Well that could have gone better

It’s been a while since my last post, roughly six months. I’m not too sure why I stopped writing, but once the relative routine of making posts goes it seems there’s little chance of me starting again. This time I’ll try and keep it up. I very much doubt many people actually read this anyway, but I think a bit of blog-therapy seems to help put things in perspective, for me anyway. Sadly my gift in life wasn’t creative literacy, so I’m afraid you’ll have to cope yet again with my illiterate ramblings.

Around the time of my last post I was running pretty well. Well up in all forms of tournaments both live and online for the year. Statistically I don’t think I was running particularly amazingly, but after the spell that followed I’d have craved to win 40% or so of ‘coin-flips’. Around April/May that changed overnight online, if someone had outs, then they hit them. It’s amazing how hard it can hit your morale when thing go to shit, I still played the odd STT, but MTT’s I couldn’t face. I had a backing deal online, but with me not playing many MTT and running badly that ended. Still, at least live poker was still going al-right. For now.

My highlight of the year, so far, was down in Thanet. I went down with JJ to play the summer series down there. It consisted of a couple of £200 MTT’s and the £300 main. I played pretty well the whole series, winning one of the GUKPT side events, and ‘bubbling’ the final table in both of the other comps. Considering I’ve played very few GUKPT events this year I feel the 16^th in the London main, and the two other side event final tables is a pretty good return. Sadly illness has hampered me playing too many more GUKPT events this year.

Just finishing off the final table then became a theme for the next few months. At the International it happened in four or five competitions back to back. Sometimes I pushed too light, and others where I just got unlucky. Either way I became the bubble boy. Then came the ISSSP Festival at the International. I played the first event reasonably well, but then in the middle event I was awful, playing way too passively. The main was pretty forgettable as well. After that came Vegas. I was feeling a little unwell going out there, but fine to play poker. I then I proceeded to have a heartbreaking run out in Vegas. I finished just off the money in six events. Not cashing once, and to top it all I became very ill over the last few days. In the end I was glad to come home. The only thing that kept my morale up over in Vegas was winning in all bar one cash game session. This at least made it nearly a break-even trip.

I’ve felt pretty rough on and off since July with my Crohns which probably didn’t help my mood, but the poor run continued throughout the summer. During a four week spell in August/September I recorded the result of all my all-in pre flop ‘coin-flips’ Over that period I lost just over 84%. Even given that statistic I managed to win the £100 freezeout once and final table one of the GSOP festival events. A small relief in an otherwise pretty depressing period. To be honest my health hasn’t improved a huge amount. I’m still on various types of medication, and some days feel like there’s nothing wrong. Other days I feel like total crap.

I’ve missed out on so many social occasions over the last few months because of my health. It’s actually quite depressing in itself. I missed out on going to Ibiza for one of my best friends stag do. I missed out on ‘Chaztival’, a mini-festival a friend had spent a lot of time organising, and countless other birthdays and social occasions. Dismal. I went out on Saturday to a 40^th birthday, my first night out in weeks, and had a great time. Unfortunately I was wiped out by 10.30 and left early.

I’m still single. This is no great surprise. I’ve been out on just three dates this year, and none of them were particularly great. I guess if I don’t go out in the events except to play poker then it’s unlikely that’ll change in the near future! It would be nice to meet someone again, but I guess it’s up to me to make the effort.

Pokerwise there are plenty of upcoming events I want to play. The Players Championship (http://www.gutshot.com/bforum/showthread.php?t=37647) at the International and London Calling at the new Fox poker room. I’ve also qualified for the Champions of Champions on the GUKPT tour. This takes place at the start of December and should have a first prize around the £40k mark. That’ll do.

My form finally seems to have changed direction over the last month or so. I’m backed again online, and am committed to playing MTT’s at least four times a week. I’m playing mostly on Full Tilt and have had 4 final tables and several deep cashes recently. On average I’m still running a 70% ROI on Full Tilt across the year, even taking in to account my dismal summer. I want to ensure I also play live again at least once a week, and actually get out and socialise once a week.

On the health front I've finally given up smoking after 20-30 a day for 16 years. It was actually easier than I thought, though i definitely put on weight. I’ve started exercising everyday to start and get back into shape. I’d like to lose 10kg’s by the start of December. Maybe a little over optimistic, but I weigh 101kgs at the moment so it’s only a 10% loss. Is that a lot over two months?

That’s enough of my drivel for now anyway. I’ll try and update 2-3 times a week, and comments are always welcome.