2015 Diary- Family, Work, Poker and everything in-between

[shipitgood]

Hey mate,

The game will always be there, if and when you want a game.

Never ending game

Just from a "fun" perspective, played 1 game on stars tonight along side sky tables. A lot slower the fact it's 9 handed.

Not to sure if you play on Sky or not but if not would defo try it out sometime.

It's all 6 max so there's always plenty of action.

[UgotNuts]

Thanks Mate.

I used to play a bit on Sky enjoyed the nightly bounty hunters for a while, but not the cash games as much. Might give it a try in the near future. 

9 handed is defiantly slower with like a 10-15 min clock. I tend to play turbos mostly, as they have 5 min levels and play much faster. 

I Probably just need to head to the gym to get some happy endorphin's pumping around my blood. Either that or get some anti d's from the the doctors :-) Kids and the partner are heading off to a party today. i would be heading off with them if it wasn't for this stupid chest cold. Will probably end up on stars as have nothing else to be getting on with today... Dead money here ;-)

[Omm]

I think I'm coming to an end of an era when it goes to my poker playing days. Its just not the same as it used to be, repetitive, boring even. The excitement has just been extinguishing slowly over the last 8 months or so. As I'm feeling like this after a nice little win online last night it is probably best if i just do something else indefinitely.

 I stumbled onto the game, about 8 years ago now by chance really. I was having my local Monday night 7 a side game when a young chap mentioned a home poker game. Now I had only seen it on the TV, but that did not stop me from bluffing that i knew the game and would like to join if a seat was open. So off I trotted to my first poker game a 50 quid SNG and with luck on my side i managed to win it for 300 odd quid. I felt amazing, felt like I could beat the world, so off i went and brought some poker books and was spending every waking moment thinking about hands and strategy and it wasn't too long after i was playing at my local G casino. I never had much of an upbringing and was fending for myself from an early age, finances where tight, and often I was in a spot having to choose between having no gas for two weeks or punting 20 quid on Pokerstars trying to win the Sunday Storm or one of the Bigger Sunday comps. I guess I saw it as a way out of my hell, a chance to make something of myself no matter of the cost, a dream that would soon turn into a gambling nightmare. Not long after I started playing at the casinos I found Blackjack which would almost put me on the streets on more than one occasion, me and my addictive personality was hooked. Mix that with awful luck when it comes to BJ, even the dealers felt sorry for me, I could see it in there eyes.

I guess I've come a long way from then. Have a wonderful wife, daughter and two sons,have a steady comfortable job with career progression and the need for the game has just stopped. As we all know poker can be one of the most time consuming things god has ever created, factor in the travel to and from destinations, or staring at a screen concentrating on multi tabling is just eating into the time i personally feel should be spent with the family. And the money I've lost over the years could of been spent more wisely... could of saved for that mortgage the wife has been going on about :-)

Bottom line is life is too short and if you don't enjoy doing something anymore you should just not do it or find another variable option. I think this is as good of a time as any.

 

We all fall out of love with the game at some time. However its probably best if you do take a break for a while, the want and love will come back to you and your family are certainly more important than poker, that being said when you do start playing again try and treat it like a great hobby that gives you a little income to treat the family with, practice bankroll management to the letter and stay away from the casino games and you will be fine. While your not playing it will give you time to build up  a nice bankroll (good old fashion saving?) and suddenly a big bink will be around the corner. Trust me, i have been there, along with hundreds of others. Good luck for the future.

[UgotNuts]

Thanks for the advice- Much appreciated

[mikeymike]

Sounds like you have got a good dose of down in the dumps - and things in general not going right at the moment.

Happens to us all - but it is never as bad as you think -

With regards to poker - i think that the grinding is the thing to lay off - just play a tournament a night and if that bores you switch to playing a couple a week - and if that bores you lay off completely.

But i hope you get back into the swing of things - be good to see you again at dtd if you go up for the PP.

What ever you do keep the blog going as i always find it interesting.

Good luck which ever you choose.

Mike

[UgotNuts]

Cheers Mike- I took the advise and played only a couple of comps last night, and managed to go deep in the cash in the big 22 and 11 last night. Albeit for a 91% favourite on the turn to 0% on the river I would of probably won the big 22 on stars. I was 3rd in chips with 70 remaining and tangled with the chip leader who barley had me covered and couldn't find a fold with 55 against my QQ  on a 932 rainbow board. Happens. Anyway i actually enjoyed playing just a couple of tables and took breaks on the hour instead of playing spin & goes. Maybe I was just burning myself out. Lightweight in my old age.

[mikeymike]

i am old you are young

[UgotNuts]

Went down to the G Luton for friendly Glenn Invitational Friday comp. Spent most of it just catching up with some people who i haven't seen in a while before failing to make the end of level 2 and heading out for a walk with the view of coming back and re entering just before the end of the first break. After chatting to Harry for a bit who convinced me there is little value in reentering, I made my way home well before 10pm. Feel asleep on the train only to be woken up by a member of staff from station. Might of been best after all not to punt off another 60 quid.

Looking at the SCOOP Schedule next month it looks like i will only be playing 11 out of the 30 odd comps, All Low level though, might play the odd Medium level if I start well. Not looking to play on a work night, especially as they are mainly 5K starting stacks with 15 min levels, so will solely be playing Friday/Saturday nights,maybe Sunday.

Schedule will be something like this:

Event    Torun ID
1   SCOOP-01-L: $11 NL Hold'em, $75K Gtd
2   SCOOP-02-L: $27 NL Hold'em [6-Max, Progressive Super-Knockout], $250K Gtd
3   SCOOP-03-L: $27 NL Hold'em, $300K Gtd
4   SCOOP-04-L: $11 NL Hold'em [Turbo], $100K Gtd
6   SCOOP-06-L: $7.50 NL Hold'em [Heads-Up], $50K Gtd, No Late Registration
24   SCOOP-24-L: $27 NL Hold'em, $300K Gtd
30   SCOOP-30-L: $11 NL Hold'em, $100K Gtd
36   SCOOP-36-L: $11 NL Hold'em [Progressive Super-Knockout], $150K Gtd
43   SCOOP-43-L: $27 NL Hold'em [6-Max, Variable Level Times, Progressive Super-Knockout], $200K Gtd
45   SCOOP-45-L: $109 NL Hold'em Main Event, $1M Gtd, $100K+ to 1st!
46   SCOOP-46-L: $11 NL Hold'em Wrap-Up [Turbo, Optional Re-Entry], $150K Gtd

Might add a mixed game or a PLO game, not sure yet though.

[Ransom]

Went down to the G Luton for friendly Glenn Invitational Friday comp. Spent most of it just catching up with some people who i haven't seen in a while before failing to make the end of level 2 and heading out for a walk with the view of coming back and re entering just before the end of the first break. After chatting to Harry for a bit who convinced me there is little value in reentering, I made my way home well before 10pm. Feel asleep on the train only to be woken up by a member of staff from station. Might of been best after all not to punt off another 60 quid.

Looking at the SCOOP Schedule next month it looks like i will only be playing 11 out of the 30 odd comps, All Low level though, might play the odd Medium level if I start well. Not looking to play on a work night, especially as they are mainly 5K starting stacks with 15 min levels, so will solely be playing Friday/Saturday nights,maybe Sunday.

Schedule will be something like this:

Event    Torun ID
1   SCOOP-01-L: $11 NL Hold'em, $75K Gtd
2   SCOOP-02-L: $27 NL Hold'em [6-Max, Progressive Super-Knockout], $250K Gtd
3   SCOOP-03-L: $27 NL Hold'em, $300K Gtd
4   SCOOP-04-L: $11 NL Hold'em [Turbo], $100K Gtd
6   SCOOP-06-L: $7.50 NL Hold'em [Heads-Up], $50K Gtd, No Late Registration
24   SCOOP-24-L: $27 NL Hold'em, $300K Gtd
30   SCOOP-30-L: $11 NL Hold'em, $100K Gtd
36   SCOOP-36-L: $11 NL Hold'em [Progressive Super-Knockout], $150K Gtd
43   SCOOP-43-L: $27 NL Hold'em [6-Max, Variable Level Times, Progressive Super-Knockout], $200K Gtd
45   SCOOP-45-L: $109 NL Hold'em Main Event, $1M Gtd, $100K+ to 1st!
46   SCOOP-46-L: $11 NL Hold'em Wrap-Up [Turbo, Optional Re-Entry], $150K Gtd

Might add a mixed game or a PLO game, not sure yet though.

I think the Friday comp may have ended up with ~ £1000 overlay in the end, so my advice about going home early may not have been that good. Cash was apparently jumping as well with 4 games running at one point. Which probably sounds hilarious to anyone from DTD reading, but it's pretty good that weekend cash is picking up now. Wasn't too long ago we'd have one 50p/£1 going with a list 7 people deep at 1am. Gentings up the road has been getting the same, 3 or 4 cash games running in the evenings and Casino MK have £1/£2 running now as well.

- 6   SCOOP-06-L: $7.50 NL Hold'em [Heads-Up], $50K Gtd, No Late Registration

I hope you've got a full day free for this one. Takes forever to run until maybe the last 128. Going to be waiting over an hour each between your second/third/fourth... round matches if you get through them.

Have a go at some satellites to some of the SCOOP-M events, there will be a ton of deadline sats with a whole load of seats in them a couple of hours before they're due to kick off.

[UgotNuts]

Its crazy how one week we are waiting around playing heads up waiting for a seat, then the next they open up 4 tables. You should of just taken he credit for 60 quid saved mate!

I think the heads up is on a Saturday, so probably will be about watching the football in between the matches If something comes up I guess I can always skip it.

Need a new Itunes playlist. Songs are getting a bit old and repetitive.

[Ransom]

Its crazy how one week we are waiting around playing heads up waiting for a seat, then the next they open up 4 tables. You should of just taken he credit for 60 quid saved mate!

I think the heads up is on a Saturday, so probably will be about watching the football in between the matches If something comes up I guess I can always skip it.

Need a new Itunes playlist. Songs are getting a bit old and repetitive.

Get Spotify mate. Well worth the £10 a month for the premium. They might still do a £5 a month version as well with some restrictions on the amount of playlists you can have.

Couldn't live without it. Have it on my phone almost 24/7. You can still get a free trial through Facebook I think for a month. 

[david3103]

Its crazy how one week we are waiting around playing heads up waiting for a seat, then the next they open up 4 tables. You should of just taken he credit for 60 quid saved mate!

I think the heads up is on a Saturday, so probably will be about watching the football in between the matches If something comes up I guess I can always skip it.

Need a new Itunes playlist. Songs are getting a bit old and repetitive.

Get Spotify mate. Well worth the £10 a month for the premium. They might still do a £5 a month version as well with some restrictions on the amount of playlists you can have.

Couldn't live without it. Have it on my phone almost 24/7. You can still get a free trial through Facebook I think for a month. 

The free wer soon is also good. Minimal commercials that barely interrupt on the music

[UgotNuts]

Thanks guys, I'll check them out.

[UgotNuts]

Settled on Spotify, Really enjoying it so far , run up like a 11 hour playlist. Should be long enough for now.

Have the whole week off work (Thank god) really enjoyed taking the family out today, haven't had this much fun in a long time. Enjoyed all the smiles on there faces, and I genuinely smiled all day long!

Not got much planned tomorrow, Had arranged for Harry to come and chill out, review some hands have a drink, grab a pizza ect ect, but not sure if he can make it. So plan on playing the following schedule:

Big    $5.50
big   $109.00
big   $55.00
big   $22.00
big   $8.80
big   $11.00
hot   $11.00
hot   $16.50
hot   $4.40
hot   $3.30
hot   $33.00

Will play this regardless of what happens tomorrow I guess and would be happy to swap with any blondes who are playing the same event. Let me know.

 

[UgotNuts]

It's crazy how fast a week goes by!

I have had a pretty good week from a poker point of view made super deep runs in 4 figure fields, making the final table in the PLO before eventually finishing 4th. Had a few final tables in 180 man Turbo's. Played for 3 nights straight, but only around 6 MTT a night and cashed 14 times. Not too bad must be my upswing! I have put alot of time this week reviewing hands, watching training video's and following JCarvers and JStaples Twitch streams and by the looks of things it has defiantly paid off. Still along way to go though and many more hours in the lab studying required.

Main areas I have improved on is hand section VS position and the maths from defending from the blinds, and bet sizing to achieve different outcome.

It has come at a cost though, Wife is pissed off with me because of the amount of time I have been up at unsociable hours. "you've been up all week at different hours to your family" she bitches at me. Then the constant nagging, and seemly fighting for my attention for no good reason other than the fact I'm not doing jobs around the house or sitting down "enjoying" the soaps she watches. She acts as if I'm having an affair with someone. Maybe I'm, just maybe its not a living being. It got to the point when she threw some laundry at me in protest and then took the kids out and didn't come back last night after I told her what I thought of her attitude. Apparently she was at some random house that her sister is sitting after she drove to Cambridge or seemingly no reason I can think of. Now I can imagine the looks I will be getting from her family at the next family event.... Joy!

The last paragraph is probably too personal to write on a public forum but it felt good to write it down. A lot of emotional strain off my chest!