It's been a while since I posted since I had very little to brag about through the month of March! I was actually down a little bit to $900 profit, while sitting on about $1,500 in my account.

However, last night I took a big jump by making the final table in the $35,000 Guarantee on Full Tilt ($24+2 buy-in), coming in as the chip leader. After cruising through a few folks down to the Top 3, never really facing a real big decision, I was looking forward to a big payday.

With 3 players left, I called a raise in the SB with Q-J off, while all 3 of us were in the hand. Flop Q-J-3 all offsuit so I decided to be sneaky and check since both of these guys were playing aggressive. BB bets pot, gets called by button, and I shove for my remaining $1.2M (I had lost the chip lead at this point). BB thinks and calls, flipping over K-Q with $3.4M in the pot. To my dismay, 9 on the turn, and 10 on the river for the running straight. Naturally I was not happy, but the $4.5K for a 3rd place finish is still good money!!!

Looking good for my $10K mark before I get halfway through the year if I can get another big final table like this one!!!

$4,000 in profit total including live play (where I've been struggling of late)....

Next month's post to follow. Hopefully I can make another big final table. Also will be playing in the cheap super sat.'s to see if I can make my way to the Main Event!!!

So I happened to make my level and above in January and am off to a good start in February. Overall, my BR stands at $1,739.72, but I had some major damage to my car that needed a cashout of $1,077. That's ok because it still leaves me above my target mark for January. I was expecting a finish of approx. $800, but finished at $1,739.72. Left in there to begin Feb. is $662.50 which I expect to run up to about $1,000, and then put back in $1,000 to put me at $2K for '09 so far.

I made the cashout for my car, but will be depositing the money back in over the next few pay periods so I'm true to my BR and my life :-).

I'm 0-for-2 in live play to start '09, but that's what happens with one bad beat and a great call by a player late in a tourney. Play-by-play:

Blinds: 1.5K, 3K, Ante 200

I'm sitting in the BB with about 32K. Fold around to the SB who limps in. I look down at Ks-8d and the SB has been playing weak so I check. Board comes off Qd-9d-2s and SB checks. I immediately move all in knowing he can't make this call without at least a weak Q, but SB calls and shows 7s-7d. My eyes widened and I shook my head in shock at the call. Turn brings a ton more outs with the Jd, but a harmless Qs on t the river sealed my fate as I went to the rail. Next time I won't be so careless.

I'll be ready to go for February live tourneys and will probably jump into the $125 10,000 chip deep stack Feb. 3rd at my local room :-)

As for online, I'll be sticking to the rules and grinding it out. My big win in Jan. was a $5 KO tourney where I took home 3rd for $362 plus about 15 KO's for $15. Other than that, some SNG and cash grinding.

Next month's post to follow!

I made a New Year's Resolution to make my way from $300 to $10,000 in my poker bankroll on Full Tilt for 2009. Feel free to follow my progress following bankroll rules set forth originally by Chris Ferguson.

RULES
Can only sit at any cash table with 5% or less of current bankroll.
Can only play in any SNG with 5% or less of current bankroll.
Can only play in any MTT with 2% or less of current bankroll.
If my total amount of cash in play represents 10% or more of my bankroll, I must leave once the blinds come back around to me.

My poker earnings in 2008 amassed about $12,000 but I have never followed bankroll rules. If you would like to follow along, my name is "gildabeansjp" on Full Tilt Poker.