Moan.

So I'm running like crap again. Guess I can't run like god forever... sigh. Was down some over the last few hundred sngs, then lost 30buyins ($1.5k) today. *blerg* Was a bit tilty and played a few $200 games (which were ridiculously soft - I scoped all the players, there was 1, I repeat 1 player in profit, most of them $5k+ losers) and broke even apart from the rake, but I'm just running terribly in the $100 games. So I might stick to the 50s and 30s for a while, until I find my feet again. Feeling the creeping tilt starting to overtake me brought back bad memories of early this year... don't want to do anything silly.

Not particularly related (ie not because of tilt) I've played a few sessions of cash after watching a strat video made by a couple of cash regs over at pfu. Was playing mostly .5/1, and am pretty confident I can beat the games decently. I'm not going to play any more for while until I'm 100% tilt-free to be on the safe side, but it's nice to feel a bit more comfortable about my cash play.

About 1/3 the way through this sng thing, so am pretty confident I can see it out, which will be pretty cool, the GUKPT will be fun. Shame my roi has plummeted from 34% to 8% in a week, but I was aiming for 5%, so meh. And my roi in the 50s, the only level I have a decent sample size in (~500) is about 15% which I'm pleased with.

Anyways, barring a 100 buyin downswing in the next 2 days, november will still be my best month to date, so am happy really. Just annoying to have a crappy end.

Fulltilt: $3000
Rileys: $500
Ipoker: $4650
Pokerroom: $600

total online: $8750
LIVE: +$1250

2008 total: $40,950

One better...

So I lucksacked another mtt score :D This time finally managed to actually close it out, which feels awesome. Was the $50 20k at fulltilt. Started well, but then nothing much happened during the midstages, and I got a bit bored as I'd bust out of my other games. Got to the money, and then things started to look up after I opened shoved 20bbs on the button with 44 and obv hit against KK cos that's how I roll, and then just cruised to the FT. Played good on the final table, and then got hu against a crazy lag, and made some superstar calldowns, including calling a pot-sized allin with 3rd pair on the turn with equal stacks - basically calling allin with 3rd pair for $2k :) he had the draw and missed, and happily I scooped the $5.8k for 1st.



Had another losing session on the sngs, which brings the roi down a bit, but its still above 25% I think, and mtts have been awesome, so can't complain. Oh and I just played the poker society live game and luckboxed my way to 2nd.

November is a good month for poker.

Fulltilt: $3000 (4550 withdrawn)
Rileys: $500
Ipoker: $6850
Pokerroom: $600

total online: $10950
LIVE: +$1250

2008 total: $43,050

Mtt score

*imagine new picture of smiling cat here*

Decided to play some mtts last night - was home ill so had a bit of time to spare. Went deep in a few games, bust out cruelly in a $25r on ipoker (allin on turn for massive chiplead with 15 left with KK vs KT on QJxx board, he dings his 6-outer). I was doing ok in a $109 mtt, but felt like absolute crap by this time, and was playing poorly. Didn't bust though, and starting concentrating again the final few tables. Ninja-shortstacked the whole way until about 8 left, then picked up some hands and went to 2/3. Then my internet cut out. Cue cheesies slamming his head against the desk for 10 minutes bemoaning his luck at final tables. I blinded out of course, but still managed to come 2nd :D ship the $4k and change. weeeee
Annoying I couldn't take the shot at the win though.

Sngs still going good too, so november's already my best month to date. Still 2 weeks to fit in a horrific downswongz though...

Fulltilt: $2000 (3950 withdrawn)
Rileys: $500
Ipoker: $7600
Pokerroom: $900

total online: $11000
LIVE: +$1200

2008 total: $38,500

More running good

Sngs are still going awesomely. Started mixing in a few $100 games - played 6, cashed in 5, won 4 lol. Always helps to run good in the expensive games!

I was aiming for 5%+ roi in these games. I'm at 34% at the moment. Whilst I know this isn't my true winrate, having an roi of nearly 7x my goal over 320 games is making me think I was underestimating slightly! I mean, at this point I'm pretty sure I can gaurantee a 10% longterm roi in the $50 games, at least for the time being. I can play at least 15 of those an hour. Including rakeback, that's ~$100/hr. That's madness! imo.

*warning: longish, cliff notes at end*
I've never wanted a 'career'. I've never been motivated profession-wise, and I'm at uni for something to do more than anything. I don't graduate for a few years yet, but I have a year out next year (doing a languages course, get to spend the year abroad), plus my girlfriend graduates this year, and it's all been making me think about, like, y'know, the 'future'. And stuff. As I say, I'm never going to join a coorporation and work my way up or anything. So what am I going to do? Really I just want to play music, travel, start writing again. Which made me think...why don't I just do that? Screw the whole 'get a stable job' thing.
I don't want to be rich and have fancy things, I just want not to have to worry about money, and I feel so lucky to have found poker - something that lets me do that.

So I'm thinking I'll play poker for a while, hopefully save some money (already got some savings too), and then travel around, maybe teaching english - whilst researching my year abroad I found loads of voluntary organisations requiring english teachers. How cool would that be? Just travelling around the world, seeing loads of amazing places - but not as a tourist (I hate being a tourist - partly why I'm doing a language course). If I run out of money, hopefully poker will still be there! Or maybe I'll spend half of each year travelling and the other half pokering. Something like that anyway.

So yes, there's my grand 'life plan'. I think I'll need to force myself to be proactive about it though, I can tell if I'm not careful I'll slide into a lazy degenerative heap and just play poker, forgetting the very reason I'm playing poker in the first place: to do the things I enjoy without worrying about the bills.

cliff notes:
-Poker is awesome.
-I'm never getting a job.
-Don't lose sight of why you're trying to make money - don't let work/poker consume you.


Fulltilt: $2100
Rileys: $500 ($2500 withdrawn)
Stars: $0
AP: $0
Ipoker: $6600 (crazy strong $$ means this is smaller than it should be as my balance is in £. I think... I really don't understand the economy/currencies/basic maths)
Pokerroom: $1150
Betfair: $0

total online: $10350

LIVE: +$1200

2008 total: $33,900

A good week, and a frustrating finish

So I final tabled the pacific 100k yesterday. Played pretty good for the most part, was a crapshoot by the final few tables, I was shoving like crazy and was getting away with it mostly :) then on the final table, 3/8, my aces go down in flames for a big chiplead at a terrible table, and there goes a very good chance at the $25k for 1st. Arg. So I was pretty gutted at the time of course. Was eyeing the top 3, 5-figure places, looking for my biggest cash to date. Twas not to be I guess. The $3k is welcome though...


Had a losing session on the sngs yesterday - pretty irratating since it probably would've been a slight winning session if my power cable hadn't broken and made me lose some games at crucial moments. But then today I played 23, and made 16 buyins, so can't complain :D So I'm up ~$3k on sngs this week (which is silly good imo) so it's been a pretty sweet week. Played 200, so another 12 weeks or so. If I can do half this good for the next 12 weeks... sweeeetness would ensue.

Fulltilt: $2100
Rileys: $500 ($2500 withdrawn)
Stars: $0
AP: $0
Ipoker: $3850
Pokerroom: $1150
Betfair: $0

total online: $7600

LIVE: +$1200

2008 total: $31,150

Sng goodness

Been playing an hour or so a day since monday, trying to get in my 20/day quota for this ipoker promotion. Happily, I've been running real good :) up $2.3k over 150 games, which is pretty awesome. And with the dollar getting stronger, it's like £1400. woop! Also the stronger dollar means I need to play less games to reach £7500 which is cool too. I'm sure it'll all come crashing down fairly soon, but I'll enjoy it while it lasts. Tripled my roll at ipoker in 5 days! 6 winning sessions in a row - never had anything like it.

Anyways, so yeah, this is just a brag post really. Go me!


Fulltilt: $2150 ($1500 withdrawn)
Rileys: $50 ($100 deposited)
Stars: $0
AP: $0
Ipoker: $3150
Pokerroom: $1150 ($2000 withdrawn)
Betfair: $0

total online: $6500

LIVE: +$1200

2008 total: $27,550