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Many Rivers To Cross. A Diary.

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  • edited May 2014
    Defo pal give me a shout before you head over.

    Pat







    n Response to Re: Many Rivers To Cross. A Diary.:
    In Response to Re: Many Rivers To Cross. A Diary. : Hey Pat, how's tricks man!  Really hoping to get over to Dublin for something soon, will give you a shout when I make it! 1)  Sadly no.  A massive aim will be WSOP 2015 but I think I have to get the bankroll together from now for it.  I want just once to go out there and play a huge schedule, just to see what could and would happen. 2)  I will do another Sunday Grind post, probs not tomorrow but I'll bring it back for sure. 3)  Dude, I don't know the story either.  I'm going to the races with D the Elder next week so I might chance my arm with the aid of a few light ales and try to get the story out of him. Yeah he's having a decent run with the nags and hounds.  He's also texting me every time there's a football matchfixing story in The Times and telling me he told me so.  He keeps quoting the page number without realising that not everyone gets the paper, I certainly don't. Catch ya soon mate.
    Posted by TommyD
  • edited May 2014
    In Response to Re: Many Rivers To Cross. A Diary.:
    In Response to Re: Many Rivers To Cross. A Diary. : Put me down as a maybe Rainman.  The GF's niece and nephew arrive for a visit that day so not sure if I am free.  If I am grinding, I'll play it mate.
    Posted by TommyD
    Good afternoon Tommy.
    Thank you for reply, hope you can make it on the 4th June.
    All the best
    Rainman397
  • edited May 2014
    In Response to Re: Many Rivers To Cross. A Diary.:
    In Response to Re: Many Rivers To Cross. A Diary. : Good prompt lambo, I have geeked it up and the scores on the doors are (we both have multiple wins on some nights) 1 main win each 1 mini win each 3 £55bh wins for me, 2 for Mr D 2 £55bh speed wins v 4 for Mr D This means its 8 v 7 in the favour of the old guy.
    Posted by MattBates
    After each winning the 9pm on a night we had already crossed off, my main win on Tuesday means its 8 all.
  • edited June 2014
    Life news.

    It's been a weird few weeks for me.  Nothing different at home, luckily (and touching wood as I type this) all the members of my immediate family are in fine form.  Two close friends of mine seem to be at the end of their marriage.  It'll be the first (and statistically unlikely to be the last) very close friends of mine to get a divorce.  It's all gone rather messy.  It's not the first effective divorce, another two close friends of mine went through a similar break up a few years back at a time where same sex couples couldn't get a marriage to get divorced from.  This is different though in one huge regard, kids are in the equation.

    It's a scene straight out of the Jeremy Kyle back catalogue.  I won't bore you with all of the sordid details but the fellow in the piece has decided to prove his virility by impregnating two women in a year.  Not being Mormon, only one of these is his wife.  He found out his sharpshooting abilities when we were at a Nine Inch Nails concert a little while ago, deciding to tell me all over a post gig beer at Aspers.  While the urge to just smack him in the face was huge it would not help anyone.  And the bouncers at Aspers are huge, I didn't fancy being taken the short way to the exit.  So I became constructive instead, off we popped to see the non wed other half.  Now there were two things I didn't know when I came up with the constructive plan.  A)  She lived in a housing estate in Tottenham.  and B)  She had two flat mates so didn't want us to go in.  Thoughts of a nice cuppa on the sofa while they hashed things out in private suddenly dashed, they talked on the doorstep while I waited around the corner.  Standing on a street corner in Tottenham selling neither narcotics or booty.  At 2am.  For an hour.  I've had better evenings.

    Situation clarified and realisation sunk in I took the fellow back home, to his wife.  Under a unique combo of compassion towards him as a dear friend and the very real hint of violence if he didn't take my sage advice, he agreed with my advice to confess all to his wife which he did the following morning.  That was a few weeks ago and the end result still seems a way off for them.  Since then myself and the GF, as well as other friends, have become a sort of domestic services for the wife.  Very happy to do it, she needs all the support in the world right now.  The GF had a spell as cleaner, I am a groundsman since I am a dab hand with a mower.  All this pith and lather just masks my actual sorrow for the kids.  They have two boys, a toddler and a baby.  It's going to be a rocky time for them and they won't even be able to understand why.

    Ladies, I agree.  In many ways men suck.
  • edited June 2014
    Poker News

    Notch up a Saturday night mini for me in the Bingo race v Mr Bates.  Luckily there were two tonight so there were double chances.  Took down the mini turbo thanks to a large overlay (the mini Primo was stickied, the mini turbo wasn't, so understandably a lot of people didn't even know it was there) and thanks to my luckbox reshove skillz.

    Off to play live tomorrow.  I made Day 2 of the £250 Deepstack at DTD.  I played the online Day 1 and managed to bumble through.  I arrive in Nottingham for a 50bb stack and all the hopes and fears live poker holds for me now.  I am not playing live as much as I want to or even should be.  My recent performances have been less than stellar.  The UKPC main I played probably the worst day of poker I have ever played, and to make sure I squeezed every hideous moment of my own idiocy out of it I busted the very last hand of the day.  The UKPC 6max was one bullet of awful play again and a second bullet of hope, played better, near the end of Day 1 and lose a 60/40 for a mighty stack.  But at least there was improvement there.  The GPS at Southend was a solid Day 1 followed by what I have the fear over now.  A dribble down Day 2, in that I busted 4 or so from the money.  Sounds unlucky, it wasn't.  I was basically sat out for the entire day, I hate how I played that day, so so much.  DTD Grand Prix was my last live poker.  Again, like tomorrow, got through the online day 1 with a very good stack, then dribbled, bumbled, spewed and generally sighed my way into the middle of the money.

    I want tomorrow to be different.  I need to get over the fear.  I need to tell myself so what if I bust the first orbit of Day 2 after a 2 hour car journey to get there.  If it's the right move and right spot, take it.  Don't dribble down, don't tighten up far too much, don't make nonsensical bluffs or plays, just play poker in a bubble.  Sigh, I've said bubble.  That's a bok.

    So yeah, not playing live poker regularly for years (I started playing both live poker and online poker within a week of each other, I used to play live every week) has really thrown me off playing live.  I have a vast array of fishy acting moves, facial sighs, groans and fake confused faces.  I am also able to talk like a fool, including one time, at the SPT 6 Max, telling someone the correct calling range against my shove just because they asked me.  No idea why I did that.

    Will let you know how it goes.  To add a dash of fun the GF is using the car in the morning, so I'm gonna be leaving it fine actually leaving.  If I hit traffic I'll probably be late for the noon start, because I just wasn't feeling stressed enough with all of the self doubt.  Marvellous.
  • edited June 2014
    In Response to Re: Many Rivers To Cross. A Diary.:
    Poker News Notch up a Saturday night mini for me in the Bingo race v Mr Bates.  Luckily there were two tonight so there were double chances.  Took down the mini turbo thanks to a large overlay (the mini Primo was stickied, the mini turbo wasn't, so understandably a lot of people didn't even know it was there) and thanks to my luckbox reshove skillz. Off to play live tomorrow.  I made Day 2 of the £250 Deepstack at DTD.  I played the online Day 1 and managed to bumble through.  I arrive in Nottingham for a 50bb stack and all the hopes and fears live poker holds for me now.  I am not playing live as much as I want to or even should be.  My recent performances have been less than stellar.  The UKPC main I played probably the worst day of poker I have ever played, and to make sure I squeezed every hideous moment of my own idiocy out of it I busted the very last hand of the day.  The UKPC 6max was one bullet of awful play again and a second bullet of hope, played better, near the end of Day 1 and lose a 60/40 for a mighty stack.  But at least there was improvement there.  The GPS at Southend was a solid Day 1 followed by what I have the fear over now.  A dribble down Day 2, in that I busted 4 or so from the money.  Sounds unlucky, it wasn't.  I was basically sat out for the entire day, I hate how I played that day, so so much.  DTD Grand Prix was my last live poker.  Again, like tomorrow, got through the online day 1 with a very good stack, then dribbled, bumbled, spewed and generally sighed my way into the middle of the money. I want tomorrow to be different.  I need to get over the fear.  I need to tell myself so what if I bust the first orbit of Day 2 after a 2 hour car journey to get there.  If it's the right move and right spot, take it.  Don't dribble down, don't tighten up far too much, don't make nonsensical bluffs or plays, just play poker in a bubble.  Sigh, I've said bubble.  That's a bok. So yeah, not playing live poker regularly for years (I started playing both live poker and online poker within a week of each other, I used to play live every week) has really thrown me off playing live.  I have a vast array of fishy acting moves, facial sighs, groans and fake confused faces.  I am also able to talk like a fool, including one time, at the SPT 6 Max, telling someone the correct calling range against my shove just because they asked me.  No idea why I did that. Will let you know how it goes.  To add a dash of fun the GF is using the car in the morning, so I'm gonna be leaving it fine actually leaving.  If I hit traffic I'll probably be late for the noon start, because I just wasn't feeling stressed enough with all of the self doubt.  Marvellous.
    Posted by TommyD
    Great double bluff mate. You're bound to win it after this post...talk about moaning it in lol. Best of luck to you!
  • edited June 2014
    In Response to Re: Many Rivers To Cross. A Diary.:
    Poker News Notch up a Saturday night mini for me in the Bingo race v Mr Bates.  Luckily there were two tonight so there were double chances.  Took down the mini turbo thanks to a large overlay (the mini Primo was stickied, the mini turbo wasn't, so understandably a lot of people didn't even know it was there) and thanks to my luckbox reshove skillz. Off to play live tomorrow.  I made Day 2 of the £250 Deepstack at DTD.  I played the online Day 1 and managed to bumble through.  I arrive in Nottingham for a 50bb stack and all the hopes and fears live poker holds for me now.  I am not playing live as much as I want to or even should be.  My recent performances have been less than stellar.  The UKPC main I played probably the worst day of poker I have ever played, and to make sure I squeezed every hideous moment of my own idiocy out of it I busted the very last hand of the day.  The UKPC 6max was one bullet of awful play again and a second bullet of hope, played better, near the end of Day 1 and lose a 60/40 for a mighty stack.  But at least there was improvement there.  The GPS at Southend was a solid Day 1 followed by what I have the fear over now.  A dribble down Day 2, in that I busted 4 or so from the money.  Sounds unlucky, it wasn't.  I was basically sat out for the entire day, I hate how I played that day, so so much.  DTD Grand Prix was my last live poker.  Again, like tomorrow, got through the online day 1 with a very good stack, then dribbled, bumbled, spewed and generally sighed my way into the middle of the money. I want tomorrow to be different.  I need to get over the fear.  I need to tell myself so what if I bust the first orbit of Day 2 after a 2 hour car journey to get there.  If it's the right move and right spot, take it.  Don't dribble down, don't tighten up far too much, don't make nonsensical bluffs or plays, just play poker in a bubble.  Sigh, I've said bubble.  That's a bok. So yeah, not playing live poker regularly for years (I started playing both live poker and online poker within a week of each other, I used to play live every week) has really thrown me off playing live.  I have a vast array of fishy acting moves, facial sighs, groans and fake confused faces.  I am also able to talk like a fool, including one time, at the SPT 6 Max, telling someone the correct calling range against my shove just because they asked me.  No idea why I did that. Will let you know how it goes.  To add a dash of fun the GF is using the car in the morning, so I'm gonna be leaving it fine actually leaving.  If I hit traffic I'll probably be late for the noon start, because I just wasn't feeling stressed enough with all of the self doubt.  Marvellous.
    Posted by TommyD
    I will say very well done, am really pleased you won this one. Out of interest did last nights win of a Saturday mini feel better than 15/3/14 Saturday night mini win?
  • edited June 2014
    In Response to Re: Many Rivers To Cross. A Diary.:
    In Response to Re: Many Rivers To Cross. A Diary. : I will say very well done, am really pleased you won this one. Out of interest did last nights win of a Saturday mini feel better than 15/3/14 Saturday night mini win?
    Posted by MattBates
    Sigh, I've got more doubles in this game than in my old Italia 90 Panini Sticker book.  This game is hard.
  • edited June 2014
    Trip report.  I may need to pad this out a bit.

    Went busto in the second level of the DTD Deepstack.  It actually started ok.  I had a couple of bad spots early but good bad spots in so far as I lost the minimum.  I was playing alright and getting into the table, starting to sprinkle some moves around the felt.  Also it was a really enjoyable atmosphere, mainly down to Chinese Frankie.  For those of you who don't know him, he likes to chat at the table.  He was in sparkling form, as were everyone else at the shorthanded table, a few stacks were very late for the noon start.  DTD told everyone the proper start time was an hour earlier than the early live Day 1 flights but you know poker players:

    They don't like getting up early
    If they remember a start time for a live tournament they can assume it has been set in stone forever more, and can only be broken by taking a 100k chip to the crack of Mount Doom.

    So it's about 50 minutes into the Day, second level, blinds are 3k/6k/1k.  We are officially playing eight handed due to an empty seat but are actually playing six handed as two of the stacks have a vacant seat, as they have all Day so far.  So we've had usual fun scrambles for blinds.

    I open JJ to 12k playing 260kish from UTG+1/HJ, a little above my starting stack for Day 2 and a little above the tourney average.  Chinese Frankie flats the button and the SB calls also.  The gentleman in the BB 3bets to 52k total from a stack which just covers me.  He seemed pretty tight and Frankie had already berated him in a playful manner in a previous hand for only playing the nuts.  Now I personally hadn't seen much and you never know with Frankie how accurate what he says actually is.  TBH I had a bad gut reaction at the time.  Jacks is a big hand six handed obviously but this fellow didn't seem one to often get out of line.  Still it's a great squeeze spot, he must know everyone is gonna give him credit for a hand and I was opening a decent amount, both button and SB coming along a decent amount of the time too.  I ended up calling, planning to play the hand IP.  Frankie was on the button but was playing 120kish so he can't flat, if he shoves then I'll get a better idea of what the BB has.  I also promised myself not to be too nitty in big pot spots, the fear as I said was dribbling down and just being constantly owned.  So let's play some cards.

    Flop was KJ6r

    BB leads for 100k, I'm now playing 210k total so ship.

    Here is the result, taken from Frankie's twitter feed where he tells us he folded 66 pre.





    Five and a half hours on the motorway.  50 minutes of poker.  Return zero. 

    Felt a little brutal.
  • edited June 2014
    Ouch! Unlucky Tommy just a brutually sick cooler.
  • edited June 2014
    My word that is sick
  • edited June 2014
    One minute you're down, the next you're right back up again :)

    So I've thrown my back out.  It goes every once in a while, this time while opening a drawer yesterday.  Being courageous/stupid I still went footy training after taking a fistful of painkillers.  I think I went to try and prove I'm not old and I could hack it.  So I wake up this morning and everything is seized up, been moving at half pace all day while fulfilling the daily duties of a house husband.  Just when I think I can't feel any older someone presses the doorbell.

    It's a charity direct debit person.  So sigh, I really don't enjoy these moments.  I give a decent amount to charity but I prefer to pick and choose as and when I do it.  I really do not like someone coming to my door and making me feel guilty about my life.  Most charities do great work but the guilt bullet is disgusting, but I guess it's the most effective tool.

    Then a lovely moment.  The guy asks 'Is Mum or Dad home?'  Remember myself and the GF own our house and I'm 35 years old.  I of course could have gotten offended and told him all of this in a way to exercise my alpha male status on this property.  But that would be silly.

    I said 'No Mister, mummy's at the shops.'

    He says he'll pop back later.  I'm so glad I shaved this morning, awkward guilt swerved.
  • edited June 2014
    In Response to Re: Many Rivers To Cross. A Diary.:
    One minute you're down, the next you're right back up again :) So I've thrown my back out.  It goes every once in a while, this time while opening a drawer yesterday.  Being courageous/stupid I still went footy training after taking a fistful of painkillers.  I think I went to try and prove I'm not old and I could hack it.  So I wake up this morning and everything is seized up, been moving at half pace all day while fulfilling the daily duties of a house husband.  Just when I think I can't feel any older someone presses the doorbell. It's a charity direct debit person.  So sigh, I really don't enjoy these moments.  I give a decent amount to charity but I prefer to pick and choose as and when I do it.  I really do not like someone coming to my door and making me feel guilty about my life.  Most charities do great work but the guilt bullet is disgusting, but I guess it's the most effective tool. Then a lovely moment.  The guy asks 'Is Mum or Dad home?'  Remember myself and the GF own our house and I'm 35 years old.  I of course could have gotten offended and told him all of this in a way to exercise my alpha male status on this property.  But that would be silly. I said 'No Mister, mummy's at the shops.' He says he'll pop back later.  I'm so glad I shaved this morning, awkward guilt swerved.
    Posted by TommyD


    loool

    were they fumbling around in their bag looking for some specs when you came to the door by any chance??

  • edited June 2014
    In Response to Re: Many Rivers To Cross. A Diary.:
    One minute you're down, the next you're right back up again :) So I've thrown my back out.  It goes every once in a while, this time while opening a drawer yesterday.  Being courageous/stupid I still went footy training after taking a fistful of painkillers.  I think I went to try and prove I'm not old and I could hack it.  So I wake up this morning and everything is seized up, been moving at half pace all day while fulfilling the daily duties of a house husband.  Just when I think I can't feel any older someone presses the doorbell. It's a charity direct debit person.  So sigh, I really don't enjoy these moments.  I give a decent amount to charity but I prefer to pick and choose as and when I do it.  I really do not like someone coming to my door and making me feel guilty about my life.  Most charities do great work but the guilt bullet is disgusting, but I guess it's the most effective tool. Then a lovely moment.  The guy asks 'Is Mum or Dad home?'  Remember myself and the GF own our house and I'm 35 years old.  I of course could have gotten offended and told him all of this in a way to exercise my alpha male status on this property.  But that would be silly. I said 'No Mister, mummy's at the shops.' He says he'll pop back later.  I'm so glad I shaved this morning, awkward guilt swerved.
    Posted by TommyD
    Is this an excerpt from your up and coming science fiction novel???

    I'm unable to handle the guilt trip approach either, if and when I want to donate my few shillings, it will be because I'm compelled not coerced.

    Well I'm off to play 5-a-side with my fully functioning body, will update later....
  • edited June 2014
    In Response to Re: Many Rivers To Cross. A Diary.:
    In Response to Re: Many Rivers To Cross. A Diary. : loool were they fumbling around in their bag looking for some specs when you came to the door by any chance??
    Posted by chicknMelt
    Gotta say I was a little shocked.  My next test will be an attempt to get on for free on the bus.
  • edited June 2014
    In Response to Re: Many Rivers To Cross. A Diary.:
    In Response to Re: Many Rivers To Cross. A Diary. : Is this an excerpt from your up and coming science fiction novel??? I'm unable to handle the guilt trip approach either, if and when I want to donate my few shillings, it will be because I'm compelled not coerced. Well I'm off to play 5-a-side with my fully functioning body, will update later....
    Posted by david666
    haha.  It happened, it's true.  Although the fella was a little bit surprised when I kissed him.  Often the way.
  • edited June 2014
    Back, by underwhelming popular demand.......

    The TommyD Alternative World Cup Review

    Yesterday protesters threw various objects at the ITV Sport studio on Copacabana Beach during the World Cup opener.  Poor Adrian Chiles, everyone's a critic.  Then again they might have been aiming at Lee Dixon for both beginning and finishing a sentence with the cliché  'There's no doubt about.'  In that case they should find bigger rocks.

    I'm being pithy, the truth is the wealth gap in Brazil as well as a number of South and Central American countries is huge.  We probably cannot fathom the scale of it here, but by the looks of things many promises were not met, infrastructure and legacy areas of investment were short changed and on the whole it was farcical, rumoured to be crooked, preparation and set up for Brazil 2014.  I'll leave the truly political stuff for separate posts but I really hope the world does not switch off from the problems of the majority in Brazil after the 64th game.  Rio has the Olympics in two years and you feel vast improvements have to come to the people of that country in the time in between.

    To fun.  And what's always fun?  An opening ceremony.  Now nothing can or will ever beat Dianna Ross missing a penalty in 1994 (youngsters, to YouTube!) but there is always a bumper crop to be taken from a football tournament's ham fisted throwing together of a showpiece spectacle.  This year it was borderline bearable for a while.  They are obviously not trying to step on the Olympic toes by keeping Brazilian history communicated in the form of freestyle dancing to a minimum.  We did however get trampolining lily pads, walking trees and various youngsters showing their close control of a football is literally like having it on a string.

    Some notes for the ITV/World Cup Production crew.  I know you read this.

    1)  When someone is about to do the inaugural kick of the World cup, displaying the ground breaking technology of an exoskeleton which may in the future enable people with major or near total paralysis to walk and enjoy so much more in their lives, try to spend more than 1.5 seconds on it.  I've seen people walk on stilts before, we could have dropped one minute of that to maybe build up one of the greatest technological inventions of the modern day.  Then again, stilts are fun.  IT'S LIKE THEY ARE GIANTS.

    2)  No matter where you go, some bright spark in the opening ceremony brainstorm will come up with the idea 'Let's have X come out of a giant football.'  Sigh, it's been done.  We've had doves, dancers, old players and bagpipers.  Yesterday we had Jennifer Lopez, Claudia Leitte and Pitbull.  Poor kid, what were his parents thinking naming him that.  The best part was early on.  Forget the sound quality was awful.  Forget that someone forget to hook up the stage mics with the broadcast output so the world had this performance on the stadium effects mics instead.  Forget that no one is still quite sure if J-Lo was lip syncing or not.  Forget the random grinding from all three like a trio of Miley Cyrus's distant relatives at a wedding after the third bottle of red was opened.  We need to talk about the lift.  Poor Jennifer, clearly told to keep on waving until the lift inside the ball reached the top.  So she did.  And the platform got stuck.  But bless her, she just kept waving.  Luckily a man called Pitbull showed some sense by suggesting to her maybe we walk the rest of the way and step up.  Tremendous.  She looked puffed out.

    3)  For ITV Sport.  Hi guys.  Just a pointer.  If you are going to throw to someone in the stadium as if it's live to interview a world cup legend in Carlos Alberto, do not do the interview in front of J-Lo trying to climb out of the giant football we just saw her come out of fifteen minutes ago.  It's gonna be a hard sell to make us believe she will ever want to do that more than once.


    To the game and Brazilian fans suddenly become the first set of people to ever think 'I like that National Anthem so much I think it could do with another verse.'  It wouldn't happen here.  Mainly because 85% of the nation do not realise God Save The Queen has more than one verse.

    The game itself was decent fare for an opening round match.  Croatia immediately made me worried about completely writing them off on all of my bets (there will be editing today) by playing some great stuff and took the shock lead through a Marcelo own goal.  The most remarkable thing about that goal was the TV decided to confirm to us it was indeed a goal by using Goal Line technology even though the ball rolled all the way to the back of the net.  Sepp Blatter was heard at the time saying "There you go you pig dogs, I give you what you want, now give me my percentage of the licence!  And another bottle of Port!!"  Probably.

    Sadly for Croatia their lead was short lived.  After missing a decent chance at the other end and by missing 174 opportunities  to clear the resulting counter attack Neymar struck one into the bottom corner and we were level at the half.

    The game was decently back and forth until around the 70th minute when Fred remembered he is actually an experiment made of cardboard and cruel intentions, hitting the deck harder than Style in a 4bet pot.  The referee, Yuichi Nishimura, quickly checked his atlas, saw his was in Brazil and gave the penalty.  Neymar completed his hat trick of strikes hitting the target (two goals with the foot, one Luka Modric with the elbow) and you felt the hosts now had it won.  This was underlined when Oscar decided he didn't care how many laps his P.E. teacher gave him, he will toe punt that shot, and found the bottom corner while the Croatian goalkeeper was at stage four of his seven stage dive.

    So Brazil kick of Brazil 2014 with a 3-1 win.  You can't help but think the country needed it with all of the unrest and the low key atmosphere in such a hotbed for football.  You also felt the haves of Brazilian society needed it as well, they were running out of shiny distractions to jangle in front of the have nots of a wonderful but divided country.
  • edited June 2014
    So I've been predicting a dull, drab, low scoring a tense affair in the opening games for every team at the World Cup.  I'm such a good judge.

    Day 2 -  The Shakin' in Salvador

    A day of fixtures proper and I assume a country with a hang over after the host's dramatic victory.  I missed a vital bit of information from yesterday's report.  Ian Wright, a person whose enthusiasm is so infectious he makes ITV coverage about fifty times better, managed to find a German Surfer on the beach.  Serious 10000-1 shot nailed by Wrighty.  I still can't believe Germans surf, I assume they normally surf under artificially regulated conditions with waves set to exact heights.   Now that I can believe.

    Casual racial stereotypes ticked off for another report, let's move onto today's fixtures.

    We begin in Natal, the portion of Brazil allocated torrential rain for the day.  Oh my it looked damp.  Cameroon faced Mexico to complete the first round of fixtures for Group A.  Now I like a bet and the good folk at SkyBet (beep....stay on message .... beep .... gamble responsibly ..... beep .....  links above) had a number of price boosts.  One of those were Giovani Dos Santos being first goal scorer.  Now I saw him play for Spurs and yet despite this I still fancied this one might come in but swerved it at the last minute and gosh darn I'm glad otherwise I'd be on my third TV by now.  Twice the former Barcelona player had the ball in the back of the net, twice the officials, I assume Norwich City fans, chalked it off.  Mexico, who were fortunate to even be at the Finals after a stumbling qualifying campaign, looked close to failing to score in a game they really had to win to have a chance of qualification from the group.  Then their dominance told, Dos Santos yet again denied, this time by the parry of Cameroon goalkeeper Itandje, the ball falling to Peralta who made no mistake with the rebound.  The closest Cameroon came to scoring was a Eto'o drive against the woodwork.  It was a fair result in a decent match.

    Across we went to Salvador and a repeat of the last World Cup Final.  As the teams took the field I noticed the Dutch were not carrying any billy clubs or nunchucks, so I was hopeful of a less happy slappy performance from them this time around.  Now a bet I did take up with the bookmakers was a draw here.  I figured it was going to be a tight 'do not lose at all costs' cagey match.  I'm such a good judge.

    Spain had all of the early running, the holders playing beautiful football and dancing around the Dutch.  The Netherlands had appeared to set the FIFA 14 difficulty level to at least World Class.  And turned off pass assistance.  The Spanish took a deserved lead in an undeserving way.  Diego Costa (born in Brazil, switched to Spain, not all that popular with the hometown fans) cut from left to right in the penalty area, decided to step on the sliding challenge of the defender De Vrij, realised this boots weren't made for standing and fell to the turf.  Penalty said Nicola Rizzoli.  Who turns out not to be a minor character from The Sopranos but the ref.  Italians, they do like having fun with names,  Alonso slotted the spotkick home magnificently and Spain were on their way.  They went on to spurn a number of chances, the most glaring being David Silva ignoring just thumping the ball and trying for the finesse of the chip instead, which was well saved by Cillessen.  Doesn't matter, they were bound to get plenty more chances.  I mean, the Dutch.  Coming together as a team when in adversity against a top opponent.  How's that ever gonna happen?

    Just before half time there was a flash of brilliance from Robin Van Persie.  A long diagonal was launched into the box in his vague direction.  Somehow RVP shook off the attentions of Ramos and contorted his body in mid air to not only lob Casillas with a diving header but also make Professor Stephen Hawking type the rudest words in his speech machine as RVP just rewrote several laws of physics.  It was beyond a truly remarkable piece of skill, it was frankly ridiculous.  But great news for me.  The teams went in level and clearly both managers were going to tell their charges to tighten up, don't lose the match.  The second half just had to be a dull nothing affair.  I mean why should I even bother to watch, I should just go to Bluewater and start spending my winnings.

    The craziness started when the Dutch, who had found their FIFA 14 game manual in the break and set the difficulty level to 'Spurs in April,' dominated the first second of the half.  They did not relent until the final whistle.  The game was all of a sudden more one sided than a chatbox conversation with Launder.  Arjen Robben started the second half scoring, the Dutch version of Benjamin Button plucked a long pass down with exquisite touch, slotting home with confidence.  RVP smashed one onto the bar and then De Vrij bundled one over the line after challenging the goalkeeper in the six yard box.  Which by all accounts is only a foul if you are Croatian.  I guess Referees vote UKIP.  Casillas showed his touch is less tiki taci and more clunky thumpy as his miscontrol set up Van Persie for the fourth.  Then Robben on the counter attack from his own half held down the R2 button for all of his life, skinned Ramos, turned the defence inside out and smashed home.  Netherlands had avenged the misery of the final in South Africa and eviscerated the holders 5-1.  Holders have lost their opener before, but never in such a convincing and total fashion.  I burnt my betting slip with a smile on face after witnessing a remarkable game of football.

    The final match of the day was the other two teams of Group B playing in Cuiaba.  Chile v Australia, the two teams most believed had no chance to qualify from the group suddenly saw some hope.  With Spain so soundly thrashed if either could win this game, they really did have a chance at the last 16.

    Chile started much more confidently and were two up in the first fifteen minutes thanks to strikes from Sanchez and Valdivia.  However Australians have a certain stubborn quality.  Sometimes their self belief in turning around any seemingly hopeless situation is a quality deserving of so much respect and admiration.  Other times it leads to Crocodile Dundee 3.  Tim Cahill, a man who has scored competitive goals on six different continents (what exactly have you managed to do today?) pulled one back for the SoccerRoos with a trademark header.  Then it became a pulsating match of ebb and flow.  Intensely physical, Australians started to get bookings like it was an aim rather than a caution.  Both teams looked weak at the back and this just lead to more excitement.  If not for a fantastic performance by the Chilean goalkeeper, the one man compliment Mr Bravo, saving particularly from a Cahil drive, the Australians would have been back in it.  However for them it was not to be, as stretched seeking out the equaliser they let in Beausejour to wrap up the points for the South Americans in injury time.

    And take a breath.  Three fabulous games today.  Not one hint of defences on top, no teams trying hard to not lose, not an ounce of drabness.  The World Cup has gotten off to a stunning start.  But don't worry, England play Italy on Saturday.  They'll soon sort out these open, free scoring games with how a first group game should be played.  In the middle third and never commit more than two men forward.  That's how they roll.  The silver lining being it's the late game so most fans will be either so inebriated that their swaying will add excitement to the TV viewing or they'll (and when I say they'll I obviously mean I'll) be passed out asleep and dreaming of England playing the free flowing attacking football that has been such a welcome surprise to the start of these finals.
  • edited June 2014
    Day 3 - Four Games and a BBQ

    I'm sure you all know what happened yesterday so this review will give you a real insight into how I saw and heard the action unfold.  Literally.  You see I set up a BBQ for the day of World Cup football.  Sadly as most of my friends keep popping out babies at the moment (seriously they're like Pringles, on person opens the tube then everyone wants one...) numbers were sparse.  However the line up myself, the GF, the Hound, my best mate, one half of the breaking up couple I mentioned a few days ago with her two kids (one toddler, one baby) and an old friend who now lives in Wales, but she came down for the weekend to see the wife of the breaking up couple.  Now the other half of said couple was apparently joining us later, this didn't happen which is hardly a shock.  So here goes, this was my experience of Super World Cup Day 4

    BBQ on.  Beer fridge stocked with far too much beer.  TV set up on the patio.  All friends late.  I open can, I light a smoke and I sit down for the opening match, Colombia v Greece.  The South American team made a blistering start with Cuadrodo giving them a fifth minute lead.

    Me:  "You ever noticed how many Greek Footballers have got that bald patch at the back of their head?'

    The GF  "Well Greece is a very catholic country, might be a monk thing."

    Me:  "I doubt they had those haircuts out of choice."

    The GF  "Well you never know."

    I'm still not sure if serious.

    Back to the match, which was really watchable.  The Greeks have been constant World Cup disappointments, but they were really putting a shift in against a seemingly superior opponent.  Everything was going so well at the BBQ until the 50th minute of the game.  Because that's when everyone arrived.  I missed most of the rest of the game, for those checking fantasy football picks it finished 3-0 to Columbia, Gutierrez and Rodriguez getting the goals.  I did however catch all about how Woody from Toy Story's hate was lost somewhere on the walk.  The drinking and smoking pace suddenly went up a click.

    Match 2:  Uruguay v Costa Rica.

    We march into Group D, with the other two teams in England's group meeting in Fortaleza.

    Me  "Fortaleza, isn't that a castle in Lesvos?" (edit note:  The filter won't let me put in the English spelling of that Greek Island, the V is pronounced like a B.  Sigh forum software, you kill so many of my jokes...)

    Best Mate  "All women guards I believe"

    And you can see where we were going with that.  That pretty much covered the whole match, but at least we got to see most of it, which was a cracker.  Cavani slotting Uruguay ahead from the penalty spot, only for them to totally capitulate in the second half, Costa Rica surging through to win 3-1 with a blistering strike from Campbell, a fine Duarte diving header and a neat finish from Urena.

    Me  "So what would these guards use a weapon then?"

    Best Mate  "Probably just a general distain for men.  And a big axe."

    The BBQ moved from outside to inside for the third match, due to cold and us being wimps.  Here it was, England V Italy.  A moment a nation was waiting for.  And that nation was Italy.  Still I quite fancied watching it as well.  At the very moment the kick off started, this was the conversation which began to the left of me.

    The GF  "You have to see this, XXXX who I work with has delved into the under belly of Ebay."

    Welsh Friend  "Ebay has an underbelly?"

    The GF  "Yes and it's filthy.  She sells worn and smelly shoes on there and perverts send her messages about how sweaty they want them to be and what they are going to do with them."

    Breaking up friend  "Does she report those people?"

    The GF  "No she really works it, she's getting like £100 for an old pair of pumps."

    Welsh Friend  "I might try to sell my Billabongs."

    This ran.  Pictures of shoes in feet being modelled in a flirty way were passed around my friends.  Apparently there are key words to put in the listing if you want to be part of the underbelly.  Then some of the photos sent in these PMs from the gentlemen with a purchase interest in these shoes were passed around.  I was forced to look at one rather than be the only person watching the game and I must say, I'm not sure what pleasure anyone got out of arranging a table, tons of gaffer tape, a woman's stiletto and a man's naughty bits in that manner.  All this was being chuckled and cackled as I tried to watch the game.  The match itself was probably the slowest of the World Cup matches so far, not that it wasn't decent.  Both teams showed much more attacking intent than I had predicted.  Italy took the lead through a lovely worked set piece play, Marchisio drilling into the corner.  England equalised through Sturridge converting a fine Rooney cross, but Italy took all three points via a Mario Balotelli header in the second half.  The English performance was actually stronger in terms of effort than any performance at the last World Cup which is a massive positive.  The massive negative is that they were completely outclassed and you always felt Italy had another gear to move up into if they needed it.  Simple fact, as a result of all the money in the Premier League and Champions League, English top flight and second flight clubs no longer look for long term planning or building talent from the grass roots up, they don't look for youngsters in the lower leagues.  It's snap buy a name or someone with 'Barcelona youngster' on their CV, look for snap success and forget about the long view.  We're starting to see the results of this take a grip on the National side.  There was a ton of effort and they should be commended for that, we're just a third tier international tem now and soon the goal will be qualifying for World Cups like a Scotland or a Republic of Ireland.  No shame in that, it's just how it is.

    The conversation about naughty Ebay lasted the length of the England match and I breathed a heavy sigh of relief when as soon as the final whistle went everyone wanted to go home.  I didn't even tell them there was another match coming.  And that game was Cote D'Ivoire v Japan.

    Really good match actually.  ITV had gone for one man in the booth so it was finally an opportunity to compare the co-commentator Andy Townsend against silence.  I think we all know who won that.

    Honda gave Japan an early lead in a really buzzing and quick game.  Open and exciting, Japan completely deserved the lead at half time.  Then Cote D'Ivoire took over, creating chance after chance but for a while it just seemed they were never going to find the net.  However that all changed in two second half minutes with headers from Bony and Gervinho.  They held on firmly as Japan really just ran out of puff towards the end of the game.

    Eight matches down, all solid to excellent so far, not a draw amongst them.  The World Cup is off to a cracker.  And I passed out hoping I wouldn't have a nightmare involving that picture I saw from Ebay...
  • edited June 2014
    In Response to Re: Many Rivers To Cross. A Diary.:
    In Response to Re: Many Rivers To Cross. A Diary. : Sigh, I've got more doubles in this game than in my old Italia 90 Panini Sticker book.  This game is hard.
    Posted by TommyD
    £55bh win last night for me means another one chalked off the bingo board! 9-8 to me! Feel free to win the £55bh tonight for a 4th win on a Monday!
  • edited July 2014
    It has been a while!

    Tonight was main win no. 3 for me. So I have the following

    3 mains
    1 mini
    6 9pm
    3 MBI

    Somehow some fish won the 9pm tonight so said fish has

    1 main
    1 mini
    3 9pm
    5 MBI

    This is concerning as you have more MBI than me. Should the name get changed? Don't be so sily!
  • edited July 2014
    In Response to Re: Many Rivers To Cross. A Diary.:
    It has been a while! Tonight was main win no. 3 for me. So I have the following 3 mains 1 mini 6 9pm 3 MBI Somehow some fish won the 9pm tonight so said fish has 1 main 1 mini 3 9pm 5 MBI This is concerning as you have more MBI than me. Should the name get changed? Don't be so sily!
    Posted by MattBates
    TYVM Matt

    Always rely on you to tell me you're ahead ;)
  • edited July 2014
    Ok, gonna do another ride along tonight for the Sunday schedule.  I went out yesterday and shots were involved so really need something to keep my focus.  Also this seemed to be popular last time I did it so let's give it a spin.

    Last two months have been tough MTT-wise, only getting some results in the past week.  My volume has been less, far to small to be honest and I will look to push this up in the coming weeks.

    Again, due to shots last night and the fact I can still taste the Sambuca, it will be a Sky only light schedule, perfect for me posting hands and updates here.

    The rundown:

    Early Roller Semi £24
    Roller Semi £24
    Roller £110
    Mini Roller £11
    UKPC Q/F £10.50
    UKPC Semi £48
    UKPC Final £220
    9pm BHer £55
    MBI £55
    7pm BHer £22
    7.45pm BHer £11
    8.15pm BHer £11
    9.30pm Bher £11
    10.15pm BHer £22

    So 14 games and a £634.50 hole to get out of.  Gotta love a Sunday, gl all :)
  • edited July 2014
    Couldn't resist adding some more MTTs on from that other big site, PokerCosmos.

    Sunday Schedule now includes:

    MM94 - $5 1R1A
    MM95 - Hyper Turbe HU $2.20
    MM97 - £11 Bad Weather
    MM98 - Main $22


    Let's try to win a lot of flips then.
  • edited July 2014
    Will look forward to this.
    With the additions, would this now be a normal Sunday schedule for you Tommy?
    Do you add cash tables as the night progresses or wait until you've finished your mtts for the evening?
  • edited July 2014
    In Response to Re: Many Rivers To Cross. A Diary.:
    Will look forward to this. With the additions, would this now be a normal Sunday schedule for you Tommy? Do you add cash tables as the night progresses or wait until you've finished your mtts for the evening?
    Posted by Jac35
    No this is still a light one.  You can expect a dozen or so more on a normal and 20 more on a heavy.

    I won't be adding cash tables, might play cash after the MTTs but more likely just go to bed :)  Cash action never that great on a Sunday on average.
  • edited July 2014
    Going well so far...

    We have GGed the Early Sat, 5 1R1A (before add on so saved a five dollar bill, #winning) and the HU Hyper.  Probs made a bad call in the sat (will post below) with 12 left and 7 seats.  Actually almost definitely did. In the $5 Cubed I lated regged and had 30bb effect and KK.  Got it in on T98cc.  They had 76cc, not a bad flop for them.  And in the Hyper HU it just got shovey, didn't flip well.

    Well at least I've got a decent break now...
  • edited July 2014
    PlayerActionCardsAmountPotBalance
    kleggy Small blind 75.00 75.00 7875.00
    TommyD Big blind  150.00 225.00 2265.00
      Your hole cards
    • 8
    • Q
         
    HAYSIE Fold     
    MattBates Fold     
    kleggy Call  75.00 300.00 7800.00
    TommyD Check     
    Flop
       
    • J
    • 9
    • Q
         
    kleggy Bet  300.00 600.00 7500.00
    TommyD Call  300.00 900.00 1965.00
    Turn
       
    • 9
         
    kleggy All-in  7500.00 8400.00 0.00
    TommyD All-in  1965.00 10365.00 0.00
    kleggy Unmatched bet  5535.00 4830.00 5535.00
    kleggy Show
    • K
    • 10
       
    TommyD Show
    • 8
    • Q
       
    River
       
    • 5
         
    kleggy Win Straight to the King 4830.00
  • edited July 2014
    Love these tthreads.

    Glgl
  • edited July 2014
    Nothing much to report really from the last couple of hours.

    Busted the UKPC Q/F, nothing really stand out in that.  Am 15/24 with 14 seats in the Roller Sat and somehow still in the Storm, small increase from starting.

    Tables gonna start to open properly now, the swing of a Sunday really starts now.
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