Looking back over the year

December 12th to 27th.


It has been 2 weeks since I last updated my blog and so much has happened.

Poker wise I have played the Sunday Million twice and came 174th and 140th in succession. The week I came 174th was a little upset as I played virtually perfect poker and did not make 1 mistake throughout. A good weeks work on line collecting nearly $2,000.00 each week for a few hours work.
Live. I have managed to get some Christmas money in the NLH game and also the dealer’s choice I play in on a Monday.

Christmas is fast approaching as is 2009.
I have spent the last few months thinking about my life and what direction I would like it to go in for next year.
What do I want to be doing?
Who do I want to be doing it with?
How can I make this happen?


BACK TO BASICS

This is the long over due and needs to be done if I want to carry on as a successful poker player!
2008 Was my first losing year in 12 years and there is a reason for this that I can change.

I have been very lucky over the past12 years, I have learned a lot on the way and managed to pay for my crazy lifestyle. Poker is a sick game and a bad run was due (I guess). 2008 for me was a time where I was going through a lot in my life so my focus was not 100% on the game, this does not help and with pressure and the mind wondering the results would only show 1 thing. Bad news.

I couldn’t win a race, I couldn’t win a 75% / 25% not even AA v any 2 cards, that’s how bad it was. This wasn’t for a week or two or even a month. This was for about 6 months. I did stop playing so much and re evaluated my game. I tried a lot of things but there was really only 1 thing I needed to do.
Change my life………………

Over the years I have played in small games, big games, easy games hard games……The truth is if you are greedy and want to make big money you need to play in big games with more risk- In the bigger games you usually find that the standard of poker is a little better and they are also a lot more astute to read you…
I have kept books for years on my profit and loss and when I used to play small stakes and win 100K a year with a few cashes in tourneys tax free the first thought is to move up stakes. When I started playing in bigger games I noticed the obvious, when I was winning I was winning more and when I was losing I was losing more. Problem was when I was wining I was enjoying it and spending the money and when I was losing it affected me and my life and I needed to find the money to pay for this.
I am not really a saver of money. If I have ever wanted something I did it or bought it and did not care what the costs, just the way I am. This started to cause me a problem when after 2 months the income was not coming in. I was making final tables in big events and not managing to win and taking small chunks which covered expenses and a little was left over. I had a girlfriend that drove me insane and did not understand me and poker. My hands were never standing up and my draws not coming in. I played in a big PLO game in Spain one I can dream of finding here in the UK I couldn’t win there, I couldn’t win anywhere.

I decided to move back to the UK for a while and come and spend time with the ones I am close to and love.
Spain was great but it has changed a lot over the years and I needed to move forwards with my life as I am 30…………….WTF where did time go!

I wrote a TV show over 3 years ago that I have tried and tried to get out there, I know I am byest but it is the nuts and it would be so big. I have also got plans for 2 new businesses which require me working again and working hard and putting poker to one side which is not easy to do when it is your only source of income.

After much thought I have decided that I will play poker twice a week now and focus on building the business as poker will be there in 2 years, 10 years even 25 years if that is how long it takes.
There is more to life than poker and I need to start enjoying myself again.

Poker is like a drug, it can get to a stage of unhealthiness where you never go out anymore unless it is to play poker as all you want to do is play. You end up feeling when you are out like all you want to do is play poker or that you have nothing to say for yourself except talk poker….. This can be due to the way it affects your mind.
I needed to get out from this and back to feeling good about myself and life.
This was going to take a lot of self help and time but if I didn’t do it then my life could soon be over and I would be a very sad lonely man with no life, this was not what I have been planning for 30years so I need to change!

Today I feel a new man, I have read books and helped myself decided what I want from my life and set plans for making them reality.
I know what I want; I know how I can achieve it, now I have to make it happen.

POKER
Back to basics.
Smaller games regular income, 1000 a week live and 1000 a week on line over the year is 100,000 like earning 200,000 and paying tax but for only 2 days work a week plus the odd tourney.


WORK.
I will now have 5 days and nights a week to work on building my empire without worrying about money coming in.

BUSINESS
Focus and dedicate time and energy. I used to be a work-a-holic I know what hard work is and I am prepared for it again. 2 years hard work now will give me 50 years of fun and happiness.

FAMILY
I love my family and they have helped me through this tough year. I am close to my mum, dad and brother and I want to thank them all for there support.
I have never lied about my gambling or poker playing wins or losses I am true to myself and I know it is the only way to be.
I love my niece and nephew and the more time I spend with them the more I want my own kids.

Christmas is not the same without children around, I stayed with my brother, his wife and the kids over Christmas eve and spent Christmas day at my Dads with all the family. It has been a while since we all had a Christmas together and it made it all so clear. I can’t believe I am saying this but I think I am ready for my own family.

Since all of these discovery’s and changes in my life things have gone from strength to strength, my confidence is back and my zest for life is back.
I could be down and miserable but that will get me nowhere. I have plans for my great life and I think I am lucky that I have a second chance and I will make the most of it.

2009 is almost here
I will spend this year getting everything I want. It will not be easy but if it was then I guess everyone would be happy.

Wishing you all a Very Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy new year.

ECOOP III Main Event $1000 NLH

ECOOP III Main Event.

1Chickendinner is my screen name as chickndinner has been taken.

SO there were 5 freerolls on Betfred poker where in each one 2 people won 5% of my winnings.
I wanted to win this event as did about 1200 other players.

The structure was good and I was sure many players would not be used to this for an online event so there would and should be a lot of people over betting/calling or donking off their chips early on.

5000 chips and level 1 was 20/40 I saw a player K61C6 double up with 22 V AA on a 728 board. How I am not sure but he did. I knew that I had a good table all I needed to do was get a hand and bet it and I would be called.
I limped with 33 UTG the flop came QQ3 and there were 4 players in the hand. I checked and a player bet out and the other 2 folded I decided no need to slow play and I check raised him 3 times his bet. He called and the turn was a 9. I bet the pot and he called. Now I know he must have a Queen so why is he only calling? Does he think I am bluffing and wants me to bet the river? The river was 7 and I moved all in. I thought that I could check call but I was sure he would pay me as he was a bad player. He did call me with QT. I ended level 1 with 8620 chips.

While playing this comp I am playing the 35K on cripto and a HORSE tourney on Poker Stars waiting for the Sunday Million.

In level 2 I got involved in a hand and managed to lose nearly the minimum. I had A8 on a flop of A24 I check called the flop as not sure where I was then an 8 on the turn. Again I check called as now I thought I was ahead and he would have to bet again. I decided not to raise for some reason and bet the river to get paid by like a weaker A or even TT or something like that. The river was a 9 so I bet out only 450 to get a caller and now they raised me 550 more! Well I wrote in the chat you must have a set WP but I had to call. He did have 22 and flopped a set but I was happy to get away with that. Still have 6700.

I am in the blinds in level 4 and I am raised to 300 there is then a re-raise to 800 and I decide to flat call with QQ could argue both ways against this but the tourney had a good structure and new I could outplay and build chips so didn’t feel the need to gamble all of them in 1 hand. The flop was K67 and with a bet and a call after I checked I decided to fold.
Blinds are now 50/100 and there are 2 limpers in MY pot lol. I raised to 500 and got 1 caller. 89J he checked and I bet the pot, he called the turn was a 2 and he checked again? Weird I moved all in and he called after thinking for a while with TT.
I was a little surprised he check called the flop and didn’t check raise and if he was check calling the turn why he did not move in on the 2 on the turn especially as he was prepared to call if I moved all in. The river paired the board and I was now up to 11650.

Level 5 100/200

I am on the BB again and for some reason people like to attack my BB, even though I have defended it very strongly up to now and won most the pots I have played.
So the button makes it 600 to play so I decided to re-raise as I have some spare chips to 1900. He called. The flop was 57J all spades and as I was first to act I thought I would steel the money in the pot as I was 100% sure I had the best hand at the time unless I was unlucky and he flopped a flush. If he had a draw he could call me as a dog and I would take my chances. He folded and I picked up another 2K.

2 hands later I was on the button and the player UTG made a minimum raise. This could mean 1 of many things especially as he had big chips. He got 2 callers so I decided to see a flop in position for cheap with TT. Th 3h 4c was the flop player 1 bet out big, player 2 moved all in and now it was on me I was sure off my move ALL IN he called very quickly. So this was a 13,500 pot with 900 players left and an average stack of only 6500. Player 1 UTF had A6h and the other player had KQh couldn’t be better than that. 4 outs only and a ten out redraw if they hit the turn. 9sQs and that is 2 fish with 1 hand. (Sounds better than 2 birds with 1 stone)
I now have 21,345 in chips and am second on the leader board. (Average chips for 225 players and we are still 900). Chip leader has 29K
Next hand I win a little more form a donkey with TJ that just does not believe and I check it down to win another thousand.

I was playing well and getting a good feel for players at my table the only problem was that I was moved tables so many times it was difficult but with a big stack it is easier. I face an all in from a player in early position. OK he should have me beat with A9 but a player also with a lot of chips had called and I was more interested in making and winning a side pot. I decided I wanted to see how he plays a bit before I go to war with him. I managed to see AJ which I think is a bad call but at least I got some information.
Level 6 was only 1 minute away and I raised it up in mid-late position with 66. I was called in 1 spot and the flop of K43 seemed ok as we both checked and with a 2 on the turn he moved all in. Did I need to play this hand? No was the answer I came up with as I did not need to take the gamble to bleed chips.

So here was mistake number1.

A player in late position with about 6750 in chips makes it 600 (3 x bb) there are running antes now of 20 so there is 500 in the pot each hand.
The small blind called and I called. The flop was AdJd4c. Small blind had 14K and I had 22K. I also checked and the raiser made it 1299, the SB folded and I decided to min raise to see where I was. He pushed all in and now I knew I was in trouble. He could though have a number of hands here but I knew I was drawing thin but had to call….or did I?
I did call knowing it is a bad call but I was getting just over 3/1. He turned over AA and that was me done. Back down to 15K. SICK but that’s poker.
I build up a few chips again in small pots but now am not getting any cards to play with. (Not that that has stopped me before) I ended the level with 14,405 in chips and in position 119/645.

Next level 150/300 with a 30 ante.

With my tight image at the table and not having played many hands for a while I decided to minimum raise UTG with 77 to start the action.
It ended up only the BB calling and folding to a bet on the flop.
I mess about in a fe more pots winning some and losing others.

Level 8 200/400 (40) I was down to 12, 100
So it was in this level I made mistake number 2.
This is what happened in the hand. I made it 1000 to play with 9 T hearts on the button and the big blind calls. The flop is rainbow 3QJ and they checked! My mistake was not betting here! I also checked. The 4 spades came on the turn and again he checked so I checked. The river was the 7 hearts he bet 400 which I read for a value/stop bet and put him on a pair from 22 up to 99 including hitting the 4 or 7 to make a pair. Problem was I didn’t think for long enough as not much time in these things. I decided to raise to put on pressure as he does not need to call me with these kind of hands especially for a couple of thousand more. I did make it 2400 and he called instantly. Now I would say 95% of the time that I would make this play I would have the best hand but they call all the time so a little bit of a silly play from me as I should have bet the flop. Then I could go on a represent more of a hand after the river. I understand his call but still it was nearly half his chips to make it…. Good call.
Now I only have 9,500 and am 289/463

I was a lot lucky in a way that there was a very aggressive player 2 to my right (BSINCLAR) who was always raising. I decided to re-raise a few rimes so I could pick up the spare 2K in the pot. This was working a lot for me and keeping me in the game. Maybe 1 time he would call me but then I would have a chance at the double up.
I just get myself back to about 13K and with BSINCLAR on the button while it is my BB I always expected action. This time I see I have AA in the BB and of course not 1 person put 1 chip into the pot, not the button, not the small blind!!!! LOL Marvelous.

Level 10 300/600 (60)
So I am trying to win $350,000 in this tourney and $185,000 in the Sunday Million. We are already down to 1300 players in the Sunday Million from like 7500 and I am now finally getting back into the game and have average chips.

So I am in the BB again and this time the button min raises me. I call with KQ. 3 6 8 and I check he moved all in…… bit unfair I think!!!!!!!! 23K is now the average and we are down to 270 players. I need to get some chips

I am now at all in poker stage. There is 1500 in the pot each hand and I have to move all in or pass. I win a few of these all ins with no callers but in reality I want a caller and to double up, unless I can do this 10 times without a caller!

I decided to fold a few hands with an Ace in as there had been action before me and didn’t feel good about it. I ended the level with 9855 chips.
Level 11 400/800 (80)
CARD DEAD is not the word, on top of this there were players in every pot putting chips in before it got to me so I could not even make any moves.
I was cheered up a bit as in the Sunday Million we were now in the $money$ and I doubled up with AA and then got AA again and some action.

I find A6 in the cut off with no action before me I move all in and the button calls me with AJ. I do not like the call myself in fact I would not make the call as against the range of hands I could have the value is not correct to cal of chips to a low stack. I could have a pair, a bigger A or KQ 67 etc….. there is no getting me off the hand I alreadyodea
odeao moved all in. Anyway he called and had me dominated just how I like itJ
I did get to see a 6 on the flop but sitting next to it was a Jack and with no more help that was it from me, 205th.

I was not a happy person as on top of this I just lost 2 3 outers in the Poker stars comp and was out of that too. Final hand was AKs v A2os of course I lost that for a pot of 165K

Sorry to all the people who won a share of me.
In the long run you will benefit from these shares and I am sure we will be doing more of these kind of things in the future with BETFRED.

I am of to the Poker Million final tonight. There are 4 Irish players in and the winner from chase the chair competition.
I hope young Eoghan O’dea wins. I like him as a person and also as a player. Marty Smith, well 3 years on the trot at the final table of the poker million! This is an achievement alone, also a good man and good player. There will be a lot of people funking for Liam Flood and the underdogs.
It will be great to watch and the party will go on through the night that I am sure.

December in the UK

December in the UK

Not the best thing to do but not a choice at the moment.

Since I was running so bad I have stopped playin for a while and I only either play in small cash games for fun or in some home games with friends for a laugh and a good time.

So will not mention the small cash games as I can only be glad that they are small.
My brothers friends boys game.

Should be fun played there a few times we all have a laugh.
Ten pound buy in for 100 chips and it is pot limit hold em with 2 and 4 blinds.

I enjoy playing in these games as I can relax and not lose to much though trying to control yourself not to play every hand is not easy……. Problem is the hands to take a while as in all home games especially after smoking a little.
Another problem in this game is I manage to lose all self control and eat so much crap like sweets, crisps and chocolate it is not funny.

So back to the game now I am happy to break even at the end but losing is not on the agenda in any game I play.
I am up about 20 quid and somehow I manage to lose and lose and lose and lose and lose until it starts becoming a little embarrassing. I wont bore you with the details but runner, runner and 2 or 3 outers are most of them but to be fair I did go in for a few draws and missed.
So here we are now in for 100 pounds that is right 10 buy ins and you can only get 10 pound at a time. What you think the chances of me making it back are? Hey it all fun especially as the 10th buy in is given to you FREE MONEY YEEAAHHHHH!!!!!!!

So I ended the night pulling a little back and saving some face but not that much.

Back home and work it is for a while setting up a new business is not easy and wasting time playing is not the best idea till all the main work is out of the way unless of course there is some spare time.

My brother found the old super Nintendo and also golden tee with can be played on the TV. Not sure if you have ever played this or know what it is… It is a golf game that used to be in most pubs might even still be in them, This is the old version though and no modern graphics or funky things you can use to play better. O school style.
Well I am addicted and I was runnin tings for a while on that front but recently my brother seems to have taken over. Though we both shoot unbelievably low scores I drop vital holes in match play which is not good.
I told him I had a dream of a hole in 1 as I have had a few eagles and was desperate to get a hole in 1.
He said I think ill get it since I have had a real one before.
So the other night we were playing and he was 3 up on the 12th. Par 3 270 yards or so and he hits the ball, what can I tell you it headed to the green bounced and rolled straight in. I am running bad I said and of course congratulated him.

Next up Mario carts and super soccer on the super Nintendo. This is fun and again very old school we play this a few times a week and it is close in both.
Last night though I plugged in the Super Mario game from like 20 years ago and started to play. Memories came flooding back of when I was younger playing this trying for weeks and weeks to complete the game.
Object of the game: You start with only 3 lives, there are 4 sections in the game and each section has 3 courses. You have to get through each course in a certain time and avoid being killed or falling down. Collecting 100 coins gets you an extra life and there are extras to collect on route. At the end of each level there are 2 doors to go through one at the top and 1 at the bottom. If you go through the top door you can win lives but it is not easy.
So to complete may take like an hour or so but trying to remember all the special places to go and collect extras and trying to recollect what each level is and seeing what creatures are trying to kill you is not to easy.
I manage to get half way though the game to the end of level 3:2 with about 9 lives. I was feeling good. It started to get harder and harder and by the time I got to the last level 4:3 I only had 4 lives.
OK this was a hard one and I was getting close to the end. Finally I got to the end with 3 lives and I was at the crucial part where you have to fire at a cloud with birds coming out of it that kill you. So you need to avoid hitting a bird which fly all over the place in a small space kill the birds while avoiding them and also hit the cloud with bullets a certain number of times until it explodes.
I lost a life trying this and was down to 2 lives. I finally managed to do it and I dropped the control and looked at my brother who I thought was watching to say I did it all excited obviously it was a massive achievement and fun. Then I saw he was asleep and on top of that I had forgotten that after the cloud bit there was 1 last job that needed to be done to free princess and complete the game.
A spaceship comes out and fires a fire ball while moving up and down forward and backwards. Problem was the 1 ball turns into 3 balls and you need to avoid them all.

So while I was celebrating the spaceship came up and killed me now I had to do this all again including the cloud bit with the birds with only 2 lives. I was determined. To do this but with 2 lives it was a challenge
I also forgot to tell you Mario can either be big or small to get big you either have to find and eat the plant or win it going through the top door at the end of each level. If you are big and get hit you only go to small and when you are small and get hit you lose a life.
I lost a life trying this again as I did not manage to get a plant to eat on the way to the cloud and on my final go I got through the cloud and onto the ship but I was only small.
It was like being at a basket ball game with 1 second on the clock and a player throwing the ball up in the air and waiting to see if it went through the hoop.
The fire balls were coming at me hard and fast and I still needed to fire at the ship. I actually think it was a miracle and finally it was complete. With no second chance if I failed and an hour and a half wasted I would not have been in a good mood. Luckily for me it all worked out and I went to bed happy and satisfied.
Sad really how easy I am to please.

So that’s my life fun I know……..

PS I have not forgotten about the final of the 888 open I just don’t want to spoil it if you are planning to watch it when it is on TV.

Next time I will let you know how I got on at TNP (Thursday night poker) this is the friendly home game with my brother and also the 100 re-buy at the Vic which is a new comp each week on a Tuesday.

Good Luck and if you won 5% of me in the ECOOP III then you are onto a good thing!