Sunday 30 December 2012

Betfred Poker League Result



The final week of six in the recent Betfred Poker League saw twenty eight players battle it out to see who would end up with the top five prizes. With the winner already decided the pressure was on those in the top ten. Being placed in sixth I knew I needed at least a seventh place to come fifth or better - but that that may not be enough.
 
From the start I was always in the bottom few and struggling. Whilst I never had a worthwhile stack I managed to duck and dive, keep myself alive and stay out of trouble. One of the benefits of playing a gazillion sit n gos is knowing how to play a small stack. Push or fold poker baby. As the game progressed I was hanging around like a bad smell while some other major contenders went out including overall winner Van Persie20. I was 20th of 24, 13th of 15. Eventually we were on the final table bubble and another tactical double up propelled me to seventh of eleven. Maybe I could now do it.
 
Whilst two key players above me were out and seventh would move me up two places to fourth two other players just behind me had much healthier stacks. It was time to get the calculator out and adapt ones strategy accordingly. This is the great thing about a league structure and something we missed out on in week five. The final table bubble burst and I had a real chance of seventh but other players to consider. Three key hands then played out to seal my fate.
 
With eight players left, me in seventh and one of my key opponents in eighth I was hoping he would get knocked out and let me sneak into at least a fifth placed spot overall. The poker gods had other ideas. I had queens with about only five big blinds left. I could not fold, though given my opponents four big blind stack there was a statistical argument to do so. I went all in and ironically it was my key opponent who called with AK. This classic coin toss felt like it would count for a lot league wise. A king on the flop and no improvement meant I was chip dead and almost certain to go out in eighth. All in against the big blind I managed a double up but still had only around two big blinds. No chips, no fold equity, no chance.
 
However, The next hand saw me under the gun with a pair of twos. Not an ideal situation. I went all in and was called by both the blinds. I managed to flop another two and won the hand which gave me some vital breathing space. Within a few hands two opponents including x were out and sixth place had been secured along with at least fifth spot. Soon I was out myself in sixth with QJ against a monster stacks 87. My other key opponent progressed enough to make fourth and leave me in fifth place.
 
Overall fifth won me £50($80) and I made around another $50 profit cashing in the games themselves. The prize was as much as I deserved I think as my three top tens of third, fifth and sixth out of six games is decent but not spectacular. It has taken a while for me to publish this post as I have been waiting for a final league table in vain. I have been paid out so I should be happy with that I suppose. Congratulations to the other top five finishers. There is talk of a new series in the New Year with a better structure and prizes
 
Anyway, Happy New Year to all and thanks to anyone with a genuine interest in my blog and particularly those who have contacted me over the course of the year. Good luck at the tables in 2013.

Cheers
Jason (Kartajana)

Thursday 27 December 2012

Five Hundred Games



I have just completed five hundred games in my latest Maui Jackpot Sit N Go push which I stated in October. My effort has been very creditable, a direct profit of $470 ($0.94 per game) and a first place ratio of 14%. I need to refocus on my poker plan strategy into 2013 to make further improvements and push for 16% wins and the resultant more likely Jackpot win.
My progress looked exactly like this:


Seasons Greetings to all.

Sunday 16 December 2012

Hot Streak



December is currently going very well poker wise. I am on a serious hot streak right now. I am playing well and hitting the right cards when I need them. A great combination.
 
On Betfred where I spend most of my poker time at the Maui Jackpot tables I am running at about $2 profit per game having played around a hundred games so far. My win rate is an encouraging 16%.
 
On Full Tilt I have made some progress building up my roll around $35, though I have not played many games.
 
On Pokerstars two days ago I won a Sunday Million Satellite for $215. See below.
 
 
PokerStars Tournament #658251810, No Limit Hold'em
Super Satellite
Buy-In: $8.00/$0.16 USD
36 players
Total Prize Pool: $288.00 USD
Target Tournament #660020010 Buy-In: $200.00/15.00 USD
1 tickets to the target tournament

Tournament started 2012/12/14 19:06:53 ET
Tournament finished 2012/12/14 19:22:04 ET
  1: Kartajana (United Kingdom),  (qualified for the target tournament)
  2: GodzChoice (Netherlands), $16.00
  3: crikeybruce (United Kingdom), $16.00
  4: pokerforest7 (Hungary), $16.00
  5: rihannAAA (United Kingdom), $16.00
  6: MaxHooverDam (United Kingdom), $9.00
 
At this rate December could well end up being my best month of the year. That would be a great ending to a mixed but enjoyable year.

Friday 14 December 2012

Betfred Poker League Update 2



The table above demonstrates the progress I made in week four of the Betfred Poker League. A fifth place and another decent cash left me knocking on the door of the overall prizes. With two weeks to go and two consecutive top tens under my belt I felt confident I could progress.  Sure top two would be unlikely, but top five is very much attainable.
 
Controversy was to surround week five however which means the leaders points above remains unchanged following a strange decision by Betfred Poker. The fifth week of six in the poker league was changed from a £5 buy in to 5p!. With the £250 guarantee still in place this meant a lot more entrants. 128 in total meaning the thirty or so regulars were swamped by new players. Non of the regulars were happy about this. You could maybe understand it in week two as an attempt to generate more interest in the league, but not week five. In the end not one player from the leaderboard above got a top ten spot so the leaderboard remains pretty much unchanged with one week to go. I managed a creditable 24th and was one of the last regulars remaining.
 
Congratulations to Vanpersie20 who is now guaranteed to win. He looked pretty solid for victory before the week five adjustment to be fair and deserves the prize for some fearless play. Enjoy the game and the £250.
 
Assuming we are back to normal for the final week I need to hit seventh at least I think to get in the top five. This will move me forward at least two places and allows for someone from behind moving ahead of me. Whatever happens I have enjoyed the league and profited from it so can't complain too much.
 
Happy to go for it again in the New Year Betfred. More weeks within the league, a later start time and no last minute rule changes please.

Good luck to all in week six.

Wednesday 5 December 2012

Betfred Poker League Update




See above for the updated league table after game three which sees me in tenth place. Twenty eight players in league game three and I got the decent result I needed, coming third. The well named Vanpersie20 has a clear lead and has now twice knocked me out. He looks set to watch his namesake play against Southampton next month. Thirty two points and cashing for £37.50 though means I will profit from this league whatever happens over the next three games which is satisfying. To hit the top five prize spots though I probably need two more high finishes in the final three weeks. Tough but not impossible.
 
Meanwhile my latest Maui Jackpot push is going well. After around 400 games since the start of October I am making nearly a dollar a game and my win rate is a pleasing 14%. I need  to spend more time working on elements of my poker plan to increase this figure a bit further.