How dificult to play Live Poker!

How disappointing!
On Friday I grabbed my woman and set off down to the Algarve - with two thoughts in my mind:
1st- Celebrate our first year of living together and have a lot of fun... beach, beer, great grilled fish along with cold sangria with my feet in the thin white sand with my eyes on the beautiful sea!
I had all that and much, much more - if you know what I mean!
It was a really great weekend!

2nd- Attempt to play live poker for the very first time!
In Montegordo there is a "Solverde" Casino and Saturday night after a great meal in a steak house I filled my lungs with air and crossed the front doors with my heart beating fast but full of joy!

I was sorely disappointed!

I asked where I could play poker and they sent me downstairs. A woman shouted at me asking where I was going! "Playing poker ma'am" - still with a smile in my face!
"You have to pay to go in there and I also need your identification!"
Asking for the indentification is normal... paying just to go inside (4Euros) I disagree with, but I payed because I was really commited to playing live!
Inside there were just few people playing roullete ... and my eyes were searching for the poker table. Beautiful, green - with a deck calling for me - there she was! However ... I didn't run -because only the dealer was there!

"Will you be having a poker game tonight?" I asked.
"Yes! You can sit! It's the 5 non discard game but the house will only enter into the game if there it holds an Ace and a King!"

Honestly - I felt like crying!
How disappointing!
I'd played all the week before trying to get a ticket to the Solverde yet in their Casino you cant play a game of Texas Hold em!

A great Weekend full of joy and happiness mixed with a very disappointing Casino trip!

Che "petersimon69" Guevara

The more I play poker, the more I remember about the teachings of military strategy, and how similar they are to the strategies used in Poker. Regarding 'ambushes' one of the most studied men of or related to combat is Che Guevara. Whenever he was at a disadvantage, he used well the terrain and most of all 'positioning', to win several battles that lead to victory in the Cuba revolution! This remind you of Poker? Of course!

Yesterday in a Pokerpt tournament I was exactly in that position. With a 'fabulastic'(mix between fabulous and fantastic) stack of 840 chips, I hid like I was in a tropical jungle - planned my position and timing to attack! Suddenly after two agressives attacks I reached the final table, where in a an 'open field' and with a clear disadvantage I was the first to lose and became 10th in the tournament!

In the end I felt like Che Guevara - when he was caught and shot in Bolivia! Mission Accomplished!


"Hasta la victória siempre" - Forever until Victory
Ernesto 'Che' Guevara

Behind "petersimon69"

Behind 'petersimon69' is a happy man!

Born in the middle of Lisbon in 19(69), raised in a typical neighbourhood, shy and full of dreams!

Given the oportunity to travel to several countrys - on
three diferents continents - I 'drank' in all I could about different cultures, sociaties and histories!

Marrying at a young age soon placed a lot of responsibility on to my shoulders; buying a house, car, paying bills and supporting my family - whilst in Caldas da Rainha, where I did my Sargeants' course, the military broke my body and built my character!

After some time, my marriage broke down and I decided to began to live and experience some of the pleasures that I never had the time or money for previously; one of those pleasures was playing poker!

Today, I share my life with a beautiful english woman (in the picture on the right) and I try to be the best parent I can for my 'Princess', Catarina (picture above, left) and live a full and happy life!




petersimon69 - The Military Man

I joined the Army in 1990 - I soon realised that I was made for military life!

Loving Portugal, Family, Peace, Friendship and Honor I felt like I was 'home'!

Today I am the right arm of the Commander of Destacamento. I'm also responsible for the maintenance and supplies of this beautiful army barracks - Palácio de Vilalva (pictured below).

After a Good Day comes a Good Sh#t!

The veteran player - OQC - told me one day during lunch "The Poker Player must be strong in his mind".

He was completely right! Wise words!

Today it all went wrong! If I had a pair of K's the flop brought A's ... If I had AK hearts (suited) the flop brought a 3 Spades! But worse than that was the fact that I wasnt playing well with the hands I did have ... maybe I was overwelmed with yesterday results ...

I was playing poker today like a 'comrade' of mine in the army that was marching in front of a platoon with a proud, big smile on his face; not noticing that he was the only one with the 'right' foot!!!

I've always learned more from defeats that from victories; today has been a perfect example!!
Strong in mind, humble in poker! Good lesson!

A Good day in poker!!!

Yesterday was definitely a good poker day!
It wasn’t about money and not because I'd reached all my goals!
It was a good day because I played ‘my’ game! I was feeling confident and also because I won two tournaments with/against players from FUTPOKER: very good players with a lot of experience and long-time poker players!

I started out trying to gain an entrance ticket to the BPPT Figueira da Foz – a live tournament, something that I want to experience! I won a rather tough HU (Heads UP) and gained my ticket to step two. The step two started out very well and after 10 minutes, I was in the top 5. But … one hand changed everything. After that, I was struggling to ‘stay alive’. The cards didn’t appear and in the end, I was 13th. Only those in the top 5 got a ticket to step three.

Playing with my friends at FUTPOKER last night is what I’d call a great lesson in Poker. I’m still thinking about the fact that I won two tournaments with them … but I know I played well and victory smiled upon me!

A big thankyou to all of them! If I’m starting to be considered a poker player (and I didn’t say a ‘good’ poker player!) then it’s because of you, my friends!

Os primeiro "Circos"

Os primeiros jogos que fiz, fui completamente chaçinado!!!
Nem as regras sabia...
Fui à internet e "saquei" um livro de poker, e à medida que ia lendo ia jogando e aplicando os ensinamentos...
Na minha opinião os livros de poker são fundamentais para quem não queira perder dinheiro a jogar poker... só não te ensinam a ganhar!!!
E durante 2 ou 3 semanas andei a chegar aos prémios, mas com uma stack (fichas em meu poder) tão mísera que não me possibilitava chegar as FT (Final Table)

Resolvi largar o livro... adoptar a minha estratégia e acima de tudo procurei ir jogar com os melhores!

E a perder com os melhores... aprendi imenso
E os resultados começaram a apareçer... primeiro 2 ou 3 FT... depois a minha primeira vitória!