Friday, March 11, 2005

Hurricane Higgins

I’m playing well at the moment, and also think I am getting to grips with PLO8 at last - I’ve played smaller in order to try out a few things and feel I have learnt some things.I’m not really playing enough hours as I’m quite busy socially, but have received a little financial bonus this week which takes the pressure off somewhat.

I really need to pull together my records for the past three weeks; I fell back into scrawling each session on a different scrap of paper or old envelope. I’m particularly interested in totting up my heads-up results, where I think I am winning at least two thirds of matches and making an ok hourly rate when you consider how short the encounters often are.

Finally, just a note on tournament poker and the oft-debated issue of deal-making. There are those who feel it should not be allowed - or at least should be reported as having happened - in the interests of the image/integrity of the game. I have heard it suggested by other people that in fact deal-making might go in other sports, such as golf, behind the scenes.

Well, I recently read a biography of Alex Higgins (80’s snooker superstar) which described a deal between Higgins and his opponent in the final of a tournament, more or less along the lines of splitting the money and playing for the trophy. Why should we assume sportsmen have changed since then?

Monday, March 07, 2005

A swift couple of pints

Just before my friend and I left the pub last night (I was buying the drinks; the penalty of having friends even poorer than me) the jukebox began playing 'Achey Breaky Heart' by Billy Ray Cyrus. I guess its a good way to empty a bar. Strangely catchy tune though. and it made me think of the late Bill Hicks and his idea for a TV pilot that, to my knowledge, never got made.

I am playing good poker. I am pleased with the way I have picked myself up off the floor after that disastreous episode of alcoholic tilt, and have more than tripled the bankroll I had left in the past five days without playing many hours. My new-found tournament approach - there's no great mystery, just a willingness to take more risks in pursuit of a big stack - yielded second place in a two-table sit and go yesterday. I played nearly faultless again, I reckon, but then tanked the heads-up by seeking to finish it off too quickly when in fact the blinds didn't demand it.

Today's action saw me win a couple heads-up freezeouts, go out first hand in another two-table event (walkin' back to Houston, oops) , continue playing well despite losing in Pot Limit Omaha until eventually being nicely up when the table broke up, and finally post a reasonable win in a quick half-hour of PLO8. I say finally, I guess there may be more later.

I read the Moneymaker book, and would recommend it. It isn't earth-shattering but is a nice easy read and a lovely story set against he and his wife's debts and such. I think I preferred it to 'Positively Fifth Street' by McManus which I found somewhat over-written (and over-rated).

Now I'm into 'Super System 2' and am enjoying it. If nothing else there's a ton of pages there, manna to a very fast reader like myself.