"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.