Saturday, January 26, 2008

"A Chip and a chair".

Neteller: Last week $190; Current $90
PokerStars: Last week $209; Current $204 (-5)
Titan: Last week $105; Current $105 (-)
Littlewoods: Last week $22; Current $22 (-)
Full Tilt: Last week $110; Current $132 (+22)

Total = $553 (+17)

I had a hilarious experience heads up in a 9 player sit and go early this week. I went into the heads up part of the contest with just over 3000 chips v 10,000+. We battled away,until I had a slight chip advantage and my opponent called my big blind and I checked with 35. The flop came 346. I went all in with my pair and open ended straight draw. He called with AJ and hit the J, while I missed all of my outs. This left me with 240 chips to his 13,260.

Since we were at 200/400 blinds I was all in automatically in the next hand and won it. I then went all in without looking for the next three hands until he finally cracked and called the third one, which I won with total air. My chips were at least now numbered in the thousands again and I went to war going all in with any 7 or bigger in the small blind and going over the top all in if he called my big blind (which was a big habit he had). I could feel the tilt all the way from Texas and eventually he cracked when I had gone into the chip lead and called my all in when I had A10. He had 95! Nothing hit and I won. I wouldn't like to be his cat. :-)

As Cogsgoine on RtR commented, his non-calling of my early all ins was nothing short of criminal.

Anyway I was happy with that one, when along came another last night. I was down to 25 (count them) chips with 5 players left and the blinds 100/200 and managed to get back into the game sufficiently to finish 3rd and was at one point level with the other 2 after the bubble burst.

The vital importance of constant aggression during the bubble period was fully demonstrated in both cases. I definitely think I am getting the hang of what is required for these.

Played this week:

2 x 18 player SnG's: Lost both; -11
8 x 9 player SnG's: 1st=1; 2nd=2; 3rd=2;Lost 3. +19
1 x 6 player SnG: 1st=1; +14

So, I'm not making a fortune, but as my game improves I expect to increase my roi and I will also move up to $10 games.

Saturday, January 19, 2008

BACK ON TRACK AT FT

Neteller: Last week $190; Current $90
PokerStars: Last week $220; Current $209 (-11)
Titan: Last week $105; Current $105
Littlewoods: Last week $27; Current $22 (-5)
Full Tilt: Last week $77; Current $110 (+33)

Total = $536 (+17)

I played 7 x 18 player $5+.5 games on FT, winning one and coming second in one. I final tabled all of the games I lost with a 5th, 3x6th and a 9th. The usual bad beats for and against were registered. I was in a strong position in one game when my KK was beaten by at 1010 that hit. In another game my KK was beaten by A7 hitting. However I got my revenge on that beggar
when my 88 v his Aces hit a straight! You just have to live with this sort of thing. It's going to happen and you have to convince yourself that so long as you are making +ev decisions it will come out right in the long term.

I also played a $2 x 18 player and won that as well.

Mind you my more aggressive style in the RtR league game came unstuck when, with 6 from 16 left I went all in with Q8s after an early position limper posted. Two better hands called me and that was that. Oh well, you have to try.

Saturday, January 12, 2008

FULL TILT - AN APTLY NAMED SITE.

Neteller: Last week $190; Current $90
PokerStars: Last week $223; Current $220 (-3)
Titan: Last week $105; Current $105
Littlewoods: Last week $44; Current $27 (-17)
Full Tilt: Last week $100; Current $77 (-23)

Total = $519 (-43)

I decided to open an account on Full Tilt as they were reputed to have a good structure for Sit and Go's, as indeed they do. It is indeed a nice gradual affair. The only problem is that I haven't been able to make much of an impression there. The record is Played 9; Won 0; 2nd 2; 3rd 0; Lost 7. Not good to put it mildly.

I'm not entirely sure why, as I don't think I've been playing badly. Still, it's hardly a massive sample, so I'll bash on and see if I can turn things round.

None of my other games played on Littlewoods or Stars went particularly well either - it's just been that sort of poker week.

I'll take a break and hopefully return to form soon.

The RtR League game ended quickly and ignominiously too, when I went all in with JJ against Kenn's AQ and he hit one. A coin flip of course, but I shouldn't have gone there really, early on, and normally I wouldn't. That "all in" button is so tempting!

Saturday, January 05, 2008

A BIT OF REORGANISATION OF THE BANKROLL.

Neteller: Last week $190; Current $190
PokerStars: Last week $223; Current $223
Titan: Last week $105; Current $105
Littlewoods: Last week $44; Current $44

Start of Year Total = $562

I've taken some money out and reorganised the bankroll to start the new poker year. I had too much money sitting in sites I wasn't playing at. For the time being I'm going to concentrate on Littlewoods and Stars.

Poker highlight of a week when I didn't play much (too busy with other things) was the League game at Littlewoods with the RtR folk. I eventually finished 3rd (in the money) but could have done better had a couple of key hands gone my way. As the winner BurnleyMik commented my more aggressive play made a significant difference I think. Trapping Mair with a set gave me a good stack going towards the bubble but that phase seemed to take forever due to the shortstack's hitting their hands repeatedly. A good game where, for once, I can't remember a particularly bad error.

So objectives for the year...

1. $1,000 profit for the year.
2. Reach the final table in 200+ player tournament.
3. Play $10 + $1 Sit and Goes with a return on investment of +15%.

Achieve the second two and the first one won't be a problem!