Another update

Having been quiet on the poker side of things for about 3 or 4 yrs I did say I was going to look at getting back to it. But instead of just jumping straight back in to it, I’ve been doing a lot of studying and watching players on their live Twitch feed. It’s basically you looking at what the player who’s streaming sees on his monitor. The beauty of this is the ability to watch a good poker pro playing poker with his cards revealed and they also talk you through their reasons to do what they do. There’s normally a 5 minute delay so not to reveal their hand live in a poker game and it works so well.
It’s the best way to learn or learn what’s gone on since I last played properly. It turns out, my game was pretty solid and just needed tweaking here and there. So I’ve been watching these streams for a few weeks now and although I still have to be careful what I play in terms of potentially falling asleep whilst playing, I’ve started just this week actually, playing early morning tournaments on Poker Stars. Sadly though with not to much to shout about. But the key is volume, if you play pretty much like your suppose to and you win your flips, then you have a good a chance as anyone else. The problem I have is the volume, it’s ok saying it was the correct call and in time it’s still a winning play, but unfortunately not this time and you bust. So because I’ve no volume I have nothing to fall back on like the players who stream who can play upwards of 16 tournaments at once across many different sites.
I also need to sort out my Poker Tracker which is essential if your serious about your game, unfortunately again, mines a stubborn sod and it’s not showing my hand history and I don’t know why. It will take time to get back up to speed but I’m not in any rush really. I’d rather it be right than playing with no HUD.
So I’ve not done much in terms of playing, although I’ve picked up cash playing Sit n Gos, a bit of Cap cash games and the Sit n Go KO. I had my $820 on Stars to fund my return and it’s important I don’t lose that and grind away. But those you read my blog will know, I win most of my cash away from PokerStars, opting for iPoker or Boss networks, but I think Boss is no longer in the U.K. and iPoker is almost dead these days from the numbers I’ve seen.
Even PKR is now a distant memory after going into receivership. It’s just Stars, 888 Poker and the new vamped up Party Poker that attract the biggest entries with a handful of smaller new networks trying to get into the action. But truth be told, Stars is head and shoulders above anything out there. Which means dodging fish and that can get frustrating for the reasons I mentioned earlier.
Finally, I’m toying with the idea of possibly another Jesus challenge but starting with $1 instead of a zero Bankroll. It just makes it easier for me to get going instead of playing with very bad all in players. But I need to sort out my set up first and see about streaming and if that’s worth doing or not.
Anyways that’s it for this update and next time I should be well into my return!

After 8 tournaments we have our first cash & Final Table!

So yes it’s official, I played I think 8 tournaments since coming out of retirement to take up playing poker again. I have to admit it’s been slow going like I explained in my previous post. But I kept persistently playing when I wasn’t falling asleep and yes I managed to get to the Final Table. It was a long slog, especially when we were playing 6 handed on two tables for seemed like an hour, although it really was only about 20 minutes.
I played really really well and only got my money in when just twice behind and I think those two were flipping, pocket pair v AK for me. I lost most of my chips when miles ahead and only to be rivered. I had just 2 BB when about 24 left, but won 3 shoves which brought me back to the pack. I was 6th place when we got down to the FT and I was chip leader when there was just 6 left.
One thing I have noticed and that is players try and bluff a hell of a lot more than 3 yrs ago. Almost every time I called a shove or a big bet, they were bluffing. All I need to do now is win my races.....

Still not quite there yet

With the death of my Father in Law on Christmas Eve and the wife not coping at all well, my poker is taking a while longer to take off. I have been playing, but with the lack of sleep and other personal stuff to sort out, it’s not really been the start I was hoping for. But I have played a number of hands and despite my rustiness I have enjoyed some success. I have opted to slowly get back into it rather than full steam ahead and playing $100 sit n gos. Actually I never played those when I was in my prime.
For those you have read this blog over the years know I’m very very cautious when it comes to Bankroll management. It’s just a shame I can’t replicate that with my gambling, but with poker I’ve always had a good head for my bankroll. So it’s no surprise I didn’t play those $100 with me needing at least $10k to play one. Again, for those whom have been with me for these years know I did just do that, make $10k from nothing, but I chose to treat myself to a trip to Vegas. It did take me 4.5 yrs to complete it, so I did deserve it.......
If truth be known, I’m really really struggling with day to day life at present. I’ve often poured my heart out in this blog over the years, basically because I have no one to talk to really. I’m alone all day once the Mrs goes to work, on top of the death of her dad and the shite that her 3 brothers come out with recently have really angered me. My mental health is piss poor and my driving is really really aggressive with not a care if I live or die. I should take myself to the GP, but I can’t even be arsed to do that. They let me down a few yrs ago now and I’m reluctant to want to go back. I have a ton of paperwork to do and the to do list is getting longer and longer. I thought poker would be a welcome distraction and like I’ve said, I have played, but my heart is not in it at present. We still have another week before the funeral. Oppss, my bad, we are not allowed to call it that. Nor are we allowed to wear black. Yes, that’s how bizarre things are and no wonder I’ve lost the plot.
My gambling I have to admit is way out of control. I’ve always been able to sort of know when to give up but this time it’s different. It’s a very welcome distraction I have to admit and I’ve used this technique for over 30 yrs, but this is different. Once I start I’m finding it so hard to stop and the losses are huge but so are the wins which then fund the next session. But I can’t stop which is something I have always done previously. I don’t want to go down the road of Gambling problem because I do enjoy it and if I do go down that route, my poker would be classed as gambling which I would have to stop and I’m just not prepared to do that. But it’s obvious I have to do something. I’m currently thinking of a 6 month banning order which I can fill out online at the various online casinos I’m playing at. But what would I do to fill that gap that’s always been there? That’s why I’m just at the thinking stage at present. How would I cope not being able to distract myself, will I go further into depression which I have to repeat is probably the worse I’ve ever been in my life. If I didn’t have so many people depending on me it’s a sure thing that I wouldn’t be here telling you about it. But that’s what keeps me going day by day.
Letting it out on here does help me and although it might not be Poker it is indeed connected to poker. Without this back ground information readers simply wouldn’t know how much you need to be able to play poker with a some what clear head and if me typing it all on here helps me, then it’s got to be good for me. But I have played poker, it’s just not the volume I would of liked, but considering the above it’s amazing I have played at all. I’m not yet playing back on PokerStars. I don’t have that level of concentration yet to be able to play a 4000 player field. Instead opting to play the 3 man hyper Sit n Gos at $3 a pop. It’s probably best to actually, because my aggression when I play is to much aggression. I’m literally 3 barrelling almost every hand and it’s no surprise I’m losing most of these. But I do know how to beat these and I do know which hands are good v an all in range, so although it looks like I get lucky when I’m calling an all in with just 4 5 suited, I know I’m slightly just a dog v any random shove. Also the low stakes means the players that play these limits are literally every man and his dog with the semi decent players never ever going this low. But you can make a decent wedge and I must be the only poker player that does not think playing these super low limits is detrimental to your ego. Money is money and to me anyway, I’d rather take loads of easy money v fighting it out with umpteen semi decent players for a half decent return. I just need to try and get my head in a state that benefits my playing abilities.
Small steps an all that........
I did however manage to win my last game for a x6 multiple of my stake, which helped. More updates in about a week and as ever, thanks for reading x

An so we have lift off.

It’s the end of the 1st Jan and I managed to get in about 2 hours of play. Nothing amazing really, just sitting on a 6 max table on Sky clicking away. I did double my buy in, but I ran my 2nd nuts into the Nuts which cost me that said buy in.
I have to remember that playing at these limits, players do not play ‘standard’ poker, with lots of limping with literally any 2 cards, to the overbet river shove for 100BB into a pot of just 10BB. But it was a good session, I didn’t feel sleepy or get bored, it was good.
I’m also not going to blog after every session. This was just because it being the first day properly. I do keep thinking of another Jesus $10k challenge, but the thought of playing those free rolls freaks me out. So I’m going to carry on playing during the week and see if I can come up with something similar. One idea is either $100 to $25000 or £10 to £10k. I need to read up on online poker and see what sites are still operating and which have folded. I do like the IPN or Boss network and there is also the microgamming network and you could forget ipoker..... Actually I’ll do it now. I’ll speak later in the week with all the updates.

Happy New Year and welcome 2018.

It’s arrived and we are now in 2018 and that means I’m now a poker player once again. But for how long remains to be seen, but hopefully I can continue playing.
My Bankroll is just £30 on Sky and $28 on 888.
I do have $850 on PokerStars but I need to play more hours before I entertain PokerStars. That’s because of the size of tournaments which means 8 hours and more of continued play and I’m not ready for that just yet. They do however have the Spin n Gos which I do like, so I could play a few of them.
I really want to play on the Boss Media or IPN as it’s called, but don’t know a UK site or foreign site that lets UK players play. In the haste to follow suit with the US, the government decided that in order for any bookmaker who wished to conduct business had to be licensed in the U.K. instead of abroad so they could collect the taxes from the British players. Bookmakers said yeah do one and the amount of poker sites literally vanished overnight in the U.K.
But that’s political bollox and I can’t be arsed. So it’s 30 minutes into the new year, so it’s sleep time and fully rested for tomorrow.
Bring it on!