Tales from the River

Sigh

2009-07-15T15:43:00.003+01:00

I know there is the idea of luck and there are an abundence of poor players who call or shove with any two cards,but how many times can you run into players who have both.

Sigh

Donk me once, more fool me.....

2009-07-05T17:34:00.003+01:00

Is this the donkeys day out or something? AK twice called, once by J2 [which made a straight on the river] then my all-in (12BBs) was called by Q6 soooted [the 6 hit, on the river].

Im miffed.

Another deep FR

2009-07-03T19:59:00.003+01:00

More FR cashing going on - this time 46th from 1371 runners $2.69 into an empty account.

Musicola

2009-06-28T13:59:00.001+01:00

Just found the (full) Glastonbury appearance by Radiohead in 2003 on YouTube - excellent for body & soul.

Continued grinding in a FR stylee

2009-06-28T13:44:00.004+01:00

Another day and a few more FRs to play - the OFC is a must for Cardschat, although a great first hour (doubling up off a gobby loser who was all-in everyhand), sucked out of the LNP Round 2 (flopped a set he hit runner-runner to make a straight :().
Finally and best of all for results was a FantasyPoker game that i didnt realise i was in lol. After sharing the blinds with another (7 players sitting out) the bubble came and went. Blinds went up, i doubled up, then lost, then another big pot before finally slipping out 32nd from 731.

UnBelievable Part II

2009-06-27T11:52:00.004+01:00

After the day i had had (see below) you would of thought i would have had enough of the game for the day, but up popped a Full Tilt Late Night Poker FR i had previously entered but forgotten about.
Thirty minutes had passed, a third of my stack had gone and was being bullied by the larger stacked players.
However, with a little luck (where had that been before?) and 4 hours later i had made it pass 1800+ runners and am now into round 2 of Late Night Poker qualifiers :)

UnBelievable!!

2009-06-26T17:55:00.002+01:00

Never, ever have i seen a day like today for suck outs, really bad playing from the mass clueless, and the case for the prosecution in the case of poker riggage.

AA v 99 twice & each time opponent hit a 9 on the flop
KK v AA twice (with the AA being the player next to me!)
AK v AK split - grrrrrr

Mixed in with terrible limping by everyone including a Q3 (not soooted) UTG and hitting 2 pair by the turn with my AT raising 4bb from the button.

Its days like this that make you scream.

Summer rebirth

2009-06-25T16:04:00.004+01:00

I have begun again after rediscovering the poker grind and revisiting my musical tastes of old :) http://blip.fm/BeardyIan

New Poker beginnings

2009-02-02T14:44:00.002Z

Eventually i hear you cry.

Times have changed the world of money has fallen from the radar.

Personally every penny is counting now and this has required me to re-asses the games i play and sometimes the way i play them.

I could break even, sometimes win at my usual levels (100NL) but not often enough to justify the loses that were bound to happen.
So i have gone right back down to the micro limits and begun playing smaller SNGs (cashing in 6 out of 8 so far)

In a strange way i am playing more than before, but just not for the amounts.

The smaller limits show the weaker players up in a stronger light i have found and also their patterns and behaviour are more obvious and predictable, making it easier to play against.

As for Freerolls (arrgggh) two big ones i have played this week were the UK only on Full Tilt on Friday making 51st out of 1370+ and the opening of DoylesRoom on the new software (same as Cake, same type of players too) making 414th from 4000.

So the poker is growing again in my life and soon hopfully will the profit.

WSOP ending already

2008-07-03T11:40:00.003+01:00

Can you believe it today (July 3rd) event 54 'The Main Event' is starting.

Ok so there are 4 Day Ones' and a couple of day twos' but what has happened to the month of June?? - it has sped by with a bracelet a day to some new wrists and some on more experienced arms.
Scotty Nguyn - $50,000 HORSE champ.
Erik Lindgren finally gets his first,
Daniel Negreanu win his 'bracelet in 5 years bet' by winning the $2,000 Limit Holdem title.
Mike Matusow, Barry Greenstein, Kenny Tran, David Singer and Max Pescatori all winning as well.

Just like great holidays, as it winds down, you begin wondering how long to go before the next one.

Who will win the Main Event??
Sarge? No, Rosemary the telephone operator, No.......

Weekend Fun

2008-06-10T12:34:00.002+01:00

Sorry all - its only poker related.

Cardschat (the home of poker) reached its 500,000th post - count 'em, half a million!! - and so there was a little game put together to celebrate.

Although Irexes had said 'it was written' that i would win, unfortuantely the scribes must have had trouble foreseeing things that day as i only made 5th lol.

With two very lucky hands (river hits) i managed to stay in the running most of the way.

This is coming after the Titan game in which i managed to get my first win of the quarter (at last) it was a good solid game as usual but i just happedened to get some good cards at the right time and got into HU with fairly level chips.

Cash games even went my way with some good reads on players - the first i put on A-rag, i had 88 flop brought an ace and an 8 = happy days, he donated his chips to me, i accepted.
The next was a player to my right in the SB, he raised 5BB after being fairly quiet, i defended my BB with AQc, the flop came Kc8c9c - nut flush for me, trouble for him, he obviously didnt believe i was winning as he happily donated his stack to me as well.

Weekend fun, sweet.

Coincidence?

2008-06-04T16:10:00.002+01:00

Now a lot of people say they dont believe in coincidences' - well in that case what happened must be down to cause and effect.
For the first time in months (lots of them) i didnt play any poker yesterday, apart from a single MTT (16th from 67).
Later on feeling very tired i went to bed, and although yawning away i could not sleep, and when i did it was only for a short while.
Now today i have woken with a tired head, headache and a need for sleep.

Is this through a lack of poker....or is it a coincidence?

Cash mysteries

2008-03-24T16:16:00.003Z

It always makes me laugh how you can play for hours & hours and play a couple of hundred hands see the fish put their money in and watch them leave with nothing (or shitloads too much) all during which with your original buy-in having scrapped the barrel have made it back to evens.

Then you take a short break, loo break, tea break whatever :) - sit back down and the cards go - smack, smackity smack in your face and you have doubled or even tripled you stack in a few short minutes.

All very nice and im in no way complaining, but...... what the hell where the first few hours about then?

Bubblicious

2008-02-03T13:00:00.000Z

Bubble time - dont worry ive got it.

First up was the Hendon Mobs game where the top 20 get points and top 18 paid this week was HORSE as opposed to the usual NLHE, i usually drop stone cold card dead in the Stud level and die soo after the break here, but no, this time i had a good run and held on and when the top 30 came i thought i had made the points - doh, i had it mixed up with the amount of points, 20th was the target......i went out 22nd.

Then Saturday came and after picking up a few $$ more on the rings i ventured into the Cardschat Titan $5 game, the usual good game but often spoilt by the speed the blinds go up, got my self a bubble after pushing with AJ and running into Zenthors' AA.

So onto Lodogs' set up Pokerstars game and an early good showing ahead of the team event by Team Freak members (1st-4th) top 3 paid and.....i came 4th.
A week of so close but pop all.

Another week ahead and Team events are close to being under way, Go Team Freak.

Sods Law

2008-01-24T19:53:00.000Z

Ok i knew as soon as i had posted the last piece i knew i had done wrong, yeah, i've been winning and making some cash, hahaha.......Poker Gods dont like that kind of talk - so i got a whooping of strangely satanic styles.

Both hands happened with 5 mins of each other on different tables - each time i had raised preflop and had been called, then after hitting 2 pair on the flop and betting strongly at it i had been called, the turn, i bet - oppo goes all in, i call and they show (each time remember) 666 - spooky eh?.

So i had to grind it out again - all day just to get back level and thanks to a couple of full houses (1 flopped :) ) i managed a small profit on the day.

Note to self - Never celebrate your poker winnings too much as the Poker Gods can Giveth as well as Taketh.

Blog boot up the Bum time

2008-01-22T12:54:00.000Z

Ok, so here it is a concerted effort to update on a regular basis - too busy playing poker usually you see :).

Well January 2008 has (so far) been a very kind month to me only 1 losing day (10c!!) and several placings in the Interpoker £2 buy-ins. Sometimes these can have upto 200 but average around 120-160, so a nice 2-3 hours if you go deep.

Hit a few final tables (4th being the best finish - not being greedy but i want another win) only missed a cash in a couple of SNGs (limit, accidental buy in lol) but did win a PLO game as well as a free entry to Pokerstars $100,000 weekly - each time i have won that seat i have come back from a massive chip deficit when HU.

Cash games i have been trying to work out more than ever what the fish.....sorry, players are playing with, this really helps when calling those big raises on the river you often face.
I am not claiming to 'know' but when a bet seems weird, out of place or just plain weird - i just follow my gut feeling.
Thankfully when calling i haven't been let down yet. Of course how many times i folded when i should have called i dont know :)

Month = + $597.40

Ooops

2007-11-05T13:00:00.000Z

Oh yes - the blog,

Ok so, it kind of went a little dry in the summer months there didn't it?

So now its approaching winter, the nights are getting darker, earlier and the temperature is...well about the same really (thx global warming).

Nothing too amazing on the poker scene for me, won some, lost a bit more and still determined to play more tourneys than cash.

Updating will be more frequent (could hardly be less now could it lol) and onto the felt once more.....

WAPT Rankings

2007-04-09T21:40:00.000+01:00

Good news today as the updated WAPT rankings were released and my recent tourney performances have finally been turned into points.

Another move up the table puts me within touch of the top 50.

Pre-Xmas - '140'
New Year - '85'
April 07 - ' 65'

Onwards and Upwards

Vegas will have to wait for me

2007-04-03T23:21:00.000+01:00

The Hendon Mob WSOP play-off lasted just under 3 hours im afraid to say Vegas wont have the pleasure of my company this year.

Only 1 player out in the first hour at which time i was 3rd placed.

The next hour cards where looking scarce but i manged to keep going with small raises against the smaller stacks.A big moment came when one of the favs went out QQ v AK with an A on the flop knocking him out.

So after 104 hands it happened dealt J10 on BB with one min raiser facing me (he had been raising a lot earlier so was not surprised and just called to see the flop)J,3,4 on flop i raised half the pot and he pushed all-in, this was a surprise after just a min-raise and considering i had top pair.With no straight or flush showing - i called and over came AA.
A King and Queen show their heads teasingly but the plane to Vegas had flown and i felt like i had left my luggage on board.

The two popular favs to win went out in the following two hands as well four to do battle after the 2nd break.

Shaundead won the heads-up over Mr Pactko and will be sitting down to play the main event and a big congratulations to him.
Already thinking of the next league later this year - but for now, those fish had better look out.

Roll on 2008

End of season Hendon Mob League 2007

2007-03-28T17:00:00.000+01:00

The end of the season and 3rd position for me out of 308 runners
Not only that but now a place in the one-off game for a seat in the WSOP 2007

I also seem to a subject of betting on who's going to Vegas lol
http://www.thehendonmob.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=13592

Weekend of Poker

2007-03-27T18:33:00.000+01:00

A mixture of luck, cards and placings this weekend.

Starting with the Online Poker League, i played a table of my weakest game Limit Stud and i won :) - then after a break of a whole 15 minutes into a game with 39 other Loyallers from Cardschat for a special one-off celebration game of Hold-em (200,000 posts now on the forum).

Making the final table with a touch of luck along with the usual tightness only to fall at 7th position just 2 off the money - but the usual high standard of play and plenty of banter around.

Next day - Sunday. A Freeroll to reintroduce Costa Del Poker after a small break of a couple of months (new league starting soon, see Cardschat for details) a deep stack game but my shortest of the weekend as my AA was bust by my oppo's KK and the flop brought another K - doh i was gone.

Then game the WAPT Italian Open and having made the last two Final Tables i was aiming high again here, and after 3 hours of slow building including some luck in the later stages (best time i reckon ) i made 6th place - continuing a run of 4th, 7th now 6th hopefully lifting me up the rankings.

So Close in South America

2007-03-19T16:24:00.000Z

Sunday evening was time for another WAPT Tourney - this time it was the South American Championship.

Less runners i thought this time (31) but tough competition just the same.
I managed to add a third to my starting stack early on with a couple of nice hands, followed by the usual quiet spell before a double up, pre-final table, with my favourite 10-10 combo.
The Final Table was as tough as expected - with a fair bit of tight play and the chips passed back and forwards.

The fatefull hand that saw me bubble the bubble (top5 needed - im out in 7th) dealt 98os on BB facing a min raise, i called - flop A,10,9, i place a small bet which was called, turn brought an 8, another smallish bet brought a re-raise in return at which point i push my 2 pair all in......to face a Q,J .

It was a straight...only a 8 or 9 to save me and they didnt arrive, a 7th place to follow my 4th in the last WAPT, results looking up, still like to improve though.

2007-03-18T13:25:00.000Z

Blarney Army - Blarney Army

They practiced, got time off work, came, saw, tied and then conquered, now they need the bosses at home to say ok to another week off.
Ireland - the story of the World Cup so far, first an exciting tie against Zimbabwe which in reality was as good as a win for them.

Then came the Pakistan match - put into bat (which appears to be the routine at the moment) and amazingly Pakistan were bowled out for 132, then a slow, nail-biting grind backed by superb fans gave Pakistan a ticket home and Ireland are all but through to the next round - big congratulations.

On another Island a similar story when India where beaten by an ever under-rated Bangladesh.
England have been busy shooting themselves in the foot, on and off the field (and drunkenly in the sea at 4 in the morning if the press is to be believed).

The other matches went as fairly much as expected after a colourful opening ceremony and the event is well under way, its only been a week and so much to remember .

Terrorist Claims

2007-03-16T15:38:00.000Z

"KHALID Shaikh Mohammed may have exaggerated his role in the 31 terrorist plots he claims to have been responsible for, according to US officials.The 42-year-old Pakistani -- who has been in US custody for four years -- told a military tribunal at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba that he bore responsibility for a host of attacks since 1993, including the September 11, 2001, attack on New York and Washington as well as the Bali bombings. "

"may have exaggerated " well no shit Sherlock!!

So far the claims are - he planned, organised and picked the hi-jackers for 9-11, he planned and again chose the bombers for the attack in Bali.He also planned attacks in London at Big Ben & Houses of Parliament and now has even admitted to being the person who actually beheaded US journalist Daniel Pearl.

1. He gets around a hell of a lot
2. If he done all this - what has Osama Bin Laden actually done??
3. Perhaps after being held by America (uncharged) all this time, perhaps he has got to the stage where he will admit to anything at all.

Global Warming - thats my work that is, taken a while but i did it.
I shaved Britneys head - i did honest, my attack on western values that is, really, stop laughing....

Pah

Portsmouth Star Testimonial

2007-03-13T15:47:00.000Z

FORMER STARS CONFIRMED FOR ANDY AWFORD TESTIMONIAL

Andy Awford

Former Pompey defender Andy Awford will get his chance to finally bid farewell to Pompey later this month when Fratton Park hosts a testimonial match in his honour.

Andy, or 'Awfs' as he was affectionately known, made more than 370 appearances for the Blues after coming through the youth ranks at Fratton Park. After hanging up his playing boots relatively early, he then coached the Pompey reserve team before moving on to take a coaching role with Jim Smith at Oxford United in 2006.

But he will be back at Fratton Park on Sunday March 25th, along with an array of his former teammates and colleagues, as a modern day Portsmouth XI take on two specially selected teams over 90 minutes. The opposition in the first half will be a 'Championship winning squad of 2003 plus guests', whilst the second half team will be formed from the FA Cup semi-final side of 1992.

The list of players now confirmed to play is as follows:

First half 'Squad of 2003 plus guests'
Daryl Flahavan, Arjan de Zeeuw, David Unsworth, Patrik Berger, Tim Sherwood, Steve Stone, Paul Merson, Teddy Sheringham, Deon Burton, Kevin Harper, Lee Bradbury, Darren Moore, Paul Walsh and Justin Edinburgh.

FA Cup semi-final side
Alan Knight, Warren Neill, Kit Symons, Andy Awford, John Beresford, Alan McLoughlin, Martin Kuhl, Guy Butters, Chris Burns, Darren Anderton, Darryl Powell, Mark Chamberlain, Guy Whittingham and Gavin Maguire.

Kick off on the day will be 1:30pm and the line up should provide entertainment for Pompey fans of all generations, so come along for a great day out.

Tickets are now on sale from the PFC ticket office to personal callers and over the phone on 0871 230 1898. Adults £10 and children and seniors £5. Entrance can also be paid for on the day.

"I never really got a chance to say goodbye," said Andy. "So I'm extremely grateful to Peter Storrie and Harry for allowing me to arrange this game, which should hopefully be an afternoon to remember. I'm also delighted that so many of my former colleagues are taking time out to come and play."

WAPT Australian Open 2007

2007-02-26T17:15:00.001Z

Considering i was playing in a 5 card draw tourney at the time it was pure luck i happened to look at my email and see the reminder for this tourney.
Oops 9 mins into it and close to cut off for the sit-outs, just made it in time, folded most of the 1st hour as i was trying to hang on in the draw tourney.
When my hanging on was over (out 9th) i found i needed to double up sharpish - straight flush? that'll do nicely .
All of a sudden i had a good chance of making the money (top 20) just as it was looking tight my good friends KK turned up i shot into 7th position.
Along with the usual ducking and diving and only 3 decent hands i ended up taking 4th, only going out when (other 3 x my stack) i tried to bluff - i did induce a long thought but when called i was gone.
Pretty pleased, especially as i turned up late and had no cards.

2007 Australian Open Player # Prize

Cher13 1 $54.00

Rogzow 2 $32.00

ZiaPirate 3 $23.00

beardyian 4 $17.00

reglardave 5 $14.00

dkehler 6 $12.00

pborthacyresr 7 $10.00

Bleau 8 $8.00

bigsteelerfan 9 $6.00

rllesh 10 $4.00

54 Played

Cricket World Cup Outline

2007-02-25T13:22:00.000Z

Cricket World Cup Outline

Australia - getting whooped 6 games straight now (NZ well and truely spanked them ) and with injuries, weak bowling, is it a comp too many this winter?

Bangladesh - A lot better than people think (beat the Aussies once as well remember) but still early in their history and need toughen up in the batting yet i think.

England - Hmm each time you think their out of it they keep dragging themselves back in Consistancey HAS to be the key.
Collingwood, Pietersen and of course Flintoff can turn games on their own.

India - Some of the best batting with Tendulkar, Dravid and Dhoni and under-rated bowling, an outside bet if dressing room conflicts dont blow up.

Kenya - Not really expecting much from them as home authorities are all over the shop and dont seem to have made much progress in the past 4 years .

New Zealand - Recently stuffed the Aussies 3-0 when looking beat, always a solid 1-day side, no real stars but look out for new batsman Taylor and of course captain Fleming.

Pakistan - Should be a good choice, but....which Pakistan will turn up?
Possibly the most impressive batting line up in world cricket at the moment (Yousuf, Younis Khan, Inzamum and Shahid Afridi ) and bowling that rip through any side....but will they turn up on the day?

South Africa - Recentley become world Number 1 in the rankings, an aging side but will Pollock, Kallis, Boucher be able to go out on a high?.
Ntini & Nel as well as de Villiers also fine players - could they?

Sri Lanka - I placed my bet on them back in November (9-1 then) as long as the batting fires they will always be a threat (Jayawardene, Sangakarra, Jayasuriya) but bowling is a worry.

West Indies - The home team will be hoping to put on a show and have begun to look a little better over the last 6 months, Jermaine Taylor has impressed with the ball, the batting may still be too reliant on Lara, Gayle etc.

Zimbabwe - Oh dear, many say they shouldn't be playing, having been reduced to 18-21 year olds with a smattering of senior pros. The home political situation has done this side no favours.

Minnows - Scotland have shown strength in the last few months and Holland always try hard but im not expecting too much from any others.

So now you want me to predict the winner dont you, well......im not going to, i cant decide between about 4-5 possibles.

Tuesdays Nights = Hectic

2007-02-21T12:18:00.000Z

Its true you wait for ages the three buses come at once.
Beginning at 7pm (sometimes) i have a WAPT game followed by at 8pm the weekly Hendon Mob league of which im currently 2nd (out of nearly 300) with the top 10 to play-off for a seat at the WSOP 2007 (eek).

Whilst this is happening on the old goggle box - which is often dead around this time of an evening - has non-stop clashes all with shows that i would give 10/10 to.
Jon Stewart Daily Show
Life on Mars - clashes with Most Haunted
Shameless - clashes with Most Haunted Extra and William Hill Poker.

So busy, busy, busy pokering, videoing and dvd-recording

Then after all that - sleep

Uber Positive

2007-02-20T13:02:00.000Z

Not so much an entry but to anyone who reads this who feels p-d off by all the sickening suck-outs they may suffer by the fishes that chase until the river.
After a weekend of of raising & re-raising and still being called by the foolish only to see that bloody river card suck the live out of you and into your beaming oppo who now of course thinks he's gods gift because of a 5% fluke - I awoke on Monday morning yes i said morning with the mentallity that everyone i play today will lose.
With a slightly increased bankroll in hand (to give me more space to play) within 15 minutes i had seen off 2 players and doubled my stack.
Now i admit my cards arrived nicely enough, but no big hands, just being aggressive and not a flicker of doubt when the oppo bet back, because each time i knew he was beat.
Being positive minded does help the way you play - yes its hard to stay in that mindset, but boy does it work.