Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[tikay]

I know you're not really into space stuff and we're busy playing a PLO8 SnG right now but tonight at 21:24 (for 6 minutes) and at 23:00 (for 4 minutes) the International Space Station will fly overhead at 17,000 MPH.  

It's well worth going outside and looking up if you've never seen it before.

It's pretty hard to miss on a clear night as it'll be the really bright thing going from West to East (quickly).

Well you were busy for longer than I was......

It is how I spend many of my evenings, playing (relatively) low stakes (£2.25, £5.50 & £11) Double Your Money PLO8. Bowl comps I believe the lads call them.

And I LOVE it. It is utterly relaxing & wholly enjoyable, in every way possible. I see so many folks getting upset at the poker table - "I fu**ing hate Sundays" sort of thing, & it amazes me why they put themselves through all that torture.

PLO8 must have the lowest variance of ANY form of poker, & DYM's, where 6 enter, & 3 get paid (all three get the same, double the stake, minus reg fee), so all in all, you can't get lower variance than that.  

Do I make any money? Do I hell.

Do I lose any? Nope, I've never had to re-deposit once, in 7 years next door.

It's not about winning or losing money as such, it is just relaxing, & fulfils my addiction to the gambling buzz. Albeit nitty style.

And most of all, it brings up the miracles & mysteries of variance.

So, I play a super low variance form of poker, & I think I am reasonably competent. Not good, not bad, just competent. I definitely know a good starting hand from a bad one, & I don't play bad starting hands, unless shoving when short on the bubble. (Because, mostly, I don't expect to get called more than x% of the time, so the hand does not matter THAT much).  Technically, I know all the good starting hands, & the hands to avoid. Hands with combos of 7, 8 & 9, for example, belong in the muck. Pre. Every time.

And I've played three WSOP PLO8 Events, & cashed in two. Lucky, variance, sample size, quality of opponent, yeah yeah yeah, all that. I think I am competent, no more, no less.

What sort of opponent plays £2, £5 & £11 DYM's? Answer that yourself. Folks who just want an hour of fun, mostly. Technically competent? Mostly, no. A lad min-raised into me yesterday from UTG, & I shoved back, setting him all-in, all-in, for the full pot. He had more than enough to fold & still make the money. He called me with 2-7-8-8. Which, as PLO8 hands go, is about as bad as it can get. I would say that was a typical play at that level.

So I should make fortunes, seeing as I know what I'm doing. Or I think I do......

One night a week or two ago, I won 14 out of 15. Impressive, huh?

Two night later I managed the near impossible feat of LOSING 12 out of 13 consecutive games.

How that happen?

The absolute beauty of poker. I think I can play that game OK. I'm pretty sure I am technically better than 90% of them. Would I ever play 2-7-8-8? Not on your bloody nelly.  Would any of these lads cash twice from three in PLO8 WSOP Events? I doubt it.

And there you have poker, & the psychological battle. I think I am better than most of them. In fact, I am sure I am. And yet I can't make any money (or lose any) playing them. (Ignore, for the sake of this, the Reg Fees).

And that is why we should respect ALL our opponents. If I ever say "the idiot called me with...." I'd snap quit poker, I'd be ashamed of myself.

It does not matter, to a degree, how good we are, or think we are. Anyone can enjoy poker, & anyone can win, in the short-term.

I do wish, sometimes, I had the self-confidence of John Black, or the ability of Plinop, but when we sit at a poker table, our character does not change, if we are lacking in confidence, we play & think accordingly.

What an incredibly beautiful game poker is, it has given me so much fun I can't begin to ever tell you.

Phew, not sure where all that came from, but there it is. The mind games.

PS - Oddity. Yesterday afternoon I won nearly £700, after Lord Grumpy suggested I invest £100 on a horse race, & it trotted up.  An hour later, I was sat in a £2.25 DYM, & I was disappointed that I failed to cash, which would have netted me £1.75 gross profit. Go figure.

I've been jumping on the tables a lot more recently, just for an hour or so in the evenings.  I would prefer to play PLO8 cash but there is never anything running so I play some PLO instead.

I had to actually had to switch my mindset quickly when the PLO8 DYM started up even though I know it's those you play pretty much exclusively.

When you say how one moment you're winning nearly £700 and then the next disappointed at not cashing in a £2.25 DYM I completely understand.  I'm exactly the same way but with share dealing, "Oh, + or - £3000 today, now let's go and play some PLO 10 cash."

It never fails to amaze me at how many people do play at micro stakes and get so mad at an outdraw or an 'idiot' calling with nothing.  And then proceeding to abuse their bad play in the chat box.  That's a sure fire way to get rich at the tables.

Do you ever watch the higher level tables over the other side?  I notice there are a lot of higher stake (relatively for Sky Poker) players lately and I see some huge swings one way or the other.

Yes, I've sen the (relatively) big cash games the last week or so, £5 £10 etc, all a bit above my understanding how they get it in so light, but that's the game these days I suppose. Different world.

I'll be on site this evening, might fire up a few (budget!) PLO8 cash tables, they'll fill instantly when I sit in. The bumhunters love me.

[tikay]

Do you want to buy it Tikay?

Ha!

I believe it was in fact sold, for around £275,000.

It remains in use as a holiday cottage though, (sleeps 5 or 6), in late October it can be rented for around £700 per week.

Sorry if I missed it somewhere but where and whose is this please It is actually a little dismal internally, but externally, it is Heaven. Otters & dolphins can be seen in that Loch, from the lounge window, & in the wooded hill behind, eagles & various other birds of prey can be seen regularly.

There is a village shop - "Shiel Petrol Station" I think - 3 miles distant, & some proper shops in Kyle of Lochalsh, some 20 miles away.

It has a wood-burning open fire, so it costs a few bob keeping a stock of logs at hand.

Click to see full-size image.

Hi Mr Strak,

I don't know who the current opwners are, I rented it last time from English Country Cottages, but it is now available via a different agency, "Scottish Castles & Things" or somesuch.

It is in a hamlet (?) called Ratagan, on the shore of Loch Duich, around 20 miles from Kyle of Lochalsh & the Isle of Skye. Turn off the A87 @ Shiel Bridge Petrol Station & Village Store, then go along a cart track for about 3 miles, all the way alongside the Loch shore.

You can follow a track over the mountain which takes you to Glenelg, & catch a baby ferry to the Isle of Skye from there, too.

Idyllic.

[the sicilian]

Yeah - thanks Claw.  Certainly wouldn't rule medication out, more just a comment that related to what I had read and how I know myself and what pulls me out of the slumps.  The bit about transitory conditions makes sense.  Thanks for the good luck wishes.

Red-Dog - sure.  I think everyone can relate to this in some ways.  I guess that is why people don't seek help, they think it happens to everyone from time to time so what is the point.

Got a chat with my missus tonight and then call the Doctors tomorrow.  Feels good to be taking control.  Might turn out I am not clinically depressed.  I have certainly felt like a different person at times and paralysed by inactivity and fears.

the sicilian - thanks for providing the link.  Could save me some research time if I ever do decide to go through myself off one.  Which I am not.  Have never come as close as actually attempting suicide.  Not to say the thoughts haven't been there for me.  Sometimes for quite lengthy periods.

The link was a jest to my pal Celtic..not you personally and if you have very real issues I wish you all the best....now Celtic is an example to you all as  a man who has every right to be depressed, but does not let his own circumstances get in the way of a smile on his face and banter with his pals...

[Marky147]

Yeah - thanks Claw.  Certainly wouldn't rule medication out, more just a comment that related to what I had read and how I know myself and what pulls me out of the slumps.  The bit about transitory conditions makes sense.  Thanks for the good luck wishes.

Red-Dog - sure.  I think everyone can relate to this in some ways.  I guess that is why people don't seek help, they think it happens to everyone from time to time so what is the point.

Got a chat with my missus tonight and then call the Doctors tomorrow.  Feels good to be taking control.  Might turn out I am not clinically depressed.  I have certainly felt like a different person at times and paralysed by inactivity and fears.

the sicilian - thanks for providing the link.  Could save me some research time if I ever do decide to go through myself off one.  Which I am not.  Have never come as close as actually attempting suicide.  Not to say the thoughts haven't been there for me.  Sometimes for quite lengthy periods.

The link was a jest to my pal Celtic..not you personally and if you have very real issues I wish you all the best....now Celtic is an example to you all as  a man who has every right to be depressed, but does not let his own circumstances get in the way of a smile on his face and banter with dining out on his pals...

That looks more like it

[Machka]

Two of your favourite things, trains and bridges.

Something unexpected at about 1:19 in.  Best watched full screen and in HD.

[titaniumbean]

fack wasn't expecting that

[tikay]

Two of your favourite things, trains and bridges.

Something unexpected at about 1:19 in.  Best watched full screen and in HD.

Ooof!

Spectacular.

Despite looking scary, the passengers would have been perfectly safe, the train is perfectly grounded so it is just puff bang & woof.  Would have made quite a bang though, I imagine.

[VBlue]

The link was a jest to my pal Celtic..not you personally and if you have very real issues I wish you all the best....now Celtic is an example to you all as  a man who has every right to be depressed, but does not let his own circumstances get in the way of a smile on his face and banter with his pals...

Sure mate - thanks.  Only banter from me.  I maybe depressed but I am not fragile when it comes to forum craic.

[Claw75]

The link was a jest to my pal Celtic..not you personally and if you have very real issues I wish you all the best....now Celtic is an example to you all as  a man who has every right to be depressed, but does not let his own circumstances get in the way of a smile on his face and banter with his pals...

I've mentally (no pun intended) drafted several replies to this post.

Option one was going to be "who made that post....a five year old?".

Second choice was to tell you the story of my friend who broke her arm tripping over a loose paving stone whilst walking down the street - not even running! How ridic is that? I know others who have been involved in car or bike accidents, or fallen from great heights without a scratch on them when they'd have had every right to break their arm. I hope my friend felt suitably chastised when I told her she should have looked to those people as an example and just bounced back unharmed.

The third alternative was a long, factual post, explaining the very basic facts about mental illness and depression as if to someone who had never heard those phrases before and wished to understand. I don't think that would quite hit the mark though - as with so many other subjects it would probably end up only preaching to the converted.

I didn't want to not reply at all though. There is a danger when viewpoints like that are left unchallenged that the silence indicates an overarching acceptance of those kinds of views as fact.

Many people see depression as born out of weakness - flaws in the individual that make them unable to cope with the stresses and strains of life. The danger with that is, for the depressed person, it is the negative stereotypes they will focus on. They will chastise themselves for not being strong enough to avoid getting ill and take comments such as those above, however ill-informed, as their 'proof'. This fuels low self-esteem, in turn making the illness worse, to the point that, when the suicidal idealations begin the person really believes they are nothing more than a blight on society and a burden to family and friends, and that their loved ones will genuinely be better off without them.

[GreekStein]

thought this would be right up your street Dr Teeks.

http://twistedsifter.com/2013/08/maps-that-will-help-you-make-sense-of-the-world/

[tikay]

thought this would be right up your street Dr Teeks.

http://twistedsifter.com/2013/08/maps-that-will-help-you-make-sense-of-the-world/

It is awesome Mr Cos Bloke.

Sadly, & it pains me to say it, buy we got scooped - Rod Paradise posted it on The Kettle Diary last night.

Am glad you Posted it here though, will get a lot more readers.

How are things in Thai land? All good? Weather this time of year? Been to Tesco Thailand yet?

[GreekStein]

thought this would be right up your street Dr Teeks.

http://twistedsifter.com/2013/08/maps-that-will-help-you-make-sense-of-the-world/

It is awesome Mr Cos Bloke.

Sadly, & it pains me to say it, buy we got scooped - Rod Paradise posted it on The Kettle Diary last night.

Am glad you Posted it here though, will get a lot more readers.

How are things in Thai land? All good? Weather this time of year? Been to Tesco Thailand yet?

Hehe, damn!

Actually I'm in China atm - Macau. Here grinding for a month and running like the sun. Games are good but rarely amazing like you might read on the interwebs. Luckily I'm godmoding left right and centre at the moment and having a good month.

I had my biggest ever live losing day (100k hkd) on the same day I won my biggest ever live pot (75k hkd) but it's all swings and swongs. It's actually a hell of a lot easier to take a more professional approach to grinding here than it is in Vegas - far less distractions which naturally also makes it more boring too. I've done very little other than play poker and eat.

The thing that strikes you about here that's different to Vegas is just how much money EVERYONE has. They is caked. Propa!

Tesco Thailand is called Tesco Lotus. Been several times but it has a slightly unpleasant smell and I steer clear usually. Food is so cheap and good I have maybe made 3/4 meals in my house in the last 6 months. I wish it was as cheap over here in Macau.

[GreekStein]

Oh and weather in Thailand before I left was nice. They call it rainy/monsoon season but it's still really hot most days. Sometimes it pours down for an hour and 30 mins after it's stopped you won't know it's rained.

Here in Macau we had a Level 8 Typhoon warning and supposedly the worst weather in 30 years. It wasn't too bad. Just some big wind and a bit of rain. When you're from the UK we call it Winter.

The bad thing about it was that Pokerstars removed the guarantee from their 5million HKD guaranteed tournament that I'll play today, citing this on their website....

Dear players,

Please note that guarantees are not applicable during Typhoon Level 8 or higher as listed on official documents.

Due to the recent Typhoon Level 8, PokerStars LIVE Macau will be removing the $5m guarantee on the Red Dragon event.

Date and times for the Red Dragon main event will still continue as scheduled.

Which I thought was a bit weak tbh given how much money they make and how little the Typhoon actually seemed to affect things, but whatever. If it's in their terms, can't say too much and maybe it did affect last minute travellers.

[Rod Paradise]

thought this would be right up your street Dr Teeks.

http://twistedsifter.com/2013/08/maps-that-will-help-you-make-sense-of-the-world/

It is awesome Mr Cos Bloke.

Sadly, & it pains me to say it, buy we got scooped - Rod Paradise posted it on The Kettle Diary last night.

Am glad you Posted it here though, will get a lot more readers.

How are things in Thai land? All good? Weather this time of year? Been to Tesco Thailand yet?

TBH it was a coinflip which diary it went in, interesting stuff that would fit in either.

[the sicilian]

The link was a jest to my pal Celtic..not you personally and if you have very real issues I wish you all the best....now Celtic is an example to you all as  a man who has every right to be depressed, but does not let his own circumstances get in the way of a smile on his face and banter with his pals...

I've mentally (no pun intended) drafted several replies to this post.

Option one was going to be "who made that post....a five year old?".

Second choice was to tell you the story of my friend who broke her arm tripping over a loose paving stone whilst walking down the street - not even running! How ridic is that? I know others who have been involved in car or bike accidents, or fallen from great heights without a scratch on them when they'd have had every right to break their arm. I hope my friend felt suitably chastised when I told her she should have looked to those people as an example and just bounced back unharmed.

The third alternative was a long, factual post, explaining the very basic facts about mental illness and depression as if to someone who had never heard those phrases before and wished to understand. I don't think that would quite hit the mark though - as with so many other subjects it would probably end up only preaching to the converted.

I didn't want to not reply at all though. There is a danger when viewpoints like that are left unchallenged that the silence indicates an overarching acceptance of those kinds of views as fact.

Many people see depression as born out of weakness - flaws in the individual that make them unable to cope with the stresses and strains of life. The danger with that is, for the depressed person, it is the negative stereotypes they will focus on. They will chastise themselves for not being strong enough to avoid getting ill and take comments such as those above, however ill-informed, as their 'proof'. This fuels low self-esteem, in turn making the illness worse, to the point that, when the suicidal idealations begin the person really believes they are nothing more than a blight on society and a burden to family and friends, and that their loved ones will genuinely be better off without them.

How have you been lately..things have looked up I believe?