July Totals

Date: Mon, Aug 4, 2008 Internet

Height of Summer, and height of golf season, so of course the month starts with a big tournament score, 3rd in the PKR $12.5k guarantee for $1300, followed by a huge win, the Club Championship at Walton hall (handicap)

Finally, on the boards after four years of membership, and actually having a helluva season, never having even made the prizes before, I've won two stableford comps, before coming home a shot ahead in the biggee. The new irons are paying off, as is playing the most golf since I was a member at Castletown in the Isle of Man 6 years ago or so. On the verge of seven again as well having drifted all the way out to nine.

The new mix of golf and poker seems to be working well in general, with the best month for as long as I can recall, and a couple of iffy months prior to it. So hopefully I can keep that up.

Also had a great day out at The Open with young Fatshaft at Royal Birkdale which was simply superb, what a tremendous course, just a shame the weather was awful (for spectating, ironically makes for a much better Open), but for all that we enjoyed the day.

So anyway, I know Oksi is waiting to see the monthly scoreboard, and it's good news +£1994 for the month.

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fatshaft's full house - 2008-06-30

Date: Mon, Jun 30, 2008 Internet

Not been a lot of poker this month, had intended to take a good shot at the WSOP, especially on PKR, however managed to miss the final sat there due to having to head make a u-turn 25 miles into a journey that put me too late to make the final level. Couldn;t face 7000 players on Stars kicking off at 11pm so ended up missing out.

The strangest thing this year waqs the lack of sites holding qualifiers, outside Stars and Full Tilt, PKR had the biggest guarantee with 12 seats in their final, iPoker held a number of i seat guarantees, and others just didn't bother.

After all that, and playing a lot of golf - two cuts this month and I'm back down to an 8 h'cap again - there wasn;t a lot of time for poker, so a loss, but at least only a small one.

It's fair to say that I currently have no enthusiasm for the game anyway, so i'm not too bothered.



-$348

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May Totals

Date: Sun, Jun 1, 2008 Internet

Well, first of all, a big hello to Oksi from the zoo who is a big fan of my blog, and indeed my forum posts around the net which he actively searches for. Hopefully he keeps spreading my fame.

Actually I find it a bit sad, as much as anything this blog is just my personal record of my winnings and losses at poker, to keep myself honest if you like. Too many players think they are winners when they are not, or don't lose as much as they think they do. I keep my meagre records as by nature I'm not a gambler, so the fact I play at all is a bit of a miracle.

I've been close to quitting a few times, and when or if I ever hit three losing months in a row then I'll stop, as losing money just isn't my thing. I should also clarify (mainly for Oksi so that he doesn't make a fool of himself again) that my monthly totals that I quote, are MONTHLY totals and not all time win/loss figures. I started out in poker with a free $50 and have multiplied that many many times over, saldy a lot has been spent on things like a deposit for my midweek work flat for example, and I won't say how much I have won overall as my wife might want some of it.

Anyway back to my blog.

May has been a funny month, and after getting a kicking in April, I took some time off and started to get a lot more golf in. The new irons are defo helping a lot, especially my previously shocking wedge play. Most noticeable however is my SW, which for the first time is a specialist wedge and not a matching SW for my set - although it is a mizuno like the new irons. It is so easy to play even off tight lies, very little bounce, and playing flops from tight lies is even pretty easy. Why did I wait so long???

As for poker, mainly concentrated on qualifying for the ECOOP on iPoker, and on WSOP qualifiers, but with little time devoted to poker even that has been a measly total. A couple of small cash game sessions and a couple of small tourney wins are the sum of my month, but astonishingly one of my best months for a while sees a profit of £1539.02. Oh how BlueScouse would love figures like that!

I was disappointed not to get to play in Estonia while I was over there on business, found the only real poker caisno they had (out of 40 in Tallinn) but was 6 minutes too late for the start, even though they hadn't yet seated the players I was told it was too late. A fine future awaits that young man in a British casino somewhere, clearly a natural for the job ;-)

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Date: Thu, May 29, 2008 Internet

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Date: Thu, May 29, 2008 Internet

Please take time to click through the sites above and see what they have to offer. I know there'll be quite a few of you visiting today. :-)

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April Total

Date: Fri, May 2, 2008 Internet

Well it had to happen, and after a run of 12 winning months, it all came crashing down during the last 10 days of April.

The month was going so well too, having gone back to Boss, and running around €2k up, it just all seemed to go wrong thereafter, and finished with a calamitous night on Cake when depositing for a reload bonus, and managed to drop $900 on the session.

The only positives were qualifying for two of the ECOOP finals.

Also, the WSOP chase has begun, and along with ECOOP means I'll probably play little cash in May, and the onset of summertime means golf will encroach even into that. A breather may be what is needed though, as there's no doubt logging on had started to become a chore, I can;t imagine what these full time guys do to get through it?

Even the golf had a bad start, with a winter adjustment made I got 0.8 added to the handicap and am now 8.8 and playing of 9 for the first time since I left Aberdeen 10 years ago. I just hope the new Mizuno irons can work some magic, and get me into the groove again.

April total -£595

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April Total

Date: Fri, May 2, 2008 Internet

Well it had to happen, and after a run of 12 winning months, it all came crashing down during the last 10 days of April.

The month was going so well too, having gone back to Boss, and running around €2k up, it just all seemed to go wrong thereafter, and finished with a calamitous night on Cake when depositing for a reload bonus, and managed to drop $900 on the session.

The only positives were qualifying for two of the ECOOP finals.

Also, the WSOP chase has begun, and along with ECOOP means I'll probably play little cash in May, and the onset of summertime means golf will encroach even into that. A breather may be what is needed though, as there's no doubt logging on had started to become a chore, I can;t imagine what these full time guys do to get through it?

Even the golf had a bad start, with a winter adjustment made I got 0.8 added to the handicap and am now 8.8 and playing of 9 for the first time since I left Aberdeen 10 years ago. I just hope the new Mizuno irons can work some magic, and get me into the groove again.

April total -£595

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March Totals

Date: Tue, Apr 1, 2008 Internet

Absolutely pathetic. Massive swings all month, including a $1200 downswing last night that basically blew what little I'd held onto for the month. Also had a $1600 night as well as a few nights over a grand profit. Considering what a tight arse I am, it's hard top explain variance like that.

On a positive note, that's now an entire 12 months without a losing month, so I can take that as some very positive progress, but the actual amounts being won monthly is still pathetic. Suppose I could be losing.

So winnings for the month were enough to fill up my tank once +£80

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February Totals

Date: Thu, Feb 28, 2008 Internet

Well february was an even bigger rollercoaster than January. After a great start where every session was basically a winner, mid month, 17th & 18th were the days from hell, losing $5000 in the two days, including $2000 in about 20 minutes in almost my only session on $5/$10.

From there it was a long road back, especially as I've been trying to satellite into the $2, 000,000 Guaranteed on Tila Poker, so far with no success, including a bubble exit in a blinds battle which was particularly annoying.

It's now approaching golf season, and with my growing handicap and waistline, enough's enough, and this season I am back in the saddle and have a new set of Mizuno irons lined up to give me incentive. Fitting session next week, so from then on poker will be taking a bit of a back seat.

So for now, a lucky escape and a profit at the end of the month of +£619 and delighted.

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February Totals

Date: Thu, Feb 28, 2008 Internet

Well february was an even bigger rollercoaster than January. After a great start where every session was basically a winner, mid month, 17th & 18th were the days from hell, losing $5000 in the two days, including $2000 in about 20 minutes in almost my only session on $5/$10.

From there it was a long road back, especially as I've been trying to satellite into the $2, 000,000 Guaranteed on Tila Poker, so far with no success, including a bubble exit in a blinds battle which was particularly annoying.

It's now approaching golf season, and with my growing handicap and waistline, enough's enough, and this season I am back in the saddle and have a new set of Mizuno irons lined up to give me incentive. Fitting session next week, so from then on poker will be taking a bit of a back seat.

So for now, a lucky escape and a profit at the end of the month of +£619 and delighted.

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January Totals

Date: Fri, Feb 1, 2008 Internet

Well what a rollercoaster January turned out to be. Hit the mother of all downswings right at the start, and within a week was $3000 in the hole. Hit this mark at 9pm on a Wednesday night after dropping the last $1200 of that in little over 2 hours. Having had a bottle of wine by this time, I was so fed up I headed for the pub in utter disgust to save from further tilting.

4 Stellas later, and I'm fit to take on the world and stpudly at 11pm log back onto iPoker. Fire up a couple of $5/10 NL, and a couple of $2/4. Miraculously by 3am I've got $1800 of my moths damages back, and am even ahead for the day, and suddenly the world seems not to be against me.

From there I turned my month around. I've moved to a Carlos poker now on iPoker as Tila were only giving a monthly reload of $100, and my bet365 account is in GBP, which is fine, but with the $ rate so high, I'm not earning as quickly, whereas on other skins I'll just withdraw to Neteller and the money sits there until the $ recovers enough to be able to get the money out.

Anyway, after the early month panic, I turn it around, despite a drunken late night session last Friday where I drop $1000 on Carlos, luckily getting $500 back on Everest at the same time, but I really should learn, that $1800 turn around apart, I don't play well online juiced up.

A profit for the month in 4 figures GBP is more than healthy after such a big hole, so I'm delighted. Making good lay downs now too, much better than I've ever done, still the odd mistimed bluff though, even though I'm tighty McTight, there's still guys out there who call me very light. I mark these guys down as completely unobservant and bide my time.

I don't think there's any doubt as well, that my better play lately is down to having my own place midweek when I'm working too, do my own thing with no-one snooping about is far more relaxing.

Total for January +£1174.70

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2007 is Over

Date: Mon, Dec 31, 2007 Internet

Well that's it all over for another year. Can't say I'm too pleased with the results, but I am playing better, and have stepped up to $400 - $1000 NL buy-ins, and would probably be concentrating on the $1000 is I hadn't had that top set cracked by quad sixes on Party that cost me a three grand pot in late November.

My plan to play six handed came to nought, as I found winning at $400 NL much easier than $200 NL.

Still my total for the year is nothing to write hom about, and I need to be trying to hit the $2000 a month winnings regularly now for the amount of hours I play.

Anyway, happy new year to all.

Resolutions for 2008:

• Continue to stabilise the golf game and start coming back down - much improved in 2007, and seem to have found my game again.
• Keep trying to build the roll and step up in levels
• Satellite into at least some of the buig live tournies, especially the Grosvenor UK Poker Tour
• Have a series attempt at WSOP qualification
• Stop playing online tournies if I continue to see a poor ROI
• Finally, 3 stone has gone back on since I started working in LEamington 2 years ago, I am disgusted by that, after losing 3 stones in 2002 to be as fit as I've ever been, so starting on Thursday, I will be on a full January detox, and regular exercise routine. Luckily with my new flat being so close to the golf course and driving range, I will get plenty golf in come April, and that will help too. Plan to lose two stone this year and at least be reasonably healthy.
  

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December Totals

Date: Mon, Dec 31, 2007 Internet

Well another month draws to a close. Can't say it's disappointing, although there was another $1000 losing session in there when three sets got drawn out on.

However with the first week dedicated to ECOOP, and more or less a week lost at the end due to all the crimbo shenanigans, I can take comfort from another winning month, and what is far better play overall. Even that losing session wasn;t down to tilt, with one set not even costing me a full stack when I felt I was beat.

I'm laying down the big pairs to action far more often and it's paying off.

What has proved a drain is a $4731 loss on tournaments on Mansion chasing the $110 Guaranteed and it's massive overlays, most of which I bought in direct to. My best cash in them was around the $900 mark, and simply it was an appaling effort, and drain on my bankroll.

My "home" now has settled to Everest, Cake and ipoker (either Tila or bet365). I still try to satellite into the Crypto $20k some nights on Willy Hills, but something just isn;t right with crypto. I saw it before when I used to play all the skins for cash games, but reserve tournaments for my Betfair skin, and ended down over £1500 there. Time and time again, the short stack gets rivered when all in and favourite, often big pair v. small pair.

Now in my position, I know that this would take too much time for an engineer to programme for very little benefit to the site (quicker re-entry to another tourney = more fees), but it just seems to go time and time again. I have now stopped playing any cash on crypto, but will keep playing the tournies there and monitoring it. Now I admit my online tourney game for some reason doesn't measure up to my live tourney game, or indeed my cash results, but for all the hit I took on Mansion, I'm not claiming anything other than bad play/bad luck there, Crypto is different.

Anyway, a good month, fighting back from that early bad day, but not doing well in ECOOP, only satelliting into 2 events, and cashing lowly in one.

Total for month +£917.71

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November Totals

Date: Sat, Dec 1, 2007 Internet

Well a funny old month. Started off well again, but with ECOOP coming up now on iPoker, I decided to spend a lot of the month trying to qualify for that viua satellites.

Only into two s far, but managed to waste a couple of final levels satellites on Tuesday when I couldn't log in to my PC, so that didn't help.

Did still play cash, but stepping up to $5/$10 right at the death proved both costly and frustrating, with a horrendous one out bad beat last weekend on Party Poker which cots me $3000. Having limped in the small blind with TT six handed, I flop T63 with two diamonds, I check and BB makes it $30, three folds and VUA_CO_BAC77 on the cut-off makes it $90, I min-raise to $150 and dalassenos (BB) calls, VUA_CO_BAC77 min-raises again to $210 and I push all-in for another $1260.

Being Party I don't see the cards, but turn is Queen of hearts, with river the 6 of diamonds, now I imagine that I'm against a flush but that river is beautiful, I've made the nut full house from the flop, and unless I'm against horrendously played queens I'm good, but wait, wtf? My chips are sliding towards VUA_CO_BAC77 who had pocket 66.

Sickening disgusting beat and I have to log off.

Monday this week folowed just as badly and I was down $1300 on three flopped sets that all got cracked (one I folded on river to an all-in to a possible straight or flush with three overcards - assumed beaten), lucky to only be down that much really. It's strange but again like the first time I stepped up to $2/4 I didn't feel I played bad, but the chips tell me otherwise.

Anyway, I will persevere as I still maintained a marginal profit while qualifying for three high buy-ins this week. I'll also keep trying for the other ECOOP events and try to get there cheaply, hopefully starting the month with a bang. The competition at $5/10NL again seems another step down from $2/4, astonishing that after sticking at $1/2 NL for so long, the fish are actually at a higher level!

Finally, on non-poker, just back from Atletico Madrid v Aberdeen. What a tremendoius atmosphere for the three days, didn't see a bit of trouble personally, although apprently the Madrid Ultras charged the Dons fans queueing to get into the Vincente Calderon and flares and punches were exchanged - as ever the Spanish police apparently charged the away team and batons were flying. Luckily for Aberdeen, their chief of secuirty was there and saw the whole thing, and an official complaint is being made about the handling of the event.

What was bad, and I saw myself were the Metro pick pockets, with 100+ fans being robbed during the week. A real shame as Madrid was lovely, but some of their citizens clearly wouldn't be out of place in some of our less reputable citys.

Total for month +£115.15

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