just to that and call it a day. I had over $400 profit in my FT account but I've managed to wipe that out playing cash and some of the turbos. At least I'm still up overall from my initial deposit so I'll quit whilst I'm ahead and concentrate on tournament poker.

I'd been playing pretty bad recently and during the last couple of weeks in May managed to lose a bit of cash but thankfully I seem to have over come this recently. Managed to make the final table of a Party tourney the other week (not sure if I posted about it or not), came 2nd in the new blonde league first event, made the final of a $20 HH tourney on DTD last night and cashed in one tonight, and came 23rd out of over 1000 on another blonde tourney tonight. Bit unlucky to have gone out in 23rd really, I called an all in with AJs as he was shortish stacked but he hit trip 7's which beat my top pair and he took down a 50k pot, then I pushed to a min raise with someone that kept trying to steal like this, anyway, he had AK and my AJ didn't get a break - so that was me. Was CL at one point. Anyway bottom line is that I'm cashing well in the mtt's at the moment, but I haven't visited the cash tables yet but I'll play on FT soon and work some more of that bonus off.

I've been thinking about the WSOP today. I'd love to play the ME at the WSOP but somehow need to qualify. I have the most available bank to have a bash at qualifying on Stars, I have just over W$1000 there so it would make sense to try on Stars, but I have a feeling that it's not going to be the easiest place to qualify - not that I'm saying anywhere is easy of course. I'm not sure what game to go for either. I honestly think the $650 weekly final is my best shot - about 1 in 20 go and there's about 30 seats up for grabs. Problem with this is that on my small bankroll, spending $650 on a tourney is a lot. I can qualify to this sat via other routes, but as you have the option to unregister, it's like I'm spending the money.
Not sure the double shootout is for me. I was tempted by the $160 one with a seat guaranteed but winning one stt is proving a job for me at the moment, winning two in a row could be pushing it. I may have a proper bash at qualifying again for the $650 and see how I do - if I qualify quickly, I'll play the main sat, if not, then I may cash out and try again.

Better look what the other sites are offering too. I've left it a bit late really but it's a thought anyway.

*weep*

Another buy in gone. Someone called my preflop raise with KTo and beat my Q high straight with his king high straight :(

Bank on Stars is looking grim at the moment. I'm going to have to play quite passively tonight (or next time) to get back up to where I was a couple of days ago. I'm down $200ish at the moment, not all from cash - I played some tourneys today too that I failed miserabley on.

My plan was to get to $1000 then move to NL100 but I've taken a bit of a set back. I'll still get there but I perhaps need to calm down a bit first.

Joined up at Cardrunners a few days ago and I have to say, I've definately learned a few things so far and until tonight, it had paid for itself. I've moved to 0.25/0.50 NL 6 max cash games and have managed to make a few quid but tonight I got a bit cocky with AJ and tried to put some guy of a $20 pot by moving in for my last $30. I had seen him checkraise before on the turn then fold to a reraise and a couple of other things that made me thing I had him but he had two pair on the flop and I lost. Next buy in went to the same guy annoyingly. I had AQs on the BB, he raised preflop to $2 with pocket 9's. Hit flush draw and top pair on the flop, he bet $5, I called. Turn brought me an ace but he checked, so I thought I'd get him and checked too. River brought a 9 but obvioulsy I didn't know he had trips at the time so I lost another $40 to him. (I only bought in for $40 for some reason)

Was going well, but I have learned two things - respect raises if you have a crappy had and also to bet each street if you are probably ahead. If I had bet the turn, I'd have won that last pot I lost.

Photo gallery moved to Pbase today

I'm not quite sure how sng freaks take the beats so well. It's just one losing session bad beat after bad beat. I thought I was responding pretty well one hand, I raised from the button with As Jc and the sb folded, bb calls. Flop comes KQT - all clubs but I've hit my straight and also have an open ended st flush draw. Bet the pot, bb calls. It's only left us both with 120 chips, it's about the 3rd hand. Turn brings another Ten and I stick my chips in. To my amazement he shows pocket 4's and I'm laughing until the river which brings another bloody ten and gives him the full house.

Anyway, needless to say I wasn't happy. I think perhaps the secret is to play loads of tables so if you hit a bad beat, you don't realise and you just think you are out!

Stats to date

1sts - 4
2nds - 6
3rds - 8
4ths - 4
Others - 19

Total played 41. Profit to date - $42.60, ROI - a mere 8.7%

Bad night! Only managed two cashes, both 2nds in 10 games. Took so many beats tonight, the most annoying being T6o calling my push and hitting to knock me out.

Oh well, getting used to them, they don't bother me really, I just like a moan ;o)

Blonde Poker had it's Blonde Bash 4 couple last weekend which was a laugh. Nothing too exciting to report, but I had a good time. Got knocked out of the main event in about 85th or something like that - position doesn't matter, may as well have lost - same money but played a few fun sit and go's too which I managed to bubble 4 of the 5 I played and split first in the other. Was just a bit unlucky most of the time, but still it was a great weekend. Then this week we've been in Devon for the week. Five days of just spending time with the family having some great fun. Heather is really learning loads now and is coming out with some great things :)

Back to the poker and I'm doing wellish on the FT Turbos. Sticking with the $12's for now, although I am doing ok at the $24's, I just want to build up a bit before moving on to them regular. I've made around $400 on them so far but have only started keeping records in the last two sessions. So far it's like this

1st's - 3
2nd's - 2
3rd's - 5
4th's - 1
Others - 4

So I currently have an ROI of 70.5% I know they reckon on a proper sample, you should be happy with even 15% but I'm hoping to keep this pretty high as the games are quite soft and it's one hell of a losing streak I'd have to go on to get that low. Mind you, I shouldn't speak just yet!

no better, $22+2 turbo, utg with AK, raise pot, folds to BB who reraises to 800, I push all in and he calls with 23s and hits with the 3.

That's enough for me tonight.

Did manage 18th in an omaha tourney on Stars though.

Cashed in one after playing 'one more' game! Came 3rd, went out with KQ against 77 when the flop came 9 7 7, what can ya do? Well, call it a night happy in the fact that at least I cashed. There's a reason I didn't do better tonight. I think I probably played too many weak hands early on that got me into trouble. That and not playing enough cheap hands too. The turbos need a different sort of tactic and sometimes I have it and other times I don't. There's not much in it though I don't think, but get it wrong and it sure goes wrong.

Nighty night.

Been running nice on the $11 and $22 turbos on FT recently - managed to build up over $300 in the last couple of days but tonight, well, I guess they call it variance. Haven't cashed all night. 7 games, 0 cashes. Every time I move in, people call with QJ off suit and hit etc, I can't get people to lay down average hands.

Can't complain too much, it's been a good few days and hopefully it will get better soon.

Off to Luton tomorrow for Blonde Bash 4. Should be good - I'm playing football for Wales on Saturday morning followed by the main event, a £30 double chance shootout. Report to follow.

My Thursday game went absolutely terrible last week and I managed to get a worst ever performance in. At the second level, I'm on the button with A5, couple of callers round to me, SB completes, BB checks. Flop comes A 2 5, check to me, I bet about the pot (300 or so). Small blind calls, rest fold. Between the flop and the river, I manage to get most of my chips in and am a bit disapointed when he shows trip 2's. Chips!!

Next level, I'm in fairly early position with pocket tens, raise 3xBB to 300, same guy as before to my left calls, rest, bar one who only has a couple of hundred of his first lot of chips left, all fold. Flop comes 8 high, no real danger execept a flush draw but I bet 1000 into the pot to chase him off. He flat calls. I'm only left with 525 so when the turn brings another under card to my pair, I ship it in and he shows KK and I'm off home before the first break!

Clearly I was a bit disapointed at this. I've seen the guy before but never been on his table, at least I know he's quite a passive player now! Still, I had my camera with me and I took off to London and took some snaps. Wembely was my first port of call as it's only round the corner. WOW is all I can say, that's one impressive building. Off into town but parking in London isn't that easy and I was struggling to find anywhere. Didn't fancy ditching the car and then wandering round at night down alleys with a nice camera and my tripod, but I drove over Waterloo bridge and spotted my shot and thankfully you can pull up on it. Quick shifty onto the other side of the bridge brought shots of St Pauls, but they are a bit blurred, possibley due to me not working out how to do mirror lock in the force 5 winds that seemed to be blowing into me on that side. The London Eye side wasn't too bad, I think given the kit lens, it's probably the best I could have done.

Bit of a disapointing night overall. Played ok in the cash games but lost a bigish pot to lose all my winnings and put me back to the starting level - just ran into a bigger pocket pair on a raggy board. Played 3 turbo sit and goes and bubbled in two, both with pretty sucky outdraws and then ran into big hands every time I made moves in the other. It's just not my night. It does even out the night where I played 3, cashed in 3 the other day though.

Better grind out some more cash in the next few days to make up for the sng losses I guess!

Edit cash not going well, lost another nice pot with AA after making a 5xbb raise preflop and about 6 people called! Needless to say someone had both the J and the T that appeared on the flop. Don't blame him for calling, he certainly was getting the odds.

Played my first tourney on Stars for a while and all is going okish, I'm on 4.5k but the average is nearly 9k. Folds to me with KTs, and I raise, BB calls, crappy flop and I push all in, he has 88.

Why do I do this? Two hours wasted because I wanted to bluff a pot :(

Must stop. Still, never mind.

Managed to make 6th last night at the Western Club. I nearly went out early when I called an all in from someone with AJs and he held pocket queens. I thought he had something less than that but obviously got it wrong. Thankfully it's a double chance so I got to call for chips and from there did reasonably ok. Went to the final table pretty short stacked though and never really got an opportunity to push in. With my stack, someone would more than likely have called - there were two guys that seemed to have most of the chips between them so I tried to wait but the cards never came. Few players went for it, including the two big stacks so one person ended up with what must have been about three quarters of all the chips, and I ended up squeezing a 6th spot out of it for £74.40.

Quite pleased overall, but would have liked to get to the final table in better shape. Some people have the ability to move in with anything, sadly I'm not one of those at the moment. I guess having chips in the first place helps and I don't seem to have enough to command that respect.

One day.

Oh and I'm officially selling my bass :(

http://www.bassworld.co.uk/pn/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=25080

Gutted really but I don't use it and could use the money to either pay off my camera or buy a new lens - can't decide which yet ;) Hopefully both though to be honest, it's a nice bass.

Not updated for a while but I have been playing. I've kind of avoided mtt's for the last few days with the exception of the Mansion promo ones (which I somehow qualified for again) but have had no decent results. I've tried to concentrate in working off the Full Tilt bonus. I started off with limit poker, playing $2/$4 but I seem to be very poor at limit and I ended up losing about $150 before I got fed up and moved back to $0.50/$1.00 NLHE. Things improved a bit here and I managed to win back my losses which I was over the moon about. Then I played $0.25/$0/50 yesterday and managed to win a whole dollar for about two hours playing, but I wasn't that bothered as I had earned points towards my bonus and I'm happy to just be playing. Plus, even a dollar profit is profit! Anyway, today I played $0.25/$0.50 again and made $135 profit! Best night yet for me I think. Hit a few flops which helped, but I think I played better, the most I lost in a hand was only $5, I just didn't take many risks. The biggest pot of the night for me was when some guy tried to make pot sized bets after he hit two pair on the flop, but I had a flush draw and a straight draw and felt that the risk was worth it. Thankfully I hit on the river and took the $80 pot. It was only $40 after the turn, but he called my bet to put him all in, despite the flush being obvious. I think he may have tilted as he's down $170 ish for the time I was on there.

Pleased playing cheap NLHE at the moment, I don't think I'll bother moving up to $0.50/$1.00 just yet, I'm happy playing at the lower level and there's certainly the pots there for it. Also, the next level is technically out of my bankroll, but to be honest, I've never let that stop me before!

Also been playing a few $10 stt's which I'm quite enjoying - fire one up and a cash game and I'm sorted really. Good for the bonus requirement and good for the bankroll at the moment.

I'm still very very tempted to join Cardrunners. It's just the sign up fee putting me off. I'd happily pay a year up front if they would waiver the sign up fees. We shall see.

Very pleased tonight, showing a profit on my initial deposit - it's about time. Now I need to not get over confident and just play as I have been.

Oh rakeback, got just over $40 for playing on Blonde last month. Better than nothing, but I guess at my levels, it's not really worth worrying too much about rakeback if you prefer other sites. Be interesting to see what I get for April on Full Tilt. I quite like FT, it's suiting my game at the moment so if I can get a nice amount in cash back too, I may well stay here.

been playing some stt's on FT recently and tonight after a night out, I fancied my luck on some more $10 games. Anyway, first one, I kind bet myself out, maybe pushed at the wrong time. Second one, AKs against AKo and he flops the flush!

Mofo, I guess that's why they call it variance.

Not to self: shouldn't really be playing after drinking lots!

Not much happened at my live game last night. I think I need to be making a few moves earlier but I really was card dead. Had aces once when I was short stacked and in the big blind, but everyone folded around to me! Gutted!

Not a lot else to report really but it was still good and I enjoyed myself.

Forgot to post this little story from a couple of weeks ago. I didn't make the Thursday due to the Mansion promo, but went on Friday instead. Anyway, few hands into it and some guy raises it up to 600 (blinds at 100/200) and gets one caller. On the flop, he announces that "that's not a flop he really wanted" and bets 400 into it looking pained. Anyway, he's raised and just instantly folds. Made me chuckle a bit anyway.

Got to give up limit. I prefer the game in theory, but my results are way better in no limit.

One $0.50/$1.00 NLHE table before bed, took $40 to it as that was pretty big stack for the table, am currently on $123.

I've also been considering joining Cardrunners recently. Was concerned about it being more NLHE, but looking through everything, I'm better off with that. If I can get my money back that I've lost in the last couple of days, I'll seriously consider joining. Working off bonus is all very well, but I need to make money and not go skint!

Going to bed happier

I'm either running standard dry or playing bad. My Aces are getting cracked all over the place to the point where I don't know how I should be playing them. Being beaten by J2 Sooted was a bit disapointing but when the flop came J4J I guess I should have known. What is annoying is seeing pots of $50 going down and winning with a pair of 5's - often the lowest card on the board.

Not a lot is going my way at the moment but I did make the Mansion $100k's again this week so that's nice. I'm thinking my patience is getting stronger so I'm hoping for a good run this week. They've changed the format so you can pick any four tourneys now but you have to pay up front then they refund you. First one for me is tomorrow night. I'm going to be patient, solid and do ok in it. Ideally, I could do with two cashes this week, be nice if one could be a win :o)

Lost the rest of my buy in on FT when the mighty-cannot-be-laid-down Jc 4c hit a flush :( To be honest, it was probably my fault for calling with the flush on the board. My stratagy of playing strong hands and hoping to hit isn't working. I may try buying in for less and seeing more flops, seems to work for most people.

Not giving up yet. I may call it a day if I lose half my deposit money though. It's not worth losing it all for.

Pain in the arse night. I'm working on the Full Tilt bonus and it's not got off to the best start. I'm going to be down about $100 at the moment. Every hand I get just isn't good enough, trip queens beaten by dodgy flushes, King high flush beaten by Ace high flush - usual sob story. Also tried to rake some more for the Mansion promo but after losing $40 in about 10 mins when my AA failed to beat some idiot who couldn't lay down KQo, I'm giving up there too. He raised to $2 in early position, folded to me and I raised to $6.50. He calls, checks the King high flop. I bet $13 (the pot) and he calls, then the Queen on the turn and that was that.

I am pleased with my FT a bit though, I managed to get down to $8 but back up to over $50 and am currently on $46. Don't want to play for too much longer though, need to get some sleep at some point today.

Just added my photo album! Forgot I had a Picassa account so if you're wondering what the picture in the links section is, it's the photos I've taken

Hungover. Not so good.

Went to Reading to watch the Premier League Darts with a few mates last night. To many beers for a work night for me and rolling in at 3am really didn't help. I couldn't get up until 9am, I was awake (I always wake up really early after a night on the beers) at 8am and couldn't get back to sleep, but felt so so ill.

Rolled in to work at 9:30 and forgot that someone was popping into see some plaques. Anyway, they came in at 9:45 which was nice. I can't have looked or smelt too bad as they ordered a few. Then I had a few more people in and all the time I'm just wanting to sit down and close my eyes!

No more due in now for a while so I'm in the clear for a bit, but I'm feeling a bit better now anyway, amazing what a couple of cups of tea and some toast can do for you.

Early night tonight, no 'updating Poker Tracker' later on, early night, must be an early night. I'm off to West Ham tomorrow for a thriller against Middlesborough. We usually go once or twice a season to West Ham. Someone Rich knows is a ticket holder and we get together for a day out, always a great day and it's good to see everyone that goes, but I need to be on top form.

Gutted to report the end of my bankroll challenge is over. After a wicked run of consistantly running into better hands, I'm down to just $4 in my Stars account so that's about it. I'll probably go on a small cash spree with it to tilt it off but bar miracles, that's the end of my challenge.

Bit of a shame, but not really a biggie as I never had the roll to do it properly anyway, getting from $7 to $130 was an achievement for me but I think I lost focus after doing that and became too confident and lost it all.

Back to basics, I need to have a look at the hands I'm losing the stt's with. Something isn't right. I can't be that unlucky........can I?

Need a day or two off I think. Not sure if I can manage that or not though. I fired up Stars to get some HH's and Tournament histories to import into PT and before I realised, I'd fired up a sng and registered for an mtt on Blonde!

Back to mtt's and limit cash for me I think, just on other sites. Going to do the Full Tilt bonus and get some nice rakeback for that too.

Was going to play the $5k on iPoker today but for some strange reason the tourney never started so that was that. The only other tourney that was going to start with a reasonable time was the £8k on Crypto so I signed up for it. All was going well until I got 88 on a 9 high board. Agressive caller/raiser was in the hand so I checked and called his all in and he rivered an ace to knock me out. At least I went in with the best hand. My mistake was checking and not pushing, he'd have probably called anyway with his AQs but at least I'd have gone in first.

My drought on the $6 18 mans has come to an end with a 2nd. I'm a mug though for checking down a 5k pot when 3rd was all in. Checked down with KQ after hitting a king on the flop. He's bet 800 on the river and I've called and he's hit a 6 on the river to match the 2 he hit on the flop. Gutted, I can't believe that I still let people check down, I never get similar respect, someone always bets out on the river and I regret it. The pot was pretty key as he then had a 4/1 chip lead on me and when I pushed with K9s, his T4s hit the 4 on the river but I didn't have enough chips to take the hit. Played ok, the real thing that let me down was checking down to get the 3rd place out.

Lesson learned and I'm never doing it again if I have a decent hand on the flop. If you're on a table with me, let me know you're happy to check it down cos I ain't doing it otherwise :)

Will update stats another time.

Well to say I'm on a bad run at the moment is just a bit of an understatement. Perhaps I've been playing to tight or to lose, but something hasn't gone well at all today. I've been on lousy cards all day, when I get a hand, everyone folds, when I push, someone has better or hits with worse. It's just been one long losing streak today. I guess it all averages out soon I'm due a fantastic streak. I just hope my first day on the challenge wasn't the good day and this is the balance out.

Anyway

Overall stats in brackets, todays outside them

Out of 21 games played

Profit -$43.50 ($57.90) ROI 42.4%

1st's - 0 (2)
2nd's - 0 (1)
3rd's - 2 (3)
4th's - 1 (1)
Bubble - 2 (2)
Worse - 11 (12)

Not going to let the bad run worry me too much. I know I'll overcome it soon enough.

Back on the 18 man $6.50 turbo sng's on Stars. I don't mind these sng's as the payout is pretty good.

This is why I love playing at this level sometimes. I just can't work out what he's calling with. Raising is one thing but calling an all in with nothing is just crazy, he's only beating a bad bluff at best.

Another key hand was this one (different game). Obviously I don't usually call with Q7o but it's only costing me 1100 chips to get involved with a 4k pot and also knock someone out. At the end of the day, most hands are only ever 60/40 so I'm getting pot odds to call here, plus the value of knocking someone out makes it a definate call with any two cards.

Anyway I'm not here to gloat about others bad play, I'm here to post results

Played 5 so far. Total profit $107.90 ROI 332% :D

1st's - 2
2nd's - 1
3rd's - 1
4th's - 0
Bubble - 0
Worse - 1

Clearly a 332% ROI is pretty good and if I can keep that anywhere near that I'd be pleased ;) I really don't feel this game is any harder than the single table games though and recommend anyone wanting to build a roll give them a go. The payout is so much better and you just have to avoid early situations. Even the game I didn't cash in I was a bit unlucky, went in with AK and was called by A5 and he hit 4 diamonds to give him the flush. OK, he did hit the 5 too, but that's beside the point ;)

Happy so far, $7 to $130 in a day. Have to take a day off tomorrow but I'll be back Sunday night. Weekends are going to be the best time for these due to numbers on Stars and people like a drink which has to help. During the week, I expect the games to be a bit tougher, but not overly hard.

More entries for me into the Mansion $100k this week. I guess that either there's not much competition for the spaces or I actually play above average stakes these days without realising it. Can't see that really though so I'm going with the lack of numbers in the scheme. Sadly they've changed the times of the tourneys again so that they are now at 11am on Wednesday and Friday and 8pm on Thursday and Saturday. Why they have to stick us in ones when we should be at work I'll never know. They also included a bit of text in the confirmation email that any unregistering and taking the money would result in the money being withdrawn and a ban from further entries - so that's out the window too.

Managed to sneak the 11am one in yesterday as it was quite quiet and despite a few early interruptions from customers, I was left pretty much alone when it mattered and got 30th spot for a nice $450. I'm considering changing my live game date for now from Thursdays to Fridays so I don't miss out on one of the two the evening $100k's. Haven't played there much this week so it may not be a problem for much longer, although I will try for it again. My Mansion account is looking great, I've made a bloody good profit there (for me) So thank you Mansion for the opportunity, it's really appreciated :o)

Rub downs

I've been taking stupid losses badly at cash tables. I had a bit of a go at someones play tonight. I'm on the button with pocket 8's and raise to $2 ($1/$2 LHE), blinds fold and the caller in position 1 raises to $3 so I call. Flop comes Queen high but has an 8 on it and two clubs. I bet, he raises. Turn brings a club but I bet for the question and he calls. River brings another club so I best check, he bets. I have to call now and he shows Ad Tc!! I was amazed that he was so agressive with such a bad hand! Anyway, needless to say I asked why he was so agressive with it and called him a fish, he took a while to come up with the witty reply, "why are you such an ass hole - is that a better question?". Clearly I said no, not really and called him a donkey.

It's not that I mind losing hands, but just damn lucky play like this is annoying. It's more annoying when they get lucky then piss off! Damn that does annoy me. Luckily I made a note on him so I'll get him one day :o)

Anyway, it's not ment as a doom and gloom post, I'm ok for the night, just an observation at me giving some chatter to people that get lucky!

The $4 turbo rebuys on Stars are crazy. From the off, people are pushing with nothing, which during the rebuy I can understand - I did it myself tonight, but they do it during the freezeout and more importently, at the end stage. I'm watching guys on 35-40k, easily in guys, going all in against each other with JT, 8T, doesn't matter, they just can't lay it down - amazing to watch really.

Anyway, I've just won a seat in the $109 Monte Carlo sat. I would actually like to play this but sadly it doesn't start till 3am which is a bit late for me tonight.

Quite a nice night.

Decided to play the $25 rebuy on Stars satellite to the WSOP $650 ME satellite and won a seat. Took a really nice pot early on for 21k when the average was only about 7k but it was a turbo and the blinds soon become to sick to play with. Managed to hang in and did eventually win a seat (which I cashed in) but it came right to the end. Ended when the blinds were on 15k/30k and antes of 2k, I had 1900 left but was ok from the blinds and thankfully managed to avoid the next hand. I was in position 55 and they were paying 54 (53 seats and $450 for 54) for what seemed a long time but I managed to get away with it and am $650 better off for it!

I may have a bash at the $160 DS to qualify - bit nervy about spending that much on a game but I have the money from the win and I would love to go to the WSOP. Trouble is I don't expect they are easy! That said, the satellites to them are $5 rebuys so the quality may not be that great, but then it could be superb! Who knows. I'll have to try - perhaps I'll give one a go and see how I get on!

Still managing to lose money on cash games though :( Thank God I'm getting rakeback from these on Blonde, I may just break even with the rakeback but I really need to look at the hands I'm losing with.

Good night though, pleased with the Stars result, I think I have some good mtt's in me, I just wish I could do the cash as well.

Arseholes

There are some right arseholes at the tables sometimes. OK, I'm saying this because I've just lost two big hands in a row - obviously there's a reason.

First one, I'm with KK on button. Position 3 raises to $3 (0.50/$1 NLHE) I reraise to $7. He calls. Flop comes 8 9 J. He checks so I fire $14 in to the pot and he reraises me to $34. Trying to think what he's got and I can't put him on TQ as he called the preflop raise, trips he'd have bet out because of the straight and Aces I'd have been reraise preflop, so I figure my Kings are good here so I reraise all in for $62ish and he calls. The turn sadly brings the ace that nails my coffin down. Now, I've taken to having a go at people recently who I think have played bad but I expected to see AJ or something and at least he had top pair but no, he had AQ. His defence - two overcards and a straight draw!! Wanker, gutshot straight and 1 overcard to me so he had 7 outs at best, clearly not a calling hand yet alone a reraise then calling all in!

Anyway, then wanker number two. Dealt pocket aces on a $2/$4 LHE table and obviously raise, one caller, flop A 3 5, I'm thinking I'm good as no 24 would call the raise surely! No no no, he did call the raise, but not only that, he took the cash then pissed off! Wanker number two only stayed for one hand on the table!

Quite honestly, the cash games on Mansion suck. I've scrapped by ok and thankfully the entry to the $100k for four nights makes up for a lot, but the player numbers on the site are so bad. I'm amazed I got a $2/$4 game, it's the first time there's been numbers there and even then they were only there for an hour or so. The 0.25/0/50 and 0.5/1.00 NLHE have a few players but that's it. The standard is generally pretty poor. I know I'm not really one to talk but there's always mugs that call and whilst that's ideal and what you want in the long term, to be honest, it's not what I want, they get lucky and I'd rather not deal with that amount of variation - it's going to be a long slog for me to get my losses back from tonight.

If I don't qualify for the $100k's this week, that's it for Mansion, I'd rather play on the sites I'm going to get at least rakeback from. In fact, I may just win the $100k this week and cash another couple of times and call it a day anyway :)