Getting things started, hello 2008!

Well, back to blogging we are. For those that haven't read a blog by me before I did used to do a semi-regular blog on Myspace which followed the early days of my Poker journey including my 2006 trip to Las Vegas to play some cash games and the $1000 NLHE event at the WSOP which is still my biggest buyin event to date. You can find these old blogs at www.myspace.com/mattvandam

I think that blog will no longer be updated, the only people involved in Poker on there are scammers and bonus whores, so I'll keep it strictly based here.

I've decided to resurrect the blog for 2 reasons, 1) as a discussion medium, I may even do a video blog from time to time, 2) to track my progress as I try to get back in semi-serious poker. The first 2 years of poker went fairly well for me, I was clear winner playing mostly MTT's and had some juicy scores, the highlight of which was going to Vegas, however it seems that since then i've come across some rough times, I'll pick the ocassional cash but have only won 2 tournaments in the last year and found myself no longer enjoying the casino atmosphere and spending fewer and fewer nights in them. I had big amibitons for 2007 and none of them were realised and I'd easily put 2007 down as the worst year of both my Poker and personal life.

We hope to set things right for 2008, I've got the tournament bug back, more so online but will be playing live more frequently (especially at Dusk Til Dawn I hope and Stoke Circus) and have played enough internet hands at various levels to know how to deal with the inevitable bad beats and down swings. I've a number of Poker and life orientated goals for 2008, I'd like to win enough money to get myself clear of debt (around £6500) and get healthy, both of which would have a tremendously positive impact on my life and both are attainable with a bit of luck and hard work. I'm considering spending a period of the summer in Las Vegas, it's being calling me ever since I left and can't give in for much longer.

OK, so to results. In the past couple of weeks I've begun playing micro stakes on Poker Stars again, starting at 0.02/0.05, made $50 and moved up to $0.05/$0.10 and winning at that level too. I'm trying to keep the cash bankroll seperate from the MTT roll so I deposit £50 in there to play a $40 Satellite for the $500k Sunday Warm-Up which i won but didn't fair too well in the Warm-Up itself. I've played a few Hold'em MTT's gone deep with a couple of insignificant cashes, I've been most pleased with some of the Omaha o8 tournies I've played, as I'm still learning the game I've been playing very small MTT's and SNG's and I'm consistantly cashing, the players appear to be pretty bad in the majority so there maybe be something in this.

Will keep you posted on what's going on, I'm considering the Friday £10/r at Circus tomorrow so a report will be likely. Just on a side note, I'd like to wish Team Vegas (Kev/Jue, Rob, Dan and Chris) all the best on their break over there, I couldn't be more envious and will be keeping my fingers crossed for you all.

Ciao for now.

M