Good day on PKR but got robbed.

Being running well again on PKR and today managed 3 x top 4 finishes for a net of $420.

But every silver lining has a cloud and in the $2k gtd short handed tournie managed to get my short stack to 3 handed and scraped my way up to just about equal chips with the other 2 players. Then this happens.

SB vs BB

SB raises, I call in BB with 78

Flop a beautiful 7 8 8

He bets, I call

Turn 10

He bets, I raise, he calls

River 10

He bets which he has done with A on double paired board a few times, so i push all in and he calls with K 10

runner runner 1.68% bad beat.

OUCH!!!!

Bankroll Management Update

End of week 2.

Ok haven't managed to play too much this week cos of work, again, but here's an update. Betfair was going well and had roll up to $180, but went on a bad run and ended up marginally up on week, so switched to Mansion and rolled that up to $140. No play Grandslam.

Mansion

$2.82 up to $140

Betfair

$3.99 up to $135

Grandslam

$2 up to $25

Onwards and upwards!!!

3rd win in 4 days

Now officially on a roll. Just took down the $25 Omaha MTT on PKR. :-)

Wins are just like Buses!!!!

Went to Newcastle to play in the Poker Player Magazine Player Champs with the promise of a GUKPT seat as added value. Whilst I was happy with the way I played, I wasn't impressed with the structure which was hyper aggresive meaning I became a victim of it in 20th place of 100. To show you how aggresive the structure was they managed to get through a field of 100 players within 10 hours of play with a 5000 starting stack and 25 minute clock. Savage, and I will not be attending any of these events again.

However, on the bright side, I stayed behind to socialise with the guys from The Newcastle Poker Forum and they talked me into staying and playing the £10+£10+£10 game that was on that evening in the Grosvenor Newcastle. How glad I was that they did. I managed to reach the final, and eventhough I was short stacked, I had a good run of cards and managed to take it down for $800. Sweet.

Bankroll Management Update

End of week 1.

Ok haven't managed to play too much this week cos of work, but here's an update.

Mansion

$2.82 up to $98

Betfair

$3.99 up to $130

Grandslam

$2 up to $25


So far so good.

GiMac Wins the $2k gtd on PKR

Friday night managed to finish 1st in the $2k gtd beating 138 to win 1k. :-)

Reminder

Don't forget, if you join PKR through the above banner link you will get a 100% match bonus of up to $2000 not only that but it's one of the easiest deposit bonuses to achieve ever!!!

Experiment Update

Didn't manage to play too much today but here is an experiment update.

Betfair
End of day balance
Day 3 $101

Mansion
End of Day Balance
Day 3 $110

Small profits but a continuous upwards trend. I'm now over half way to getting to play at the next level. Come on!!!

Bankroll Experiment

Ok I have devised a bankroll management experiment.

I'm running it on Mansion and Betfair, basically because I haven't played there for ages and they had very small balances in accounts (Mansion $2.84, Betfair $3.99).

There are rules to the experiment as follows.

1. Start at 10c/20c
2. Not allowed to move to next level until have 1000xBB i.e. 10c/20c need $200
3. If bankroll falls below 500xBB then must move back down level
4. Ring Games only

I may add some more as I go along but that's basically it.

I started on Saturday night and progress so far is:

Mansion
End of Day Balance
Day 1 $33
Day 2 $80

Betfair
End of day balance
Day 1 $57
Day 2 $78

So not a bad start, but let's see how far I can take it.

GiMac bounces back from bad beat!!!

Well there i was donked out of the Sunday Million after outlasting half the field (5832rd of 14181) by a fish who 2 outed me on the river. I shouldn't play anymore tonight I thought, but the $50k was just starting. Oh what the hell!!!

4 hours odd later and I finish 33rd of 1404 for $631.80 (although $50k gtd prize pool was actually $140k) a nice wee cash to give me a weekend of MTT profit.

Apologies

Firstly apologies to those of you who have asked for me not updating this for a couple of weeks, it's just ben manic. Here's a little something I made earlier to keep you going until I get some time.

Ezekiel 25:17 (Abridged version).

"The path of the righteous poker player is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil donkeys. Blessed is he who, in the name of made hands and continuation bets, bets out at the weak through the turn and the river, for he is truly Sklansky's keeper and the finder of bust flush draws. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to cheat and outdraw my brothers. And you will know my name is GiMac when I lay the stone cold nuts upon you."

Amen.

Asian Poker Tour - Manila

Well great journey out here with Singapore Airlines. The flight left Manchester at 10am and was only about one third full, so we all had 3 seats each, so very comfortable and relaxing 13 hour flight to Singapore. A 3 hour stop in Singapore and we were on our way to Manila. 3hrs30minutes later we arrive in Manila at 1.15pm local time, 32 degrees celsuis (90f+) with 80% humidity. It's sticky!!!

Our transfer transport is late, but gives us a chance to stretch our legs and smoke some cigarettes. Anyway the minibus turns up and we load up. The drive from the airport to the Hotel is an experience and a half, with initially 5 lanes of traffic, somehow they have managed to squeeze 7 lines of vehicles over the 5 lanes, chopping and changing lanes left right and centre, horns blaring, lots of construction work going on, with a new airport due to open next year they are busy upgrading all the surrounding road network and the famous Philipino Aluminium buses.

We arrive at the Dusit Thani hotel where we are staying and the poker is being played there too, very handy. We check in and head straight for the poker room. Several cash games are in full swing and it becomes apparent that there is plenty of action on every table. I give the young lady 10,000 pesos ($250) to buy into the 100/200 NLH game. I manage to double up without even playing a hand, when a guy comes back from the cash desk and hands me 20,000 pesos in chips. Result!!!!! The game itself is pretty uneventful and I'm pretty tired, so after 3 or 4 hours I grab a couple of the guys we are with and head into town........to be continued........

I'm on my way to Manila!!!

It's 2.30am and I've just finished packing.

Going to drive to Blackpool to meet the guys from aworldofpoker.com. We have a taxi booked to go to Manchester airport. there we take Singapore Airlines for a 13 hour flight to Singapore, 3 hours in airport and then a 4.5hr flight to Manila.

Watch out Manila GiMac is coming!!!

p.s. If you want to follow my progress keep an eye on this blog or go to www.aworldofpoker.com in the Live Update Section or thenuts.tv.

I LOVE FISH!!!

So many times I hear people moaning about fish that have outdrawn them. So next time you are tempted to have a moan about some fish that got lucky, read this.

A Little Ditty By GiMac

Don't complain about the fish,
We love em.
Without them where would we be?
Swimming alone all hungry in the big wide open sea?
No I love the fish,
Bad beats and all.
Cos if they didn't play,
There'd be no dead money,
Which would not be funny
So long live the fish I say!!!!

p.s. GiMac say "Only a fish calls a fish a fish"

GiMac Qualifies For APT $1m gtd in Manila

WoW!!!!!!! So as promised, Monday got a whole lot better. I was still not feeling well, but had the APT final qualifier to play on PKR. With 99 runners and only 3 packages up for grabs, I knew it would be a tall order, but you got to be in it to win it, right? Anyway 6 hours later we were on the 5th place bubble, and with 3 x $5000 packages and £4800 for 4th up for grabs, nobody wanted to go out. But I made a spurious, some would say downright bad call when the SB pushed into my BB where I held the monster hand of 4 4. Fortunately his A2 didn't improve and we were 4 handed. I suggested that with such a small amount between 4th and a package that we all put in $50 and then we could all go. Everyone agreed, but some jobsworth at PKR Support said "No final table deals allowed". Of course I end up going out in 4th after my AQ is busted by KQ, but I tell them that I'm going anyway and PKR see sense the next day and send me an e-mail confirming that they would pay the $200 and make 4th prize up to a full package. Good on them, although $200 ain't a bad price to pay for me to wear their clothing for a few days.

As far as the event itself is concerned it's 10,000 starting chips 1 hour clock with a guaranteed prize pool of $1m, so first prize should be in region of $280-300k. As I said before you got to be in it to win it, so here's hoping.

So watch out Manila in the Phillipines, GiMac is on his way. Come on!!!!

PKR Bonus News!!!!

Before I tell you what happened on Monday, just a quick note to let you know that with my recent success on PKR I have managed to secure a super sign on bonus for anyone who signs up for PKR through the above banner!!!!

Now get ready for it but it's a 1st deposit match bonus of up to $2000!!!

Now I aint telling you this but, if you deposit and then immediately withdraw the funds, the bonus might just remain in place, well my reload bonus did this month, lol.

Anyway I hope someone can use the extra cash. Good luck all. GiMac.

A weekend of hell ends well.

Well Saturday rolled up to Grosvenor, Newcastle for the final regional leg of the APAT Northern Region league. Joint top I needed to finish ahead of my good friend Morlspin. With only 10 runners it was going to be tough and unfortunately I grind out with no hands lasting 7 levels before going out in 8th. Oh well never mind. Well done Morlspin on a good fight and great win.

Next I move across the road to Aspers, where i manaage to alternate into the £50 freezeout. I get sat on nice table and settle in to get some chips. Early on I get 2 limpers into my SB I push all in with 82, knowing they will pass, which they do and I show the bluff. These are the two guys I want to set up and now I just need a hand. The very next round, I get 3 limpers into my BB. I look down at JJ and raise it up. One of my targets on the button pushes all in. I know he isnt beating JJ, so I call. He has A6 and says "I thought you were making a move again", of course that's what he was supposed to think, lol. Unfortunately he hits an A on the turn and the lucky fish sends me to the rail. Oh well what can you do when you outplay someone and they get lucky? Whilst at Aspers I have Pollock and chips, it's normally nice but for some reason didnt quite taste right, more of that later.

Next I play the £30 freezeout. I get past the first break but after flopping a set and someone betting into me, a third player calls down on a gutshot and hits a straight on the river. Sick!

I move back across the road to the Grosvenor to pick up a cash game. There is a small £1/£2 game starting so i sit down with £50 and get involved in the SLOWEST and most boring cash game I have ever played. I grind out to £200 and get bad beat back down to £125, when my tiredness and boredom get the better of me and I donk of my cash.

So I head home to bed and the weekend gets worse. Less than an hour in bed and I'm on the toilet 4 times!!! The memory of Apsers fish comes back to me. It wasn't right after all. The next 10 hours are spent between bed and bathroom and I feel like crap.

At 6pm I venture downstairs, still feelin unwell, my laptop is flashing to remind me that I have qualified for a Satellite Final to the GUKPT Main Event in Newcastle. I feel horrible, I certainly don't feel like playing poker. I go for a wee drive to the shop for some supplies and a bit of fresh air. By the time I get back I feel a bit better, so decide to play it. JUST AS WELL!!!!

6 hours later I'm sitting there proud as punch, having won a $2750 package to the GUKPT Main Event in Newcastle. I drag my carcass back to bed.

Little did I know that Monday would get even better!!!!

Busy week at work

Been so busy with work haven't had time to update for a week, so here goes.

Didnt play much but summary of weeks results below:

29th April Tuesday €4k gtd on Virgin 5th for €260 ($415)

1st May
Wednesday away with work in Peterborough at the interestingly named Geothermal Drilling Show........not. Spent the evening watching Chelsea vs Liverpool in the Champions League. Chelsea won, but we were in the lap dancing bar by the end of extra time. Mind you didn't stay there long , as it was rank!!!

2nd May
Thursday €3k gtd on Virgin 8th for €136 ($215)
Thursday 3rd in AWOP League on Virgin for €40 ($60) and 18 points

To get a result in these two tournies was all the more impressive, considering I was watching Fiorentina vs Rangers in the semi-final of the Uefa Cup. The mighty Gers won on penalties, which was a bit nerve racking, but they make the final, which is in Manchester on 14th May.

3rd
Friday night off and early night as going to Edinburgh for APAT Scottish Open.


Report to follow........

Profit for week a paltry $220.

Back Online Again!!!

OK after taking a few days off from poker after a heavy session in Nottingham last weekend, I was back online Saturday.

Target Events

$4k Gtd on PKR
$100k Gtd on PKR

Win seat for Sunday Warm Up and Sunday Million on Poker Stars.

Won a seat for the Sunday Warm up early on for only 40 loyalty points, result!!!

The $100k starts and I'm sat at the tightest table I have ever sat on at PKR. Out of 449 runners I actually get sat next to Dave Knight a great player from the Newcastle where I play regularly. Not much action early on, I get QQ and take down a nice pot, then AK and hit then KK and take down another nice pot. I get moved and take down a monster pot when guy limps from cutoff. I make up SB with Jh9c, BB autofolds as he is sitting out. Flop comes 8c9h10c. I bet out, he re-raises, I push all in and he calls with J10, damn I'm behind. Turn comes 7c. Yes!!!! Now splitting. River 4c, and I take it down with a sick back door flush. This puts me up to 50k and I should have enough to get past the bubble. I bully my stack up to around 70k and am in cruise mode. Then this happens. I'm in BB and folds round to SB who calls. I look down at Ah10h and make a raise to 4k. SB pushes all in for 30k. My notes on him say "Italian fish who pushes with any 2 cards from blinds". I'm sure I am ahead and call. He has 9h4c, Flop comes 10c8c2h, I am monster favourite, but a club on the turn and a club on the river gives him a 4 high backdoor flush. This obviously damages my stack big time and I have to limp to the bubble with 50 players left. I cut loose after the bubble playing my usual small stack game. I manage to get to 16 players left and push all in with AJ, fish calls with A7 spikes a 7 on flop and I hit the rail. I get $1010 for 16th which isn't a bad return conisdering I satellited in for $2!!!

At the same time I finish on the bubble in the $4k gtd for £110 loss.

Profit for the night $900.

Gala Casino British Poker Tour Nottingham

Final Day

Arrive for 2nd day well rested after a great nights sleep, with the added bonus of hotel not charging me extra for a late checkout.

There are some big names still in with the likes of Dave Colclough, Ryan Fronda, Graeme Clarkson, Tom Rutter, Maria Demetriou, Jonathon Butters, and quite a few players left from the North East. I start the day 8th in chips on 79500 with average sitting at 52,200 and blinds at 1000/2000 and a running ante of 200.

I get sat on table 4 which looks like quite a tough table with seat 1 Jonothan Butters, Seat Two Thomas Rutter, Seat 3 P Hardy, Seat 4 Sam Wardlaw, Seat 5 R Plaistow, Seat 6 Ryan Fronda Seat 7 ME, Seat 8 Nichiei Hicks. But I am feeling good. Cards in the air and we're off.

2nd hand in Sam Wardlaw limps under the gun, I saw him make the same move the day before with AA and he gave off the same tells. I look down to see AK and am happy for the previous days knowledge and pass, he gets involved in a pot and I was correct he had AA. Very next hand I get AQ which i limp in with in early positionand have to pass to Butters re-raise which he shows AK with. So far so good. I get KK against a small stacks push with JQ and they hold up. putting me up to just over 100k. Not much action for the next couple of levels.

After the 1st break I get moved tables into seat 1, I have Graeme Clarkson on my left in seat 2, with daniel byrom in seat 4 and stuart Thompson in seat 5, dave maudlin gets moved into seat 6. We lose a few players and then Dave Maudlin raises to 15k with blinds at 2000/4000 with 400 ante, I look down to see KK, i raise to 45k and dave calls. Flop comes 9 6 6, Dave checks and i push all in. He thinks for an eternity and someone calls the clock on him. He calls with his 77 and my cowboys hold. A couple of hands later I raise from cutoff with AQ, Graeme Clarkson re-raises me, and I immediately put him on a pair probably 9'2, 10's or J's. deciding whether i want race when Daniel Byrom pushes all in from the BB. I pass and Graeme calls with his 10 10, Daniel has Ak and with the first card out K he takes down the pot. No A or Q and a lucky escape for me. We get past the bubble and after a long final table bubble I make it to the final table, but am short.

We are advi sed that Gala will buy the final table players an á la carte meal in the restaurant and after a fine feast of Filet Steak, Dauphinoise Potatoes and Spinach we make our way to the final table.

After the usual photos etc we settle down to start the final. I am the table short stack with 96k and blinds at 8000/16000 with 1500 ante. The blinds go through me and I get no hands, the BB reaches me again and I prepare to push with live cards. Stuart Thompson raises and Dave Maudlin pushes from the SB, I look at J 8 and decide to wait a hand. Stuart Thompson calls after a long deliberation with AQ and Dave shows AJ. Cool one player might go before me. Flop comes double paired and the two of them split the pot. Next hand someone pushes all in and I have to pass. Next hand I'm on button and decide that if it passes to me I'm pushing blind. It does and I push all in. Both blinds calls flop comes A2KQ 9, i announce i am blind and ask them to show what i need to outdraw. BB shows Q3, SB mucks, I turn over first card 8 and second card Q!!!! Split pot. I survive. Next hand I get AJ push all in and they all pass. Blinds come along again. Early raise from utg+1 I put him on JJ. I look down at Q8 but deicde to play, deciding that if A or Q comes I can push and he will probably pass. Flop comes A Q 2, I push and he calls with his AQ. Oops!!! Misread. Never mind $6000 for 9th place.

The tournament was won by Rupinder "George2Loose" Bedi. Well done George!!!

Profit for weekend $5750.