blonde poker forum

I've been back in work now for nearly two months and it's made a huge difference to my enjoyment of this game as well as the quality of my play. One of the first pieces of advice most of us get as a poker player is "don't play with scared money" when I was forced into a situation where I was trying to scrape a living from playing and dealing £20/£30/£50 games every penny was scared money. playing a £30 freezeout when winning means feeding the family is no way to live. battling to get an hour dealing the £1/£2 cash game to try and scrape buy ins together. Now I'm not part of that I can't believe how sick it looks watching others do it. The long and short of it is that *I was playing too tight, afraid to commit myself with anything but the nuts and I was never going to be able to build a bankroll because if a recreational player picks up £1000 it's a nice boost to the bankroll. to me it was a couple of weeks buyins and a couple of weeks groceries

So now I pay my entry fee (anything between £30 and £200 at the minute) and I play without any financial pressure. not only can I enjoy my game but I'm free to try stuff out. I've made three final tables on the bounce and I've had to do it without premium hands. I've forgotten what AA looks like but I'm not worried. I'm also able to make some big calls I wouldn't be able to make two months ago. heres an example.

SB 300 is Blondite 'The Kid' who, for those who don't know him, is a very good player. Definitely someone I try and avoid marginal situations with.
I'm in the BB for 600.
UTG is a very nervous tight first time player. He's only played monsters so far and he limps in.
it passes round to The Kid who makes up the blinds.
I have  4c 6s so obviously check.
flop is  2c 2s 6c
not the worst flop in the world for me. The Kid checks and because the guy to my left is in I check too. so does UTG
turn is  Tc and The Kid leads out for 1500. me and the UTG guy look like a mini Rock garden so he could do that with anything. I decide to speculate and call the 1500. I'm going to try and take him off it on the turn. Im happy to see the nervous guy pass.
river  Ac
The kid carefully chooses 3000 into the 4800 pot. First thought is to pass but I think about it and it doesn't feel right. This guy is one of the few people there I'd credit with making this move with no club in their hand. certainly I'd expect him to bet any pair oir any ace preflop with only me and this other guy in. It doesn't feel right for a flush because the 1500 wasn't enough if he was drawing and if the  Tc made his flush I think he probably checks (maybe). so what else could he have? well on the turn I thought  Ts Jh maybe which is good for me. I was still leaning towards passing though, until he put me on the clock. I pretty much called instantly because I think if he's rivered a flush he doesn't want to rush me into passing. I think actually he's figured out I was sitting on a very small flush and was trying to hurry me into a pass.

As it happens it was the right call I think he had  5d 3h although he was in seat 10 and I was in seat 1 and we were separated by the dealer so I didn't actually get a clear look.  as I said, this guy is a very good player and has bet two danger cards as they've come. there's no way I'd have been able to make this call two months ago. I've been making a lot of this kind of very tough call as well as alot of tricky moves of my own. I'm playing to win every comp I'm in where it's £30 or £200 and it's very liberating. As it happens all my hard work was in vain. 13 players left I made a move on the same guys BB from the cut off. once with  Ks Ts and once with  Jh Qh both times he had  Aspades Ahrt and I only made 10th for my £30 back.

I was warned right from the start that poker is a much better hobby than it is a job and generally I think that's right. unless you have the proper bankroll playing small stakes poker for a living is a horrible existence. I'm fortunate enough now that I'm in a job I enjoy enough that, even if I picked up a 5 figure win I'd keep working (big 6 figure might be different). everyone's a a pro these days, even in a £30 freezeout.

for what it's worth, my advice to anyone thinking about it is dont rush going full time. Thewy had made two EPT final tables and picked up a Sposorship deal and was still part time for six months

I love poker again  :)up

been there mate.


 :goodpost:

Glad to see you are getting yourself sorted out Adam.

Nice too see you are actually playing poker aswell! Rather than just waiting for premiums!

A refreshingly honest post.

Good luck Adam.

Your re-newed enthusiasm for poker is very apparent, long my it continue. If a 6 figure win comes your way, that'll be a great decision for you to have to make.

All the best in your job & poker.

Good post.

Let's start swapping %'s again!

I am glad things are working out for you Adam. All the best for the future.

thank,s very kind. just typing as I think as always but it's nice to put a post up that doesnt cause an argument.

next phase of the rehabilitation is to take posting on here less seriously, be more patient, less controvertial, more humble and lengthen my fuse. Anyone who enjoys winding me up for sport, please give me some breathing space and a fresh start.

 :dd:

 ;iagree;  it was long





















Nice 1 Adam

I've spent my whole life hearing "wow, you weren't kidding about the length" but never from a welshman before. 0:-)

nice to see you cashing out regular again adam.looks like were both back in form.2300pounds in 3 weeks is huge for me.im just glad my games gone up a step,thanks to blonde for everyones advise. :respect:

You're running better htan me. I'm under a grand for the month. no where near your haul. for me it's more about mixing up my early / middle game. I play a good final usually. As I said, I keep running into good players with good cards and bad players with monsters. I'm picking up more chups early on so I can run into two or three monsters and still survive. the last three comps I've played I've had monster stack until these collisions. Bluff re-raising Barry Neville in the £200 last week was quite interesting. for all my confidence that was a bit hairy. I did introduce myself to him later but it's a good job he's such a gent at the table cause if he wasn't we'd all have problems. cracking game he's got though.

yeah hes lovely.and he gives a good neck rub

He's rumbled us lads! RUN!!!

yes mate, you know you're top of that list. 
 ;ifm; ;tracet; ;technophobe; ;tracet; :tikay: ;tracet;  >:( ;tracet;

 :cheers: :)up ;karabiner; :)up ;letsparty; :)up

As long as i dont challange you too a fight i should be ok!

it'd never come to that, you know that.

beating you at poker would be more satisfying anyway ;)

Does anyone actually feel satisfied beating flushy at poker?

The theroy has yet to be tested. Except for "Duke#1" who just beat me for $100 3 games in a row, i am getting so god damn mad!! (tuff fish voice)