Long time lurker, occasional RSQ participant. With a hatred of 2+2 and the slow death of The Hendon Mob forum I'm left with just APAT. And just one forum isn't enough. Everyone says 'sign up and post' to the guests - point taken
Please feel to ask me any reasonable (and some unreasonable) questions, this is my third attempt at a blog, but never knowing whether anyone even gives the slightest shit makes me forget about it. Interactivity makes it fun! Hopefully get to know some new people to challenge me and spur me to up my game, be it in life or poker.
Me:I'm
Dave Howard. The UK poker world is relatively small, so I guess I may have rubbed shoulders with a few of you - especially via The Hendon Mob and APAT. Originally from Essex, but moved to Southampton for university (Economics) in 2003 and been there ever since. Love learning new things, quizzes, especially Pointless and RSQs which is what first brought me here (thanks John Murray).
Poker:Self-appointed poker hero naturally - hamstrung by life busto and lack of volume. On a serious note, I tried the full time route one time and just did not enjoy it, so happily recreational though I do still have the belief and ambition that I can achieve more than I have done. I've cleared around £20k profit lifetime from MTTs live and online so poker's been good to me - biggest bink of £7.6k at Brighton's 25/25 in December - really hope I have some bigger binks in me sometime! Had a couple of shots online, three at the WSOP and a couple of EPT sides, none to fruition. Boooo.
Life and job busto has caused a few problems, what was a healthy roll has been decimated and I'm starting from below scratch again. I do believe that online NLHE cash is fast approaching unbeatable for rec players out there as it's moving so quickly - I came across some old HHs from 2008 where I had a few shots at $2/$4; man, the gifts I was getting - you wouldn't see it at 0.25/0.50 these day. Anyway, enjoyment is key for me, and that is linked to non-NLHE games (also feel my relative edge is biggest here) - though of course that pretty much rules out live poker and split-pot cash games online. Left with the feeble non-NLHE tournament schedule on Stars, PLO cash online and some live MTTs.
I'll probably do all three, though the title of the blog gives a clue as to where I think I should go. So the bulk of this should hopefully be me playing PLO, posting some hands etc. I'm confident in my base PLO game (certainly in tournaments), but feel I need to work on some of the maths/statistics nuances within. My maths/stats/mental arithmetic ability is ridic good and something I can apply at the tables to a greater extent than most people - just not fully clued up with the PLO side of it and lack deep PLO experience.
Anyone in a similar position, or looking for a PLO/mixed games sounding board, I'd be more than happy to share learning experiences.
Aim: Get to Vegas and play a WSOP event. Be able to have a dedicated poker bankroll again by the end of 2014 (suspect I'll need £5-6k profit this year to make that). Actually play something decent at DTD. Improve my PLO game.
Non-PokerI love sport. Have dabbled in karate, cricket, rugby, darts, golf, pool and football, also coaching the latter until I screwed up my ankle (lateral collateral ligament, I think) one time too many. Now it's more watching and the occasional sports/fantasy bets over playing - though that'll be another part of the blog as I try and get into better shape before I turn 30. I hate photos of myself, but hoping to go to Vegas for the WSOP this summer with one of my best mates and want some pictorial references to (hopefully) good times! Also been inspired by another good friend of mine, Dwayne Stacey, who's training for the London Marathon - he was pretty much the same build and size as me before he started training.
Just started getting a better diet in - going toward the Paleo route thanks to a previous personal trainer who was awesome and from whom I learnt a lot. Going to combine it with a tilt at the Couch to 5k training plan. I haven't done any running since being forced to do cross country at school. It might be tough as my ankle issues mean I can barely do 9-12 holes of golf without serious pain - but won't know unless I try. Hopefully things get better with less baggage to haul around!
Aim: To reach 16st prior to a planned Vegas jaunt in June. By that time I'm hoping to be able to have run at least two 5k's.Here's to good luck, for me and you all. Happy hunting.
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