Today’s comps…

888.com

13:45 $3.0k Guaranteed $22.00

14:00 $1.5k Guaranteed $8.00

15:00 $2.0k Guaranteed $22.00

Pokerstars.FR

13:15 $2.5k Guaranteed $3.00 Rebuy

15:00 $2.5k Guaranteed $10.00

Final tables and one that stung..

So once you reach a final table on 888.com, the skin / design of the table changes, and then further more when you get heads up as I did last night in this particular comp, you are moved around the table so you are sitting directly opposite your opponent, AND they bring out a case of money and spill it over the table.

How fun! I find it amazing how you start a comp with say 3,000 chips and are able to accumulate over 2 million as you navigate through the field.

I have been working really hard on my tournament game this year, and putting in a decent amount of volume, live and on-line. However I still crave that break through win, that one big score which will really give the boost my confidence and my bankroll needs.

Several final tables and deep runs to be happy about I suppose. I just feel I am really not getting that little bit of luck which I need. Meh, hope its coming soon!

Friday night games at The Vic are usually ridiculous, and this Friday the games certainly lived up to the billing!

The thing is you have to do bit of seat jockeying and have a really sharp eye to scope out the tables and the "customers" until eventually you can settle down and grind (even then you cant really afford to pass up a better spot which may come up, so you are never really settled).

I found myself in a really good game, ran pretty decent and was winning a good chunk when things took a turn. I am very frustrated as I ended up winning £50 when I should of booked a win of at least £700-£1,000.

I know I shouldn't be result oriented and that I should just be focussed on making correct decisions based on the game and the potential etc but god its so so butters.

There were 3 hands of interest, and all three I played in a manner which at the time based on solid considerations about game dynamic, player profiles / tendencies and most importantly stack sizes I felt was the best way to maximise my potential earnings and control / protect my stack -but I have been in deep thought whether I was just wrong about a lot of the stuff I concluded -still not quite sure.

With my value hands (or what I perceive during a hand to be value hands with which my objective is to get as much money in the pot as possible by showdown) I tended to take a very consistent, raise bet bet bet line -and I still believe for the most part this is the correct strategy. However when the stack sizes deepen and you are shovelling chips into the pot, its hard to find a customer who you have beat to put chunks in.

So playing deceptively, creating a bluffing range for your opponent and hence turning your value hands into bluff catchers can and will yield better returns than taking standard value lines which often really limits the possible ways a certain hand can play out. This is especially true in 3 bet / 4 bet pots, when ranges are supposedly even narrower.

Sounds great! But then you can end up losing a huge pot with KK vs Q5.

Its Sunday 4pm now, not sure what to do, so tempted to fire up some comps and take another shot at that allusive big score, but also kind of feel I should go grind The Vic.

Bricks...

In addition to the tournaments listed above, I went on to play a further 6 or so. I did have a deep run in a couple but things just seemed to fizzle out.

Meh.

Last night I got a 5th place in a $4 comp on Stars, I was chip leader with 5 left and then I lost with KK vs 1010, and the immediate hand against the same guy I lost AK vs QJ and that was good game me.

The cash games (online) which have been going pretty well took a turn for the worse last couple of days, but I am still up like 6 buys in for the month.

Hannah Hippo got me a new chair and table for my birthday, and its super sick! I love it! Makes me want to grind!

Another Sunday full of hope...

Most Sundays I wake up and the first thing on my mind is "...lets reg up..."

This Sunday is no different, and in fact with the SCOOPs kicking off on Pokerstars I feel even more excited to play.

The thing is, that one big score, in fact that one score let alone big has avoided me. I have had so many deep runs and things have just fizzled out. I keep trying though, one of these days I am due to bink a Sunday comp.

Even fish run good for the duration of a comp and donk themselves to a big pay day, I really don't mind if I do it that way! I don't need a perfect win! Just a win! One time!

So here is what I am playing today...

1.$2.20 Rebuy OUT
2.$8.80 Rebuy OUT
3.SCOOP Event 1 $27.00 6 Max 2 Day Event OUT
4.The Bigger $8.80
5.$5.50 2R1A
6.$3.50 Rebuy 888.co
7.$8.80 1RA1 OUT
8.$24.00 Freezeout 888.com OUT
9.$2.20 Rebuy 2xTurbo
10.The Bigger $22.00
11.$2.70 Turbo OUT
12.The Hotter $11 Turbo OUT
13.$5.40 Turbo KO OUT
14.$5.50 Freezeout OUT
15.$3.80 Deepstack 888.com OUT
16.$22.00 Freezeout OUT
17.The Hotter $16.50 Turbo

Good luck me.

All I write about is how shit things are...

So I don't update this blog regularly enough for anybody reading it to be able to chronicle my ups and downs, so let me start off by saying things haven't been going well.

My attempt to crack the tournament circuit has pretty much failed so far this year. After getting off to a decent start earlier in the year, cashing in several mid stake comps I have pretty much bricked everything I have entered. 

I have played the UKIPT main events at Galway (Ireland) and Nottingham, along with pretty much every side event at these stops, managing only one final table appearance (in a £100 Turbo where I busted 5th). 

I have played the Genting main event at The Fox, and a bunch of £200-£400 buy in comps, all ending in disappointment. 

In the cash games I have been keeping my head above water, but not making any decent progress.

I would say I have played OK, and have been going through an extended period of negative variance. But there have also been sessions where I have not been at my best.

Meh it is what it is.

I am focused on having a good May. It will be the month which I hope will kick start shit for me.

I am planning to put in at least 20 sessions playing live cash, I also want to play at least 50,000 hands online (at 888).

Lets see what happens.