Sixpaks

Surely the sickest form of poker??? Every day I have umpteen hair pulling out moments...and thats just in the games that I win!! Some of the stuff I see is so unbelievably sick, oh to be golden like one or two of my opponents. Why do I put up with it?? Simple really, because they pay well :-)

I've been pretty lazy with regards to putting the hours in online in the past month or so and its something I need to snap out of. I have set myself pretty ambitious profit targets to be obtained by the end of the year and the only way I'll be able to attain them is by putting in the hours or returning a 40% ROI :-) I know which I'd prefer but while I might be good I'm not that good...yet!! I've now played 200 of the £60 sixpaks (I told you I'd been lazy) and my ROI is sitting at 18% (despite the sickness) so not far away from the 20% which I reckoned was attainable in the long run. I'm relatively content with that, but reckon I can improve on it in the coming months.

Barca Hangover

After being KO'd from the main event in sick circumstances I really had no desire to stay in Barcelona but I had my room booked until Saturday so decided to grin and bear it. I also tried to look on the positive side of things. I've played two big buyin live events this year and managed to get chips early doors in both (despite getting no bloody hands but thats another story) so I must be doing something right.

I slept most of Thursday, played for a couple of hours online then decided to go and find a pub showing the Rangers v Molde UEFA Cup game. I phoned a mate who had been to Barca before and he told me of a pub that would definetly be showing the game. So off I head and surprisingly I manage to locate it with the minimum of fuss only to discover that the pub has now shut down. I'm just too lucky!! So I set off in search of another pub which is showing the game. I walk for miles and miles and get nowhere and I'm on the point of giving up when I stumble across an Irish pub and spy the game on through the window...happy days?? Yeah that will be right what a fecking awful game and performance.

I then head back down to the casino to see how the other lads are getting on and I find that Azimut has just busted out, I have a few drinks then decide to head back and get some shut eye. The following night I met Azimut and his mate Mark and went for a few drinks before I headed back to get a relatively night as I couldnt really face being tired and hungover on flight home.

Upon arriving back in Glasgow I'm beseiged by calls and text messages asking how Barcelona was....well incase anyone else is wondering I fucking hated it. Although in fairness thats basically because I got busted out early. I went to Barcelona to play poker..not enjoy the sights and as soon as the poker was over I just wanted to get home.

I had planned to play the Dublin EPT sat on Stars when I got home on the Saturday night but had totally forgotten I had arranged to meet a young lady that I had met a few weeks ago. Now I'm tired and not really in the mood for going out, but I'm not one to disappoint so I scrap my plans to play the Dublin sat. The young lady tells me not to worry about getting a taxi home later as I can sleep on her couch..now I've heard that umpteen times and had never spent a night on a couch yet ;-)....however there is a 1st time for everything and she really did mean the couch!!! One was not amused..I mean there is a time and place for morals but this was not one of them surely lol.

Anyways back to the poker. On Sunday I had a 'mare, I played the £50k on Crypto and spunked my stack away early doors. I was also in WCOOP event2 on Stars as well as the Dublin FPP Sat. I'd never entered one of the FPP sats before but I guessed that as they didnt need to part with money they would be full of even more muppets than normal...I was right. There were 140 runners with 2 seats and I cruise to the final table as chip leader before doing a chunk with JJ v QQ in bvb but I get it back without too much trouble then I picked up my only 3 hands on the FT AA, KK and QQ consecutively and I picked up the blinds each time lol. Then I really started struggling, I had no cards to speak of and I was being constantly re-raised pre. The players were so bad that you couldnt put any kind of move on them as they would call, anyway we ended up 4-handed with a huge chip leader (he was also the worst player on table but had shit the deck and was hitting EVERY flop) who was sat two to my left which was a bugger as he called all my preflop raises and check called every c-bet on the flop and the sick thing was he had it every time. I had been card dead for over an hour now and SB made a standard raise on my BB and I jammed with QT, he called with AJ and he held which crippled me down to around 2xBBs. However I won a couple of allins and got myself back into things when I find KhQs on the button and raise. Chip leader calls as per and flop comes Qd9d6d, he checks as per and I jam and he takes a while before calling with Q9 and I got no help. Sick!!!

As for the WCOOP I was going slowly and found myself down to 1200 with blinds 50/100 when I my EPT sat goes on a 15min break. Now I have my full focus on this and I manage to spin my stack up to 2.9k without showing a card when I pick up KK on the button and smooth call the cutoffs raise to 400. Flop is all raggy hearts (I have no heart) and he leads out and I jam..he calls with TT with a heart and the Kh duly lands on the turn just to tease me lol, I don't fill up on river and I'm a goner. Win that and I have a playable stack but thems the breaks. I've had better weekends!!

Today I went back to the 6paks and played really really well only to get outdrwan time and time and time again. WTF do I have to do to get a hand to hold up FFS. Oh I still ended up well up on the day but thats hardly the point lol.

Barca Report

I woke up yesterday morning and felt as though I'd been kicked in the guts by a mule...the platter of smoked fish I had eaten the previous night was taking its revenge. I spent most of the morning being violently sick and was in no fit state to play poker. I still had no idea whether I was playing on day 1a or 1b so I had to drag my sorry carcass down to the casino. I was still feeling like death although I'd stopped vomiting.. I was really hoping I was day 1b but it wasn't to be as luck would have it I was allocated day 1a. Now I had to get myself in the right frame of mind to play...this wasn't going to be easy when all I wanted to do was go back to bed and die quietly.

5pm came and I was feeling slightly better and the couple of coffees I had had woken me up a little, I wasn't in ideal shape but I was well enough to play which was the main thing. I recognised three players on my 1st table, Jan Sjlavik, Fuat Can and Johnny "Texas" Hewston (I didn't actually recognise him but he had his name on his shirt :-)). The table was fairly tight during the first level, It was clear however that there were 3 weak players at the table. The first big hand on the table came early in the 2nd level when Hewston made it 300 in mid position Sjlavik called as did the Welsh/Italian bloke to my right. Flop came down 987 with 2 diamonds. Hewston led the flop and the other 2 called. Turn was a black 5. Hewston checked and Sjlavik bet out 1.5k other guy folded and Hewston quickly called. Turn is a 2 so board reads 98752 with no flush possible, Hewston then jams for 7k into the 5.5k pot. It stank of a complete and utter bluff, I couldn't put him on a made hand that he would play like that JdTd perhaps for the nut straight with flush draw but surely he would raise turn with that holding. Sjlavik thinks for 10mins before a clock is called and he makes a cracking call with J9, Hewston had KdTd and had missed all his draws. one of those hands where you know he has nothing but it takes bollocks to call for virtually all your chips with top pair J kicker on that board.

My first proper pot of the day came in level 3 (75/150) when I made it 450 UTG+1 with TsTd which Fuat Can called. Flop came AsJhQh, not quite what I was hoping for so I check and Can checks behind. Turn is the Kh giving me the nut straight with the heart flush also out. I check again and Can bets 1k, which I call (not convinced about that play but I had my reasons). Turn is 3h so board reads AsJhQhKh3h. Again I check and Can bets 3.5k, I only have 6.5k back so its for a fair chunk of my remaining chips but I'm certain im ahead so call and he flips over AJ for 2 pair. That got me off and running and the table broke soon after.

I don't know anyone at my new table and sit quietly for the first 3 rounds folding the rags which came my way. The guy in seat 2 who looked familiar was very aggro and running over the table and had 30k+ in chips. I won a couple of small pots from the guy in seat 2 simply by playing back at him then I took a nice pot when one of the muppets raised to 1100 in MP, I call in the cutoff with AdJd. Flop comes Kh4d2d giving me the nut draw, he leads for 2.2k which I call and he grimaced at this point I have him on a hand like JJ, QQ and he is worried about the King. Turn is a blank and he checks, I bet 4k and he eventually calls but doesn't look happy about it. The river is another blank and again he checks, I now have A high so have to bet, he has about 8-9k back so I put him allin. He thinks for ages before shouting something in Spanish and gesticulating at the board and mucks his QQ face up :-).

Next big hand (and the worst hand I played all day) was against the guy in seat 2. He raise to 1200 in MP and I called on the button with 88, flop comes a lovely looking 843 and he checks to me I bet 1500 and I'm happy to see him reaching for chips he raises it up to 4.5k which i call. I'm hoping he has an overpair but I suspect he is making a move on me in light of the couple of earlier pots we had played. Turn is a 7 and he checks to me and for some unknown reason i think itll be a good idea to bet and he subsequently folds (hate that turn bet, I have to check behind him imo). Not to worry i'm now over 30k with average only 15k. My next big pot is again against the guy in seat 2. I raise it up in MP with AJs seat 2 calls as does the BB, flop comes J96 and I bet out which seat 2 calls and BB folds. I'm positive I'm ahead at this point and planning on a check raise on a blank turn. Turn is a 2 and I check he bets half the pot and I raise, he duly passes. That put me up to 44k and at this point I felt in total control, i was playing well and knew where I stood in virtually every pot I played.

I then took my first hit of the day when I found QQ in the cutoff, i made it 1300 and BB called flop comes down Jd4d3h, he checks and I bet 2k which he calls. Turn is the Jh and he checks to me again, I'm still sure I'm good here as he check raises me on flop with a J only possible holdings I'm behind to are 44 and 33 imo. I bet 3.8k which he calls at this point I'm sure he has the diamond draw. Turn is Kh so board reads Jd4d3hJhKh and he leads for 4.5k I don't like it as it seems a milky bet and all I'm beating is a busted diamond draw but for 4.5k I have to call. He turns over Ah9h for the flush. Yeah well played sonny jim.

I'm a bit pissed off with that hand but still have 30kish and fluctuate between 25 and 30k for the next few hours and there is 30mins of the days play left when the exit hand arrives. The totally useless muppet to my left raised UTG for the umpteenth time, every time it had been folded to me in the past I was callinfg with ATC and taking the pot postflop every time. I look down at 4h4d this time and obviously call the extra 1.2k, flop comes a sexy looking Ac7c4s. I check and he bets 2.4k i make it 6k and he announces allin (he has me covered) I insta call putting him on a big Ace. He turns over As7s for top two pair, ok i think no Ace or 7 and its happy days. He didnt hit an Ace or a 7 but it sure as hell wasn't fucking happy days, he only went and caught running spades for the nut flush. Really really sick. 55k pot right at the end of the day and I get shafted. I'd have been going back on day two in great shape with almost double the ave stacks had I held but it wasn't to be.

I now know I can compete at this level and I'll be doing my utmost to qualify for at least 1 more EPT event. I was planning on buying into London had I cashed over here but thats not to be so I'll be satelitting my way to Dublin and Copenhagen...hopefully :-). Day 1b is about to get started but I'm too sick to go anywhere near the casino so I'm going to go and see what sites Barcelona has to offer.

EPT Time

This week I make my 2nd attempt to win an EPT title in the wonderful (so everyone keeps telling me) city that is Barcelona. I've not actually seen any of it yet as I arrived late this afternoon and decided to get some shut eye as I was totally and utterly shattered. I was eventually awoken by the loudest crack of thunder I'd ever heard in my life and could hear the torrential rain lashing down outside. I'd been planning to head down to the Casino tonight to have a look around but to hell with that idea lol. I'm staying in the Hotel Princess and it looks pretty damn fine to me...although I've yet to fully explore it.

I played a bit of online poker yesterday without too much success. I played the $150 doublestack on Full Tilt and had a stack of 40k (ave 25k blinds 500/1000) with 13 left when I picked up 89o in the cutoff and make a raise to 3k which the button called. SB passedthen BB thought for a while before re-raising to 13.5k. Normally I pass here however I had played with the BB in the past and I was sure he was making a move here, he was also playing a 40k stack as was the button. With now over 20k in the middle I make a bold/rash (you decide) move and jam which the button insta calls..that wasn't part of my well thought out plan, i hadnt been overly concerned by him as he had been calling preflop raises with a wide range of hands. Anyway the BB folds (hardly surprising as he would need AA to call here now) and the button shows AA and I'm a goner. Oops!! That was the proverbial spanner in the works, I'll never know if the BB would have called had the button passed but I was certain he wouldn't, even without the buttons intervention he would have needed a "big" hand to call me. A play gone wrong but not a bad play methinks ;-).

Anyways time for some more shut eye. Heres hoping my next post is detailing how I've built up a healthy stack by the end of day 1.

BFWCOP

I had been looking forward to this for a while and it didn't disappoint. I arrived late Thursday afternoon and a few of the lads were already congregated in the hotel bar. A quick check in and change and I joined them. Had a couple of pints before heading down to the Waddon Hotel for some pool and pizza (pool was crap, pizza was good) and of course some more drink. We then ended up heading to some pretty rank club in Croydon where plenty more drink was consumed, then it was back to the hotel where Highstack decided to play barman :-). This was unfortunately frowned upon by the existing staff members so we had to vacate and ended up in Kev and Highstacks room where I lounged until 7am before heading down for some breakfast...which was awful. After that I decided that some shut eye would be in order..but could I sleep?? Could I f***!!! I proceeded to roll about my bed for a couple of hours before I eventually managed to sleep.

Friday was the team game and I put up a sterling performance....I was first out. Hand 3 I look down at JJ UTG and make it 200 to play. Hawko calls as does Tankdahl in the BB, so we have a pot of 625 and the flop comes 567 and the drunken scouse clown goes and throws a 5k chip in the middle which causes me to recoil in my seat in horror. After much deliberating I decide to move in out of curiosity...Tank calls and shows a set of 7's and says "I meant to bet 500" LOL.

The main game on the Sunday was a bit of a non-event for me. I never got going and bit the dust when I re-raised Hawko all-in with 97s after he made his 3rd consecutive preflop raise. Of course this time he had a hand lol. Never mind the proper poker is this week :-). A few of us then headed for an Indian before I finally got to bet around 4ish I think.

Sunday came and I was rudely awoken by my alarm at 9am...I don't think I've ever been as tired in my life. I got to the airport earlier than anticipated so had a couple of hours before my flight was due to depart. I checked my bag in and went and took a seat..bad idea as I then fell asleep and wok in a blind panic as I thought I'd missed my flight, I had however only been asleep for 40mins or so. Thankfully there were no delays and I stepped through my front door around 4pm. I had a cracking week and I'm already looking forward to BFWCOP3 next year.

Quick Update

Things have picked up past few days, I'm still running bad but actually managing to turn in a profit which is always good. One of these days I'll run well and cause some serious damage. I have concentrated solely on 6pacs since the start of the month but decided to play a MTT on Stars tonight whilst finishing my last batch of 6paks. I started off pissing about and found myself down to 500chips early on and then got slapped about the chops with the deck for a couple of levels and found myself in the chip lead. I then take a huge hit when I am re-raised allin on Q65 flop holding AQ, he turns over AK?!? Turn obv a K. Unperturbed I set about demolishing the field again and get my stack up above average when I suffer a sick outdraw. I have KK in the BB and chip leader in cutoff makes it 2400 (blinds 400/800), SB smooth calls, so now I have to raise, I put 8000 of my 25000 in and the original raiser moves allin. I call and he shows JJ. If I hold here I have 60k with only one other stack over 40k with 55runners left. Flop comes a sickly looking KsTs9s and he holds Js, tur Q gives him his straight and I don't fill up on river. Siccccccccckkkkkkk. If I take down that pot I can run riot but wasn't to be.

Tomorrow I'm heading down to London, well Croydon to be exact, for the BFWCOP. Should be a cracking weekend and really looking forward to it. I fly home on the Sunday and have 2 days at home to recover before I head to Barcelona to begin my quest for an EPT title.