Not a lot to really post on since the Irish open. I took a few days off and started thinking about Vegas. Last year I got my main event seat through a rakerace and while I didnt spot anything similar this year I don't think I could of went down that avenue again for the sake of my mental health.
After some thought I decided to grind a Vegas fund from stts; now I'll play a few satellites and such along the way but devised a plan to cover Vegas if I don't win a main event package anyway. Its simple enough play between $160,000 and $200,000 worth of stt buyins and beat them by approximately 10% over a 10 week period. So my plan was to gather at least $23,000 for the trip, $7,000 of it from rakeback - What could be easier.
I got stuck in four days after the open with my new plan of a target amount of stts to play a day. In the past I've always found it to easy to leave a session when running bad so the daily target was to stop me noticing short term results. Anyhow I got stuck in and played my daily target of at-least 50 a day most days, about 5 hours play in total over three sessions; grand only problem is I'm running like a one legged man. I played about 700 stts for a 13 day period break even on the two sites I'm playing. It isn't great for the head not to be making any money but on the other hand I've had longer baron spells before but don't think the cards have ever treated me worse. In fact I don't think this swing can last and I take two positives from it; 1st I'm not losing, 2nd the standard. Now its generally accepted that the standard of online poker has improved much over the last year or so and all games are getting harder. Thankfully this doesn't seem to be the case outside of the big two (stars/tilt ) re stts so I take great solace from that.
Live poker was to be ditched for the period with the exception of the JPmasters and the Waterford open. However with cabin fever setting in I did venture out Thursday and Friday. Thursday was a WITstudent event run by bigslick with added money from bodog, only a €50 FO but with €3100 added by bodog to the live game and $5k for an online game it was definitely good value and good to see this type of value added event in Waterford. The fact that it was in a hotel with full bar and Bob and Caoimh were coming down from Cork for it made it a must. I went last hand before the first break when my flopped set of 4s got out-turned by 66 on a J104flop which I lead into, guess he was floating me; but had a good night anyhow.
Friday played a satt in blazing aces for JPs game, didn't really want to play the game and some chimp called Jakey busted me scalphunting with 62s after i raised pre with 1010 and he couldn't fold his 6 high draw on the flop. I only really played as I had posted on boards that the event should be supported as JP puts great effort into his tournaments and if truth be known was happy to get knocked out as I was feeling a bit burned out. I probably wont play live again until that game the first weekend in may. I urge anyone considering playing this not to miss it, 20,000 starting stack and all levels for a €750 event has the making of one of the highlights of the year in Irish poker and knowing JPs events no stone will be left unturned to make sure every player need will be met. Were really lucky to have promoters in this country like JP Bigslick and Connie who run events for this type of medium buy in that offer such great structures and it will only last if we the players support them.
I'll probably just play a few mtts tomorrow/Sunday , maybe a wsop satt and get stuck back into the stts on Monday, hope I run average coz that will do me; wish me luck. On the golf front I've changed my grip and hope this is the catalyst for massive improvement, Dannyboy your going to be so owned in May.
