Strange kind of evening, i could do no wrong till some idiot managed to get me to focus all my attention on our "converstation" in the chat box after i busted him. I was CL in the 20k for a bit, with 130k with 50 left. Podium, podium i hear you cry. Well, no. I screwed up a big stack through piss poor stack management and a bad laydown against and Uber-aggressive player. Made the second bubble, but unless its podium, who really gives a fuck. Played some 1/2NL and made a nice sum. Then lost a $600 pot when i flopped the nut str8 against 2 players, both with set's and the board paired.

Played a $200 satellite for the Holland EPT and couldnt really get started. Finally gifted a double up (some twat re-raises me all-in after im pot-commited with A10 v AK) and get up to 5k, which is really workable. I then execute another masterful display of fancy play syndrome and re-re-raise who i thought was a blind thief and a habitual calling station with A9 soooooted. QQ has a think aned then calls, and so does AA. Hows this for form, a lucky hit of 2 pair keeps me in the side pot (oh yeah, did i mention i went all-in!) and i get some chips, like 2k. Next hand, with my image just about to fall off a tree (ie ripe) i get AKs. An all-in bets gets insta-called by QJ for 1/2 his stakc. Q on river, gg alex, holland will have to wait.

In the 15k i got chips again before some eeeyaaawww calls an all-in re-raise with A9 v my ladies and gets duly whacked by a flop of AAA. At least i was spared the agony of a river suckout.

In the $25 $3500gtd i was doing fine, too fine. Got a heck of a lot of chips, bubble approaches and i make a tactical re-raise against a tight known player with the nut flush draw and 2 overs. He has a set and aint going no-where, but i have no problems with how i played the hand. He would lay down a lot of hands to me at that stage. After that im tired and do and Ivey, all-in every hand. Actually have some fine form, cracking JJ with 45o and another big hand with some junk. Then get JJ on the button and run into AA in the BB. Not bothered, need a lot of chips to podium these events, solid poker just doesnt get the "jerry mcguire esque..COIN" very often with 8 minute blind intervals and reasonable competition. You have to bully them into submission and let them realise you are gonna hurt them if they mess.

Going out with the lady tommorrow. Playing All of Sunday and i might even....cant believe im saying it...re-open an account on Party. Just think i should be getting my money onto the softest tables around and with the pending US shutdown of online poker, i reckon the gamblers will be out in force.
Going out in London on Sunday eve. Playing @ Gutshot with dave in the 50k gtd and then gonna go to a cool club.....if i can find one open @ 3am.

Tip of the Day. With a rolled up full house flopped (77 on a board of 733 seb ;) ) you should bet on the turn IF a draw becomes available in a multiway pot. IE board is 7s3c3h 4s. This way you get the drawing folks to pay for a card and also build the pot. If the river comes another flush/str8ing card that you think your opponent had hit, ALWAYS bet pot-sized (or more if he's shite) into him on the river (assuming you can). For some reason when ppl are drawing to a hand and then hit it on the river, esp if the pot is large, they go fukit all-in). Worked twice this evening, both pots $250+.

I would advise infact that you lead out with all your sets/nut str8's etc on the flop if there has been no preflop raise. Its when they play back at you with an overpair- THATS when you make your money and earn your crust. Not the little 2/3 pot continuation bets with AK on a flop of Q47r. IMO maximising the winnings you make from your bigbig hands is the art to cash games. Bluffing (on the internet) should be forgotten entirely unless the turn and river really make a dangerous board and your opponent shows weakness. Inducing the bluff is another matter and is highly profitable at .50/1 and 1/2 NL.
Also, the power of simply calling is underrated. Just be certain you flat call with a good but non-nut hand on the river. Time and again i see ppl check/raising on the river with hands that are strong, but non-nut. The only hand that calls you losing will be in nevernever land if your opponent has an inkling. Induce the bluff, then CALL.

GL all and i should warn you im about to do a Gatsby and pimp my blog out to a whole ton of sites. Im working on the SnG pdf file, gonna get an old uni mate to help me, i aint that technical.

Really enjoying writing this, that Snoopy from Blondpoker has a wicked job!!

GL all, and Congrats to Vicky Coren...but really, how did they let a woman win?