Welcome to February

February is here, and the world moves on. It has begun on a winning note for me, with a £17.10 win. It could have been much worse, but for when I lost a $500 pot with trip 6s against trip aces. However I felt I actually played it well to lose as little as i did, as there was no reraise pre flop so putting the guy on aces was very tough.

The big dissapointment actually came yesterday. I had an hour spare and played some NL cash on party. I made back my deposit and cahsed, so as not to effect the months figures. I had $200 and ran it up to $450. I then managed to lose the lot to a river 2 outer.

The hand played like this.

I raised from EP to $16. The small blind was the only other opponent who was sat on $400 odd reraised to $45. This player had been very aggressive throughout, and had been reraising with all sorts off hands, including at one point 2/9 suited

The flop came K high with 2 clubs. The SB bet $60. I dwelled and decided that my QQ was probably best at least %75 of the time. I wanted to see what he did on the turn.

The turn was a 9 os. The SB instantly bet $110. I felt that this bet was far too quick and this convinced me my hand was good. I raised all in, for around $195 more. The SB only had $80 and thought for an eternity. I was off course convinced I was ahead.

Eventually he called and the river was a ten................... the SB showed pocket 10s!!!!

I think in the end he was probably pot committed, but I know for certain that I would have passed my 1010 here, as im probably 20-1 behind no matter how pot committed I am in a cash game.

For me some people loose sight of the fact that they can rebuy in a cash game, and 19/20 this guy loses. The 91 times he loses, he saves himself almost $100 when he does rebuy!

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On a lighter note, a big well done to the Hawks of Havant and Waterlooville tonight, who have moved to 3rd with an impressive 5-1 victory away at Western supermare. Its a long way to go for a midweek game, and the simple fact is that to win away at any team at any level, even if they are in the bottom half is a fantasic achievement.

Rocky Baptiste is really firing again and hopefully he can go on to fire us to the conference National. It was also great to see Jefferson Louis get his 1st goal for the club.

Ian Baird is doing a fantastic job - surely a contender for conference south manager of the year in any circumstances, promotion or not in the end?

Come on you Hawks!

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Best wishes

The final session of the month

Purely for a change, I played some PL Omaha on party poker. Again this was $2-$4. I dont play Omaha so much, as for me its much more a gambling game. I have simply not put in enough time to be able to accurately read players hand. For me this is more vital in omaha, as it is very tough to be drawing dead on th flop in Hold em. However in Omaha you can be a very big dog very quickly. Any how the final day of the month saw a modest profit of £94.66 / $184.59

This brings my final monthly totals to

Ladbrokes - £489.51 $955.32
VC - £ 641.98 $ 1251.81
Party- £ -181.70 $-354.32
Poker 333 £ 679.23 $1324.50

And the month... £+ 1629.02 $3176.59

Obviously this is some way short overall of the £200 a day target, however since I set that target I believe I have made that amount. I will confirm over the next week.

As previously stated on my next days offI will be concentrating on MTTs, and will let you know how that goes.

Best wishes

A quick update

Todays figures read well so far.

Only playing ladbrokes still but have cashed £398.97.

I did get luck in a pot were i made trip 5s against my opponents pocket Ks, but with the way the hand played out I dont really think there was alot wrong. Basically, without going into too much, detail, I called a $12 in the big blind with 4 other callers, and made trips on the flop. I dont really feel that calling $12 into a pot worth $68 is a horrendus call. Im almost getting the correct odds, and lets face it, if you make trips your implied odds are huge.

At the time of writing I have entered just the one tourney tonight, the $30 NL six seater. I find the short handed game, which is where I play all my cash is far beter suited to my
aggressive style.

I think this could be my last evening action for a few days, due to work commitments. Also on Satuday the other passion in my life (sorry Mrs Mosside....) Havant and Waterlooville are at hom in a big conference south game against Basingtoke Town. Having gone to their place and put on posibly our worst performance in 5 years, we owe them a beating! After last weeks 5-4 success over Bishops Stortford, where I possibly experienced every emotion possible as we came from a dismall 3-1 down o score 4 in 20mins and go 5-3 in front. With 5 mins to go they got 1 back and prompted a nerve jangling last few!

Anyway, there may be a further update later depending on any further results, but for now take care.

Monthly results

Just an update...... Lack of tourney play on VC has not helped, but still a good month. Would be £600 pounds better if I had not lost a decent nights work tilting after losing a bog pot on a cash game KK vs QJs, but whenever I play in the gutshot internet cafe I seem to run bad!

I am not sure if I have mentioned, but I keep my bankroll elsewhere at the moment, so I can move it to different sites if required, hence often I will have no money in a specific account. If I have a significant amount of money in a site ill add it here.

These figures are correct to the 28th Jan.

I am calculating dollars as £1 - $1.95 for ease. Some of these figures may be slightly different to compensate.

Ladbrokes + £90.94 / +177.23 (with $500 odd dollars in the account also)
VC + £641.98 / +$1251.81
Party - £276.36 / - $538.90
Poker333 + £679.23 / +$1324.50

overall - +£1135.79 / +2214.64

Thoughts so far

I feel my game selection on PP is poor. I have extensive notes on lots of laddies players, but thescarce scarse. I find the overall standard on PP poorer, however this makes bluffing which is a big part of my strategy difficult, as I find players dont seem to pay attention to patterns of betting.

VC is good, but I must stick to the tourneys as cash here is also a bit of a leak for me, as I tend to ot concentrate ausualusuallt in a tourney.

Poker 333 has proven very profitable, but whilst I am reluctant to commit too much here as their bisn'tng isnt always the most efficient IMO.

I am pconsistentlystantly well on the laddies cash at the moment, and aim to continue for a while longer.

Best wishes

An average day, and another tourney let down!

Not much t report from a cash perspective today. Having had a couple of bad days on laddies in the middle of the month, I have recovered well with my new strategy of making a couple of hundred a day.

One hand of note, in the ladbrokes $70,000 guaranteed $100 rebuy. 21/4 hours in and I am sat on a slightly above average 9800 chips. The blinds are 300-600.

The table big stack with 26000 is in EP and raises the minimum. Its folded around to me holding Ad-7d.

The flop come down A J 7, one diamond. The big stack bets 1700. I move in for 8600 more.

For me this is a far from easy decision for him. I unless he has AK, AJ or has made trips I think its an easy pass. Anyway he calls and shows QQ...... For me a horrible call. Anyway the turn is a 2 and the river is a Q........ Bad play rewarded, and again the big stack takes a pot where they were miles behind!!!


Anyway, back to work tomorrow, so probably not to much tourney action this week, unless I can find time in the evenings!

Best wishes

Further thoughts

Played a little day around at the old mans. Had a succesful cash session making myself around £300. A couple of hands that reflect the importance of playing the player....

Hand 1

The game is $2-$4 NL on ladbrokes (6 seater). I wont name the opponent, but lets just say he is loose and aggressive, but his plays and bluff are in general very readable.

I am sat on $250 having recently sat down. Mr Loosey Goosey is sat 2 to my left. In this particular hand I am on the button, making Mr Loosey Goosey the Big Blind.

The action is folded around to me and I pick up QQ. I raise to $16 and loosey goosey calls. The flop comes 8 5 2 with 2 spades. Goosey checks and I bet $23. Goosey flat calls. The turn brings a king not a spade, and I decide to bet the pot which is around $75, thinking that I still only have one pair and will happily take it down here. Goosey calls.

At this point I am concerned that he may have hit a king, but I dont like to play scared. I believe that the only hand he would have called with on the flop containing a king would be K8 or K5. Normally I would exclude these hands from my analysis on the flop, but not with this guy. However had he had that he surely would have raised my bet on the turn? I didnt feel he was either bad enough, or thoughtful enough to call with overcards and if he missed attempt to take it away from me on the turn anyway.

The river brings a nothing card, and Goosey makes a $102 bet. No draws have been made at this point, and I feel that the odds of him having a K are unlikely. I call and he shows 75 for one pair..... The $102 he made was very quick on the end.... remember this for the next hand!

Hand 2

The action is folded around to me............... With A9 I raise to $16 from the cut off. The button and big blind pass, Loosey Goosey calls from the small blind. The flop arrives J/J/10 rainbow. Mr Goosey checks and I decide that Ill check behind him. I tend to mix up my continuation bets, and on this occasion decide to check rather than bet into the loosest player here.

The turn brings a 7 of clubs, completing the rainbow board. This time Mr Goosey bets out $6. I am not sure what to make of this bet, but I think that its probably a feeler bet to establish where I am in the pot. I am convinced he doesnt have a jack, as generaly he has bet out even in spots where you would expect a lot of players to check, when he flopped the nut flush in an earlier hand is a good example. I decide that there is every chance I am ahead with the ace. The pot minus rake is around $46.

The river is a 2, a nothing card. And very quickly Goosey bets $55 I found this a very odd bet, and felt it was one of those "monster or nothing bets". It was also made very quickly, and I had seen him do this when bluffing or semi bluffing several times Eventually I call and he shows Q9 for a busted straight draw..... Nice pot of around $150.

This pot for me is a good demonstration of the key difference between cash and tourneys. If i get that decision wrong I am down but can rebuy to ensure I dont get short stacked and under pressure. I feel that if that had been a tourney I probably would have passed on the end.

Thoughts

I have recently stated that I want to conentrate on tournies. I played 2 lost two today, going out in the first with 99..... flop 10 4 2 , just the one club. The small blind who had called my 4x BB raise with QJc moved all in on the flop. I called and runner runner clubs ended my game! The other tourney I ran QQ into KK.

I am simply not having the time to play these touneys at the moment, and am having to play cash. I read with interest the guy whos stated aim is to make £200 a day. I have taken this on board and geun setting myself win targets, and stopping when I make that target. £200 is a reasonable starting point, and so far I have reached that target 2 days in a row. Hopefully that will continue. I have decided however that if I get to a position where I am dominating a table or there are several weak players on the table, I will stay.

Best wishes

matt

Further thoughts

Played a little day around at the old mans. Had a succesful cash session making myself around £300. A couple of hands that reflect the importance of playing the player....

Hand 1

The game is $2-$4 NL on ladbrokes (6 seater). I wont name the opponent, but lets just say he is loose and aggressive, but his plays and bluff are in general very readable.

I am sat on $250 having recently sat down. Mr Loosey Goosey is sat 2 to my left. In this particular hand I am on the button, making Mr Loosey Goosey the Big Blind.

The action is folded around to me and I pick up QQ. I raise to $16 and loosey goosey calls. The flop comes 8 5 2 with 2 spades. Goosey checks and I bet $23. Goosey flat calls. The turn brings a king not a spade, and I decide to bet the pot which is around $75, thinking that I still only have one pair and will happily take it down here. Goosey calls.

At this point I am concerned that he may have hit a king, but I dont like to play scared. I believe that the only hand he would have called with on the flop containing a king would be K8 or K5. Normally I would exclude these hands from my analysis on the flop, but not with this guy. However had he had that he surely would have raised my bet on the turn? I didnt feel he was either bad enough, or thoughtful enough to call with overcards and if he missed attempt to take it away from me on the turn anyway.

The river brings a nothing card, and Goosey makes a $102 bet. No draws have been made at this point, and I feel that the odds of him having a K are unlikely. I call and he shows 75 for one pair..... The $102 he made was very quick on the end.... remember this for the next hand!

Hand 2

The action is folded around to me............... With A9 I raise to $16 from the cut off. The button and big blind pass, Loosey Goosey calls from the small blind. The flop arrives J/J/10 rainbow. Mr Goosey checks and I decide that Ill check behind him. I tend to mix up my continuation bets, and on this occasion decide to check rather than bet into the loosest player here.

The turn brings a 7 of clubs, completing the rainbow board. This time Mr Goosey bets out $6. I am not sure what to make of this bet, but I think that its probably a feeler bet to establish where I am in the pot. I am convinced he doesnt have a jack, as generaly he has bet out even in spots where you would expect a lot of players to check, when he flopped the nut flush in an earlier hand is a good example. I decide that there is every chance I am ahead with the ace. The pot minus rake is around $46.

The river is a 2, a nothing card. And very quickly Goosey bets $55 I found this a very odd bet, and felt it was one of those "monster or nothing bets". It was also made very quickly, and I had seen him do this when bluffing or semi bluffing several times Eventually I call and he shows Q9 for a busted straight draw..... Nice pot of around $150.

This pot for me is a good demonstration of the key difference between cash and tourneys. If i get that decision wrong I am down but can rebuy to ensure I dont get short stacked and under pressure. I feel that if that had been a tourney I probably would have passed on the end.

Thoughts

I have recently stated that I want to conentrate on tournies. I played 2 lost two today, going out in the first with 99..... flop 10 4 2 , just the one club. The small blind who had called my 4x BB raise with QJc moved all in on the flop. I called and runner runner clubs ended my game! The other tourney I ran QQ into KK.

I am simply not having the time to play these touneys at the moment, and am having to play cash. I read with interest the guy whos stated aim is to make £200 a day. I have taken this on board and geun setting myself win targets, and stopping when I make that target. £200 is a reasonable starting point, and so far I have reached that target 2 days in a row. Hopefully that will continue. I have decided however that if I get to a position where I am dominating a table or there are several weak players on the table, I will stay.

Best wishes

matt

Ongoing thoughts

I haven't played so much lately as I am currently waiting for AOL to deliver a new wireless router! As my connection has been weak I have stuck to smaller stakes cash games. This has done me some good as it has taken my self discipline back up to a reasonable level!

I have not been able to concentrate on meets as previously intended due to time constraints. Work is very busy, and VC wont let me deposit as I have exceeded my monthly deposit limit! This is crazy, because I always withdraw what cash I have in there as a rule of thumb to a central bank account, so if I want to use it else where I can. Often this means that I have to re deposit on VC if I go broke. Hence despite the fact I am well up in that site since last month, I cant deposit. I understand this provides an element of protection, its just a shame they dont take your withdrawals into account.

I was saddened by the result of the Gutshot case, but Im not going to dwell on the issue too much, other than to say that the ruling is in effect pointless, as the games will gradually move underground and the whole idea of regulation will be pointless. I would however like to say I have been quite saddened by the attitude of some posters on the Hendon Mob site, as really as members of the poker community our support should have been behind the Gutshot as they have certainly aided the poker scene in London.

I dont have an particular hands to discuss of late, purely because nothing has really stood out as I have gradually plodded along.

Anyway - enough said. Ill probably not play much this weekend as I am watching the mihgtly Havant and Waterloovile Sat, and out Friday and Saturday nights on the Magners.

Best wishes

An apology

I have not blogged for a when few days. I am in the process of switching broadband suppliers and AOL are good, but not the quickest at delivering intial service.

In my last post, I mentioned I was in the final of a PP tourney. I got 7th. Misplayed a hand to be knocked out, I wont bore you with the detail!

I have had a bit of a break because of the internet thing, but intend to come back over the weekend and play some MTTs. My aim is to build a decent bankroll before hitting the cash tables again.

Best wishes

Thoughts and aims -

I thought I would start with posting my ratios to date.

Party - -$151.84 / -£78.87
Laddies -$617.80 / -312.02
VC - +$1271.92 / +641.98
Poker333 - +$1376.69 / +679.23

Overall - +930.32

I have found most success at tourneys, particularly on VC. I have bits and pieces of dollars on the various sites but no substantial bank roll at the moment. I am at the Gutshot tonight playing some live stuff. I am trying to stick to tournies on line, as my cash record is up and down to say the least. At the time of the blog I am down to the last 23 of a $3000 guranteed tourney on Party.

I have found success on the VC site because the tourney structure best suits my aggressive game. I need to learn to be a tad more patient if I am to replicate this form consistantly on other sites.

As an aside, I am finding the cryptologic tournies very good value. Laddies is gradually going down hill im afraid! Party poker are also improving their tournies, but the rebuy structure on their site is a bit dubious IMO.

Best wishes

Mosside

A new begining

Onwards and Upwards

Having played poker, online and live for 5 years now I have sat and thought for a number of hours about my strengths and weaknesses. This is almost certainly (to my detriment) the first time I have ever sat down and put into words how I play, and tried to analyse what my strengths and weaknesses actually are. As somone who enjoys discussing hands, situations and theories on line I figure that a blog is probably a good way to go.

Strengths

1 - I am not afraid to lose a pot bluffing, live or online
2 - I read an opponents playing style well, particularly online
3 - I play a wide variety of hands, mixing it up well
4 - I have a good memory of names and faces, and can recall specific hands and situations quickly without a need to write them down

Weaknesses

1 - Lack of self analysis as stated
2 - Lack of scouting for the right game to play
3 - Weak at tounement play (I havent worked out why yet)
4 - To chatty in the chat box
5 - Badly organised bankroll.

The aim of this blog is two fold. I hope to provide anyone who reads it an insight into how poker players without the million dollar lifestyles, bank rolls, backers and television cameras can make a good progession in the game. In order to do this I aim to become a very good player myself, with the overall aim of helping myself as well as others.

The second aim is to air my views on poker, and to attempt to establish myself as a voice in poker. I fully appreciate the second aim is unlikely, but if I can find a website to support me or a website interested in publishing my article that would be great!I feel the first thing I need to sort out is a new bank account, seperate from all other accounts purely for poker. Any recomendations please email me!!!

I can be found playing at the following sites under either Mossied or Mosside3554:-

1- Ladbrokes
2- VC
3- Party
4- Poker333

Matt