Yeh I think being careful with money is very important and I said to myself as soon as I have an upswing I'm going to put a bunch aside for rent for next year etc which is what I've done. I don't see how playing CCR and chinese are massive leaks, they are EV neutral more or less and I don't play high stakes at all. We play £1 or £2 a point chinese and even a horrific run of luck wouldn't result in much of a loss. The biggest CCR flip I'd ever take part in is probably £200.  Usually its much less. These things are also really fun.

To answer your q about DTD. In the 1/2 games, there's usually between 2and 4 regs who play for a living. In the 50/1 usually none at all. I don't know many ppl who play 500nl and above, just one really and I look up to him like my Dad. Some of the guys on here do, and yeh I respect all of them. (Think I may have missed the point of this q, sorry!?)

 

You answered the D2D question...I was Just curious what volume of regs/recreational players play at 1/2.


FWIW, I am not suggesting that either chinese or CCR is not fun. I love them both.

Chinese is not EV neutral, because not everyone plays perfect strategy So the best players will get the money, although the edges are small.

My point about CCR is a bit different. First of all its the poker mindset where you end up eating in really nice places and therefore spend a chunk more on an expense you need to watch while you are growing your bankroll. Secondly with regard to CCR its more to do with the opportunity cost of you losing right now while you are building the bankroll. I mean losing 3 £150 CCRs is going to hurt your bankroll, so its just not worth it.

Hope this makes more sense.

I read this from start to finish on a hungover Sunday and enjoyed the read. I have always wondered how the live cash game life/line ups are as I have not really dipped my feet in to play them for a long time (unless I have two bottles of red by my side - which doesn't really count!). I am glad I have brought you some run good. The most impressive part of this whole thread was the way you handled being told you were being out of order at the table.

I play online exclusively now, but occasionally will have a drunken stumble into a casino to donate some cash to some locals. I don't mind doing it, what I do mind is that you get treated often like a piece of shit by them and their is a definite clique in most casino's. I remember one time I was walking to what I thought was a £1/2 game with £200 and the locals said "sorry mate this is £2/5 you need at least £350". Talk about biting the hand that feeds you. When someone walks into any poker room stumbling around with money to splash you should be looking for ways to get them in the game, not for ways to keep them out! Instead the croupier at the blackjack table got my £800 that night!

Anyways, thats enough of my ranting.

Quick couple of questions/observations.

With regard to finances...

It is excellent that you have paid some rent up front, you will definitely see the benefit of this. This ties into having poker and life bankrolls seperate. Although I don't know how easy that is to do with your current bankroll I think its really, really important that you find a way to build a tank away from poker so that when the downswing happens, the pressure of losing a buy in will not permeate into your game. My suggestion would be to stay at the limits you are at just now untill you have put enough away for six months of living expenses. Then build it up shot taking etc in good games.

I think a really underestimated leak of all poker players (myself included) is the idea of a "balla lifestyle". I realise that these trips abroad with the lads are great fun, but the reality is you guys will probably be for the most part living like kings/drinking expensively and generally doing some degenerate behaviour. This is the influence of having groups of poker players. It's pretty normal to all of us, but completely abnormal to society. What I mean is when you eat in really nice resteraunts with a bunch of lads, ordering top bottles of wine and playing CC roulette and chinese poker this is really a massive money leak. The same guys that behave like this are groups of stockbrokers/city guys who will, for the most part be guaranteed not only a pay check but a secure future with boatloads of good wages. We don't fall into this category. Think about this, and even if its a case of just watching the pennies on these trips, you will be amazed at how much you can save. There is no shame in not taking party in degeneracy. Poker players peer pressure (fuck me 4 P's in a row) is generally destructive.

My question would be with regard to what the line ups are like in D2D games. In your average games, how many guys are making a living from them and how many guys are playing for fun? How does that vary throughout the stakes? How many guys do you really look up to that are say playing £500nl and above?

Cheers and all the best

Balloo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kb0kiiB3O-o

This thread made my day. I mean in make up I look better than some of this lot.

This thread is hilarious for lots of reasons.

I just hope because my one monent of poker superstardom on the deans site and my chance to put up the only good photo of me (side angle, no triple chin) does not impact my UK poker crudentials. For a moment, I felt important.

Good luck all

Balloo.

Thanks Jenn.

How is barny doing please

Thanks for your hard work guys

Flushy was the stiffest competition I ever had at 25 dollar STTS.

Online Persona is far more important than what you are like in real life.
Instead of going to the gym and working out you should work on finding the ultimate avatar.
Instead of spending time with your friends and family you should work on your ability to refresh the forum topics as quickly as possible.


Forum Cred > Life Itself

Good luck Steve. After locking horns with you a couple of times in the past few months I know you are a man in form and playing well. You have given me a great run for my tenner bet on betfair!!

Good Luck

Stuart/Balloo

Morning, the players are warming up and ready for action and the... oh, hold on. Crap, I've forgotten to go to bed!

These three have worked so hard this week they actually look like they could sleep for a week, but still I think not only has the usual blonde updating service, with the perfect blend of humour and factual content, been in evidence, I actually think this is the best update ever. I doth my cap to the three of you for your dedication, hard work, humour, and maintained high standards, fantastic work...so good I came back to my hotel room to read the updates online rather than watch the action live!!

Now lets see a final with andy black, josh, chad, carlos and ram.

Good to see you again in Cardiff Jeff, next time hopefully we will have time to go out for dinner and plenty of drinks... Well done on getting sponsored - very deserved.

good luck

Stu

Mafews out?

Hi

Great work - do you have a count for Rory Matthews?

Thanks

Balloo

Hi Guys

Can you try and keep us updated on Roberto Romanello and Iwan Jones

Thanks doing a great job

Are you the lady I met from Shetland last weekend in Cardiff - if so nice to meet you. Was a great tourney - im the big drunken scotsman being a nusiance after I got put out!


Jen/Snoopy can you keep tabs on Rory Mathews "mafews" Thanks!

Thanks for the updates - good work. Has Tony G been sighted?