Fairy liquid boy

Bubbled again tonight 5/26 paid 4. Just couldn't find a hand with 5 left to double up with. Lost the last hand when I missed on my draw to beat a 10 low - had about a million outs twice, but hit KK and he didn't brick again.

Basically the problem at the final table was that I couldn't win 2 hands in a row, which is the key to these things once the levels get prohibitive. Generally I win more in hands I win, than I lose in the hands I lose. So I can stay level in chips for a long time. The idea being eventually you win two full hands in a row, get a big stack which allows you to start raising with junk and a baby (5 or less) showing to get more than your fair share of steels. Its quite simple really.

When stealing with junk its important to have a second card less than a six and no pair. (10 4) 2 is the kind of thing, although 3 to a 9 is preferred. Crappy players limp in with hands like this, but you have to bet out. Completing disguises your hand (and looks strong from early position) whereas limping defines your hand as weak. And with 2 babies you still have a chance to win it.

The other thing to try and avoid is stealing with an 8 showing. When 8's are showing people often know whether they can beat you or not. Plus its always better to be aiming for a 7 low. Losing with a 7 low late in a tourney is like getting AA cracked at hold em - there's not much you can do about it.

I was interested tonight to play for a while with one of the Bluff mag top ten online ranked Razz players. This is not unusual - he is in the tourney most days (and never cashes), but I rarely play with him (he goes out early a lot). I couldn't get over how passive he is (and he is only in the top 10 through weight of tourneys - he's played hundreds). He must basically get anted away all the time.

Its too late this year. But next year I plan to be the number 1 ranked Razz player in the Bluff rankings with the highest points per tourney average of any of the top 10.

3 in a row

Played for the first time this week tonight. 28 players in the Razz tourney. Paid 4.

Came ?th.

Took a sick beat six handed against the short stack to get crippled. The old 3 brick special.

My approach play is excellent in these things. But something is going wrong at the final table, irrespective of a few bad beats notwithstanding.

Strike all that came back from the dead - wrote the bit above when I was down to 500 chips with 6 left on the 2nd break straight after getting crippled - ended up winning it for $246 (after 1hr 20 of 3 handed play). Its been coming for a while.

Knackered now. Bed time.

Woops

I was not made for commuting. 3 days in - absolutely shattered. I feel like I have been up all night. Talk about buggering up the work/life balance. No poker.

On the subject of buggery, its not all bad news. I noticed that the Singapore parliament has finally passed an act making oral and botty sex between men and woman legal.

Might be worth a visit.

Same old

5th again - paid 3. Had chip lead with 5 left. Lost half my stack to an all in stack when I had 2456 and he had 7259 finished him: 7 2 5 9 8 A 7 me 5 2 6 4 9 6 4. He had 8,7,5,2, and me 9,6,5,4,2.

The killer hand came about 5 minutes later when I completed with 3 to a 7 and got called by 2 players with kings up. Yum Yum turned to disaster when I made a an 876 and he had an 874. But these things happen at Razz (a lot), so its no biggy. I just want some money! And I'm pissed that I missed out again. Its not like hold em - you can't just sign up for another tourney.

Still very happy with the way I played. The problem again was 5 handed. If, as has happened in the last 2 tourneys, 5 handed goes on for more than a few hands, it becomes a crap shoot. Tonight we were 5 handed for 45 minutes as the shortstacks (never me) kept doubling up - actually kept getting doubled up which is not the same [when will people learn that at Razz you need a starting hand even against short stacks]. By the end it was 500/1000 with the average stack just about 5000.

Back

Have Internet. Bubbled the Razz tourney tonight (5th when 3 paid) Bricked out when it mattered, but that happens so no problem.

Have new house. Its great, but I haven't started commuting yet, so will reserve judgment.

Missing Samsuns.

Had massive barney with Sky because Sky Sports News is not free.

How can that be - it comes free with Freeview and I pay for Sky Sports, but apparently that doesn't include Sky Sports news, which is extra. They don't mention that when you sign up. Managed to "negotiate" 6 months' free (woo hoo £6 off). The 42 minute phone call will cost me more.

Sky wouldn't budge.

Eventually I asked them whether they would rather 1) lose my business - £35 per month, have me tell all my mates what a bunch of asses they are, and how good Telewest was when I had them and get the Sky man to come out and remove dish, box and phone line or 2) give me a channel which is free to all non sky people for free.

It wasn't sure.

Start spreading the news I'm leaving today

Well tomorrow actually. And its a strange feeling.

I've lived in Sarf Lundin (that's south London to you) for years and most of the time right bang in the centre of the universe - Kennington Cross. Tomorrow I move to the sarf coast to a house with 4 bedrooms, a big garden and trees. We bought it a few weeks ago. Its been a while since I saw a living tree.

Things I am going to miss:

1. Samsun kebab shop Kennington - the greatest kebab shop in the world. I've been going there for 6 years. Five years ago they told me I was there second best customer. Bastards. The so called best customer strolled in whilst I was waiting. It was my brother.
2. The Famous Three Kings pub in West Kensington - best pub in London for watching footy.
3. The Thames - specifically walking along side it, specifically not drinking from it.
4. Kennington Cross - everything you need there - 3 curry houses, Pizza Express, Pizza Hut, Samsun, the Chinese, Oddbins, Newsagent, greasy spoon x 2, fish and chip shop, Thai Silk (Thai), 2 pubs, dry cleaners and about 24 MPs (and probably therefore 24 prostitutes/rent boys). And all within 50 yards of my house.
5. Not having to drive anywhere - having the tube on your door step is the best.
6. My mates.
7. Poker clubs (not that I use them).
8. Walking home.
9. The fitties.
10. Getting hammered after work

Things I won't miss

1. Cyclists. You know those road hogging wankers that consistently run red lights, knock kids over (I've seen em try) and whose parents get shirty when they get run down by cement lorries whilst undertaking. I have dreams about sticking my umbrella between the spokes of a passing bike and watching the fucker.....anyway I've limited myself to shouting oy cunt that's a red light every time I see one doing it.
2. The tube - specifically the northern line.
3. Commuters on the tube - why when the tube is almost empty and they have the whole carriage to chose from do people walk up to you and then turn around so that there poxy ruck sack pins you in the corner? Why, in the peak of rush hour, do people lean against the holding poles so that no one else can get there hands on it?
4. Tourists.
5. Having to pay £160 per year to park outside my house.
6. Traffic wardens giving my removal van a ticket.
7. My landlord - arse/ass/donkey/fucker/donkey fucking arse
8. Stockwell - aka Beirut. Elephant & Castle - up your arsehole.
9. Oxford street.
10. Taxi drivers saying - sarf of the river you must be jokin. Mini cab drivers who take you to Kensington

But its ok. I will still be working up here. Oh joy I am now a commuter - 2 hours each way - that's going to cut into the poker time. But I have a plan. Truly wireless broadband from Three mobile. It costs £15 per month and means you get broadband anywhere there is a mobile phone signal - like on the train for example. Hoorah! More poker (possibly). And I can get Sky at the house (which I can't at the house - see number 7 (above) for explanation.

Not sure when I will get to post again or play again. Don't think I will have any form of broadband until the end of next week.

Speak of the Devil

After bemoaning my failure to cash in recent Razz tourneys, I knuckled down and managed a second tonight (my first ever second at Razz).

The guy who beat me was called Cardsharps_net. He won the HOSE event and came second in the omaha8 at the last FTOPS series, which is pretty impressive.

He was sat to my left throughout the whole tourney and was very complimentary about my play, which was encouraging (I wasn't fishing for compliments).

I was, however, a bit in awe heads up and lost for the first time ever at Razz heads up. I think he psychologically weakened me with compliments when we were 3 and 4 handed. Since that has never happened before I was caught a bit off guard.

But hey. I'm happy and more determined to play in the Razz at the next FTOPS.

Nice

Managed to throw up in front of my boss today (it was neither alcohol related, nor a statement about how attractive my boss isn't). This bit of luck meant that I spent the rest of the day at home.

I have no idea what came over me. At 9.30 I was fine. At 10 I was in a feverish haze. A couple of hurls and 4 hours of kip and I felt largely fine again. Probably malaria (I'm a bloke; we only get proper illnesses).

Played quite a lot of Razz after I woke up. Started of well continuing a little hot streak that I am on. But I had a bad 2/4 session early this evening (I went from being $50 up after 15 hands to $65 down after 150 owing to repetitive bricking syndrome whilst simultaneously getting hammered at the 1/2 table) and ended up level at the end of the day after failing to cash in the Razz tourny and a bit of make up 1/2 grinding.

Happy with the way its going. My Razz is definitely improving.

The only downside is that I have now failed to cash in about 5 consecutive Razz tournys. I'm not really sure what I am doing differently. I seem to be unable to win a hand when the levels reach the critical 100/200 level. Lose 2 hands at that stage and you are out. Its also possible that I am starting to try and be a bit clever.

Up and down week

Been playing 1/2, 2/4 and 3/6 Razz. Last weekend and this week to Wednesday went pretty badly. But since then things have picked up.

Only disappointing thing was I played a winning 3/6 session at my Dads and forgot to turn the hand history file on. So it won't appear on Poker Tracker.

The next FTOPS series (6) has now been announced and will take place in November. The last one was in August. So soon?

The good news is that there is a Razz event. The bad news is that is starts at 2am centre of the universe time and has a $300 buy in.

So why $300? The stud hi/low is $100. Ridiculous.