Getting the life on track...

So it's official... I am the most indecisive person in the world. Ever. But finally starting to get things sorted out a little bit. I thought it about it for quite a while, but I've decided to get backed again. I'm going to be backed by Marc and Bogan. I'm still unsure whether it's the best decision for me, because if I wanted I could grind out a roll for myself playing 2s and 3rs. However, in the long run I think it will be best for me to play a higher average buy-in and take advantage of the coaching on offer from Marc and David.

Also confirmed moving in with Marc come May the 1st, unsure whether I mentioned that previously. We're going to get a place local to myself for 3 months, then head off to TomorrowLand, and then possibly onto Bristol. Getting a place to rent for 3 months, for two people who are playing poker full time isn't the easiest. People just turn their noses up straight away when you mention poker. So... Here's the plan. I'm now a 'Risk Analyst for Tech-Matic' (My Dads company) and Marc will be Zeee German who is here on business. How could that fail?? :)

Since I start playing for Marc and Bogan it's been a lot of close calls. On the first day, I won a small 5c and small 2r (Which I tried to punt hard, then ended up with a stack, so played Fifa for a few hours came back and had 10bbs, got AA, quaded up and won it. Yep.. Skill game).. Since then I've made a few FTs and a good few around the FT bubble, on Saturday, stone cold bubbled a $25 hyper and like 12th in the Hot 33. Would have been pretty cool to ship either of them, think was like around 5k for fist in both. I've been trying really hard to cut out spewing deep in Mtts, and working to some degree, except one hand, where on the FT bubble of a 27.50 capped, I 4b jammed 10-8o like 30bbs effective when Marc told me the reg was a nit.

Going to update this again at the end of the month, will put in my total 2s graph, where I gave up on the bet and my overall graph. Going to hammer Kev in Fifa now hopefully, and taken tomorrow off to go for scoops with Jono (Gawa9). That should be fun. Updates to come.

Instead of a video I'm just going to post this - Jono's trip report, tomorrow will be fun!!!

Day 18 - Have no idea what I'm doing.

Pretty much didn't sleep a wink last night. Went home after beating Kev on away goals in our 2 legged nightly Fifa game. Was derlissssh. Nando in the last minute for Chelsea to take it on away goals!! Nom!!

Had to get up at 10am to go into my Mam, it been Mothers Day and all. So by the time I went and chilled with her for a little bit I was absolutely wrecked and didn't want to grind. Came down to Kevs anyway, and decided again...... I was going to go for the 2s bet. I only got 100 games in before I was just too tired to keep regging. 

March 18th 

Confirmed with Marc today that I'm 100% moving in with him from the 1st of May until at least the end of July in Dublin. So I think I'm going to grind 180s on my own dime and get some pretty much variance free dollar. I still have no idea if I will make a run at this bet or not. There's still plenty of time left to catch the guys and $1800 would be pretty sweet. But I really, REALLY need to make up my mind by tomorrow or else leaving it too late. 

Bogan booked an hour for me with Squee. I'm ridic excited for that. I hope he tears me apart, which he probably will. But listening to people like him will only do me wonders. 

Love her. Love the song. Run gootz.

Day 16 & 17 - Decisions...

Didn't have time to update it last night as decided I was getting fucked up :).. Was in a pretty bad way, ringing Gawa and Dan because I got so excited there going to be in Dublin at the end of the month!!... Should be a fun night!.

So after all I've decided I'm not going to go for the 2s bet. At the moment I just don't have it in me to grind every day. I still need to get 1k games in this month to lock up the bet with Marc but that won't be a problem.

I've decided, backed or un-backed. I'm going to get my grind on in the 3rs big time. I think they'll improve my end game even more in Mtts, plus everyone says they are the softest of the 180s. Obviously they suck for RB and hourly, but easy money is easy money.

Cory (ProdigyXII on stars) told me he'd go over some HHs, in exchange for some drinks in Nottingham. He was once regarded as the best 3r player when on the serious grind, so that will be pretty sick. Reason I'll be in Nottingham is I shipped a satty tonight. :D. I felt a little out of my depth when we got to the FT as I have no satty experience. But it was fairly comfortable in the end. Hopefully I will get to girls and some the guys I met over in Bristol. Just need Kev to bink some money so he can play as well, that would be sweet.


I think I played pretty well over all the last few days and had some deep runs, today I think my only deepish run an Mtt was the 11c and Felix (in my old stable) was down to the last 2 tables with. Was one hand, which I thought was lol bad, where he shove 16bb over my utg+1 open with K2 and got there vs my JJ. I would have berated him a little even if I held, as I just didn't get it. He cited 'x' and 'y' why it isn't that bad. And maybe I need to look into my re-shoving range from EP openers. 


I can't post a graph from the last 2 days, because for some reason it's still including the MM cash. I played approx 150 games and broke even apart from the package I shipped. So plus about $1k. I've also decided once and for all I'm too far behind in the 2s bet to win. I'm about $700 behind. I'm not sure if I said this in the last post, hopefully not. But ya, I could possibly push for it. I feel I'm playing well at the moment but just the week off and chilling out in Bristol has took my mind off the grind.

I'm going to talk to Bogan in the morning pre my session and decide what I'm doing once and for good. They signed up my good irl friend Karl (chips1234), so just gotta get Kev and Greg in there and have the irish connection. It's a bit of a disgrace I didn't go out on Paddys Day been Irish and all that, but oh well. Destiny. Let's ship the UKIPT :D

Day 15 - Bink

[14.03.2012 21:54:35] Fintan Hand: Fuck it I'll play mtts until Monday.. Then go back to 180s end of the week..

So decided to go for the bink rather than the grind....

40,000 players later I had my biggest bink to date. Got 4th in one of the Micro Millions events for about 6.3k. 1st was 17k, would have loving to binked a 5 figure score. Wasn't to be as my AK < KQ for quite a big pot. Still delighted however, as I cleared make-up and netted myself a bit of profit. I played pretty well throughout I thought, apart from maybe one hand where I 3b a guy for the 3rd time in quick succession with K10o when 4 handed, and the short stack woke up with AQ behind. Marc thought it was silly to be light in that spot, just because he was probably getting fed up with me. I'm more into the, pound away until he shows he will put up some resistance. I was just trying to apply some pressure with the ridic pay jumps. One of the players on the table was literally begging for a deal. I also FT'd a $2r on my first day back to Mtts, and took 9th....... Bawliiiin..

15th May

Games played: 50

Profit/loss: +$6074

Hours played: 15

Cashes: 11

Now that I've cleared make-up I have to make up my mind on what I'm going to do. I'm ending things with Gavarov. They've been nothing but good to me, however I want to continue to work with Marc in some way or else go on my own. I'll make my mind up in the next few days.

If I had of binked the 17k, Kev and myself would have been on a plane to Bristol/Malta the next day. Dreams. 

Here's the sweat thread from the FT, I really wanted the prestigious hat that stars are offering for binking one of these Micro Millions. - <3

Day 14 - I've lost it. tl;dr

So..... Bristol.... Awesome.

Got over on Friday night, the girls were all adamant we would have a quite one in the local pub. As on Saturday it was Laura's 20th. People would be arriving early blah blah and didn't want hangovers etc. Kev and I had other ideas. Dozens of Jaager bombs later, pure happiness, a party on a boat, we arrived home at about 5am and kept the girls up talking shite for hours.

On a Boaaaaaat!!

Needless to say, the next morning we were nobody's best friends after ruining their plans... Got a couple of hours sleep, people started arriving and was time to do it all over again. All the lads Kev knew from Ibiza arrived down and the girls from Wales, where Laura is from arrived as well. The house was set up pretty well for a party, one of the girls bf's was a DJ and got his decks set up.

Seshwaaaan. 

Considering moving over to Bristol in August full time with Marc, and possible Kev. And if Saturday night in the club in town is anything to go by, living in Bristol would make things easy for two young Irish lads. Seriously. We walked around the club for about 15 minutes, and everyone time we opened our mouths the girls were in love. I wish it were as easy at home. Again had a great night, everyone on the love buzz.

Feeling pretty rough the next morning, after everyone cleared off. I did my usually, 'Fuck, I've lost _____'. This time it been my passport. As the day went on, sort of realised I had actually lost it. Chose not to panic thinking it'd turn up, or else be in the club from the night before. We contemplated watching 'Shawshank Redemption' for the 3rd time over the weekend, as the girls had no channels and the DVD player was broken. Then Alice came to rescue with a few classics like 'The Jungle Book' and 'Notting Hill'. Manly as fuck DVDs obv. Didn't head out on the Sunday night, so woke up fresh the next morning, planning to charm my way onto the plane as I couldn't get through to the club and it hadn't turned up around the house. Ryan Air has a strict policy on passports however so it was obviously never going to work. So I bid Kev farewell and back to the girls house I went.

Laura and Amy were going to work, so Emma and I went off the club to lurk for my passport. And of course it was there, a bit worse for wear, but at least I had it. Instead of just getting a taxi, Emma insisted on walking all the way home. Was pretty cool though, seen a lot of the places were 'Skins' would have been filmed. And to be honest, that show has life in Bristol down to a tee. Tried to get Emma to come into a brothel with me, it been half 9 on a Monday and her sober, was a long shot. Ryan Air obviously scammed the fuck out of me for the price of the fare for the next morning. But what can you (in before don't lose your passport). At least I had saved on the more expensive price of an Aer Lingus flight and replacing the passport. All in all. Quality weekend.

However, got back and cheked out the 180 bet. My net profit stands around 1100 and guy out in front now has 1750 or so. I mean, I could catch up to it. If I run good and he runs average/bad and I mash the volume out of it. However, one of the guys had 3200 games played after 12 days, havn't checked since. So I'm never going to out volume him. So I think I'm going to throw in the towel and get back on the Mtt grind from tomorrow. I'll still update this every day however, as I think it's good for motivation and James gave out it hadn't been updated ha, so at least I know someone is reading it. Marc has also said that he will review with me on Monday if I'm struggling big time, ie no deep runs or anything over the next 5 days.

Also have decided that I'm 95% moving in with Marc come the first of May, unless he gets different life plans. So I really need to clear MU and stopping having ridic expensive weekends like the one that has just passed. The $1800 would be really sweet from the 2s bet, it would just suck so so so so much if I were to grind my ass of in 2s for the next 2 weeks and then not win the bet. Agh I'm so indecisive, I'll decide in the morning :D

Sums up the weekend perfectly.

Day 7 - Need a break

Not quite sure how many consecutive days I've played now. But I think I'm going to take tomorrow off, and with going away to Bristol on Friday-Monday. I won't be updating this for a few days.

I thought I played pretty well today to be honest, but things just didn't go my way. Abe beat me heads up, that was the nut low moment of my Day.

March 7th

Games played: 200

Profit/loss: -$127

Hours played: 8.5

Cashes: 18

So still in make-up and obviosuly won't be clearly it before tomorrow so ye, Abe won one of the props. And about $400 behind in the 2s bet now. Hopefully it's not like 1k when I get back on Monday. Will be hitting the grind big time when I get back. Glglglgl

Day 6 - Pain

Ye, so after my pathetic work out yesterday I was still in absolute bits today. Forgot how sore it can be when getting back into the gym. So needless to say I didn't make it back down to the gym today. Had to force myself out of bed to even grind. For the first time during the bet I watched something on my 2nd monitor while playing, I never usually do it when I'm playing 20+ tables. And I was also on skype chatting, so I was just never going to win today. But like I said had to force myself to grind today. Probably would have been better taken the day off but oh well.

March 6th 

Games played: 150

Profit/loss: - $80

Hours played: 6

Cashes: 11

Had to go in and see my Mam so finished my session slightly early. But 11 cashes in 150 games is still pretty bad to be honest. Lost HU every time today. One of them was to one of the guys in the 2's prop bet, who is now winning. He's played like half my volume and winning by a couple of 100 dollars now. His user name is 'Hanzaz' I think. He's got reaaaaal heat. But yer it sucked losing that one. Going to go down and grind in Kevs tomorrow. Makes it far easier grinding 180s when your in the room with someone else. Just makes the hours pass by that bit quicker. 

I've given up on the bet with Abe, make-up is too high to be cleared by Friday from purely playing 2s to be honest. I could mix in 8s and 3rs or maybe play Mtts but to be honest. I just want to get out of MU and use this month to grind my own roll up. So yep, I'm going to have to coach some random and own myself in the MTTc.... Booo... Paiiiin.

Day 5 - Making progress.

FINALLY, I got up and joined the local gym. Although when Kev and I got down there it was a pretty pathetic work out. Firstly we learned, I can't skip. Had never tried it before, not as easy as it looks I'll tell you!!. So yer after my failed attempt at a warm-up, we pretty much continued to fail. Did some work on the chest, but we only did like 3 excercises and I was fucked. Oh well. At least I went down and should go back down tomorrow.

Poker wise it was the best I've felt I've played since switched back over in to 180s. Could have been because I felt better getting up earlier and actually going and getting a bit of exercise. Or maybe just because I'm starting to learn from my mistakes due to the volume. I only made one pretty lol bad shove all day imo. Again of course it was committing ICM suicide. But hey. I like going all in.

March 5th  

Games played: 200

Profit/loss: +$297

Hours played:8.5

Cashes:29

Today could have been the best day so far, but things just went against me on FTs. Obviously can't complain because some of the days recently I've just ran God like on FTs. If I wasn't in the 2s only prop bet, I would definitely be mixing in at least 3rs and mostly likely 8s by now. Which I feel would give me a good chance of clearing make-up by friday. But because there's $1800 up top in the 2s bet I'd really like to win that, so I want to keep all my volume in the 2s for now. 

On a side note - Lost to Kev in our nightly 2 legged game of Fifa. 6-5 on aggregate. Andy Carroll hitting the post in the 90th minute for me was just heart-break. It makes me need songs like this to chill out...

Day 4 - Better than losing...

So.. Umm the healthy buzz and not drinking didn't last long. I'm far too easily swayed and unfortunately for me Kev knows this. Went to 'Home' and just went bananas on the dancefloor for an hour or so. Almost ended up visiting Paris's main attraction the Eiffel Tower aswell, but wasn't meant to be.

So yer it made today the biggest grind ever. Have been starting at the very latest 2pm lately. Didn't get started to around 5pm today. Regging through to nearly 1am was just horrible when it's just $2.50 180s to be honest. Proud of myself that I manned up and did it though. Wanted to play 300 games/day at the weekend but only got 200 in both days. What can you do. Still decent volume and as far as I know I'm still crushing the prop bet.

March 4th

Games played: 200

Profit/loss: +$11

Hours played: 9

Cashes:22

It was funny, I sat down at the start of the day and said to Kev. It sucks I have to play today because I've been running to hot and it's bound to catch up with me. And if I hadn't committed ICM suicide on so many occasions today I probably could have had a decent day again. But I wanted ALL THE CHIPS :)... I got slow rolled by one of the guys in the bet on a FT today as well. I'm going to dedicate the win to him at the end of the month rather than spite/slowroll him. 

Actually have to go to the gym tomorrow with Kev. Keep coming up with excuses and it's just about getting into routine. In before I give a reason I didn't make it tomorrow. Sigh. 

Day 3 - Heeeeeat

Going to make it quick because I'm the most easily led person in the world. Kev has convinced me to come out tonight. So much for not drinking. And yerp. Immmma get fucked up.

March 3rd 

Just ran absurdly hot on FT's. Got heads up 8 or 9 times. Won a good few. Bets looking good so far, seen as total profit for a similar bet last month was around 1k.

Now off to get me a yunnnging. My paradise.

Day 2 - One step forward.....

So after lasts nights session, I got my real grind on. Fifa12. In division 1 but haven't won it yet. Was feeling good last night, then twice in 3 games I got disconnected from EAs servers. I RUN SO BAD!!! So I need to get 11 points from the last 7 games just to stay up now. Shouldn't be a problem.

Trying pretty hard to get into routine of getting up earlier, managed to get up at around 11 this morning. Going to need to get this down to 9.30 every morning if going to start hitting the gym properly again.

March 2nd

Games played:200

Profit/loss: -81

Hours: 9

Cashes: 18

Kept the tables down to 20 again today. I don't think I played much differently to yesterday. Felt good. I think one mistake I'm probably making is shoving too wide in to regs deep, just getting picked off so lighty even in 2s. I'm still trying to adjust back to 180s, and alls I can say is I'm glad I didn't jump straight back in at 8s/3rs. Because I'd probably have gotten crushed. I think clearing make up by next Friday is nearly impossible at this rate if I don't start mixing in at least 3rs. I'm going to try get in 300 games tomorrow and Sunday and I'll see where I stand. If it's close for the bet between me and Abe will definitely play mtts on Thursday!! 

Getting really excited for Tomorrow Land all of a sudden. I know it's not until July but it's going to be UNREAL. Marc and Kev confirmed. Trying to get a few others in. Mttc in Belguim. Yes please.

Day 1 - Where there's a will...

So ended up playing Fifa last night until all sorts of hours which really didn't help for getting up the gym this morning. Woke up at 10, sent Kev a text knowing full well he wouldn't reply..... More sleeeeeeps. So ye, wasn't the best start. Finally dragged myself out of bed around half 11 and feeling guilty forced myself into going for a run. Even picked up some fruit on the way to snack on in the 5 minute breaks rather than sweets and shizzle. I'm not sure what it is about that 5 minute break, but I ALWAYS need to snack on something.

March 1st

Games played: 200

Profit/loss: +475

Hours: 9

Cashes: 30

So I made a good start to the bet. I really had to force myself to grind it out however. It's funny how a swing can play on your mind. You start to second guess yourself in the most obvious of spots. Like as extreme as today, I was thinking maybe college wouldn't be a bad idea again. It probably wouldn't, but for now. Fuck that. Dream.

 I dropped tables down today, and had 20 going constantly all day. I don't think it made much of a difference however results would obviously suggest other wise. I think I just ran a little better on FTs today, which may have had something to do with me tightening up a little bit on them. It's something I need to get better at in mtts and 180s alike. Changing gears and toning down the aggression.