January - Snow/Swimming and Wodkas

UIKPT - Manchester
January could not have started better.... Picture the scene it's New Years night, and the plan of action was that myself and Martin would head into the Fitz for the schalps madness... Freezing temperatures, snow and our estate looking like an Ice rink changed my mind. I had played a few of the $8.88 re-buys on Stars for a package to Manchester, so decided to give it a go again.... You fairly well have to run like God, ship any half decent Ace, put pressure on the short stacks if you are lucky enough to get chips, and pray a little, my nerves were in tatters when we reached the package bubble. there were 3 packages worth $2,200 to cover flights, hotel and expenses.. 4th was $450 or something to that effect. Anyway bubble burst, and large vodka taken to calm the nerves.

Then Martin gave the 9.30 p.m. game a spin, and would you believe it he wins a package as well, another batch of large Vodkas needed.

He was all with 2.5 big blinds with K6 V KQ.... have no fear 6 6 x board... and he didn't look back after that, few class comments in the Chat box between himself and Paul Marrow

Paul (CHIP LEADER) shipped into the 2nd chip leader, with Ad4d V
pocket Queens, but have no fear in typical Marrow style the flop comes
Ac 4c x x x yepee yahoo

2010 is shaping up nicely roll on February for the Game..........

Double Monday depression
Going back to work in January is like a double whammy of depression. You system is in flitters from all the gorging over crimbo, you clothes should be arrested for trying to strangle you, and you are suffering from major dt's after talking yourself into not drinking during the week. The office was like a fridge, because some gobshit forgot to set the timer for the heating to come on. brrrr.... Then the week consisted of some serious snow shower, ice - 10 degrees, lol the end is nigh.... well not quite but it was amusing. I felt like I needed a medal for just getting to work, never mind actually doing some work..

highlight of week was pouring Luke warm water to clear the window, then driving, on the M50 and it started pelting snow. The windscreen had not warmed up enough, so the snow stuck upon impact... after 2 minutes, I couldn't see anything, had to pull into hard shoulder of M50 (which had not been gritted), skidded to an eventual stop, used Visa Card to scrap the ice off window, got into car and contemplated taking up smoking again (it's only been 6 years).. Although, the driving conditions were bad, you actually got used to driving in the snow. Below was the funny bits of the week.

Griffith Avenue -






POKER
Friday 15th January
Decided to venture to Portlaoise to play in the CPT Game as I had a €100 voucher for the last longest lady lol... myself and Martin headed down to the Heritage Hotel in Portlaoise, I wasn't sure about the numbers, but it got a very respectable 61 runners with a €9050 in the prize pool with over €400 added by Ladbrokes. I actually managed to get my stack to 25K before the break and with the Add on I had 40K which was way more that my last outing to Dundalk. I also won 2 tee shirts at the break , 1 Ladbrokes and 1 Celtic poker tour, which was fun. I got knocked out eventually 21st or 22nd, and Martin went in 18th. Very enjoyable night and the lads ran a very good show.

Saturday 16th January - €125 game in the Fitz
Myself and Martin headed into this, I actually hadn't played the Saturday game in ages. My table was very funny, I was stuck with Stewie to my left and bob Battersby to my right, we had some laugh though. Anyway Bob was doing the usual, massive over raises taking small pots, then he min raised under the gun, everyone folded and he shows 9 3 off suit and chuckles.. lol... so then to the first hand of note.. Stewie was telling me how he loves 34 suited/unsuited he just loves playing it, blinds are 75 150, and Bob tries to raise to 350 utg, but is called up for a string bet, so it is 300 to go, I look down at 4h 6h and call, along with 6 other people (welcome to the fitz).

Flop comes down 3x 5x Kh rainbow, bob bets out his obligatory 500, I flat call, as does Goren in the SB and Terry. Turn is my bingo card 2h giving me the nuts with a flush re-draw. Goren bets out 1K, Bob does the obligatory dwell up and folds, I raise to 2.5 K and he ships all in, I call and he turns over A4 for the lower straight, no redraw. Then Bob announces "I had a good hand there ya know, neither of you should have been in the pot" My mind is screaming "don't min-raise if you don't want us in the pot, but I nod in agreement...

Shortly after the break, bobs stack is down to 2.5k and he ships in from the sb, blinds are 100 200, and Look at Ac7c and make the call, he turns over AdJd and chuckles.

flop comes down 10 7 2
7 on the turn, and bob is down the stairs like a gazelle muttering about luck and bad play...

So I am motoring along nicely when this russian guy gets moved to our table, he has about 50K and the blinds are only 300 600 at this stage. and proceeds to donk of half his stack in quite spectacular style

(I have 27K so doing fine)... Anyway I'm in the BB and there is a few limpers (including Mr Russia), I check my option with Q 10 offsuit..
flop comes down Q 10 2 ,
I check as does everyone around to Terry on the button who bets 1.5K, I flat
and so does a women called Bernadette, then Mr. Russia raises to 5K.. Terry dwells and folds, I announce all in, then Mr. Russia says "All in" out of turn as Bernadette is really thinking hard about calling my all in. She eventually folds reluctantly, I turn over my Q 10 for 2 pair and he flips over AK for a gut shot straight draw

I had one of those moments where I say what I'm thinking, and straight out of my mouth comes "What the f*ck are you doing??" lol,, No gutshot jack on the turn or river and I'm up to 56k.... and while I'm stacking my chips (which takes quite a while ) Bernadette tells me that she had 9 10 for the gut shot straight draw as well

I lose 20K in the next few hands with QJ v QK on a queen high board. I make it to the final table, and am struggling the whole way, to pick up any hands, and anything raises are being snapped off, eventually out in 5th for a couple of hundred. Really enjoyed the game, and with 40+ runners a week, it really is going from strength to strength

Voodoo Club Friday 22nd January Charity Game
Decided to head into play this, I haven't been to the Voodoo club in quite a while so I was looking forward to it. Willow had twisted my arm (mentioned it in passing) that she was heading to Ryans beforehand for 7 p.m, so my mind was made up and I left the car behind and headed in. It was great to Catch up with people, and there was quite a gang in Ryans. Joe the show, Willow, Eamonn..Jim Smith...The game itself was a non event really, I was at a table with Willy and Mick Stephens, good craic, but card death and mistimed moves resulted in an early exit. not to worry there was always Mythical to be played and a few trips to Ryans... Played a bit of cash and made a bit of a profit. The club had a good buzz about it and im delighted that it appears to be going from strength to strength.

JP Poker Deepstack game Molloy's Pub Saturday
Headed in and played in this. The head wasn't really right for it. Tried to order a bowl of soup at the break, as there were signs that they were serving food. The Girl behind the counter said that "We've stopped serving food because it didn't work out"mmm wonder what happened, did people annoy them by ordering stuff, meh. Waited til the main break and got a chicken sandwich and bowl of fruit at the break from the local Centra. Although the guy behind the counter thought I was trying to rob the place, well it seemed that way by his reaction when I asked if I could get a coffee "Too late for stuff like that, he barked".. double Meh... The game itself was a constant struggle, and I eventually ran my AJ into KJ and we know the rest. Brilliant game, unreal structure and ran smoothly as ever.

Fitzwilliam End of Month Tournament
You can register online for all Fitzwilliam tournaments now, and details can be found on this thread. I have been doing alot of swimming and gym work this week, and was a bit wrecked, but talked myself into heading into play in this. It got an amazing crowd of and the place was absolutely buzzing, with 151 runners , generating a prizepool of €37,750. My starting table was a bit mad, the raises were ridiculously large, and example being blinds 25 50 , raised to 500.... and I was completely card dead, in fact the best hand I had was AJ, no pocket pairs, not even bleedin pocket 2's and my best hand was also my exit hand (AJ no good V A2 sooted) aI felt that the last few E.O.M. tournaments that I have brought my Z game so tonight I was determined to concentrate and basically not do something moronic, but alas card death and empathy ended my run. The cash game then saw me running Kings into Aces and a flopped set of 6's double sigh. I changed tables and managed to get myself out of the monstrous hole that I had dug for myself... (lucky),


Gym/Swimming
I reckon that if you could lose weight by putting you gym/swim gear in you car I would be 7 stone but like many things in life, it's just not that simple..... I headed back to my weight management Clinic the first week in January and I had put on a good bit of weight over Christmas.. (well most of December so I had a good run at it), so it was time to knuckle down. don't get me wrong, I enjoyed every minute of it, and actually worked quite hard at having a few drinks most nights, over the month of December.

I went swimming 4 nights in 2nd week of January, it was very tough, but I managed to work myself up to doing 30 lengths of the pool without stopping.

The 3rd week I incorporated some gym work into it. Started with 30 minute walk on the thread mill followed by the swim and jacuzzi. I will probably add in a few things each week, but there is no point in killing myself initially, so the month of January ended up good for me. I lost most of the weight I had put on over Crimbo. Yes it was tough, but at least I don't have to get my clothes arrested for trying to strangle me....

Anyway I have set a realistic goal for myself, and split up my weight loss into groups of 7 IIbs at a time..... blah blah blah, it must be January, cause Smurph is shit talking about weight loss again.

Anyways on another point, many moons ago in a faraway land I printed a recipe for Butternut squash soup, as below

Butternut squash & Red Pepper soup I know strange, but it is gorgeous.
I know your going blah blah blah but try it out, its really nice.
You basically peel it and chop it. There are seeds in the middle like what you find in melon.
Anyway the recipe.
1 Butternut squash
1 large onion
2 red peppers
2 Knorr vegetable stock cubes

Peel and chop the onion, butternut squash and the red pepper and put into a saucepan of boiling Vegetable stock (about 1.5 pints) (made up of 2 Knorr stock cubes) bring to boil and then simmer for 15 - 20 Min's (until the butternut squash is soft).
Whack in a blender to blend, finished.
It is really sweet tasting and no fat in it at all.

But now I have found a way of making it even nicer, roast the Butternut squash and red peppers in the over for about 25 minutes, make up the stock and cook the Onions in the stock for about 10 minutes. add the roasted vegetable, and whack the lot in a blender, and you have even nicer soup, cause the roasted vegetable taste comes out. I know....... sad cow......(but don't knock it til you've tried it)

Anyway enough of this waffle, all I can say about January is Thank Christ it's over, now roll on February, and roll off the weight