Harebrained November Challenge - from £17.15 to Priority?

Jac35

May I ask questions?

Most scary - Trumps speech or being check raised from the bb after you've cbet AK on a A 6 2 flop?

Secret Seven or Famous Five?

Writing about poker or tennis?

Great book deal or 6 tabling and crushing 200nl?

Kylie, Paula Yates or Helena Christiensen?

SR23

In Response to Re: Harebrained November Challenge - from £17.15 to Priority?:

Enjoying the read SR.   Oz Open picks?  Did you see Federer this morning, truly incredible.  Nice to see a few Brits going deep into the draw.  Can't see Evo beating Tsonga but then again I didn't think he would beat Cilic. See you at the tables soon and gl with the run better.
Posted by Donttelmum

Hey Dtm, good to have you around these parts and thanks for the good wishes. Federer was indeed (surprisingly?) incredible. As for Aus Open picks...I'm a bit of a tennis betting fish, to be honest. This is good though, my Norwegian editor likes me to go on "journeys" - i.e. going from someone who is a little green when it comes to betting on tennis to something of an authority. Something like that, I think. That's what we did with poker, at least. Arguably, I'm still green. 

The good thing is that I get to buy and read "String Theory" buy David Foster Wallace. He's the best tennis writer of all time, according to the NY Times. I can claim it as expenses. And can claim it as one of the 100 books I'm planning to read this year. Let me know if you'd be interested in reading it and I'll send it to you when done. Peace out. 

SR23

In Response to Re: Harebrained November Challenge - from £17.15 to Priority?:

May I ask questions? Most scary - Trumps speech or being check raised from the bb after you've cbet AK on a A 6 2 flop? Secret Seven or Famous Five? Writing about poker or tennis? Great book deal or 6 tabling and crushing 200nl? Kylie, Paula Yates or Helena Christiensen?
Posted by Jac35

1. Yes*

2. Trumpy's speech, which I found simultaneously bonkers, stupid and chilling. Who knows, though, he may turn out to be the nuts. **

3. Erm, I've read neither and I really like your next two questions, so...

4. I really like writing about poker, even though I cringe when I look over some of my earlier stuff. If it was, say, 2005 and there was a ton of work floating around I could probably earn the salary of a GP or an airline pilot as I can dash of poker articles reasonably quickly and to an okay standard. But it's not 2005, it's 2017, and the demand for this kind of thing has shrunk. My hourly rate used to be ace, but unfortunately I only (genuinely) used to work for a couple of hours a week on poker writing. I've not written about tennis. I am looking forward to writing about tennis. 

5. Great book deal, ainec. Ideally, great book deal and crushing £1-2/£2-5 live 3-4 times a week. Can I have that, please? Thanks. 

6. I used to love Helena Christiensen as a 16 year old boy. Much prefer her as a 40-something woman, though. Ha! See? See the standard of humour around here? Please come back soon. 

*this red is to denote how enthusiastic I am to be answering questions

** he won't turn out to be the nuts

Jac35

Erm, I've read neither What?

Next you'll be telling me that you've never watched Mary Poppins and that you didn't cry when Charlene and Scot got married.

SR23

Ha, I haven't. 

But did.

Donttelmum

In Response to Re: Harebrained November Challenge - from £17.15 to Priority?:

In Response to Re: Harebrained November Challenge - from £17.15 to Priority? : Hey Dtm, good to have you around these parts and thanks for the good wishes. Federer was indeed (surprisingly?) incredible. As for Aus Open picks...I'm a bit of a tennis betting fish, to be honest. This is good though, my Norwegian editor likes me to go on "journeys" - i.e. going from someone who is a little green when it comes to betting on tennis to something of an authority. Something like that, I think. That's what we did with poker, at least. Arguably, I'm still green.  The good thing is that I get to buy and read "String Theory" buy David Foster Wallace. He's the best tennis writer of all time, according to the NY Times. I can claim it as expenses. And can claim it as one of the 100 books I'm planning to read this year. Let me know if you'd be interested in reading it and I'll send it to you when done. Peace out. 
Posted by SR23

I am Fed's number one fan so I just ment after such a long lay off and the standards he has set in days gone by.

I'd love to read it.  Any excuse not to read poker start.

Watching the Oz Open is messing up my poker/sleep pattern even more than usual.  Is the best plan to start watching at midnight and last aslong as you can or get an early night and wake up early and watch untill after midday?

tomgoodun

Great to see you back posting Steven Ratcliffe age 23

Not so great to read of your current downers, don't sob into cornflakes they are best when crunchy.

Struggling giving up the cigs? Try E.cigs - it's similar to giving up but you still get the nicotine hit without all the horrible poisonous chemicals ( note, nicotine may be poisonous, but that's the balance

Do you think it's possible to say who is the best male tennis player of all time is? Who would be in your top 5?

Federer,Djokovic,McCenroe,Connors,n that left handed bloke in the 60's I can't remember.

Good luck on the book deal stuff.

  

I haven't read famous five, secret seven either, think I was doing other things as a kid/teenager.

SR23

In Response to Re: Harebrained November Challenge - from £17.15 to Priority?:

In Response to Re: Harebrained November Challenge - from £17.15 to Priority? : I am Fed's number one fan so I just ment after such a long lay off and the standards he has set in days gone by. I'd love to read it.  Any excuse not to read poker start. Watching the Oz Open is messing up my poker/sleep pattern even more than usual.  Is the best plan to start watching at midnight and last aslong as you can or get an early night and wake up early and watch untill after midday?
Posted by Donttelmum

Cool, I'll DM you and pop a copy in the post once bought and read. 

How about: watch from midnight, sleep four-five hours, watch more, siesta. Incidentally, a few years ago I wrote a couple of pieces on trying out the Da Vinci sleep cycle - essentially sleeping 20 minutes every three hours. I got a ton of work done but felt non-human throughout and kept going to leave the house without shoes on. 

SR23

In Response to Re: Harebrained November Challenge - from £17.15 to Priority?:

Great to see you back posting Steven Ratcliffe age 23 Not so great to read of your current downers, don't sob into cornflakes they are best when crunchy. Struggling giving up the cigs? Try E.cigs - it's similar to giving up but you still get the nicotine hit without all the horrible poisonous chemicals ( note, nicotine may be poisonous, but that's the balance Do you think it's possible to say who is the best male tennis player of all time is? Who would be in your top 5? Federer,Djokovic,McCenroe,Connors,n that left handed bloke in the 60's I can't remember. Good luck on the book deal stuff.    I haven't read famous five, secret seven either, think I was doing other things as a kid/teenager.
Posted by tomgoodun

Cracking message, thanks Tom. 

Rod Laver? Is he the left-handed bloke in the 60s? Think the others are good shouts and reckon Federer is probably the greatest - just love his fluidity. 

At the moment I'm smoking disposable e-cigs and then real cigarettes after sundown - but only a handful. I know, not ideal, but it's better than a pack a day. 

Enut

Federer is the closest thing to ballet on a tennis court, he just glides about effortlessly, the best player of all time IMO. I would like to say he is my tip for the Aussie Open now given that Dyoky and Muzza are out but I wouldn't like to curse him.

I know a tennis commentator/journalist who seems to have a lovely job travelling the world following the tour. He has also written a biography on Feds, nice work if you can get it!

SR23

Nice post. 

There's a wicked clip on youtube of Federer practicing where he knocks it to his hitting partner and is already pulling a ball out of his pocket before the return has been hit. Predictably his opponent's shot hits the net (but is only a few inches off not clearing it). He must have seen something amiss in his hitting partner's preparation to strike the ball. Class. 

Anyway, poker. I flopped quads the other day with AA. It was a thing of beauty. Even more beautifully, villain hit runner runner for a straight, so I got his stack. More of this kind of stuff please, poker gods. 

SR23

A few hands from the last 24 hours:

Hand 1. I check out of position on JJ3 flop with AJs. Opponent shoves 91 bigs into 28bb pot. He has 99. The turn gives me quads.

Hand 2. I 4-bet (big) on the button with AA. Small blind cold calls. I bet 3/4's pot on Q98r, he shoves, I call. His A9s gets there on the river.

Hand 3. I limp along on button with A3o (eurgh). Flop: A63r (not eurgh). Splashy opponent bets pot, I raise, he calls. Turn: T. Opponent pots it, I shove, he calls and his 32o is drawing dead. 

Hand 4. Family pot on a colourful table and I limp along in the small blind with J8 (disgusting). Flop: J86r (not disgusting). I check-raise biggish and get called. Turn: 6. I bet around 3/4's pot, get called. Have less than a half-size pot bet behind and so cram it in his filthy little eye on a 9 river. He tanks and tanks and tanks and tanks and calls with...T7. Same villain as in Hand 3. 

Hand 5. I 3-bet with KK and lead on a KQJ duotone flop. Opponent jams £18.63 into a £3.68 pot. His KQ is drawing dead on an 8 turn. 

Hand 6. Villain limps blind v blind and I check with 94hh. Flop: A63hhd. He checks, I bet 3/4's pot, he calls. Turn: 5h. He checks, I bet 3/4's pot, he calls. River 7d. He checks, I bet 3/4's pot, he calls with 52o. 

Chatbox:

him: learn to play

me: me?

him: you played that so bad.

me: okay, cool.

him: EVERYONE PLAY HANDS AGAINST SR23 HE IS TERRIBLE

So, yes, hands. Judging from the above, reports of the death of online poker have been greatly exaggerated. Bankroll is heading upwards, albeit erratically. More of the same to follow in the coming days, hopefully.

Thanks, as ever, for reading. 

Jac35

Bankroll still heading in right direction?

Played live?

April diary would be good

Tikay10

How is the "quit smoking" project coming along?

SR23

In Response to Re: Harebrained November Challenge - from £17.15 to Priority?:

Bankroll still heading in right direction? Played live? April diary would be good
Posted by Jac35

Hey dude - apologies for the tardy reply. 

In answer to your questions: (1) Erm, no because (2) Yes. 

Live has been a bit of a struggle - I just seem to be dusting off all of my online profit playing live. Partly through playing badly/semi-drunk sometimes, but mainly through running filthily. Especially frustrating as all I seem to see is people swan in, make four or five buy-ins by flopping sets, then swan out again. Oh well, maybe things will change. The last time I played live cash (Tuesday) I managed to lose AKcc v AKhd aipf. That kind of thing is fairly standard at the moment. Fun times. 

My goal is to conquer live poker and have it as an enjoyable, lucrative pursuit rather than an unenjoyable bankroll-and-nerve-shredding one. Let's see, shall we. It's a potential avenue for a May/year-long diary. I may even do a vlog for it. I know: modern. 

SR23

In Response to Re: Harebrained November Challenge - from £17.15 to Priority?:

How is the "quit smoking" project coming along?
Posted by Tikay10

Badly, I'm afraid. I cut down, then I cut back up again. Still planning to quit before the end of the year, though, and have joined a gym. You aren't allowed to smoke in the gym. Or in the pool. That helps. And every time I leave the gym and am about to light up I ask myself, "Do I really want this cigarette?" So far the answer has always been yes but, who knows, this may well change. 

Phantom66

Welcome back.

Any interesting writing work lately?

yourfired

In Response to Re: Harebrained November Challenge - from £17.15 to Priority?:

In Response to Re: Harebrained November Challenge - from £17.15 to Priority? : Badly, I'm afraid. I cut down, then I cut back up again. Still planning to quit before the end of the year, though, and have joined a gym. You aren't allowed to smoke in the gym. Or in the pool. That helps. And every time I leave the gym and am about to light up I ask myself, "Do I really want this cigarette?" So far the answer has always been yes but, who knows, this may well change. 
Posted by SR23

Ello mate, I used to smoke 30 minimum a day maybe more if I was playing online poker , I quit by using asdas own make ecig ( ok cig ) they are about the same size and look the same as a normal cig  but slightly heavier  also they have three different strength's  high medium and low nicotine flavour , stating the obvious I started high and gradually worked down over following 18 months ,I had tried at least half a dozen times previously to quit cold turkey and always failed after less than 48 hours but these work an absolute treat, I have put others on to these and most  have managed to do the same (from which I get great satisfaction from) anyways I hope you do manage to kick the habit 

P.s gl at tables

Yfired

SR23

In Response to Re: Harebrained November Challenge - from £17.15 to Priority?:

Welcome back. Any interesting writing work lately?
Posted by Phantom66

Hey Phantom - pretty thin gruel on the writing front, I'm afraid. Still, I have ways of picking work up. At least I think I do.

In the meantime, a poker memoir I have spent over two years writing has somehow turned into a philosophical graphic novel about poker. Good, no? And what's even better is that it isn't going to have any illustrations. Sometimes I think I should make things a bit easier for myself. 

SR23

In Response to Re: Harebrained November Challenge - from £17.15 to Priority?:

In Response to Re: Harebrained November Challenge - from £17.15 to Priority? : Ello mate, I used to smoke 30 minimum a day maybe more if I was playing online poker , I quit by using asdas own make ecig ( ok cig ) they are about the same size and look the same as a normal cig  but slightly heavier  also they have three different strength's  high medium and low nicotine flavour , stating the obvious I started high and gradually worked down over following 18 months ,I had tried at least half a dozen times previously to quit cold turkey and always failed after less than 48 hours but these work an absolute treat, I have put others on to these and most  have managed to do the same (from which I get great satisfaction from) anyways I hope you do manage to kick the habit  P.s gl at tables Yfired
Posted by yourfired

Thanks Yfired. I have tried e-cigs with moderate success - I certainly smoke fewer cigarettes when I have e-cigs hanging around but haven't quite made the switch. Your post is dead encouraging, though. Unless I made wholesale life changes I think I would really struggle to quit cold turkey. Thanks again - I'll check out those Asda numbers. 

PS - good luck at the tables to you, too. 

SR23

Inspired by Jac 35's update-diary-before-playing-live-then-bink post, I'm going to update. I'm also going to play live a bit later. Here's hoping. Congratulations, btw. 

Live has been a bit cruel recently and I'm coming off the back of two bruising sessions. I have over £100 worth of points to cash in, which I'm hoping to spin up. If no spinning up happens - and my chequered live poker career suggests that no spinning up will happen - then I'm going to take a break from live poker for a while. 

But I have other goals for the month beyond reasonably fanciful spin ups. Oh, do I have goals. For May I hope to:

- be profitable playing online poker

- upload one playing/borderline strat poker video to youtube

- read 10 books

- do 1,000 press ups

- find and execute lucrative writing work

- have at least one tennis lesson

- cut down smoking

- stop having unprotected sex with strangers

Yeah, it doesn't look great, does it? Oh well, it's something at least. Thanks, as ever, for reading. 

 

Jac35

As Palace said to me the other day when I was grumpy about live poker 

"Sample size"

...

Amusing how you slipped that other bit in btw

SR23

A third of the month's gone and I thought it might be an idea to see how we're getting on with those goals. 

So:

- be profitable playing online poker - not so far.

- upload one playing/borderline strat poker video to youtube - not so far.

- read 10 books - zero books read so far

- do 1,000 press ups - progress. I've done 10. Yep, 10. 

- find and execute lucrative writing work - I've been offered lucrative writing work. I've executed some of it. It's probably one of the least enjoyable writing projects I've ever done. This is strangely (?) galvanising. 

- have at least one tennis lesson - not so far.

- cut down smoking - nope, I've cut up, if anything. But I have a plan. 

- stop having unprotected sex with strangers - yep, so far.

A bit of a mixed bag, then. And by "A bit of a mixed bag, then" I actually mean, "The above is a bit of a disaster that I can barely look at, then." Still, plenty of room for improvement. Peace out. 

SR23

So, progress. 

Lucrative work has been found and executed, press ups have been done, books have been read and I have a tennis lesson booked in for tomorrow. 

And yet.

And yet I'm struggling with the poker bit. I say struggling but it's not even really that - over the last few weeks (and it's probably been building over the last few months, if not years) I'm becoming increasingly ambivalent where poker is concerned. 

I used to think about poker a ton - I hardly think about it all any more. I used to play as much as I could - now I look for reasons not to play or cut sessions short or just drift off and don't even realise I'm playing. I used to study a fair bit - now I have little to no interest in studying. And so on and so forth. 

Anyone else had or get this? If so how have you coped? Or have you decided not to cope and just kind of given up playing poker? I'm not sure why I'm so jaded - I've had four (quite big) losing live sessions in a row, online was bleak bleak bleak from December-March and perhaps I don't have the psychological fortitude to bounce back because, perhaps, I'm not really that bothered about it. 

Apologies - wasn't planning on being so downbeat. Perhaps I'll set myself a new challenge. 4nl to 2/5 live by December sounds ridiculous but then again so does £17.15 to Priority and nit may just give me the motivation to get studying and interested in the game again. 

I'll have a think. Thanks for reading. 

Phantom66

Breaks are good.

I have had several mostly short and sometimes long breaks from poker.

If you are not itching to play and you dont have to for a living, finding something else that interests/excites/rewards you more is no bad thing.

Not trying to get rid of you mind, I would much rather see you posting, but then I don't expect you to do that for my sake.

If you do take a break, please don't forget those promised anecdotes.

GL whatever you decide.

hhyftrftdr

Don't really have any words of advice but its a +1 about being pretty meh (I assume this is what ambivalent means ) towards poker these days.

I used to play loads and whenever possible, but in the last 18/24 months I've really cut down to the point that I can happily go weeks without loading up a few tables.

I would usually suggest a change of scenery like playing live might give you some mojo back but thats had the reverse effect on you it seems, and understandably so. Have a dabble with more MTTs over cash? Or, god forbid, go and join the retirement folks at the 4 card game?!

Whatever you do, don't stop writing please. And be thankful you're not one of the sad ones who's evenings revolve around poker for 365 nights a year!

SR23

Many thanks for the replies, gents, I've been mulling them over for the last day or two. It's good to know I'm not alone - the thing is I can't tell if I'm demoralised, bored, somewhere between the two, or if it's something else altogether. 

A break/switching more to MTTs both seem good shouts. As does giving that odd four card game a whirl. I've had somewhere around 150-200 poker columns published and having those weekly 650 words or so to fill up meant that I was always on the hunt for trying out or learning about new stuff. 

Since that's gone my focus has wandered. Writing a diary for (mainly) November really helped to stop it wandering. 

So, a new diary and new bankroll challenge for June. Not sure what it's going to be but hopefully it'll be sufficiently harebrained and ambitious. And if I'm not feeling up for it? Well, in the words of George Costanza (that have been rattling around in my mind for the last few days), "You're not in the mood? Well, you get in the mood!"