"REVENGE OF THE FISH"

Neteller: Current $197
Party: Start $50; Last week;$48 ;Current $56 (+8)
Inter: Start $50; Last week $371; Current; $337 (-$34)
Total: Start $185; Last week $563 ; Current $537 (-$26)

After the glories of last week, when I could do no wrong, I was prepared for a setback. The week began pleasantly enough and I was up about $35, when the fish started biting back. I particularly suffered with AK both suited and unsuited. I lost 6 successive hands with it including one final horrible one where a villain raised late and I reraised a the Big Blind with AK suited. When an Ace appeared on the flop I thought my luck had finally turned, but the villain reraised me. Suspicious after my earlier setbacks, I just called to the river and of course he had hit a 5 as well as the Ace on the flop. So it goes. At least I haven't actually lost much, which is what it is all about when you start getting these runs.

One evening, when Inter was unavailable for some reason, I played a bit of 1/2 on Party. It didn't seem much different from Inter really.

I don't expect to do much in the next week, as I will be away for the main part of it.

"MOVIN' ON UP"

Neteller: Current $197
Party: Start $50; Last week;$48 ;Current $48 (no change)
Inter: Start $50; Last week $150; Current; $371 ($+221)
Total: Start $185; Last week $397 ; Current $563 ($+221)

A record breaking week for my poker playing. Since there was a dearth of $.5/$1 tables available, I decided to take a chance and try a move up to $1/$2. For some reason there always seems to be at least three of these on the go, even when there is nothing available at the $.5/$1 on Inter.

I found them very much to my taste. I played totally "by the book" tight (under 20% flops seen) aggressive (bets and raises easily outscoring calls) poker and it has worked a treat for me. I made $171 at the tables and cleared another $50 in bonus. I like the bonus offers at Inter (I'm in for another $100 one now). Unlike CD, they don't seem to welch on them either. Mind you they are earned, as the rake at Inter is quite high it seems to me.

The one downside about Inter is that Poker Office isn't supported, so I can't keep track of my stats so easily, which is a shame.

I'm under no illusions of course. I know that the dreaded variance monster will catch up with me again at some point, but at least I now have a bankroll on the site capable of withstanding a downturn.

Since I was playing at a higher level it wasn't surprising that I also managed to break my record for an individual hand, with two Queens earning me a $35 payout when they flopped trips in a multiway pot. I got a lot of action, as you would, from an unfortunate opponant who tripped up his pair of 4's on the same flop.

More weeks like this one please!!

"HOLIDAY TIME."

Neteller: Current $197
Party: Start $50; Last week;$48 ;Current $48 (no change)
Inter: Start $50; Last week $127; Current; $150 (+23)
Total: Start $185; Last week $374 ; Current $397 (+23)

I haven't played that much this week as I have been away quite a few days, including an excellent day at the fifth day of the test at Headingley. I like going to the fifth day of test matches. It's cheap, you get a better crowd than the drunken "barmy army" bunch who ruin the thing for anyone anywhere near them and usually you get a result. (I think it was Brendan Behan who said "only the English could invent a game that lasts for five days and usually ends in a draw!"). England's bowling and fielding were really top class. Perhaps they can give the Aussies a fright even without the injured battalions?

My hand of the week came when I had been slowly declining through lack of cards one night. I'm concentrating a lot currently on not throwing money away when I am holding top pair/top kicker and get raised or check/raised on the turn and or river. A raise in this situation usually shows that the villain has two pair or better and unless its a big pot your better off gritting your teeth and getting out. This is a lesson my main opponant in the following hand has yet to learn. Two hands before this one I had hit "UncleHog" with a check/riase on the turn after my pair of 8's made a set on the flop. He duely called and then called my river bet. Then this hand came along two hands later...

Game #2147322843: Hold'em FL ($0.50/$1) - 2006/08/11 - 18:11:29 (ET)
Table "Adhafera" Seat 9 is the button.
Seat 1: silvrbull ($52.65 in chips)
Seat 2: bobnhuey ($46.85 in chips)
Seat 3: culverley ($39.10 in chips)
Seat 4: gambler29 ($40.35 in chips)
Seat 5: kronsdat ($40.54 in chips)
Seat 6: lukkb1 ($36 in chips)
Seat 7: UncleHog ($40.75 in chips)
Seat 8: alpha2100 ($21.65 in chips)
Seat 9: c@intheh@ ($46.40 in chips)
Seat 10: calli ($16.60 in chips)
calli: posts small blind $0.25
silvrbull: posts big blind $0.50
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to kronsdat [Kc Kh]
bobnhuey: folds
culverley: folds
gambler29: folds
kronsdat: raises $1
lukkb1: folds
UncleHog: raises $1.50
alpha2100: folds
c@intheh@: raises $2
calli: calls $1.75
silvrbull: calls $1.50
kronsdat: calls $1
UncleHog: calls $0.50
----- FLOP ----- [6h 5s Ks]
calli: checks
silvrbull: checks
kronsdat: checks
UncleHog: bets $0.50
c@intheh@: calls $0.50
calli: folds
silvrbull: calls $0.50
kronsdat: calls $0.50
----- TURN ----- [6h 5s Ks][7c]
silvrbull: checks
kronsdat: checks
UncleHog: bets $1
c@intheh@: folds
silvrbull: calls $1
kronsdat: raises $2
UncleHog: calls $1
silvrbull: calls $1
----- RIVER ----- [6h 5s Ks 7c][5h]
silvrbull: checks
kronsdat: bets $1
UncleHog: calls $1
silvrbull: folds
----- SHOW DOWN -----
kronsdat: shows [Kc Kh] (A Full House, Kings full of Fives)
UncleHog: mucks hand [Tc Td]
kronsdat collects $19 from Main pot

Blow me but he did the same thing again! Rock on.

"UP AND RUNNING AT INTER"

Neteller: Current $197
Party: Start $50; Last week;$48 ;Current $48 (no change)
Inter: Start $50; Last week $31; Current; $127 (+96)
Total: Start $185; Last week $278 ; Current $374 (+96)

I decided that I would leave Party alone and just concentrate on Inter and it has paid off well for me. I managed to get my game running really nicely and made $46 at the tables in the week. Combined with clearing my $50 bonus this gives me my best ever weekly win of $96. I now have a substantial enough bankroll at the site to be able to take a bad trot, which makes the thing a lot more comfortable. My objective now is to get to $200 on Inter and then I will look at two tabling - ambitious or what!!

I was helped considerably by the advent of some maniacs at the tables. They are great for generating points towards clearing a bonus and when you get the right hand you can really give them a pasting. This turned into a "right hand"...

Game #2105456973: Hold'em FL ($0.50/$1) - 2006/08/02 - 17:46:55 (ET)
Table "Adhafera" Seat 2 is the button.
Seat 1: C0MEDYBOB ($12 in chips)
Seat 2: fastlane ($23.25 in chips)
Seat 3: mastershe ($9.45 in chips)
Seat 4: ANDYG ($13.87 in chips)
Seat 5: kronsdat ($62.76 in chips)
Seat 6: Timockj ($58.76 in chips)
Seat 7: joeandyh ($38.75 in chips)
Seat 8: Tappi ($34.02 in chips)
Seat 9: DAH1001 ($17.25 in chips)
Seat 10: Berkovich ($30.14 in chips)
mastershe: posts small blind $0.25
ANDYG: posts big blind $0.50
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to kronsdat [Kh Kd]
kronsdat: raises $1
Timockj: folds
joeandyh: folds
Tappi: calls $1
DAH1001: folds
Berkovich: calls $1
C0MEDYBOB: folds
fastlane: folds
mastershe: folds
ANDYG: calls $0.50
----- FLOP ----- [Qs Ah 8c]
ANDYG: checks
kronsdat: checks
Tappi: checks
Berkovich: bets $0.50
ANDYG: folds
kronsdat: calls $0.50
Tappi: calls $0.50
----- TURN ----- [Qs Ah 8c][Ks]
kronsdat: checks
Tappi: checks
Berkovich: bets $1
kronsdat: raises $2
Tappi: raises $3
Berkovich: folds
kronsdat: raises $2
Tappi: calls $1
----- RIVER ----- [Qs Ah 8c Ks][Kc]
kronsdat: bets $1
Tappi: raises $2
kronsdat: raises $2
Tappi: calls $1
----- SHOW DOWN -----
kronsdat: shows [Kh Kd] (Four of a kind, Kings, Ace high)
Tappi: mucks hand [9d 8h]
kronsdat collects $19.75 from Main pot
----- SUMMARY -----
Total pot $20.75 Main pot $19.75 Rake $1

When the Ace appeared on the flop and being out of position, I was very close to folding to the bet, but the two villains had shown themselves to be very loose aggressive players, so I decided to take the turn card and was very fortunate, with my "two outer", to hit the third King. "Berkovitch" (I presume he had an Ace) takes the hint after my "check/raise", but amazingly "Tappi" (with his 98 off??) keeps betting into me until the bitter end, even though another King has arrived on the river. What did he think I might hold, especially after my preflop raise? I suppose the point is that he didn't think at all.