Bad news on the Vegas front I discovered by chance yesterday - Maxjet, the all-business class airline I was supposed to fly with tomorrow (Sunday) filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Xmas Eve!!!
Only found out in an idle moment at work yesterday otherwise would have arrived at Stansted Airport on Sunday morning completely oblivious that there would be no flight. Managed to book a Virgin flight on Monday (New Year's Eve) for half the cost but obviously it will be 1/10th as comfortable.
Could have been worse I suppose but it means only arriving in Vegas at 2pm on NYE, missing out on valuable drinking time. Will stay two days longer to make up for it but the friends I am meeting out there will have gone by then and I was looking forward to learning a few things from them at the 2/5NL tables.
Wish me luck....
Saturday 29 December 2007
Thursday 13 December 2007
I started something I couldn't finish
So, got back from Vegas yesterday and been catching up on some sleep. Will keep this short (ish) as there's no pictures and I want to do a proper one from New Year's.
Arrived Tuesday around 6pm and went to Bellagio buffet at 8pm with some fellow journos who were there for the fight. Very good food and a couple of beers later and I was ready for bed. Woke up at 4.30am but managed to snooze for a while longer and headed out for breakfast.
Had the buffet at TI before playing their 11am tourney - and ended up chopping it for first ever win in Vegas Great structure , $125 entry fee, 30 minute levels and each player has a $50 bounty on their head. 45 entries, I only knocked one person out with AA v AJs but made the money (top 4) and we did a straight chop for about $525 each, plus bounties and your own bounty back as you were obviously not knocked out.
Texted Stoner to brag and he replied straightaway apparently - however I had a problem with my phone and receive it on Tuesday morning - in the airport :(
Thursday I play the noon tourney at Venetian but never get anything going and end up playing 5/10 limit Omaha8b at Mirage with full kill. Take around $400 off the clueless old locals (including bluffing jack-high on the river when the low missed)
and had a couple of other good sessions there.
Also played a bit of 4/8 hi lo at the Orleans and won a quick $60 in the hour before their noon tourney where I ran AK into QQ and didn't improve. Could have gone back to the 4/8 game but wanted to play at Luxor and Mandalay Bay as I hadn't been before. Sick cooler at Luxor (not very nice room either) with full house beaten by higher full house, and lost KK to 99 on J94 flop at MBay before coming back nicely for a small win.
On Saturday night paid $50 to watch the fight on big screens in TI, as Hatton admitted afterwards his gameplan went out the window and Mayweather had more than enough class to just pick him off as he charged in.
On Monday played the Omaha hi tourney at Caesars, got my money in with a flopped str8but opponent had top set (he actually had AAQQds!!) and hit on the river. Then went to the Mirage until 6.30am before heading for the airport.
Sorry there were no pics but happy to give any details if anyone is interested.
Edit: I took exactly $2500 with me and came back with $2440, which obviously included food, drink, show tickets and a few Xmas presents. Vegas for a week on $60 :)
Arrived Tuesday around 6pm and went to Bellagio buffet at 8pm with some fellow journos who were there for the fight. Very good food and a couple of beers later and I was ready for bed. Woke up at 4.30am but managed to snooze for a while longer and headed out for breakfast.
Had the buffet at TI before playing their 11am tourney - and ended up chopping it for first ever win in Vegas Great structure , $125 entry fee, 30 minute levels and each player has a $50 bounty on their head. 45 entries, I only knocked one person out with AA v AJs but made the money (top 4) and we did a straight chop for about $525 each, plus bounties and your own bounty back as you were obviously not knocked out.
Texted Stoner to brag and he replied straightaway apparently - however I had a problem with my phone and receive it on Tuesday morning - in the airport :(
Thursday I play the noon tourney at Venetian but never get anything going and end up playing 5/10 limit Omaha8b at Mirage with full kill. Take around $400 off the clueless old locals (including bluffing jack-high on the river when the low missed)
and had a couple of other good sessions there.
Also played a bit of 4/8 hi lo at the Orleans and won a quick $60 in the hour before their noon tourney where I ran AK into QQ and didn't improve. Could have gone back to the 4/8 game but wanted to play at Luxor and Mandalay Bay as I hadn't been before. Sick cooler at Luxor (not very nice room either) with full house beaten by higher full house, and lost KK to 99 on J94 flop at MBay before coming back nicely for a small win.
On Saturday night paid $50 to watch the fight on big screens in TI, as Hatton admitted afterwards his gameplan went out the window and Mayweather had more than enough class to just pick him off as he charged in.
On Monday played the Omaha hi tourney at Caesars, got my money in with a flopped str8but opponent had top set (he actually had AAQQds!!) and hit on the river. Then went to the Mirage until 6.30am before heading for the airport.
Sorry there were no pics but happy to give any details if anyone is interested.
Edit: I took exactly $2500 with me and came back with $2440, which obviously included food, drink, show tickets and a few Xmas presents. Vegas for a week on $60 :)
Monday 3 December 2007
How Soon Is Now?
Very soon is the answer, as I'm off to the airport now for Vegas (via Chicago). Woot!
Not taking my laptop so next update will be next week, possibly sooner if I go broke and get deported for abusing someone for catching an inside straight draw on me :)
Viva Las Vegas!
Not taking my laptop so next update will be next week, possibly sooner if I go broke and get deported for abusing someone for catching an inside straight draw on me :)
Viva Las Vegas!
Sunday 2 December 2007
Let Down**
Mixed news on the poker front. Online I've qualified for Event 8 of the UBOC on Ultimate Bet (PL8b) and today's $300K guaranteed on Party Poker.
The first only cost me $20 in a rebuy, top two paid and I had a commanding chip lead when the tourney ended. Very satisfying, especially as there was lots of idiotic play early on with people going all-in with very marginal stuff - Omaha8b just isn't suited to that kind of 4-card bingo the hold'em clowns are used to!!!
Second one "cost" me $65 in a STT qualifier. These are great value IMHO, 6-handed, first wins a seat, second gets $144.
All this doesn't make up for playing like a complete idiot in a live tourney in Leeds on Friday night. Made a bad laydown and was obviously still thinking about that when I raised A9o after a few limpers. What followed is a great example of acting too quickly and donking off your chips with top pair, shit kicker.
I get three callers IIRC and flop is AK7 with two diamonds. A guy who flopped quad kings earlier and couldn't prevent his hands from shaking (I actually had him on AK during that hand) now leads out for 2000, approx 2/3 of the pot, and again looks really nervous/excited.
I have 4300 left and just jam them in like an idiot without thinking why he would lead out into the pre-flop raiser if he can't beat a shitty ace.
Your average clown in these tourneys will play any ace, but 99.9% of them will never lead out, they'll just check/call and hope for the best. The only hand I can really beat is a flush draw but again, donks in these things will call and chase but never lead.
Sure enough, he instacalls and flips over 77 for bottom set and I'm out. Let's hope I play better in Vegas, less than two days to go now :)
** From now on, all post titles will be names of songs, most likely from Radiohead or The Smiths. Let's see how long I can keep that up.
The first only cost me $20 in a rebuy, top two paid and I had a commanding chip lead when the tourney ended. Very satisfying, especially as there was lots of idiotic play early on with people going all-in with very marginal stuff - Omaha8b just isn't suited to that kind of 4-card bingo the hold'em clowns are used to!!!
Second one "cost" me $65 in a STT qualifier. These are great value IMHO, 6-handed, first wins a seat, second gets $144.
All this doesn't make up for playing like a complete idiot in a live tourney in Leeds on Friday night. Made a bad laydown and was obviously still thinking about that when I raised A9o after a few limpers. What followed is a great example of acting too quickly and donking off your chips with top pair, shit kicker.
I get three callers IIRC and flop is AK7 with two diamonds. A guy who flopped quad kings earlier and couldn't prevent his hands from shaking (I actually had him on AK during that hand) now leads out for 2000, approx 2/3 of the pot, and again looks really nervous/excited.
I have 4300 left and just jam them in like an idiot without thinking why he would lead out into the pre-flop raiser if he can't beat a shitty ace.
Your average clown in these tourneys will play any ace, but 99.9% of them will never lead out, they'll just check/call and hope for the best. The only hand I can really beat is a flush draw but again, donks in these things will call and chase but never lead.
Sure enough, he instacalls and flips over 77 for bottom set and I'm out. Let's hope I play better in Vegas, less than two days to go now :)
** From now on, all post titles will be names of songs, most likely from Radiohead or The Smiths. Let's see how long I can keep that up.
Thursday 29 November 2007
Is nowhere safe?
My adoring fan (hello mum) asked for an update, so here goes.
Countdown to Vegas now stands at inside 5 days (flight is Tuesday lunchtime) and I'm glad to be heading for some live poker after yet more online shenanigans have come to light.
After the AP scandal and Full Tilt paying back money to people who were victims of bots on their site, it looks like more multi-accounting cheating has been going on at FT.
I'm not clear on the details yet but there are threads on 2+2 in which one of the "top online players" has been implicated/outed.
So far I've not been too concerned because it appeared the cheating was taking place at levels rather too elevated for my humble bankroll. But how many of these scandals can the online game stand before the fish decide it's just not worth the risk - however small - of being cheated???
Countdown to Vegas now stands at inside 5 days (flight is Tuesday lunchtime) and I'm glad to be heading for some live poker after yet more online shenanigans have come to light.
After the AP scandal and Full Tilt paying back money to people who were victims of bots on their site, it looks like more multi-accounting cheating has been going on at FT.
I'm not clear on the details yet but there are threads on 2+2 in which one of the "top online players" has been implicated/outed.
So far I've not been too concerned because it appeared the cheating was taking place at levels rather too elevated for my humble bankroll. But how many of these scandals can the online game stand before the fish decide it's just not worth the risk - however small - of being cheated???
Wednesday 21 November 2007
Sorry Paula
Went round to a friend's house to watch the England game last night. Hilariously bad performance, especially from Scott Carson and Wayne Bridge. Carson can't catch apparently which is a bit of an occupational hazard for a goalkeeper, while Bridge can only kick with one foot (badly) despite being a professional footballer who can surely spend one hour a day out of his busy schedule to try kicking the ball with his right foot.
Anyway, before the game we order a takeaway curry and nip up the road in my car to collect. Eventually they bring out the order in these two boxes and we're away.
Only problem is we've taken someone else's order as well as ours and don't realise till we get home and look at the name on the box. So, if your name is Paula and you live in Leeds or Bradford and had to wait a while longer for your food last night - humble apologies.
Anyway, before the game we order a takeaway curry and nip up the road in my car to collect. Eventually they bring out the order in these two boxes and we're away.
Only problem is we've taken someone else's order as well as ours and don't realise till we get home and look at the name on the box. So, if your name is Paula and you live in Leeds or Bradford and had to wait a while longer for your food last night - humble apologies.
Me likey Omaha!!
Sat down this afternoon and blew through $300 at 2/4PL08 and it could have been a lot worse - two hands running I had trips with top kicker and the same guy had full houses each time but check called ???
So I switch to Omaha hi and proceed to hit a hot streak thanks to hands like this and some awful opponents.
If you're getting nowhere/stale at Hold em, I recommend Omaha if you have the ability to wait for the nuts or monster draws and push hard.
Party Poker
Pot Limit Omaha Ring game
Blinds: $2/$4
5 players
Stack sizes:
MackemPlus1: $1268.54
CO: $376.90
Button: $378.20
SB: $122.50
BB: $143.78
Pre-flop: (5 players) MackemPlus1 is UTG with 5h qh as 8s
MackemPlus1 calls, 2 folds, SB raises to $18, BB calls, MackemPlus1 calls.
Flop: 2s 3d 4d ($54, 3 players)
SB bets $46, BB calls, MackemPlus1 raises to $133.62, SB calls all-in $60.5, BB folds.
Uncalled bets: $27.12 returned to MackemPlus1.
Turn: 6d ($313, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: $313)
River: 8d ($313, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: $313)
Results:
Final pot: $313
MackemPlus1 balance 1451.04 bet 149.62 collected 332.12 net 182.50 5h Qh As 8s
SB balance 0 lost 122.50 Ac 9s 3s Ah
Made $1,000 in no time to end up approx $700 for the session.
Party account now at $5,086
So I switch to Omaha hi and proceed to hit a hot streak thanks to hands like this and some awful opponents.
If you're getting nowhere/stale at Hold em, I recommend Omaha if you have the ability to wait for the nuts or monster draws and push hard.
Party Poker
Pot Limit Omaha Ring game
Blinds: $2/$4
5 players
Stack sizes:
MackemPlus1: $1268.54
CO: $376.90
Button: $378.20
SB: $122.50
BB: $143.78
Pre-flop: (5 players) MackemPlus1 is UTG with 5h qh as 8s
MackemPlus1 calls, 2 folds, SB raises to $18, BB calls, MackemPlus1 calls.
Flop: 2s 3d 4d ($54, 3 players)
SB bets $46, BB calls, MackemPlus1 raises to $133.62, SB calls all-in $60.5, BB folds.
Uncalled bets: $27.12 returned to MackemPlus1.
Turn: 6d ($313, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: $313)
River: 8d ($313, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: $313)
Results:
Final pot: $313
MackemPlus1 balance 1451.04 bet 149.62 collected 332.12 net 182.50 5h Qh As 8s
SB balance 0 lost 122.50 Ac 9s 3s Ah
Made $1,000 in no time to end up approx $700 for the session.
Party account now at $5,086
Tuesday 13 November 2007
Shortstacking 5/10NL is +EV
Sit down and post, very first hand I get KK.
Two callers, villain donk bets, easy shove for me and I don't like the river, figuring him for a Q.
But check out what he flips up :)
Party Poker
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $5/$10
10 players
Stack sizes:
UTG: $1539.64
UTG+1: $560.50
UTG+2: $1594.35
MP1: $190
MP2: $1815.63
MP3: $885
MackemPlus1: $300
Button: $1137
SB: $292
BB: $282.35
Pre-flop: (10 players) MackemPlus1 is CO with kd kc
UTG calls, 2 folds, MP1 calls, 2 folds, MackemPlus1 raises to $60, 3 folds, UTG calls, MP1 calls.
Flop: 6h qh 6c ($195, 3 players)
UTG bets $100, MP1 folds, MackemPlus1 raises all-in $240, UTG calls.
Turn: tc ($675, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: $675)
River: qc ($675, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: $675)
Results:
Final pot: $675
MackemPlus1 balance 672 bet 300 collected 672 net 372 Kd Kc
UTG balance 1239.64 lost 300 Js 4s
Two callers, villain donk bets, easy shove for me and I don't like the river, figuring him for a Q.
But check out what he flips up :)
Party Poker
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $5/$10
10 players
Stack sizes:
UTG: $1539.64
UTG+1: $560.50
UTG+2: $1594.35
MP1: $190
MP2: $1815.63
MP3: $885
MackemPlus1: $300
Button: $1137
SB: $292
BB: $282.35
Pre-flop: (10 players) MackemPlus1 is CO with kd kc
UTG calls, 2 folds, MP1 calls, 2 folds, MackemPlus1 raises to $60, 3 folds, UTG calls, MP1 calls.
Flop: 6h qh 6c ($195, 3 players)
UTG bets $100, MP1 folds, MackemPlus1 raises all-in $240, UTG calls.
Turn: tc ($675, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: $675)
River: qc ($675, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: $675)
Results:
Final pot: $675
MackemPlus1 balance 672 bet 300 collected 672 net 372 Kd Kc
UTG balance 1239.64 lost 300 Js 4s
Sunday 11 November 2007
Good betting weekend
Nice touch this weekend on the Premier League footy, backing Liverpool and Spurs at home to Fulham and Wigan respectively.
Had them in a double + a single on Spurs who were amazingly only 1/2 to beat Wigan at White Hart Lane.
Spurs are in a false position at the bottom of the table but duly thrashed a shit Wigan side 4-0 today, Liverpool having beaten Fulham 2-0 on Saturday.
Tonight's NFL tips come courtesy of Dwal who had 8 of 9 early matches last week before a late slip.
I'm going for Buffalo -3 at Miami; Browns +10 at Pittsburgh; Redskins -2.5 v Philly; Bears -3 against my Raiders and Indy -3.5 at San Diego.
Had them in a double + a single on Spurs who were amazingly only 1/2 to beat Wigan at White Hart Lane.
Spurs are in a false position at the bottom of the table but duly thrashed a shit Wigan side 4-0 today, Liverpool having beaten Fulham 2-0 on Saturday.
Tonight's NFL tips come courtesy of Dwal who had 8 of 9 early matches last week before a late slip.
I'm going for Buffalo -3 at Miami; Browns +10 at Pittsburgh; Redskins -2.5 v Philly; Bears -3 against my Raiders and Indy -3.5 at San Diego.
Saturday 10 November 2007
Close but no cigar (+Vegas)
It never ceases to amaze me how badly some people play poker, especially when they make the effort to travel to a casino and play a £25 double chance tourney (so a total outlay of $100+ to my devoted American readership).
Not huge money to some people maybe, but not exactly micro limits either, but some of the play last night was hilarious.
Best one was possibly the guy with AQs who calls a raise pre-flop OOP, not too horrendous as we were deep stacked and he could obviously get a good flop.
JJx isn't that flop however, yet this clown calls big bets on the flop and K turn to catch runner runner flush to beat AJ and AK. Nice.
Thankfully this fool later gave me lots of those chips with A10 on a K72 flop, rag turn, 10 on river. I had two pair from the BB and bet it all the way :)
A different clown then raised A7 from MP and called my AK re-raise. AQ9 flop, I shove all-in and he gives it the old "I have to call" and doubles me up. Sadly I went out 13th - top 10 paying - with AJ v A7. Flop was 445, turn 5 for a likely split and river 7 LOL.
As for Vegas, the Rio finally got back to me with details of New Year's Eve. Basically $200 to get into the Voodoo Lounge, with packages of $1200upwards to reserve a table.
Not sure what Dave, Sucko and WC plan to do yet, watch this space....
Not huge money to some people maybe, but not exactly micro limits either, but some of the play last night was hilarious.
Best one was possibly the guy with AQs who calls a raise pre-flop OOP, not too horrendous as we were deep stacked and he could obviously get a good flop.
JJx isn't that flop however, yet this clown calls big bets on the flop and K turn to catch runner runner flush to beat AJ and AK. Nice.
Thankfully this fool later gave me lots of those chips with A10 on a K72 flop, rag turn, 10 on river. I had two pair from the BB and bet it all the way :)
A different clown then raised A7 from MP and called my AK re-raise. AQ9 flop, I shove all-in and he gives it the old "I have to call" and doubles me up. Sadly I went out 13th - top 10 paying - with AJ v A7. Flop was 445, turn 5 for a likely split and river 7 LOL.
As for Vegas, the Rio finally got back to me with details of New Year's Eve. Basically $200 to get into the Voodoo Lounge, with packages of $1200upwards to reserve a table.
Not sure what Dave, Sucko and WC plan to do yet, watch this space....
Thursday 8 November 2007
Quick update
Couple of swingy days at the tables, both live and online.
Redeposited on FT because they bunged me $150 bonus money and was up a couple of hundred playing Omaha hi 6-max when I started missing everything. Was in danger of blowing everything but switched to SNG's, small MTT's and HU SNG's and am grinding it back.
Was also running bad at AP but pleased to say I stuck at it and didn't tilt for once, and eventually busted the clown who had been sucking out on me.
Playing 2/4PL I have A88J and call his PF raise as he's been raising very wide. Flop is A8x and obviously I'm only worried about the slim chance he has AA. I check, he bets and I raise the pot, he flat calls.
All worries are over when the turn is an ace though, making the board A8xA. I now bet $200 and donkey obliges by pushing in his stack with his AKxx and boooooomm...........$1800 pot shipped my way.
In a small live tourney in Leeds I folded my way to the last 18 players or so, tripled up once with 66 all-in from the button, instacalled by clown with A10o and one other player who didn't show.
Busted out with AJs v 1010 all-in PF but no love. Back there tomorrow after work for the same tourney.
Wish me luck.
Redeposited on FT because they bunged me $150 bonus money and was up a couple of hundred playing Omaha hi 6-max when I started missing everything. Was in danger of blowing everything but switched to SNG's, small MTT's and HU SNG's and am grinding it back.
Was also running bad at AP but pleased to say I stuck at it and didn't tilt for once, and eventually busted the clown who had been sucking out on me.
Playing 2/4PL I have A88J and call his PF raise as he's been raising very wide. Flop is A8x and obviously I'm only worried about the slim chance he has AA. I check, he bets and I raise the pot, he flat calls.
All worries are over when the turn is an ace though, making the board A8xA. I now bet $200 and donkey obliges by pushing in his stack with his AKxx and boooooomm...........$1800 pot shipped my way.
In a small live tourney in Leeds I folded my way to the last 18 players or so, tripled up once with 66 all-in from the button, instacalled by clown with A10o and one other player who didn't show.
Busted out with AJs v 1010 all-in PF but no love. Back there tomorrow after work for the same tourney.
Wish me luck.
Friday 2 November 2007
Slowrolling motherf****r
Just back from a live £100 tournament in my local casino. 70 starters, paying top 10 and we're down to about 21 when this happens.
I'm seriously shortstacked and push all-in with A8 for 36k, blinds are at 3k/6k (good structure early on, blinds go up too quick later). Anyway, this moron in the big blind starts thinking about calling, gives me the stare and all that s**t.
I've just been moved to the table a few hands ago and already I can tell it's full of idiots who watch too much poker on TV. They take forever to make the most basic decisions, they ask stupid stuff like "Do you want me to call?" when you raise, etc etc etc.
So after thinking about it for so long I actually think I might have the best hand, or that he's going to fold, he calls and flips over.............
KK.
Wtf???? What was all the Hollywood shit about??? Cocksucker. Never have I wanted to suck out more than at that moment. Of course I miss and I'm out but I know there's some good cash to be made in that tournament.
Many of the players shouldn't be playing a £2 buy-in, let alone a £100 tournament and they are the very definition of dead money.
And if that guy does that to me again with KK he'll be dead as well (joke, he was huge and would have crushed me :(
I'm seriously shortstacked and push all-in with A8 for 36k, blinds are at 3k/6k (good structure early on, blinds go up too quick later). Anyway, this moron in the big blind starts thinking about calling, gives me the stare and all that s**t.
I've just been moved to the table a few hands ago and already I can tell it's full of idiots who watch too much poker on TV. They take forever to make the most basic decisions, they ask stupid stuff like "Do you want me to call?" when you raise, etc etc etc.
So after thinking about it for so long I actually think I might have the best hand, or that he's going to fold, he calls and flips over.............
KK.
Wtf???? What was all the Hollywood shit about??? Cocksucker. Never have I wanted to suck out more than at that moment. Of course I miss and I'm out but I know there's some good cash to be made in that tournament.
Many of the players shouldn't be playing a £2 buy-in, let alone a £100 tournament and they are the very definition of dead money.
And if that guy does that to me again with KK he'll be dead as well (joke, he was huge and would have crushed me :(
Wednesday 31 October 2007
Humble Beginnings
As a professional journalist, writing this should be easy, but where to start?
Why write a blog nobody might ever read? A good question, and one to which I'm not even sure I have the answer. Best I can come up with is this, which also serves as some background information on yours truly:
My job has allowed me to build up a large reserve of what we call "days owing". I'm supposed to work a 5-day week like you regular working stiffs (!), but in covering sporting events around the world often end up working for seven days in a row (Open golf), two weeks straight (Wimbledon) or even three weeks (Olympic Games).
Those extra two, four and six days have all added up over more than 11 years with the same company, and reached a high point of 123 at one stage last year.
Recently the pressure has been on to clear some of this backlog (106 days at last count despite taking January and February off this year!) so I've taken the odd week off here and there - including New Year's Eve in Vegas baby :) - and now the whole of February and March.
During that time I plan on playing poker ~professionally, safe in the knowledge I'm still getting a regular pay check and have a job I can go back to with no worries. Hence the blog. Keeping this updated regularly as I build up to that time will be invaluable to get me into the right mindset (a horrible American phrase but what the hell) and keeping proper records, buying PokerTracker etc.
One of the meanings of the symbol ~ is apparently "poor approximation" so I'm not promising instant riches and World Series bracelets, but hopefully it'll be fun while it lasts.
Enjoy!
Why write a blog nobody might ever read? A good question, and one to which I'm not even sure I have the answer. Best I can come up with is this, which also serves as some background information on yours truly:
My job has allowed me to build up a large reserve of what we call "days owing". I'm supposed to work a 5-day week like you regular working stiffs (!), but in covering sporting events around the world often end up working for seven days in a row (Open golf), two weeks straight (Wimbledon) or even three weeks (Olympic Games).
Those extra two, four and six days have all added up over more than 11 years with the same company, and reached a high point of 123 at one stage last year.
Recently the pressure has been on to clear some of this backlog (106 days at last count despite taking January and February off this year!) so I've taken the odd week off here and there - including New Year's Eve in Vegas baby :) - and now the whole of February and March.
During that time I plan on playing poker ~professionally, safe in the knowledge I'm still getting a regular pay check and have a job I can go back to with no worries. Hence the blog. Keeping this updated regularly as I build up to that time will be invaluable to get me into the right mindset (a horrible American phrase but what the hell) and keeping proper records, buying PokerTracker etc.
One of the meanings of the symbol ~ is apparently "poor approximation" so I'm not promising instant riches and World Series bracelets, but hopefully it'll be fun while it lasts.
Enjoy!
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