On and On and On and Ariston.........

Ho Hum. It is official. May is now the worst recorded month (records since August and at least a few before that) ever, and possibly beyond records.

It is rigid game selection for me for a while though, I think double chance Tuesday and Friday scalps it seems, with no cash games. I know runs come and runs go, but this one seems particularly depressing. I have still had a few (very few though by my standards) final tables and cashes but they are generally minor placings so no advance.

One good thing about this is that I have to get more creative with my cards but considering some of the players who play in the Fitz tournies though bluffing can be a very expensive way to get involved in a hand. Lately big pairs get no action, I rarely flop big, and my big draws miss.

I did not intend this blog to be a vehicle for moaning and I hope it does not pan out that way over the long term. Anyways, onto the weekends poker action.

On Friday evening I left work to go into the Gresham Hotel to play a satellite for the 500 game in there that evening. I registered for a 2 ticket 100+5 satellite and their was a fairly tough line up at the table considering. People I knew(or knew of) were, Collette (Smurph), Dave Masters, Phil Harris, Tom Nolan (split the Fitz end of month 2 days earlier), and the inimitable player known to me only as Chief Brody (not a name I assigned to him, yet apt) from the Sporting Emporium.

It started out very slowly for me but I stole a few pots and then eventually took out the player in 4th place with JT vs 99. With 3 of us left and 2 tickets I was very confident having about 13000, Dave Masters about 14000 and Collette only about 3000 left. At this stage I was sure between us we would be able to take Collette out but once she doubled up via Dave and started stealing blinds with a more damaging stack eventually I called her all in bet with a suited K (terrible play but I was in gamble mode). She had AJ and it held up. This put me down to about 6k and Collette up to around 12k then. Next hand I pushed from the SB into Collettes BB with J8 suited. She called with KQo. I hit my straight on the turn but Collette hit a 4 flush on the river to knock me out. The most annoying thing is that I was te only one of the 3 of us who did not have a ticket. I don't know how I managed to keep it that way. No Gresham game for me then.

The next day I went to the Fitz for satellites for their 500 game, and again I was going well in the first satellite I played but lost a race to exit in 3rd. If I had won that I would have been all but heads up against an inexperienced palyer holding a big chip lead for the ticket. I played another sat and after being early chip lead I ran 77 into AA and then lost a race the next hand to be sent to the rails. I was annoyed with myself. To compound all this I went home and played some 1/2 Pot Limit Omaha and managed to lose an $800 pot with AAQQds when I flopped top set and nut flush draw on a Q73 board only to lose to runner runner flush (he had top 2 and backdoor draw when he pushed after my pot bet on the flop). Ouch. To bed with me.

Sunday I played the €40 rebuy game. I had €55 credit left so paid the entry with this and had a whole tenner left over for a rebuy/topup. I had a limit set in my head of 125 but knew if needed I would go to 165. However, things worked out fairly well. I got AA twice during the first 2 levels, but didnt get paid too well with them, I flopped a set of 8's after calling an all in bet vs AQ. I was also mixing my play up well and making some timed reraises. At this point I was happy with my play and up to about 8k from a start of 2k. Then came a hand when I convinced myself to do the wrong thing - twice. I held Q9 in the BB and checked to a flop of QJ9. I bet 3/4 pot and got one caller who looked like he was going to reraise. This guy was someone I have seen occasionally and is not a sophisticated player at all. He is the type who thinks about raising by handling lots of chips without realising that this is saying he has a big hand. I still ignored my own head though and check called turn and river blanks. I declare 2 pair and he says flush. I kindly point out that there is no flush on the board and he goes oh sorry, straight and turns over 8T and points out how he thought he had flopped a straight flush on a board with 2 Hearts and 1 Diamond. As I said to him, "as long as you know you have something I suppose". I was pissed off with myself more than his misdeclaration at this though. This cost me a few thousand and I won 1 more pot before the break to take me to 5k and with the 4k topup I was in ok shape, especially since I did not rebuy and only had to contribute 30 for my topup.

After the break I won a decent pot with 88 leading preflop, flop and turn on a board of J627. Chips went in on turn with him having floped a flush draw with K7d and turn a pair. My 88 held up though, and up to 11.5k for a healthy stack with blinds at 75/150 only. Then a few minutes later I got moved table and despite seeing AK on my first hand on that table I could not get a hand. 68o, 79o and Q2o are the very frequent hands I seen on this table. I moved in a few times but never got a caller. Any hands I tried to get creative on always backfired with players making moves just before I could do anything. Cards are very frustrating at times and not helped when most hands involving a 60-90 second dwell up (or longer). None by me though as my decisions were all easy. Seeing others turn over KK, AA, QQ etc at least let me know that the good cards were in the pack somewhere!!!!!! I was feeling good about my game and there were a couple of bad players and one or 2 bluffers as well so there were chips available should the opportunity present itself but it never did. I must reintroduce myself to opportunity though as I have a feeling the bitch has deleted my number and got a restraining order.

Oh ya, eventually I got KQs suited in the BB and the SB who tried to raise but failed (how hard is it to double 2??? Why try to minraise a shortstack??? Cause he is a bad player) called my allin for 9k at 1k/2k with AK and I got no reprieve. Adios. 1.35am and 14th. At least I read Olly and Gavin split it, and not the muppets. Well played lads, good to see good players getting the dosh.

I think the DC game tomorrow in the Fitz will be my next game, but who knows. I am in the process of buying an apartment and spent 2k on the weekend on couches and a bed so I need to save and earn money even though I am financewise a bit more would not go astray. As stated though cash games are def out for a while. I may just play more MTT's online as they are cheaper and might keep me out of trouble.

Soon maybe............