I want you to read some stuff

Not been playing a huge ammount of poker, I've been working on a few ideas I've had for some time. I recently made the decision to acutally run with some of them and see if they are viable.

PLEASE....if any of you get/have an idea, then please take action on it straight away. If it fails, then u have got it out of your system and can go onto something else.

There is nothing worse than procastination (this basically means "putting things off" for some of the less educated or younger readers :P) Putting off starting or finishing an idea is SO BAD....

I think it leaves your mind cluttered in some way, that you still think of it from time to time, but as you never take action on it, you go round and round in circles.

I did play some of the gala festival, no scores..Decent tourneys and the fields were ok for the games I played. I like the look of some of the new G schedule games and may get down to play those.

I said I wanted you to read some stuff, and I think this is aimed mainly at the younger players (below 30, so sorry MJS :D) JOKING ASIDE, this is relevant for ABSOLUTELY ANYONE......as it's never to late to do something great with your life.

I found a couple of things that deal with issues that maybe some of you think about/face.....

Here is the first one... It's on finding your true passion or life purpose.....

Some people ask, “What if I haven’t found my
true passion?”
It’s dangerous to think in terms of “passion”
and “purpose” because they sound like such
huge overwhelming ideas.
If you think love needs to look like “Romeo
and Juliet”, you’ll overlook a great relationship
that grows slowly.
If you think you haven’t found your passion
yet, you’re probably expecting it to be
overwhelming.
Instead, just notice what excites you and what
scares you on a small moment-to-moment
level.
If you find yourself glued to Photoshop,
playing around for hours,
dive in deeper. Maybe that’s your new calling.
If you keep thinking about putting on a
conference or being a Hollywood screenwriter,
and you find the idea terrifies but intrigues
you, it’s probably a worthy endeavor for you.
You grow (and thrive!) by doing what excites
you and what scares you everyday, not by
trying to find your passion.


The second one is an excellent little poem, I advise you to not just read it...but read it without any background noise......and really take it in and think about it ;)

The Man in the Glass

When you get what you want in your struggle for self
And the world makes you king for a day,
Just go to the mirror and look at yourself
And see what that man has to say.

For it isn’t your father or mother or wife
Whose judgment upon you must pass.
The fellow whose verdict counts most in you life
Is the one staring back from the glass.

You may be like Jack Horner and chisel a plum
And think you’re a wonderful guy.
But the man in the glass says you’re only a bum
If you can’t look him straight in the eye.

He’s the fellow to please-never mind all the rest,
For he’s with you clear to the end.
And you’ve passed your most dangerous, difficult test
If the man in the glass is your friend.

You may fool the whole world down the pathway of years
And get pats on the back as you pass.
But your final reward will be heartache and tears
If you’ve cheated the man in the glass.


So that's it, read those two bits, that's your homework for this week.

It's my birthday on Monday, I'll be 27, Tempus fugit

Cheers and good luck, in life and at the tables.

Freerolling, Rolling, Rolling

I've started to play the Monday night freeroll game at gala, actually it's £2 to get in with unlimited £10 rebuys for first hour now.....So technically not a freeroll, but my recent results in it suggest it's a freeroll for me :P

2nd/73
5th/88
14th/89

Three weeks in a row, brag over :P.....

All joking aside this is probably the best game of the week available in Dundee, certainly the biggest pot, always over £2k (weeks i've played) and was £2800 one of those weeks!! Great pot for a monday night. I advise as many of you to get sick lines ready for Tuesdays (if you work) and play the game :D

Other business.............

The Pokerstars UKIPT Edinburgh leg starts this Thursday 19th August, I have sold 25% of myself just now. If I don't sell another 25% then I wont be playing the main event.........however, tonight (Sat 14th August) there is a sattelite on pokerstars £82 buy in with 25 Seats Guaranteed. I will be playing this game, if I get my seat this way, then I will be refunding my backers and have 100% of myself :D

This is what I've decided regards the Edinburgh games this year, I've already spent some cash on sattelites on pokerstars and a little live.

So here is hoping I get my seat tonight :D.............If not, then I should make it through for one or some of the side events.

Here is the schedule again for the Edinburgh games.

Oh nearly forgot, if you are friends with me on facebook, have a look at my latest photo album, it's look a likes from over 40 people from the local poker scene :D

If you are not friends with me on facebook, then add me, if i recognise your face....I will accept you :P

Martin said he is going to take some of then and put them on pokerindundee.com as a sort of rogues gallery :D

I hope everyone likes their look a like! And takes them in good humour :D

Good Luck at the tables

Cheers

Barry xxx

Taking Shots and why you probably should to!

August seems to be a massive month for poker in Scotland, local players can look forward to having the latest leg of the Pokerstars UKIPT right on their doorstep. Also, the following week sees Gala put on their August festival.

From speaking to a few local players, it seems that there are a few local players going to be making the trip through, and a decent amount will be playing the main event. (I know Eddie G has won a seat for the main event, so he will be there....although in winning the seat he has probably exhausted his coinflip lives and will therefore pose no real threat at your table :P!!!) Although Edinburgh is a lucky hunting ground for Dundee players, so who knows!!

Here is the full schedule for the UKIPT Edinburgh Leg.

Personally, I will be looking to play the main event and possibly one of the £100 side events..I will probably look at selling %'s of myself up to a maximum of 50% to play the main event.....If I don't do this, buying in for the full £550 will be a decision made nearer the time...(factors will be bankroll, mood and drive).....So we shall see.

One of my friends has recently moved to Edinburgh and has offered me a place to stay if I need it, so I might take advantage of this and look to play the £100 side event on the Thursday and play day 1b on the Friday for the main event.

If i don't play the main event, then I will play a few of the side events and look to play the £100 6-max event on the Sunday, that looks very good and you don't often see events like that in local schedules.

These are my provisional plans for Edinburgh.

Through speaking with a few local players, something hit me, many of them (particularly the younger ones) haven't played any bigger buy in tourneys like the £500 main event.

I'm in my 3rd year of playing poker, but I've played quite a few £500 buy in games and one £1k buy in. I've taken shots playing these events, and have never been properly rolled to play them.... However, the old cliche of "You have to be in it to win it" definitely applies.

What might appear as reckless money management to some, I see it as a massive +EV spot!! and I would advise any poker player (particularly us younger ones, to take these shots)

I see it as such..............

A £550 or a £1k buy in tourney comes around, it gets the juices flowing and you want to play it, you have delusions of grandeur (these are healthy :D).

I would say if you play poker and don't have some sort of lofty goal or drive to do better, then you should just give up! Is that not what it's about?? Whether it's to win a big live tourney, simply play in a WSOP event or make a million playing cash games!

I think every player should have poker goals......and take some sort of action to put them on the road to achieving them.

So ask yourself this, "What is the worst that can happen?" answer??? "probably killed in a car crash on the way to Edinburgh....and if u share a car with Kev Wallace, this is at least a 19 outer with two cards to come!! :D

No the answer is of course "lose the buy in" that is £550......

Now contrary to popular belief and my penchant for fine foods and international travel, I'm not a millionaire :P £550 is a chunk of change, but it ain't gonna change your life or my life........ Put £1.50 a day in a jar, and a year later you will have your £550 back anyway :P (If u need to justify this to a spouse, partner or significant other!!)

Winning a live tourney of standing...might, just might give you a kick start in both life and poker. That type of score gives you a proper roll from to build etc etc, you might then choose to play more live tourneys, make the WSOP and bring a bracelet back to the Gala :P

I'm off on a tangent, but I wont you to dream, as that's mainly what you, me and anyone is getting for their £550 buy in.....A dream, a chance to sit and think, "Fuck, it could be me in this room that is going to bink this"

You see....the downside is £550, but the upside is effectively unlimited!

So spending £550 on a tournament buy in is not for everyone, and may even seem vulgar to those with a non degenerate brain!

But trust me, you won't regret it!!!!

From my experience, I've played a few large buy ins, does it hurt when you bust?? YEP....Do you sometimes take a little bit longer to get into your game?? YEP (the first big buy in i played (£550 game Colin won), i played like gary dalson on his last bullet for the first hour!!!!, But then you should get the same epiphany.......

It's a table, 9/10 handed, 52 cards and little plastic things that u throw in to the middle.

Do I regret the shots I've taken?? Throwing off £550 chunks of my bankroll chasing rainbows??? The answer is no, you can replace £550........but you can't replace a feeling of regret for not taking shots while you can......and indeed probably should.

To quote Michael Jordan "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take"

Now CAVEAT EMPTOR on this advice, and indeed all my blog posts :P........

This is right for me, and my situation etc etc........

Since a young age I've taken what seem like massive risks to other people, in my travelling and buying and selling exploits, I refuse the safety of a 9-5 (no it's not cause I can't get up at 9'o clock, it's because I know there is another way!!)....that's why I laugh when someone called me a nit recently!!

In the game of life, I'm super aggressive, I'll take a shot, a risk a punt, whatever!

I think you should to sometime

Cheers

Barry

An inspiration to all Scottish poker players

I stumbled across this the other day, it is an interview with Scottish pro Rory Mathews. Some of you will be aware of him, but for those who are not.........Started online with £100 or something, built up through the levels to make millions in online cash games, and has an impressive tournament record.

I just thought I would post it as an inspiration for those of you who see poker as more than just a hobby, or more than a fuck about in the gala.

This guy was from Scotland, started with nothing, worked VERY hard at improving his game....Result??? Has made tons of cash and played at the nosebleed stakes on full tilt against durrrr antonious, ivey etc.

Enjoy the interview, I think it's worth listening to.

Cheers

Barry

No internet for 10 days challenge (well ur allowed a little bit!)

My wi-fi was off for around 10 days recently, good old virgin eventually sorted it in the end though. In this 10 days something quite strange happened........I didn't miss it :D.......I thought I would!!

I think you would all be surprised at how much time you kill/waste due to aimless browsing, facebook prowling or watching pointless youtube videos (I could go go on).

I noticed something while my Internet was down........I would take my laptop to my friends or girlfriends and I would "ONLY" do things like check email, and maybe some online banking. But that was all I really "HAD" to do. I used the Internet to accomplish certain tasks, deal with some stuff I sold on eBay, check my bank and reply to an email.

I then switched the computer off as I was in someones company and that would be it.

I can tell you after the 10 days I felt something, don't quite know what! But I would describe it as being fresher, I would say I'm guilty of wasting time online....BUT I didn't for those 10 days! I used the net only when I had a task to do, NOT TO SIT AND WASTE HOURS DOING NOTHING ONLINE.

I think you should all try and do it, and see what you miss, see what you get done with the time not wasted online (Read a poker book!, go for a walk, go to the cinema more, watch some classic films etc)

People moan about not having enough time to do things, start my checking your email only ONCE a day and check facebook ONCE a day.

See if you can do it, if a total internet ban for 10 days is too much.........then start by doing just the two things above! If you can't......you must question your discipline and character!!! :D

So in summation.........................

EITHER...........

Try no internet for 10 days total ban

Or..........only time you can log on is to accomplish a task, i.e send an email, or check ur bank account, something that actually gets something done. CHECKING FACEBOOK IS NOT ALLOWED, you get an email when someone contacts you or sends a message, no other sane reason to be on it to look at updates of people going for haircuts or having a bbq!!!!

Try this out and at the end of 10 days u will thank me, if you don't last the 10 days, there is no penalty, u will still achieve MORE than if u had spent the time aimless browsing.


What has this got to do with poker..........you should know.......but if you don't I'll tell you :D

1. Helps with will power and discipline.

2. At the end of the 10 days you will feel fresher/cleaner/something else I can't put my finger on

3. If nothing else gets done apart from you reading a poker book, it will still improve your game.

Cheers

Barry

P.S

STOP READING BLOGS AND CRAP, AND GO AND HAVE A LIFE, READ A FUCKING BOOK :D xxxxxxx

APAT + Something to aim for

I usually like to write long blog posts, but as it's 2:42am, I can't be bothered! But I've just had an idea, so gonna blog it here so (A) I remember when I wake up, and (B) It's made public so I actually do it!.............

What's been happening.......Not playing much at all recently, couple of small cashes in tourneys, mini profit in a cash session........Been trying to get things going with income source other than poker, that's been going well.

Anyway, on the horizon, I've put my name down to play the APAT game in Aberdeen on Saturday/Sunday. Not sure what travel arrangements etc are yet, will either drive up myself and come home and drive back on the Sunday, or travel up and split fuel costs with person(s) and maybe get a room in Aberdeen. I am going to see Colin tomorrow, so will see if the Wu is planning on playing (15 spots left last I heard).

15k Chips, 45min levels and some added value for winner, good game for the buy in.

So my idea.................................

Martin has had the website changed and it looks much slicker, he's fucking lucky he did! I have just rejected and offer from cardplayer.com to stream my blog posts, he's on his last chance ;) (nice site, well done martins little photshop slave he keeps in a box somewhere)

My idea is to do some sort of challenge, I am a man of leisure and I have relatively tons of time on my hands (we all have 24hrs in a day, but as I am a retired investor living on a pension, I have a pretty flexible schedule!)

As a result, to coincide with the re-design of the site, I'm going to set myself a challenge. It's gonna be pretty much Chris ferguson bankroll challenge, but I wont be starting with a $1..... (too much fucking about and I'm not looking to make that sort of statement!)

Will thrash out the details over the next week or so, and see some peoples opinions on it.

I'm thinking like start with $X and playing cash and sng's build it up to a certain amount. But I can promise you all this.........

I WILL NOT START THIS AND THEN JUST LEAVE IT UNDONE, the only way that will happen is if I go busto in the challenge (NO RELOADS, $100, that's it, build it and they will come!! But I will be using a strict bankroll management so we should get some mileage out of it anyway :D

I'm thinking start with $100, target $5k.............I don't know yet, but something along those lines.....................

I need a challenge just now, and with my tendency to build up small stakes to decent amounts online then either withdraw or LET IT RIDE all the way to bustoville! This should do me good.

As I say, clearer blog and details will appear soon.

If I win the APAT, I might put it off for a while until I have gambled all the winnings from that into oblivion.

Cheers

Barry

When can I SCOOP a SCOOP?

Not played a live tourney since the £100 monthly game in Dundee, to be honest, this is the only live local tourney I can see myself playing for the foreseeable future. It has a good structure and the buy in generates decent money, the days of me wasting time playing £30 tourneys with fields of 17 are over! Not because I find myself financially free or anything, it's just for time and money invested, I can get better spots online.

I have played a few of the Spring Championship of Online Poker events, or SCOOP as it's known! If you have not been playing any of these, then you have been missing out. Missing out on massive fields, huge prizepools, small buy ins with great structured games. TONS OF DEAD MONEY IN THESE TOURNEYS ALSO.

I have played maybe 4, and have cashed in 3 of them. In one I finished 121st out of 16k+ runners and in one last night, I finished 201st from 10500 runners, cashed for $228, but first was $66k!!

If you have not been lucky enough to go deep in these huge tourneys with massive prizepools, then you are missing out. Last nights tourney cost me $44 to play, 1st was $66k, nothing gives you that feeling of going deep in a tourney, NOTHING. Although I prefer playing cash games, even a winning cash session does not come close to a deep run in a big game.

I've been getting deep, and I feel that I am ready to make a final table in one of these major online tourneys.

The main event final is this Sunday, Full Tilt's mini-FTOPS series is on just now as well. There main event is also this sunday, so I can see a monster online session tomorrow.

I am getting deep, and just need the luckbox switch to stay on a little deeper.

ONE TIME GOD

Good Luck

Barry