Birthday … no poke

I need to write a blog but really can’t be arsed….attitude problem…I should work on that!!

I had a birthday – well a birthday weekend to be honest – it’s once a year you have to make the most of it. It was a fun time, lots of friends went for drinks and dinner. Then for something different we went to a club which had a Burlesque show. It was fun for all the wrong reasons. The acts were unmitigatedly awful – but so bad that in my slightly tipsy state it was hilarious; I shouted ‘get em on’ more than once. The finale act was a lady called Vagina Jenkins. No really. So brilliant on so many levels – I mean she could chose her own stage name and she chose that; she doesn’t even use her lady area in her act. I know you don’t believe me so for the curious here’s the big fellas site www.vaginajenkins.com

In other news I haven’t played poker for 2 weeks – not one hand. Don’t know why I’m sure I’ll get back into it soon

Off to the EPT final in Monte Carlo…on the plus side it’s sunny and nice there and I get to do EPT live on the minus side its 36 euros for a sandwich brought to your room…yikes!

On The Rail Podcast #32 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 these troubled times of political intrigue and economic recession thank all that is good for the latest massive communal hug that is a new on the rail. This one features young tournament sensation Jake Cody. It also has Nick and Matt filling your time with their nonsense mainly focussing on beards and home games. Vote On The Rail for all our futures.

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

Click here to listen:

http://www.ontherail.co.uk/podcasts/on-the-rail/on-the-rail-32/

That’s it for this edition of the newsletter, as ever, lets us know what you think about the podcast by posting comments on the site.

Best,

Nick and the team @

www.ontherail.co.uk

On The Rail #32

In these troubled times of political intrigue and economic recession thank all that is good for the latest massive communal hug that is a new on the rail. This one features young tournament sensation Jake Cody. It also has Nick and Matt filling your time with their nonsense mainly focussing on beards and home games. Vote On The Rail for all our futures.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (48.5MB)

I won a poker tournament…which is nice

A few days ago I wrote a blog about the struggles I was having with a downswing online. I didn’t post it because I got distracted (I’m easily distracted) and then simply forgot.

In it I wrote about the horrendous 6 weeks I’ve had and how although I’ve been playing for a long time and know downswings are part of the game it was still super hard. The fact that I’ve been running super horribly (confirmed by my Omaha manager not just my own persecution complex) while feeling like I’ve been working pretty hard and playing decently only made it feel worse.

I decided to take a week off and then have a change of scene by playing a live event. Thanks to the good people at Poker Stars I’m playing a few live events in the UK this year as part of my role as UKIPT host and I’ve been very tardy in getting going.

My first event was the main event of the Sussex masters festival at the Rendezvous casino in Brighton…. And I won it. Woot!

It was a two day event with a great structure. The poker room there is great and the staff did a great job – although I may be very biased as I luck boxed the thing. The UKIPT is there in July and it should be a great event.

I might talk about some of the hands I played in the event in a later blog or podcast as there were a few interesting ones when I have more time.

The main thing about the tournament was that it underlined to me just how much luck there is in winning an event. Frankly on the second day it was just my day. It was surreal it seemed like every time I was bluffing or stealing I got folds and everytime I had a hand I got action…just one of those days. I also got big hands at the right time – like coolering a really good player 5 handed with AK when he had AQ after I’d 3 bet him a couple of times in non showndown hands before.

Don’t get me wrong I feel like I played well and I was pleased with my focus and decisions in the main. I was also proud of the way I really ground a medium to short stack for most of day 1. However I also recognize you just have to get lucky at the end to win a tournament.

One final thought I do consider this a monkey off my back. It’s my first significant tournament win in the UK. I’ve won other tournaments but they are either small, or in the US or online. The fact is in the last five years I’ve played very few tournaments so it’s not surprising I don’t have results. I made it a goal for this year to reach a live final table of a decent event so to have done that is satisfying.

I’ve become increasingly aware that a lot of people I the wider world judge you as a player on your tournament record. I think this is wrong but that’s how it works and my tournament record has been non-existent until now – hopefully I can build on this over the next couple of years. Obviously I don’t think I’m any better a player because I’ve got lucky and won a medium sized event….but then I wouldn’t think I was a worse player if I’d lost either of the two flips I won on day 1 to stay in!

Of course all of this is irrelevant the main point is that it was a great experience. I’ll always be more interested in being as good a cash player as I can be but I can’t deny that nothing is more exciting or fun than going deep in a live tournament…. Oh and winning a big chunk of money is very cool too!

Serious poker

It’s been a very strange 2010 so far. Sadly I’ve had one close family member death, one VERY close family member near-death/hospitalisation/drama, and a continuing lack of anything much to do. I bet that REALLY makes you wanna read on eh! Do I know how to capture an audience or WHAT!

The funny thing is I thought I’d accounted for the way in which a freelancer’s life tends to come and go with various bits of work. In case the TV stuff ended I had my writing; in case the writing ended I had the radio; in case the radio stuff ended I had my voice-over work… and so on. Sadly I failed to implement an “in case it all ends at exactly the same time” plan, which is kind of where I find myself.

Sure the radio show (www.thepokershowlive.com) is still going very strong but it’s changed shape this series. Rather than three three-hour live shows a week, it’s now three pre-record 70 minute shows that we nail in one LONG day. Also – and I’ll just be straight with you on this – I’ve already been paid for the work so it kinda feels like I’m ‘doing it for nothing’. I know that’s twisted logic, but there you go.

The funny thing is, with all my work suddenly dormant I find myself in a position that I’d previously dreamt of, namely with no reason not to take my poker more seriously. I don’t really do New Year’s resolutions, but I have regularly (for about the last six years) promised myself that I would DEFINITELY go out and play more live poker. I have another recurring self-lie that says I should take my poker more seriously, perhaps dedicating two or three days a week to playing online as if it were a job. In the past this hasn’t happened because other guaranteed paying work options have popped up to block it, but now I have no good reason. The interesting thing is… I find I don’t want to do this.

But why? Isn’t this every poker enthusiast’s dream? Well yes, but also… no. If you’re commuting every damn day to work a 9-to-5 (and just for the record I did this from the age of 17 to about 33, so I do know) then this must seem like a dream. However, playing a game for love is different to playing a game for need… and next time I’ll explain further.

I know: just like a proper blog isn’t it! ^__^

Be seeing you…