My loyal fans may have noticed I've decided to change the title of the blog, mainly because the Going ~ Pro experiment thing never really took off thanks to my general laziness etc;
I do have two weeks' off coming up very shortly (from Tue in fact) so I hope to log plenty of hours and grind my way to a healthier bankroll.
It has dawned on me several times the best way for me to make money - namely grinding it out at small stakes where I have an advantage over the donkeys - but I always get bored, move up stakes slightly and after running good for a while perhaps, end up losing a couple of big pots and I'm back where I started it.
I have a bonus to clear at Stars and rakeback on FT so that's where I should be grinding it out mainly, especially as I haven't got used to Party's new software/layout yet.
Saturday, 4 October 2008
Friday, 26 September 2008
So near and yet so far...
So I'm back from the Ryder Cup where Europe were sadly out-putted by the Americans to lose for the first time since 1999 - the only good news being that my debit card wouldn't work on Friday morning when I wanted to back Europe. One bullet dodged there!
Played twice at the Horseshoe Casino in Indiana while staying in Kentucky - gambling is illegal in Kentucky so you have to drive just over the border to an old-fashioned river boat - LOL gotta love America.
First night I blew almost $300, mainly running QQ into a set of Js on a J64 rainbow flop, although I escaped with some of my stack by checking behind on turn and just calling his $60 value bet when board paired on river. Had a nasty feeling he had me beat by the way he check called my c-bet on the flop and then said "AK has shrunk up eh?" when I checked behind on the turn.
Second visit went much better and I turned my $300 buy-in into $1000 in next to no time - all without having better than one pair. It was largely just a case of opponents not catching a draw or sucking out. Eg; I raised AJ, horrible woman calling station calls with A5, flop is A-high, we get it in and I hold. I reraised to $25 pre-flop with QQ, guy behind calls. Flop is 10 5 5, I bet, he shoves for very little more and I call. He has 77.
Won biggest pot without a showdown. I had J10 of hearts in LP and call a raise to $10. Semi-drunk clueless guy in BB I think raises to $45 and loads of people call so I do to. Flop is K J x with two hearts, checked to me and I bet $100 and everyone folds.
Anyway, finally to last night and the "so near and yet so far" bit. Played three tourneys and busted frustratingly in all of them. First was a double shootout to the Sunday Million on Stars - won first table easily as guy I got HU with was clueless, but finished 6th overall with top two getting seats. Won buy-in back!!! Woot.
Then played a PLO8 tourney on Stars and was approaching the cash when I busted with AA5x despite flopping an Ace. Villain called my RR pre-flop with 2356, flopped the low and hit a gutshot straight on turn. Also busted just short of money in HORSE tourney on FT when clown called pre-flop raise in O8 with 2577 and made a seven-high flush to my broadway and went out next hand when a flopped two pair got counterfeited on river by guy who loved his AAxx on a Q 10 2 flop.
But hey, at least I didn't lose this hand below!!!!
Full Tilt $500/$1000 - NL
Seat 4: Ziigmund ($342,506.50)
Seat 6: Ansky451 ($130,499)
Ansky451 posts the small blind of $500
Ziigmund posts the big blind of $1,000
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Ansky451 raises to $3,000
Ziigmund raises to $9,000
Ansky451 calls $6,000
*** FLOP *** [2h 9h 2c]
Ziigmund checks
Ansky451 bets $5,000
Ziigmund raises to $27,000
Ansky451 calls $22,000
*** TURN *** [2h 9h 2c] [6h]
Ziigmund checks
Ansky451 bets $21,000
Ziigmund raises to $306,506.50, and is all in
Ansky451 calls $73,499, and is all in
Ziigmund shows [9c 9d]
Ansky451 shows [Kh 5h]
Uncalled bet of $212,007.50 returned to Ziigmund
*** RIVER *** [2h 9h 2c 6h] [8h]
Ziigmund shows a full house, Nines full of Twos
Ansky451 shows a flush, King high
Ziigmund wins the pot ($260,997.50) with a full house, Nines full of Twos
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $260,998 | Rake $0.50
Played twice at the Horseshoe Casino in Indiana while staying in Kentucky - gambling is illegal in Kentucky so you have to drive just over the border to an old-fashioned river boat - LOL gotta love America.
First night I blew almost $300, mainly running QQ into a set of Js on a J64 rainbow flop, although I escaped with some of my stack by checking behind on turn and just calling his $60 value bet when board paired on river. Had a nasty feeling he had me beat by the way he check called my c-bet on the flop and then said "AK has shrunk up eh?" when I checked behind on the turn.
Second visit went much better and I turned my $300 buy-in into $1000 in next to no time - all without having better than one pair. It was largely just a case of opponents not catching a draw or sucking out. Eg; I raised AJ, horrible woman calling station calls with A5, flop is A-high, we get it in and I hold. I reraised to $25 pre-flop with QQ, guy behind calls. Flop is 10 5 5, I bet, he shoves for very little more and I call. He has 77.
Won biggest pot without a showdown. I had J10 of hearts in LP and call a raise to $10. Semi-drunk clueless guy in BB I think raises to $45 and loads of people call so I do to. Flop is K J x with two hearts, checked to me and I bet $100 and everyone folds.
Anyway, finally to last night and the "so near and yet so far" bit. Played three tourneys and busted frustratingly in all of them. First was a double shootout to the Sunday Million on Stars - won first table easily as guy I got HU with was clueless, but finished 6th overall with top two getting seats. Won buy-in back!!! Woot.
Then played a PLO8 tourney on Stars and was approaching the cash when I busted with AA5x despite flopping an Ace. Villain called my RR pre-flop with 2356, flopped the low and hit a gutshot straight on turn. Also busted just short of money in HORSE tourney on FT when clown called pre-flop raise in O8 with 2577 and made a seven-high flush to my broadway and went out next hand when a flopped two pair got counterfeited on river by guy who loved his AAxx on a Q 10 2 flop.
But hey, at least I didn't lose this hand below!!!!
Full Tilt $500/$1000 - NL
Seat 4: Ziigmund ($342,506.50)
Seat 6: Ansky451 ($130,499)
Ansky451 posts the small blind of $500
Ziigmund posts the big blind of $1,000
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Ansky451 raises to $3,000
Ziigmund raises to $9,000
Ansky451 calls $6,000
*** FLOP *** [2h 9h 2c]
Ziigmund checks
Ansky451 bets $5,000
Ziigmund raises to $27,000
Ansky451 calls $22,000
*** TURN *** [2h 9h 2c] [6h]
Ziigmund checks
Ansky451 bets $21,000
Ziigmund raises to $306,506.50, and is all in
Ansky451 calls $73,499, and is all in
Ziigmund shows [9c 9d]
Ansky451 shows [Kh 5h]
Uncalled bet of $212,007.50 returned to Ziigmund
*** RIVER *** [2h 9h 2c 6h] [8h]
Ziigmund shows a full house, Nines full of Twos
Ansky451 shows a flush, King high
Ziigmund wins the pot ($260,997.50) with a full house, Nines full of Twos
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $260,998 | Rake $0.50
Sunday, 31 August 2008
Quick update (brag)
Just a quick note to say I'm off to Vegas again in a few hours!!!
Got home from the Olympics and only had 3 days off before going back to work on Saturday, where I discovered they'd put me down for a week off next week. Not something I had planned and not 100% ideal given the fact I was not consulted as such, but welcome in some regards after a long 3 weeks in Beijing.
Anyway, I immediately joked "Ooh, chance of a quick trip to Vegas" and was soon looking up last-minute deals to see if I could get a bargain. Wasn't certain to go as I had planned on going in October, but got flights and six nights at The Orleans for just over £500 so eventually talked myself into it.
Booked it about 8pm on Sunday night, flight is 0745 Monday from Heathrow so I've got some packing to do, no sleep, long drive south but at least on empty roads and then hopefully sleep most of the way there.
Going to be first time in Vegas when it's red hot so plan on a bit of sunbathing during the day and poker all night. Orleans has good 4/8 limit 08 game and good cheap tourneys, 5/10 limit 08 at the Mirage, 10/20 at Wynn and hopefully some PLO too.
Wish me luck.
Got home from the Olympics and only had 3 days off before going back to work on Saturday, where I discovered they'd put me down for a week off next week. Not something I had planned and not 100% ideal given the fact I was not consulted as such, but welcome in some regards after a long 3 weeks in Beijing.
Anyway, I immediately joked "Ooh, chance of a quick trip to Vegas" and was soon looking up last-minute deals to see if I could get a bargain. Wasn't certain to go as I had planned on going in October, but got flights and six nights at The Orleans for just over £500 so eventually talked myself into it.
Booked it about 8pm on Sunday night, flight is 0745 Monday from Heathrow so I've got some packing to do, no sleep, long drive south but at least on empty roads and then hopefully sleep most of the way there.
Going to be first time in Vegas when it's red hot so plan on a bit of sunbathing during the day and poker all night. Orleans has good 4/8 limit 08 game and good cheap tourneys, 5/10 limit 08 at the Mirage, 10/20 at Wynn and hopefully some PLO too.
Wish me luck.
Friday, 1 August 2008
Step 6 win!!!!!!
Will try to tidy this up later, but for now just GET THE FUCK IN!!!!
After a miserable few days I almost forgot about qualifying for step 6 on Party because they take ages to get started. Spotted one this afternoon that already had 5 players registered so signed up and didn't have to wait too long.
For those who don't know, it's effectively a $500 "buy-in" STT, 6th-10th get nothing, 4th and 5th get $500, third $700, second $1000 and winner $2,000.
We got down to 6 and it was very cagey as you can imagine, apart from the clown chipleader who could obviously push people around - I'd played the step 5 with him the night before so knew he would blow up eventually.
Anyway, with 6 left I was down to 1380 chips at one stage with the blinds at 150/300 but shoved twice and wasn't called and eventually two guys got knocked out and we were down to four. Won a flip with AQ v donk's 22 and suddenly I'm back in it. Next hand donk raises, I jam with AQ and he instacalls with A5. Now I'm CL HU.
Went on break and when we came back we traded a couple of small hands back and forth until a real cooler. I get AA and limp, he raises as hoped for, I flat call. Flop is K-high, he bets, I raise, he shoves and I call. He has JJ and $2k is mine :)
After a miserable few days I almost forgot about qualifying for step 6 on Party because they take ages to get started. Spotted one this afternoon that already had 5 players registered so signed up and didn't have to wait too long.
For those who don't know, it's effectively a $500 "buy-in" STT, 6th-10th get nothing, 4th and 5th get $500, third $700, second $1000 and winner $2,000.
We got down to 6 and it was very cagey as you can imagine, apart from the clown chipleader who could obviously push people around - I'd played the step 5 with him the night before so knew he would blow up eventually.
Anyway, with 6 left I was down to 1380 chips at one stage with the blinds at 150/300 but shoved twice and wasn't called and eventually two guys got knocked out and we were down to four. Won a flip with AQ v donk's 22 and suddenly I'm back in it. Next hand donk raises, I jam with AQ and he instacalls with A5. Now I'm CL HU.
Went on break and when we came back we traded a couple of small hands back and forth until a real cooler. I get AA and limp, he raises as hoped for, I flat call. Flop is K-high, he bets, I raise, he shoves and I call. He has JJ and $2k is mine :)
Wednesday, 30 July 2008
That joke isn't funny any more
Been a sick couple of days on Full Tilt so I'm taking the liberty of whining about it here.
Started yesterday with some 10/20 HORSE which started badly and just got worse and worse. Sick beat after sick beat which culminated in one guy (who had won a razz hand against another player despite having a K showing and caught runner runner runner low cards) hitting runner runner two pair to beat my KK in stud hi.
Worse was to come. Very next hand I get rolled up JJJ against a guy with AAx. Beautiful, I slowplay it nicely, drop the boom on fifth street and he now can't fold his one pair - he can't have a str8 or flush. Of course he rivers a 1-outer (one Ace had been folded) to make AAA.
So today I'm down to $63 in my account so sign up for 5 cheap STT/MTT's at once.
Bust-outs so far: KK v 99 all-in PF; JJ v A8 all-in pf; AKs v Q9s (he calls a re-raise OOP and flops an OESFD of course LOL) and my personal favourite....
I have 10 6o in BB but see a free flop. A Q 6 it gets checked around. 6 on turn, I shove and get called by KQ. You can guess the river.
I would say I've never been so disillusioned with the game but I probably have been before. But you know you're in trouble when you EXPECT to lose every single time as a 75 or 80% favourite.
That sounds like hyperbole, but it isn't. When I reraised with KK and he called with 99, I just expected him to hit a set, which he did on the turn. Even the flop was 887 to give him some additional outs anyway. And JJ v A8, not even a sweat. A8 on the flop and it's goodnight.
It's probably a good job I'm off to Beijing on Tuesday for the Olympics as I need a break. Also the weather has been really good recently so I've been getting more golf in and a bit of a tan.
Just wish someone would flip the doom switch off at Full Tilt for me too...
Started yesterday with some 10/20 HORSE which started badly and just got worse and worse. Sick beat after sick beat which culminated in one guy (who had won a razz hand against another player despite having a K showing and caught runner runner runner low cards) hitting runner runner two pair to beat my KK in stud hi.
Worse was to come. Very next hand I get rolled up JJJ against a guy with AAx. Beautiful, I slowplay it nicely, drop the boom on fifth street and he now can't fold his one pair - he can't have a str8 or flush. Of course he rivers a 1-outer (one Ace had been folded) to make AAA.
So today I'm down to $63 in my account so sign up for 5 cheap STT/MTT's at once.
Bust-outs so far: KK v 99 all-in PF; JJ v A8 all-in pf; AKs v Q9s (he calls a re-raise OOP and flops an OESFD of course LOL) and my personal favourite....
I have 10 6o in BB but see a free flop. A Q 6 it gets checked around. 6 on turn, I shove and get called by KQ. You can guess the river.
I would say I've never been so disillusioned with the game but I probably have been before. But you know you're in trouble when you EXPECT to lose every single time as a 75 or 80% favourite.
That sounds like hyperbole, but it isn't. When I reraised with KK and he called with 99, I just expected him to hit a set, which he did on the turn. Even the flop was 887 to give him some additional outs anyway. And JJ v A8, not even a sweat. A8 on the flop and it's goodnight.
It's probably a good job I'm off to Beijing on Tuesday for the Olympics as I need a break. Also the weather has been really good recently so I've been getting more golf in and a bit of a tan.
Just wish someone would flip the doom switch off at Full Tilt for me too...
Tuesday, 29 July 2008
Open pics, Royal Birkdale 2008
Took a few photos while covering the Open at Royal Birkdale recently, and here they are. Nothing special but I'm obviously meant to be working and no cameras are allowed on championship days either so had to do what I could.
1 - Not that Drome will ever read this, but this is one of the fleet of Lexuses (Lexi?) which ferry the players around in Japanese "luxury"
2 - The Claret Jug; no explanation needed
3 - The 18th green and mostly empty grandstand during one of the practice days. This is the view from the press waiting area.
4 - Only took a picture of Norman because he was the most famous person on the putting green at the time, three days later he had a two-shot lead going into the final round before finishing third.
5 - Monty and friends!!! A few of us had a laugh at this. These are practice times the players sign up for during each day. Normally it's 2 or 3 at a time, each with their usual mates like Ian Poulter and Paul Casey, Justin Rose and Adam Scott etc; Not for Monty though, bless him...
6 - +1 at the Open, the view from my seat in the press centre. In front is one of the guys from Reuters and of course the giant scoreboard.
1 - Not that Drome will ever read this, but this is one of the fleet of Lexuses (Lexi?) which ferry the players around in Japanese "luxury"
2 - The Claret Jug; no explanation needed
3 - The 18th green and mostly empty grandstand during one of the practice days. This is the view from the press waiting area.
4 - Only took a picture of Norman because he was the most famous person on the putting green at the time, three days later he had a two-shot lead going into the final round before finishing third.
5 - Monty and friends!!! A few of us had a laugh at this. These are practice times the players sign up for during each day. Normally it's 2 or 3 at a time, each with their usual mates like Ian Poulter and Paul Casey, Justin Rose and Adam Scott etc; Not for Monty though, bless him...
6 - +1 at the Open, the view from my seat in the press centre. In front is one of the guys from Reuters and of course the giant scoreboard.
Friday, 25 July 2008
Frankly Mr Shankly....
...I'm deservedly kicking myself up the arse right now (were that physically possible).
Just busted out of the $17.5k guarantee on FT with the most idiotically played hand you are likely to see. Avert your eyes if you like...
I have a decent stack of around 19k, blinds are 150/300 I think. 1 limper, I have QJo on the button and just call (first meh moment). Small blind raises in what looks like a squeeze, limper calls and I call as well (moment 2).
Looks like I've got out of jail when the flop is QQ10, SB c-bets, limper jams and of course I instacall and lose to KQ.
Fucking idiot. Would have been 2nd in chips with the money bubble approaching and even a reasonable cash would have been nice after using a $75 satellite token to get in.
So lucky that I was up on my two omaha hi lo cash tables at the time otherwise I wouldn't have a keyboard to type this on.
Just busted out of the $17.5k guarantee on FT with the most idiotically played hand you are likely to see. Avert your eyes if you like...
I have a decent stack of around 19k, blinds are 150/300 I think. 1 limper, I have QJo on the button and just call (first meh moment). Small blind raises in what looks like a squeeze, limper calls and I call as well (moment 2).
Looks like I've got out of jail when the flop is QQ10, SB c-bets, limper jams and of course I instacall and lose to KQ.
Fucking idiot. Would have been 2nd in chips with the money bubble approaching and even a reasonable cash would have been nice after using a $75 satellite token to get in.
So lucky that I was up on my two omaha hi lo cash tables at the time otherwise I wouldn't have a keyboard to type this on.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
