Another month gone and what a month it was with the obvious poker highlight being the 3rd place finish at SPT Manchester which should guarantee me a poker profit for the year. Once again Thank You to everyone at Sky for the opportunity. Online has been a somewhat different story with me struggling to get any sort of run going on the virtual MTT tables and this leading to a focus on the cash tables. I lost just under £200 in the month on cash and during the month made the decision to focus solely on cash for the time being. This decision was made with the forthcoming arrival of a 8 week old puppy in mind. Well today Willow has been collected and started to settle into her new life. You don't realise how cute 8 week old puppies are until you have one. One decision that I did make, with the help of a certain Mr Duesenberg, was to step straight into 20nl, rather the 10nl I had planned. His reasoning, apart from possibly the chance to get more of my bankroll, is that there is less rake to pay, 7.5% to 5%, I will get more rakeback, there isn't that much difference in standard and if anything 10nl is nittier than 20nl. We will have to see how this goes! I have felt that I am getting to grips with cash a little more and spotting more opportunities that can be taken advantage of. The Beast from The East seems to have done its worst and today is certainly calmer than the last two. Have to admit that driving from Pudsey to Skelmanthorpe in a BMW in the dark in a snow blizzard was an experience I won't be clamouring to try again. Targets for March are very limited and basically consist of 2 things. 1. Show a profit for the month of March on the cash tables. Would be a big move on for me. 2. If I dabble in any MTT's only play The Vegas Sats. After SPT Manchester I could think of nothing cooler than qualifying for SPT Vegas.
Bankroll Challenge = £148.71
Cash Hands Played = 12,185 Total Profit = -£339.18 BB/100 = -13.92%
MTT's Played = 128 Total Profit = £7850.61 Total ROI = 440.04% ITM = 17.2%
DYM's Played = 214 Total Profit = £34.20 Total ROI = 1.49%
Good luck at 20nl Trebor - I'll certainly feel like a bit of a tool if it all goes Pete Tong! Still, your profits for the year already equate to 382* full buy-ins for 20nl so it's hardly the most ridiculous shot to take .
Wow, having a 8 week old puppy is certainly time consuming. I have to say I am totally besotted by our new addition and I am soooooo glad we took the plunge and I am really lucky how good Willow has been. She has now gone 3 days without any accidents in the house and goes to the back door and whines when she wants a toilet break. Not only that but I have been putting her to bed at 11pm ish and don't hear a thing until I get up between 6am and 7am. Like I say I can't believe how lucky we have been.
It has meant that poker play has been very limited as she has been getting my undivided attention and I have only managed a couple of hours of 20nl over the last week. I am still struggling to turn a profit on the cash tables and when I read some of the other diaries on here and how people seem to be making money at will I do wonder how they do it. Took a trip 'Up North' midweek to see The Villa pick up another 3 points against a very poor Sunderland side in front of a very sparse home crowd. It now looks likely that the second automatic promotion spot is going to go to either us, Cardiff or Fulham (sorry Jac35). Looking at the run-ins of those 3 it would look on paper that Fulham have the big advantage and I can see them winning the rest of their games. Cardiff appear to have the toughest run in and Villa have a couple of key fixtures at home in Wolves this Saturday and then Cardiff in a few weeks. If it is not us who finish in second I really hope it is Fulham as I wouldn't fancy facing them in the play offs. On the other hand everyone keeps banging on about how well Fulham are playing having took 29 points out of the last 33 available. Villa haven't been to bad with 28 out of the last 33. The big result was Fulham beating us 2-0 at Craven Cottage. As Bruce says we have put ourselves in a position to challenge and now the real test begins. Gonna get a couple of hours in now as Willow is fast asleep and hopefully get some volume in tomorrow and Sunday as I am off.
Bankroll Challenge = £146.11
Cash Hands Played = 13,8255 Total Profit = -£430.75 BB/100 = -15.58%
MTT's Played = 128 Total Profit = £7850.61 Total ROI = 440.04% ITM = 17.2%
DYM's Played = 214 Total Profit = £34.20 Total ROI = 1.49%
As some of you may of noticed, and more of you probably haven't, I have been absent from the SkyPoker tables for the past couple of weeks. The main reason for this is that I have been playing away from home, namely at a place called Stars. During that time I have been able to cash for a couple of decent scores, a 8/1523 for $97 and a 3/382 for $678. The reason for straying was that I just didn't seem capable of getting anything going on the SkyPoker tables whether it was cash or tournies and thought a change might be as good as a rest. Having cashed out with nearly a £500 profit over the past couple of weeks I will be returning to the SkyPoker cash tables, namely 20nl, in the next day or so. The reason for the continued effort to crack cash is due to a certain Willow. Willow has now been with us just over 2 weeks and it is true to say has stolen our hearts. Having had her second vaccination on Saturday afternoon I will be able to take her for her initial walk next Monday and am really looking forward to this as there is only so many times you can chase a ball up and down the living room. Judging by how much she has enjoyed messing about in the snow in the back garden I am sure she can't wait to explore the big outdoors either. Once we reach this stage it will become even harder to fit MTT's into my already work limited free time and hence the desire to crack the Cash Tables. Villa have gone and done a Derby and bottled it when the going got tough and the pressure mounted. Automatic now looks an impossible dream and it looks like we will get to experience the nerve wrenching play-offs. For Villa it is vital we go up this year as I can see a vast majority of our squad jumping ship if we fail in our quest for the Premier League and wouldn't fancy our chances at all next season if we remain in The Championship.
Cash Hands Played = 14,425 Total Profit = -£504.06 BB/100 = -17.47%
MTT's Played = 133 Total Profit = £7785.57 Total ROI = 418.50% ITM = 16.5%
DYM's Played = 214 Total Profit = £34.20 Total ROI = 1.49%
A week in poker and life seems a long time, so as its 8 days since my last post it seems an eternity. Poker has been really poor and that's down to me playing awful and my BRM, if you can call it that, being even worse. I have only played a couple of times on SkyPoker and managed to lose over £235 as I played at a too higher a stake for my ability on the cash tables, 20nl, and took 2 entries at a Main event. I have been playing on Stars a fair bit and have donked off about $100 on the 25nl tables but thankfully won a total of $300 on the MTT tables, seeing my PocketFives ranking go from 2/2 in Emley to 1/2 and from 22/29 in West Yorkshire to 9/29. I also attempted to qualify for the Grosvenor Easter Beast, playing the Day 1 online for another £109 loss. What I have learnt over the last 8 weeks is that I need to sort my BRM out or I will soon be dropping below £7k profit on SkyPoker for the year. I have also learnt that a 11 week old puppy and MTT's really do not mix. It is impossible to concentrate fully for a few hours when a certain little lady is determined to chew the rug or continue on her masterplan of removing every shrub in the garden. The good news on the Willow front is that she is now fully vaccinated and has started to explore the outside world. This has helped to settle her down a bit as we are now taking her out for three walks a day. I say walks but what I actually mean is ambles to the churchyard or cricket club which are both within 5 minutes. She does appear nervous at times particularly around other dogs and loud cars but seems to love other people. The real test will come when we adventure into the two local pubs both of which are very dog friendly. So what does this mean for poker. It means that I have made the decision, and I really want to stick to this one although I find this the hardest part of poker, to concentrate on 4 tabling 10nl on SkyPoker. Having attempted the 20nl tables I realise that I am not good enough yet to crack these and they seem very reg infested. The 10nl tables, however, seem to have more recreational players and are probably better suited to my ability and to the amount of money I want to currently invest. I currently have no money in my SkyPoker account and will be depositing a roll of £250 with which to try and master the 10nl tables. The first aim will be to get my roll to £750 so I feel comfortable taking another shot at 20nl. On the work front an opportunity has arisen for a promotion to the role of Deputy Store Manager in one of the local Superstores, which would not only mean a small payrise and a shorter commute but would give me a much needed change of work environment. Having currently spent over three years in my current store a change is very much needed to get the retail juices flowing again. I will be applying this week and believe I have a decent chance of landing the job so wish me luck.
Bankroll £250.
Cash Hands Played = 15,075 Total Profit = -£680.15 BB/100 = -22.56%
MTT's Played = 135 Total Profit = £7727.35 Total ROI = 401.10% ITM = 16.3%
DYM's Played = 214 Total Profit = £34.20 Total ROI = 1.49%
I wouldn't take willow to the cricket club, she might get hit by a ball......
With the amount of rain and snow we've had here I don't think that will be a worry for a while. Can't wait for summer and the joy of being able to sit in the sun, drinking a nice cold beer, watching Skelmanthorpe lose again, the sound of ball on bat (not Willow) whilst Willow plays at my feet. England personified.
March turned into a poor month for poker with no highlights and a loss on the cash tables of nearly £330 and a loss on MTT's of £235. Only 2 targets for April. 1. Stick to 10nl cash tables, do not deviate, stick to cash only, do not PASS GO, do not collect £200, do not enter MTT's, only play on Sky. If I can achieve this it would be a major plus and would be a step into conquering my biggest leak of temptation. 2. Make a profit.
Bankroll £243.78.
Cash Hands Played = 17,630 Total Profit = -£667.67 BB/100 = -37.87%
MTT's Played = 142 Total Profit = £7615.65 Total ROI = 372.27% ITM = 15.5%
DYM's Played = 214 Total Profit = £34.20 Total ROI = 1.49%
First week of April gone and with only two targets to achieve it is safe to say that I have not stuck to either. 1. Stick to 10nl cash tables, do not deviate, stick to cash only, do not PASS GO, do not collect £200, do not enter MTT's, only play on Sky. If I can achieve this it would be a major plus and would be a step into conquering my biggest leak of temptation. Although I have only played 10nl cash, and only played on SKY, I have delved into 7 MTT's, cashing in 2 of the 3 Mini UKOPS I have played and tonight I will definitely be playing the Mini Mega.
2. Make a profit. Currently approx. £50 down on the month, £20 on MTT's and £50 on Cash, along with £20 in rewards. I have, however, altered my Cash game strategy slightly and this seems to have improved my profits over the most recent sessions and will hopefully result in a prolonged upturn in results.
Villa have blown all chances of automatic promotion and it may even become squeaky bum time with regards to the play offs. One thing Bruce's team has done throughout his stint at Villa is go on losing runs, then winning runs. Hopefully he is timing it perfectly for the play offs. Watched 'When English Clubs Ruled Europe' a two parter on ITV4 over Easter and got to relive the glory days of Rotterdam '82. For anyone who hasn't see it I would fully recommend it. A look back at when football was football and glory, not money, was what mattered. Willow has well and truly settled into the family and now that we can walk her, not too far yet, it has become very evident she likes mud, fields, mud, pubs and more mud. Today she will meet the Mother In Law's dog Holly. Another cockerpoo, but a really mad one, so that should be interesting.
Bankroll £212.68.
Cash Hands Played = 22,720 Total Profit = -£713.90 BB/100 = -31.42%
MTT's Played = 149 Total Profit = £7593.23 Total ROI = 357.00% ITM = 16.1
DYM's Played = 214 Total Profit = £34.20 Total ROI = 1.49%
I SURRENDER! The Cash tables have defeated me. I don't know whether I run bad or more likely that I play bad. I have now played over 25k hands in this current thread on SkyPoker and have played 000's of hands over time on other sites. During this time I have never had a winning run of more than a couple of weeks and dread to think how much money the cash tables have swallowed up over the years. As a result I find that for the first couple of sessions I enjoy the challenge of the cash tables I then begin to get bored with the daily grind and the daily loss. Over the last week I have returned to the MTT tables, playing here and on Stars. I have manged to sat the Main last night and tonight and also managed a couple of decent cashes whilst moonlighting, taking me to 1054th in the UK and 10th in West Yorks on Pocket5's. I have become a very avid follower of poker on Twitch and find that I am learning a lot from watching some of the pros on there. Particular shout out to Jamie Burland, Lex Veldhuis and Jamie Staples. You can learn some real stuff from these guys for absolutely nothing and they're very entertaining. Villa are guaranteed the Play-Offs and now its a matter of seeing who we get. In an ideal world we would get Preston as this would mean I should be able to get an Away ticket. I have already made sure that I am off from work for both play-off semi final games and the final and we seem to be back on track and on a Bruce winning streak as I spoke about previously. I am yet to hear whether I have been successful following my interview for Deputy in Halifax, received email telling me I wouldn't find out until week beginning 23rd April. Another position for a Deputy at the Middleton store in Leeds has been advertised and I have duly applied for this as it would probably better suit me than the Halifax role.
MTT's Played = 154 Total Profit = £7564.39 Total ROI = 342.23% ITM = 16.2%
Cash Hands Played = 25,600 Total Profit = -£778.69 BB/100 = -30.42%
DYM's Played = 214 Total Profit = £34.20 Total ROI = 1.49%
They say a week in politics is a long time but it appears a week in retail is an even longer time. Since we last spoke I have got the result of my application to Halifax and was unsuccessful and I am now due to attend an interview for the same role in Middleton, Leeds. I have also applied to be the Manager at a much smaller Asda Supermarket, (the smaller version) in Aspley, Huddersfield. Although supermarkets are seen as the some what inferior version this one has always appealed to me, due to its location and size. Come 7am on Monday this may all change as the announcement that Walmart are about to sell Asda to Sainsbury's becomes official. It would appear that Walmart are prepared to relinquish all control of Asda to Sainsbury in return for a 49% holding. The benefits of such a deal are clear for both parties. Walmart get a huge chunk of cash and a guaranteed ROI without the complications of running a business in the UK. When you realise that Asda only account for 6% of the Walmart Empire it is clear that this move would have little impact on their share price. Sainsbury's get a huge presence in the North, where they aren't particularly represented and get a greater economy of scale and will undoubtly take learnings from Asda's far superior track record of profit margins. As with all deals this big it won't happen overnight and will be subject to investigation but the recent Tesco/Booker deal will have been a factor in the deal proceeding in the first place. My poker play has been limited to the Mega Mini on Sky and numerous MTT's on Stars, where I am doing OK, rising to my highest Worldwide ranking on Pocket5's of 10,637, rather disappointingly I have dropped to 2/2 in Emley. I am becoming a bit of a Twitch addict and was thinking it would be a good idea if Sky developed its own Twitch site, could be similar to the old TV show but at a fraction of the cost. Villa have sealed 4th in front of another full house at Villa Park of over 41,000. If ever a club belonged in The Premier League surely this is the one. We will be playing Boro in the semi's (unless Derby pull something out of the bag) and I am already having nightmares where a certain young man by the name of Traore bursts past John Terry to score the winner in the final minute of the second leg in front of a packed Holte End. As the season has gone on Traore has got better and better and in his early days in England at Villa he had so much raw potential it was frightening. Although the deal that saw him swap for Albert Adomah at the beginning of the season worked out really well for Villa I always thought the lad had huge potential. Willow is now allowed off the lead when in certain fields and the joy she brings is immeasurable. To see her running around through the long glass and playing hide and seek brings a real warm feeling inside. Looking forward to a decent walk tomorrow, a couple of beers and a spot of lunch. Also looking forward to taking another shot at the Mega Mini and to reclaiming my place as number one in Emley.
MTT's Played = 159 Total Profit = £7528.94 Total ROI = 328.77% ITM = 16.4%
Cash Hands Played = 25,600 Total Profit = -£778.69 BB/100 = -30.42%
DYM's Played = 214 Total Profit = £34.20 Total ROI = 1.49%
In a late resume of April it can be described as a non-starter. I set myself 2 targets - 1. Stick to 10nl cash tables, do not deviate, stick to cash only, do not PASS GO, do not collect £200, do not enter MTT's, only play on Sky. If I can achieve this it would be a major plus and would be a step into conquering my biggest leak of temptation. 2. Make a profit.
I failed on both fronts and have spent the majority of the last three weeks of the month moonlighting at Stars. I have only been playing MTT's on there and have shown a moderate profit of £160. Having been watching JJBinks stream and following the updates of Nottingham SPT I have been re-invigorated to return to SkyPoker on a full time basis. I do think my time on Stars has been well spent and think my game, particularly short stacked, has improved. I also took some valuable learnings from Matt Staples Twitch stream with regards to BRM and the importance of beating a level before moving on up, even if you bink a large one. With this in mind I am going to withdraw my balance from Stars and place £200 on Sky. This will then give me two aims for May. 1. Only play MTT's with a buy in of £11 or less. 2. The only satellite I can enter is the £7.20 Semi / LR Semi to the Main. 3. I must not enter any All-In Sats. 4. Double my Bankroll to £400. In good old 68Trebor fashion I will probably of broken all these by the time most of you read this but here's hoping.
On the job front I was unsuccessful in my application for Aspley and now await news of how my interview at Middleton went. I felt it went really well but I am hearing rumours that another candidate's name has already been earmarked. Unfortunately this is the way big business tends to run and it maybe a case of waiting patiently until I am the candidate earmarked.
Villa have secured their play-off Semi against Boro and then it will hopefully be a case of defeating Derby in the Final. Then again it maybe a case of another year of Championship football. Have to say that although Warnock has done a sterling job to get Cardiff up I do think they will really struggle in the Premier League and will also portray The Championship in a rather poor light.
Willow continues to grow and has turned into a right sunbather. I have to say it is soooo much nicer having a dog when the sun is out rather than the rain clouds.
I am off the next couple of days so expect to see me on the tables at some point playing those £11 and under tournies.
Just seen that Craig managed to claim 3rd at SPT Nottingham so congratulations to you. Having come 3rd in Manchester (thinly veiled brag) I know exactly how chuffed he will be feeling and am glad that another forum diary writer has manged to do us proud. Wonder who will be the first diarist (is that even a word) to take one down.
Balance £200
MTT's Played = 164 Total Profit = £7496.54 Total ROI = 317.25% ITM = 16.5%
Cash Hands Played = 25,600 Total Profit = -£778.69 BB/100 = -30.42%
DYM's Played = 214 Total Profit = £34.20 Total ROI = 1.49%
I have managed to sat into a few bigger tournies over the last week and as a result got a couple of decent cashes, 12th in the £6k Marksman for £101 and 6th in the Tuesday Quickdraw for £84. Apart from this I have not run very well in the smaller MTT's and hence my overall profit isn't that great. Probably should of made more of my run in the Marksman as in hindsight I made a poor call on the button to a re-raise all-in having min-raised with A5 when the small stack on approx 15BB's. Should of been a shove or fold pre-flop rather than a raise/call. I have also been watching JJBinks streams on Twitch and would suggest you pay a visit if you have not done so already. Not only is it informative but also highly entertaining. The past week I have been having major issues with BT with my internet being on and off and continuously off for the past 24 hours. It has now started working again. I had an engineer out on Tuesday who could find nothing wrong and the thing was working whilst he was here. I have got another engineer coming tomorrow and ideally I could of done with it not working when he arrives. It does make you realise how much we rely on it when we haven't got it. My 18 year old daughter has been beside herself and can't comprehend how we went through life without it when I was a youngster. Over the last few days the air has been filled with the sound of helicopters as they continue to build the second, temporary Emley mast. It really is amazing how quickly it is being erected and the skill involved in basically plonking new blocks on top. It is certainly nowhere as majestic as the original but still some engineering feat.
Last night saw Villa take a huge step to the Play-off Final and the tie against Boro is certainly very much in our own hands. I am really looking forward to Tuesday night at Villa Park as another full house hopefully roars us on to Wembley. Jack Grealish continues to improve and seems to be maturing as a player and a person as the season has gone on. A lot of this seems to be down to the influence of a certain John Terry who seems to have taken him under his wing. In the other Semi my money is still on Fulham, although I would personally rather play The Rams in the Final. Either way I have already booked the weekend off at work in the hope we are there. No promotion at work for me as I have been unsuccessful in the roles I applied for. The feedback I have received has been very positive and I have been informed that there is a position in the pipeline but it is just a matter of waiting. The question is how long do you wait. Hopefully see some of you on the tables tonight, internet permitting, otherwise it will be off to the casino for my fix. Don't forget to drop in on JJBinks Twitch stream, you will not be disappointed.
Balance £206.75
MTT's Played = 191 Total Profit = £7500.91 Total ROI = 280.52% ITM = 17.3%
Cash Hands Played = 25,600 Total Profit = -£778.69 BB/100 = -30.42%
DYM's Played = 214 Total Profit = £34.20 Total ROI = 1.49%
As you will have seen from the above post I managed to qualify for the Sunday Major through a £5.20 Sat and then the Semi Final. Although I didn't manage to cash I had a pretty deep run finishing 39th and also claiming 59th in the Mini Major. Looking back at how I played the Major I have been able to locate quite a big leak in my game. I have been constantly calling min raises from the SB with very mediocre cards. I have been justifying this by convincing myself I am getting too good odds not to call. What I have not been taking into account is the disadvantage of playing out of position post flop. Fixing this leak I believe will move my game forward massively over the coming weeks. It is all about when to defend and when not to defend. With that in mind I was wondering how people play AQ, AJ when out of position against a raise. I know it will be player dependant but if we have limited information on the player in question is the call, fold or re-raise preferable. Last night I ran pretty well on the tables and managed 3/184 in a £1k BH for £74, 6/71 in a £500 BH for £35 and 8/117 in another £1k BH for £60. Feel my game is definitely moving on and searching for another win over the next few days. Today will be a no poker day as I am making the journey to the hallowed turf at Villa Park to hopefully see us book a weekend at Wembley at the end of the month. Looking forward to the day with a breakfast at Morrisons, the drive down, a couple of beers and the traditional burger followed by a victory.
Is there a better sight in English football.
Balance £293.45
MTT's Played = 204 Total Profit = £7585.31 Total ROI = 262.15% ITM = 18.6%
Cash Hands Played = 25,600 Total Profit = -£778.69 BB/100 = -30.42%
DYM's Played = 214 Total Profit = £34.20 Total ROI = 1.49%
Comments
Didn't play any cash so it wasn't me.
Another month gone and what a month it was with the obvious poker highlight being the 3rd place finish at SPT Manchester which should guarantee me a poker profit for the year. Once again Thank You to everyone at Sky for the opportunity.
Online has been a somewhat different story with me struggling to get any sort of run going on the virtual MTT tables and this leading to a focus on the cash tables. I lost just under £200 in the month on cash and during the month made the decision to focus solely on cash for the time being. This decision was made with the forthcoming arrival of a 8 week old puppy in mind. Well today Willow has been collected and started to settle into her new life. You don't realise how cute 8 week old puppies are until you have one. One decision that I did make, with the help of a certain Mr Duesenberg, was to step straight into 20nl, rather the 10nl I had planned. His reasoning, apart from possibly the chance to get more of my bankroll, is that there is less rake to pay, 7.5% to 5%, I will get more rakeback, there isn't that much difference in standard and if anything 10nl is nittier than 20nl. We will have to see how this goes! I have felt that I am getting to grips with cash a little more and spotting more opportunities that can be taken advantage of.
The Beast from The East seems to have done its worst and today is certainly calmer than the last two. Have to admit that driving from Pudsey to Skelmanthorpe in a BMW in the dark in a snow blizzard was an experience I won't be clamouring to try again.
Targets for March are very limited and basically consist of 2 things.
1. Show a profit for the month of March on the cash tables. Would be a big move on for me.
2. If I dabble in any MTT's only play The Vegas Sats. After SPT Manchester I could think of nothing cooler than qualifying for SPT Vegas.
Bankroll Challenge = £148.71
Cash Hands Played = 12,185
Total Profit = -£339.18
BB/100 = -13.92%
MTT's Played = 128
Total Profit = £7850.61
Total ROI = 440.04%
ITM = 17.2%
DYM's Played = 214
Total Profit = £34.20
Total ROI = 1.49%
Rewards Received = £94.96
Total Profit = £7640.59
*Sicko crusher confirmed!
Wow, having a 8 week old puppy is certainly time consuming. I have to say I am totally besotted by our new addition and I am soooooo glad we took the plunge and I am really lucky how good Willow has been. She has now gone 3 days without any accidents in the house and goes to the back door and whines when she wants a toilet break. Not only that but I have been putting her to bed at 11pm ish and don't hear a thing until I get up between 6am and 7am. Like I say I can't believe how lucky we have been.
It has meant that poker play has been very limited as she has been getting my undivided attention and I have only managed a couple of hours of 20nl over the last week. I am still struggling to turn a profit on the cash tables and when I read some of the other diaries on here and how people seem to be making money at will I do wonder how they do it.
Took a trip 'Up North' midweek to see The Villa pick up another 3 points against a very poor Sunderland side in front of a very sparse home crowd. It now looks likely that the second automatic promotion spot is going to go to either us, Cardiff or Fulham (sorry Jac35). Looking at the run-ins of those 3 it would look on paper that Fulham have the big advantage and I can see them winning the rest of their games. Cardiff appear to have the toughest run in and Villa have a couple of key fixtures at home in Wolves this Saturday and then Cardiff in a few weeks. If it is not us who finish in second I really hope it is Fulham as I wouldn't fancy facing them in the play offs. On the other hand everyone keeps banging on about how well Fulham are playing having took 29 points out of the last 33 available. Villa haven't been to bad with 28 out of the last 33. The big result was Fulham beating us 2-0 at Craven Cottage. As Bruce says we have put ourselves in a position to challenge and now the real test begins.
Gonna get a couple of hours in now as Willow is fast asleep and hopefully get some volume in tomorrow and Sunday as I am off.
Bankroll Challenge = £146.11
Cash Hands Played = 13,8255
Total Profit = -£430.75
BB/100 = -15.58%
MTT's Played = 128
Total Profit = £7850.61
Total ROI = 440.04%
ITM = 17.2%
DYM's Played = 214
Total Profit = £34.20
Total ROI = 1.49%
Rewards Received = £103.39
Total Profit = £7557.45
As some of you may of noticed, and more of you probably haven't, I have been absent from the SkyPoker tables for the past couple of weeks. The main reason for this is that I have been playing away from home, namely at a place called Stars. During that time I have been able to cash for a couple of decent scores, a 8/1523 for $97 and a 3/382 for $678. The reason for straying was that I just didn't seem capable of getting anything going on the SkyPoker tables whether it was cash or tournies and thought a change might be as good as a rest. Having cashed out with nearly a £500 profit over the past couple of weeks I will be returning to the SkyPoker cash tables, namely 20nl, in the next day or so.
The reason for the continued effort to crack cash is due to a certain Willow. Willow has now been with us just over 2 weeks and it is true to say has stolen our hearts. Having had her second vaccination on Saturday afternoon I will be able to take her for her initial walk next Monday and am really looking forward to this as there is only so many times you can chase a ball up and down the living room. Judging by how much she has enjoyed messing about in the snow in the back garden I am sure she can't wait to explore the big outdoors either. Once we reach this stage it will become even harder to fit MTT's into my already work limited free time and hence the desire to crack the Cash Tables.
Villa have gone and done a Derby and bottled it when the going got tough and the pressure mounted. Automatic now looks an impossible dream and it looks like we will get to experience the nerve wrenching play-offs. For Villa it is vital we go up this year as I can see a vast majority of our squad jumping ship if we fail in our quest for the Premier League and wouldn't fancy our chances at all next season if we remain in The Championship.
Cash Hands Played = 14,425
Total Profit = -£504.06
BB/100 = -17.47%
MTT's Played = 133
Total Profit = £7785.57
Total ROI = 418.50%
ITM = 16.5%
DYM's Played = 214
Total Profit = £34.20
Total ROI = 1.49%
Rewards Received = £103.39
Total Profit = £7419.10
On the work front an opportunity has arisen for a promotion to the role of Deputy Store Manager in one of the local Superstores, which would not only mean a small payrise and a shorter commute but would give me a much needed change of work environment. Having currently spent over three years in my current store a change is very much needed to get the retail juices flowing again. I will be applying this week and believe I have a decent chance of landing the job so wish me luck.
Bankroll £250.
Cash Hands Played = 15,075
Total Profit = -£680.15
BB/100 = -22.56%
MTT's Played = 135
Total Profit = £7727.35
Total ROI = 401.10%
ITM = 16.3%
DYM's Played = 214
Total Profit = £34.20
Total ROI = 1.49%
Rewards Received = £103.39
Total Profit = £7184.79
Where you from?
GL with the job interview, @68Trebor
March turned into a poor month for poker with no highlights and a loss on the cash tables of nearly £330 and a loss on MTT's of £235.
Only 2 targets for April.
1. Stick to 10nl cash tables, do not deviate, stick to cash only, do not PASS GO, do not collect £200, do not enter MTT's, only play on Sky. If I can achieve this it would be a major plus and would be a step into conquering my biggest leak of temptation.
2. Make a profit.
Bankroll £243.78.
Cash Hands Played = 17,630
Total Profit = -£667.67
BB/100 = -37.87%
MTT's Played = 142
Total Profit = £7615.65
Total ROI = 372.27%
ITM = 15.5%
DYM's Played = 214
Total Profit = £34.20
Total ROI = 1.49%
Rewards Received = £103.39
Total Profit = £7085.57
First week of April gone and with only two targets to achieve it is safe to say that I have not stuck to either.
1. Stick to 10nl cash tables, do not deviate, stick to cash only, do not PASS GO, do not collect £200, do not enter MTT's, only play on Sky. If I can achieve this it would be a major plus and would be a step into conquering my biggest leak of temptation.
Although I have only played 10nl cash, and only played on SKY, I have delved into 7 MTT's, cashing in 2 of the 3 Mini UKOPS I have played and tonight I will definitely be playing the Mini Mega.
2. Make a profit.
Currently approx. £50 down on the month, £20 on MTT's and £50 on Cash, along with £20 in rewards. I have, however, altered my Cash game strategy slightly and this seems to have improved my profits over the most recent sessions and will hopefully result in a prolonged upturn in results.
Villa have blown all chances of automatic promotion and it may even become squeaky bum time with regards to the play offs. One thing Bruce's team has done throughout his stint at Villa is go on losing runs, then winning runs. Hopefully he is timing it perfectly for the play offs. Watched 'When English Clubs Ruled Europe' a two parter on ITV4 over Easter and got to relive the glory days of Rotterdam '82. For anyone who hasn't see it I would fully recommend it. A look back at when football was football and glory, not money, was what mattered.
Willow has well and truly settled into the family and now that we can walk her, not too far yet, it has become very evident she likes mud, fields, mud, pubs and more mud. Today she will meet the Mother In Law's dog Holly. Another cockerpoo, but a really mad one, so that should be interesting.
Bankroll £212.68.
Cash Hands Played = 22,720
Total Profit = -£713.90
BB/100 = -31.42%
MTT's Played = 149
Total Profit = £7593.23
Total ROI = 357.00%
ITM = 16.1
DYM's Played = 214
Total Profit = £34.20
Total ROI = 1.49%
Rewards Received = £119.44
Total Profit = £7032.97
I SURRENDER!
The Cash tables have defeated me. I don't know whether I run bad or more likely that I play bad. I have now played over 25k hands in this current thread on SkyPoker and have played 000's of hands over time on other sites. During this time I have never had a winning run of more than a couple of weeks and dread to think how much money the cash tables have swallowed up over the years. As a result I find that for the first couple of sessions I enjoy the challenge of the cash tables I then begin to get bored with the daily grind and the daily loss. Over the last week I have returned to the MTT tables, playing here and on Stars. I have manged to sat the Main last night and tonight and also managed a couple of decent cashes whilst moonlighting, taking me to 1054th in the UK and 10th in West Yorks on Pocket5's. I have become a very avid follower of poker on Twitch and find that I am learning a lot from watching some of the pros on there. Particular shout out to Jamie Burland, Lex Veldhuis and Jamie Staples. You can learn some real stuff from these guys for absolutely nothing and they're very entertaining.
Villa are guaranteed the Play-Offs and now its a matter of seeing who we get. In an ideal world we would get Preston as this would mean I should be able to get an Away ticket. I have already made sure that I am off from work for both play-off semi final games and the final and we seem to be back on track and on a Bruce winning streak as I spoke about previously.
I am yet to hear whether I have been successful following my interview for Deputy in Halifax, received email telling me I wouldn't find out until week beginning 23rd April. Another position for a Deputy at the Middleton store in Leeds has been advertised and I have duly applied for this as it would probably better suit me than the Halifax role.
MTT's Played = 154
Total Profit = £7564.39
Total ROI = 342.23%
ITM = 16.2%
Cash Hands Played = 25,600
Total Profit = -£778.69
BB/100 = -30.42%
DYM's Played = 214
Total Profit = £34.20
Total ROI = 1.49%
Rewards Received = £140.79
Total Profit = £6960.69
They say a week in politics is a long time but it appears a week in retail is an even longer time. Since we last spoke I have got the result of my application to Halifax and was unsuccessful and I am now due to attend an interview for the same role in Middleton, Leeds. I have also applied to be the Manager at a much smaller Asda Supermarket, (the smaller version) in Aspley, Huddersfield. Although supermarkets are seen as the some what inferior version this one has always appealed to me, due to its location and size. Come 7am on Monday this may all change as the announcement that Walmart are about to sell Asda to Sainsbury's becomes official. It would appear that Walmart are prepared to relinquish all control of Asda to Sainsbury in return for a 49% holding. The benefits of such a deal are clear for both parties. Walmart get a huge chunk of cash and a guaranteed ROI without the complications of running a business in the UK.
When you realise that Asda only account for 6% of the Walmart Empire it is clear that this move would have little impact on their share price. Sainsbury's get a huge presence in the North, where they aren't particularly represented and get a greater economy of scale and will undoubtly take learnings from Asda's far superior track record of profit margins. As with all deals this big it won't happen overnight and will be subject to investigation but the recent Tesco/Booker deal will have been a factor in the deal proceeding in the first place.
My poker play has been limited to the Mega Mini on Sky and numerous MTT's on Stars, where I am doing OK, rising to my highest Worldwide ranking on Pocket5's of 10,637, rather disappointingly I have dropped to 2/2 in Emley. I am becoming a bit of a Twitch addict and was thinking it would be a good idea if Sky developed its own Twitch site, could be similar to the old TV show but at a fraction of the cost.
Villa have sealed 4th in front of another full house at Villa Park of over 41,000. If ever a club belonged in The Premier League surely this is the one. We will be playing Boro in the semi's (unless Derby pull something out of the bag) and I am already having nightmares where a certain young man by the name of Traore bursts past John Terry to score the winner in the final minute of the second leg in front of a packed Holte End. As the season has gone on Traore has got better and better and in his early days in England at Villa he had so much raw potential it was frightening. Although the deal that saw him swap for Albert Adomah at the beginning of the season worked out really well for Villa I always thought the lad had huge potential.
Willow is now allowed off the lead when in certain fields and the joy she brings is immeasurable. To see her running around through the long glass and playing hide and seek brings a real warm feeling inside. Looking forward to a decent walk tomorrow, a couple of beers and a spot of lunch. Also looking forward to taking another shot at the Mega Mini and to reclaiming my place as number one in Emley.
MTT's Played = 159
Total Profit = £7528.94
Total ROI = 328.77%
ITM = 16.4%
Cash Hands Played = 25,600
Total Profit = -£778.69
BB/100 = -30.42%
DYM's Played = 214
Total Profit = £34.20
Total ROI = 1.49%
Rewards Received = £140.79
Total Profit = £6925.24
I set myself 2 targets -
1. Stick to 10nl cash tables, do not deviate, stick to cash only, do not PASS GO, do not collect £200, do not enter MTT's, only play on Sky. If I can achieve this it would be a major plus and would be a step into conquering my biggest leak of temptation.
2. Make a profit.
I failed on both fronts and have spent the majority of the last three weeks of the month moonlighting at Stars. I have only been playing MTT's on there and have shown a moderate profit of £160. Having been watching JJBinks stream and following the updates of Nottingham SPT I have been re-invigorated to return to SkyPoker on a full time basis. I do think my time on Stars has been well spent and think my game, particularly short stacked, has improved. I also took some valuable learnings from Matt Staples Twitch stream with regards to BRM and the importance of beating a level before moving on up, even if you bink a large one. With this in mind I am going to withdraw my balance from Stars and place £200 on Sky. This will then give me two aims for May.
1. Only play MTT's with a buy in of £11 or less.
2. The only satellite I can enter is the £7.20 Semi / LR Semi to the Main.
3. I must not enter any All-In Sats.
4. Double my Bankroll to £400.
In good old 68Trebor fashion I will probably of broken all these by the time most of you read this but here's hoping.
On the job front I was unsuccessful in my application for Aspley and now await news of how my interview at Middleton went. I felt it went really well but I am hearing rumours that another candidate's name has already been earmarked. Unfortunately this is the way big business tends to run and it maybe a case of waiting patiently until I am the candidate earmarked.
Villa have secured their play-off Semi against Boro and then it will hopefully be a case of defeating Derby in the Final. Then again it maybe a case of another year of Championship football. Have to say that although Warnock has done a sterling job to get Cardiff up I do think they will really struggle in the Premier League and will also portray The Championship in a rather poor light.
Willow continues to grow and has turned into a right sunbather. I have to say it is soooo much nicer having a dog when the sun is out rather than the rain clouds.
I am off the next couple of days so expect to see me on the tables at some point playing those £11 and under tournies.
Just seen that Craig managed to claim 3rd at SPT Nottingham so congratulations to you. Having come 3rd in Manchester (thinly veiled brag) I know exactly how chuffed he will be feeling and am glad that another forum diary writer has manged to do us proud. Wonder who will be the first diarist (is that even a word) to take one down.
Balance £200
MTT's Played = 164
Total Profit = £7496.54
Total ROI = 317.25%
ITM = 16.5%
Cash Hands Played = 25,600
Total Profit = -£778.69
BB/100 = -30.42%
DYM's Played = 214
Total Profit = £34.20
Total ROI = 1.49%
Rewards Received = £140.79
Total Profit = £6892.84
I have managed to sat into a few bigger tournies over the last week and as a result got a couple of decent cashes, 12th in the £6k Marksman for £101 and 6th in the Tuesday Quickdraw for £84. Apart from this I have not run very well in the smaller MTT's and hence my overall profit isn't that great. Probably should of made more of my run in the Marksman as in hindsight I made a poor call on the button to a re-raise all-in having min-raised with A5 when the small stack on approx 15BB's. Should of been a shove or fold pre-flop rather than a raise/call.
I have also been watching JJBinks streams on Twitch and would suggest you pay a visit if you have not done so already. Not only is it informative but also highly entertaining.
The past week I have been having major issues with BT with my internet being on and off and continuously off for the past 24 hours. It has now started working again. I had an engineer out on Tuesday who could find nothing wrong and the thing was working whilst he was here. I have got another engineer coming tomorrow and ideally I could of done with it not working when he arrives. It does make you realise how much we rely on it when we haven't got it. My 18 year old daughter has been beside herself and can't comprehend how we went through life without it when I was a youngster.
Over the last few days the air has been filled with the sound of helicopters as they continue to build the second, temporary Emley mast. It really is amazing how quickly it is being erected and the skill involved in basically plonking new blocks on top. It is certainly nowhere as majestic as the original but still some engineering feat.
Last night saw Villa take a huge step to the Play-off Final and the tie against Boro is certainly very much in our own hands. I am really looking forward to Tuesday night at Villa Park as another full house hopefully roars us on to Wembley. Jack Grealish continues to improve and seems to be maturing as a player and a person as the season has gone on. A lot of this seems to be down to the influence of a certain John Terry who seems to have taken him under his wing. In the other Semi my money is still on Fulham, although I would personally rather play The Rams in the Final. Either way I have already booked the weekend off at work in the hope we are there.
No promotion at work for me as I have been unsuccessful in the roles I applied for. The feedback I have received has been very positive and I have been informed that there is a position in the pipeline but it is just a matter of waiting. The question is how long do you wait.
Hopefully see some of you on the tables tonight, internet permitting, otherwise it will be off to the casino for my fix. Don't forget to drop in on JJBinks Twitch stream, you will not be disappointed.
Balance £206.75
MTT's Played = 191
Total Profit = £7500.91
Total ROI = 280.52%
ITM = 17.3%
Cash Hands Played = 25,600
Total Profit = -£778.69
BB/100 = -30.42%
DYM's Played = 214
Total Profit = £34.20
Total ROI = 1.49%
Rewards Received = £140.79
Total Profit = £6899.59
There are actually people at the top screwing it together.
Rather them than me!
This ones for you Tikay.
P.S. Qualified for tonight's Sunday Major for £5.20 - Let's take it down.
Last night I ran pretty well on the tables and managed 3/184 in a £1k BH for £74, 6/71 in a £500 BH for £35 and 8/117 in another £1k BH for £60. Feel my game is definitely moving on and searching for another win over the next few days.
Today will be a no poker day as I am making the journey to the hallowed turf at Villa Park to hopefully see us book a weekend at Wembley at the end of the month. Looking forward to the day with a breakfast at Morrisons, the drive down, a couple of beers and the traditional burger followed by a victory.
Is there a better sight in English football.
Balance £293.45
MTT's Played = 204
Total Profit = £7585.31
Total ROI = 262.15%
ITM = 18.6%
Cash Hands Played = 25,600
Total Profit = -£778.69
BB/100 = -30.42%
DYM's Played = 214
Total Profit = £34.20
Total ROI = 1.49%
Rewards Received = £143.09
Total Profit = £6983.91