Great End to the Weekend

Won the flashmob for £55, its not the money its the fact that you know you have beaten an assortment of the best small stakes poker players around on betfair that makes your night. Thanks for the donations all.

Well played to steviep as well in the sporting odds champions league, he is currently leading with one more game to play. Mate, if you are reading this, I have dropped enough hints so far, but my passport is waiting and my bags are packed, just say the word. Good luck on tuesday.

Got to sign off now as I am up for work in nearly five hours time. Good luck at the tables this week and see you at the weekend.

Patience is a Virtue

I mentioned this to dibble on the betfair forum. I have developed a real lack of patience this weekend since returning from work. Just playing a $2 mtt on betfair and had a fun last longer thing going verses dibble, I'm dealt 99 on the sb, 2nd pos raises 3xbb (cheeky sod), and he gets 2 (thats 2!) callers before it gets to me. I decided for some unknown reason to push all in for my last 2.6k in chips, the bb calls with A 10 (!) and the original raiser calls with AA, the rest fold. Needless to say no help on the flop and I'm out. There was absolutely no need. Something I need to sort out. Also bombed out the poker night live $10 mtt in about 10 hands. Not good.

Weekend Warrior

Back for my first weekend back from the new job and thought I would be raring to go on the poker front. Got in about 7 last night and had a couple of stt's and a mtt but nothing doing. Registered for the 2330 $320 freeroll on 32Red but couldn't be arsed to stay up for it and went to catch up with"other" things. ;o)

Got up early this morning and played a Partypoints freeroll and the €50 bonus on betfair but nothing doing there either.

Cashed in the Will Hill afternoon freeroll but only for a quid or so, also increased that account by playing pl cash at the same time, hitting some great flops to make a small profit. Entered a $2 stt on blue sq which I busted out with KK v JJ when the Js hit two more on the flop, messy.

Bet365 freeroll tonight and maybe a couple of stt's and an mtt if I can find an appropriate one to play - I have found I perform best in 30 - 100 player mtts for some reason, dont know why, but that is the way.

My heart is not really in it at the moment but I am sure the feeling will return.

Got a new link on the left - flashmobber dibble has entered the world of the blog. Give it a read, he's a decent sort who is more than willing to donate in the flashmob game regularly, keep it up diiiiiiiiiiiiiiible.

24 Hours From Norfolk

Back from a week visiting relatives, with NO poker! Neither of the households we went to stay with had an internet connection, my god, how do these people live?

Back now, but only until 6pm Sunday evening when I have to leave to start my new job in Norfolk. I will be staying up there during the week and will be back at the weekends to play a bit online and oh yes, see the family.

Anyway, time is short and there is lots of poker to play. Laters

A Quiet Week

Nothing to report this week I'm afraid. Came last in the flashmob, after going out on what I think was the 2nd hand with KK getting screwed by Emzo's AA. Bit of a recurring theme actually as I have been getting beat with an overpair to the board by a higher pair. Same happened in the 3k gtd on betfair on saturday night.

Entered the Partypoker 50k freeroll tonight, lasted until after the 2nd break when I hit top pair on the flop (Js) up against the big stack of the table. I only had about 4k left and the average was about 7k at the time so after checking the flop (bit dangerous I know) and nothing else of note coming out I stuffed them all in, for the big stack to turn over AA. Not much you can do about that.

Away all week and internetless probably so wont be playing much poker this week. Maybe the rest will be good.

Oh What A Night

And not in late December back in '63...

Tonight was the night, and a very busy one at that. Now sundays are normally a busy night, and tonight was no exception. I'll try and keep it brief.

$5+50c Virgin Booty started at 7:30 as did the Blue Square $1000 Bubble tournament. 46 entries in the Booty so top 5 payout plus added virgin air miles which I already have 6020 of so I was very interested in this one. Good, solid start and was going well.

As for the bubble, this is a monthly tournament that you have to apply to enter when you have bubbled in one of Blue Squares scheduled buy in tournaments. Me being me, purposely bubbled (first time) in a 10c six seater stt, so I'm in a field of 99 for the mtt. Struggled for much of the early rounds and was even all in for about 4k in chips, hitting on the river to stay in and double through. I blame my poor performance on concentrating on the Virgin Booty.

Back to Virgin, and I'm down to the ft and eventually go out in 8th, which doesnt exactly please me, but hey ho, back to Blue Square.

We also had the added complication of another mtt starting on poker.co.uk, a magazine promotion for $1000 with only 72 entrants, you have got to be in it to win it.

Also at 8:30 the weekly Flashmob game starts, but I am otherwise engaged with the Virgin and Blue Square games and only make the ft and limp out in 10th out of 21, sitting out most of the game really.

Ah yes, back to the Bubble, down to the final table and in the money and eventually down to the last 4, a long battle ensued, once 4th had gone, I was soon heads up against a maniac who was willing to raise with anything. Didnt last long and I was the winner when my KQ beat his 10 7 (!). A tidy $320 in the bank, which is just about a pb for me.

Back to poker.co.uk, and to cut a long story short I ironically went out in 11th on the bubble.

Also played another mtt on 32Red but didnt last to long when my AA was cracked by 67 sooted after about half an hour.

A very busy night, one good result but could have been even more, but very happy.

A Mixed Start to Feb

As the title says I have made a mixed start to February. I lost most of my $25 stack on Sporting Odds PL Cash earlier tonight, but then entered the excellent value Dollar Up ($1 to enter $500 added and has about 150 players) and managed 5th for $44. The guys on the punterslounge.com use this as their monthly league competition so thats me in the lead after the 1st round.

A Grand In Your Hand

End of month accounts are complete and I am through the £1000 barrier. £99.38 profit for the month (plus 6020 Virgin air miles, lol) get me up to £1013.17 total in the bankroll spread relatively evenly over all the clients. Biggest winning site of the month was Virgin, but I hear they have sadly opted to sponsor some bloke called Pomroy instead, ah well, good luck Dave.

I didnt publish my New Year Poker ambitions for 2006, but one of them was to play poker on TV. I entered the pokernight live MTT tonight through 32Red, but busted out about 40 minutes before the broadcast began. Guess its not to be yet.

Seconditis

Seconditis, to be second on many occasions, to blow it heads up, to be the first loser.

Well beleive it or not that isnt the official definition, and thats because the word doesn't really exist. Try telling me that at the moment as I managed another 2nd in the flashmob game tonight on Betfair. 3 weeks in a row. In reality its another great result in the high quality game, but I cant help feeling a little disappointed as I have only managed to win this game a couple of times before, but not recently. I said last week that I needed some practice at heads up, well same again this week.

I Am A Rock

A winter's day
In a deep and dark December
I am alone
Gazing from my window
To the streets below
On a freshly fallen silent shroud of snow

I am a rock
I am an island

I've built walls
A fortress deep and mighty
That none may penetrate
I have no need for friendship
Friendship causes pain
It's laughter and it's loving I disdain.

I am a rock
I am an island

Don't talk of love
Well, I've heard the word before
It's sleeping in my memory
I won't disturb the slumber
Of feelings that have died
If I'd never loved, I never would have cried

I am a rock
I am an island

I have my books
And my poetry to protect me
I am shielded in my armor
Hiding in my room
Safe within my womb
I touch no-one and no-one touches me

I am a rock
I am an island

And the rock feels no pain
And an island never cries

Ouchy!

Man Doooooooowwn! Went paintballing today with my new 13 year son. I say he's new, he's actually 13 years old, its just he is different already now he is a teenager. Still totally useless at organising himself, but now he realises that what I tell him is mostly true, plus an added bonus that he now acts almost sensible. Anyway, the paintballing. I got shot about four times, once on the forehead just above the mask (ouch), one on the back (I wasnt running away!, ouuuuuch), thirdly on the knee (ooooowww, that fucking stingsssssa), and lastly righy squarly on the thigh (oooohhhhhh yyyyouoououoou basssttarddddddddd). Good fun though and highly recommended. One quality moment sneaking up behind a young lad and making him dance when i peppered him with paint.

StevieP popped up on MSN tonight and sounded well pissed off with some horrid beats, and says he is having a $50 to settle himself into some proper poker. Sound like a decent idea so I have a shot at a $20 stt on Sporting Odds. 2nd in that for a 40 buck profit, which is fair enough. Standard of play - distinctly average. Stevie is 3rd in his $50 stt, so doubles his money. I'm straight into $30 and am going well with 6 left when i get KJ on the BB, one limper and the flop comes down J 9 7, i stick in a bet that only leaves me with about 500 chips and he re-raises me to put me all in. Top pair, I am having some of this and call, he flips over AK and hits his A on the river. Not to worry, Match of the Day has just started and I'm still in profit.

Anyway, I decide to have shot at Pot Limit Cash on Sporting Odds. I seem to be doing quite well on there recently, having doubled my stack last night. So I load up $25 on a 0.12/0.25 10 seater and within 12 hands I am up to 42 bucks, and then up to 46. I usually make a rule that if I double up on a cash table I leave and start again for free, so I offer up my seat to Stevie and move on. On the next table I load up my $25 again and turn it into $70 within about 30 mins. Left the table with $68. Very enjoyable, but some of the play is incredible on these tables.

One more table then time for bed, jeez my leg hurts, table has started to dwindle to 4 players, so I am taking my 37 bucks and going to bed. I love Saturdays. Flashmob on Betfair tomorrow night plus a $50,000 (!) freeroll for Uk only players on Partypoker.

A Patton To Your Play

2nd in the Flashmob game last night on Betfair, which in that game (the best darn small stakes mtt anywhere) is an excellent result. It was not without a little controversy, and some of you may have already read a rogue report on another players blog quoting my "poor play". One mans poor play is another mans read on a style of play, is what I say. Each to their own.

Anyway, here is what happened with some value added thoughts for your consumption:

Table "FLASHMOB 1697280 - 1" Seat 5 is the button.
Seat 2: snooper (6440 in chips)
Seat 4: jack high (3260 in chips)
Seat 5: emzo (8335 in chips)
Seat 7: radixuk (4090 in chips)
Seat 8: ajcairns (3375 in chips)
radixuk: posts the ante 50
ajcairns: posts the ante 50
snooper: posts the ante 50
jack high: posts the ante 50
emzo: posts the ante 50
radixuk: posts small blind 200
ajcairns: posts big blind 400 So 850 in the Pot before anyone speaks
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to ajcairns [Ac 9d]
snooper: folds
jack high: raises to 1200 My first thought here was that this was a textbook move to try and exert some pressure on me (being one of the two short stacks), plus previous experience playing jack high (steviep) as that this is exactly what he would be trying with any (half decent, but not a monster) hand.
emzo: folds
radixuk: folds
ajcairns: raises to 3325 and is all-in So, my thoughts here was to test his resolve and back up my hunch that stevie was sort of at it. I'm also thinking that if I get a call with anything other than a high pocket pair I am in with a decent chance to take a decent pot and a shot at the money. I think I actually said out loud "Ace Rag"
jack high: is all-in 2010 Well he certainly has something... but I suppose he could be thinking exactly the same as me, which would make a lot of sense.
Returned uncalled bets 115 to ajcairns
----- FLOP ----- [8d 7c 9s]
----- TURN ----- [8d 7c 9s][Ts]
----- RIVER ----- [8d 7c 9s Ts][2h]
----- SHOW DOWN -----
ajcairns: shows [Ac 9d] (A Pair of Nines, Ace high)
jack high: shows [Ah 4h] (High Card Ace) Ahhhhh Ace Rag, sweet.
ajcairns collects 6870 from Main pot

Now stevie on his blog firstly had me down for poor play (a little harsh mate) but a couple of paras later changes that to risky play (happy with that). I thought you were at it, you then thought I was at it. I am of the befief that you could/should have got away from calling my all in as you still had about 2k in chips to fight on with, and that was the biggest mistake in this hand as far as I can see. I also figured that if you really did have a monster you wouldnt have raised 3 x BB pre flop (respect to the 3xBB raise though).

My point is thus - I used my previous experiences playing against stevie (plus, I am often his railbird on msn once I have bombed out a tourney, and I have seen him make similar moves to this quite a few times before) - to deduce that this is exactly the way he would play it - this time I won, next time the "risk" may not pay off.

I eventually went on to knock out emzo who was going for a three timer which would have be a remarkable feat in this mtt, sorry mate not this time. Eventually lost out heads up to Snooper who took down the tourney at his first attempt, well played.

Citeh Citeh Wots the Score?

Keeeeeoooooogghhhhhh!!!!

Well it ended up 3-1 to Man City but the mighty Iron were 1 Nil up at half time, despite only having one shot on target. Some fella called Robbie Fowler bagged a second half hattrick to snatch the game away. He'll go far if he keeps his nose clean...

A very quiet on the poker front - too much boozing getting in the way. On Wednesday I had a major bender with the guys at work. Started in the office with a bottle of decent red (each), a quick pint of San Mig and a JD n Coke in the work bar, then a bottle of voddie in the pocket on the bus in the way into town. More decent red with the Italian (cant actually rememeber what I ate, as I was nearly pissed by then). Then over the road for Champagne and shots in the local. Well, pissed and hence no poker on Wedesday and very little Thursday due to a hangover from hell. Played a STT on Paddy Power and came second on Friday. Been out all day today at the footy, but will play some tonight and more tomorrow.

Live game on Tuesday, bring it on boys, time to pay up.

A Message from beyond...

Message for MC and Redcar, UKGatsby contacted me by msn tonight and asked if you two would link to his blog. There is a link to it on my sidebar. He has been banned for life from betfair, all his accounts the lot, for George Best gag. So he is now playing on Will Hills under 1_gatsby. He also asked me to pass on his msn which is ukgatsby, at hotmail dot com.

No More Cash for Me

Now to the casual observer that might look like an odd headline. But after losing $46 in two days on Betfair Cash games I am giving it up. I have to go back to what I do best before learning (and losing) at cash. So its back to the STTs and Freerolls, with occasional low stake MTT thrown in for fun.

Also a big shout out to MC Roller (previsouly known as the tightest man in the west, but is from Aberdeen so what else should we expect), fellow flashmobber who was reported to be chatting in green text after being knocked out the Flashmob game tonight. Flashmob mate not flashbastard! 11th out of 11 for me in that game which wasnt too clever either.

Multitabling Problem

I usually have at least two tables on the go at the same time and sometimes from different clients - a word of warning, this could create problems with tables popping up just as you are clicking. One such example:

Game #1245544894: Hold'em NL (150/300) - 2006/01/01 - 11:41:06 (BST)Table "Tourney 1607004 - 1"
Seat 2 is the button.
Seat 1: Bearah (3452 in chips)
Seat 2: Jay_jay_6 (21689.44 in chips)
Seat 3: Bungoo (5580 in chips)
Seat 4: Karmajn (10615 in chips)
Seat 5: Shark222 (3055 in chips)
Seat 6: ajcairns (2580 in chips)
Seat 7: --john-- (5945 in chips)
Seat 8: Brightman (18943.56 in chips)
Seat 9: ToPxUp (3140 in chips)
Bungoo: posts the ante 25
Karmajn: posts the ante 25
Shark222: posts the ante 25
ajcairns: posts the ante 25
--john--: posts the ante 25
Brightman: posts the ante 25
ToPxUp: posts the ante 25
Bearah: posts the ante 25
Jay_jay_6: posts the ante 25
Bungoo: posts small blind 150
Karmajn: posts big blind 300
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to ajcairns [9s 4h]
Shark222: raises to 3030 and is all-in
ajcairns: is all-in 2555 (the table had popped up and I had instantly clicked on all in, whoops!)
--john--: folds
Brightman: folds
ToPxUp: folds
Bearah: folds
Jay_jay_6: folds
Bungoo: folds
Karmajn: folds
Returned uncalled bets 475 to Shark222
----- FLOP ----- [6c 4s 9d] lololololol
----- TURN ----- [6c 4s 9d][4d] that just about wraps this one up then
----- RIVER ----- [6c 4s 9d 4d][Ts]
----- SHOW DOWN -----
Shark222: shows [Ks Ac] (A Pair of Fours, Ace high)
ajcairns: shows [9s 4h] (A Full House, Fours full of Nines)
ajcairns collects 5785 from Main pot
----- SUMMARY -----
Total pot 5785 Main pot 5785 Rake 0
Board [6c 4s 9d 4d Ts]
Seat 1: Bearah folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: Jay_jay_6 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: Bungoo (small blind) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: Karmajn (big blind) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: ajcairns showed [9s 4h] and won (5785) with A Full House, Fours full of Nines
Seat 7: --john-- folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: Brightman folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: ToPxUp folded before Flop (didn't bet)
****HAND ENDS****

This happened on the final table, with 8 left and I was the short stack, the guy who I beat on this hand went out shortly after, no doubt not in a very good mood, but I got my just deserts though because I eventually bubbled the tourney in 6th!

New Years Resolution: Be more careful with multi-tables!

A New Year Message

Dont Drink and Drink, therefore give up driving.

The monthly poker accounts are complete. £170 profit for the month and £541 since records began. I must subtract the 32 quid I spent on PokerTracker for some reason. I have just a little over £900 in the Bankroll which I would like get over a grand soon.

Happy New Year.

A Freeroll is not Just for Xmas

Whilst playing yet another freeroll last night, I was thinking and wondering why these companies/magazines/poker sites would give away so much free cash away. I have taken at least $100 in the last week for absolutely no investment- I have not even had to deposit any cash to play in these games. Oh well the marketing men know what they are doing.

The game last night was coutesy of Inside Edge magazine, and there was only 63 players entered for a $1000 fund. Managed to sneak into the money and finish in 8th for about $70. Also played a bit of cash ($25 buy in .10/.25 blinds PL) on Partypoker and managed to turn $25 into $45, so not a bad night.

Looking forward now to New Years Eve, not for the piss ups but for the fact that there are even more freerolls to be had. I have also just downloaded Poker Tracker so I need to get my head round exactly what the fish symbol next to my name means. Only joking, its a telephone really (calling station, presumably hmmmm).

Played the Betfair €50 Bonus and the £2 MTT this morning at 9am, but nothing doing, so I think I will play a bit more cash at Partypoker.

OMG I am turning into JackHigh!!!

2 Hand Histories in a row...

PokerStars Game #3461737707: Tournament #16058829, Hold'em No Limit - Level VIII (200/400) - 2005/12/28 - 17:01:17 (ET)
Table '16058829 30' Seat #6 is the button
Seat 1: Eugne Ius (20957 in chips)
Seat 2: bobb1e (11968 in chips)
Seat 3: aman423 (11072 in chips)
Seat 4: claret69 (17593 in chips)
Seat 5: 3xBB (18170 in chips) this is me, class nickname eh?
Seat 6: S.O.A.D.05 (18485 in chips)
Seat 7: Janzinho (9890 in chips)
Seat 8: L-Money 13 (8895 in chips)
Eugne Ius: posts the ante 25
bobb1e: posts the ante 25
aman423: posts the ante 25
claret69: posts the ante 25
3xBB: posts the ante 25
S.O.A.D.05: posts the ante 25
Janzinho: posts the ante 25
L-Money 13: posts the ante 25
Janzinho: posts small blind 200
L-Money 13: posts big blind 400
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to 3xBB [Kh Kc]
Eugne Ius: raises 800 to 1200
bobb1e: folds
aman423: folds
claret69: raises 800 to 2000
3xBB: raises 2000 to 4000
S.O.A.D.05: folds
S.O.A.D.05 is sitting out
Janzinho: folds
L-Money 13: folds
Eugne Ius: folds
claret69: raises 2000 to 6000
3xBB: raises 10000 to 16000
claret69: raises 1568 to 17568 and is all-in
3xBB: calls 1568
Eugne Ius said, "aj" so i have KK v JJ and one of the other two Js has already been folded, bonus!
*** FLOP *** [3d 3h Jc] Ahhhhhhh!
Eugne Ius said, "wow" bit of an understatement mate
3xBB said, "ffs"
*** TURN *** [3d 3h Jc] [4d]
Eugne Ius said, "last jack comes"
*** RIVER *** [3d 3h Jc 4d] [9d]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
claret69: shows [Js Jd] (a full house, Jacks full of Threes)
3xBB: shows [Kh Kc] (two pair, Kings and Threes)
claret69 collected 37136 from pot
Eugne Ius said, "no joke either had the j"
*** SUMMARY ***Total pot 37136 Rake 0 Board [3d 3h Jc 4d 9d]
Seat 1: Eugne Ius folded before Flop
Seat 2: bobb1e folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: aman423 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: claret69 showed [Js Jd] and won (37136) with a full house, Jacks full of Threes
Seat 5: 3xBB showed [Kh Kc] and lost with two pair, Kings and Threes
Seat6: S.O.A.D.05 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: Janzinho (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 8: L-Money 13 (big blind) folded before Flop

So i was out in 79th (out of 500) for $2.40, I was in 6th before this hand, and the winner went on to play a headsup challenge against some bloke called Joe Hatchem...

claret had been raising wildly for about half and hour with A Rag and any two pictures so I was well happy to go into this massive pot against him.

But hey, thats poker as the usual wag says at the table when you lose a pot like this.

Xmas Comes Early

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hand #160368874 at table: Xmas Eve FreerollStarted: Sat Dec 24 20:54:16 2005
Fecco1 is at seat 1 with 2140.00
Manatus is at seat 2 with 19970.00
ajcairns is at seat 3 with 9715.00
Laca6106 is at seat 4 with 4570.00
Petroo is at seat 5 with 14230.00
martta2 is at seat 6 with 21371.00
studley is at seat 7 with 225.00
muy is at seat 8 with 5110.00
sm0kee is at seat 10 with 4500.00
Fecco1 posts the large blind 400.00
sm0kee posts the small blind 200.00
sm0kee: --, --
Fecco1: --, --
Manatus: --, --
ajcairns: Ad, Ah
Laca6106: --, --
Petroo: --, --
martta2: --, --
studley: --, --
muy: --, --
Pre-flop:
Manatus: Call 400.00
ajcairns: Raise 1200.00 (note: 3 times the big blind, feel the power)
Laca6106: Call 1200.00
Petroo: Call 1200.00
martta2: Fold
studley: Fold
muy: Fold
sm0kee: Fold
Fecco1: Fold
Manatus: All in
ajcairns: All in
Laca6106: All in
Petroo: Fold
Showdown:
Manatus shows: Ks, Ac (high card, Ace)
ajcairns shows: Ad, Ah (a pair of Aces)
Laca6106 shows: 2d, 2c (a pair of Deuces)
Flop (Board: 3s, 5d, Kd):
Turn (Board: 3s, 5d, Kd, As):
River (Board: 3s, 5d, Kd, As, 3h):
ajcairns shows: Ad, Ah (full house)
Sidepot 2: ajcairns wins the pot of 10290 with full house
Mainpot: ajcairns wins the pot of 15510 with full house