2008 Goals

I didn't accomplish many of my 2007 goals, but I still want to set some for 2008. Many of them will be the same as 2007, I suspect ;-)

Life Goals

1. Continue to be happy and enjoy life with Mrs. Pink; always the number one priority.

2. There's a fast track promotion scheme at work. It'll be tough, but I'm going to apply for it.

3. Get of my lazy arse and learn Turkish. I mean it.

4. Run a marathon. I probably won't get a place on the London Marathon, but I'll apply and look at other locations if I don't get a place.

Poker Goals

1. Make $25,000. It's the same target as last year. I'd like to set my sights higher, but I didn't manage it last year, I'm playing small stakes at the moment, and I don't have all that much free time.

2. Achieve an hourly rate of at least $30. Last year it was $20/hour. I think I can better this as much of my downfall last year came while I was playing full time when I played too many tables, played at the wrong times of day and played while on tilt.

3. Play in at least two decent sized live events (£500+).

4. Have a decent sized tournament score ($5,000+).

5. Go to Vegas.

I'm not setting any targets for large event qualification this year. If I have a decent sized bankroll at the time of the WSOP then I may try a couple of qualifiers for that, but otherwise I'm happy concentrating on making money within the scope of my bankroll.

Here's hoping I achieve a few more targets than I did last year and I hope you all have the 2008s that you're looking for.

2007 Roundup

Happy new year one and all.

Time for a quick 2007 roundup. Not much pontificating here, just a look back at the goals I set myself:

Life aims:

1. Continue to be happy and enjoy my life with Mrs. Pink.

Check – good to see that I managed the most important one

2. Progress in my career (this is actually unlikely to happen this year and is largely out of my hands, but it's still an aim. It would definitely help if I wasn't white, middle-class and heterosexual!)

Actually, yes. Although I gave it up to play poker, I kept an application to go back (at a higher level) in the pipeline. Poker went badly and I started the new job in September. I'm very happy with my choice. My life-work-poker balance is much better, although one could always do with more free time (and maybe a little more time to play poker ;-)

3. Get off my arse and get good at Turkish.

No. I'm a lazy arse. Shameful.

4. Improve as a poker player.

Maybe a bit. I haven't really worked at this as much as I should. Joining Cardrunners definitely helped, although I don't have the time to use it any more. I think my tournament game has also improved a bit.

Poker aims:

1. Make $25,000 (a la BadBlood I'm aiming at least to double last year's winnings).

No. Made just over $18,000, which is about 50% more than the previous year, but considering I was playing full time for about 4 months. It's woeful really.

2. Win entry to a tournament circuit event with at least $5000 entry (WSOP, WPT, EPT etc).

No. Only played about 3-4 satellites. They were all for the WSOP and I didn't come close.

3. Regardless of Number 2, play in a live event with at least a $1000 buy-in.

Yes. I played in the £1050 GUKPT event in Manchester. Despite a good start, I made a bad mistake and got knocked out near the end of the first day. I also played in the £550 invitational at the opening weekend of Dusk Till Dawn and made my first decent sized live final table coming 9th for £850.

4. Have a $5000+ tournament score.

No :-(

5. Become a winning player at $1000 NL.

No. Don't have many hands for these stakes, but I'm probably not a winner here in the long run.

6. Learn to play PL Omaha and win at at least the $400 level.

Barely. I've done some work on Omaha, but not much and I doubt very much that I could beat $400.

7. Play live at least once a week, preferably by establishing a regular home game.

No. Play live very rarely. I've had a few home games and I've got some mighty fine chips, but they don't get used all that often and I've been playing like a retard in home games this year.

8. Get out to Vegas.

Still no - booooo.

Overall it doesn't look as thought I've achieved very much this year. In terms of poker - overall - it's been a disappointing year. I've finished the year nicely in profit, but it could and should have been so much better and my current roll is really very small (about $3,500).

However, my decision (if I had one) to go back to the working world was an excellent one. I'm very happy in my new job and although I'd like to be playing more poker, the poker I am playing is enjoyable once again.

So all in all, it's been a good year, if a bit too stationary in terms of poker progress and extra-'curricular' pursuits.