Merry Christmas everyone

n-dog

the big freeze

The big freeze has hit, frosty the snowman has iced my poker game, I can't get a bluff through, I'm getting no hands, and I can't get my hands to hold. As a result, I'm getting frustrated, and making mistakes.

I've gone from running like God, to running like a one legged fat man...

My profit for the year is a shade over $1,000, and I'm prepared to take that for this year which has probably taught me more about poker than any other. I've experienced many highs, and many lows.

Next years key to increased profitability,

1) Patience

2) Patience

3) Patience

4) Don't tilt off with bad calls

5) Stop trying to out think fish

6) Think more about position

7) Respect peoples play more
8) Stop ''calling for the pot odds'' when the call is so marginal

9) When I run well, don't put it down to good play, and when I run bad, don't put it down to bad play

10) CONCENTRATE!!!

I know I'm a good player when I concentrate, and am patient I feel I'm one of the best at my level. I just need to bring these two key aspects under my control, and I can make a lot of money.

I feel this year, I've been playing a lot of poker without thinking, I've become a little bit impatient and frustrated. I've started to play more for the money as opposed to enjoying the game. Whilst a lot of people may think, damn right. ''The game'' is what I love. I think I'm going to move back to tournaments. Playing so much cash to tournaments I think affects your love for the game, it becomes ''all about the money''...

Anyways, I'll sign off for now. I will try and not play till next year now, but my (ten) new years resolutions are above, and this will lead to a very profitable 2009 for N-Dog... I know it.

Merry Xmas everyone!!!

N-Dog

winter warmers

Was in Dublin for a three day course, though I showed up, and our handy HR woman had forgotten to book my on the course. Our support staff at work are SHITE, that they get paid at all is ridiculous.

Anyways, unfortunately I had to stay and listen to a load of dross I simply do not care about, and had heard many times before. I'd managed to block it out at least twice already, so a third time was not a challenge.

The only highlight of the trip was some good food, my philosophy of simply selecting restaurants that are busy paid dividends.

On the downside, within 5 minutes of logging onto the BT Openzone wifi I realised it wasn't going to work as it repeatedly disconnected. So, no poker.

However, with may gf away I've had lots more time to play poker, because I've been bored.

I've been running pretty well as of late, recouping the $1,500 (total) I've lost this year, from my peak. So, I'm back up at aroung $1,500 positive for the year, which 6 months ago I would never have thought given I was on $0.

I even played 30 hands (yes, a smash and grab) of 2/4. Doubled my $240 buyin with 1010 v A10 where we both played it very strangely, allin preflop.

Went to see the Zutons on Friday with a mate. I'd bought their latest CD only on Wednesday, cos I originally decided to go with my gf, just for a change, and not knowing anything of the band other than Valerie, so thought best to see what I was up against prior to arrival. I was actual very, very impressed. They played at our Villa Marina venue, which is a little bit too 'nice' for a music gig I feel, and I find it funny 'Funeral for a Friend' played there a few months ago. Anyways, I loved the funky tones the sax's added, and the lead singer has a good voice...

Watched 15mins of the rugby game between Vagabonds (team I've ben training with) and Ramsey. There was an injury whilst I was there, a guy had been carted off with a broken ankle in the first half, and there was a Ramsey player on the sidelines saying ''my knee sounds like a rattle'', and the coach saying ''yeah, it sounds like you have something loose in there''. There was also a 8-10 man fight on the opposite touchline... I left thinking, maybe I'll just stick to football!

Anyways, I may play a little more poker later, other than that, I'm gonna go enjoy another crisp winters day. Crisp winter days are AWESOME!

N-Dog

Argh... Shiver me timbers...

Good to be back for a bit, go to the gym, go to football, go to rugby...I tell a lie, got beasted at rugby circuit training tonight...BEASTED... Esp after so many weeks of inactivity due to work

Our Yeovil work went down a storm. The aquirer loved it, and said in all his years of business, and reading similar reports it was the best one he'd seen... Well suck my hairy meat stick!

Played a live game on Saturday with some ABSOLUTE toffs, at least they sounded like it... They sounded like that double barrelled chicken cook bloke of C4... Anyways, long and short was this... Awful blind structure, but good fun, I came third (of 8) getting it all in AJ v A7 against a massive luck box, and I saw a 7 7 turn, river combo. I'd previously called for a big allin with an up and down str8 flush draw on the flop, with great odds, and plenty behind which if I'd one I would have won for sure. Oh well. After that I finished of 3/4 of a bottle of Morgan Spiced, felt fine, got in the taxi, and it hit me like a brick wall. I had to stop the taxi twice cos I thought I was going to vom. Luckily I kept it in, a number of phone calls I don't remember, and a lack of knowledge how I got home, I wake up the next day wishing I HAD vomed! Monday was worse, and I simply cursed playing poker with people I didn't know so rushing my drinks... I hate shorts... GRRR... Angry with my stoopidity!

I want a MacBook I think, they're so pretty! I rang up Fujitsu-Siemens to see if my broken laptop screen was claimable on insurance... No they say. This is how busy I have been... I have only JUST rang up to do that!

Anyways, by the by, it was a poor laptop, and I thought Vista was rubbish.

I'm gonna bag a Mac I think, a sleek black one... Poker Stars have Mac software, and that's good enough for me,

Went to see a mortgage advisor, said we could borrow £250k with a 10% deposit. So prob look at £300k houses with £50k deposit.

Bad line below? In these situations I like to just call (I know it's weak) in the blinds cos I find you often are not believed if you hit your A, and can often get away cheaper if you do. Roothluss has been a fairly tight player, and not been involved in any hands of note. Also, at this stage I have been fairly loose aggressive at the table, and I believe any raise would get called, and so want to see a cheap flop. On the flop I put him on AK, AQ, AJ, KK, QQ, JJ, 1010 after his call.

After the turn I check as I'm out of position and trying to keep the pot small. Smallish bet indicates to me AQ/QQ, but it's only $10, so I call. The bet of $20 on the river was a blocker bet plain and simple, if he comes over the top, I fold... He does (after a bit of a pause), and I do. I put him AQ/QQ, no other hand is raising me on the river IMO. Little bit peeved though.

PLEASE CAN YOU RATE MY PLAY!!!!

PokerStars Game #22565183195:

Hold'em No Limit ($1/$2) - 2008/12/02 16:24:50 ETTable 'Alkeste II' 6-max Seat

#4 is the button

Seat 1: gczuerich ($62.15 in chips)

Seat 2: Roothluss ($353 in chips)

Seat 3: donkycracker ($263.40 in chips)

Seat 4: Fantatour.dk ($149.70 in chips)

Seat 5: jlost88 ($206 in chips)

Seat 6: HERO ($191.95 in chips) jlost88: posts small blind $1HERO: posts big blind $2*** HOLE CARDS ***Dealt to HERO [As Ks]

gczuerich: folds

Roothluss: raises $4 to $6

donkycracker: folds

Fantatour.dk: folds

jlost88: folds

HERO: calls $4

*** FLOP *** [4s Ah 6d]

HERO: bets $7Roothluss: calls $7

*** TURN *** [4s Ah 6d] [Qd]

HERO: checks Roothluss: bets $10HERO: calls $10*** RIVER *** [4s Ah 6d Qd] [Tc]HERO: bets $20Roothluss: raises $46 to $66

HERO: folds

Uncalled bet ($46) returned to RoothlussRoothluss collected $84 from potRoothluss

Out, N-Dog