I'm playing horrifically poor poker at the moment, it's degenerated down a level from occasionally fishylooseaggressivebad, to just shit.

I seem to have reverted back to getting far too involved far too early, which I worked out a long time ago doesn't work. Sure it can get me a monster stack early (well compared to 10 and 20 blinds anyway) but I lose it even quicker. I should perhaps point out here for the unitiated - when I say 10 and 20 blinds, I'm referring to donk level MTTs, not cash :)

I don't play cash at all online, mainly due to my experiences with it when I first started playing online, back in da day at the old stalwart, Paradise Poker. I had a nice slice of money kicking around combined with dial up tortoise speed internet, add to that the fact I had no concept I was playing real people plus a large dash of non-belief. All factors combined with an end result of me taking the internet off. For a couple of years.

So once I was solvent again (I kid you not it was that bad) and I'd honed my skills a little thanks to the guys at West Derby Grosvenor I went back online but with a very different game plan. Cash was barred.

I have phases where it's SnG only for ages, then I get fed up and move to MTTs for a while. If I fancy getting my chat suspended I will hit the 7 card stud cash tables for a while (Limit poker - what's that all about?)

I think the problem at the moment is the success I've had over the past few months has made me very careless. Month by month I've picked up quite a few final tables, yes all low stakes (max £50) but the prize money in comparison to the stakes I've paid out has been a good return. The mortgage has been paid in advance, we've just fitted a new bathroom, turned the spare room into an office and we go away for an all inclusive week in the sun this Thursday. Oh yeh, and I bought a horrifically expensive pair of leather boots from Faith. Worth it for them alone.

Because we play poker as a hobby that helps with the bills, it's very easy to get complacent when you're running good. So I'm watching myself throw money down the drain making bad calls and bad plays, which makes me think I need to sharpen up somewhat!

Off to work today so no poker anyway until tomorrow afternoon when I'm playing live at Birmingham in the Betfred Ladies Tour. (See previous posts as to my level of competence at Ladies games) This will be the ultimate test for myself, purely to stay in past the second level. I'm going to write flash cards to remind myself women call, whether they have the nuts or are Ace high, so "representing" what's on the board is pointless, early on anyway. And if you think I'm being unfair - read this then decide:

Last year I won a seat for the same comp, at Napoleons. I wasn't in this hand on my table but watched it unfold incredulously (and left shortly afterwards lol) Player A raises, called by Granny B,and about 7 others as usual. Flop rags, but with a straight draw plus two hearts. Player A pot bets flop, forget exact figures but around 2k, having raised 3 BB (300) preflop. Granny B is sat there contemplating her knitting and hasn't even looked at the flop (I'm sitting opposite her) The dealer turns to her and says 2k to go. Granny looks down at her chips, asks which chips make 2k, so the dealer shows her a white chip plus 2 greens that player A has bet out, granny digs through her stack and finds a white chip and two greens. She shows them to the dealer who says that's correct so she puts them on the table.

At no point has she looked at the flop.

The turn comes and puts the straight out there with another heart. Player A bets out again, Granny follows same scenario, again looking for the exact same colour chips (I think she would have folded if she hadn't had the correct colour I honestly do). AFTER calling, she pops on her glasses to have a look at the flop, which is 9 high.
River rag heart, so now a flush out as well as the straight. Player A desperately goes all in, which by this stage is less than the pot, but still a chunky bet. The dealer turns to Granny and say "That's all your chips" so Granny obediently passes her remaining chips to the dealer, who promptly gives them back and then they go over the line.

Everyone at the table is craning their necks to see what monster hands are about to be revealed. Player A has K10 of spades (nh for an UTG raise) and Granny? Granny has Ace Jack off suit. With no heart. She wins a monster pot with ace high. In case you think she had a read or made a great call knowing player A was at it - don't kid yourself. She had AJ and the lady wasn't for folding, simple as. I think a lot of it was the dealer's fault - if she had said "2k or you can FOLD" Grammy m,ight have got out, possibly, but when the dealer asked her for 2k she was simply too polite to say no.

So this is what I'm up against tomorrow. And for a player who likes to raise with J7o it will cost me dearly I fear :)

I'll catch up here on Sunday to tell you just how painful it was. On the up side, there are a few people I'm looking forward to seeing again, so all is not lost!