I BLAME ANDY MURRAY!

Neteller: Last week $437; Current $437 (-)
PokerStars: Last week $45; Current $35 (-)
Full Tilt: Last week $57; Current $57 (-)
Inter: Last week $31; Current $31 (-)
Big Slick: Last week 264; Current 246 (-18)

Total = $861 (-18)

Stats for the week make less than thrilling reading...

Played = 15.

1st = 2; 2nd = 1; 4th = 3; 5th = 2; 6th = 2; 7th = 3; 8th = 1; 10th = 1.

I started the week well enough with the two good cashes coming in the first 5 games, but I then hit a losing run of 7 (the longest I can remember for a good while). They also included going out very early in a number of games (10th is inexcusable). The reason was very simple. I was playing and watching Murray's games on the BBC at the same time. This is not conducive to good poker and I proved it. This is a mistake I don't intend to repeat. However I managed to end this run with a win and this put me back up near some sort of respectability for the week.

Still, I was on a winner with Spain in Euro 08 - a fiver at 5/1, converted very nicely by Mr Torres.

I also won my face-to-face game for the 3rd week out of 4, so I suppose cash wise I'm up for the week. I'm doing my best to try to up the standard here - telling folk about good websites and passing on poker books etc. The standard of some of the other players is definitely improving. It's good to see more players than just me picking off the calling stations.

I have to admit to a huge suck out on my final hand though. I ended up heads up against one of the most improved players with a 5 - 1 stack advantage to me. I was grinding him down when I copped 88 in the small blind, raised 3BB and he went all in and I called. He showed AA. The flop came 567 rainbow! Turn...Q. River...9! To his credit he took it better than I would have done!