2011 has been my best year yet. I had a great first half of the year, but was a bit disappointed with the second half. When I look back at it I'm really pleased with how it went although it's hard to be satisfied in this game. I didn't do as well in cash games this year as I have in the past - probably because I lost focus from the tournaments and the travelling - but had a much better year online. Swings and roundabouts. If I could change anything I would probably have done less messing around and more playing live cash games as I didn't really get the results I was looking for and there have been some really good games this year.
I can't really remember too much of my form prior to the Irish Open. I don't think it was great, but a few of my mates had been doing really well in the previous few months so I was pretty focused when I was playing. Before the final table, Roland [De Wolfe] called me up and told me how important winning this tournament is and how big a deal it would be. Winning the tournament is a big step for my career, but I think if I can get another big result it would be a huge deal. I probably should start playing better too.
I got a replica trophy for my Irish Open win; the real one has everyone's name inscribed on it. My replica one was broken on the day I won; the card and poker chip thing at the top has snapped off and there's a massive crack in it. I'm pretty sure Nik Persaud was the culprit. I didn't spend too much after the win. I don't even have a driving license so I haven't got a sports car or anything like that. I live a pretty comfortable lifestyle, though. I have also paid for about half the meals UK poker players eat as credit card roulette has a vendetta against me.
Two days afterwards I was playing a £50/100 game, but that was only because it was a TV show thing that I thought would be cool to play. Before, I was playing mostly £5/10. Now I'm still playing mostly £5/£10, but it's good to be able to jump into the bigger games when they look good. I've even been giving the $25/50 game on Black Belt Poker a spin every once in a while.
I think the biggest change was that I started playing big buy-in tournaments that I wouldn't have been 'rolled for otherwise. I really enjoy playing some of the big tournaments in Europe and the win really gave me the freedom to do this. Monte Carlo springs to mind. Apart from that, my life's not that different; I still live in Wimbledon, get the tube and stuff - keeping it real. I don't think anyone's recognised me apart from poker players at the table. Maybe some people have but don't say anything, or maybe it's something to do with me losing two stone and cutting my hair and beard off.
I spent the last four years with people telling me about their trips to Vegas so I had a pretty good idea of what it was like. I only played WSOP tournaments, the plan being to play cash games and a few tournaments. I think I played seven cash game sessions and I was there for eight weeks. I blame Sam Trickett and also everyone I know making deep runs. I think I made a small loss in tournaments and won like $20,000 in cash games. I pretty much came back with the same money I arrived with. I was definitely burnt out by the end of it, so I'm only go for three weeks next time around.
It was great to make a final table in the Round of Each. David Chiu and Rob Hillink also made the final, but I don't think I played with these guys much before then. Rob Hollink just seems to play pretty solid, picking his spots. David Chiu was splashing about a bit more. He busted me in PLO in a spot where someone opened and got a few calls and I made a big three-bet for around two thirds of my stack. Everyone folded round to him and he put me in with K-K-x-x and held versus my T-9-8-7. It's a hand where I might fold in his spot because most of the time he is up against aces and when he's not, he isn't in that great shape anyway. Strangely, even though I finaled, I never saw myself winning the tournament. I don't think I've ever had that before.
There definitely is good camaraderie with the Brits. I think the good, young, Englsh players are in an enviable position with a lot of other smart guys around that can help them out and also share the travelling expenses and things like that. It might hinder me on the sponsorship side as we are all competing for the same deals. I guess it would be cool to have a good sponsorship deal but I've not really been actively looking for one. That's probably a bit foolish but I don't like asking for things, so hopefully someone comes to me.
I believe I have improved a lot of my technical tournament play over the last 12 months and have a much more solid understanding of the game. Also, I think I'm all right at Omaha now and I wasn't very good last year. I've still got a lot I can improve at overall. I'm not sure if there is anything in particular, maybe my mentality. Sometimes I play a bit sloppy. If I were to make some New Year resolutions, it would be to try and be really healthy this year. Also, when it stops being icy I'm going to start taking some driving lessons. I think I'd be content with a big tournament win and winning a lot in cash. I'm going to try and win a pot off Andy Moseley as well; didn't manage it this year.
Overall, I'm still enjoying my poker. If the games stay the same I will keep on playing, but if they don't, I might have to do something different. At the moment, that's not what I want to do.