The Fossil does Vegas

[Erimus]

Good luck n Sunday Bri.

You going to WCOAP?

Will be trying but slim chance.


Damp squib end of the year tourney at the G unfortunately, ended up firing two bullets, lost the majority of the first when I turned trips QQQ, but the Q gave villain a straight another limp call call call get there situation, no problem we want them to call as a 3 to 1 dog and call as 15 to 1 dog, they do get there, it keeps them coming back, the rest of them I lose in a flip.


The second bullet didn"t fare much better, probably shouldn"t if bothered but as I had cashed at Gala on Friday this swayed decision, think I won 1 hand, and eventually lost K 10 v 77, hit my K on the flop but the 7 hit the river, hey hoh best hand won I suppose.

It turned out to be an expensive curry, ( food provided by casino), it was one of those days were nothing seemed to go right, all part of the fun.

Graph still heading south online but still been a profitable month.

Live probably break even but with Dave"s bink at Brighton I will take that as a live bink so in profit, cheers Dave.
Deep in a couple on Tilt at the minute so hoping to do an end of year bink, watch this space.

Thanks for the feedback regarding blog as well, I find it quite cathartic to write stuff down after games as I am usually wide awake so it gives me something to do.

Actually met someone today whose blog I have read since I started playing (Dan Trett) and he said its nice to get a bit of feedback as he never knows whether he should keep it going or not, incidentally he is a lot more Balla than me and if you haven"t read it it"s worth a glance, he is also captaining the NPf down at Stoke so you may get an insight into his game, clue very aggressive, very good player.

Will make my last post on Tuesday with a review of the year and goals for 2014, look out for a long list of bad beats   .

Kidding, if we keep getting bad beats we are doing something right.

Tourneys went down the pan, turbo sngs made it a profitable evening, super turbos skill game.

[AAroddersAA]

Will make my last post on Tuesday with a review of the year and goals for 2014, look out for a long list of bad beats   .

Last post of 2013 I assume? Thread must keep going in 2014 obv

[pokerpops]

Will make my last post on Tuesday with a review of the year and goals for 2014, look out for a long list of bad beats   .

Last post of 2013 I assume? Thread must keep going in 2014 obv

[Erimus]

Ofc, will continue in 2014, just preparing goals for next year.

[Erimus]

Day early.

Well that"s another year over with, won"t dwell on the personnel side of life that"s pretty mundane tbh, Susan"s health continues to deteriorate and she is getting less and less interested in anything and it"s quite hard to motivate someone who doesn"t want to be motivated, this can be quite draining tbh but the other choices are not viable, ie strangers/ carers coming in at random times, this was the cause of the initial problem when she fell a few years ago.

Care homes are the other option but she has the right to live in her own home which she has contributed to, so as long as I can look after her I will.

Poker wise it"s probably been my best year, overall cashes have been around the £16k mark, unfortunately that"s not profit, I would say between £5k/£6k, that"s both live and online, not a fortune but every extra penny counts, it"s not totally accurate, but managed to do Vegas on a virtual freeroll, obviously poker wise it didn"t go well but that"s the nature of the beast.

Opr stats indicate a 50% roi after 530 (mtts only)games this year, which in the great scheme of things is not a lot in terms of volume, it"s only on average 10 a week, should get off my backside and put some effort in.

Shark scope is more accurate with all games tracked roi around 20% including all sngs etc.

I should be starting the new year with a $2k5 roll on tilt, and I have enough in the bank to try and sat into some big events next year, and play what"s local.
Pokerstars this year has been poor, definitely losing on there, I don"t intend to deposit anything there, if I fancy a game will just transfer from tilt and play some of the bigger games.

If I do deposit anything it will probably be onto Dtd or Genting for satellites, that"s to be decided.

I don"t think I will be asking for staking online but may put some up for some of  the bigger live events I might want to play, keep an eye open if interested.

The bigger games this year I have done ok in, reaching Day 2 in all but one, all be it a tiny sample, alas the second days haven"t gone so well, got to get that bigger stack on Day 1 so not going back for a flip.

If I do go back for a flip, it would be nice to win one, perhaps next year variance will treat me a bit better in the bigger games.

Locally, until the G release their new schedule will keep an open mind, if they remove the guarantees the games won"t be worth playing as I feel the player pool will diminish quite quickly, again with the takeover at Gala,that is an unknown until details are released.

The above games do not provide big prize pools and with variance what it is in mtts most months it"s a small profit or a small loss, got to accept these games for what they are and use any profit in these for bigger games

Although in profit over at the 2 casinos the prize pools ain"t going to make us rich, remember it"s a night out, as well as an effort to win a bit.

Goals for 2014, online before June get to $7k, this will then be used to book Vegas in November again.

Live, play at least one big game >£300 once every 2 months, either via sats or direct buy ins, again this has to be provided I can find suitable arrangements for Susan and is dependant on where games are available.

I will try and keep this blog going, feedback seems to indicate people do read it, so will try and update the good, the bad and the ugly, of an average joe trying to bink a big one.

To summarise

Reach $7k online by June so I can book Vegas for November.

Make at least one 5 figure score ( I will have to take the odd shot or two but don"t see why I can"t have a go, just have to let the reigns lose on the bankroll)

Play at least 6 live events >£300, providing circumstances allow. One every 2 months seems reasonable.

Life stuff, still be here next year, breathing, walking talking.

Happy new year to each and every one of you, thanks for reading and the comments.

[Erimus]

Nearly ended the year in style, 61/1200 in big £33 for $100, and 13th in an $8k on tilt for another $100, new years resolution, win flips.

Had an experimental day yesterday, proper grinded mtts and sngs, played about 45 over various sites, spent $600 and was up $350, mainly due to running good in $35 super turbos, (skill game them).

Would I want to do this daily for 8-10 hours a day ?, no thanks, will plod along at a snails pace, head was spinning at the end of the night.

I wanted to start the year with $1k on tilt, but will be starting with $2k7 so enough to play my usual mtts and taking the odd shot now and again.

if I can get Susan sorted will be trying to play Gps at Dtd.

Happy new year and hope everything you wish for, you get, thanks for reading.

[duke3016]

Have a fecking great one you legend - love you

[Erimus]

First bad beat story of the year, not poker don"t panic.

After getting knocked out of yesterdays big 33 realised not much grub in the house, so I popped to the shops for our traditional beef joint on New Year"s Day, get to Marks and Spencer"s and there it is, one beef joint left on the shelf, it was waiting for me to pick it up, the last one must be my lucky day, purchased said item along with all the veg, job done.

Anticipating a nice roast today I finished of my last $11 mtt on tilt, $3 profit, first cash of the new year, unfortunately that didn"t cover the other 3 mtts I played but that"s a different matter, a cash is a cash.

Upon removing the cover from said Aberdeen Angus Beef joint, imagine my horror when I realised some nomark has placed the said Beef joint cover on a feckin meatloaf, massive sigh.

So I probably overpaid for a meatloaf whilst some scrote had my beef joint at a cheaper price, hope he or she choked on it.

Back to reality played the £20 freeroll tonight, it was like fraggle rock, I don"t normally play on a Wednesday and Dave and I both commented on the assembled field, ok I am a bit of a snob at times.

Didn"t end well, flopped two pair but someone had flopped a set, I had outs but they didn"t arrive, on leaving they shouted me back saying up had 750 left, blinds were 500/1k, I declined the offer to return, didn"t fancy the 20 yard return trip.

Incidentally meatloaf ok but Susan not impressed, won"t be buying again, plus I will now check contents of said items to ensure I don"t have to endure this torment again.

This year can only get better.

Love you to Ger.

[Erimus]

Decided to skip the 6 max at the G, had an offer from Sky deposit 20 get 40 which I took advantage of.

I played the bounty hunter at 8pm , took a couple of bounties and finished in the cash so I now have £100 on there, not sure about the new software though.

Sky was the first site I played on and did ok for a while then the Dym games became popular, the normal sngs dried up, and although profitable at first, they became pretty mundane drab affairs, eventually quit the site and only play when I get an offer which seems to be quite frequent lately.

Disappointing exit hand called off 12 bigs with A 10, blind v blind he had jammed 14 bigs with 56, he got his straight on the turn and that was that.

Had an attempt to qualify for The Gps at Dtd, 13 seats guaranteed get it in good with AQ v QJ, for a top 6 spot, the straight gets there, finished 16th I think,  got £20 for my troubles so will probably have one more go.

Also played the 2 big $26 on Full tilt, finished 15th  in one 13 paid, can"t remember exit hand, and finished 14th in the other for $40, lost a flip for 3rd spot, tens v KJ.
Winnings don"t even cover the cost of both mtts, pretty much a waste of time min cashing on full tilt, just got to go for the top 3.

Overall on all 3 sites break a even night, can feel a win coming though, mini ftops starts next week will be playing a few of them, let"s hope it"s in one of those.

Ps

Headline of local paper, Man almost chokes to death on piece of beef.

This may or may not be true.

[Erimus]

Another Friday, another final table, another bubble, raise JJ from 23 bigs , flatted by AK 30 bigs , flop 10 high rainbow, it all goes in on the flop, king on the river, pretty standard apart from should be all in pre if villain is going all the way with it, another close but no cigar moment.

Cash back, but again a flip away from a decent shot at £890, hey ho got to accept it and move on.

[Erimus]

Ready for the new year grind from today starting with ftops, would be nice to run golden in one and get a decent hit.

All dates have been reset on holdem manager and we start with a clean slate but with a bank roll of $3k on Tilt.

Played a few yesterday and went a bit mad with JJ on a ten high flop in the early fiddy, Ak actually won the hand but other guy won the side pot with QQ, should of went with my gut feeling as I thought the original raiser had a big hand, but I did pick up a bit of extra equity with a straight draw which didn"t materialise, would of been for top spot with 13 left.

I have decided to get try and get better at cash just to try and pay for mtts, I played 2 rush sessions yesterday with the following results.

First session results as follows
Hands: 592
Won : $48.20
16.28/100 bb

Second session

I was really pleased with myself because I actually stuck at it after the following occurred early in the session, usually if I lose my stack early I just go in a mood and give up.

http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/view.php/id/5599897

Initial thoughts, could 3 bet but decided to keep the pot small if re raised further round, call the raise, cant complain about flop, after my  reraise once villain has min bet me this does stink of  a set or  because of his bet pre AA, KK, QQ, so not folding, sigh nh move on.

We always have to be aware that if we call a 3 bet hoping to hit a set then reverse implied odds do have a bearing but even I am normally getting it in, cooler me thinks

So after losing my first stack in the above hand managed to grind it back to a $100 profit but instead

http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/view.php/id/5599899

Played this pretty weakly but it did save me money, the flop isn't really ideal, easily have 2 pairs draws etc, as said played passively saved cash, initial thoughts on these games if people have something decent 2 pair plus they tend to just bet and bet so saved a bit there, perhaps I should go bust but 2 pair or a set was definitely out there on that board.

Again AA bust, with stacks should be all in pre, so again didn't lose the lot but Ak guy never folding post flop.

http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/view.php/id/5599901

And finally

http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/view.php/id/5599903
Just felt I was beat here, should fold then, but we just have to see.

For Balance

http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/view.php/id/5599904

http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/view.php/id/5599905

So second session ended
Hands played: 1015
Won: $43.95
8.66/100bb.

It could have been a lot more if big hands hold, or it could have been a bigger loss if I wasn't such a nit. It should of been a $110 profit but for the last two hands of the session, only played them to get to 1k hand played, idiot that I am,
happy with profit I suppose.

Played the £50 double chance at the G tonight exit hand I jammed with AQ v 10 10, AQx flop,, river a 10, been the story of this year so far.

Apart from the £44 game at Gala will probably have a break from the G for a month, not enjoying the game there at the minute, not because of losing, that"s all part of the game which I accept, just not enjoying it anymore.

[AAroddersAA]

Just some observations about the cash hands. If they are not useful just ignore me :-)

The first AA hand when the guy hit"s a set of Jacks against you. I think you really HAVE to bet that flop. You get called by so much worse that can have called your 3-bet preflop. AQ plays this way and KQ probably does as well. He has quite a few draws in his range as well. You certainly don"t need to go bust against him but you really should be betting that flop. If he raises the spot is awkward. If he flat calls then you bet the turn and it is an easy fold if he raises.

The second AA hand again you just have to bet the mono tone flop. I would probably go $10 and certianly call a shove from the short stack (he most likely would have shoved) if he does not you just put him in on the turn. As played I think the river is a check/fold. You should definitely lose more in this hand

The A5 suited, I don"t like how we played this. Calling pre is fine in some cases you can 3-bet but I have no issue with calling. We can also raise the flop.. I don"t really like calling as we still don"t love our hand if we hit the flush. On the turn I am a bit surprised we don"t here from the full house we actually have the odds to call and hit our flush here but we still don"t like it even if we hit. In game I would call not sure it is right though. The bet we face on the river is horrid but now we have to call. If I was him I would have gone full pot there.

I would point out I have played some hands much worse than these this year already myself.

Well done on the session would love to see more posts like this.

[Fatcatstu]

The 2nd AA hand jsut HAS to be a fold on the river, you really beat nothing at that point. Agree with Rodders, should always be C-betting the flop, you will get calls off alot of hands that you have smashed to pieces.

[Erimus]

Cant disagree with both comments , I am perhaps too risk averse sometimes, instead of maximising winnings I am minimising losses, wrong attitude I know but hopefully that will improve as I play more hands.

I will try and post a few more of these as we plod along.

[Erimus]

1/1 cash in mftops beat 10k people for a profit of $14, all profits good.

Back in the pool tomorrow, need to do some exercise, feel like crap.