bad man
May 28, 2007
OK… I’m a bad man! I’ve not updated the blog for some time now, but I do have a good reason!
As I talked about in my last entry, I’m still in poker limbo at the moment. I just haven’t been able to muster up any enthusiasm for the game whatsoever. It seems, the longer I stay away from logging into a poker site, the less chance of me playing online for a while.
Its a strange situation, as I did have the urge to play, but as soon as I logged into a site, I just wanted straight back out. The only exception to this is the forum’s sit and go league. It’s the only games where I feel the need to WIN…. the urge to play returns. But as soon as these games are over then I’m back to square one.
I did however, play a freeroll game at Cake Poker the other day that I did enjoy and did manage to cash in. OK, it was only $0.55, but the important thing was that I did get enjoyment from the game. Could this be the return of the Gopher? We’ll just have to wait and see!
I will try and get back into updating the blog on a more regular basis, but I have been busy (outwith the complete poker scene) so it has been difficult. I have a few articles up my sleeve for future updates, including the promised final table strategy (from months ago!), so hopefully, these will start rolling out soon.
Catcha all later, and you never know…. you just might see me back at the tables!
It’s happening again!!!
May 15, 2007
How do you maintain an interest in poker? Please, can someone tell me???
I wrote a few months back about having the ‘can’t be bothered’ syndrome when it came to poker. This affects all players at some time. The last time it happened to me I was on a very bad streak where, no matter how well I played, I still ended up being put out of games by abismal play from the other player – and them getting lucky. That would put anyone on a downer!
Well, it has returned. But this time, I cannot put it down to being unlucky. If anything, I’m playing quite well at the moment, but am finding I am losing interest in all the games I play. For example….. last Friday, I played a forum game at PKR. I dominated early proceedings, but once we got down to the final table, I just decided I had had enough. I could not be arsed playing any longer.
I tried to play my normal game, but actually ended up playing like a bingo player…. chasing poor draws knowing fine well I was beaten. In effect, I tried to wrap the game up as quickly as possible. In reality, I was up against players whom I knew were not easy pickings, but I still tried it. (Apologies BTW to those at that final table). In the end I got my just deserts by going all-in with a K 9 offsuit (when there was no need) and was called instantly by pocket rockets.
So back to the real issue. How to get rid of the apathy for the game. How do I regain the appetite for the battle? I mean, I’ve heard all of the ususal words of wisdom (and advocated them myself), like,’take a break from the game’, or ‘change to the cash tables instead of sit and gos’ etc… but I don’t think any of it is going to work.
Why, you may ask. Well basically because the pull is still there. I cannot help but get involved in a game. As I said, it’s after around an hour into the game that the ‘cant-be-arsed’ syndrome kicks in.
I’ve still to work out if it only happens in the private games (where the majority of the regular players are tighter than two coats of paint), or if it has spread to oudside of the forum.
One thing that could be a major contributer to this syndrome is that I have caught a virus…. not any virus that makes you ill. I’m infected with the downloading bug. In the last week or so, I cannot pull myself away from downloading more and more music/DVD’s etc. I truly am hooked. It’s been ages since I downloaded stuff from the internet and now I just can’t get enough.
So for the time being, I’ll play only the odd sit and go and of course the S&G Challenge games at the forum. It will be a case of ‘see how I feel’ for any other games, as I will more than likely be downloading again…
Gopher
May 11, 2007
Pointed out something really good in gophers blog and got me to think really hard! He said that it’s good to go back and read some of your old posts and entries to analyze and pinpoint why or where the games isn’t going as you plan them to! I now know why i haven’t performed at my best lately! It is actually a simple answer to that and i’m not proud of it! It’s because i haven’t been really hungry and up for it with all the new stuff going on around me! I have missed this certain 
wich is a necessasity to do well in poker
Me who talked so much about patience and discipline aren’t following my own advices and rules! I’m ashamed!
I have entered games with the right intentions and reasons but after an hour been looking at the clock, feeling really stressed because i have to get up to work, haven’t prepared my work or thousands of other things flying around in my mind! And all i have felt then is oboy how do I end this game as quickly as possible….. oh geeee right intention-wrong timing can make anyone to be an easy target and loose money so this past week i have decided to not play anything but the sitngo challenge we have in the pokerchipsquad forum.
You really have to read blaggers blog about the Blasphemers name OMG still laughing so much my face and stomach hurts, I can’t even imaging where he gets all this from.
And all started with “Viking have never been afraid of trouble! On the contrary we seek out trouble and welcome it so…. Divide and Conquer is our motto”
It kind of feels sooooooo nice to be an inspiration to people 
All change!
May 9, 2007
After the hacking incident last week, the forum has now moved to pastures new. We now have our own site back up and running and are using a new forum. Check it out by clicking here.
It was a busy weekend as far as I was concerned, as I had to move all the league stuff over to the new forum. As with everything new, there were a few teething problems that now seem to have been sorted out, so here’s hoping everything goes smoothly from here on in.
As for poker, not a lot to talk about. I won a few sit and go’s in the last few days – none of them hold’em though. I seem to be winning in probably my least accomplished game – omaha hi/lo. I don’t really know if I’m getting better at the game or if the omaha golden horseshoe is firmly stuck up my rear end, or if I’m just getting lucky and playing with people who don’t really have a clue either!
But tonight, its back to hold’em as I’m playing a satellite tourny for entry into a $150K guarenteed event. Blagz was thinking about joining me in the tourny as he has a couple of satellite tickets waiting to be used up.
As I’ve not been doing too good lately in hold’em I’m going to re-read my own articles to give myself a refresher as I’m sure I’m forgetting to do some of the important stuff. The articles helped me when writing them (dusts the old cobwebs of the brain when writing them) and I did see a marked improvement in my game.
So, thats my tip of the day for you all today. Sit and take stalk of where your game is at, at the moment. Read a few articles to give yourself a little refresher. Try and pinpoint where you might be going wrong in your game. Constant self analysis definately helps improve your game. The more you think about it the more focused you will be at the table, come game time. Remember, poker is a game of constant learning. The more practice you put in, and the more studying you do will make you a better player.
Till next time….. I’m off to do some reading!
Hacked off!
May 4, 2007
A very apt title this week. As members of the forum will no doubt be aware, it more or less was deleted this week. A hacker had gained access to my account and deleted all the threads and posts. All that was left was the header picture! I found out via a phone call from the bossman asking if I had deleted anything! As it turned out my computer wasn’t even on at the time, but knowing that it was my account that was deleting everyhting, put me into a blind panic. If they managed to get into my forum account, what else did the hackers have access to?
I had been having a load of problems with my computer contracting viruses and stuff and had thought that I had managed to get it all sorted out. Obviously not! It seems as if the hackers had used a key logger to try and access my details but the only passwords that I had entered in the week prior to the attack was my forum details. Which in retrospect was quite lucky.
My wife normally goes into our online banking account every day, but she had been out of the country and I hadn’t bothered checking it. All my poker sites have automatic logins for the most part – well at least the ones I used that week, so I didn’t need to type in any passwords.
Anyways, with all this going on, I felt I had no option but to completely format my hard drive and start from scratch. So this is what I have been doing for the past few days. But, to my horror, I still had a virus after the format. It seems as if the virus has lodged itself in the boot sector of the hard drive so I still have some work to do.
Luckily, me old mate Blagger, had sent me a computer that was set-up and ready to go. So, hopefully I should have no more problems. If only I had set it up earlier in the week…..
On to poker, and obviously with all this mess I didn’t have time to play any these past few days. But the forums’ sit and go league continued as planned on Tuesday and Thursday, with CrazyYorkie, aka Panther, aka Sue, taking down the 1st game for the ‘Black Panthers’ and my very own Varmint team mate Jimplay taking down Thursdays. After 4 games, the league is starting to hot up!
Now that I’m sorted out on the computer front, i’ll be playing again this weekend. So after my unscheduled sabbatical, you all better watch out!
See ya at the tables!
Coining it in…
April 30, 2007
Well another weekend has gone by, and I’m pleased to say that it was a profitable one for me! So let’s go through the diary….
Thursday 26th – The 2nd game of the forums sit and go league took place and whadda ya know? The Blasphemers took it down again! Flibinite (Annie) just pipping the Dog who played for The Vikings. The Blasphemers stretch their lead, now sitting on 10 points.
Friday 27th – A day away from poker today. My wife has left the country, and I’ve got the kids to look after. Thank God sh’s coming back soon!
Saturday 28th – Global Gaming Events in association with the OFC held another forum challenge. 98 players paid $5 for cash prizes and the chance to win a trip to Mexico. I was in the zone for the full game, but the blinds froze at 300/600 and I ended up playing for 5 hours. A complete joke for this type of thing to happen. If the blinds incremented as they should have, I would have slaughtered them and taken 1st place. But after 5 hours I just got bored and tired and then played virtually every hand in the hope that I take people out or be taken out myself. I ended up in 4th place claiming $49 for my efforts, and a $27 satellite entry for the weekly $150K event at Vegas Poker. WTG To Arizona for making the final table too.
Later, decided to play the forum game for a small but dainty $2. After two huge suckouts against the boss I became chipleader early on. Went on to win against Netty after a tremendous battle. My slowplayed pocket Kings against her A5 on a board of K86AA. Another $12 odd to the kitty.
Sunday 29th – Went to the footbal to see my team, Celtic, beaten 3-1 by the Jam Tarts, but was only really there for the party. Celtic lifted the League Championship trophy for the 2nd season in a row, after winning in the dying seconds of the game against Killie. Here’s how they won it, along with authentic japanese commentary! 
Champions!
Later in the day, I played the $400 freeroll that the forum won in a recent OFC challenge. All those that played for the forum was invited to play this game. It lasted almost 3hours and I went heads up with Blagger. I had a good chiplead. When the final hand arrived, it was a belter! I raised on the small blind and Blagz tells me hes going all-in, which he duly does. Unknown to him, I had THE hand! All I said to him was, “I’ve just opened the portal!” Oh-oh came the reply as I called and showed pocket 6′s against his pocket 2′s. The flop and turn helped no-one, but the river popped up that 3rd 6. How ironic that the original messenger of the portal is gazzumped by the 
. A nice little $100 profit for the win with a spirited Blagz, bagging $75.
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So, That was my weekend. Unfortunately, a agame I played tonight didn’t go according to plan. I should never have played it as I had just woken up…. bad move. But I don’t care as I made a total profit of just short of $155 plus my $7 in entry fees back. A good weekend as far as I’m concerned…..
Till next time…..
