Playing in a weekly League game at my local pub, I earned the right to play in a Regional Final in a Manchester Casino (100 miles away) with 2 other players, I mentioned to one of the organizer's that I would be happy just to make the Final table and when she asked why only the Final Table, why not 1st place I told her that the Final table would be enough for me and to win it would be fantastic, but I would still be happy with a top place.
I managed it and actually made 2nd place winning £200 and a Seat in the National Finals, The National game was played around 3 months later and I had to travel to Coventry (about 200 miles away) and I played in The Final of several hundred players and made it to the last 5 tables, just short of the bubble but since then I have played in a few other Tournaments, some going home after busting before the bubble, others I have made the money.
The important thing for me was that Manchester was the First time I got to a Final table in any tournament, and I proved to myself that if I could do it there, I could do it again elsewhere, it just takes a lot of hard work and concentration.
I prefer to play Live games, but I also prefer playing at lower stakes, £25-£50 maximum buy-ins, but On-line I stick to a
bankroll rule of nothing above 1%, not because I am afraid of anything, other than things that are out of my control, (ie) Internet connection or power failures and computer crashes.
I hate losing $1 Dollar playing on-line, when some thing like that happens, and it has on several occasions, but I accept that it happens and get over it, after all it is money I have never owned or paid into a
poker site, but losing £25-£50 On-line would devastate my Bankroll and I would have to either win it all back or replace it with money I can not afford to lose through technical issues.
Poker should be a fun past time, and for me I have found the perfect balance, of having fun without it costing me a small fortune, and I am happy playing for free.
When the fun Stops, STOP!
