Not Much Poker in Town

I haven't been playing much for the last week due to being busy at work and home, going on a downswing and getting the new Wii Sports game. I'm also studying for an exam on 8th September so I can't justify trekking up to the Empire or grinding online at the moment. I promised myself if I pass this exam I'll buy a new PC with two 24" monitors so I can have a decent crack at multi tabling. I'll be concerned that I'll just lose faster, but that's the game I suppose.

I've been playing a bit of Backgammon at work for a pound a point - my new work lot are proper gamblers, and I'm taking advantage of their lack of experience in the game to grind out a few quid.

I hope to report on some decent poker soon, in the meantime have a good one.

Bad Start and End to the Day

Yesterday was a funny old day. I took the dog for a walk early on and had to take an emergency poo in a bush. Apart from the other dog walkers hurrying past the worst bit about it was I'd gone out with a pair of shorts on and no pants, so there was nothing to wipe my arse with and leave in the bush. I had to walk home like Forrest Gump before the leg braces fell off.

After a nice shower I set about my main job for the day - taking out the old leaky shower unit. Three hours and much swearing later I'd taken the bloody thing out, which would not budge without me smashing the bottom row of tiles. The wife was away so I was pondering whether to go to the International for their 25 quid freezeout, but after my mamouth session(s) in the shower I decided to play online and try and release some bonuses on Virgin and PKR. The only thing I managed to 'release' was most of my funds on those sites during the evening. After a string of beats and lost races I turned to Bulmers cider to numb the pain and subsequently lost more money. Poker can be a real ball ache sometimes.

Home Game Action

I had a nine player home game last night and took a 'food contribution' rake as the tight gits didn't offer to chip in for all the pizzas and crisps I supplied last time. I did them cheap pizzas and nibbles this time but I still spent twenty quid. I got 28 quid in rake, which I'm glad about because boy did they moan! It seems that people want to come round my house and be fed and watered for free, then don't host their own home games and return the favour. One bloke even started drinking my beer without bringing any! Unbelievable.

***Rant Over***
It was actually a good night for banter and laffs. I broke even and the wife made a profit as usual, so we were in profit overall. We played spread limit cash again and some quick Hold'em tournies to keep everyone in action.

I'm looking for some live action Tuesday or Wednesday this week as the wife is away. I'm supposed to be fitting the shower but I've got to have some release.... I might have a look at the International or maybe stay safe and go to The Empire. Full report later.

The Horseshoe Falls again

I've Been Done up like a Kipper

I've spent months trying to rake 100 Euros on my Virgin account so I can get my 30% rakeback. I achieved my goal the other day and sent an email to raketherake asking where my rakeback was. To my shock they told me I need to rake 100 Euros in one month to get a bean.

If that's the case I'd need to play 666 head up matches (At 3.15 Euros) in that month to get any rakeback. Doing 23 heads up matches a day doesn't seem that bad, but when I factor in that it's every day of the month and I have to go to work and have a wife, then it's too much. I sometimes wish online poker was around about twenty years ago when I used to sit around and watch Star Trek TNG videos all day, I had so much time then....

I've decided to bin Virgin unless I can find some fish on there or they give me some juicy bonus offers.

As far as the playing is concerned my rush of cards has dried up and I'm back to forgetting the beats I dish out and remembering the ones I suffer. I'm hovering at about $400 profit in SNGs this year. I have a home game Sunday where 'm hoping to clean up. Time for some Chicken Tikka Jalfrezi and Vegetable rice with Holland Vs England on the box.

Quality Production, even if I do say so myself

Work Getting in the Way

Work is getting in the way of my poker again. I'm on a seven day week and my boss has been a pain for six of those seven days, and we're only on day six. Add to that and the other supervisor is back and is as much of a pain in the arse as ever, it's been one of those weeks. To cap it off I had an argument with 'Tom' from the Halifax this morning as I didn't want to accept their renewal offer and had got insurance cheaper elsewhere. To cut a long story short I don't like the insurance companies inflating renewal premiums to take advantage of people who can't or won't search for a cheaper quote each year. I only rang to cancel the policy, but he wouldn't let me get off the phone so I had to use some direct language. I stopped just short of calling him a twat.

In a poker sense I'm trying to grind out a 20 Euro bonus from Virgin and my free $30 from Betfair is now $65. I lost about $30 on Full Tilt trying to grind a $100 bonus. I was going to deposit and keep going but I don't think I'll generate enough rake in time. I'll let that one go. I'm still on a bit of a run, and have climbed to $435 SNG profit for 2009. I only have to make $9,500 more to pay my Vegas holiday credit card bill. Happy Days!

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'Under' Niagara Falls

On a Mini Roll

I love mini rolls. In a confectionery sense they have chocolate, sponge and cream. If they had some biscuit they would be perfect in my books. In a poker sense a mini roll is just what I need after a poor Las Vegas poker record this year. I've been grinding low stakes double up tourneys on Virgin and Betfair and winning about 80% of them. I just need to turn this mini roll into a bona fide 'Roll' and push on to make a dent in the $1500 I lost at poker the other week. At least I'm still in profit at MTTs thanks to a hot streak of cashes at the Empire.
One of my Hombres has threatened to take me up 'The Big Slick' soon for some action. I suppose I should give it a go or he'll keep going on..

2009 Poker Profit and (Loss)
Cash (Live & Online) - ($560)
SNGs (Online) - $389
MTTs (Live & Online) - $137
Total - ($34)

Lake Mead near Hoover Dam