April 2011 Review

For the Americans it was the month of Black Friday. The impact and repercussions are wide and affect all of us in one way or another.

For non-US players traffic has dropped significantly making it tough for many at higher stakes to find enough games. The effect on my games seems small and in most part it is Business as usual.

One thing I talked about last month was a bad tilt problem that I had picked up. This is now sorted and I am very relaxed making big lay downs and when I take bad beats. I think only 16 tabling had taken a lot of stress away. Game on.....

I have dabbled a lot in omaha this month, racking up over 3000 hands. This is a serious tilt inducing game. It's more complex than holdem and I am keen to develop my skills in this game as I continue to aim for 500k VPPs in 2011.

I want to spend May building really good notes on all the regulars at NL100. I have already got great info on many and have identified a few spew monkeys who seem to be gold mines. I will now step up my pace and target $3,000 in winnings with 160,000 hands next month

I didn't play any Tournis in April but with SCOOP starting next month I will play a few events as I have 3 tickets already. I also have a ticket for the Game Of Your Life promo. In addition I am going to try some live cash games. I haven't played live once this year but have been inspired by all the reports that are emerging on the forums from Americans who have switched. It seems that an online players ability should far exceed that of the average live player.

I am now away for the weekend so there will be no more play this month


The final numbers for April are as follows:

103,000 Hands Played
26,522VPPs

+$2,836 (Cash Game Winnings)
+$80 (April Fools Day Bonus $16 x5)
+$200 (Stellar Rewards)
+$200 (SCOOP Bonus)
+$1,500 (FPP Cash Bonus)
-$50 (Flippament on 2+2)
--------------------------------------------------------------------
+$4,766 (Total Month)


The Ytd numbers as at the end of April are as follows:

459,000 Hands Played
122,337 VPPs

-$1,214 - Jan
+$1,075 - Feb
+$722 - Mar
+$4,766 - Apr
--------------------------------------------------------------------
+$5,349 (Total YTD)


All the best to the new crop of live players....

So far so good for April 2011

Tomorrow will most likely be my last days play for this month as I am away for the weekend. I may get in a small session on Friday morning before I leave. Here is a quick graph of the month's results:

Cartoonised: Before and After Black Friday

Through all the doom and gloom surrounding Black Friday there has emerged some comedy on the twoplustwo forum. A thread was started which pictured a happy cartoon grinder drawn using MS Paint.

It is split into 2 parts. In the first part he is busy playing 16 tables with a smile on his face. The second pic depicts what happens in his life the following day when poker was insta shut down in USA.

The OP then left a blank template for other users to create their own depictions of life before and after Black Friday. The before pic is essentially the same for all with a few text/ facial variations. The second part is blank for everyone to create their own master piece. What ensued was one of the funniest and most epic threads that I have seen to date. It's so big now the I have given up on following it due to the time its taking to keep up with it. I read the first 8 Pages or so (800 Posts). Here is the link and some of the best pics:

MS Paint thread on twoplustwo

Spew Monkey

I am really tempted to expose the name of the Regular who played this hand. I won't however as I want to play a lot more hands with him in the coming days and it's probably not the right thing to do

The way I played this hand is based mainly on one factor..... notes

I hadn't played with this dude for ages and forgot how bad he is. He had the old Green Tag however which always gets you rubbing your hands together

I will give my thought process after easch street


Poker Stars $100.00 No Limit Hold'em - 8 players

MP1: $157.35
MP2: $50.00
CO: $34.50
BTN: $102.50
SB: $54.95
BB: $111.60
UTG: $106.05
Hero (UTG+1): $112.75

Pre Flop: ($1.50) Hero is UTG+1 with Q K
1 fold, Hero raises to $3, 3 folds, BTN calls $3, 1 fold, BB calls $2

Nothing much to say here, KQs and I open 3x..... standard


Flop: ($9.50) J J 6 (3 players)
BB bets $6.50, Hero calls $6.50, BTN folds

Villain comes out insta betting and I now have a choice to make. I have 2 over cards and the flush draw and this is usually a raise. However there is a player yet to act. If the villain has a Jack I think I am around 30% favourite to catch my flush if we get it all in. I decide to smooth call. The 3rd player folds


Turn: ($22.50) T (2 players)
BB bets $22.00, Hero calls $22

Villain Insta bets faster than the speed of light. I mean it was like he had auto bet or something from a script program.

Now I have just hit my flush with the draw to the royal but I am far from happy. I don't think he would have played 66 so fast on the flop with the original raiser and another player left to act. If he calls pre with a J in his hand, the other card is likely a 9, T, Q, K or A. JT just completed his full house.

His bet sizing is really interesting and I am not sure what to make of it. Looks like he wants me to fold. Surely he would bet less with the stone cold nuts???? Against a lot of regs I would probably fold here

It was at this point that I decided to check if I had any notes on him... and I did. I had written 2 words, 'Spew Monkey', lol. He probably has a jack and no full house, I call.


River: ($66.50) A (2 players)
BB bets $80.10, Hero calls $80.10

The River is not a great card either for me as AJ just completed his full house. He overbets AI and again its instant with no thought what so ever. Now at NL100 when a reg does this, he has it, simplez. I fold here almost 100% of the time to a Reg.

I tanked and tanked and kept looking at the words 'Spew Monkey' calling out to me and made a crying call.... BOOOM , he had 99 and had gone crazy.


Final Board:  J J 6TA
Final Pot: $226.70

BB shows 9 9
Hero shows Q K

Hero wins $223.70
(Rake: $3.00)


Please feel free comment on how bad my thought process is........

Black Friday.....15.04.2011

Yesterday the 3 largest poker sites were indicted and closed down to American players by the FBI.

Executives at PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker, Absolute Poker were charged with various offences including bank fraud and money laundering.

This is a terrible blow to all the online pros from the states who have effectively lost their jobs overnight.

This development affects all of us however as traffic volume will decline worldwide.

I'm not sure how the game quality will change until I grind today or tomorrow but this is pretty bad news for the industry which has thrived over the last 10 years

Panic has ensued in the poker community with particular reference to monies held on site accounts and whether they will be lost or not. Pokerstars released a brief statement to non-u.s players reassuring them that it will be business as usual for their games. I hope this is the case. I will still withdraw some extra cash tomorrow as a precaution

Poker will always have an uncertain future and as a poker pro you just have to accept that and be ready to move on in a blink of an eye. I'm sure people like Doyle Brunson can relate to you far worse stories of how things used to be as a poker pro when there was no online world.... bare that in mind

Even through the uncertainty there is one thing that is for sure

Poker will never die......

Watch Out For Cheats In Your Home Game

We all love a home game from time to time. They are fun, social events that usually only play for small stakes. However did you ever wonder about the new guy that turned up..... you know the mate of a mate. He seems ok but knows how deal and shuffle really well, like a pro.....

Keep your eyes open because he may well be a card cheat:

Back 2 Back Supernova VIP

Today I have made Supernova VIP for second time in consecutive years.

Maybe next year if poker is still alive I will go for Elite!!

At this rate I will hit 400k VPPs for the year. I want to push to get 500k VPPs and as I am now playing NL100 this should be achieveable

Lets see if I can make some money by keeping the fish in pots

Poker Stars $100.00 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players

MP1: $100.00
MP2: $55.70
CO: $139.15
BTN: $63.90
Hero (SB): $100.00
BB: $62.70
UTG: $125.75
UTG+1: $34.45
UTG+2: $54.60

Pre Flop: ($1.50) Hero is SB with K K
3 folds, MP1 raises to $3, 2 folds, BTN raises to $10.50, Hero calls $10, 1 fold, MP1 calls $7.50

Flop: ($32.50) 4 5 5 (3 players)
Hero checks, MP1 checks, BTN bets $15.45, Hero calls $15.45, MP1 raises to $89.50, BTN calls $37.95 all in, Hero calls $74.05

Turn: ($264.90) 8 (3 players - 1 is all in)

River: ($264.90) 3 (3 players - 1 is all in)


Final Pot: $264.90

MP1 shows Q Q
BTN shows Q A
Hero shows K K

Hero wins $189.70
(Rake: $3.00)



Unfortunately going up against the 77/26 Maniac doesn't always pay dividends as they flop straights when I am an 86% favourite to win the pot. If only I could run at EV sometimes!

Poker Stars $100.00 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players

UTG: $100.00
UTG+1: $200.50
UTG+2: $51.50
MP1: $100.00
MP2: $100.00
Hero (CO): $102.90
BTN: $246.85
SB: $24.75
BB: $45.00

Pre Flop: ($1.50) Hero is CO with Q Q
3 folds, MP1 raises to $3, MP2 calls $3, Hero raises to $12, BTN raises to $246.85, 4 folds, Hero calls $90.90 all in

Flop: ($213.30) 7 8 9 (2 players - 1 is all in)

Turn: ($213.30) A (2 players - 1 is all in)

River: ($213.30) 7 (2 players - 1 is all in)


Final Pot: $213.30

Hero shows Q Q
BTN shows T J

BTN wins $210.30
(Rake: $3.00)