Shopping

I popped back onto my old site on Thursday night, after yet another loss at the Party PLO8 tables. I sat down for a NLHE heads-up freezeout and got dealt AA on my first hand. Now that’s a ‘welcome back’ bonus!

I won 5 out of 6 matches, losing a 55/45 coinflip all-in for my sole defeat. I didn’t make much because I played real small, but it was enjoyable and a nice change of pace to be playing almost every hand, using cunning and aggression and nerve as opposed to the highly mathematical and disciplined world of O8.

I went away for the weekend, back up north to catch up with old friends (sadly, my ex was out of town). It was fun, and it’s always kind of nice to go a couple of days without playing. I did some shopping, which is very rare for me; a new pair of trainers, a DVD and a rather cool, bargain-priced digital video/still camera with which I am in love.

We also ventured to a gay club on Saturday night. I’ve been a couple of times before and had a blast, but the music was dreadful this time. You don’t realise how big a role the music plays in making a good night, until it sucks. Heaping on the disappointment, I didn’t get chatted up even once! (No I’m not, by the way, but its always flattering…). I think I may have witnessed my first man-on-man blow job in the toilets, but I’m not sure ‘cause I didn’t look twice.

The rest of the weekend mainly involved listening to all the late 80’s/early 90’s music that we remember so fondly, and me rediscovering ‘Calvin & Hobbes’.

Yesterday, Bank Holiday Monday, I played a fair bit of PLO8 and had a nice result. It kicked off with a decent pot where I only had 44% equity when the money went in on the flop, but I scooped. About bloody time! Besides that, I played pretty well and with supreme discipline. There can’t be another form of poker where good folds are more important and have to be made so often.

Finally, I ought to give my capsule reviews of the three poker books I bought in Canada.

‘The Making of a Poker Player’ by Matt Matros (pronounced ‘May-tros’ by the way) is excellent. Easy to read, entertaining and interesting. I must go back and read some of the game theory passages again. Its not stuff that will engage somebody already into game theory and with strong maths skills, but gives the layman a tantalising glimpse of that stuff. I rate books by the likelihood of me selling them on eBay at a later date. 1% in this case.

‘Championship Omaha’ by McEvoy and Cloutier. Yuk. This one did nothing for me. I hoped, having enjoyed ‘According to Doyle’ so much, that TJ’s Tales at the back might at least be worthwhile – but they are completely dull and only lead you to wonder why you seem to have to be a paid killer for TJ to deem you ‘a character’. On top of that, McEvoy trots out his ‘see you in the winner’s circle’ schtick at least twice. It is a mystery to me how Bob Ciaffone could have had any involvement in this shallow and unenlightening book. My eBay rating: 90%

‘Poker: The Real Deal’ by Phil Gordon. I quite enjoyed this, although I haven’t read every chapter. Gordon writes in a nice, humorous style that makes for a good light read. It is, though, a typical 'poker-boom' book in that is going to be of most interest and value to the beginner. Having said which, Gordon throws in a few interesting quizzes that should get most people thinking a bit, about seat selection and such. My eBay rating: 25%