CARDRUNNERS

What's Your Edge

Jackal69's Poker Blog

May 19, 2009

Since the last entry Ive been playing much less hence lack of updates, but since im bottom of the most recent pro blog updates (even CTS has updated more recently!) here goes...

I recently encountered close to a 100bi downswing in the sngs, and then they stopped running as much so the SNE plan is off - i guess there were lots of people wanting to go for it from lower stakes who have now dropped out, and playing below the $200 level is pretty boring. It isnt very significant monetarity and fortunately cash games and non-playing poker stuff is going ok so no big deal, but constantly having sessions where you dont win an all-in for a full stack in 10 games or get a big stack then lose 3 or 4 all-ins on the bubble everytime is pretty mindbending! Think Im still up 50k plus another 10-15k in rake/leaderboard stuff though recently and things are getting back to normal now, so im gonna take that and go back to a more part-time sng schedule and play some other stuff.

Ive played a fair bit of cash on Euro sites between 3/6 and 25/50 in the last couple months and its much more fun than Stars/FTP - those crazy Euros are more than happy to 5 bet shove light with no history at all, no problem! Hopefully the same streak dosnt happen there or i will be stuck 6 figures in no time.... Ive also played live once at the International club, who now have a little £200 freezeout on a Wednesday night - its only geting 30-40 runners at present so it isnt exactly part of my retirement masterplan, but its only a nice 20 min cycle ride through the park away and a bit of deeper stacked live tourey poker mid week is a fun change. Last time i lost two big pots to the same guy... the first i flatted an utg raise and a call with 86s, then bet when checked to on Kh 8 3h, utg raiser calls, c/c blank turn, river Qh, he makes a tiny blocking bet so i feel obliged to jam it up a bit, he winces, thinks, looks away etc then throws in chips with QQ. Then i crai with KQ on 4s5c7sKc, he ums and ahs and call with something like K8c and hits. Its a good structure and a pretty soft field, so if youre in the area come along...

I also played a bunch of tournies this last week for FTOPS cashing in around 0/5 and having a few deep disappointing runs on stars, including 10th and 14th in big 100rs, where i lost a 2x final chip pot and a 1x final chip pot, so my form is returning to normal! Seroiously though i realise this probably has to happen a lot for everytime you win one, and whilst its very frustrating psychologically the step ups to 7-9th arent very much, so i you just have to play for the big stack and hope to run good when you get it and close. I also came something like 48th in the Warmup on sunday, losing a 1/4 final stack to mkind, who was 1/10 before losing KQ to 67, KK to AA and AA to 88 to finish 9th. Tourney poker is a perverse and frustrating passtime... i wonder which of us was most dissapointed! (Edit - Actually i did win one a couple weeks ago but it was only a 20 runner PL 5 Card Draw for $2500)

Whilst playing less Im trying to excersie and get out more. There are tons of great cycle paths/routes where i live, through park/by canals etc so thats awesome and im starting to run again. I also hired a trainer who deals with posture/nutrition/lifestyle/excercise, so hopefully he can knock me into shape.... Its summer so the whole city has come alive and whereever you go if the sun is out people are sat drinking outside the pubs, in the parks etc, and im no exception particularly after a long hard slog. Perhaps i really will go and live somewhere else during winter this year.

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May 20, 09 05:17:16

good blog. And yes tourneys are sick. Hang in there ... your time is coming. Your blog has an optimistic tone to it that is soothing and makes it a good read...keep this up and stay humble. GL

charliemultitable