Summertime. Well, nearly. Just got past the 20k barrier at 200nl, won a bit more here and there but im still defintely a bottom feeder compared to the rest of the balla uk poker community. Feels slightly depressing really but i guess it will come eventually. Time is a great test i guess. Went on a ridiculous downswing a couple of weeks ago, losing like 20 buyins in a week, maaarvellous. But i didnt panic, just realised what was pretty obvious, i was playing 6 tables like a bad robot, waiting for hands etcetc and not playing poker. My bad. So i cut back to 4 tables, turned off the tv and surpise suprise was winning again.

My student at the moment is an absolute revelation. I originally had some apprehension as he is spanish, but his english is perfect and he is just a really nice smart guy. Great to bounch ideas about with him and it was great that he was a regular in my games that looked for me, nice ego boost. Mikel when u see this can you coach me into making my showdown winnings line at least breakeven :) Im really pleased that he is having a sick heater of a month, he is learning so fast he wont need me anymore in a while, although i did get the better of him today :)

Played a few donkaments lately, the 5006max on stars was a cracking comp, shame me and my backer/coach boxerdean couldnt have gone further, ended up having trouble with maniacs to my left, bad seats are a nightmare in 6m and in this sort of comp is was even worse. Felt good for about 4 hours, but i need to work on my stamina. Talking about SCOOP, must mention Flushies truly sick run in the last week, making 3 finals, including the 5k plo8 and winning the 300 2dayer for in excess of 200k. Sick puppy. At least i know my ecoop stakes are safe for a year or too :) Unlucky to moorman too, who finalled this tonight only for a truly sick exit hand, im sure you can go find it either on blondepoker or on 2+2. I cant really comment as im sure there was a tonne of history and im probs biased but in the final of the 10k event in scoop i think the guy has made an enormous error, coming ott of moormans second barrel on a 3sKhJsJc board allin with A10 with moorman having invested 70% of his stack. Hmmmmmm, run that past me again, still hes probably a great so i shuld stfu.

My garden is done, thanks to lots of work from suz's mum and dad and zan herself, with obviously me carrying the lot of them (riiight....). We got some cool limestone paving now on the way to my "office" outside (think big swedish log cabin/shed) and im itching to get in now, that + the dog that should be arriving in the next couple of months will be awesome.


Blackbelt poker grading starts soon, iv saved up as much as i can for it on the pittance i earn so hopefully i can have a good crack which will let me compete in the longterm sustainably on the live scene and also in vegas this year. Would be fantastic for all of the things im involved with if i could be one of the 8 selected from the 50. Sadly, i think the competition will be pretty strong, so ill have to rely on cunning and backhanders to win the war!! Also, and no this is not a copout, but i think im in Cephalonia in week 4 when we are playing 400nl, so i might be able to fade that puppy :)

Insidepoker going well, i havent seen my boss for about 2 years but im still really enjoying writing about poker. Seems like in the last 2 years strategy has just reached a much higher level of thinking, probably aided by the emergence of a lot of intelligent young pros sharing ideas. I was thinking of wrting an extensive 6max guide, possibly in conjunction with insidepoker/blackbelt poker but someone pointed out to me it probably would have a shelflife of about 2 years given the way things are going. Still, i might do it if i get prompted :) I could write a good book :) Im playing more omaha lately, (bigup to chris noflops on a SCOOP final too! wp fella) and im enjoying a lot more after watching plo dojo and plo by whitelime and jman on deucescracked. Just feel like i have a better understanding of what im doing now (like in nlh u steal from the sb v a tag with a wide range, in plo thats dumb coz they defend wide with position and stacks..) which could be benefitial in the future.

Been luton a few times lately, but have not performed and honestly been card-dead for eternity. Cant get anything through there anymore either which is not ideal :(
Still, ill probably have a bash at their gukpt :)


So thats it, another update for the month. Next update will be house photos and other stuff. If you have any comments, derogatory or otherwise, come join the party.