DAVE "EL BLONDIE" COLCLOUGH - European Player of the Year

[elblondie]

oh the young  fellow with glasses and ALL the chips
How did you get on ? Did you win it ?
How are the bruises?

[colacube]

oh the young  fellow with glasses and ALL the chips
How did you get on ? Did you win it ?
How are the bruises?

I came 2nd - we did a deal when it was heads up to take 18k each and play for 3k plus the £2500 entry - which turned out just as well as I played badly heads up. A big result for me as although I play full time - I play mostly online sit'n'gos and 6 card Omaha High cash games in local casinos. Its also my first game on TV. I think I'll play in the rest of the GBPT events as its not often you get a game with 10,000 chips and 1 hour blinds for a £500 entry. Maybe I'll see you across the table at the world series of 6 card Omaha high one day when the rest of the world takes up the game.

[stewart]

hi dave, would just like your advice on a couple of problems ive been haveing recently in the past couple of months, i had recently changed where i normally play my live games from one place to another because of dealer issues and my previous place replaced all the comps with £3 rebuys lol, anyway i started playing in a new *local*  in stockport that restarted poker tourneyments it used to run them years ago apparently and everyone used to go but they took it out and put in a private gaming area anyway they have now put the card area back,

what i like about the place is that you start with 2,000 chips which if you are on a tight budjet or going threw a ruff patch can really cut your rebuys down if you place sensibly, i normally dont play for the 1st 2 hours during rebuys and anti down to 1,000 chips and have a rebuy+top up and get close to the avg normally 7k but u can get to 5k that way, of cause i play the hands as they come and if i get a situation where its a good value for me to play i will do or if i call to hit a certin hand and hit it i play it obviously,

my 1st problem comes when we get down to 3 tables, the blinds are normally 1k/2k and i have normally bulit my chips to 17-19k and i tend to sit tight during this level unless i get a big hand then i will play it, i.e qq/kk/aa/ak only normally, if i get jj/10-10 ill try nick the anti but play them very passive, and i tend to anti down to around 13/14k then the blinds go up to 2k/4k and i end up either all-in on the blinds or on the button makeing an auto-call for a big stack on the blinds, or moveing in onto of a raise on my blinds normally with any suited connectors also an auto call because a raise is basicly me all-in anyway, how would u advice me to get threw this level in a way to gain the chips req ( around 30-40k ) but also getting the guys to pass semi-hands they will call with any A-2 threw to A-K also anything high connected or any pair, i have tried the limpers tax but that doesnt seem to work very well for me i normally get called in all spots and have to give the hand up if i dont connect, ive also tried to be super aggressive but as i said i get called by A-2 which they wont give up if they hit any part of the flop the 2 the A or any kind of strait draw 10 J K  or  34 7, most of the players are either students or rich bussiness men to whom they play for the thophy to say i won this rather than the money,

my 2nd problem is 2 tables to go where i have gone out 10 out of the last 13 comps, once going on to finish 7th for no money once 4th for a small payday, and once i went out early doors on a stupid hand lol, i was hopeing u could give some advice as to how i could maximise my tendency to get to 2 tables to go and to go on into the money, ( top 3 normally get paid and they normally get between 60-80 runners )

any advice is much apperiated  stu,

p.s i have talked to the card room manager and he has agreed to introduce a 1500-3000 level and also to pay a diffrent system i.e 0-30 top 3 31-40 top 4 41-50 top 5  etc etc,

[elblondie]

oh the young  fellow with glasses and ALL the chips
How did you get on ? Did you win it ?
How are the bruises?

I came 2nd - we did a deal when it was heads up to take 18k each and play for 3k plus the £2500 entry - which turned out just as well as I played badly heads up. A big result for me as although I play full time - I play mostly online sit'n'gos and 6 card Omaha High cash games in local casinos. Its also my first game on TV. I think I'll play in the rest of the GBPT events as its not often you get a game with 10,000 chips and 1 hour blinds for a £500 entry. Maybe I'll see you across the table at the world series of 6 card Omaha high one day when the rest of the world takes up the game.

Congrats...and I'll probably see you at one of the next ones...or in on Omaha game..we will be playing 6 card in the new DTD club for certain

[elblondie]

hi dave, would just like your advice on a couple of problems ive been haveing recently in the past couple of months, i had recently changed where i normally play my live games from one place to another because of dealer issues and my previous place replaced all the comps with £3 rebuys lol, anyway i started playing in a new *local*  in stockport that restarted poker tourneyments it used to run them years ago apparently and everyone used to go but they took it out and put in a private gaming area anyway they have now put the card area back,

what i like about the place is that you start with 2,000 chips which if you are on a tight budjet or going threw a ruff patch can really cut your rebuys down if you place sensibly, i normally dont play for the 1st 2 hours during rebuys and anti down to 1,000 chips and have a rebuy+top up and get close to the avg normally 7k but u can get to 5k that way, of cause i play the hands as they come and if i get a situation where its a good value for me to play i will do or if i call to hit a certin hand and hit it i play it obviously,

my 1st problem comes when we get down to 3 tables, the blinds are normally 1k/2k and i have normally bulit my chips to 17-19k and i tend to sit tight during this level unless i get a big hand then i will play it, i.e qq/kk/aa/ak only normally, if i get jj/10-10 ill try nick the anti but play them very passive, and i tend to anti down to around 13/14k then the blinds go up to 2k/4k and i end up either all-in on the blinds or on the button makeing an auto-call for a big stack on the blinds, or moveing in onto of a raise on my blinds normally with any suited connectors also an auto call because a raise is basicly me all-in anyway, how would u advice me to get threw this level in a way to gain the chips req ( around 30-40k ) but also getting the guys to pass semi-hands they will call with any A-2 threw to A-K also anything high connected or any pair, i have tried the limpers tax but that doesnt seem to work very well for me i normally get called in all spots and have to give the hand up if i dont connect, ive also tried to be super aggressive but as i said i get called by A-2 which they wont give up if they hit any part of the flop the 2 the A or any kind of strait draw 10 J K  or  34 7, most of the players are either students or rich bussiness men to whom they play for the thophy to say i won this rather than the money,

my 2nd problem is 2 tables to go where i have gone out 10 out of the last 13 comps, once going on to finish 7th for no money once 4th for a small payday, and once i went out early doors on a stupid hand lol, i was hopeing u could give some advice as to how i could maximise my tendency to get to 2 tables to go and to go on into the money, ( top 3 normally get paid and they normally get between 60-80 runners )

any advice is much apperiated  stu,

p.s i have talked to the card room manager and he has agreed to introduce a 1500-3000 level and also to pay a diffrent system i.e 0-30 top 3 31-40 top 4 41-50 top 5  etc etc,

This is a great post on Tourney strategy Stu. I love the way you have analysed what is going on. Analysis like this will help you progress a long way.
Your strategy in the rebuy period is perfect. It was/is the way I play during this period. Top quality hands only. Pass 77, 88 or AQ type hands to any raise. Rebuy & Top up at end of period to have max chips for when the tourney plays properly.
Like you I also generally play quite tight through to the three table stage. The key to what happens here though is the fact that we now spend very little time 10 or 9 handed and are often playing 7 handed. It is impossible to survive on quality hands alone. You have to get your head around the fact that you can use 2 tools to win a poker hand; 1 cards, 2 chips. You have to spot the situations where you can steal a pot uncontested without showing your cards.
I usually wait till the table becomes 7 handed (unless I am in chipstack trouble before that). It is then a matter at looking and finding the situations where you are least likely to get called, and stick your chips in.
Another help, is to now re-assess what a good hand is. KJ is garbage in any position on a 10 handed table. KJ in a 7 handed game is excellent in late position.

Its not easy to describe what to do at this stage because this is the whole key to winning or losing. Up to now anyone can sit and just play quality hands. Now from 24 players down, is where the real poker players who excel. The guys who can smell fear, know when they can run without the ball, pick off other players steals and bluffs and generally make all the tough poker decisions.
Don't get dis-heartenned. You are doing something right if you are continually getting close. And your self analysis puts you at a huge advantage to most players.
 

[elblondie]

One other point Stewart. The problem could be that the structure is just too fast for proper poker. You may be better suited to bigger comps

[stewart]

thanks for the tips dave, as for bigger buy-in comps i have played about 12-15 of thease have won 1 and made the money in 1, but my bankroll isnt of a big enough stature to indure them comps at the moment, i normally get someone to buy me in and we go 50-50, have a tendency to go out near the money bubble in thease also i tend to try go to aggressive near the money and get caught out by pepole willing to gamble with me even though i dont really want to normally i have to call the re-raise due to raiseing too much or the re-raise being to small for me to pass,  the last big comp that i played ( to me ) 3 of us went down to a £150 rebuy at blackpool last year, and all 3 of us were still in with 21 to go top 18 got paid, i was 4th chip leader in the comp a friend was 7th and another was very short, i went out 21st my friend went out 19th and the short went out 18th lol, in fairiness i went out trying to be cute with aces agaist barry from sheffield, he raised my bb utg, (blind 2000,4000 my stack was 86k) to 21k he had around 100k chips and was close to the chip lead, i thought this was a strange raise seing as there was quite a few on the table with around this in stack size so i figure he must have either a pair or a hand willing to take on a short stack but also telling them he isnt passing, they all pass round to me on the bb, i look down to find AA, i annouce raise, but haveing played him before i decide all-in is not the best option and re-raise to 61k total he calls the extra 40k instantly and i move my remaing stack in on a J 4 9 rainbow flop, he calls instantly with J-8 suited, turns an 8 and im out,  could of played that in a way to get him to pass of am i destined to lose that hand no matter what, i have beat myself up about that for months since it happend


since that comp i havent managed to get any more *sponsership* from my friends as they had put me into 4 comps that week and i finished 2 tables twice, went out early in 1 and got a tiny cash in the other, they felt and i couldnt disagree that i should of got a big draw in the 150 rebuy event, and the one i cashed i should of hung on for more cash, and i couldnt argue with them as i felt the same myself, i went out of the one i cashed in to mad marty he was moveing his chips about alot and i moved over the top off him with pkt 10's and ran into KK on the blinds my fault i had a bad feeling when i picked it up but decided to take a shot rightly or wrongly and it turned out wrongly cos marty had AJ and would of hit  and called, if the KK handnt of pushed behind me

[elblondie]

Well the Barry hand is just plain unlucky and I would have played it the same way not wanting to lose my customer with Aces.
Mad Marty could also have been sat with a lot worse hands than KK and would have called you with plenty of pairs that you have dominated, so thats not the worst move in the world either. What were you meant to do? Pass them? call and hope to hit a 7-1 shot? The best way is too re-raise in the latter stages

[stewart]

that what i was hopeing i should of done looking back i wish i would of passed the pkt 10's i didnt really have to take the what i presumed to be 50-50 at that point,  i dont know how long it will take me to get over the barry hand or if i ever will still allways think of it if i get aces lol,

[elblondie]

 
Ok I have been told to update the thread to generate some interest, so I am doing as I am told. 
My wife and I have seperated.
I guess i'll be able to concentrate 100% on poker in the future with no girlfriend/wifey distractions....so just wait for the improvement. I think the Irish Open may be a little early but get your money on me for the Bellagio WPT Grand Final. I genuinely think I am going to win it....The poker Gods  are perparing me for something big. I know I'm 
So what do the public think? Are wives/girlfriends detrimental to your poker play? Are the poker gods gay anti-women? That Andy black fella is leading the EPT Final , he aint got a girlfriend. I cant see Jamie Gold with a girlfriend, Most of these scandie machine gunners arent old enough to have girlfriends?
Who thinks I'll win a major in the next 3 months? Honesty is good. Right now I can handle anything thrown at me.
If this doesn't generate interest I'm gonna quit poker.
May the cleansing process begin.
 

[marcro]

Ok I have been told to update the thread to generate some interest, so I am doing as I am told. 
My wife and I have seperated
I guess i'll be able to concentrate 100% on poker in the future no girlfriend/wifey distractions....so just wait for the improvement. I think the Irish Open may be a little early but get your money on me for the Bellagio WPT Grand Final. I genuinely think I am going to win it....The poker Gods  are perparing me for something big. I know I'm 
So what do the public think? Are wives/girlfriends detrimental to your poker play? Are the poker gods gay anti-women? That Andy black fella is leading the EPT Final , he aint got a girlfriend. I cant see Jamie Gold with a girlfriend, Most of these scandie machine gunners arent old enough to have girlfriends?
Who thinks I'll win a major in the next 3 months? Honesty is good. Right now I can handle anything thrown at me.
If this doesn't generate interest I'm gonna quit poker.
May the cleansing process begin.
 

Hmmmm, if this is true then you are better off being on your own mate and having the DTD backing/support will help you towards that win.  I will keep my fingers crossed for you.  Chin up.

[boldie]

hmmm excellent question.

I remember reading poker books every evening. Supersystem 2 was my bed time reading when I was single. I also watched a lot of poker on the telly. However ever since the Mrs and I got serious and moved in together that seems to have gone out the window.
i am lucky enough now to be able to do that during the day (as she's at work and I'm not.well playing poker) but I'm convinced my game suffered/is suffering because of it.
I have to do coupley things, go to parties and nights out I don't really want to go to to keep the Mrs happy. (and because I'm generally a nice enough guy and actually love her I do it) so miss out on games that I definetly would play otherwise and am therefore missing out on some much needed live tourney experience.
I also find myself spending money on things that I wouldn't normally buy (girlie pressie crap) and that money would ussually be spent on poker stuff.

I am certain that this has an impact on the game.

On the other hand I guess some could/would argue that having a stable home life (if havign a girlfriend or being married actually makes a homelife more stable) and the support of a good partner could give you an edge over the others as a relaxed player who knows everything is in order can play better poker.

I don't know for sure but I reckon that having to spend time away from poker (which you have to do when you have a partner) definetly won't be good for your game.


Best of luck to you Dave. I am sure you will suceed in whatever you put your mind on and if there is a book for the Belaggio event my tenner will be on you.

[ifm]

OMG, i have never been in that spot but i do remember the gut wrenching feelings i had when my ex told me she'd met a new chap, i was down for months.
One thing i will say is stay off the booze if possible, it's a depressant!!

All the best.

[ACE2M]

my poker has dipped tremendously sinced my girlfriend moved in. But i also think i was a bit of a sad bastard playing all the time never doing anything but play poker.

You need balance mate so don't go crazy.

Appears you may have shown her a different way of life and it's come back and bit you on the arse.

Chin up and keep raising.

[elblondie]

hmmm excellent question.
I have to do coupley things, go to parties and nights out I don't really want to go to to keep the Mrs happy. (and because I'm generally a nice enough guy and actually love her I do it) so miss out on games that I definetly would play otherwise and am therefore missing out on some much needed live tourney experience.
I also find myself spending money on things that I wouldn't normally buy (girlie pressie crap) and that money would ussually be spent on poker stuff.

good post this probably describes all my failngs . i wish you had told me this 6 months ago!