blonde poker forum

by "best" it might mean a blank canvas

We have 5 signed copies to give away

(http://blondepoker.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=64073.0;attach=36782;image)


How to win one

Over the next week tikay and I are looking for the best posts and new threads on the forum

by "best" it might mean funniest post, busiest new thread, post most helpful to another poster...a blank canvas


I will give a shortlist to tikay this time next week (and probably put that shortlist on the thread here to be above board) and he will choose who gets a copy of the book


the following are excluded from the promotion* for always talking complete rubbish: Verndog158, Rexas


* possibly.

Id like to challenge that accusation, think it is increbibly harsh and totally untrue. I once called rexas a tosser, so I cant possibly talk 100% rubbish. I expect my signed copy in the post.
Thanks all, and good luck to the rest.

P.S. I would like to nominte theprawnidentity for a copy, after the total farce and comic genius that was his staking thread yesterday, one in which for a change, ended with him returning funds to investors, and not asking for a top up

Typical of you two to try and get in early with poor attempts at humour to win a book!


Pick me Pick me

We have 5 signed copies to give away

(http://blondepoker.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=64073.0;attach=36782;image)


How to win one

Over the next week tikay and I are looking for the best posts and new threads on the forum

by "best" it might mean funniest post, busiest new thread, post most helpful to another poster...a blank canvas


I will give a shortlist to tikay this time next week (and probably put that shortlist on the thread here to be above board) and he will choose who gets a copy of the book


the following are excluded from the promotion* for always talking complete rubbish: Verndog158, Rexas


* possibly.

SHOTGUN by the way. im sure youll appreciate that shotgun rules apply :)

We have 5 signed copies to give away

(http://blondepoker.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=64073.0;attach=36782;image)


How to win one

Over the next week tikay and I are looking for the best posts and new threads on the forum

by "best" it might mean funniest post, busiest new thread, post most helpful to another poster...a blank canvas


I will give a shortlist to tikay this time next week (and probably put that shortlist on the thread here to be above board) and he will choose who gets a copy of the book


the following are excluded from the promotion* for always talking complete rubbish: Verndog158, Rexas


* possibly.

Only just read this - best staking thread ever.

Just saying  ;whistle;

everyone missing the point here imo.

I think deciding where to play there should be a load more important factors to consider before where the softest stnd of play is, whether or not you're going to make a big ICM mistake is, or if there will be a gaggle of Pro players hunting you for your money.

The best thing about being a recreational player is that you can play poker without a legitimate expectation of profit, and because of this you can base decisions about where to play on much more pleasant criteria than pro players; playing DTD tonight cos that fit valet is working, going to play some 50p£1 and get smashed with my pal, going to play Gala tonight cos it's a 10minute walk and I can have a drink etc.

Spending too much time deliberating about the "value" of certains games just seems like a drain on the enjoyment of playing recreational poker to me. I've spoken to with loads of guys over the years and heard lots of different explanations for there motivation to play poker, from "gets me away from the wife one night a week" - "I just like trying to break some pro's soul" - "I really like playing" (simple I know!!)

Basically if you wanna win at poker then you have to play in games with weaker players than you, as B+W as that sounds, and if you've ever run a variance simulation (not something I'd advise as it's quite confusing and probably the dullest thing that it's possible to do lol) but you'd see that if you play poker sporadically over a year then the difference between a -10% and +10% ROI is irrelevant. I would focus my energy on where you want to play, where is most fun to play, what satisfies you most - fast action, low exposure, rowdy table banter, chance to win big money etc and playing well within your means instead of trying to find game that you feel are +EV, when they might still not be, and even if they are you'll never really be able to beat the variance, and if you're going to be at the mercy of variance then you need to get lucky anyways, may as well go to where you like playing, play with people you like playing against in games you want to play and just accept you need to be slightly luckier than you would be playing elsewhere!

Nice idea for a thread.


The Good

Cheltenham November meeting a couple of years ago. Good ole' Swing Bill is in the last race of the day for David Pipe - an amateur rider's handicap. Pipe also has the jolly in the race - Alderluck....

Now the more observant have, over time, noticed that Swing Bill is rather handy fresh. Looking back at the previous years' form he is just always on the premises. First run in corresponding campaigns below:

2010 - 1st
2011 - 1st

Goes at Cheltenham and yet he's 25/1 in places in the morning which is, frankly, preposterous.

My friend Toby and I take prices in the morning over the Racing Post and a fry up at a ghastly greasy spoon we go to which is bang near the chute down to Paddington Station and the platform that leads to racing Mecca.

All aboard the 2hr+ train ride that culminates in winding through some lovely countryside - the first reminder that you are properly out of the rat race for the day.

Wander from the station, call in at a proper local's pub, couple of pints of Guinness and skip the ham roll as "eating is cheating until you've backed a winner".

Cracking afternoon at what must be my favourite place in the world as excitement builds for the last race. It's practically dark of course and the ring is increasingly deserted. In we go again at the last book that is 16/1 as cash money >>> electronic and there's not even really a sweat - hoses home.

Into the satchel he goes, and digs out our winning in Scottish £50 notes - I mean really. Petty from him as they're a bugger to spend, but by this point we are in such fine spirits we find it all hilarious. Couple of swift celebratory pints, train ride to Paddington, tube down to Wimbledon dogs and we back four of the last five winners there.

Strong day.



The Bad

Earlier this year I bought a small share in a chaser called Asian Prince in training with Alastair Lidderdale. AP had only run over fences the once, running creditably and jumping really neatly in hot company (Smad Place, Le Reve, Le Bec) at Huntingdon before completely emptying two out. Something struck me about the speed with which he had emptied, so when Alastair and Kev told me he had had a wind op, I was in for a share. Nothing ventured nothing gained.

Off we go down to Fontwell on a grey and wet Tuesday. Me, Toby (see above) and a friend Robin twice our age and former seriously high up in the RAF/MoD. What a trio we must have looked.

Couple of bitters and a fish pie at The Fox Goes Free (up there with my favourite pubs) before driving on to the course. The money is already down at 7/1-8/1, and Timeform like him too which buoys spirits. I've had the biggest bet I've had on a horse, and naturally go in again at the track (see above!)

This time there is no fairy tale. He hates the ground which is much softer than expected, and is pulled up about half way through the race. He comes back safe and sound, which is more than can be said for my bank account.

Would I change any of the above? Not on your nelly.

Of course he dots up at Huntingdon next time out at 7/1. I've only had a token bet as Yard wasn't too keen - marv. What's more I'm down in Devon on hols so only watch it in a local Indy. I've let Hels have a fiver on him though to coax her out of the antiques shop so I can watch the race. We now have another nice crystal bowl, which somehow seems fitting.

Excited about a summer jumping campaign AP does a tendon about 10 days after and has been out since (6mths or so). Got to love horse racing.


The Ugly

Wednesday of the Festival, and somehow I'm there with Hels (normally a pursuit with a couple of racing chums, can't remember what led to this set of circumstances). She's obviously already got her eye on some rather spenny furs so we could do with a winner or two...

I'm on Rock on a Ruby for the Neptune at, effectively, 25/1 (ew) having got on for someone earlier in the year when (a) I had an account with Stan James (!) and (b) SJ were doing a price boost each day in the run up to the Festival.

Helen and I are stood about half a furlong out, so where the run in has really started to get into a horse if any doubts over stamina. RoR runs a belter of a race, and over the last I fancy we might be in.

Helen's excitement reaches fever pitch as he and First Lieutenant come past us, RoR still a neck or so in front. She's mentally already wearing that hat with the little fox's head poking off the front of it.

I, however, know that our goose is cooked. As Helen screams with the rest of the crowd, I can see exactly what is about to happen. 1.05 RoR traded, probably about 50-60yds before they came past us. By the time they reached our spot I wouldn't have backed him with stolen money. Funny old game.

Of course Helen thought second place in such a valiant battle was quite an achievement. Whilst it didn't feel it at the time, I rather suppose it was. Hels still wears the consolation fur band we bought that day - don't think I will forget that one in a hurry.

NB. RoR of course went on to win the Champion the next year. Had I backed him? Nope, couldn't have him. Had my mate who I got the bet on for in the Neptune? Yep, including a fiver at 1000 on Betfair. What a life.

Thing is on big life decisions like buying houses and choosing a career over poker you're almost never going to get an unbiased answer.

Everyone that views him/herself as a smart, rational person (which pretty much everyone does) will find a way to justify their mistakes to themselves when it comes to big life choices because the alternative is to alter the view that they are a smart and rational person.

I think its reasonable to assume that some %age of people make the wrong choices, but almost everyone seems so sure that they made the right choice. Most of them probably did, but the ones that at some point knew that they didn't (and these people just have to exist) aren't consciously lying, its just the way that the brain works. Its so much easier to justify our decisions in any way possible than live with the turmoil (dissonance) that results from knowing that we made a bad decision.

Its something that I've been reading about a lot recently and I think its pretty fascinating stuff. I'd recommend a book by Carol Tavris and Elliot Aronson called Mistakes Were Made (But Not By Me). The slight trade off is that after reading it you won't want to believe anyone's opinion on anything, your own included :D

Back to the question, in the past you were adamant that the whole freedom thing was really important to you. Has that changed? If not then I think that your decision is a clear one.

My biased belief is that there is still plenty of money to be made in poker if you really want it, and your last blog entry reads as if you have a lot less confidence in your game than you used to. Plough the hours into studying, use stuff like Odds Oracle an CardrunnersEV. Be the guy making the long and detailed posts about how many bluff combos you should have in this spot and what hands you'd be using for balance, working out for yourself what the close-to-GTO play could be as well as your exploitative adjustments. Thats how you get some confidence back and I think you know that if you were feeling really confident in your game and your ability to make a good amount of money in poker you wouldn't even consider giving it up for a desk job which I think not many people would dispute is what you're looking at for the first x number of years of your venture capitalist employment.

The psychologists answer would be that it doesn't really matter which you choose because you'll justify whichever choice to yourself and others either way

Dimsum's staking thread

Witty, original, inventive, and he won (chopped) the Tourney.

If you have not read it, take a look, sets new standards.

 http://blondepoker.com/forum/index.php?topic=64450.0


followed up this weekend with another score at DTD in another staking thread with a difference

http://blondepoker.com/forum/index.php?topic=64472.msg1972879;boardseen#new

well, somebody posted that Tom had another result, on his staking thread

i took that at face value.

Have these been given out yet?

Dan Morgan has contributed a lot to at least 2 important threads on here recently. Along with every post of his that i have seen has been at the very least interesting.

No idea if there is a vote but just putting this in here.

Yet again no females getting a mention :(

#pokerisamanssport

If only there was a category for worst post of the week this might have been in with a shout.

If only there was a category for worst post of the week this might have been in with a shout.

LoooooooooooooooooooooooooooL

Chill yourself Winston, it was a joke. #Manbelittleswomanbehindthekeyboardshock

If only there was a category for worst post of the week this might have been in with a shout.

Fkn hell makes a couple of final tables, pulls off a grim on half of blonde, wins a book now thinks he's billy big bollocks man about town!

Fkn hell makes a couple of final tables, pulls off a grim on half of blonde, wins a book now thinks he's billy big bollocks man about town!

Excatly... Who the hell do you think you are talking to?, does make me laugh. In the real world you wouldn't last 2 minutes.

Excatly... Who the hell do you think you are talking to?, does make me laugh. In the real world you wouldn't last 2 minutes.

Excatly... Who the hell do you think you are talking to?, does make me laugh. In the real world you wouldn't last 2 minutes.

How can you not see that isn't a normal way to behave?  Perhaps, like you, I was joking in my post too?

Because it came across pretty rude, but I guess you thought I could come across the same. It was a harmless pun,  as In I and redgirl are the most regular posters and it would have been nice to be given a freebie as their are more men than women that post. That was my point but hard to be funny now as I've had to explain the joke.

Sorry if I over reacted and u thought I was being a donk and offended u, was having a bad day yesterday so took it to heart what u said x

woah, woah woah... All the winners were white male? Jesus, what is the world coming to. Tighty is obviously both racist and sexist.

DISCLAIMER I CAN JOKING

Personally, I think all books should have been given to blonde PUNTERZ, as we represent the forum the best.

Think some people are confusing the word competition for the word vote.

Shouldn't that be 'confusing the word competition with the word vote'?

Serious question.

Yes, it should.

Keep your helicon, will you!

;bump;

Thanks

it will be after xmas now. i will send tikay (who has the books and the addresses) a reminder

in fact, i just have via this!

Must not post about books....

As back passes go, mine was a shocker....

Time I got married I think, so I can get someone to sort out my shit. 

;bump;

Missed this thread, not sure how I didn't win one but hey ho.

In other news I think tikay has sold the books on eBay and he is going to grim simon

I bought one for 99p so its all good :)

Seriously though, Tony if you are at APAT Aspers at Easter I can pick it up off you then maybe?

Hi Simon,

I hope to be at the APAT thing on the weekend before Easter for the PLO or PLO8, whatever it is, will bring it then. If I remember. I can't be there Easter weekend, I'll be gardening that weekend.

I did manage to pass Tom Somerville's copy to someone at DTD last night. Unforch, I can't for the life of me remember who it was.

I also gave Karabiner his copy last week. I think.

I'm confident I'll have it all sorted by Xmas.