Pud's Poker Progress / Matthew Pitt / 23 March 2009 / 4

During an MSN conversation last week with the editor of the Betfair Poker site, Dave Allan, I realised I had been blogging on Betfair for over a year! Jeez, how time flies!

I paid $5.50 along with 381 other hopefuls and after almost four hours of play, I emerged victorious and claimed the $477 first prize, now my biggest cash!

Back in March of 2008 I was asked if I wanted to have my blog published on the Betfair Poker site to which I said yes, who wouldn't want a bigger audience? Initially I was told I could blog on Betfair for three months but instead of being sent on my merry little way once the time had elapsed, I was asked to continue and even to write some poker related articles too! I have really enjoyed my time on the Betfair site and long may it continue!

I have moaned in the past that I should change this blog's name to "Pud's Lack Of Progress" due to me still being stuck at the micro stakes and not going anywhere fast? Well since I returned from Newcastle for the Poker Forum Challenge, I have had a boost in my confidence and that, coupled with a bit of research and tweaks to my game, I have started to progress.

You will have read my brag post from last week where I finished fourth from 1,300 entrants for my biggest ever score of $406.25 but I actually went one better on Friday 20 March, a year and two days after starting this blog, I won my first large field MTT!

Since starting Pud's Poker Progress, I have had a couple of cashes in MTTs, including winning a $2.20 180 man game but this was something else! I paid $5.50 along with 381 other hopefuls and after almost four hours of play, I emerged victorious and claimed the $477 first prize, now my biggest cash! I thought I had jinxed myself by starting a thread on Raise The River before I hit the final table but obviously not!

The money is more than welcomed but it feels amazing to win a tournament, especially as it seemed at times like it would never happen to me! I don't know what it is but I feel like I have turned a corner in my play, I still shout and scream too much when I get sucked out on but also accept that I too suck out, we all do. I reread some brilliant articles by Tony 'Bond18' Dunst that I had read ages ago but rediscovered them when I was using my new phone in the bath the other day! They really hit home this time and I recommend anybody reading this collection of articles and indeed anything written by 'Bond18' as he is great at getting his point across.

Last night I almost had another brag story to tell when I placed 106/1567 in the same tournament I came fourth in last week, but despite outlasting the majority of the field, I didn't even double my buy-in. Got to love donkaments sometimes!

In true Pudding fashion I have not been able to keep my winnings online and try to build on them, instead I have had to withdraw a significant chunk in order to pay for some life expenses. With a bit of luck I should be able to get it back online towards the back end of April but until then I will be battling away in the $1, $2 and $3 MTTs and MTTSNG and trying to build my $200 up. I also have a $26 tournament token I am yet to use after winning a satellite on Sunday morning, would be nice if I could make a big score from that!

Anyway, I'll sign off this post by saying thanks to everyone at Betfair who have given me an opportunity to write on these pages, to everyone who has left comments of support over the past year and the haters too, you are the ones who have kept me going and hopefully this blog will start to be about my progress, not about bad beats and silly challenges!

Until next time, thanks for reading and best of luck at the tables.

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(4)

1. EY | 23 March 2009

   Like I told Rian I'll be unhappy if you spend that token without more experience!

   GL in your venture, and take some time off when baby comes.

2. Rius | 24 March 2009

   Congratulations on that tournament. I remember that one quite well :).

3. Rossi | 24 March 2009

   Get in.

   Nice results Matt, about time too mate, hope there is a lot more come. See what happens when you just stick to something and not set any daft challenges!!.

   PS not long to the sleepless nights, for us both!!

4. Yorkshire Pud | 25 March 2009

   Thanks for the comments guys!

   EY - I won't be playing any MTTs until Baby Pud arrives so I won't be in a rush to use my token!

   Rius - Keep in touch mate, you obviously have game. GL with the Med school

   Rossi - Yeah, about time I made some dosh eh?! I feel really good about my game at the minute, I'm still making a lot of mistakes but I'm not feeling any pressure to play a set amount or anything

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