We arrived yesterday at Bribie Island as part of an NSWIS team entered in the Queensland Open. I have some great pictures to post. We are right on the beach and the place we are staying in is modern and for sale at around a million. After my Ballina flight to Sydney, I woke up early to catch a flight from Sydney to Coolangatta. We hopped in a hire car and went for a roll up at Bribie Island Bowling Club and Pine Rivers BC for a practice session.
The Ballina Invitation singles event was amazing again. It is the third time I have been and this time I made it to the semi finals. There are 32 entrants (4 sections of 8) My first section included Rowan Brassey (25-17), Steve Halmia (25-24) and Brendan Egan (25-23). After a series of comebacks and close wins I managed to get through my section. In the quarter final I played against Kris Leitfeld and won 25-22. In the semi final I drew David Holt. He started well and kept a 5 shot lead until he got stuck on 20 where on 3 consecutive ends I converted with my last bowl. The crucial end came where I had last bowl and the score was 20-17 and I had 2 good seconds and just missed tight with good weight with my third. With my final bowl I could have ripped the bowl out for 2 or try to sit or trail with the same weight I used with my third bowl. I opted to use 2 metres of weight and as I delivered I instantly knew it was very close to the target. As it came down the breeze held my bowl onto the jack and I trialled it the 2 metres I required. The jack however caught on David’s back bowl, like an intercept pass, bounced forward 2 feet and my bowl continued passed another metre. This left me an incredible 4 down due to the forward rebound off David’s bowl. The next end David won a close measure and the game was over. David Holt went on to win the final comfortably. Holty raced out to a 22-3 lead against Mark Casey and went on to win the title.
Whilst at Ballina I met an acupuncturist Tony who is friends with Craig Teys. I stayed with the Teys’ whilst at Ballina and one night came to the club after the Calcutta (player auction) and met a few of the locals. I was introduced to Tony the next night and we started talking about when his treatments were best applied and how to best improve performance. Interestingly, Tony worked with race horses and greyhounds before humans. I ended up winning some money for him in the Calcutta by finishing in the top 8 and he offered to treat me for free before my 5pm flight out of Ballina at his clinic. I had never been to an acupuncturist before. I am interested in the holistic approach to treatment and he was very professional and very good at what he does.
Yesterday when we arrived at Bribie Island we spent some time at the beach. I went to take of my shirt and realised I had huge marks on my back, like tennis balls, from the suction caps placed over the needles throughout the acupuncture session. We found on the beach a carved out a lounge with tv, cup holders and foot rests in the sand.
Congratulations to Aaron Teys who today won the Junior State Singles. I flew down with his Dad to Sydney from Ballina and I know how much time and effort both boys put into their sport. Last time I met up with them was at the Dubbo Master Pairs where they invited me to stay with them next time I was in Ballina. Aaron is in all the junior events and if I had posted this blog last night I would have been right in predicting his victory in the singles. Good luck in the rest of the events.
I am sleeping so well. I had a glass of red wine with pasta last night and instantly fell asleep. Tonight we are cooking a barbecue at our accommodation. Everyone has settled in well and I am feeling the strongest and most confident I have ever felt leading into an event. Ballina was a great lead up and my preparation has been excellent.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Monday, July 13, 2009
Going to Coffs, Ballina and then the Gold Coast
Tomorrow morning I am driving upto Coffs Harbour with Mat and Alan. I will then being travelling on to Ballina for the Wintersun Singles and then onto Bribie Island for the Queensland Open.
I cashed out some poker funds and loaded up my debit Mastercard so this trip should be fun. Strangely, I had to book a one way flight from Ballina back to Sydney to catch a flight to the Gold Coast. It was just the way arrangements were made and the order in which entries were accepted that I have had to back track. We will be travelling as a team to the Queensland Open with the NSWIS.
I plan to be completly ready to play by Saturday. I will prepare at Coffs while the Park Beach singles is on. I seem to go deep there but really want to avenge my Ballina Singles runner up a couple of years ago. I really was not sure if I would go to Coffs but in the end I will be there but not playing. It will be strange to spectate but I really hope it will motivate me to perform well at Ballina and the Queensland Open. I should be peaking at Bribie Island, going for the win there.
I cashed out some poker funds and loaded up my debit Mastercard so this trip should be fun. Strangely, I had to book a one way flight from Ballina back to Sydney to catch a flight to the Gold Coast. It was just the way arrangements were made and the order in which entries were accepted that I have had to back track. We will be travelling as a team to the Queensland Open with the NSWIS.
I plan to be completly ready to play by Saturday. I will prepare at Coffs while the Park Beach singles is on. I seem to go deep there but really want to avenge my Ballina Singles runner up a couple of years ago. I really was not sure if I would go to Coffs but in the end I will be there but not playing. It will be strange to spectate but I really hope it will motivate me to perform well at Ballina and the Queensland Open. I should be peaking at Bribie Island, going for the win there.
Since my holidays started I have been back into training and focussing on getting ready for a series of tournaments along the East Coast. I played in a few zone events and went out pretty early but played fairly decently. I got my gym program renewed at the Institute of Sport and did well in testing today at Homebush. I feel really fresh and excited.
In poker I had a few ups and downs and near misses. I have built up 'W' dollars on Pokerstars (special events credit) to enter the Queensland ANZPT event. I could buy directly in or qualify in the satellites online. Last week I had my first really huge swing where I realised that I am stating to deal with reasonable sums of money. I reached some goals including playing 5k SNG's and 10k profit since Christmas.
My Uncle has traded on the stock market for a living for over 15 years and he set me the task at Christmas to reach 5k profit in poker online and to then see him. So I got to 10k and and I am going to use some money to develop my skills on the market. My Uncle and Aunt got pretty lucky recently and won a car in a raffle! They only bought one $50 ticket. It was a Mercedes!
At the start of July Alan, Mat and myself went of a bit of a road trip to Shelley Beach. The place that we stayed at was a six bedroom, four bathroom behemoth right on the golf course and near the water. I didn't even know what to expect of the place, as Alan had not been before to this place was a pleasent surprise. His neighbours rent it out and at this time of year it was empty. All we had to do was pay for cleaners to come in after.
We quickly entered into a series of bets on random items, activities and things. This all began when we were on a bowls trip to Adelaide last year and we bet on how long we thought a hotel staffer had been working at the same hotel. It was a lot of fun and has quickly built up to plays that lead us to asking random people questions about themselves to see who wins.
One particular series I got crushed where we asked a girl if she still lived at home. We also made a bet about who had bought her the braclet she was wearing. I bet on her or her parents purchasing it (as it looked rather expensive) but her friend had bought it for her and I lost. Nice friend. We have got to meet so many people doing this, and mostly people arn't purturbed by our prying. The more random the better.
By the time we got around to bowls bets I had lost at golf (giving Mat a 15 shot start over 9 holes). Mat grew up on a golf course and it came down to the last hole. Mat rebounded off the club house on a short par 3 and still ended up 10ft from the hole. He sunk the putt for birdie and sunk my chances of even tying.
By the time we had made it back to the house it was dark. On the way home we had procured a Monopoly board from K-Mart after being inspired by the McDonald's promotion on at the moment. I was obviously very determined to make back some of the money ($200) and a pair of Lee jeans that had been won from me when we started up the game of my life.
I was extremely focussed and everything flowed. I seemed to land on the right spots and set up pretty early with some properties. I made some good deals and had a corner plus the railways monopolised...Eventually Alan made a huge play loaded up the dice and landed up on my land busting him! I finally won a bet!
The house was equipped with a darts set and a foosball in the garage. We did not spend as much time as we would of liked. There is a definite return trip in line. We went out to a few clubs and we all had a great time. I think Mat has spent a considerable amount of time travelling between Sydney and the Central Coast in the last few weeks...
In poker I had a few ups and downs and near misses. I have built up 'W' dollars on Pokerstars (special events credit) to enter the Queensland ANZPT event. I could buy directly in or qualify in the satellites online. Last week I had my first really huge swing where I realised that I am stating to deal with reasonable sums of money. I reached some goals including playing 5k SNG's and 10k profit since Christmas.
My Uncle has traded on the stock market for a living for over 15 years and he set me the task at Christmas to reach 5k profit in poker online and to then see him. So I got to 10k and and I am going to use some money to develop my skills on the market. My Uncle and Aunt got pretty lucky recently and won a car in a raffle! They only bought one $50 ticket. It was a Mercedes!
At the start of July Alan, Mat and myself went of a bit of a road trip to Shelley Beach. The place that we stayed at was a six bedroom, four bathroom behemoth right on the golf course and near the water. I didn't even know what to expect of the place, as Alan had not been before to this place was a pleasent surprise. His neighbours rent it out and at this time of year it was empty. All we had to do was pay for cleaners to come in after.
We quickly entered into a series of bets on random items, activities and things. This all began when we were on a bowls trip to Adelaide last year and we bet on how long we thought a hotel staffer had been working at the same hotel. It was a lot of fun and has quickly built up to plays that lead us to asking random people questions about themselves to see who wins.
One particular series I got crushed where we asked a girl if she still lived at home. We also made a bet about who had bought her the braclet she was wearing. I bet on her or her parents purchasing it (as it looked rather expensive) but her friend had bought it for her and I lost. Nice friend. We have got to meet so many people doing this, and mostly people arn't purturbed by our prying. The more random the better.
By the time we got around to bowls bets I had lost at golf (giving Mat a 15 shot start over 9 holes). Mat grew up on a golf course and it came down to the last hole. Mat rebounded off the club house on a short par 3 and still ended up 10ft from the hole. He sunk the putt for birdie and sunk my chances of even tying.
By the time we had made it back to the house it was dark. On the way home we had procured a Monopoly board from K-Mart after being inspired by the McDonald's promotion on at the moment. I was obviously very determined to make back some of the money ($200) and a pair of Lee jeans that had been won from me when we started up the game of my life.
I was extremely focussed and everything flowed. I seemed to land on the right spots and set up pretty early with some properties. I made some good deals and had a corner plus the railways monopolised...Eventually Alan made a huge play loaded up the dice and landed up on my land busting him! I finally won a bet!
The house was equipped with a darts set and a foosball in the garage. We did not spend as much time as we would of liked. There is a definite return trip in line. We went out to a few clubs and we all had a great time. I think Mat has spent a considerable amount of time travelling between Sydney and the Central Coast in the last few weeks...
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Exams Over
After a pretty busy week of bowls I had my last exam today. I kept writing until the end which is usually a good sign. I fit some study in during the last week. I also played about 200 sit and go's online & played in three bowls events.
At Warilla I was pretty much was outplayed on the indoor. In the PBA singles Geoff McGillvray beat me a couple of times, one of which was close and went to a tie breaker. Jeremy Henry & Geoff again beat myself and David Holt. Both played awesome.
On the weekend we completed our Zone 10 play off which we managed to win through. It wasn't without a struggle as we lost our second game to Rosehill. It all came down to who ever won between Toongabbie and Merrylands and luckily our team fired on the Sunday morning. We got off to a good start and at one stage Zel Trbara's rink and Andrew Waddell's rink were both on 20 shots whilst Toonie were stuck on 2 or 3 a piece. Peter Stockham's rink led against Mick Harry most of the way but it was pretty close. In the end we won all three and we are now off to Warilla for the State play offs.
I am officially on holidays now, but still have a NSW Institute of Sport camp coming up and a bowls tournament tomorrow at Club Merrylands.
In poker I played in a couple of home games. In Pyrmont there was a Star City dealers game which was fun to play in. I had to wait a while to get on and a mate decided to just go to Star City to play. Since the dealers at the casino can not play poker at the casino they just create there own game! The guy whose place it was dealt, provided food and drink, and only took a small commission/rake.
At Warilla I was pretty much was outplayed on the indoor. In the PBA singles Geoff McGillvray beat me a couple of times, one of which was close and went to a tie breaker. Jeremy Henry & Geoff again beat myself and David Holt. Both played awesome.
On the weekend we completed our Zone 10 play off which we managed to win through. It wasn't without a struggle as we lost our second game to Rosehill. It all came down to who ever won between Toongabbie and Merrylands and luckily our team fired on the Sunday morning. We got off to a good start and at one stage Zel Trbara's rink and Andrew Waddell's rink were both on 20 shots whilst Toonie were stuck on 2 or 3 a piece. Peter Stockham's rink led against Mick Harry most of the way but it was pretty close. In the end we won all three and we are now off to Warilla for the State play offs.
I am officially on holidays now, but still have a NSW Institute of Sport camp coming up and a bowls tournament tomorrow at Club Merrylands.
In poker I played in a couple of home games. In Pyrmont there was a Star City dealers game which was fun to play in. I had to wait a while to get on and a mate decided to just go to Star City to play. Since the dealers at the casino can not play poker at the casino they just create there own game! The guy whose place it was dealt, provided food and drink, and only took a small commission/rake.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
They've got Private Lawns & Public Parks
I think we are very fortunate in Australia to have access to an amazing array of public sporting facilities for next to nothing. Our lifestlye is complimented by virtually free access to sporting and cultural facilities throughout all of our cities and regional centres.
There are thousands of Bowling Clubs all over Australia and you only need to be a member of one Club to access them all. The ABS listed sports with the highest frequency rates (attended six or more times) and the top two sports were lawn bowls (57.6% of attendees) and netball (41.9%).
In other countries access is quite limited or scarce and therefore much more expensive. In New Zealand the club houses are cosy and friendly. In Hong Kong the clubs are private and squashed in. Australia seems much more open. The wide landscapes and the bright sunshine are sometimes tested by the harsh winds and bursts of rain. I really enjoy travelling around and making use of the diverse facilities and competing in the great tournaments that are available.
This weekend we have our Zone 10 playoff. The four teams from our Holroyd area are Club Merrylands, Wentworthville Leagues, Rosehill & Toongabbie. We have a strange system that is not as equitable as the first past the post system. After 9 rounds of regular competition the top four teams now play a sectional playoff to decide who goes to the state championships. One good weekend and the winning team goes through.
Tomorrow the NSW Professional Bowls Association (PBA) state qualifing event begins at Warilla on the indoor. This now goes for 2 days with four seperate singles events. Everything seems to be trimmed down now. Instead of a pairs events they will be just combining singles events winners to go over to the UK. There also may be a reduction in money provided for flights, accomodation and spending due to some sponsorship losses.
The event will still feature a great line up and the nominated players so far are; Gerard Beath, Ray Pearce, Steve McGuiness, David Holt, Geffory McGilvary, Shaun Parnis, Bernie Melvile, Jesse McKenzie, Jesse Noronha, John Aldersley, Steve Glasson, Gary Pearson, Charles Phillips, Lindsay McIntyre, Paul Guilfoyle, Alan Fawcett, Carl Healey, Jeremy Henry & Wayne Toomey. Pretty solid.
There are thousands of Bowling Clubs all over Australia and you only need to be a member of one Club to access them all. The ABS listed sports with the highest frequency rates (attended six or more times) and the top two sports were lawn bowls (57.6% of attendees) and netball (41.9%).
In other countries access is quite limited or scarce and therefore much more expensive. In New Zealand the club houses are cosy and friendly. In Hong Kong the clubs are private and squashed in. Australia seems much more open. The wide landscapes and the bright sunshine are sometimes tested by the harsh winds and bursts of rain. I really enjoy travelling around and making use of the diverse facilities and competing in the great tournaments that are available.
This weekend we have our Zone 10 playoff. The four teams from our Holroyd area are Club Merrylands, Wentworthville Leagues, Rosehill & Toongabbie. We have a strange system that is not as equitable as the first past the post system. After 9 rounds of regular competition the top four teams now play a sectional playoff to decide who goes to the state championships. One good weekend and the winning team goes through.
Tomorrow the NSW Professional Bowls Association (PBA) state qualifing event begins at Warilla on the indoor. This now goes for 2 days with four seperate singles events. Everything seems to be trimmed down now. Instead of a pairs events they will be just combining singles events winners to go over to the UK. There also may be a reduction in money provided for flights, accomodation and spending due to some sponsorship losses.
The event will still feature a great line up and the nominated players so far are; Gerard Beath, Ray Pearce, Steve McGuiness, David Holt, Geffory McGilvary, Shaun Parnis, Bernie Melvile, Jesse McKenzie, Jesse Noronha, John Aldersley, Steve Glasson, Gary Pearson, Charles Phillips, Lindsay McIntyre, Paul Guilfoyle, Alan Fawcett, Carl Healey, Jeremy Henry & Wayne Toomey. Pretty solid.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Did Kidwell bluff me?
I have had a very interesting week in poker. I put in a lot of volume this week mainly due to the weather. Throughout out the week the weather has been wet and I haven't been on the bowling green.
This morning our Club Championship pairs has been called off as the greens have been closed at Club Merrylands due to the rain again. I played about 20 hours of live poker and 15 hours online this week.
Online, I have almost cracked 3000, 18 man Sit & Go's at the $6.50 buy in level. I have been mixing in $16 18 mans and plan to step upto playing 8-12 tables of purely $16 18 mans on Pokerstars very soon. I am averaging an 11% return and you can check my progress on http://www.sharkscope.com/. In the last week I am up about 400 usd.
Live, I played mostly NL Holdem but I finished the week trying my hand at Pot Limit Omaha and got PLOwned but have a new view on live PLO. Firstly, with the NL at Star City. I mostly play 200NL and my friend Rhys was on the tables. I sat at the other table as it looked like there were reasonable players on the table which Rhys sat.
I sat folding for the first 20 mins when i picked up JJ and with the blinds being at 5-5 we start with only 40 big blinds. I raised to 25 and the small blind minimum raised me to 50, the big blind called (which I thought was odd) and I moved in for just under 200. The small blind called with A K and strangely the under the gun limper also called with K 10 of diamonds. This was a pretty good result considering. The board ran out all low and I tripled up.
Soon after Kidwell from the South Sydney Rabbitohs joins the table and shows some game. We play a multiway pot where I limp after 2 others with 45 clubs. All together we have 8 people in the pot and I begin to wonder if any one else has clubs when this flop comes out. 8c 9c 6c should be a good flop for me right, unless someone has a higher flush and I am dead.
An active player who limped before me bets $40 into a $40 pot, I think about it and would usually raise here but with so many after me and a couple of players behind me with deep stacks $800-900 and myself with close to $750 I elect to call and see a turn and see the action proceeding me to give an indication of where my small flush is at. Many players bet or raise to see where they are at. I think that in deep stacked cash games sometimes you can let others do the betting for you. If I only had 200 in front of me with 5-5 blinds I would definitely be raising and getting it in on the flop. This is mainly due to any turn or river card being a club equalling my hand dead or any set or straight without a club giving me no action. I also rarely would be playing 4c 5c mid position with only 40bb.
Back to the action, a fiery North Korean guy flat calls for 40 on the all club flop. This probably indicates an Ace of clubs. Now on the button Kidwell puts in a substantial raise to 200. It folds around to UTG limper and he thinks and thinks then folds. I wonder whether he had a set, 2 pair, I think a set calls but he folds. Action is back to me and with all the information and deep stacks decide to fold. It isn't an easy decision but a) I didn't want to be dead for my whole stack b) North Korean behind me who is tight c) I am out of position and feel that Kidwell will fire another bullet on the turn. I basically put him on J 10 or QJ of clubs. A made nut flush (A high) would just call or build a pot in Kidwell's spot. His bet is either a super sick bluff or a mid range flush.
After the hand Kidwell takes down, I get to talking. North Korean says, 'Of course I had the A of Clubs what do you think I had!?'. I find this guy gets really irritated by little things and I may use it to test him later. The guy to my right says he has the K of Clubs. This makes me feel like I made the right decision when Kidwell says, 'I wanted to make the Ace of clubs pay' which translated means I had the King high flush (which I think is not true) as the player to my right said he had the K. All this makes me feel like a made the right fold as Kidwell is telling a half truth i.e. he did not have the nuts or k-high but probably did have a q- high or jack high flush.
Later, In a multi way limped pot I hold 7h 8h on the button and the flop comes 7 7 9. An early position and straight forward weak tight player bets half the pot and I raise. Turn k, player lifts his cards to show Kidwell and Kidwell gives a stunned/bemused look to me. I take this as the guy has nothing or a monster. Guy bets the turn about half pot again. Ok, I call thinking that this guy is going to bet the river again and I have him crushed or he has me crushed. On the river he bets again, I think about raising but just call $100 on the river total pot about 450 now. He flips K 7 for a full house and I am glad I didn't get it in there. I was very close to but was put off by a few things.
Towards the end of the night I am 5 buy ins up and am ready to leave. A top pair any kicker guy tries to bluff a guy who is sitting there with quad aces by betting 350 into a 150 pot on the river. Two days later I run into the same guy and decide to play a medium strength hand agressively.
Mid position raises to $15 and there are 6 callers and I call in the bb with 66. The quad bluffer is on the button and the flop comes 9 5 4 with a diamond flush draw. Before the hand a fun/solid Scottish guy tells me not to give away his game by saying that he is limping with a small pair to try and flop a set. When the flop comes I saw wow, nice flop for a small pair. My end of the table hears this, the other end doesn't. Checks around to the button who is the guy who I know likes to steal/bluff quads. I check raise for my 200 and Scottish guy folds his flush and two over cards J 10 diamonds and the guy on the button calls with his flush draw. I double and move to a 100NL table where a guy guy greets me with his foul odour. I decided to move to this table as a Chinese guy called Kenny has 800 in front of him and he loves to give me his money.
I am seriously 10 from 10 against this guy and he knows it. Kenny raises $7 UTG and gets 6 callers. I have 4s 4c in the cut off and flop comes out 2 3 5 spades. I flop a straight flush draw and a pair. Kenny checks as does everyone, I bet $30 into $35 and Kenny calls, sweet:) I love playing pots with Kenny! Turn is a K of diamonds and he is capable of calling with over cards. I put him on something like AK with one spade so obviously this card could put him in front. Kenny checks, I decide to check to trap and take my free card because if he has the K of spades and the Ace drops I have the nuts (straight flush) and also the K could have him in front anyway. The river is an Ace (non spade) still however a brilliant card as Kenny bets $35 and I move in for $135 with my straight and he calls. Kenny mucks.
Again with comb over Kenny, I raise 10 UTG and Kenny calls in the SB, BB decides to do me a favour and raise to 25 (thank you), I re-raise, Kenny moves in with AQ diamonds and BB decides to fold after raising. My Kings hold up and I am on a 12 and 0 run with Kenny. He decides to take a meal break and says he can never get me, he is nice about it and I ask if he is coming back to which he doesn't answer.
Kenny returns, same night. Kenny limps, tight guy raises to $7, I sense some weakness and raise on button to $24. Kenny is all for limp calling large raises and the tight straight forward raiser calls (he rarely traps so calling means he doesn't have a monster). They both check the flop which is 4 9 9 with two hearts. In this hand I happen to have 8 4 off. I bet 40 and Kenny calls (have I mentioned how I love Kenny?) K-man has about 70 behind and once again he checks the turn. The turn is a 3 non heart, which is great as I think Kenny has a flush draw. I move in for $70, he calls, I ask if he has a 4 he says, 'no, I have a flush and 2 overs KQ hearts.' River comes a black 8, and I reflect upon how badly he played this hand. If he check raised my flop bet with his strong hand, I would have had to of folded with my weak 4. I am continuation betting frequently as well.
Tip for Kenny, play stronger, raise instead of limping, stop limping and then calling and play more in position against weak players. He complains how he never gets there and against me he is unlucky. I empathise with the K-man re-itterating how strong KQ of hearts is on that flop. He tops up and decides to sit right next to me.
My last sentence has so much potential. However, it was getting late and the table breaks. I decide to take my $500 and rest up.
Earlier that night I attended a Co-Op Programs Alumni meeting at UWS Parramatta. The event was a networking and information night. The topic was graduate employment. The speaker was Ben Reeves who is the Chief Executive of the Australian Association of Graduate Emplyers Ltd.
The talk was interesting and I got to meet up with some amazing people. Ania Aquino from ABS-CBN (Filipino news channel) who conducted an news item about my ANZPT Sydney adventures was there as well as Kathryn Collins who works at Deloitte. Kathryn went to London for her Co Op international program at the same time as I went to The Philippines to do my marketing project for World Scouts. I also met a guy from junior bowls who is now an engineer.
We played an ice breaker game that helped us to meet new people (not that I need such a game). Amro Said helped to dress Kathryn for our mock job interview. I felt he did a great job of explaning how 'check-out' chick Kathryn solved a difficult situation during Christmas eve when her cash register went on the blink. It is a shame however that he did not demonstrate his/her skills by backing up his performance by singing a Christmas carol.
Back to bowls. I recently went out to Dubbo for the Master Pairs with Ian McRae from Valentine BC. He has a great place up in Newcastle on the lake which he is renovating. He has been so kind as to let me stay when I have played for Valentine in the XXXX Challenge competition. His lovely partner Gai is his greatest supporter. I see Ian and Gai all over the state at various bowls tournaments and will hopefully catch up with them at Park Beach, Coffs Harbour for the Ford Open Singles tournament. Last year I was defeated in the Quarter Finals by Steve Glasson who went on to play local hero John Bain in the final and win the title.
Recently the Port Singles was completed and Shannon Gittoes won the title. This is the first time in a few years I have missed this event due to study commitments. David Holt gave it a shake as did Rocky Stone and I am looking forward to the Master Pairs tournament at Westport Bowling Club. I will be leading it up for Andrew Waddell our club coach at Club Merrylands who is in the final of the Major Pairs at the Club. Huge 66k prize pool, one time Ducky:)
At the Dubbo Master pairs I ended up playing against Bruce Anderson (bowler from Westport) in the afternoon bowls game, he convinced me to stay and play the APL $10 rebuy poker tournament. I have to thank Bruce for his entertaining company on the greens and on the poker table. I ended up winning the tournament for $700. When we got to the final 4 I decided not to chop as I had the chip lead and play in these high blind situations so often. Good decision. I met the sponsored APL guy there Bazza88 who I had recognised online as there are very few players from Dubbo. Super nice guy and great player.
Interestingly this week, I played on SNG tables online with Bazza88. I mostly see him playing tournaments online. I met him whilst in Dubbo for the Prestige Pairs Bowls tournament. I pushed in the small blind with J10 and he called in BB with aces. On another table 5 mins later he pushed with J10 and I had aces!!! We happened to register for $16 18 man SNG's on mutiple tables simultaneously. I would prefer not to play on tables that he plays. Table selection is an important element of profitability in the long run.
Cheers,
The Mac
This morning our Club Championship pairs has been called off as the greens have been closed at Club Merrylands due to the rain again. I played about 20 hours of live poker and 15 hours online this week.
Online, I have almost cracked 3000, 18 man Sit & Go's at the $6.50 buy in level. I have been mixing in $16 18 mans and plan to step upto playing 8-12 tables of purely $16 18 mans on Pokerstars very soon. I am averaging an 11% return and you can check my progress on http://www.sharkscope.com/. In the last week I am up about 400 usd.
Live, I played mostly NL Holdem but I finished the week trying my hand at Pot Limit Omaha and got PLOwned but have a new view on live PLO. Firstly, with the NL at Star City. I mostly play 200NL and my friend Rhys was on the tables. I sat at the other table as it looked like there were reasonable players on the table which Rhys sat.
I sat folding for the first 20 mins when i picked up JJ and with the blinds being at 5-5 we start with only 40 big blinds. I raised to 25 and the small blind minimum raised me to 50, the big blind called (which I thought was odd) and I moved in for just under 200. The small blind called with A K and strangely the under the gun limper also called with K 10 of diamonds. This was a pretty good result considering. The board ran out all low and I tripled up.
Soon after Kidwell from the South Sydney Rabbitohs joins the table and shows some game. We play a multiway pot where I limp after 2 others with 45 clubs. All together we have 8 people in the pot and I begin to wonder if any one else has clubs when this flop comes out. 8c 9c 6c should be a good flop for me right, unless someone has a higher flush and I am dead.
An active player who limped before me bets $40 into a $40 pot, I think about it and would usually raise here but with so many after me and a couple of players behind me with deep stacks $800-900 and myself with close to $750 I elect to call and see a turn and see the action proceeding me to give an indication of where my small flush is at. Many players bet or raise to see where they are at. I think that in deep stacked cash games sometimes you can let others do the betting for you. If I only had 200 in front of me with 5-5 blinds I would definitely be raising and getting it in on the flop. This is mainly due to any turn or river card being a club equalling my hand dead or any set or straight without a club giving me no action. I also rarely would be playing 4c 5c mid position with only 40bb.
Back to the action, a fiery North Korean guy flat calls for 40 on the all club flop. This probably indicates an Ace of clubs. Now on the button Kidwell puts in a substantial raise to 200. It folds around to UTG limper and he thinks and thinks then folds. I wonder whether he had a set, 2 pair, I think a set calls but he folds. Action is back to me and with all the information and deep stacks decide to fold. It isn't an easy decision but a) I didn't want to be dead for my whole stack b) North Korean behind me who is tight c) I am out of position and feel that Kidwell will fire another bullet on the turn. I basically put him on J 10 or QJ of clubs. A made nut flush (A high) would just call or build a pot in Kidwell's spot. His bet is either a super sick bluff or a mid range flush.
After the hand Kidwell takes down, I get to talking. North Korean says, 'Of course I had the A of Clubs what do you think I had!?'. I find this guy gets really irritated by little things and I may use it to test him later. The guy to my right says he has the K of Clubs. This makes me feel like I made the right decision when Kidwell says, 'I wanted to make the Ace of clubs pay' which translated means I had the King high flush (which I think is not true) as the player to my right said he had the K. All this makes me feel like a made the right fold as Kidwell is telling a half truth i.e. he did not have the nuts or k-high but probably did have a q- high or jack high flush.
Later, In a multi way limped pot I hold 7h 8h on the button and the flop comes 7 7 9. An early position and straight forward weak tight player bets half the pot and I raise. Turn k, player lifts his cards to show Kidwell and Kidwell gives a stunned/bemused look to me. I take this as the guy has nothing or a monster. Guy bets the turn about half pot again. Ok, I call thinking that this guy is going to bet the river again and I have him crushed or he has me crushed. On the river he bets again, I think about raising but just call $100 on the river total pot about 450 now. He flips K 7 for a full house and I am glad I didn't get it in there. I was very close to but was put off by a few things.
Towards the end of the night I am 5 buy ins up and am ready to leave. A top pair any kicker guy tries to bluff a guy who is sitting there with quad aces by betting 350 into a 150 pot on the river. Two days later I run into the same guy and decide to play a medium strength hand agressively.
Mid position raises to $15 and there are 6 callers and I call in the bb with 66. The quad bluffer is on the button and the flop comes 9 5 4 with a diamond flush draw. Before the hand a fun/solid Scottish guy tells me not to give away his game by saying that he is limping with a small pair to try and flop a set. When the flop comes I saw wow, nice flop for a small pair. My end of the table hears this, the other end doesn't. Checks around to the button who is the guy who I know likes to steal/bluff quads. I check raise for my 200 and Scottish guy folds his flush and two over cards J 10 diamonds and the guy on the button calls with his flush draw. I double and move to a 100NL table where a guy guy greets me with his foul odour. I decided to move to this table as a Chinese guy called Kenny has 800 in front of him and he loves to give me his money.
I am seriously 10 from 10 against this guy and he knows it. Kenny raises $7 UTG and gets 6 callers. I have 4s 4c in the cut off and flop comes out 2 3 5 spades. I flop a straight flush draw and a pair. Kenny checks as does everyone, I bet $30 into $35 and Kenny calls, sweet:) I love playing pots with Kenny! Turn is a K of diamonds and he is capable of calling with over cards. I put him on something like AK with one spade so obviously this card could put him in front. Kenny checks, I decide to check to trap and take my free card because if he has the K of spades and the Ace drops I have the nuts (straight flush) and also the K could have him in front anyway. The river is an Ace (non spade) still however a brilliant card as Kenny bets $35 and I move in for $135 with my straight and he calls. Kenny mucks.
Again with comb over Kenny, I raise 10 UTG and Kenny calls in the SB, BB decides to do me a favour and raise to 25 (thank you), I re-raise, Kenny moves in with AQ diamonds and BB decides to fold after raising. My Kings hold up and I am on a 12 and 0 run with Kenny. He decides to take a meal break and says he can never get me, he is nice about it and I ask if he is coming back to which he doesn't answer.
Kenny returns, same night. Kenny limps, tight guy raises to $7, I sense some weakness and raise on button to $24. Kenny is all for limp calling large raises and the tight straight forward raiser calls (he rarely traps so calling means he doesn't have a monster). They both check the flop which is 4 9 9 with two hearts. In this hand I happen to have 8 4 off. I bet 40 and Kenny calls (have I mentioned how I love Kenny?) K-man has about 70 behind and once again he checks the turn. The turn is a 3 non heart, which is great as I think Kenny has a flush draw. I move in for $70, he calls, I ask if he has a 4 he says, 'no, I have a flush and 2 overs KQ hearts.' River comes a black 8, and I reflect upon how badly he played this hand. If he check raised my flop bet with his strong hand, I would have had to of folded with my weak 4. I am continuation betting frequently as well.
Tip for Kenny, play stronger, raise instead of limping, stop limping and then calling and play more in position against weak players. He complains how he never gets there and against me he is unlucky. I empathise with the K-man re-itterating how strong KQ of hearts is on that flop. He tops up and decides to sit right next to me.
My last sentence has so much potential. However, it was getting late and the table breaks. I decide to take my $500 and rest up.
Earlier that night I attended a Co-Op Programs Alumni meeting at UWS Parramatta. The event was a networking and information night. The topic was graduate employment. The speaker was Ben Reeves who is the Chief Executive of the Australian Association of Graduate Emplyers Ltd.
The talk was interesting and I got to meet up with some amazing people. Ania Aquino from ABS-CBN (Filipino news channel) who conducted an news item about my ANZPT Sydney adventures was there as well as Kathryn Collins who works at Deloitte. Kathryn went to London for her Co Op international program at the same time as I went to The Philippines to do my marketing project for World Scouts. I also met a guy from junior bowls who is now an engineer.
We played an ice breaker game that helped us to meet new people (not that I need such a game). Amro Said helped to dress Kathryn for our mock job interview. I felt he did a great job of explaning how 'check-out' chick Kathryn solved a difficult situation during Christmas eve when her cash register went on the blink. It is a shame however that he did not demonstrate his/her skills by backing up his performance by singing a Christmas carol.
Back to bowls. I recently went out to Dubbo for the Master Pairs with Ian McRae from Valentine BC. He has a great place up in Newcastle on the lake which he is renovating. He has been so kind as to let me stay when I have played for Valentine in the XXXX Challenge competition. His lovely partner Gai is his greatest supporter. I see Ian and Gai all over the state at various bowls tournaments and will hopefully catch up with them at Park Beach, Coffs Harbour for the Ford Open Singles tournament. Last year I was defeated in the Quarter Finals by Steve Glasson who went on to play local hero John Bain in the final and win the title.
Recently the Port Singles was completed and Shannon Gittoes won the title. This is the first time in a few years I have missed this event due to study commitments. David Holt gave it a shake as did Rocky Stone and I am looking forward to the Master Pairs tournament at Westport Bowling Club. I will be leading it up for Andrew Waddell our club coach at Club Merrylands who is in the final of the Major Pairs at the Club. Huge 66k prize pool, one time Ducky:)
At the Dubbo Master pairs I ended up playing against Bruce Anderson (bowler from Westport) in the afternoon bowls game, he convinced me to stay and play the APL $10 rebuy poker tournament. I have to thank Bruce for his entertaining company on the greens and on the poker table. I ended up winning the tournament for $700. When we got to the final 4 I decided not to chop as I had the chip lead and play in these high blind situations so often. Good decision. I met the sponsored APL guy there Bazza88 who I had recognised online as there are very few players from Dubbo. Super nice guy and great player.
Interestingly this week, I played on SNG tables online with Bazza88. I mostly see him playing tournaments online. I met him whilst in Dubbo for the Prestige Pairs Bowls tournament. I pushed in the small blind with J10 and he called in BB with aces. On another table 5 mins later he pushed with J10 and I had aces!!! We happened to register for $16 18 man SNG's on mutiple tables simultaneously. I would prefer not to play on tables that he plays. Table selection is an important element of profitability in the long run.
Cheers,
The Mac
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Zone 10 Junior Bowls Academy
The last Sunday of every month Zone 10 hold a training day for Junior bowlers in our Zone. Yesterday morning I headed to Rydalmere Central to coach. We had 14 juniors and we paired up and ran through some drills using our new training aids. Next camp I will take some pics.
Anne Jones is the head coach with myself, Dennis Harmer and other Zone 10 members lending there expertise. We have a video guy, and several other coaches who are keen to be involved. It is a great day where the kids from all the different zones get together and run through some of the drills and activities we do at State and National level.
I try to incorporate much of what we do at the NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS) camps into the Zone 10 Academy. We do some distraction training and get the juniors into good pre shot routines so they can re-focus when distracted. We also get the juniors communicating with each other contructively within the drills and throughout the sessions.
Last week I had a 3 day training camp at NSWIS with a few new faces and new staff members. The weather was a bit crazy but we were able to get through the drills, fitness testing and even played some poker in the athletes lounge during a break:)
Anne Jones is the head coach with myself, Dennis Harmer and other Zone 10 members lending there expertise. We have a video guy, and several other coaches who are keen to be involved. It is a great day where the kids from all the different zones get together and run through some of the drills and activities we do at State and National level.
I try to incorporate much of what we do at the NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS) camps into the Zone 10 Academy. We do some distraction training and get the juniors into good pre shot routines so they can re-focus when distracted. We also get the juniors communicating with each other contructively within the drills and throughout the sessions.
Last week I had a 3 day training camp at NSWIS with a few new faces and new staff members. The weather was a bit crazy but we were able to get through the drills, fitness testing and even played some poker in the athletes lounge during a break:)
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