Currently working on a web site project for myself that I am hoping to have released in a few months. Cant really say much about it at the moment because it is like no other site out there at the moment and want to be first to market. When I have finished the project and get it riunning I will probably ask for some beta testers from the CR forums. Not played much poker recently I am not sure if I can just play for fun as poker is starting to get boring for me especially playing for 0.10c and winning a max of 45c per stt. Plus I have been working on this project so dont have much time to play poker.

Quit my job a few week ago hoping I could get contract work. Had a lot of interest offering me full time work but nothing on the contract side. Going to leave it another month and then look at maybe going for a permenent roll again. Disapointed really as dont really want to go permenent . I probably could move down to London and get a job contracting but did not really want to make such a big move. I will have to consider my options next week as dont really want to be out of work.

Mark.

Like I said in my last blog I am now going to start playing for fun What I am doing at the moment is trying to make a bankroll from nothing.

I played a freeroll on DoylesRoom and won around 2 dollers I played a few 0.09+ 0,01 stts and got my stack up to $3 then I played a cash game where I lost $2 so was down to $1. I then played a few more of the low stt's and was down to my last 10c and managed to win the stt. I am back up to $1 now and going to keep playing the low stt's. I dont think I am going to try the cash games again. I am going to just play stt's to build up the backroll. When I have built up my bankroll to $3 I am going to have one go at the $1 stt. If I lose that I will keep playing the really low ones until I get to $3 again.

Wish me luck

Mark.

I have decided I am not going to try and make money at poker any more and just play the game as I originally did and that is to play poker for fun. The problem I have is when I am trying to make money from poker I always think that I am not making enough money playing at the lower limits and always want to go to the limits where I can make the same per hour as I do in my full time job. I started playing again last night at the lowest limits and lost but this did not bother me as I enjoyed the game much more and made all the right decisions I think. There was two hands I think I should have gotton away from but not sure. I am now going to myself goal in the number of hands I can play at each level. I think a good number is about 20k per level and only after I have completed this number of hands am I going to move up to the next level in my backroll allows it. In the past I have played about 2k hands at a level and had a good run and moved up levels I have never really stuck to one level and always tried to move up quickly. This is obviousliy not working as I keep losing when moving up and dont move down when I lose. I belive I am quite good at poker and played in games up to 3/6 where I belive I was the best player at the table. I have won many MTTs both live and online my biggest win was $22000 online and live it is about $10000.

Below is the hand that virtaully knocked me out of the tornement win this hand and I have some chips to play with. Cant remember dwelling on the reraise allin even if I did its not a very nice board and taking a little time with 3 other players in the pot is not bad and not sure why they think my reraise all in to discourage more callers in bad because the pot is so big I dont want any more callers.

One of four limpers, who then called a preflop raise and saw a flop of , El Blondie in latest position moved in for around 15,000 when it checked to him.
The pot was a tasty 16k, but it looked like he was getting called when Mark Raymer gave it the dwell... not entirely sure what that was all about as he eventually discouraged further callers by moving all in with his set of Jacks.
Dave showed: against Mark's .
Turn:
River: ! Gutshot-tastic. A much healthier 30k+ now in DC's stack.

OK I busted my roll again playing cash I just cant get my head around it so started playing stts, I deposited $50 on full tilt and played some $2 heads up sit and goes. I moved up to the $5 heads up but was not doing to well so started to play the 6 and 9 man stts and did ok. I am now currently playing the $20 stts. Here is the full list of stts I have played this weekend. I have only been 2 somtimes 3 tables and doing ok.

Went to the casino on friday night and played in the cash game. I think I won one hand the hole night but lost quite a bit of money.

The big pots I lost are as follows.

The game is £2/2 NL370

I have AK on the button there are 4 limpers and I raise to £18

I get 2 callers.

Flop comes K J 7 rainbow

First player checks next play bets £20 he has played virtully every hand at the table but only calls pre.

I reraise to £80 first play folds the donk better calls.

Next card is 6 and he just goes all in for about £100 he starts showing the player next to him his hand. I call and he shows k6 I do not improve. Someone said I could have got his hand mucked because he was showing other players but I just left it.

Next hand I lost big on.

I have about £250 in front of me.

I have qq UTG and raise to £16 and get 3 callers including the donk from the previous hand.

Flop comes Jd 3d 5c. the donk from before best £10 I raise to £80 all other players fold then the donk goes all in he covers. I call and he show kd 2d you guessed it 4d was the next card.

So left the casino and now have very little money left for the month guess I was playing with too much money on the table but deposited on full tilt and currently playing sit ang goes and doing ok.

Mark,

Today I have quit my job (no I am not planning on playing poker full time). I have been in the job for just under 10 years when I leave it will probs be about 1 week less than 10years. I have made many friends at the company who I will be keeping contract with. I am planning on going contracting I have looked into it and I can make around double what I am currently earning. This is a very worrying time as I currently dont have another job lined up as when contracting they require you to be availalbe in the next 2 weeks and my notice period is 4 weeks. So hopefully I can get a new job withing the next few weeks.

I am planning to deposit again tonight on full tilt. My plan is is deposit $600 and play $100 no limit. I know if is not a big enough bank roll but If I lost it then I can put in more. So no big deal. I have just ordered two books which will hopefully help.

The Poker Mindset: Essential Attitudes for Poker Success

Elements of Poker Tommy Angelo (Recommended by Verneer).

Mark.

Did not win any money at poker for my holiday but had a great time in bangkok pattaya and phucket. Now in the new year I have decided that I want to start looking for a new job. Going to go contracting and hopefully double the amount of money I am earning now. I have decided to quit my job on monday and then start looking for contracts. I am hoping that I can at sometime in the next few years get a job in singapore or hong kong or somewhere else in asia.

I am completly busto at poker at the moment, I dont think I am a bad player just have tilt issues and dont have the ability to lay down hands when I know I am beat. I am going to focus more on poker in the next few months and try and make a real go of that. Maybe after I have had my first 3 months contract I wont need another because I will be able to support myself playing poker but I doubt that very much. We can all dream.

Mark.

Got home last night from work and played some 50NL while watching the Manchester United football game. I had free entry to a 100k MTT so played that but got knocked out about 500th place (out of 1000). I then played some 50nl on party and lost 2 BI's pritty quickly. So I logged out of party and watched the end of the fooball match with a few beers. Once the match had finished I played on CdPoker where I managed to win $600. I am now felling I can make this money for my holiday.

Current Bankroll

Party $550

CdPoker $800

Total 1350 Target $6000 Left $4650 Days 28. Average Day. $166

Currently I have won enough for my flight.

Need another $1000 for my Hotels.

Then $3500 spending money which is quite a lot and could manage on $2500..

Still a lot to do and I dont think I will have the full 28Days as I will need time to cash out my winnings. I still have money in resever as I have another pay day before I go away.

Mark.

Went to bangkok a few weeks ago and really enjoyed it. Lets just say I am going to going again over new year.

I have booked the flights to bangkok again on the 26 and return on the 12th. I have still yet to book my hotel but looking at aroung £20 per night for that. I am also going to need to have about £1500 spending money at least.

I had emptied all my poker accounts to pay for my previous holiday to bangkok so when I returned I had hardly any money. Two poker sites give me some free money ParyPoker and CDPOker. Party give me $25 I have managed to work this up to $650. CDPOker give me £10 and I have managed to work this up to £100. I am playing $50nl on both sites. I am hoping to win about £3000 before my holiday.

I have changed the way I approch poker. I have now given myself a 2BI stop loss. If I lose 2BI I stop for the day and this has helped with my tilt levels. I have also been playing a lot less. I used to get home form work turn on my computer and play poker untill I went to sleep between 2 - 4am. I am now playing poker in 1 hour sessions having a rest of at least 1 hour between sessions (Unless it is a real jucy game). I think this is also helping my tilt levels and allowing me to play my A game more often. I have also been going to bed a lot earlier between 11pm and 1am.

I am hoping the above will now turn me into a more consistant player.

Money for holiday.

won £400 in 10 days

29 days to go and £2600

Average needed per day £90

I will be able to use my wages if I dont make the above but the above is a nice goal.

Mark.

I busted my previous online balance playing stupid limits and tilting again. I have to stop this. I have started playing on stars deposited $600 and played 2/4 yes I know way above my back roll again but hey I was gambeling. I have now managed to work my way up to $3200 and am playing 1/2 which is a little better bank roll management. Played live on Sunday and played ok won about £50..A funny hand happend blinds are £2/2 and I am UTG+1 and raise to £7 I get 3 callers. Then the SB raises it to £14 why I have never understood this type of bet if 4 players are in for £7 already no one is going to fold for another £7. You are also at the worst position at the table and should only really be raising a few hands in this position and you should also be raising a lot more. He was sort stacked so if he was going to raise I would have just stuck it in. He had about £40. Enough ranting back to the action. The BB calls the £12 and the action get back to me where I put in £100. The action fold around to the SB who calls with hit £40 and the BB fold. He then say can you beat KK and starts laughing. Anyway the board comes something like K 2 9 J 4 I say if you got KK you win he then goes on to say that he never said he KK just asked if I could beat KK. I show my hand and take the pot. He then shows K J and says how lucky I am to hit the case J. He keeps going on for the next hour how unlucky he is. I think to myself you are not unlucky your just dont know how to play poker.

Mark