Poker & Pool Update

Friday before last played in the Datchet C.C. monthly Texas Hold'em NL tourney. I wasn't anticipating a very high standard, and I wasn't disappointed. I was the most experienced player and ended up running my table. It was hard work.

As a result of the general inexperience on show it was very much a case of call with any two cards and get paid off if you hit. I adjusted my game to suit, but I didn't hit and came 17th out approx 32.

I missed the last pool match last week as I was entertaining a client at the Blue Elephant (Thai) in Fulham. Captain Fantastic (Lee Greenwood) advises that we lost 7-5 in the league on Thursday last. We played "Mandy Herbert's crowd" (I can't remember the team name) and the score doesn't reflect the game. We were 1-0 up, then 6-1 down. We ended up pulling it back to 6-5 but lost the last when Mark "THE FLAIR" Swann rattled the final black. It's a real shame as this is one of two teams in the division I felt we had a real chance of beating - especially as we have already lost to the other "beatable" team in the division on gamenight one.

Back at the poker, and I have deposited some funds in my VC account this week. I have decided to up the ante slightly, and decided to chance my arm on the 25$ Sit'N'Go's. This is a risk as I only deposited about 175$ so I can take too many losses.

Initial results are pleasing - a second and a third has netted me 112.5$ for an outlay of 55$. In fact the second could easily have been a first but for an outdraw, and I was also outdrawn when low on chips in my 3rd place game. Of course I can't complain about getting all my money ahead! The standard does seem higher though - maybe my tight-aggresive game A-game is more suited to this level. Time will tell.

Live long and prosper.

Nothing to see here

No pool this week, but I am playing in the Datchet Cricket Club monthly poker tournament on Friday. It's a real shame that I have commited to this tournament just before learning that it is on the same night as the summer league presentation night.

No other news as we are on a two week break from pool, and the regular Slough Palace game seems to be in remission while M&E sort out whatever they need to sort out.

Back next week.

Pool/Poker Update

I played in the Slough Palace Freezeout last Friday. It's always good fun and the standard of poker is quite high. I played OK, not quite my a-game...I came 8th. I was crippled very early on when my K/K was cracked by Q/Q. I raised in second position and was re-rasied all-in. Of course I called - my happiness at seeing Q/Q was only matched by my disappointment at seeing a Q first off the top of the deck.

That left me with 850 having started with 8000.

After that I doubled up 2 hands in succession with A/K and A/9 but I was always struggling and I need some luck. I didn't get it when I was put out of my misery on the third hand of the final table - my K/9 suited losing to A/10 and Q/10.

No pool this week - it's the preliminary round of the cup. I am off to Racks in Maidenhead - to "sharpen up".

On Saturday Jim & I went to the What HiFi show in Hammersmith. Very interesting stuff, I certainly have some ideas about how I want our new system in our new house to sound. Jim went to Gutshot to play cash (no re-buy tourny) while I stayed for the SONY Blu-Ray demo. Very impressive although I am not quite sure it is the "future".

Back later in the week,

Kev.

Pool Season So Far

Last night we took one hell of a whooping from the 'Irish Aces'. We had chances in all the frames except two - details to follow - but we just didn't take them. In fact we could easily have been 4-1 up but for better finishing.

We lost the first half 5-1. Our sole winner was Fitz "Titz" Brown who won his frame after his opponnent, the awesomely talented John Young, went in off the black. Nice one JY. All other players had chances to win their frames with the notable exception of Martin "Hulk" Burke who was dished by the most hated man in pool - Brad Robinson. In fact Brad won both of his frames last night in a single visit Craig "no nickname yet" Wilson was his other victim. Top quality stuff Brad.

Second half we lost 4-2. I was total budge...in fact it is difficult to pick out any player on our side who really distinguished themselves as anything other than total budg.

This was the third game of the season - we lost the first to Thatched Cottage in the first match and won the second against The Bell from Burnham. The Thatched Cottage must be the worst pool venue in the Thames Valley. Great pub but the pool table has a wall running all the way down one side and two posts near the corners on the other side. Shocking. Against Burnham we were 6-1 up but had to win the last to secure the match 7-5.

Personally I have won two games and lost 4. I'll publish averages later in the season.

In more general life I am playing poker at the Slough Palace in the £25 freezeout tonight, then off to the What HiFi/Stuff show in the morning with my friend and allie James "JJ" Johnson. Afternoon will be spent at the Gutshot for the £5 re-buy - then home to sleep for the rest of the weekend.

Next Blog - Friday 11 November.

Inception

This is my first 'blog' so anyone reading this - go easy! The reason for doing it? Well I thought I could publish details of my (losing) poker habits, my (losing) pool matches and general thoughts on life. Well it sounded like a good idea at the time.

Anyway I'm going to sign off now and see what this looks like.

Kev.