So I've punched 3 days off the death sticks. The first 2 days weren't too bad as I was extremely busy. But today was sheer murder. My brother was around and he smokes. The smell of smoke really triggered off some pangs for a ciggy but I managed to resist.
I'm already an expert on quitting smoking after reading just about every article there is online on the subject.
I'm using @2/3 nicorette gum /day (10-15 is the allowed dose). My best friend is sips of water. So far so good.
Poker
The bankrolls are heading back in the right direction on stars and i poker.
It's pretty hard to play while off the smokes as my concentration has gone out the window. Today I thought I was reshoving about 20bbs with Aqo versus a 10 bb ep shove. It turns out he open shoved 35 bb and I reshipped for 70 lol.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Reverse Grinding
Both my bankrolls have taken a bit of a hit since last week. Some bad play involved but mostly after reviewing my hand histories it seems as though I'm getting coolered a lot late in tournies. Running AKs into AA and AQs always seems to find AA,KK,AK.
I've just binked 70th spot on the Pocket Fives Ireland leaderboard so I'm 2 weeks ahead of schedule on that 1. As I said before the leaderboards are largely meaningless but I like to have something to aim for so my new target is to get into the top 5000 overall before the end of August. I am currently 5668 and we'll see where that leaves me then in the Irish list.
I set up a new account on 3kings poker (entraction network).This was really just to give Chris Dowling a boost with his new sponsorship deal. I wish him all the best with this. I managed to ship a small plo tournie since joining. I dont intend to play much on there as the software is simply crap. It's a shame they wouldn't update it a bit because the games are really soft. I have an Irish eyes account on the same network as well but only use that for the Celtic Poker Tour Satellites which reminds me I have a ticket for the next one in Ballina.
I've also deposited 100 on Party but as yet haven't played there. I am still considering leaving stars but the fact that I'm going to achieve Platinum star soon is keeping me interested. Maybe if I could run a little deeper in a tournament and start to show a profit there I might feel a little better about the site.
I've had a second poker lesson and am planning a 3rd for later this week. They're going well. I do see improvement in certain aspects of my game and am working at chip accumulation spots.
Am still putting in some decent volume (for me) but feel like I am reverse grinding at the moment. I feel like I'm on the wrong end of variance atm. Hopefully this is the case and that I'm not just a complete numpty.
A big shout out to Fintan Gavin who shipped the UKIPT in Edinburgh. I've only spoken with Fintan a couple of times but he seems like a sound guy. Always nice to see the Irish goin well.
500 LAST LONGER
Alan Mc Intyre has some bets going in a thread on Irish Poker Boards that he will stay off the ciggies for 1 year. He's offering odds of 2:1. I decided I wouldn't take that action but would try a 500 euro last longer bet and try and quit the smokes myself. They're pure feckin murder on the health and the wallet. I've had a few smokes with Alan at live events and he's a top notch guy. Hopefully by the end of a year I will neither be collecting nor paying off on this bet. I've told Alan in the forum that my starting date is next Monday but I think I'll bring it forward a bit.
God there's so many live events happening now. I'm still sticking with my no live poker rule for now. I might break out in September for the IPO or else November for JP's game. JP always runs a great show.
I've just binked 70th spot on the Pocket Fives Ireland leaderboard so I'm 2 weeks ahead of schedule on that 1. As I said before the leaderboards are largely meaningless but I like to have something to aim for so my new target is to get into the top 5000 overall before the end of August. I am currently 5668 and we'll see where that leaves me then in the Irish list.
I set up a new account on 3kings poker (entraction network).This was really just to give Chris Dowling a boost with his new sponsorship deal. I wish him all the best with this. I managed to ship a small plo tournie since joining. I dont intend to play much on there as the software is simply crap. It's a shame they wouldn't update it a bit because the games are really soft. I have an Irish eyes account on the same network as well but only use that for the Celtic Poker Tour Satellites which reminds me I have a ticket for the next one in Ballina.
I've also deposited 100 on Party but as yet haven't played there. I am still considering leaving stars but the fact that I'm going to achieve Platinum star soon is keeping me interested. Maybe if I could run a little deeper in a tournament and start to show a profit there I might feel a little better about the site.
I've had a second poker lesson and am planning a 3rd for later this week. They're going well. I do see improvement in certain aspects of my game and am working at chip accumulation spots.
Am still putting in some decent volume (for me) but feel like I am reverse grinding at the moment. I feel like I'm on the wrong end of variance atm. Hopefully this is the case and that I'm not just a complete numpty.
A big shout out to Fintan Gavin who shipped the UKIPT in Edinburgh. I've only spoken with Fintan a couple of times but he seems like a sound guy. Always nice to see the Irish goin well.
500 LAST LONGER
Alan Mc Intyre has some bets going in a thread on Irish Poker Boards that he will stay off the ciggies for 1 year. He's offering odds of 2:1. I decided I wouldn't take that action but would try a 500 euro last longer bet and try and quit the smokes myself. They're pure feckin murder on the health and the wallet. I've had a few smokes with Alan at live events and he's a top notch guy. Hopefully by the end of a year I will neither be collecting nor paying off on this bet. I've told Alan in the forum that my starting date is next Monday but I think I'll bring it forward a bit.
God there's so many live events happening now. I'm still sticking with my no live poker rule for now. I might break out in September for the IPO or else November for JP's game. JP always runs a great show.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Monday, August 1, 2011
1s Poker lesson.
Had my first poker lesson today over Skype and Teamviewer. Michelle SatNav was helpful enough to do a test with skype before the lesson. It went really well. According to my tutor I have a reasonably solid grasp of pre-flop play and he showed me some spots where I can open up a little more. We went through a couple of post flop spots also which I need to work on.
Have put in a decent volume of @100 MTTs since last update.
My stars roll has taken a bit of a hit down to $320 but my i poker roll has jumped to €623.72 so over all not so bad. I am considering leaving stars atm. even though I have achieved silver star status (never played there much). And with the reduced points this month gold star is easily achievable and platinum with a push.
A lot of the smaller stakes tournaments are infested with sick grinders. Guys playing up to 50 tournies a day. So they are'nt as +ev as I thought, although there are a lot of soft players in them. Will stick with it for another while though and see if my results improve. Party poker seems like a good alternative choice. I miss Full Tilt.
It was hard not to be at the EMOP this weekend but the lads on Irish Poker Boards kept us well updated. They do a fantastic job. Kudos. Congrats to Dara O' Kearney on his fantastic short stack ninja grind to a 2nd place finish. Congrats also to Mick Mc Closkey one of the faces of Irish Poker on his final table and to Mick Muldoon who put up a brave showing and for a while looked like he might take it down.
My pocket fives rank has jumped to 77 so I'm on target atm to get into the top 70. It's silly I know. The pf rankings don't matter much but I'm competitive by nature and I need something to drive me on seeing as I haven't set any other specific goals for myself.
Am gonna do another session tonight and then the family are back tomorrow. Will take a couple of days off to play with the kids and hopefully find a beach day.
Have put in a decent volume of @100 MTTs since last update.
My stars roll has taken a bit of a hit down to $320 but my i poker roll has jumped to €623.72 so over all not so bad. I am considering leaving stars atm. even though I have achieved silver star status (never played there much). And with the reduced points this month gold star is easily achievable and platinum with a push.
A lot of the smaller stakes tournaments are infested with sick grinders. Guys playing up to 50 tournies a day. So they are'nt as +ev as I thought, although there are a lot of soft players in them. Will stick with it for another while though and see if my results improve. Party poker seems like a good alternative choice. I miss Full Tilt.
It was hard not to be at the EMOP this weekend but the lads on Irish Poker Boards kept us well updated. They do a fantastic job. Kudos. Congrats to Dara O' Kearney on his fantastic short stack ninja grind to a 2nd place finish. Congrats also to Mick Mc Closkey one of the faces of Irish Poker on his final table and to Mick Muldoon who put up a brave showing and for a while looked like he might take it down.
My pocket fives rank has jumped to 77 so I'm on target atm to get into the top 70. It's silly I know. The pf rankings don't matter much but I'm competitive by nature and I need something to drive me on seeing as I haven't set any other specific goals for myself.
Am gonna do another session tonight and then the family are back tomorrow. Will take a couple of days off to play with the kids and hopefully find a beach day.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Poker goals.
So I've been donkin' around in the poker world for a few years now and have decided to get a little more serious about it or get out.
Due to various family commitments my b.roll has been chopped back to $500 on Stars and €167 on i poker.
I have no b.roll building targets or anything like that atm. My main aim is to improve my game and hopefully the results will follow. I am taking my first poker lesson on Monday and will hopefully work on some leaks etc. I 'm nervous and excited at the same time about this. I am a primary school teacher who is about to get schooled by a younger kid.
With 1 month's holidays left I intend to spend as much of it as possible putting in some volume at MTTs. That might prove difficult with 2 young children and building work going on around the house. But here's hoping to getting some decent volume in.
I'm currently sitting in 90th place on Pocket Fives (Ireland Only). Let's aim for 70th by end of August.
Self Banned from live tournaments.
This week is the race week in Galway which has a few good value tournaments on.
Last weekend was the Waterford Masters where Jason Thompkins finally broke onto the winner's podium and more importantly is well on the road to full health again.
Next weekend is EMOP Dublin which is a tournament I had planned to play this year. And then there's the UKIPT in Edinburgh.
In the past I have drained bankrolls trying to qualify for live events and am refusing to play sats for live events for the foreseeable future. Although I'm +ev in many of the live events on the Irish circuit I don't feel that I'm ev enough when travel expenses, food and accommodation are taken into consideration. So there won't be any new flags flying on my Hendon Mob for a while.
For now this is probably just a blog to myself . Maybe down the line I'll put it out there. Let's see where the journey goes.
Due to various family commitments my b.roll has been chopped back to $500 on Stars and €167 on i poker.
I have no b.roll building targets or anything like that atm. My main aim is to improve my game and hopefully the results will follow. I am taking my first poker lesson on Monday and will hopefully work on some leaks etc. I 'm nervous and excited at the same time about this. I am a primary school teacher who is about to get schooled by a younger kid.
With 1 month's holidays left I intend to spend as much of it as possible putting in some volume at MTTs. That might prove difficult with 2 young children and building work going on around the house. But here's hoping to getting some decent volume in.
I'm currently sitting in 90th place on Pocket Fives (Ireland Only). Let's aim for 70th by end of August.
Self Banned from live tournaments.
This week is the race week in Galway which has a few good value tournaments on.
Last weekend was the Waterford Masters where Jason Thompkins finally broke onto the winner's podium and more importantly is well on the road to full health again.
Next weekend is EMOP Dublin which is a tournament I had planned to play this year. And then there's the UKIPT in Edinburgh.
In the past I have drained bankrolls trying to qualify for live events and am refusing to play sats for live events for the foreseeable future. Although I'm +ev in many of the live events on the Irish circuit I don't feel that I'm ev enough when travel expenses, food and accommodation are taken into consideration. So there won't be any new flags flying on my Hendon Mob for a while.
For now this is probably just a blog to myself . Maybe down the line I'll put it out there. Let's see where the journey goes.
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