50th Post

I noticed as I was starting this, that I had 49 previous posts. Not that I am going to do a review of the last 25 months of my blog or anything, that would be just pointless.

I am getting suspicious of this poker lark now tbh. Something terrible is waiting around the corner for me. don't get me wrong, I still have losing nights, such as last night when I did 700 in the 2/5 Omaha in the Fitz. It wasn't that mad a game really, I've played madder 1/2 games tbh, but still didn't get the luck I needed in the game. Was up 400 at one stage, then got 3 outered for a 750+ pot and it kept going down from there.

However, that is a relatively rare blackspot the last while. I split the Fitz EOM for 3k, got 2k from the cash league in the Fitz, won a ticket for the 500 tourney in June, and had my biggest ever nightly cash win last Saturday night (1800). I played several of the events at JP's festival on the bank holiday weekend as well with absolutely no success. There was the usual mixed standard in both players and dealers (some of whom made me want to scream at them), but overall it was a very well run festival from what I saw and I am delighted that there were decent numbers in (most) events, as JP/Christine are lovely people from my experiences.

What is coming up for me? WEll in the next couple of months I have a few things in particular that I hope prove fruitful.

1. Fitz 500 on June 7th. Won a ticket for this. Probably not a huge number of runners, but I would hope for a good showing in this.
2. Waterford Festival, June 13-15. Playing the main event in this (550) in Tramore, and I believe there will be approx 200 entries in this, so a nice touch would prove very fruitful. Again, the standard will quite likely be very mixed, but I am looking forward to this as I hear Neill Kelly runs a good show although I have never played one of his events before.
3. Vegas, 21/6 - 5/7. Looking forward to this. Flying Dub - LA - Vegas and reverse on the way back. This is the same route I went last year and it was grand. I'm looking forward to this now, as I haven't had a real break from work (except Christmas which is stressful enough anyways) since Vegas last year, so I need some time off. I haven't even had a sick day in 16 months. I'm not 100% what I am going to play over there, but I intend to be a bit more adventurous than last year.

Last year in Vegas I was running and playing terribly coming up to it for a few months, as opposed to when I booked it. This year it is the other way around. When I booked it I was starting to run and play well, but coming off a long downswing. It has sustained itself since and by my standards have made a very healthy profit so far this year. Unless I get some large stroke of fortune and win something like the Waterford Open etc, I am never going to have a stellar year, but if the yearly average win out at current trends then I will be extremely happy with my lot in poker. That is getting a bit carried away though at this point. There are lots of potential positives, but plenty of possible pitfalls as well.

Ok, for the laugh, here is an ultra quick review of my 4 and a bit poker playing years so far.

Year 1 - Learning. Didn't keep any records. Almost certainly lost, not that much though as I was very careful about it.
Year 2 - Started keeping records halfway into this year. I think I broke even on the year. My records show profit, but I know I lost in the months before. Stakes starting to get bigger.
Year 3 - I thought this was my breakthrough year. 5 figure profit, first big tourney, first TV appearance. Things can only get better surely.
Year 4 - *BANG, *CRASH*, *WALLOP*, *KABLAMMO*. Batman didn't take as much of a hammering as my confidence, ego and results took. Not a disastrous year financially, but nearly every month was a losing one. Wiped out previous years profit. What happened? Did manage to play in the Irish Open though which was a goal of mine.
Year 5 - So far so good. Cash in the Irish Open, final tabled 50% of the tournies I have played, won or split 25% of them so far including sats for tickets. Slightly down in cash, but not that much. Regained all my previous years losses and some more on top. So far.

That is me for now.

Caio