Improving

Welcome reader, thanks for persevering. I know the writing aint exactly "stellar" here compared to the greats out there but I appreciate you stopping by, even the 94% of you who only stay for between 10 and 20 seconds while you move on to the next target of potential free porn.

The last few days I've played some bloody great poker, even if I do say so myself. The $3 rebuy on Stars each night seems to fit into my plans of an evening perfectly, and I've been playing well in it. The worst mistakes I've made have been folds and the best plays I've made have been satisfying in a way that I don't think you get to comprehend until you've been playing poker for a good while. The results are as follows :

Sunday - 99th/1786 in the $3 rebuy for $35.74. An UTG habitual pusher went in with 99, i called with AQ in the SB and he tripped up, c'est la vie it was time to double up or bust

Monday - 87/1193 $3 rebuy - out thunk myself on an obvious hand, it was madness and I folded after deliberately betting weak into a dry side pot and then folding ! I can't believe I talked myself out of calling it. $31 score, but played pretty good again.

Not bad at all, even if the prize money has been measly so far. The reason for that is that the 20% payouts on Stars generally mean that once you're ITM you may as well go super aggressive and try and get a stack for the final table, 190-20 all get around $30 bucks but 1st takes home a cool $3k. If I'd listened to that advice last night I would have had a chance to make the FT but instead I folded like a girl ! Dumb, but etched in my mind as a lesson for next time.

Ok enough of blowing my own trumpet. Time for a "big up" to a long-time member of the FTR Forums, lambchopdc who took a Final Table deal in the $1M gtd on Stars this weekend to beat 5243 other players. The FTR regular was second in chips when the deal went down and he won over $88,000! Isn't it incredible we can play a GAME for that much money EVERY WEEKEND ! Fecking awesome. It's the stuff dreams are made of. I was in the same tourney and busted 1243rd when I stupidly bluffed into a full house in a limped pot with 6 way action - rookie play. To my credit I'd already fought back from losing 3/4 of my stack when my AK got slapped in the face by quad fours. Experience in this tourney is good for my game.

I've got more to say but no more time, lunch is over and work is the busiest it's ever been. I'm really earning my trip to Vegas right now. Oh that reminds me, if any of you have stayed at the Mirage before is 20 bucks gonna be enough to tip the check-in desk for a cheeky upgrade or $100 nearer the mark ? Any tips appreciated ! Thanks, and good luck at the tables.