Taking shots and failing

Pud's Poker Progress / Matthew Pitt / 06 May 2009 / 3 Comments

Ask any of the big name pros if they have ever gone bust on their way to the top and the majority will answer with a resounding yes. In that case, it looks like my quest for poker greatness has taken a step in the right direction.

After a bit of success at the blackjack tables in the past, I had the stupid inclination to Martingale the game one last time. Obviously everything went tits up and I crippled my bankroll.

Yorkshire Pudding is an idiot, you read it first here. You may have already known it but today I admit to being a bit of a tool. Everyone has a vice, be it smoking, drinking, blowing money on clothes etc, mine used to be gambling and a couple of days ago it raised its ugly little head.

When I was in my late teens / early twenties I used to spend a small fortune on the slot machines in pubs and clubs. Why? Probably the hope of turning my pound into a twenty times that, I'm not sure. I then used to stick the odd few quid on horses or football matches but in time my urge to gamble faded as I discovered poker.

To those who don't play it, poker looks like gambling but to those like us who do play, we know it is not entirely gambling per se, as we try to manipulate the odds we're getting, and the majority of the time we should be getting out money in with the best of it.

One thing that goes hand in hand with poker are table games such as craps, roulette and blackjack, the latter of the three has led to a major setback in my progress. A couple of posts ago I said, and I quote, "hand on heart I will not play blackjack again unless it is free money through a bonus or something." Well I broke that promise like the idiot that I am.

Neither Mrs P and I have been sleeping properly so I decided to let her catch up on some sleep by staying awake all night then going to bed in the morning when she woke up. This allowed me to play on Xbox live, play some poker and catch up on a few things but it also led to me sitting there at an unholy hour, by myself with not much to do. A dangerous situation to be in.

Anyway, we've been having a few money problems in that we are skint yet still need a few things in the house. My credit score is horrific after my bankruptcy three years ago and Mrs P's isn't much better. After a bit of success at the blackjack tables in the past, I had the stupid inclination to Martingale the game one last time. Obviously everything went tits up and I crippled my bankroll.

What I have online now is $150. It was $150.48 but I transferred the $0.48 to Peter Eastgate, 2008 WSOP Champion., LOL! I did this so I could run like God like he did last year and also because he's going to need it if he carries on playing on High Stakes Poker where he is certainly out of his depth by a long, long way.

I am angry at myself because it will take me the rest of this month and probably next month to win back what I lost, all because I wanted a quick buck and didn't have the discipline to get out when I had the chance. The urge to gamble has now well and truly passed and shouldn't reappear for a long time after this humbling experience, however, I will be grinding out the games like there is no tomorrow to get back to where I was.

The plan is to play the $6.25 turbo HUSNG until the bankroll reaches around $300, at which point I'll move up to the $11.50 games. As I only single table HUSNG, this could take a while, especially as I can only expect a 5-10% ROI in them over the long run, plus playing time is at a premium with family commitments etc. Stupid Pudding.

So on that bombshell I'll sign off. It's 0615 and I can fit in a few matches before the house wakes up and my attention is needed elsewhere. For the first time I will put a log of my ITM, ROI and current bankroll so that I can keep tabs on it.

Current bankroll = $150.00

As always, thanks for reading and best of luck at the tables.

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Comments (3)

1. StarlightCoast | 07 May 2009

   Exactly how much did you lose playing BJ? I know you have $150 now, but what was the BR before the BJ session?

2. Yorkshire Pud | 07 May 2009

   Hi Jim

   If I see you on MSN I'll tell you the figure. Certain people read this blog that shold mind their own business to be honest so it's kind of private!

   It wasn't much but it was a lot of my roll, that is the problem, not the monetary value

3. StarlightCoast | 07 May 2009

   Understood. I'll mind my own business too if you like............... Nah. i'm too curious natured. :)