The variance monster takes another big bite.

Neteller: Last week $108; Current $108
Full Tilt: Last week $109; Current $85 (-34)
LuckyAce: Last week; $299; Current $201 (-98)

Total = $333 (-132)

Profit on the month = +$45

What a shame that a month that started so well should take a major nose dive at the end. I had the FT wedge up to 330, but then hit a major run of "second best handitis" which cost me dearly. I was only seeing 14% of flops against a table average

of 35%+ but when I did hit a hand someone else always seemed to either have or hit something better. I had Kings v Aces, Jacks v Queens, a flopped flush beaten by a full house on the river - the whole nine yards. I've got to expect such a hammering to come along at 2/4 and I managed to take it without going completely on tilt. I should have got away from the Jacks v Queens hand though since I knew the player I was up against was decent and had to credit him with something good.

So it goes.

No luck on FT either. The games there were a bit nitty and I found myself breaking my "no playing sub 30% seeing flops" rule. I won't do that again.

We battle on.

...followed by the predicted variance monster...SIGH

Neteller: Last week $108; Current $108
Full Tilt: Last week $111; Current $109 (-2)
LuckyAce: Last week; $299; Current $248 (+51)

Total = $465 (-53)

So, right on cue it happened. The usual story, sad to say. I was sucked out on right left and centre. On the 2/4 game on Lucky Ace I couldn't hit a hand to save my life and on the few occasions when I did I was collared on the river by flush chasers and paired middle card chasers. Still, I stuck to my guns and managed to battle back up from being -100 at one point. I have the experience behind me to know that really I want to be playing with these people - I shall return.

Nothing doing on Full Tilt either, when I couldn't get a decent game on LA. Similar problems, though I played very cautiously and managed to break even.

A NICE STEADY WEEK

Neteller: Last week $108; Current $108
Full Tilt: Last week $111; Current $111 (-)
LuckyAce: Last week; $195; Current $299 (+104)

Total = $518 (+104)

A very pleasant week's poker. I played about 8 hours of either 1/2 or 2/4 Limit on LuckyAce. These games are very loose so

the standard strategy of playing very tight but very aggressively when given a good hand in position works nicely. I've also been taking the occasional punt on low pairs and suited connectors when the table conditions are right (i.e. lots of calling but little raising pre-flop). This helps project an image looser than I really am as well of course.

Another contributory factor in recent Limit success is being very ruthless about table selection. I will only play on tables with 30%+ seeing the flop and I leave if the table tightens up or numbers decline. Simple basic discipline really.

LuckyAce has some very loose players. Some of them have lost $100+ in a session. Sadly there aren't a lot of them though and I can't always find a game that fulfills all my criteria.

Of course, I'm under no illusion. The variance monster will hit me with a thump any day soon!

A BIT OF CONSOLIDATION

Neteller: Last week $6; Current $108
Full Tilt: Last week $60; Current $111 (+51)
LuckyAce: Last week; $140; Current $195 (+55)

Total = $414 (+106)

I have wiped out the Stars and Laddies accounts because I wasn't playing there. LuckyAce has been running nicely when I can find the right game. Almost all of the profit was made on one two hour session of 1/2 Limit. Over 40% flops seen - several of these guys were seriously awful and one lost over $100 in an hour. All I had to do was sit there an wait to be paid off. Sadly these games are few and far between on the site though, so I'm going to ship out when I've worked off the bonus.

Meanwhile I played an evening of 1/2 Limit on FT and ran up a nice profit there too. I don't have any bonus/rakeback there though.

I might take a look at Cardoza where Raise the River have some sort of deal.

I've kept on Full Tilt for the occasional SnG as much as anything. I like SnG's, but to make any real money at them you need to be multi-tabling and I just can't be bothered with that any more.