Updates + 2005 Review

The last time I posted I was about to play a comp on GetMinted. I think I played pretty solidly, I came 2nd and took home 330 quid, next day I played it again and won it! It definately put me back on track and since then I did well in a pretty big Ladbrokes tournament for over $1k and having won a seat for $13 to the $500+30 on Stars, I came 22nd and took just shy of $2.5k.

Onto 2005... It kicked off playing poker until 6am at my mates house but will probably end up drunk somewhere. A lot has happened, my life has moved on a lot and I think I have improved my poker game a lot.

It feels like so much longer than half a year that I was studying for A levels (probably because I hardly did) and even though I didn't expect to get an offer from Imperial, let alone a place, I ended up getting both and am quite nicely settled on my course. The poker society there is good fun as well, some good characters and obviously i'm a long walk from the Vic and a 25 minute tube journey from Gutshot.

Qualifying for the WPT has probably been my highlight of the year, i'm not sure yet how I will play it but coming 22nd last night in the big one on Stars has certainly given me a lot of confidence and motivation. At worst it will be a good holiday so I am looking forward to enjoying the experience.

I think I for the future I need to pick my games carefully. I am a good tournament player as my results show, but I think my cash game is pretty shit. If I pick a good game (and there is a very nice pot limit game on a particular site) and I am focused then I can play some really good poker. Being focused is probably just as important as picking the game, when my mind is in bad shape I don't play well. In tournaments I think I am motivated more than trophy objects rather than money itself. I haven't lost total regard for money but losing 3 or 4 hundred quid in a bad session doesn't bother me as much as it should. When I play for a fucking signed book in the Hendon Mob forum league I wanted to win so much more. Even playing the huge comp last night I wasn't that excited about the money, it helps obviously but I think I just like seeing something rather than money. Probably just shows youth or something.

I better copy Ben Grundy and set myself some targets for 2006. I'm going to break it up into 2006 targets and longer term targets. In no particular order...

2006 targets

• Cash at the WPT event in Bahamas
• Start keeping records other than my bank statement!!
• Qualify for another big live tournament
• Win a tournament at Gutshot with a buying of £20+
• Pick my cash games better
• Keep following the Arsenal!
• Sort out a seperate bankroll for sports betting
• Sort out my money
• Do some work at University and pass my first year

Longer term targets

• Graduate (obviously)
• Play some WSOP events
• Get a £35k+ job by 2011 (3 years after graduation)
• Don't go broke (stole that one)

That's about it from me, next time I update will probably be post-WPT. I might try and update during the WPT but i'll probably rather be having fun and who reads this shit anyway ;)

Hope you all had a great Christmas, have a great pissup on new years and I will see you in 2006!

Last week

It's my last week at uni before the Christmas holidays, i've got some work left to do (coursework for Tuesday, small questions paper for Wednesday, tests all day Thursday) but I can't wait to get back home and especially can't wait for the Bahamas.

Last week I managed to get myself into uni every day except Thursday, and did lots of work as well which I am happy with considering the week before I didn't go in any of the days, missed a test and a couple of hand in deadlines.

Money wise i'm in a pretty bad way at the moment, I came second in a comp on getminted for £320 last night which helps a bit but things haven't gone too well recently... Swings on multi table tournaments are bigger than cash games, it isn't hard to go 40 tournaments without a final table. Coupled with the fact that I was playing pretty shit it has left me empty handed. I had a read of Harrington 2 though and I think I am getting back on track. My form is pretty similar to Arsenals as of late...

There's a couple of nice looking tournaments tonight including the Getminted £2500 guarenteed... It's a £25 buyin but they don't normally get 100 runners and the play is usually pretty bad and as long as I don't get unlucky I think I can get a result.

I seem to be listening to lots of Dido at the moment and playing lots of Pro Evo... Till next time