What next?

For those of you wondering why there has been a lack of poker updates the answer is pretty simple. I havn't been playing, and at the moment I have no real desire to start playing again. I'd been planning to start playing again this week but just found excuses and reasons not to play. As for what the future holds, I'm not entirely sure, I read other blogs and see people write about their love of the game and that is something which I no longer have. Will it return? Not sure to be honest. I need to start making some decisions about the direction my life is taking.

In the meantime however

QPR v WATFORD 5/4
Gretna v DUNDEE UTD EVENS
KILMARNOCK 4/6 v St Mirren

Look good to me.

Back again

OK the 100% record has gone with only 2 winners out of 4 on sat, bit disappointing but never mind. I shall get back on track tonight hopefully with:

Aberdeen v DNIPRO 6/4

Having seen Shakthar blitz Celtic on Tuesday I think Dnipro at 6/4 is a very generous price, when you consider that; Scottish clubs (Old Firm aside) have woeful European records in recent years, Aberdeen have started the season poorly and Dnipro are only 3 points behind Shakthar in the Ukranian league.

Tip time

After lasts weeks Internationals which I leave well alone, I'm back with another tip or 4.

RAITH Evens v Ross County

Two of the favourites for promotion, but for me Raith are the far better side. I fancied them a fortnight ago when they were away to Queens Park @ 6/4 but changed my mind and they duly romped to a 5-2win. I'm not making same mistake this week :).

Montrose v EAST FIFE 10/11

East Fife strengthened significantly in the summer and added a few players with experience at a higher leveland their manager also has a proven track record at this level. They have 5 wins from 5 so far and also knocked St mirren out of the CIS cup so they are a side in form.

Gretna v KILMARNOCK 6/5

Kilmarnock have had an excellent record against the weaker sides in the league and they don't come any weaker than Gretna. I saw them at first hand a fortnight ago and Rangers won 4-0 despite an awful performance. Kilmarnock will miss Naismith but have enough about them to take care of Gretnas motley crue.

HAMILTON 4/7 v Stirling Albion

Short price but should be even shorter. Hamilton have made a flying start in the league with 5 wins from 5 and only conceding 1 goal. In Offiong they have arguably the best striker in the league and will be too strong for newly promoted Striling.

Never in doubt

Both tips win again (6 from 6). I'll need to start charging for these :). Both sides made heavy weather of it mind you but a win is a win. Rangers also covered the -2 and -3 handicaps despite an awful performance lol. One thing I have stopped doing this season is betting for the hell of it, which I used to do a lot of, particularly when live games are on and invariably I'd lose. Looks like I'm developing some discipline at long last.

On the poker front I have had a pretty quiet week or so. I managed to finish with a profit of $3868 from 75hours play on the cash tables, which I'd have taken at the start of the month. However if I'm going to continue with it I need to be able to play more tables therefore I'll need to get a bigger/another monitor. I tried resizing the tables on my screen and could fit 9 in but it wasn't easy on the eyes so looks like I will have to invest. If anyone has any advice on what to buy give me a shout.

Another couple of tips

Nothing really stood out this week, unlike last Saturday where I had two really strong fancies and both obliged. I did think there was some huge value on the go when my mate told me that Rangers were 5/2 -2 goals. Too good to be true surely? Well it was the 5/2 price was for -3 goals and -2 was 5/4, which is probably still a decent price given the gulf in class between them sides. However I hate tipping my own side and my success rate in the handicap markets is woeful, so I won't bother.

COVENTRY 4/5 v Preston looks a like a decent price to me. Preston have started woefully and Highstack has left Coventry off his acca so they are surely a shoe-in.

Clyde v DUNDEE 11/10 is my other selection. Alex Rae has built a decent side at Dundee and they have started the season well, whereas Clyde have struggled badly although they did pick up a win last week. I think Dundee will have far too much for them though.

Beautiful Belgrade

Where do I start??? :) It was a helluva trip. I had booked up for the day trip after hearing that Red Star fans were not the most welcoming, and for once it looked as though I made the right call when I heard reports on Monday night that fans over there were told not to leave their hotels as the police couldn't guarantee their safety. Bit of a scandalous situation in this day and age but never mind. The story was then plastered over the front pages of the gutter press with a little exagerration thrown in for effect. Thankfully my flight had departed by the time my mother saw them.



For the first time ever I was actually more nervous about what might await us over there rather than the game itself. However I needn't have worried, there were no baying mobs waiting at the airport and we spent a decent day in the centre of Belgrade without any hassle and enjoyed some banter with the locals. We had been told that we would be getting escorted to the game well in advance of kickoff but thankfully they changed their plans and decided to take us there at the last minute. Good idea seeing as the Red Star fans had been there for up to 4hours prior to kick off.

When we got to the stadium the atmosphere was incredible. I've been to many away games in Europe and seen some hostile atmospheres but nothing came close to this. I spoke to one guy who had been to Galatasary and he said even that didn't come close. There was around 500 of our fans there and we were herded into a small section of the ground surrounded by riot police. We had been warned of possible heavy-handedness from the police thankfully that was unfounded as they treated us well, some even indulging in a bit of banter. This was in stark contrast to Pamplona last year where the scumbags started indiscrimantly hitting fans for no reason in the worst case of police brutality I'd ever seen.

As for the game itself it was far from a classic and pretty nerve shredding at times but we got the job done and will be in the draw for the group stages :). So all in all it was a good trip (much better than I was expecting) topped off with a great result.

Oh almost forgot to mention that Belgrade has some of the finest looking ladies I have ever seen :)

Couple of tips

Gretna v MOTHERWELL 10/11

Match is played at FirPark (Motherwells home ground) and Gretna have no fans so in effect this is a home match for Motherwell. They have also started the season well under their new manager (Mark McGhee) winning first two matches and being robbed v Kilmarnock last week. Gretna on the other hand have struggled, and lack quality, although they did pick up a point at Hearts last week.

Inverness CT v DUNDEE UTD 15/8

Inverness have started the season woefully and are still pointless and their manager chucked it during the week as well. Dundee Utd on other hand have started season pretty well beationg Aberdeen and being one up v Kilmarnock before a scandalous sending off saw them eventually lose 2-1, they followed that up with a goalless draw v Hibs. 15/8 is a BIG price.