Friday, August 17, 2007

Bankroll on stars sorted

been trying to get a bit of a roll going here for a while and chopped the $25 25k guarantee last night for 5k which gives me something to work off on the site. The tournament itself had 1291 starters so never easy to get through that size of field no matter what the standard.

I hit the chip lead 130 out and kept it until there was seven left when I took a few big hits. Although its only a small tournament two things pleased me. To keep a chip lead for that stretch of a tournament is not easy. To do shows that I was playing good big stack poker, I felt I pulverised the tables I was on from ten tables out. The second thing that I was happy with was over coming momentum stoppers I took two big hits with seven left. Recently I haven't been bouncing back when the chip stack starts to dwindle but here I was very aware of this and consciously focused more rather then letting the hits affect me.

Was unlucky not to go really deep in the 45k guarantee there tonight when I lost a double average pot with 100 of the 1400 starters left with AK v KQ. When the chips went in I thought I was getting a stack to utilise again.

No good in kerry the weekend lost a race with three tables left. The club looks great after the refurbishments and the draught heineken is a great addition. Kerry is always a great spot to get away to for a poker weekend and I strongly recommend anyone who hasn't been to one of Connie's festivals to get down there, I guarantee you'll go back

Thursday, August 9, 2007

A post out of boredom

right I'm at a loose end boards is dead I don't feel like playing and the weather's to bad for golf and oh yeah I gotta stop turning on the racing channels at moments like this. So a good time to start rambling here.

I'm still just messing around online I don't think I've had more then four tables open at one time since the end of may now. This will change soon I have two plans of attack on my mind either I'm going to bang out 2000 £50 sixpacs or I'm going to start playing cash.

If I go at the sixpacs running medium to bad i should net 8500 Stirling over the 2000 games including rakeback which I intend to play around with on cash starting at 2/5 if crypto 2/4 another site. The other option is to just start playing cash. I might just lodge $600 on stars and grind it up from the .50/1. I'd really like to get a decent bankroll going on stars because in reality it the only place to qualify for major events. I also think it might be a good place to learn to beat cash because I guess if you can make it there you can make it anywhere!

In the week since I posted I just played the Macau €200 but ran top two into a flopped straight. Online a tournament I've been playing a lot is the £2,500 gar head hunter on crypto, £20 entry. There's only about £600 to be won in this but the format makes for a great craic. Half the pot goes to your scalp value and when you knock someone out you get 75% of there scalp value and 25% of that value is added to your head. Makes for something different and I think playing such a format can add to a mtt players game. I've won it twice and came third twice in the last two weeks winning saturday for £375 and £220 in heads.

on sunday I came 11th in the betfair $50k for $600 was cruising third in chips with about 15 left but took a big hit and never recovered. I lost a buy in at $5/$10 PLO after the pub monday night having trebled my stack I lost the biggest online cash hand I ever played, I knew where I was when the chips went in but running sixes counterfeited my aces busting plan. I didn't really mind as I bought in with the $1k to gamble and have since ground it back.

The betfair tournament got me thinking about my recent tournament performances. In a five week period from the start of june I had three chances of a big score. The macau €1500 where I had chip lead and finished 12th. That £1000 entry crypto tourney where I came 18th, there was £75 k first prize in that one and the tournament in the Venetian where I came 10th for $6.5 had a $186k first prize. I had average chip with 14 players left in that one.

In general I would expect to have at least on top three finish from three opportunities like that. I always thought of myself as a closer of tournaments and if we throw the irish open into the mix maybe I will have to re-assess my strategy and play a little less aggressive from two tables out in tournaments.

Well that's enough rambling for the time being.

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Monthly update

well I said I'd do a monthly update so....... Since I came back from Vegas I'm up about €3000 on live events and running Ok online. I wont be giving detailed P&L type updates but will say how I'm running. Did venture up to Fintans new club in galway last friday for a €300 freeze out but blew my chips with about 20 of the 55 runners left. Smashing club and I'd say it will do very well. Played the JP €250 monthly sunday, I had come third in his previous weeks €150 for €800 but no joy in this one when my KK was no good against A10 all-in pre. This would put me well above the average two tables out and I would of fancied my chances but an A on the turn put paid

Not much happening over the coming month will play the Macau monthly tomorrow and Connies summer festival is on in the cueclub Killarney next weekend. I will be more focased on the piss up rather then the poker but recommend heading down to the kingdom to everyone the craic is always great and Connie is a great host. Apart from those two don't know what I'll play; only been tapping away a little online so going to play a bit more and will have a few stabs at the WOSPE on betfair