22 Years old.............downswing continues

Well, poker is still not going my way despite still being pleased with how i am playing. It hard to not to get down about it tbh. This sunday went pretty standardly, in that I continued to run poor. I really dont want the poker aspect of my blog to turn into me complaining about bad beats all the time, as I rarely do complain, but at the moment, it is taking the piss slightly.

Sundays report

Sunday Warmup

Lost half my stack early blind v blind flopping top pair and calling down, should have folded the turn in hindsight. Not to worry, managed to rebuild and get it with 1010 vs 88 and double. Got my stack to about 17k at 400/800, when an aggressive player opened from the cut-off, i found AQs in the sb and shoved, pretty standard that the aggro player has AA there. gg and a fantastic start to a day of pokers.

Ipoker 250k

50/100 level, iv not really played a hand, have about 4.5k. Mp1 opens for 300, Mp2 calls, as does the button, im in the sb with Qc10c and also make the call. Flop comes down a fantastic

3s 9c Jc. Just an open ended straight flush draw. I check, as does the original raiser and then Mp2 fires out 3/4 pot, I have no option here but to shove, I do , he has AA, i brick, gg.

Ipoker 30k

Meh, this is really becoming a list of bad beats about how i bad i run, blah blah. 8k stack 300/600 level, get it aipf with QQ vs 88, you know the rest.

Ipoker 20k

400/800. I have been really cardead. Only have 9.5k and we are nearing the money. The table is very aggressive and there are quite a few short stack to act behind me, so I elect to limp utg+1 with QQ, i would rarely do this. Mp1 insta ships it in for 8.5kish and it seems my crafty plan has worked. I call and he shows KJs. Flop come a nice Q 9 3, tuns a 4, rivers a 10 and i nearly smashed the chair I was sitting on. Ugh

Sunday Millllllllllllllion

Not totally sure if i have the details fom this one right, but its close. I had a biggish stack and lost a flip with JJ vs AK. Was still fine tho. Nitted it up for a long period as my stack size didnt allow me to do alot. Then at 400/800 (some ante), I find AKo utg+1 with a stack of 12.5kish. I make it 2k to go, folds to the Bb who raises to 6400, im obv never folding here, I move in, he calls with 1010 and I miss. Youd swear I was making shit up.

Micro 150k

Managed a deep run in this and really enjoyed it up untill the bust out of course. With 1400 runners I would need alot of luck to win it I ran well throughout the tounry. Flipping well and also beating KK with JJ aipf. With about 30 left I was short, abou 8bbs and shoved utg with AQs, I ran into 1010 and managed to win to put me in good shape. I was feeling super confident. I went super cardead and again, my stack wasnt one in which I could freely raise alot of hands and play the style I play the best. I ended up busting in 19th, it folded to me in cut-off, i found Ah4h with just under 10bbs and jammed. The bb was very short (therefore I like this play more). The sb looked me up with A10 and that was that. Cant complain too much abut this one, not alot I could do. 40k for the win would have been nice though!

I also played the stars 125k but have no idea how I busted:)

Enough of that boring poker crap..............Friday was my 22nd birthday, thats ollllllllld. Anyway, had a steak for lunch on the beach along with a few colds ones. Then chilled at home for a bit, spoke to my parents sisters ect on Skype which waas cool. Then the night began! We headed to this restaurant called Lo, which is michelin star (or equivelent). It was class, even if I and CJ were under dressed. I had grilled paprika prawns for a starter which were awesome and rack of lamb with some sort of ravioli for a main. It was extremely flavoursome and rich in taste but I throughly enjoyed. I washed it all down with many a beer and the always refreshing mojhito.

After dinner we headed to a local bar. It was festival time so it was packed, all locals also. Brazilian tunes banging and everyone dancing. It was pretty cool, managed to meet few very friendly ppl and get a guys phone number who was gonna hook us up for an underground poker club in Fortaleza, sweeeet. Obviously I would have preffered to get a girls number on a night out:)

After a couple hours in the bar we hit the big club we had been to the previous week. The music was awesome and we managed to meet a nice group of girls and have a fun time. When the club closed it was bright.......what to do now? Have a morning swim of course, so we all headed to the beach for a dip, was fairly locked still loved it. Think we decided about 7am it was time to head back to Cumbuco. We jumped in a taxi and were home safe by 7.45. Really fun night.

Today is Wednesday and we move into our new house tommrrow which should be cool, Gavin also arrives tommmrrow. As far as poker I just have to keep at it and not get too down. It`l turn around, I know it will!

A final note.............Managed to find a bar which shows English football..........weeeeeeeee. Great win for the pool tonight!

Laters

Weekend away and fuck off pokerrrrrrrrrrrrrr

After a few rough days at the office myself and the lads decided to take a little holiday. We headed to the nearest city, Fortaleza for the weekend. James (captain organiser) booked us a nice 4 star hotel on the beach front.

Friday night and we headed out for a night on the lash. Well, it was a night like no other I tells ya. We ended up in this mad area with about 5-6 bars with more hookers than iv ever seen in my life. For example, one of the bars, Cafe Del Mar, had perhaps 300 odd hookers, and some of them were the most amazing looking women/girls I had ever seen. Not many guys about either (few fat and bald scando's, but we were defo the youngest). We had a few drinks in a few of these bars, but that was all we did, paying for sex wasn't, or never will be on my agenda. It was a sureal place its gotta be said.

We then headed off to a nightclub, qued for 20 mins only to be told we couldnt wear flip-flops, fml. Back to the hotel for a quick footwear change and we were in business. It was a really cool club with so many different areas. We had a few drinks in the courtyard area and then met a couple of Brazilains girls (one of whom spoke english) and hit the dance part of the club for some leg shaking (dancing you mugs). Music was pretty cool, mix of trance and electro. Pity the girls Craig and I were dancing with couldnt speak English........severaly hinders ones pulling power. Still all in all good clean fun. Headed back to the hotel about 6am and decided it was time for a dip in the sea. The sun had just come up and it was awesome. Swam/chilled on the beach for a while (pretty ballbagged it must be said) and then hit hotel breakfast at 7am. I have no doubt we made a scene at breakfast, im pretty sure I overused the word 'Fuck' for what should have been family breakfast time, ah well, they prob didnt speak English:)

We chilled out the night after as we were all in bits (but mainly Craig because he cant hack the pace). A 30 min taxi ride home , which included bribing the police as we had no passports on us, this country is so corrupt its sick. I can only imgaine what would happen if I tried to bribe the police at home. lol. Anyway, we got home about 2.30pm on a sunday and I had big hopes for pokers, mainly the FTOPS main event.

I pretty much airballed everything. I started the day off by playing well, in the Warm up and the first of the FTOPS, got it in with KK vs AA in the wamup, flop 455, turn K (weeeeeeeee) river A(fml). Obv never folding only had like 18bbs, would have been nice to double in that spot though. Onto the FTOPS $120 K.O. Built my stack up nicely from 5k to about 22k within the first 3 1/2 hours. With about 1900 left from 9000 I got into a stickyish spot. I opened at 250/500 50ante, to 1250 from the cut-off with A10s. I had been super aggro but hadnt shown down any bad hands. The sb, who had 3-bet me previouly and I folded 77 decided to 3-bet me again, to 3850. He was a competent player and obv realised I was opening light, so he would defo be 3-betting light. I mulled things over and decided it was a pretty good spot to 4-bet (committing myself). I made it 13,800 with the intention of not folding. He used all his timebank and eventually moved in for 19k total (ugh).......I ofc called and he flipped AQo and I bricked, gg sir. Reviewing the hand, I don't think I would play it differently, I cant let myself be run over (as he had 3 bet me before) and I thought given the action he would need a pretty big hand to call. His call versus my range here isn't fantastic, I had no intention of gettin 40bbs in pre with A10, ha, but I did.

Next was my first spin at the laddies 150k 60r. I played well for the first two hours and managed to get my stack to about 9k. RedShark (very good, but insanely aggro scando) Opended from mid position at 150/300 to 750. I saw 88 on the button and elected to just call , I mean perhaps I should 3 bet here, but I felt with 30bbs I didnt need to be getting it in with just two 8s. Moving to the flop and it came a nice 8JQ. He bet out for 1200. I raised to 3400, he sets me in and I call, he shows JJ, gg. Not alot I can do there imo.

The Ipoker 250k. Meh played this very badly. Made a bad/stooopid bluff early on and my stack went from 5k to 3200 when my bustout hand came. 75/150, dude opens utg+1 to 450(no reads), Tomgus456 (very good player)with 6k, flats in mp1. Im on the button with JJ and elect to shove. I have Tomgus range crushed here, and there is alot of $ in the pot. Anyway the opener had AA, so gg me. I dunno, I dont think I can fold JJ here with my stack size and I am not deep enough to flat as my hand will not play to well 3-ways. But tbh, I was a little annoyed at myself about this, as the dude who raised from utg+1 had been tight and was always gonna have a tight range from that position this early. Still unsure as to what I should have done as I hate being results orientated.

Sunday Millionnnnnnnnnn. Again managed to build a nice stack in this. 13,000 runers ha. Cant remember the exact details but, I think there was about 3000 ppl left, i had 35k i believe and raised from mid-pos with 33. The sb flats and we saw a 732 flop, he check called my flop bet, turn J, he check raised all in, I cant call fast enough and he has 77, coolered or what? gg

Ftops main event. Was sooo tilted from the other mtts by the time I got to this. Don't think I won a pot, blinded away until i squeezzed wtih 88 or some crap and lost a race to AQ. Rounded out a pretty awful Sunday, as even all the smaller mtts I played went awful.

Since Sunday I have played for the last two days and man its gone awful. Im not gonna bore you or myself with the bad beat stories, but seriously, I cant run worse. And im defo playing well as I have critiqued many of my hands with good players (as when things dont go well for me I feel the need to do this as I 2nd guess myself). I dunno what to do tbh, it is really tilting me as I as soooo competitive and hate to lose. It really affects me in life also. It gets me down bigtime. And people will wonder how I can feel down when im in Brazil living the life people dream about? I dunno, not winning at poker is alien to me. I'v have downswings and bad runs, of course I have, but never when I am playing as well as I am now. I guess il take a few days off, hit the beach and chill out, might even not play till Sunday, who knows.

Run better

Nick

Ummmmmmmmm

Couldn't think of a blog title, perhaps because it is 4am, ah well, i feel like writing so i will! Last few days been very frustrating poker wise. Got deep in several big tounries but couldnt deliver the big score.......why? Well its a combination of getting ul a few times and then making spewy/bad shoves preflop at times. Iv had some time to think/talk about my play with others and come to the conclusion that I am shoving and re stealing too wide ,its fine to do it versus aggro opponents in late position, as it will show profit but I have been doin it vs villians who have been nitty/tight at times. Im glad iv realised this now, because it could have went on alot longer and I was getting extremely frustrated with coming so close and blowing it.

Here are some of my results from the last week

12.5k Ipoker = 1st for 3.4k
Laddies 15k 50r = 4th and 8th I believe coming to about 2.5k
Stars 12k $55 6max = 1st for 2.4k
Tilt 75k $109 = 31st $400
Stars $50r = 11th $550 (FML)
Ipoker $50r = 11th $609 (FML)
Ipoker 12.5k = 11th $150......see a pattern?
Stars 70k $55 = 95th? $150
Ipoker 150k $109r = 80th for $375

Thats all I can think of from the time being, there were a few more but its 4am. Played a load of the FTOPS also, they are going horrif, ran pretty poorly in the 4/6 iv played and then played/shoved badly in the other two. In general though, I just cant seem to win on FTP, im sure itl happen soon though as I am now beating stars easily enough. Feel a big win is around the corner to be honest, just needed to tighten a few screws here and there. Dont get me wrong im still gonna play loose aggressive, but just tone it down a bit and pay more attention to other players.

Also trying to sort out house for Vegas for the summer. Found one thats pretty sweet, 9 bed, lol. Be sweet tho. Really excited for Vegas it has to be said, playing live almost every day will be saaaweeeeeeeeeeeet. Run deep in the main event one time please!

As far as life in Brazil goes, its still pretty sweet. Weather is flawless, food is a bit hit and miss at times though. Went for a burger today and it looked like a dead rat in the bun, I obv ate it but it was totally in bits. Talking to Paul-1 here on msn, the sicko is up at 7am playing a 20r! Top lad tho, learnt alot from him and love talking poker strategy with him. Im really rambling here, should probs get some sleep. Wonder should I play tommrrow or take a day off????

Nick

Shipping live and life in Brazilllllllll

Long time no post. Mainly because im the laziest man in the world. Ugh anway. The last month has been fantastic, il start with a short trip report of the GUKPT Brighton.

Thats the view from our poool. WEEEEEEEEE

GUKPT

Well things started off great when I missed my flight over (wp sir) and had to shell out 200 yo's for a new one. Arrived at the Queens hotel in Brighton after many a tube and train from london about 4pm on monday. Met up with James666 and his mate Craig(Kickoff) and checked into our room. Decided to get involved in the action right away and play the 200 pound freezeout that night. I played very well and ran my 7k stack up to about 35k nearing the end of the night. There was about 28 left with 18 paid when my bustout hand came up. At 600/1200 (some ante also) the table donkey (and i mean total donkey, he was awfullllll in every way possible) opened to 3600 in the cut-off, i looked down at KK on the button and 3 bet to 9800. He called after some thought and we saw a pretty minging Ad Qd 7s flop. The monkey deliberated for ages (and announced out loud that I could have 1010 or JJ and might fold if he bets) anyway, he ended up shoving for 40k, lol. It really confused me and I defo thought he was bad enough to do this with a rando Q or a flush draw. I made the hero call and he tabled A10o. gg.

Came back rearing to go the next day and played the 300 pound event. Again played really solid and managed to finish day1 on about 60k with about 20 odd left. There is only one hand i remember that was pretty fun. 10k stack 100/200, i open utg+1 with Kc9c TO 550 (my image is super lag also, but the table is super nitty) and this old dude with about 7k flats. We see a flop of 2 2 8. I fire 750, the old dude looks uncomfortable and raises to 2300. I think he is making a play against me here alot and if I shove it looks super strong on such a board, so i jammed and he folded 99 faceup, obv i flipped the K9 cause im a dick:)

Cruised to the final table about 2nd or 3rd in chips. Played super lag and was really enjoying it. I cant really remember the details, but about 20 hands into the final table the chip leader utg announces all in (lol, for about 40 bbs) im in mp1 and peek down at KK and cram sooo fast. He tables JJ and I hold to scoop a rediculous pot. His shove is sooo bad. James666 finaltabled also but busted in 6th because he overvalues ace high:) 4 handed I won a flip with my 88 vs AJ to get us three handed. I was soon HU and finally got all the money in when i 4bet all in with K8( I had been running him over and he was 3 betting super wide, so I dont mind this play at all) he said 'lets gamble', I was like fuck I only have k8 lol, but he flipped 108 and I managed to hold FTW. 14k Great British Pounds and change yoooooo. And the Gukpt tounry of champions at the end of the year. Was really happy with the win and how I played. Obv went out that night and got smashed. My main event didnt go well at all but I had 10% of James666 who came 2nd. Ship the 4.3k to meeeeee, weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

In Brazil at the mo and loving it. In a great house, great weather and living it up. Playing great online also, up about 10k in my 1st week here which is nice.

The Year that is gone and looking forward

Right now I'm in a jam packed doctors surgery in le gets, France. I feel awful , very fluey. And could there be a worse time to be ill? I'm not sure, it's new years eve and I am on a skiing holiday with some of my family and geoff. It's got me thinking about the way I live my life.......I treat my body like shit everyday and this needs to stop soon or it could amount to some serious health problems in the future. My diet is shit, I don't excercise enough and I drink too much.

So as I do everyear I'm going to write some life goals/aims for the future and do the same for poker.

Life goals/aims for 2009

1) lose 2 and a half stone........very easy to say it, so how will I achieve this? I'm going to get a personal trainer, tell him my goals and get him to make me an excercise and diet plan. It's going to take alot of determination to do this as I have failed plenty of times before, but I want it more than ever this time. Being a fat prick is the thing I think about most next to sex and poker:)

2) learn to cook.......I got 3 cool cookbooks for Xmas (hint) , and let's be honest, it's about time I learnt how to make more than a toastie! I may take a cooking class also, who knows

3) invest some of my $. Perhaps into property? Bonds perhaps? Although most ppl are saying it's not the time for investment, however I believe when the property market hits rock bottom it will be (obvious statement I know). I invision ppl not being able to give places away......and that's where I come In:)))

4) travel to places in the world I have never been. Thailand , brazil, Argentina?the world is my oyster

5) continue to keep in touch with friends from abroad . Make the effort

Poker goals for 2009

1) Play alot more live events..........I have had mixed sucess live in the past and at times find it boring as you only play a couple of hands per hour. However when things are going well when you are playing in a live event its a hard feeling to beat. I want to play in a few GUKPT's (I am already booked in for Brighton in a couple of weeks) try play an EPT, the Irish open and of course the WSOP. Now, just playing in these isn't going to be enough for me, obviously, being competitive as I am. So what is a good goal to set, results wise? I guess final tabling an event from one of the above would be awesome. I agree it is a lofty goal, but fuck it, you gotta aim high.

2) Win a Sunday major...........eg Sunday warmup/million. I think this is defo achievable. My game is good enough it just requires running insanely well and playing insanely well. Not alot to ask really! But winning one of these tounries is what I need to strive for.

3) Work harder at trying to improve. Read more HH's, talk to better players more, read more on 2+2, critique and question your play more and more. I think in getting to the next level I know what I have to do, fold more big hands. The top class players can fold a big hand when they know they are beat, this is soemthing I need to improve at.

4) Well my goal this time last year was to earn $100k for the year. I have easily surpassed that this year, so thats nice to know. So for this year I would like to earn $300k+. Again, its aiming high, but I can do it. Ppl doubting me only makes me want it more.

5) Enjoy the game...........Try to play only when you feel like it, obviously this can be hard at times because it is my job and when I am not playing I feel like I should be. But my best results have come when I have been in a good state of mind. So don't play when you don't feel up to it you muppet.



Flew home from skiing early because I was so ill. Not ideal. Played online the last two nights, went awful. That is all for now.

Nick

Landan and being a degen

So went to London for the weekend and had an awesome time. I am really feeling the affects of so many nights out now tho!

Anyway Geoff and I flew out on Friday afternoon, had to get a taxi to the airport because all my mates are benders! Grabbed a quick Maccy D's and we were on our way. Got to Geoff's cribnest about 7, chilled for a while and then decided we should eat again. We hit up Wagamama's, fucking love the place, food is fantastic, the service is great and there always seems to be a good buzz about the place. Then after a few beers at dinner we headed to the Vic to meet up with James666. But Geoff the ballbag forgot his I.D, so I headed in alone as he hit the mingin tube back to Islington to grab his I.D. I'd say I was in the Vic 45 mins and had 3 triple jager redbulls, was well oiled to say the least when Geoff arrived. We then left cause James couldnt handle the aggro scando's at his cash table:) We had a few drinks in this salsa place which was pretty cool (passion fruit mojito's, yum yum) We stayed there for a while and then decided it was time for some degening. Empire casino was our hole of choice and James and I got a private table and played series of HU games. We played every type of poker imaginable , it was awesome. We ended up even in the end, but I owned his soul, he ran like god in PLO. I think we left Empire about 3am and decided it was time for bed. We left James and headed back to Geoff's house. He hit the bed and I decided to play online ( fantastic idea ofc). I jumped in a 1/2 6 max game and managed to find some mugs who were somehow more hammered than I was. One hand for an example of the dismal play, I make it $8 on the button with Q10s ($200 effective stacks). The small and big blind both defend. We see a flop a rainbow flop of QJ10, it's checked to me so I fire $18, the sb quicky calls and the turn rolls out another 10. He checks again and I decide betting is best as he is a fishay and he wont fold any of his draws/top pair hands. I throw out $40 and he snaps me. The river comes a deuce and he again checks to me, I overbet jam (not by a huge amount) and he tanks down, uses his full timebank, and looks me up with Q6 yipeee! I won about $1200 over the course of a couple of hours, which was good considering I was deranged. I hit the scratcher about 6am absolutely wrecked.

Then next couple of days in London were very cool. We went to two Premiership games, Villa vs West Ham (Upton Park and its surroundings are in absolute bits by the way) and Arsenal vs L'pool. Keano got off the mark which was good news but I felt we should have got more from the game. We also ate some great food and drank out fair share of beers. We got back to Dublin late Sunday night and I got a text 'you home? coming out tonight?'. I was feeling ill and sooooo tired so obv I replied with 'yeaahhhhhhhhhh'. A mad night in Coppers in which we downed every drink we had , geeeeeeed ideas. Then the casino was visited at 4am, again not a fantastic idea, I bluffed away 400 euro in the last hand to leave a 150 euro loser, ah well it was good fun.

An entry of my chrimbus goings on will be posted soon............As for online poker, I played the $250 one day on laddies and managed to scoop the win for $2175. That is all:)

Happy Festive Period
Nick

Ummmmmmm

As I write this I am insanely hungover, properly in bits. So if it makes little or no sense you know why. What have I been doing the last week or so? Went on the piss, thurs, fri and sat..............good banter was had as per usual, but really feeling the affects of treating my body so poorly. And with Christmas just around the corner i'm guessing I won't be getting much of a break from it! Oh well, i'l just have to soldier on and suck it up. Tough life I have!

Pokers....................hmmmmmmm...................................Played a few tounries sat afternoon and managed to scoop 2nd in the $250 on laddies for 1.8k. I played like a toolbox HU. I have been playing a lot of HU since then, making a serious effort to improve, hopefully it will pay off:) Then played a huge slate on Sunday and had some great stacks in some big wans but the poker gods decided it was time to slap me in the face, really hard.

-15 left in the Irish Open sat with 4 packages, I have an average stack which is 12bb (Ipoker = jokes) My AA is no match for 89s. GG
-115 left in the 250k on ipoker I lose a massive pot with AKs to AQ, standard, it cripples me and I bust in 103rd with 100 paid. GG
-200 left in the Brawl on FTP I have a top 20 stack I get it in with A8s on and 822 board vs AQ.........turn the standard Q. I then run JJ into AA blind v blind, like come on, FUCK MY LIFE!

In better news I managed to have some sucess staking. I staked Snow-Men into the $300 daddy on laddies and he managed 5th for $3k and change. Great effort for a mug! I'm off to London tommorow for the weekend to watch the might pool beat the Arsenal scum, should be banter.

Take it ham and
Nick