United Kingdom of Boomer

Well as y’all can guess from my last blog 2009 has now come to a close for me.

Thanks for the well wishes and sorry for being rather emo about the whole thing.

Thought I might as well post my yearly results here for y’all

Makes me feel even stupider really for flying off the handle but hey hoh what’s done is done.

A HUGE thank-you to everyone at DC who’s help me come so far this year. BBB especially for being the world’s most awesome coach. Entity and all the guys from the Dojo. Pygmy and Lysistrata, you guys are amazing and everyone else on DC.

Good Luck all in 2010, I may appear for 15 minutes at some point before then just to make sure I lock in my VIP level for January but as far as full sessions go, I’m done on the year.

Have a great new year all.

I am afraid that I have to make a decision now.

I cannot do this to myself or my family. I have just had one of the most heartbreaking sessions of my life during one of the swingiest months I’ve ever played and it has finally hit me how foolish I’ve been. I keep telling myself not to leave it late but I have and this is the result and now finally the decision I’m going to make.

I am not continuing trying to grind to Supernova.

I don’t have the mentality to play for that amount of time during a day and even if I were to get it I’d only let it consume me as I’d set myself more and more deadlines during the coming year. This is not my profession and was never meant to be and as of the time I’m writing this I would rather go back into work than play poker again this year. (In fact there are things involving a car battery, a pair of crocodile clips and my nether regions I’d rather do than poker at the moment too) It has become something I “have” to do rather than I “want” to do and that is not acceptable.

Currently I feel like I’ve let myself down and those who believed in me down and it’s extremely hard for me to be in that situation let alone write it down. I had it handed to me on a plate and in the end I still failed and I haven’t felt this dejected in years.

This year has been amazing in all sorts of ways and if you’d told me during my 350BB downswing in January/February at 0.5/1 that at the end of the year that my bankroll would have at one point been over 1000BB for 3/6 and that I’d be devastated that I’d just missed Supernova I’d have taken that but it still doesn’t change the fact I knew what had to be done and in the end I was stupid enough to fail. Throughout most of my life bothin and out of poker my greatest enemy has been myself, whether it’s tilt, bone-idleness or plain lack of common sense. Sadly that still the one enemy I can’t overcome.

I’ll post my year end results when I can stomach it. Probably New Year’s Eve but until then I’ll wish everyone a Happy New Year.

The grind to SN isn’t really going that well

I will make it but that’s becasue I’ll have to 4 table which is something I don’t really want to do but missing SN isn’t an option.

Bascially a combination of being a little lazy and being too polite to tell people “no”.

Add to that the fact that for the month’s 15 sessions I only have 5 winners, poker is being a little unkind to me at the moment. Fortuantely those 5 winners have been big enough to put me about 90BB up for the month. It’s just been a total hair-raiser, the last session I played was the first session of the month where my won@SD was in the 50’s (Still managed to lose 8 out of 10 massive pots where I had 80% equity or more on the turn). It’s either been in the 70’s or in the low 40’s for the rest of the month, nothing in between and I’ve been flying all over the place and it’s been really frustrating but I don’t have to put up with it for long. Just get through the next 4 days and then thank Stars that I only have to get 7500VPPs to maintain SN from now and it’ll be easier to get the points now because certainly in the first few months of 2010 I’ll be taking it easy and re-assessing some goals.

Was reminded this Christmas of what really matters.

My mother has the distinction of being born on Christmas Eve (and named Carol…ho ho ho) so given I’ve had a nice year I wanted to buy her something she’d really want so I got her a Nintendo DS and for the last 2 days she’s done nothing but smile (except when she get’s stuck on Professor Layton and I unstick her in about 20 seconds) and that has been more rewarding for me than any material gift I could have been given.

Sadly as with all thing perfection was spared me by having one of my wisom teeth crumble on me today (same thing happened last year actually) fortunately it’s not causing me any pain so it can wait until New Year to be fixed so it’s just a little irriatating and not enough to ruin my mood…

The grind home can do that for me :)

But then again the reward will be worth it and I get to spend 6 days playing poker, watching football and generally screwing around….this is happiness.

Merry christmas to everyone

10 days to go and about 11k VPPs, not so bad considering I’ve been v busy in run up to Xmas and now I’ve only got 3 working days left in the year.

What a wierd day today was:

Shipped 40BB in my first session to some of the most sickening hands I’ve been involved in, fortuantely and a brief hate-filled tirade 2 hours later I took them all back and then backed over the carcass I’d left in a 4×4 and took another 25BB or so on top of it because I’m a meanie….

Road home begins now:

3 hours a day on the 3 remaining work days
5 hours on non-working days

And if it all goes well I may even let myself sit in a 5/T game towards the end just to dip my toe in the water for next year…but we’ll see.

I’ll post updated progress from here on out:

Just checked stars and I have 11005VPPs to go.

Countdown!!

So I’m playing a little earlier and decided to 4-table 1/2 becasue 3/6 looked poor and I wanted to practise 4-tabling 1/2 just in case I’d have to use it as an emergency FPP station at some point

Then Stars starts lagging…

Check out the hands I got when I was finally Dc’d

I guess I’ll finish the 89VPPs for a free Xmas later then :(

And when I get bored I usually do daft stuff like this….

UFO Enemy Unknown starring DC members!!!!!

Now I tried this idea before but video only really doesn’t work so this time it’s a screen shot attempt which is easier to get through.

For those who haven’t played this game, just go on Steam and download a copy for $3 or something….

Anyway:

Jan 1st 1999:

Alien craft spotted over Earth, abducting people yadda yadda, nefarious schemes, what do they want etc. Supreme Commander Boomer and his squad of DC coaches and members to the rescue…maybe.

We plonked our first base in Europe (German Border) becasue:

1) I live near there
2) Although the Americans are the biggest contributors they’re only 1 country as opposed to the many of europe…DEAL WITH IT! I’ll stick a base there assuming we survive that long.

Of course any army needs weapons and the Rifles and Pistols we got from Busto Army Surplus™ aren’t really going to cut it, so….

Oh baby.

We found our first UFO pretty quickly but our Interceptor pilots were a bit careless and all we ended up getting from it was the knowledge that nuclear tipped warheads were fine for blowing up Alien ships that were all of 10 feet in diameter…great going chaps.

But then good news!!

Umm yes…do that

However as seems to be the case these days, every time there’s a good message it’s time for someone to piss on my bonfire.

Great, on the deck and entreched.

Oh well here we go.

No I’m not bloody ready but we’re going to do it anyway. I’ve tried to filter out the worst of my starting soliders but nothing is perfect…hopefully they’ll be ok.

MISSION 1 – Small UFO – Landed and Intact

Attending X-Com Personnel

BigBadBabar (In remote command of Tank due to excellent pre-game testing…or maybe it’s the fact that if I get him killed I’m never going to here the end of it)
PygmyHero
Lysistrata
BusinessGypsy
Sushiglutton
Joe Tall
Entity
Deathdonkey
Mikel
Danzasmack
Ms Bungle

_BBB: Well we managed to land right next to it so good start guys

PygmyHero: Yeah fine for you with your titanium armoured Death Mobile and remote control back at HQ, what about us in what appear to be hand-me-down flak-jackets???

BBB: Ooooh I’m a Rocket Tank and I’m OK, I roll all night and I pwn all day

PygmyHero: Boomer are you sure this is a good idea?

Boomer: No…get going._

_BBB: Found one.

Boomer: Guys I want you to take down as many as you can to gain combat experience, the tank can’t ever improve and can draw fire due to it’s thick armour so…

BBB: Umm did you say draw fire??

Boomer: oops…

BBB: Awwww look at it. Ok guys I’m gonna drive by this knee-high wall that appears to block vision, can one of you guys come down and snipe my kill?

Danza: I’m all over this one…

Danza: ARRRGH!!

BBB: Uh, the Rifle shot bounced off it that can’t be too good.

Ms Bungle: DANZA NOOOOO! I’ll get that little freak I swear I….

BBB: Oh my god!!

Boomer: stunned silence

BBB: IT’S GONE BALLISTIC!!

Boomer: Fortunately it also has been folied by the knee-high wall. WILL SOMEBODY KILL THAT THING?!

Sushi: I’m on it

Pygmyhero: Holy Shit Sushi, your Rocket lauchers fires flaming death skulls!!

Sushi: Uh…dibs on “I’m not getting the bill for damage caused”

Pygmyhero: Oh…

BBB: Got another round here and no more Mr. Nice guy…they’re all going down!!

BBB: That’s more like it…I’m gonna go off exploring.

Entity: Hey mike and DD. About that 44 hand we were discussing last night what do you think about the 3-bet pre from the BB….

Boomer: Uh oh…everyone off the Skyranger and into the fight, prepare to breach the UFO.

BG: I’m in position

PygmyHero: I will support you from over here…

BG: Where??

BG: O RLY?!!

Lysistrata: Ew 2 bodies :( Don’t need me to tell you what they died from I guess.

Boomer: Oh I’m sure we’ll find some way of getting them back on board

Lysistrata: but they’re…

Boomer: There’s ALWAYS a way

Lysistrata: You’re getting a pysch evaluation the moment I get back.

BG: I’m close to the door

Boomer: Good, I think we’ve got the exit covered.

Joe: pant stupid…heavy…cannon.

Pygmy: I’m here.

Mikel: I’m just not sure it’s a profitable 3-bet although maybe vs…..

Boomer: Why me? Hey BBB you seeing anything out there?

BBB: uh kinda…

BBB: Oh you ain’t waling away in shame this time…that almost scratched my paintwork!! Say hello to my Little friend!!

Warning: Extreme Flash Photography here…look away if you have epilepsy

BBB: I think it’s dead

Boomer: You really think so?? How am I going to explain THAT to the local farmer??? Sorry Mr Giles but we decided that we were going to test a new ploughing technology and it went a bit wrong?

BBB: It’s not THAT bad

Boomer: ahem

BBB: OIC

BG: Going in guys

BG: I has a pear!!

Boomer: That’s not a good thing BG. Get Outta there.

BG: Wait if I cap the one I’m next to I can get behind the engine ftw!

BG: Not…quite…according…to….plan

BBB: Did he just miss from 6 in…

Boomer: YES!!!

BBB: And the alien across the room 1-shotted….

Boomer: YES!!!!

BBB: OK I’m gonna finish this…

Boomer: Wait, there’s too much valuable stuff in there to be torching it. Joe if you can make it in we’ll have Pygmy and Lysistrata cover you

JT: Got it…btw where’s DD?

DD: i think it can work though and here’s why….

JT: Oh forget it!

JT: I’m going in

JT: The aliens appear to have adapted the incredible tactic of standing with their backs to the only entrance to the craft

Boomer: Do what you can Joe

JT: Holla

BANG

JT: Remind me next time not to use a Heavy Cannon less that a foot away from my enemy…I’ll never get this out now.

Boomer: Lysistrata, the way’s clear go and save Joe

Lysistrata: On it!

Lysistrata: Uh oh

Boomer: Joe…ok we’re defintely going to have to find a way of getting him back…

Lysistrata: But….

Boomer: ALWAYS a way, besides without him the amount of HORSE content goes down…can’t have that ever. Pygmyhero can you please deal with that thing.

Pygmyhero: Sure…

Pygmyhero: And THAT’S how it’s done!!

BBB: ahem…who has more kills sir??

Pygmyhero: When I get a weapon big enough to dent that tank’s armour it’ll be me

BBB: Haha…Big weapon

Lysistrata: Hey guys…I can’t hear anything…I think we’ve won. wait I can hear something….

Entity: But taken as part of your whole range…

Boomer: Let’s go home people

Boomer: It was a decent raid considering the ship was intact. Loss of life was high but we’re hoping to prevent that in the future and maybe even find a way to help our fallen comrades using alien tech.

Lysistrata: Psych evaluation NOW!

Sushi: SHIP IT!!

_Well that was a lot of fun for me and I may do more in the future, until then back to the SN grind and Premiership football :)

Man-o-man

10,001 hands done :)

And mainly thanks to something I should ahve done a long time ago. Tonight I looked at the 3/6 games and didn’t like what I saw so I decided as a little stress reliever I was going to play 1/2 and see how far I thought I’d developed in terms of game understanding etc since I was there, remembering that 6-7 months ago I was petrified of moving up to 1/2.

Short response – 991 hands, 5.89BB/100 and me amazed at the difference. I just couldn’ tbelieve the change and it was a great way to round off the month after the edge of seat madness that had preceded it.

Final tally for the month:

3/6 – 9010 hands, 1.15BB/100, $619.00
1/2 – 991 hands, 5.89BB/100, $116.75
Bonus – $225.00
Prop Bets – $50.00

Final Score – $1010.75

So i wasn’t the rocket train i have been at 3/6 whern I started but in my mind that was a combo of me playing too many hands when I didn’t want to thus meaning I wasn’t to A game and not running brilliantly but I’m not going to complain at all about beating the games for 1BB/100. I think overall I’m at about 2.4BB/100 now but the sample is irrelevant.

Learned a lot this month about grinding, hardships but most of all tonight, how to have fun at the game again and it wasn’t just the result. I was genuinely happy even when losing with QQ 3 times in a row.

So if I have any advice to give out it’s that if you are a little wound up, you can spare one session, move down and have fun again. Might just keep you sane :)

Hope everyone has a great December

Note to self:

Don’t do this again!!!! DO NOT LEAVE YOURSELF EVER “HAVING TO PLAY”!!

You’re not used to long hours at the table, you put yourself under unneccessary pressure, you’re NOT a professional player so why force yourself into being one?!!

Chill the f*** out!! Yes you’re running like utter crap but you’re still “up” over the past 2 days despite your 48W$Sd thanks to a little bonus. I know it hurts, and I know how much it sucks to lose to hands that have no right to beat you but hold it together. Yes it’s retarded but so was winning 1300BB before it happened!!

It’s so negligible it can be turned around in 1 session…just take a break after this weekend….minimum 3 days

Yeah I talk to myself sometimes :)

The Hand

Poker Stars $3/$6 Limit Hold’em – 6 players – View hand 392284
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

Pre Flop: (1.333 SB) Hero is CO with 9 8
2 folds, Hero raises, BTN calls, SB calls, BB calls

Flop: (8 SB) 5 7 6 (4 players)
SB checks, BB checks, Hero bets, BTN raises, SB calls, BB folds, Hero 3-bets, BTN calls, SB caps!, Hero calls, BTN calls

Turn: (10 BB) 4 (3 players)
SB checks, Hero bets, BTN calls, SB calls

River: (13 BB) 8 (3 players)
SB checks, Hero bets, BTN calls, SB calls

Final Pot: 16 BB
Hero shows 9 8 (a straight flush, Five to Nine)
BTN mucks 5 5
SB mucks T K
Hero wins 15.5 BB
(Rake: $3.00)

And after a few of today’s sessions I can now answer Rob’s question about whether people hate me…

Yup

Yeah should have x/r turn probably but either way meh.