Dublin up

I popped over to Dublin at the weekend to play in the BoylePoker IPO. I nearly backed out with a bad cold, but glad I made the trip. The $250 NLHE main event was good fun, despite not cashing, and was another marker by which I could measure how much my live game has come on. I felt like I played pretty well for the first few levels but never got the right spots to chip up and make a deep run. Ah well, that’s how some tourneys go.

Then I tried my luck in my first ever live PLO tourney. The 165 euro buy-in was probably too big to enter for a first tournament but I did pretty well and although I made some fundamental errors and probably played too tight it was a learning experience and a fun one too. Will definitely have to play more soon. I may even play a bit more online.

But what made the weekend worthwhile was meeting up with some fellow On the Railers and just having a great time chatting, drinking and hanging out together. It felt like being on holiday rather than heading out to a poker tournament – and made for a refreshing change from many other festivals I’ve visited recently.

The funny thing about playing live is that I sort of enjoy it when I’m there but I always get the itch to get back online. I feel comfortable in my flat, with hoody on and mug of tea in hand, clicking away furiously across four tables and feeling totally in the zone. I know I have to play more to improve and make some money. I’ve been neglecting the game a bit recently so I’m going to aim to put in some cash hands this week and then have a day of tourneys on Sunday. Hopefully I’ll run good and win big. I feel ready for some success…

bubblin dublin

What is up and so forth…

Just got back from a really fun weekend in Dublin at the Boyles Irish Poker Open.

These weekends are awesome – like the Virgin Poker Festival and APAT events they’re the present and future … we need more.

Mass participation tournaments with affordable buy ins and a good prize that can change a casual players bankroll are great for poker. And if they have a top atmosphere around them like this one they make an aw

This tournament is huge and if you weren’t there this year you need to get involved next time. I think there were 1300 plus runners which meant that for jus a $250 buy in you could win a $60k plus first prize.

Obviously I came really close but got bad beated near the big money….. That or I lasted a grand total of 28 minutes. Which is … you know….. shit but wahddayagonnado

My Kings ran into Aces and that was me all done. I did this in a Teddy KGB accent ‘Eiy Feel So UnSchatisfied

I retired to my room to play online before the cash games and fun started in the evening where I watched my beloved LFC lose to a goal scored by a beach ball…that’s proper running bad!

Actually I ran bad all weekend live and made up for it online. My friends – a lot of the on the rail bloggers…you know who they are – also ran bad. However that did very little to dampen the weekend. We had a good ‘craic’ – which I’m told is a real thing.

Dublin was a lot of fun but weekends like this one remind me it’s really who you’re with that’s important we could have been in a 5 star exclusive beach club or a caravan park in a rainy Paignton it wouldn’t have mattered.

I’ve eaten and drunk a bit too much of good stuff lately (ie things that are bad for you) – so I’m going on a health kick until December and the Christmas onslaught. It’s actually fun doing this after a lot of abuse – also good for your poker! At least that’s what I’m telling myself…. Got to have some compensation for giving up the good stuff.

Belated Update

Long time no post, despite a couple of slaps on the wrist from Mr Wealthall, sorry Nick.

So the challenge update, barring some major binkage in a tournament i’m going to fall short of the $50k target, I suspect i’ll end up somewhere around $40k up for the year. Which whilst it will be an improvement on 2008 both in terms of bottom line and roi, will not be $50k. I’m currently just over $33,000 up for the year, but will be spending most of November in Vegas (mbn etc). Heading over there to play most of the Venetian Deepstacks festvial. BlackBelt Poker are putting me into $3k woth of events and have sold some shares in two other events. In all liklehood i’ll play about 8-$10x$330 events  (depending on how many day twos i make) and 2x$550. Realistically i’m hoping for two cashes and one deep run. I’ll also be buying into some evening events in the $60-$150 range and will play some cash if at all possible. Will be out there for the WSOP final table, which I’ve got a media pass for so will be working/railing that.

Back to the challenge for a moment, it was always going to be steep to succeed, and an effective six weeks taken out for the BlackBelt Grading process meant that for that period of time I was playing in games (sit and gos as opposed to satellites) where my hourly rate was far lower than expected. Coupled with a lazy June, and a poor September and the low volume i’ll be putting in during November and December and there’s no doubt i’ll fall short. There’s always next year!

I’d like to thank Nick for giving me the opportunity to write this blog at On the Rail, barring a cash chirp in Vegas or a big mtt score between now and December31st this will be the last update, i’ll just have to think of another challenge for 2010.

Out at the top

So I want to update my blog but I can’t think of anything I want to write about….so this is going to be riveting. Built it up haven’t I…can’t wait to read more can you….

Okay so my new theory is that when someone is completely magnificently brilliant at something we need to wait until their powers ever so slightly then have them killed. I mean nicely and quietly and in a manner of their choosing but basically they’re not allowed to continue living and tarnish the beautiful image of them we have in our heads. Maybe that’s harsh maybe there’s a get out – they can do a Bobby Fischer the maverick genius chess player that became a hermit near the height of his powers.

I’ve just hear Michael Jackson’s “new” song and it’s utter rubbish. Not that that’s a surprise I mean he only produced rubbish for about 15 odd years. Around 1989 he should have been quietly ushered off the scene and we wouldn’t have to had endure any of the um…..tricky stuff…..

Same applies to pudge ball Maradonna, Woody Allen and on and on – the great ones need to be frozen in time.

It’s because of this that I’ve decided to retire from poker at the peak of my powers……or not – though maybe if Hellmuth or Johnny Chan had in 1990 it would have been good

I’ve just finished a really busy period of work and I’m mercifully quieter over the next two months. So I’m gonna work on some stuff I love like writing my book and so on but also setting some goals for poker play in terms of number of hands to play and so on. I’ll blog them and fill you in on my progress.

In the meantime I’m off to Dublin this weekend for the IPO – should be fun hope to see some of you there.

Live and let die

I played a live freeroll at the EPT a week ago and was reminded of why I play live poker so infreqently. Down to the final table with one seat up for grabs in a £1,000 tourney, I was doing okay in chips but everyone was getting short-stacked: it was shove or fold time.

An older guy to my left had been ribbing Greg Raymer (who for some bizarre reason was also playing) and trying to ‘outplay’ him. He talked between hands, during hands and was generally acting like a complete prick. When he did knock Raymer out by accident – bluff-shoving which actually turned out to be a value bet – I knew it was only going to get worse. In his ridiculous Cockney accident, which made him sound like one of the old gangsters in a Guy Ritchie film, he started talking about how he hates online players and how they constantly keep shoving all-in. I knew he was going to hate me.

True enough, just as I fell below 10BBs I started shipping it in and scooping up the massive blinds. He started having a go at me, saying we should play flops etc etc blah blah and I knew it was going to end with him calling me down light. As it was the final hand was my 88 vs his AT and he naturally flopped the straight. I went away thinking that in his head he probably thought the natural order was restored and the ‘correct’ play was rewarded.

My main problem with live poker is the reason most people choose to play – to make it a social game. But if you hate most people at the table (and let’s face it there’s a lot of rotters in casinos) why would you choose to play outside the house? Maybe a good compromise would be for everyone to be banned from talking…

On The Rail Podcast #27 Released

Dear On The Rail Member,

For a limited time you’ll have exclusive access to the newest edition of the On The Rail podcast! In this episode Kara calls in sick so Nick flies solo and reflects on the big tournaments in London while talking to guest Mike ‘Timex’ MacDonald – the youngest ever winner of an EPT! He discusses his career, tournament strategy, being an international poker star and…you know….girls.

You’ll need a password access it on the site, this month it’s : subfocus

Click here to listen:

http://www.ontherail.co.uk/podcasts/on-the-rail/on-the-rail-27/

As ever, make sure you comment on the podcast guys. We love to know what you think!

We’ve also pleased to welcome a new blogger to the On The Rail stable – Tatjana Pasalic, so be sure to check out her blog.

That’s it for this edition of the newsletter – short and sweet. Go grab that podcast now!

Best,

Nick and the team @

www.ontherail.co.uk

On The Rail #27

In this episode Kara calls in sick so Nick flies solo and reflects on the big tournaments in London while talking to guest Mike ‘Timex’ MacDonald – the youngest ever winner of an EPT! He discusses his career, tournament strategy, being an international poker star and…you know….girls.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (25.2MB)

Poker kicks off in Croatia!

Its been a busy week and I did not even start packing! As you might know, poker has still not kicked off in Croatia and I have been trying hard for the last season to give the few players we had some info and help them to learn the game by going to EPT’s and giving them tutorials, interviews, tips from players, following the action from the tables and trying to expand poker in the region.

I worked hard on that project and it has finally shown some results. Like I said in my previous post, we made video blogs in Croatian that got over 20 000 views and people just went crazy! I had over 300 facebook requests and was swamped with emails.

It surprised me even more when I got called by the biggest portal in Croatia to do an interview with them. It was a lovely chat, the journalist, Marko Petrak, did a great job and had some really cool questions other than the usual – how is it to be a girl in a sport that is ruled by men and similar. As I was having my afternoon tea, I looked at the comments and found out that my interview is still on the front page. That was really exciting, it meant people are reading! What I did not know is that it launched a chain reaction – in within half an hour all the press was calling me wanting to know about poker, wanted to write about it and present it to the public. It meant all the time that I, as well as some other people that were in the industry for a while now, have done a good thing and people are now asking for information on this amazing game.

For the Croatian readers, here is some links from the media, for the rest of you, there is pics:)

http://www.index.hr/tag/167467/tatjana-pasalic.aspx

http://www.net.hr/sport/page/2009/09/14/0394006.html

I was especially happy when I got offered to write a column for Playboy!I did my first one this month and the feedback was great. I am the first chick to write a poker column in a magazine in Croatia and its Playboy. They always kept a certain standard with their authors so I am very glad that they gave me that opportunity.

It is hard for me in Croatia because everyone thinks that I am a doll that is here only for marketing and that I do not know what poker is about. I remember my first poker days when I came to Vegas and saw the WSOP venue, hundreds of players playing with chips, the sound of poker.:) I already knew then that poker is going to mark my life.

Blogging and reporting for Poker Europa (Thank you Nic and Eliza for that!) and advice I got from Kara has made me into what I am today – confident about my playing and helping others to get info on how to start. I know I am not a pro even tho I cashed in Prague at Unibet Open, thankyouverymuch:), but I think my only passion is going to remain the action behind the table.

Producing the blogs with Marko Butrakovic (www.butrakovic.com) and presenting them, made me realize that journalism is my love. Interviewing Tony G (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nn3imGnqkd0) was a so much fun and a great experience. Many players came up to me later and asked about the advice he gave me and I was glad to be able to pass it on to them and see how they are sucking up the info, improving their game.

Back to the subject, it is going to be a big week for me, I am flying to Zagreb on Monday to meet the press and tell them more about poker, play a few home games and do an editorial!YAY! Guys probably wouldn’t get it, but its a huge deal for a chick – you get to be pampered all day and then they take photos of you and make you feel like a superstar! I wonder what theme they’re going to choose? Wish it’s Angelina back in the Raider days…Oh, enough of daydreaming!

WSOPE

Hello All!

I’m blogging to you fresh from the final of the WSOPE!

I say fresh but of course I mean exhausted, riddled with cold and severely sleep deprived.

We didn’t have the 27 hour final table marathon that won John Juanda a bracelet last year but any final table that ends around 6am is worth a mention. I was there hosting and doing the sideline reporting for the ESPN coverage of the main event and it was a great experience. Thanks to everyone who came up and said hello and if I was distracted or rushing about too much to stop and say a proper hi back, apologies. It was the first time that I’d worked with ESPN, Harrah’s and the WSOP organisation and I was definitely nervous! The TV crew with Poker PROductions were awesome and a hell of a lot of fun to work with. Thankfully, it all went well and I think we’ve got a cracking series for TV.

It was an incredible field of players and some of the most exciting poker I’ve seen. I wish that there could have been a live webcast through the 6 days because honestly, it was brilliant to watch. The final table was a bit bitter sweet for me. Of course I’m meant to be impartial (and of course I am!) but when a friend is playing, it’s hard to maintain that. Eric Liu busted out on the final table bubble and I was gutted for him. He is a very talented poker player and I would have loved to see him on the FT. He also happens to be a truly lovely, likeable person. He’s one of the people that make me glad to be in poker because otherwise we never would have met. No doubt he’ll final table and win a big event soon.

I was hoping to see more from Matt Hawrilenko (Hoss TBF) at the final but he was short stacked coming in and just didn’t get the cards or situations. I watched some of his play in the earlier stages and was a bit in awe of his skills. He was also articulate and friendly in the interviews which goes a very long way in my book. People generally do their best with the interviews and give the press a bit of respect and leeway but every once in a while I meet a poker player who seems to think he is above the media and tries to make himself look more intelligent by trying to make the interviewer look stupid. Not naming names here but it’s just not cool.

It looked as though Jason Mercier would take it down and I would have cheered my lungs out for him as again, he’s a really likeable person PLUS being a huge poker talent. And of course, with Praz Bansi and James Akenhead up there as well, representing for the UK – it was very disappointing to not see one of them with the bracelet. Aside from Daniel, the rest of the players were ones that I didn’t know that well but between them, they had heaps of experience and results and all seemed very pleasant.

The heads up came between Barry Shulman (CEO of Cardplayer) and Daniel Negreanu. Daniel played so well and after losing a hand with AA to a flush draw on the flop, he put in literally hours of grinding his way back to even. I was so impressed by his ‘never say die’ attitude. He had a big crowd pulling for him and the final decisive hand which lost him almost all of his chips, yet again, will be damn exciting TV.

As the cards fell, you could hear the groans of disappointment, the hopeful gasps, the jubilent cheers which rocked the building and then the shocked disbelief as the final card fell against him. Pretty exciting stuff and so disappointing for Daniel not to get this result. He was a real superstar all week. His disappointment was palpable.

Big congratulations to Barry Shulman who won the Main Event bracelet. What a family! He wins the WSOPE main event bracelet and his son Jeff is still in contention in the November 9. Incredible! Funnily enough, Barry pointed out that he came to the final bang on average chips and in 4th place – exactly like his son in Las Vegas. Who knows if they might just do the family double this year!

Hello from..everywhere!

Hi

some of you might know me from WSOP or EPT Season 5, I am the little Croatian blogger!For those of you who don’t, I am Tatjana, I am 24, currently live in Scotland, Edinburgh but am originally from Croatia and have lived in Denmark and Malta so far.

I am a poker bloger for a website called www.pokernika.com but do not bother – it’s in Croatian. Also, there is no nudity. I was in the Croatian Playboy but only as a journalist. Sorry about that. I can only give you a wee bit of skin from a video I’ve filmed and co-produced recently. At some point in the video you will be able to see my face as well:)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NflA-x_jeYI

I would like to use this blog as an opportunity to network with all of you cool people in poker but also to show you how the Balkans are ready to come into the poker world and we are taking it seriously. Sorta. I just came back from Prague, we formed a team that was partially sponsored by Unibet and I am very pleased to say that we have had a huge response from the Croatian media. Our video blogs, that I am proud to say we pioneered as they were made in HD, got over 22 000 views in less than 10 days. It’s truly an amazing feeling when you help the poker community by giving them something and that being info, videos, photos, tournaments and seeing how they respond.(Thanks Onthe Rail for giving me an opportunity to be able to say it now).Right, this was sort of a short introduction, I will be writing more about my poker playing and tournament experience in a little while, the lunch not gonna cook itself.:)