A BIT MORE SITTING AND GOING.

Neteller: Last week $40; Current $40 (-)
PokerStars: Last week $151; Current $151 (-)
CD: Last week $249; Current $249 (-)
Titan: Last week $221; Current $212 (-9)
DTD: Last week 178; Current 202 (+24)
Inter: Last week 0; Current 20 (+20)

Total = $873

Total for October = +$23
Total for Year = +$743

I've finally got my system back together again and reloaded all the programs etc. A few wrinkles (as ever) but I think I'm through through the worst now.

Last Sunday I could only play on DTD on my daughter's computer, so when I got knocked out of the league game (rather unluckily as I recall) I had a look for some S&G's and found a 6 player ("Sixpack") game needing just one more. So I joined it and won. I enjoyed that, like you do, so I played another one and won that as well.

Naturally after that I decided to give the format a bit of a run. In the end that is what I played for the week and I finished with Played 10; Won 4; Second 1; Lost 5. A small sample of course, but I seem to have a positive equity value at this format. I've found some useful articles on the correct strategies for this type of tourney at www.donkeydevastation.com and www.sitandgoplanet.com Check those sites out if you are interested, as there is useful stuff there.

I've also checked in at Inter again as I still have some player points there from my limit grinding days. They run some nice $250 player points tournaments each evening which seem to attract only about 60 or so players. I thought I would probably have a +ev there and proved it by finishing 5th for $20 in the one I entered on Friday night. I think I'll factor them in over the next few weeks and see how I get on. I've 830 player points which is enough for 16 of these so it will be interesting to see how much I make out of them.

Meanwhile we are going to have a poker night at my local cricket club on a Tuesday night every so often. Playing face to face over a few beers is a good laugh made better by the fact that I tend to win (as I should being more experienced than the others playing).

"You win some..."

Neteller: Last week $40; Current $40 (-)
PokerStars: Last week $151; Current $151 (-)
CD: Last week $249; Current $249 (-)
Titan: Last week $260; Current $221 (-39)
DTD: Last week 94; Current 178 (+84)

Total = $839 (+45)

As it turned out I came second in the tournament game last week and I'm playing this week's event as I write this. I caught a good hand early on which doubled me up and was able to get to the later stages with a decent stack without taking any risks. 88 holding up against Acorn's 44 bumped me up again. Then I started getting lucky - I had a couple of wins when behind one of them when my pair of deuces tripped up on the river. That was enough to get me in the money which was great because the site were adding an overlay to the stakes. Sadly I was never going to get a blow in when heads up with Cogsgoine for the number one spot - he had a huge chip lead and the blinds were quite low so I couldn't even try to get lucky with some all in plays. I battled on for a long time but eventually lost out. Good fun though.

Sadly my cash table play through the week was less successful. I don't think I did anything particularly wrong - just had the 2nd best hand at the wrong time on a couple of occasions. So it goes.

Meanwhile my computer continues to play up - random crashes. Hopefully I can get it sorted later this week.

"Dusk till Dawn"

Neteller: Last week $140; Current $40 (-100)
PokerStars: Last week $157; Current $151 (-6)
CD: Last week $249; Current $249 (-)
Titan: Last week $2240; Current $260 (+20)
DTD: Last week 0; Current 94 (+94)

Total = $794 (+8)

I've opened an account with "Dusk Till Dawn" in order to play in the Raise the River league tournaments being held there. It will be interesting to see how I get on. The prize at the end of the 5 weeks the league is running is participation in a live tournament in Nottingham. There is no way I could actually make that, but if I qualify (very doubtful) I will have made some money in the process.

Meanwhile I've been playing cash games on Titan. I was doing very nicely until my all in with Aces was beaten by Kings that flopped trips. Never seems to go my way when I find myself up against Aces with Kings, SIGH. That mishap wiped out most of my winnings for the week but still - going in the right direction.

"REBUILDING"

Neteller: Last week $140; Current $140 (-)
PokerStars: Last week $202; Current $157 (-45)
CD: Last week $249; Current $249 (-)
Titan: Last week $259; Current $240 (-19)

Total = $782 (-68)

I've been suffering with my computer over the last couple of weeks - hence no post last weekend. I've had to totally rebuild the thing which has taken a lot of time and I've lost a lot of data in Poker Office and so on. SIGH.

Meanwhile I had a number of bad setbacks playing $50 buy in cash games on Stars and Titan. Just the sort of "bad beats" you have to expect (I'll spare you the details) but irritating nevertheless.

I decided to retrench and dropped back to multi-tabling on the $20 tables on Titan. This is quite easy to do, as you can get all four tables on your screen and move between them quite easily. For various reasons I was only able to play about 3 hours like this, but it went well and I recovered about $50 or so. That looks like what I'll be playing for the time being.

I'm just about to start the $40,000 blogger tournament on Stars as I write this. It will be interesting to see how deep I can get (not to mention the other RtR folk who are playing). There are 1337 starters, so it will be a great achievement to make the money.

"CHANGING MY SKIN"

Neteller: Last week $358; Current $140 (-$218)
PokerStars: Last week $185; Current $202 (+17)
CD: Last week $236; Current $249 (+13)
Titan: Last week $-; Current $259 (+$259)

Current Total: $850 (+$55)

Loss on month = -$16

Profit on year = +$720

Well, I had a good look around different sites and the offers going with them and in the end plumped for another iPoker skin, Titan, because there was a really nice offer for that room from a website I found offering freerolls, extra bonuses and the regular bonus, which is already pretty sound. The nice thing about it is that it's just the same as playing on CD since it's from the same stable, so I'm used to the general standard on the tables.

Progress on those tables meant that I ended the month only $16 down which didn't look likely in the middle period.

So the plan currently is to carry on playing cash games throught the week and S&G's and Tourney's at the weekends when I have a bit more time.

Three months to go, so hopefully I should reach the $1,000 mark for the year which would be a good objective to achieve.

"QUIET TIMES"

Neteller: Last week $358; Current $358
PokerStars: Last week $217; Current $285 (-32)
CD: Last week $236; Current $252 (+16)

Current Total: $795 (-16)

I haven't played a lot this week - I don't think I've had a night in all week, which can't be a bad thing really. I won a little at the cash games on CD, but lost that and a bit more playing Sit and Goes on Stars on Friday night - I kept finishing on the bubble or 5th, which was irritating. The only time I finished in the money was in the "Raise the River" league where I came 2nd out of 8.

I got down to being heads up with "Resdent Evil" and thought I was going to take it down when I had a significant chip lead on him on couple of occassions. However both times we went all in, he copped a card and eventually it came down to a hand where I made a small raise with QQ and cheered when he took the bait and went all in with A6off. Im approximately 70% v 30% here but, of course, an Ace hit on the flop and just to rub it in he got a 6 as well. Sigh.

That's the trouble with this format - you are very much in the lap of the poker Ghods most of the time. You can play really well to get deep into the thing and then lose a face off when you were big favourite and find yourself out. It works both ways of course, sometimes you get lucky when you are the underdog. Anyway, they are good fun, but not worth a major investment.

I'm looking into another site to play cash games on and am open to suggestions. Full Tilt is one I'm considering - does anyone have any experience there?

"A BIT OF SITTING AND GOING"

Neteller: Last week $358; Current $358
PokerStars: Last week $208; Current $217 (+9)
CD: Last week $230; Current $236 (+6)

Current Total: $811 (+15)

I decided to play mainly "sit and goes" this week just to see how I would get on. I played 9 - placing in the money 3 times, one 1st, one 2nd one 3rd. Not bad, but hardly a way to fame and fortune. My win was down to hyper-aggression when "in the money" - I was easily the shortest stack going in but aggression put that right and I got lucky on the big showdowns, as you need to. The second and third placings were down to losing coin flips. I also went out on the bubble a couple of times - caught stealing on one occassion, but you have it to do.

Good fun, but I think I'll go back to playing mainly cash games with Sit and Goes and tourneys for the weekends.

"...so it goes..."

Neteller: Last week $358; Current $358
PokerStars: Last week $220; Current $208 (-12)
CD: Last week $288; Current $230 (-58)

Current Total: $796 (-70)

I didn't play much this week and what I did play, didn't get very far...until Friday night. I played the "Raise the River" league tournament and finished 6th. Poor play at the end. I went all in with AJ in early position and was called and beaten by AK as I deserved to be...poor concentration I should never have been in the hand.

I followed that with a very poor session on CD where I in the space of an hour I lost with AA, KK and QQ.

BAD BEAT STORIES WARNING

The AA one was the worst. I was beaten by 87 suited when he hit a straight on the river. I was in the Big Blind and he raised 4x ($2) on the button. I raised him by $10 and he called?? The flop came Q92 rainbow and he called my all in??

Then we get a 10 on the turn and a Jack on the river. What can you do?

On Saturday I decided to play some tournaments for a bit of light relief. In the CD No Limit 300 player points tournament I finished 19/429. The sad part was that I thought I'd made the final table. In my last hand I had AA in the big blind which I raised all in. I got two callers from bigger stacks. I was counting my chips when an Ace hit on a rainbow flop only (you guessed it) for one them to hit a runner, runner flush on the river. Pissed off? Me? Too right I was!

Meanwhile I had inadvertently (again, SIGH) entered a Limit tournament on Stars. I made the money there too (20/639). They are a funny business Limit tournaments. Early doors, they are very easy. You just sit there until you have a hand and then bet it like hell when you do. No problem. Once you get into the serious blind levels however, you have to change mentality completely, as it becomes much more like a No Limit tourney with blind stealing, bluffing etc. The trouble is it takes 2½ hours to get to the interesting bit! I had to pack it in and just let myself be blinded out at 12.45 in the morning, when it was obvious it was going to take another hour or more to sort the thing out. Now if I could start one of these early enough there might be money to be made here - this was a free to enter $1000 jobbie and I'm sure I would have made the final table if I'd been able to play on. One to think about.

"NICE FINISH TO THE MONTH"

Neteller: Last week $358; Current $358
PokerStars: Last week $222; Current $220 (-2)
CD: Last week $212; Current $288 (+76)

Current Total: $866

Profit for month = +$193

Profit for year = +$736

I haven't played too much this week, but what I have played, mainly $50 buy in No Limit, has been profitable.

Most of the profit came from one hand where I found myself calling in late position with Q 10 clubs. The flop came AK2 - all clubs! I'm thinking - how do I coax as much profit as possible out of this one? Then the big blind comes at me with a $5 raise. Helpful. I call and the turn is a blank. BB raises $10 this time. I double it and he goes all in, which of course I call. The river is another blank - and thank you very much. It transpired he had J3 of clubs. It's so nice when someone gets a second best hand which can't improve to beat you.

I seem to be settling into a rhythm of cash games through the week and MTT's and SnG's at the weekends when I have a bit more time.

The home game last Sunday was fun. I managed to win (as my greater experience suggested I should) despite the host, Ged, plying me with significant quantities of rather fine whisky! Mind you he plied himself with it too, so nobody had an advantage.

"Doubling up"

Neteller: Last week $136; Current $358
PokerStars: Last week $198; Current $222 (+24)
CD: Last week $106; Current $212 (+106)

Total: Last week $662; Current $804 (+130)

A good week for my poker. I broke my record for the largest single winning hand with an $88 win with three Jacks which turned into a full house on the turn. This isn't a surprise since I am now playing .25/.50 with $50 buy ins, which my roll currently justifies.

Sadly, I lost a hand to the same player I took down with the Jacks about 15 hands later. I had 77 and the flop came 278 rainbow. We ended up all in and he had a pair of 8's, dammit. Still at least I hadn't lost as much as I'd won earlier.

On Friday night I pushed my record a bit further when I had QQ in late position which I raised x4BB. This was called by one player and the flop came Q79 - which looks great until I tell you they were all diamonds (ugh). I put in a half pot bet and was called, which I didn't like at all, as I have to suspect he is slow playing me with the flush. However I figure I've still got 7 outs and blow me if one of them doesn't appear - the turn is a 9! Ok, my turn to slow play. He checks and I bet a quarter of the pot - he raises and I go all in and he buys it for $122. Nice. Turns out he had AK diamonds. I think he should have gone all in on the flop, which would have put me to a very difficult decision.

Before the session where that hand hit, I played in the "Raise the River" league tournament. There were only 14 players but a lot of them are very good, so I was delighted to come through and win it from RickyRosa (current league leader I think) who, when heads up, went all in with KQ, but was unlucky enough to find me with AK.

I'm finding the raisetheriver.com site very helpful, particularly the discussion on the forum about play in the latter stages of tournaments. I took some of the advice and ended up 16/527 in a $300 tourney on CD. I only made $3, but at least I know I seriously tried to make more, which is the whole point.

I'll be missing from the "bloggerment" this week as I'm actually going to play some face-to-face poker with some friends in the village on Sunday night. I haven't done that for over 30 years, so it should be interesting.

Meanwhile I've liquidated the Laddies account - there is no particular incentive to play there.

"A tale of Aces and Kings"

Neteller: Last week $130; Current $136 (+6)
Inter: Last week $96; Current; $0 (-106)
Ladbrokes: Last week $236; Current $234 (-2)
PokerStars: Last week $217; Current $198 (-19)
CD: Last week 0; Current $106 (+106)

Total: Last week $679; Current $662 (-17)

An indifferent week's poker. I couldn't get anywhere in MTT's and SnG's (the worst "bad beat" I'll whinge about in a minute).

I made some compensation at the cash tables but then a couple of nasty's knocked me back again. My best win was some $50 or so with AA v KK which held up nicely. However I also got hammered when my own all in pair of Kings met a pair of Aces - though at least I didn't lose as much as I'd won previously, as it was a shorter stacked player.

The really bad beat came in a $10 Sit and Go where I'd got down to the last 5. I had Aces and my "all in" was called by the biggest stack - he showed AK. I started counting my new stack. The flop came 10 3 6 rainbow. Fine. Turn = J. I recognised the threat and was shouting "not a ....ing Queen" at the monitor when of course a Q hit to give him the straight and me the boot. I don't even want to check on how far ahead I was pre-flop but I do know I'm still favourite by something like 10/1 before the river card. Ughh.

I played on Inter mainly but got fed up with the number of disconnections I was getting and decided to bail out - particularly since CD had made a good bonus offer to tempt me back.

"FIRST SIT AND GO SUCCESS"

Neteller: Last week $230; Current $130 (-100)
Inter: Last week $5; Current; $96 (+91)
Ladbrokes: Last week $216; Current $236 (+$20)
PokerStars: Last week $232; Current $217 (-15)

Total: Last week $681; Current $679 (-$2)

In the end I decided on the Inter bonus for my cash game play - at the lowest it's achievable for No Limit players and at least it means that I will be getting some of my rake back. Some poor play (all right, I admit it, I'd had a few beers) meant I dropped a few dollars there though and at the other cash tables.

However on the bright side, I've had my first ever "Sit and Go" success - a $10 + $1 jobbie on Ladbrokes. I just jogged along picking up and losing a few chips here and there until in got to gubbins time with 5 players left. Then I started getting really aggressive if I picked up anything remotely playable. It worked fine. In the end I was heads up with a guy with twice my chips and turned that around when he went "all in" in the small blind with A7. I called him (naturally) with AK and this reversed the chip situation. After that I just waited for any sort of a hand and picked him off. Really pleased with that one.

I also had a long run in a $3.3 + $25,000 guaranteed tournament on Stars. Because of the rebuys (a format I had never played before) some of the play in the first hour was little short of incredible. One guy named "Chanel88" made 15+ rebuys in this period. Even when one of his numerous all ins hit he didn't stop pitching in with damn all. It made it really nice for the rest of us on the table as most of us built up good stacks picking him off. 2417 started this thing and I was looking likely to make the money nearly 3 hours into the thing when I couldn't resist and all in with 77. I was facing AK and lost to a king on the flop. Very poor play on my part - a lapse in concentration more than anything.

All in all, I played 5 MTTs and 4 SNGs this week and made a profit on them. It was my cash game play which let me down, pulling me back to around break even on the week.

There won't be much to report on the poker front for a week or so now as I'm off on holiday.

"TOURNAMENT SUCCESSES BOOST BANKROLL"

Neteller: Last week $230; Current $230 (-)
Inter: Last week $13; Current; $5 (-8)
Ladbrokes: Last week $205; Current $216 (+$11)
PokerStars: Last week $101; Current $232 (+$121)

Total: Last week $549; Current $673 (+$124)

Profit for month = $126
Profit for year = $543

Well this has been the week of my big breakthrough in tournaments. Not only did I win the Bloggerment last week but I also came 3rd in another tournament (I was chip leader going into the final 3, but hit some bad beats - so it goes). I also won a few dollars in another tournament which I entered inadvertently. It was a Limit tournament - which I have to confess it took me quite some time to notice, as I had really poor hands early on. Finally I hit a hand and got really irritated when I couldn't find the slider - then it dawned on me! :-) Anyway, since I was there, I ploughed on - it was a 450 entrants jobby and I eventually bailed out 4½ hours later in 25th place. I won't be entering any more of those, well not deliberately anyway.

Meanwhile I've cleared my bonus on Stars. I then went back to play a night on the cash tables on Laddies. What a contrast - they are much looser. I can hold my own on Stars, but it is like pulling teeth making any money. On Laddies my chances are much better.

So, I think I'll use the Stars account for tourneys and possibly sit and goes and Laddies and another account for cash games. I'm not quite sure where to go for the third account (suggestions welcome)? Interpoker are talking about changing their bonus scheme, so that might be a goer. Basically I need something that it is possible to work off in a reasonable time, playing low level No Limit. Laddies are hopeless for this purpose - you have to make a massive number of "player points" just to buy in to a freeroll. I'm not looking for a lot - just some of my rake back.

VICTORY IN THE BLOGGERMENT!!!

Well blow me if Paddy's victory at the Open didn't translate into a follow up triumph in the bloggerment!

I trundled along early on getting nowhere slowly, until shortly after the first break. "Bluescouse" (who gave me a good pasting a few weeks back) made a big reraise just in front of me. I went all in with my pair of 10's and took down his 8's.

That effectively turned round the whole thing for me. I was able to do some stealing thereafter and got through to the bubble, which proved to be a very extended experience - particularly since I was dying for a pee at the time :-)

Anyway, I hung on in there with fortunes fluctuating back and forth and eventually Mike Saban was the man to suffer and it came down to a three way between "Hammerheid", "Spid" and myself. This too proved to be a long drawn out battle with many more fluctuations, but when I managed to take "Hammer" down, I ended up with a huge chip advantage against "Spid" and the rest was inevitable.

I have to say it would have been great fun even if I hadn't won, but winning made it all the better!

"No biting fish"

Neteller: Last week $230; Current $230 (-)
Inter: Last week $13; Current; $13 (-)
Ladbrokes: Last week $205; Current $205 (-)
PokerStars: Last week $121; Current $101 (-$20)

Total: Last week $569; Current $549 (-$20)

An indifferent week poker wise. I haven't played badly as far as I can tell. I have just been unfortunate in not finding someone with an encouraging but second best hand at the times when I have had really good ones. This has been a real feature of the week. If I get Aces or Kings and put in a decent pre-flop bet, nobody calls, even though there have been callers for similar sized bets earlier. If I hit heavily on the river and put in a pot sized bet to suggest top pair, everyone folds. SIGH. It's just the way things run sometimes and at least I haven't been letting it irritate me and then made poor moves as a result.

One hand I did learn from came early in the week when I had a pair of Kings. The big stack at the table bet out for 5x the big blind and I doubled him and he called. The flop came with an Ace and he bet out heavily and I felt I had to fold. I think I should have put him to a decision with an "all in" over his bet. If he had Aces - so it goes. If not he would only have had 3 outs against me with AK or the like. One to file away as I try to develop my No Limit game. If he'd called I'd likely have lost but it has to be equity value long term.

Meanwhile I've been watching Harrington win the Open, which is good news as I had a few quid on him (basically on the principle that he was "due"). Now, can the luck of the Irish carry on into the Bloggerment tonight? We shall see.

"Maniac"

Neteller: Last week $230; Current $230 (-)
Inter: Last week $13; Current; $13 (-)
Ladbrokes: Last week $205; Current $205 (-)
PokerStars: Last week $67; Current $121 (+$54)

Total: Last week $515; Current $569 (+$54)

There is a pleasant poker website to be found at www.raisetheriver.com run by a couple of the guys from the blogger tournament at PokerStars which I've been playing at for the past few weeks. On it they are trying to drum up some trade for a fantasy football league on the premier league free site. I like that sort of thing (though I'm not much good at it I have to say). Check it out if you fancy taking on Red Star Kronsdat!

Meanwhile I have been playing a little bit of No Limit on Stars and the odd tournament. Some progress at the cash games but no luck on the tourneys - and let's face it you can't get anywhere without some at that game. Still, it doesn't cost anything but time.

Hand of the week was undoubtedly on Stars the other night where I had a maniac on the table who was going all in with a full stack two or three time per orbit. He was seriously winding up some of the others at the table. About half an hour later he did it again from early position and I was looking at two Queens. I called him all in and took down his 10 4 off (I kid you not) to universal approval from the rest of the table. Funny enough he turned up again last night on a table I was playing and was perfectly conventional. Perhaps he was just pissed on the first occasion - he certainly played like he was.

"TOURNAMENT PLAY"

Neteller: Last week $230; Current $230 (-)
Inter: Last week $8; Current; $13 (+$5)
Ladbrokes: Last week $202; Current $205 (+$3)
PokerStars: Last week $101; Current $67 (-$34)

Total: Last week $547; Current $515 (-$32)

Not a lot of play this week. I lost a little bit on Stars mainly through poor play I have to say - inability to resist calling hands I "knew" I should fold on a couple of occasions. I also lost an "all in" to a full house on the river beating my nut flush - so it goes.

Meanwhile I've mainly been playing little player points tournaments on Inter using my large number of player points there. I think I'm getting a better feel for it all the time and I came 5th in one of them and would have gone further had my AK not been beaten by A3s, but there you go. It's very much a cheap learning exercise as far as I'm concerned and at least I think that I'm improving.

One thing I have learned is that its not a good idea to call an "all in" even if you have a good hand - it is usually just a "coin flip" at best. It is much better to be the one that has gone "all in" first so that you have the fold equity as well as the opportunity to double up should you be called. The exception to this is when you have a much bigger stack than the other player going all in, then you should call as it won't bust you if you get the wrong end of the 50/50 situation. All this is meat and drink to the regular tournament player I dare say, but it has taken me time to work out as I'm very much a novice in the tournament arena. It's cheap and good fun.

"No Limit back in favour"

Neteller: Last week $19; Current $230 (+$211)
Inter: Last week $8; Current; $8 (-)
Ladbrokes: Last week $157; Current $202 (+$45)
CD: Last week $211; Current: 0 (-$211)
PokerStars: Last week $97; Current $101 (+$4)
William Hill: Last week $6; Current $6 (-)

Total: Last week $498; Current $547 (+$49)

Loss for June = -$36
Profit for year = +$417

I haven't played a lot this week but what I have played has been No Limit again and I've enjoyed it. I think that I am at last beginning to get a feel for the game - at least currently I'm not leaking dosh at it!

I've closed the CD account for the time being since I didn't much like their No Limit tables - I dare say I'll be back some time as I've racked up quite a few player points there. That's why I have the odd few dollars in Inter and Hill's as well.

Stats for the month aren't thrilling but at least the loss was contained at the end.

Hand of the week has to be on Laddies where my pocket 9's hit a flop of Q99. Obviously wonderful, but I thought I'd struggle to make any money out of it. However the Q and one of the 9's were Diamonds and somebody raised for 5xBB and two folk followed. I joined them...like you do :-) Another diamond on the turn. Magic!! The original raisor bets out again and gets a caller. I joined them. River is another diamond. The three of us go all in and obviously I take down the pot.

That one hand was pretty much my profit on the week. Don't you just love second best hands that leave their poor owners drawing dead! Unfortunately this only happens once in a blue moon, but it's fun when it occurs.

"SLUMP CONTINUES."

Neteller: Last week $19; Current $19 (-)
Inter: Last week $8; Current; $8 (-)
Ladbrokes: Last week $179; Current $135 (-$44)
CD: Last week $244; Current: $219 (-$25)
PokerStars: Last week $74; Current $68 (-$6)
William Hill: Last week $13; Current $6 (-$7)

Total: Last week $526; Current $455 (-$71)

Poker wise, I continue to do little right at the moment. I found a soft game of 1/2 limit on Laddies and duely got hammered again. I tried a similar game on CD and got a similar result. After that I gave up for the week, and just played a couple of MTT's both of which I saw me finish in the 20's, winning about $6 - so not much consolation there.

If I carry on reducing my bankroll at this rate next week, I'm going to have to drop down to .50/1.00.

This bad trot isn't fun (they never are). I'm even contemplating another foray into No Limit - just for the sake of trying something different. There again, that is hardly a guaranteed way of turning round a bad run :-(

I played the Blogger tournament on PokerStars again and felt I was making good progress by finally finishing 4th (the dreaded "bubble" - just out of the money) of 21. Needless to say, to get so far, I had to have a bit of luck and I did when I went all in with A7 and was called by a player with AQ - I hit a 7 on the river. Still, I don't think I did much wrong the rest of the time and you have to get some luck to get anywhere in these things. Besides I've been on the other side of that sort of thing myself.