Fishes Eyes

Oh happy days! Wireless technology really is the dogs bollocks.

After many calls to the Belkin support team, my Pre-N router is finally working. So, here I am on a glorious Scottish afternoon, in my back garden, the sun beating down, blogging merrily on my laptop whilst streaming music from my desktop PC. This is the life. I've even got my shorts on and top off, which sadly is an even less impressive sight than it used to be. Time to retrieve the weights from the loft.

It's been a financially unrewarding, yet entertaining weekend so far. Another bonus chasing session on Empire set me back to even on the cards front, but there were enough comedy hands to make it feel not too bad. All the usual nonsense: any two sooted beating flopped sets on the river, runner runner straights, etc. At least partially offset by my best hand in a long time - raise pre flop with JJ. Flop quads! Runner runner that you fishy fools!!

Looks like the wallpaper will be paid from my own pocket.

I also broke my record for fishiest ever player sighting - 90%+ VPIP over 100 hands and, yes, they were winning. Of course I wasn't too pleased at some of the hands I was losing to, but since I was three tabling the next hand was along too quickly to hold a grudge.

An affliction which I'll call 'the curse of the paired board' is haunting me at present. This is not an 'online poker is rigged' rant, since the affliction struck in last week's home game too. Every third hand seemed to see the board pair on either turn or river, and it felt that more often than not, this was a cue for my TPTK to go down to baby trips, my flopped flush to run into a FH, etc.

Of course the curse of the paired board does not apply to flopped quads.

C'est la vie. I've still got quite a few hands to clear, so I'll be back at the tables tonight.

These examples of how not to play Small Stakes Hold Em lead me nicely in to part two of my occasional series:

Music To Play Poker By - Part 2

New Fast Automatic Daffodils - Fishes Eyes

A much underrated band from the end of the 'Madchester' era of the late-80s/early-90s. I saw these guys live a few times and they were fantastic. Bursting with energy, a real edgy stage presence, and a driven funk sensibility that had the whole crowd moving.

'Fishes eyes will watch your lies' sung the New FADS. Indeed they will, but on the low buy in No Limit Hold Em tables they won't understand, or believe, them. I've learned after about a week on these tables that bluffs are virtually pointless. No matter how scary the card that falls, if they have a pair, they ain't letting go - like a dog with a bone they will hang on til the showdown is won.

This tune soothes my brain and puts me in an untiltable groove. Ideal for net casting on the Party/Empire oceans.

Almost beer o'clock, and time to go, but before I do I'd like to offer a final observation.

The most rewarding experience I've had this week was receiving the comments from Iggy and Joe. I don't write this blog for the kudos, but it's good to know some people find it a worthwhile read - at least on occasion. Thanks for the recognition guys. Much appreciated.

I always make an effort to put some sort of comment on posts that catch my eye, and I'd encourage everyone to do the same. Before I started this, I didn't realise how much effort it takes to keep a blog going. Now I understand, I recognise words of encouragement are well deserved.