Lady Luck Is My Bitch!

I have been quite ill over the last few weeks, but that has not stopped the positive results.

Tournament successes since last time:- I did not play the sattelite last Thursday for the GCBPT final in Bristol, instead went down to local casino and played the deepstack, again down to final 3, chip leader and we did a deal.

Went throught to Edinburgh casino and played the freezeout on Tuesday (result 5th no prize, I did knock out a good friend with 45 spades after a flop of 445, he was also designated driver for the night so that was fun :D)

Friday £10 rebuy game, 57 players, £2500 in the pot, I got down to last 6, blinds started to increase, I was 2nd in chips, decided to to a deal for around £400 each.

Cash results :- Played the local cash game, sat down with £110, left with £385, pretty cooler hand, again for my good friend who I bust with 45. He flat calls £4 straddle, I raise £4 with £16, he goes £50 total. I go all in for £160 more, (I have KK) he doesn't instacall so know it aint AA, he calls with QQ. Quite a cooler, and board does not improve him, shipping me a decent pot.

Online: HAS BEEN GOING SPECTACULARLY WELL.

I am managing the money better, not depositing, actually withdrawing some! Not tilting, really happy with results recently. I have also been running like Jesus (as usual some of u will say!) so that helps.

Few interesting hands from online sessions.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?3492892 600 euro pot with A10, ship it ;) (going through hand again, it was one of these mind games and he thought i thought he thought ones! Unfortunately it was on the boss network, so no idea what he had. Thinking Worse A (as no draws there) or one of those that cant lay KK in that spot.


http://www.pokerhand.org/?3502131 (When u play 45 of clubs, it helps to flop the flush :D)

http://www.pokerhand.org/?3508477 ($200+ pot, yeah I call with bottom pair, 5 kicker, Kenny Tran would have been proud with that one. Again I'm going with my reads, he button raised alot, and max I was giving him credit for was A high, although I was trying to get him off it by representing the 10!!! His button raise with K7 diamonds cost him $100 :D

http://www.pokerhand.org/?3500305 (just to show how well im running when i get big hands!)

http://www.pokerhand.org/?3508490 (Always nice to flop a set)


In summation!

I am playing well, and I believe that there is a spot of me running well, but I've earned it, I ran bad for 3 months and it almost broke me, but I tweaked parts of my game, and if I get tagged a luckbox like ivey then I am happy with that company ;)

Tonight I play the sattelite for the Bristol main event, if I qualify in this form......they may aswell start writing my name on the winners cheque ;)

P.S

I'm still ill and not feeling great, so lucozade, grapes, oranges (any fruit actually!) and little cute texts are all welcome ;)

Good luck

Barry xx

Rolling, Rolling, Rolling

Things have been good recently, playing very well, making good decisions, and getting my money in ahead most of the time!

I have been in top 3 of last three deepstack games at local casino, and got a 2nd in the sunday game, final tabled game in Edinburgh (went out 5th) and my cash game results have been good.

It is a definite mindset shift, I am now playing within my bankroll, and dropping down limits if need be, and just generally feel very positive about my game.

The GCBPT main event is in the first week of December, £1500 buy in. I really want to play this game and have the money available to directly buy in (something I would not have hesitated to do in the past) But spening £1500 on a buy in for a tourney plus hotel and travel is just negative EV!!

I can use this money to further build my bankroll towards the target of vegas next year!

As a result, my only option is to sattelite in!

I am playin the $150 sattelite on gala poker tonight, so hopefully my next blog is about how I am so great and won a package to the main event in Bristol ;)

Watch this space :P

Good luck at the tables

Barry xx

Just Variance!

So I played the £100 and £75 freezeouts at the Aberdeen Masters, never really got going in the £100 game, pushed 10bb with 910 hearts, AK called, he hit a house! £75 game, was just brutal, I was the victim of set over set! (Only second time it has happened to me live, and in same casino!!) just a cooler, even knocked out Negreanu in the main event this year :P.

After a superb prior week of cashing for $1k for 2nd in the Betfair $5k GTD, £580 at tournament in Dundee, I was starting to add to the roll.

Aberdeen cost around £250 inc expenses, cash results from the week live. Up £170 on the Saturday, down £200 Sunday (dealers choice, i was letting off steam from the Aberdeen set over set!) Down £150 Monday night, walked into Ali's quads. SICK! :D

Took a big downswing online cash as well, but I withdrew a large proportion and still showing good profit.

So lessons from all this??

I'M LEARNING!

Poker is a fascinating game, I really love the game, all aspects. You have to see the bigger picture, you cannot go on one pot, or even one week, or a month!

All young players want instant results, and instant success (in everything, not just poker!) But Poker is a euphemism for life.........

And sayings such as "Good things come to those who wait" and "Patience is a virtue" etc all ring true.

I have been playing the best poker of my life recently, what used to be reckless aggressive bluffs (are I hope now educated moves!) and what used to be a fire a 3rd bullet just to win a pot, is now a check muck if i deem that to be the optimal play for the situation.

The key point I remind myself every time I play.... I am in poker for the long run, I have a thirst for it, and no amount of badbeats, downswings or donk plays is gonna keep me out of the game.

What I love about Poker is you can always start from fresh, stick $100 in an online account and the sky truly is the limit. ;)

Plans for this month:-

Played a hell of a lot over the last month, I am going to reduce the hours at cash and only play when I really feel like playing and feel like I will make good decisions and play my top game.

Play more tournaments, in the £20-£50 range online.

Only Live tournament will be Thursday night £50 freezeout at local casino, for the social aspect mainly, and nice to pick up around £800 for first now and again ;)
Good Luck at the tables

Barry