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The only thing I played in September was the TV LNSP. My table was epic for all the wrong reasons and I didn't cover myself in glory. I got an awful lot of slagging after getting knocked out by Bernard Dunne, so it was fun seeing him go on to win the thing outright.
October was always going to be a big month with three major festivals. I broke another hoodoo getting a nice touch in Killarney, doing a deal heads up in the €300 event and collecting €13,000.
This was followed by the IPO, no cashing but a social weekend that rivals the IO for the craic. What an achievement it is to gather 1,440 players for a tournament in a country as small as Ireland. Eight of us headed of to the K Club for a couple of days of what hopefully becomes an annual event, Poker's Ryder Cup. There's a return leg planned in Celtic Manor this February.
The Winter Festival was the last of the October treble. Looking back on the year this is the one that hurts. I had myself in a super spot with 27 players remaining and think I should have at least reached the final table. I was probably a little hard on myself after the event but still have regrets, I finished 22nd for €4,400.
November saw a new addition to the calendar, the JP mini WSOP. No joy here but as ever, JP put on a great festival. For me, this guy is the best around at what he does and I always look forward to his events.
December had the Macau Winter and a second no cash in Cork which meant I went a year for the first time since I started playing not taking home some lolly from either of the big Cork festivals.
I played really well in the second IPC of the year in Galway. For a while there at the end of day two and start of day three, I thought I might get to the final table. In the end I never caught a break, finishing 15th for €4,200. Another €5k was picked up for the percentage I had of mister Parkinson who put on a master class to take it down. It was a real pleasure to see Padraig Parkinson crowned as Irish Poker Champion.
The other major happening for me in December was becoming a Boylepoker sponsored player. With all due respect to Brucepoker, it felt like a step up to me and was a major confidence boost and compliment to secure the deal.
While I still consider Paul Spillane my nemesis on the golf-course, I also see him as a good friend and a person with a great understanding and visionary approach to the poker industry. I hope in 2010 I can live up to the high standards set by Paul, his team and fellow Boylepoker pros Marty, Padraig and John O'Shea.
All in all I think I can say 2009 was a reasonable success. I probably played 18-22 significant tournaments with eight cashes and a very good ROI. I didn't manage a major final table but had semi decent runs at three of the five greater than €1,500 buy-ins in the country and a WSOP main cash. Throw in a few nice side wins and I gotta be happy overall.
I've always said the major luck factor in the tournament game is which ones you run well in. If I ran like I did in the sides in Killarney or Galway at the last three tables of either IPCs or the IWF, then it would have been a magic year. Hopefully next year.
On a more pragmatic note, reading back over my 2008 review before I started this blog - sentiments like improved work ethic and better focus were splashed around liberally. I was however realistic to only state one objective for the upcoming year: to make more than had I been working. This I achieved for the fifth year running.
The Hendon Mob data records show a marginally better year then last, but only an uninformed person would take that database as a reflection of a poker players P&L. In 2006 I had two small cashes on the HMD amounting to $7,000, in each of the last two years I had over $80,000 on it. The fact is, I made more profit in 2006 from poker than either of the last two years.
My inertia towards all aspect of the game apart from the relatively larger live events grew deeper over the last twelve months. In fact, to the degree that the only real poker I've played have been bigger events in Ireland and a couple of trips overseas. The fact that I was/am sponsored, means I'm lucky enough not to have to worry about buy-ins but I've no doubt it's also added to my inertia to the grind.
The way I've being playing the last two years is OK for someone that has a bank account containing a mega tournament touch but not for the journeyman player that I am.
So the goals for 2010 are, to make more then I would have working and I'll include a hope to get some kind of grind on. I do feel there's a decent chance of this happening in a default kind of way as I've knocked the sports betting on the head, which was keeping me preoccupied between festivals.
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