"SERBIANS OBLIGE; I'M GLAD SOMEBODY HAS"

Neteller: Current $73
CD: Start $94; Last week;$90 Current $69 (-21)
Inter: Start $50; $45(-5)
Total Start $185; Last week $213; Current; $187 (-26)

My slump in fortunes continues. I just can't seem to do anything right at the moment. I hope it turns round soon, as it's a bit dispiriting.

I've decided to join in the competition with "J" and his friends to put $50 into Interpoker and see who is the first to $1000. This may seem a tad optimistic on my part, given current form, but I thought it might perk up my interest a bit. If I'm to be competitive I may have to develop a "no limit" game. That would certainly be interesting. Any thoughts on basic no limit strategy would be of interest.

Meanwhile the Serbs duely obliged with the worst goals against record of the first round. They had me worried when they went two up but duely collapsed and lost 3 - 2. Well done those men.

"COME ON YOU SERBIAN GOALKEEPERS!"

Neteller: Current $123
CD: Start $94; Last week;$99 Current $90 (-9)

Total Start $185; Last week $297; Current; 213 (-9)

I haven't played much this week (I keep finding myself watching this ball kicking contest that seems to be suddenly popular). What I have played has had a minor negative outcome to the extent that I now find myself back where I started on CD. This is disappointing to put it mildly. If things don't improve in the next few weeks, I may take myself off somewhere else, where there are more games to choose from. Some of the games (though certainly not all) on CD can be very tight, which makes it hard to win much.

I'm enjoying the World Cup - there have been a large number of entertaining games - you can't ask for better than that. It was disappointing to see the Czech's stumble after their excellent start - Ghana did play very well though and thoroughly deserved their win. I think their prospective game with Brazil in the last 16 could be a cracker. Result of the week for me was Argentina's 6-0 win over Serbia which puts me in pole position to win the booby prize in the sweep at work for the team that conceeds the most goals in the first round!

"STILL WAITING FOR THE RECOVERY"

Neteller: Current $123
CD: Start $94; Last week;$120 Current $99 (-21)

Total Start $185; Last week $297; Current; 222 (-21)

I had thought I was turning things round this week when I went up 25 or so in couple of sessions at the start of the week but it wasn't to be. Another series of relentlessly poor sessions saw me lose the gains and then some more.

The trouble with the very tight way I am playing now (sub 20% of flops seen) is that you can be ground down by the blinds and a series of good hands getting blown out. I've had AA, KK and QQ all cracked this week. One problem I have identified is not getting out of hands quick enough when I should know I am beaten. A good example of this came when I had raised with AK suited and got 3 callers including the big blind. On a flop of A93 rainbow the Big blind raised and I reraised him with one other guy limping along. It went that way to the end with the board not improving. I was beaten by two pair 9's and 3's. Tough, but I should have realised the big blind wouldn't bet out and persist thereafter unless he had better than top pair. So it goes. That said you need to avoid playing too fearfully as that can prove costly too. Balance is everything.

I am looking forward to seeing how my long term punt for the World Cup, The Czech Republic at 40/1, progress. I backed them before they won their play off qualifier. They are the second rated team in the world and have good players and a good record in tournaments.

"AN UNSTEADY WEEK"

Neteller: Current $123
CD: Start $94; Last week;$174 Current $120 (-54)

Total Start $185; Last week $297; Current; 243 (-54)

It was just as well that I was sceptical about whether I could keep up the level of performance of my first two weeks on CD, as the variance factor hit me with a vengance this week. I could do no right no matter what. One dreary session followed another where I saw few cards worth having and got slaughtered with those I did get. It was neatly summed up by one hand where I caught QQ in the big blind and was called down to the river by one guy with K3 off - naturally he hit a King on the river. You just have to ride with this sort of thing and wait it out. Fortunately, having been here before, I didn't go on tilt, but it hasn't been much fun. Bankroll wise it has been worse than it looks as I was $25 up on last week's total before the bad trot hit.

Meanwhile I have shifted my money out of Party and put it in my new Neteller account, ready to open and account on Royal Vegas once I have cleared my bonus on CD (which should take about 9 weeks at the current rate of going).