ABSENCE OF POSTING

A few people have asked me why I have stopped updating my blog lately.

Well, first of all the facts.

I am a Bad Beat trader and as such should only be playing poker for Bad Beat. I have not yet signed my contract with Bad Beat as I have been trying desperately to clarify some figures on my statement as I don't know how they were calculated. It is possibly 3 weeks now since I asked for this clarification.

I was also awaiting return of the bossman from his holidays as he said he would talk to me after his return. This was after my Sunday warm-up win - a milestone in my poker career - ad I was kind of hoping he may have had some kind of opt-out for me to continue playing MTT on non Bad Beat sites provided I fullfil my cash requirements. That call never came.

So I played some more MTT and two of the sites I was using were Mansion poker - a Bad Beat site, and Ladbrokes, still classed as my home site and one where I like to play forum games etc. (but now a BB site). After winning a few large payouts and one Major win on Mansion (and also coming 5th in Ladbrokes Daddy for a sizeable sum) I was understandably contacted by Bad Beat and told to make a decision - with Bad Beat or not? All was explained about the expected phone call and the question of the statement and I told them I wanted to be with Bad Beat. I was informed that posting my results on my blog was not the best idea as they involved Bad Beat sites and I can fully understand this so I stopped playing the Bad Beat sites and stopped blogging. I was promised a phone call from BB the next day to explain the statement figure. 2 days later and it hadn't arrived so after a bit of prompting I got the call.

The call went well and I again re-iterated I want to play cash for Bad Beat. Unfortunately, the accounts dept was on holiday for I can't remember how long so my answer was not given. I was given the option of having extra money to play MTT on Bad Beat sites. I rejected this. Not only because I am happy to not play on those sites (Ladbrokes dodgy software and Mansion was just getting rid of a few $$$ I had left over), but because when I begin playing cash I have no intention of playing MTT on Bad Beat sites and it affecting my P&L.

On top of this, I bought myself a new PC. I cannot for the life of me get Poker Tracker to connect to this new PC and have been pulling my hair out with the PT forums in desperation to get it working. I will not play cash without this software as I know 90% of my opposition are using it and I also don't want to play unless I am 100% about my game. This issue is ongoing and my desperation can be seen in this post... here

I have now been contacted by BB to tell me my Pokermon is not working correctly with Vista. Although I was told this would be looked in to, I have heard nothing since. This is not a problem while I am not playing cash so I have not forced the issue. But this will obviously need to be resolved before I play again as not knowing if my hands are being reported back or not is another thing that can affect how I play.

So, poker has taken a bit of a back seat lately and perhaps this is a good thing as so many have pointed out to me how the feeling of invincibility after a big win can seriously affect your cash play.

But for those of you who know and those that don't, I can't see any harm in posting this...

Last Saturday I travelled to Kent for a home game day of booze and poker.

On my return, I was obviously feeling a little worse for wear but wanted a couple of leisurely games. As I could not play cash, and did not want to stoke the fire by playing any Bad Beat sites, I chose to play my little regular game on trillion and the $50r on Stars.

9 hours later and almost dead with exhaustion,...

TRILLION 10K
110 runners
FIRST
$2,900

STARS 50r ($155k prizepool)
723 entrants
FIRST
$27,110

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!





I sincerely hope this post does not cheese anyone off at HQ and highlights a little of my frustration at not being able to do what I am meant to be doing - playing cash.

But it has also made me think a little about where my future lies. Cash or MTT? The last month has been spectacular to say the least. But before that I was no different to most players I know... the odd win here and there but nothing to write home about. So my guess is it was a one-off month and will never be repeated. And therefore my choice is cash. I just wish things could be sorted out so that I could give 100% to that area and not always have something holding me back.

In the meantime, ...

Well, you tell me 'cos I just don't know.

What I do know is that Tom gained superb results in his GCSE's and as a reward I was able to buy him a top of the range turbo nutter bastard laptop and am very proud! :D

That's ma boy!

DECISION TIME

While waiting for certain details to be finalised with Bad Beat, it may have been noticed I have been doing averagely well in MTT these last couple of weeks.

These MTT have been on my own personal accounts and I have been playing them almost like a hobby. I didn't want to play cash with Bad Beats money unless I am 100%. I have put in plenty of hours for Bad Beat and made good profit this month. But I know that if I am not on top of my game, there is every chance I could end up just giving the profit straight back again.

The hobby I enjoy the most is poker! But it seems I have pissed the boys at Bad Beat off a bit with the size of the wins I have had and I can fully understand as I have yet to sign the contract.

So I was contacted today and the situation was explained to me. Although it wasn't an ultimatum, I don't think there is really a better word to describe the situation... I am either a Bad Beat trader or I am not. If I am, then all my online poker must be played for and on behalf of Bad Beat.

It would have been very easy for me at this stage to say I have won so much I don't need Bad Beat any longer. In fact, many people have said just that to me. But my reasons for joining Bad Beat are exactly the same now as they were then, irrespective of how much money I have won and I feel their investment in me deserves some loyalty.

I am with Bad Beat for the expert mentoring in every aspect of the game and to work my way up to the highest level with little risk to my own bankroll.

So of course the decision was very easy for me. So I gave my answer and was given the impression Bad Beat were about to call me to finalise everything. Unfortunately, that call never came so once again I found myself in the position reluctant to play any cash. So should I just sit around twiddling my thumbs?

Update:
While sitting around wondering what to do with my time, I entered the trillion 5k. As they are not a Bad Beat site, I am hoping not too much will come of it while I await the phone call from them to get back into cash. The result?

Trillion 5k
FIRST
+$1,450

Who is NOT the Daddy

Well my new PC arrived today and it is a beauty.

The only problem is I was meant to receive my laptop today as well and it didn't arrive so that pissed me off a little.

As I still haven't managed to sort out a couple of details with Bad Beat and Poker Tracker has stopped working correctly on my laptop, it was another day off cash.

Feeling good about my game, I decided to pay direct into the Daddy tournament on Laddies.

5 or 6 hours later, we were on the final table but struggling to find any hands I found myself short with 5 left and pushed from the button. My trout of a hand didn't improve, but I was very happy to finish 5th for another nice payday.
$+3,900

IT CAME!

Well I do get these feelings! :O

So when I start saying big one coming, watch out!! :D

After reaching the final table of the Mansion 50k 2 days in a row, today it was the turn of the weekend $150k freezeout - $175 entry.

5 or 6 hours later we are on the final table again... a table that lasted what seemed like half an hour.

And we emerged with a winner...

FIRST for $17,500 !

Still floating so can't say too much more except...

BIG ONE CAME (again!)

SOLID STUFF

Spent most of day trying to prepare old PC and laptop ready for new arrivals coming soon so no poke rduring the day.

3 MTT this evening

Ladbrokes 10k
In the money and happy to gamble to get in good shape. Lost 2 coinies, one ahead and one behind then ran a commited punt into AA.
So left on BB and look down to see A9. No way I am letting this go and chippie raises me. Button reraises again so I am now thinking maybe a treble up (positive). Delighted to see raiser had A8 and even more delighted to see the button had K8!!!!!!! The flop comes 9 high so happy days... until the K hits the river! They really must know something!
16th from 168
$+100

Trillion 5k
Playing final table as we speak.
RIVERED again! 8th place.

Mansion 50k.
After my 4th last night, I thought I would give it another bash.
Currently lying 11th from 462 runners with 66 left (60 paid)
Now I am steaming! Made FT and with 8 runners left this happened. I was in 3rd position. Min raise and I call from sb with KhQh blinds at 4000/8000. I check and he goes allin for $110,000!!! I have $290,000 so easy call. He shows AQ and the runner runner straight is met by a whoooo hooooo! So sick. I would have been chippie by over double. Instead I soon run 66 into QQ and gone! Goodnight.
$+1,200

SO CLOSE

Ok, after the new positive talking I gave myself earlier I chose to concentrate on just MTT tonight.

It was a good choice as I went deep in all 3 tonight and almost... almost... got the Trophy!

ipoker 50k
29th from 400
Got 'em in ahead.
+$350

Mansion 50k
Final Table 4 handed from 438.
Raised from the button with 33. His allin reraise suggested Ax and I wanted to win so made the call. I was correct, he had AQ. Can only get them in ahead but the Q scuppered the plans to be monster chippie.
+$3,300

Stars 80k
Still going 39 left from 1,500 runners!
29th! The moment I pushed with 66 I felt it.... ran straight into AA. :(
+$176

No trophy but faith restored.

BIG ONE COMING!

NEGATIVE POSTING

Have decided that posting ridiculous beats and stupid plays is just adding to the negativity that was felt when it happened.

So from this point onwards, I will only be posting anything of positive interest, not the poor outcomes.

Positive positive.

BIG ONE COMING!

NOTHING

Just nothing!

Kitchen was ompleted today so no cash during day at all.

Chose 3 tourns tonight to chill out...

Laddies 10k
Am now completely fed up with this tournament as I just cannot hold a connection for longer than 4 hands. No other tourn gets disconned so will now give Laddies a miss when I want a decent game in the evening.

Trillion 5k
Was in 3rd from 35 remaining and get AsQs on button. I reraise a mid position raiser which puts him allin and his tournament on the line. No worries... AT just has to be ahead! Easy flush for him! WTF does he think I am reraising with. Next hand 66 in BB and reraise allin. The other table popped up and no idea what happened but went back to see I had just 965 chips left. Looks like I was called again by AT and out 33rd!

Titan 50k
Hovering just over the 5k mark and not alot happening. Got a min raise from SB and I called with QcTc. Flop came QdTdJd. He bet and I put him allin. He called with... wait for it... Th2d!! 2 more diamonds came to split the pot but wtf?
This was followed by something I am finding the most frustrating thing of late. The same player limped and I pushed from the cut-off with KdQd blinds 300/600 and a 5.2k push. Back to him and he instacalled with...
6d9d !!!!!
I just could not believe my eyes and of course he hits and I am gone. What possesses anyone at any stage of a game to call with 69 after limping in with the shit in the first place? Just astonishing.

There are times when you just love poker. These aren't amongst those times!

Finished the day with 1 hour of cash so shouldn't grumble too much...

Cash +850

THE CRAP CONTINUES

Playing Dream Team tonight and got off to a flyer. Then from BB I reraise a limper with K7 on a KT2 board with 2 spades. I have the Ks. He calls. The turn is Js and he comes out betting. As I have the Ks I call. River is nothing and we check it down. He has AQ!!!!!!!!! God alive, this is so appalling. He has called to hit a gutshit when there are 2 spades on board that he doesn't have. Dented, but I will not tilt.

Meanwhile, at same time...
Laddies $10k immediately after rebuy period I look down to see I have flopped a flush! Yeee haaaa. And the guy before me has gone allin!!! Come to daddy! I call and see the board pair on the turn to give him the full house. Gone in 60 seconds!

Back at Dream Team and going well until the regular idiot that is always up there gets em in with the mighty J9 to totally outclass my AK and cripple me. Next hand push with A9... straight into 99 held by... yup you guessed it... the idiot that called the gutshot earlier. Gone in 18th. :(

Meanwhile...

Trillion 5k.
Final Table and 8 left. Get 'em in with AK and called by..... 69! Ace on flop but no match for the rivered straight. I just don't get poker right now. Still in but crippled. Utter joke.
Got down to 5 players and back in good shape. Then got KK and the mighty 33 was never letting go!! Such a fucking joke!
+$500

Cash +750

BAD BAD DAY

When you have players calling a $100 bet after the turn with just a gutshot when you have top two and another calling a $150 bet after the turn with the non-nut flush draw when you have a set...

... then you miss all of your 17 outs when allin on flop...

... you just know the site has it in for you today.

No more cash for me.... sick day.

Cash -$950

Will try a few MTT tonight but can't do a late one as got the floor fitters arriving early tomorrow.

Laddies 100k
5 races in a row including the last with flush draw, straight draw and 2 overs all lost. Was on a table with 5 scandis so really didn't expect to win any of them.

Trillion 10k
Unreal AKs reraise called by 88. This is a deepstack tourn!! So down to 2000 chips and blinds 50/100 and looking to double up immediately. AQ push called by... wait for it... KJo. FFS gimme a break.

Stars 80k
FFS, how many more. PP v Ax. Another lost race. Just ONE ffs!

Mansion 100k
1st attempt at a big one on Mansion. What an absolute and utter tripe joke!!!
Early raiser and caller. I had AhKh so push with 10k. 1st raiser folds as predicted but second called in a flash... with 89... yes 89 well after the rebuy period!!!!!! Ace high flop but no good for the prick's runner runner flush. This is just like a truly bad dream. Hanging by a thread and steaming. Truly amazing... 87 on a 7 high flop and gained spade flush draw on turn. AQ hits A river, non spade.

Absolutely incredible day of shite.

SO SICK AND NO RETURN

Even though I won the tournament last night this is simply the sickest run of ridiculous beats I have had.

Ladbrokes 10k
The players on this site are getting worse and worse and always rewarded. Ok, it was a rebuy but I have never seen people calling with such tripe and being rewarded. I must have had 3pp beaten by lower ones and AK beaten by KT etc 6 or 7 times. BIG ONE def coming there!

But what happened on trillion was just disgraceful.

Trillion 5k
17 players left with 10 paid on FT. I am on SB with 66 and gobby fool on button raises it up to 2400 (200/400). I go allin for 9,000 and after a little dwell up he calls 7,000 of his 9,000 stack...
... with A3 off!!! Absolutely incredible garbage and of course confirms why I have won this tournament so often. The A3x flop didn't do me much good.

At that point I realised my face was close to explosion so decided to close down cash tables before I did anything daft.

Cash +$1600

WHAT THE FUCK????

UPDATE:

Trillion 5k...
FIRST for +$1,450!

Feel bad about this whinge now but ho hum! :D

I know I shouldn't complain and am due a bad run but tonight just about tops off a ridiculously horrendous run...

Laddies weekly l/board.
Going well and in good shape, then...
SB goes allin on me. MY AK no match for his K7.
Early position raise allin and I reraise with QQ. River 8 for his set.

Titan 150K
Going well and in BB reraise allin with K8 on 448 flop. Eventaully called by KQ and Q river. REally cant get that call.

Stars 80k
Going well and put in big bet on KQ36 with KQ when 2 spades appeared. Called by 22. River 2!

But the best of all and saved for last...

Laddies 40K gteed.
Going very well in a great position. Raise up with AQ and get one caller. Flop AQ3 and he comes out betting. With 2 hearts on board I reraise him and he calls (for half his stack). Turn is a ten and of course it goes in. He has KJ! He has put over half his stack in the pot to hit a TEN and TEN only. They oblige. Unreal. (finally ran 99 into AA)

Still going in the trillion but waiting for the death roll there too.

I know I shouldn't complain and won't again but it is almost funny now.

SICK SICK LUCK

Played a stormer at cash and made one superb move on a board of JJ99 by check-raising a known stealer with AK!!

He called with AQ and hit his Q on the river. So sick and $1000 down the drain.

Laddies: Was allin on a K high flop with KJ. Lost to AQ with 3 outer Ace on river just off the money.

Stars: Allin on A high flop with AQ v KK (shortie) and 88 (bigstack). Treble up on the cards until 8 hit river. 2 outer just off the money again.

Such a sick day!

Update: Just went in for a small session and get AA so raise up. Called by shortie.
Flop comes Q52 and he reraises me allin. I of course call and he has 56 off! 5 river and you just know its time to give it a miss. Tomorrow is another day.

Incredible. The volatility of cash. Kept it together and ended the session with a few donations!!

Cash: +$900

SLOWLY TURNING

Was determined to get my head back in gear after yesterday's debacles. It is often stated that the difference between a good player and an everage one is the reaction to a bad run.

So I am full of spirit ready for tonight's session.

I decided to not play MTT tonight and concentrate on cash but soon found myself enrolling for the 8pm at Trillion. I made the FT again, but as there were not enough runners (just 50 tonight) there were only 5 paid. Went out when chippie made an appalling call with A7 from my button push. It was not a small amount to push with and he hit his 7 to go further ahead to send me to the rails. 8th place is as good as 2nd though as I wanted nothing less than the win. Just no $$$!

Cash was going swimmingly until I got yet another barrage of abuse from an ex forum poster who had been told something 2nd hand and got it all wrong. The argument raged for some time and cost me a fortune in some big cash hands and I was not happy at all. Eventually had to switch the cash tables off and give some truth to what some shit-stirrer had been trying to stir up and it ended ok. He certainly gained more from the 'chat' than I did and it has left a sour taste in my mouth.

After the conversation finished half amicably, I got back to playing some half decent cash but ran into a couple of complete idiots who hit every gushot going. Was pretty pissed off they donked it all off each time to the person one ahead of me in the queue.

Still, cash finished +$600

A DAYUS HORRIBILUS

Can't even bring myself to talk about the shite I have endured at cash tonight.

How I didn't avoid losing the whole bankroll God only knows. -$950 was bad enough though and don't want too many of those downswings.

Tournaments.

I decided to enter Laddies Daddy as I haven't played it for an absolute age and as I won quite a lot of spending money last week... why not.

I was going along fairly average and not a lot happening when I followed a few limpers into the pot with 77. The flop came something like AT7 so of course I checked assuming at least one of them had an ace. Damn, no ace. The turn was a 9 and now I was very concerned about a straight so decided to keep the pot small and just call the mid position better. If the board pairs, could be a nice payday. River T and all the money went in. The moment he called I knew exactly what he had... yep T9! Bye bye Lizard. Any river card but a ten or 9 and I win a big pot. C'est le vie.

I got tempted into playing the $80k gteed on Stars by the forum boys and we had a little sidebet. Again, I was plodding along ok wth blinds rising and chose to push an early limper with 99. He called in a flash showing 66. The 6 on the flop and it was again bye bye Lizard. It winds me up so much when they make calls like that saying 'I put you on AK'. Firstly, no you didn't. You prayed I had AK. Secondly, you are hardly fecking ahead of AK anyway, so why put your tournament on the line with the shit.

Trillion, I haven't won for a while now so gave it another shot tonight. Was bombing along in 2nd place when I got KK utg. Made a standard raise with blinds still relatively low when mid position went over the top allin for approx. 30x BB!!! Of course I called and he turned over 66!! WTF? With so much play left, what are these idiots on? 66? Anyway, of course he hit his 6 to take out my nemesis KK and I was now way back in the pack with maybe 40 left. Worked my way back into it and landed on the FT with decent stack. 6 left and I pushed with AsQs... straight into... yes you guessed it.. .KK! bye bye Lizard. +$350

Hope I don't get too many days like this one.

BIG ONE COMING!

A DAY OF DISASTERS

Without going into too much detail, it started bad...

Printer ran out of toner in the middle of important brochire run.
Drains blocked outside and manhole covers were lifting with stench.
Car wouldn't start to go collect keys for manhole covers.

This put everything I had planned back so I left most for tomorrow.

Evening ended as it started... disaster.

4MTTs and got deep in all of them... then within the space of half an hour was out of all of them including the Dream Team which I thought it was about time I did well in so knuckled down. Two beats by crap hands and I went from 3rd to 27th in minutes then hit a sick flop and was gone to back up the sickness in all 3 others.

Played a little cash and one hand that sticks out...

Seat 1: Ffs_donk ($419.60 in chips)
Seat 3: LaloLalo123 ($170.70 in chips)
Seat 5: SauceLLoron ($231.00 in chips)
Seat 6: Tony3838 ($414.60 in chips) DEALER
Seat 8: MadEggs ($526.30 in chips)
Seat 10: ForzaTotti ($400.00 in chips)
MadEggs: Post SB $2.00
ForzaTotti: Post BB $4.00
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Ffs_donk [D9 C9]
Ffs_donk: Raise (NF) $16.00
LaloLalo123: Call $16.00
SauceLLoron: Fold
Tony3838: Fold
MadEggs: Fold
ForzaTotti: Fold
*** FLOP *** [H5 C5 C4]
Ffs_donk: Bet $38.00
LaloLalo123: Raise (NF) $154.70
Ffs_donk: Call $116.70
*** TURN *** [D4]
*** RIVER *** [DK]
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $344.40 Rake $3.00
LaloLalo123: Shows [S4 S8] <<<< yes 84!
LaloLalo123: wins $344.40

Was never gonna be a great day...

CASH +200

BAD KARMA

Firstly, my decision not to defend my title from last week.

I really didn't fancy having the world and his Mother watching me from the early stages and I don't think that was avoidable. Too much pressure and the inevitable feeling of 'failure' was something I didn't want and lets face it I would have had to go a long way to get any where near a feeling of anything but failure.

So I entered an ipoker 12k gtee game with 230 players which began around 5pm (guessing).

I also chose to enter the Laddies 100R. Why? Just because I have never played it and felt good about my game after last night's win on there.

It was approx. 6:45 and we were down to 35 players with 30 paid on ipoker and I was in 9th place. I was looking forward to Laddies game and everything was set up perfectly. Corry was on the phone in the other room but this is never a distraction as she is always on the phone.

Then, without warning, I glanced up and walking towards me was an old friend. I have told her on numerous occasions before that if she wants to visit, just make a quick call first to make sure we aren't up to anything. The hairs on my chinny chin chin stiffened up and while Corry was on the pohone, she spent the next half an hour saying how she didn't understand poker and never uses the internet.

She came over to my laptop and threw the whole shebang of questions at me like if there are 500 players in the tournament why can she only see 6? Is it like tennis where if it is level, it could go on forever? You are so lucky to have Corry working so hard while you sit round playing games.

The peace and preparation was well and truly out the window. And with it went my Karma and positive thoughts.

On ipoker we had an utg limper who to be honest was totally useless. The flop came KT7 and I had K7 in the BB. I allowed him to bet at it and then pushed. His immediate call meant that I had cracked his ace, but astonishingly he turned over A7!!! The runner runner straight gave me no option but to mention something in the chat screen.

The VERY next hand I wake up with KK in the SB. I make a standard raise and of course he calls. The flop comes 99Q and again I check-raise him allin. He calls and turns over 92 off and I am out 35th. Absolutely unreal.

I never used to believe in Karma and positivity until the last few months. Now I do 100%.

On Laddies, things didn't get better with some awful luck in the rebuy period and then a decision to commit suicide trying to pick up some chips. I don't think it really mattered if I had KK or AA, I was never going to get anywhere. May as well top myself there than wait for the inevitable bubble in 4 hours time.

Next time I will lock all bloody doors!!

Got rid of my guest (and you thought I was rude on MSN when playing! lol)and took off where I finished earlier with cash...

CASH +$2,500

TWO IN A ROW

WOW!

Cash was awful tonight with every outdraw possible. Luckily, MTT went a little better when I played the same 3 tourns from 2 nights ago and amazingly won the Ladbrokes tournament for two in a row! Going through a real purple patch.

Stars was ul when my K3 on a K34 flop lost to KJ when a 4 hit the river.
Trillion lost AQ to TT.

But...

Laddies $10k
Entry $20
Runners 188
FIRST
$3,000

CASH -$550

A DAY OFF (ALMOST)

Spent most of the day posting my hand histories from last Sunday on the forum. It really hit home how much luck I really did get in the early stages.

Laid off with MTT tonight as kitchen people are arriving early in the morning and could do without a late one! Yes, she finally managed to get the kitchen re-designed to include a dishwasher.

So just played a little cash tonight.

Cash +$1,600