Scorching Summer!

Wow its hot, not had a summer like this for a few years where day after day its blue skies...not enjoying the humid nights though, ah well best not moan as dark at 4pm and freezing crap will be here before we know it...sigh!

Great to see Andy Murray win Wimbledon, not always been a fan of his monotone interviews etc but he played great and Lendl has really turned things around with him, maybe it will get some younger people in this country into tennis aswell. My Selby Men's team match vs Stamford Bridge was very tough, but we had a good result away at Pocklington the following week where we won all three of our matches!

Back at work means I have missed quite a lot of the better tennis trading but had Tuesday off and had some good results...

Have been watching The Sopranos from the beginning and have just finished the first season, good stuff though it took me a bit to get into, not up there with Breaking Bad and 24 imo but you can see it was a big influence and am looking forward to the rest of it...

Have not played much online poker this year, but had another crack at Pokerstars which with the big fields is very tough, but had a nice result coming 3/1360 for $4324...it was an $8.80 turbo rebuy and was a bit crazy in the first hour but got a decent stack and ran pretty well from there, 3 handed had ak v kk and hit an ace on the turn, his river flush was a bit of a Percy Thrower though lol, but cant moan at the end dollerage.

Might have a go at a few of the Betfair poker tourneys as they have quite a few good ones now as the site has got bigger with a few merging on Ipoker, but will still concentrate on the tennis trading...

Go Laura Robson!

Been a fantastic week off work, had a great week trading and loved watching a lot of the matches...

Laura Robson has had a great week so far and think she can beat most on her day, but her concentration levels are the problem and in a best of 3 that could be her biggest battle. Have actually only watched 10 mins of Murray's matches as other more exciting matches have been on at the same time, but that's because he's been so consistent and won pretty easily so far...

Really enjoyed the shocks of Nadal, Sharopova and Federer, but as usual none of the players could back their scalps up losing tamely or retiring the next round, shame.

Have actually done ok on some pre race trading this last week, just steady trades that add up which is useful, I will never be a numpty who follows race form, anyone who puts their trust in an animal to win a race for a living needs to see a head doctor imo! I am just going against the low odds pre race...

Will miss Wimbledon as at work Mon/Tuesday!! but got rest of the week off to watch/trade the rest of it...still playing in Selby's Men's Tennis team and playing away at Stamford Bridge this time, hopefully we dont get beat for once lol!

Its Kind Of Summer...

Into the middle of June and I guess this is Summer, hmm well I hope it gets better! waiting for the Queens final at the moment between Murray and Cilic which I expect Murray to win, on and off with the court covers though...hope Wimbledon has better weather as I have most of the two weeks off.

Missed one of my club nights because of the weather at the local tennis club, was gutted! really enjoy it down there, different match every time as we swap over partners after one set.

Nearly won the legend of Horneris this week, 1 set all and im 5-3 up serving for the match...but yep I turned into a french tanker right at the end, to be fair he suddenly smashed some great winners at the important time, hit my best bank hand ever though which brought a "what the fk!" from the young maestro lol.

Another nice weeks trading in between work, and was suprised to see my smallish horse trades had added up to a nice figure...

Will post again during Wimbledon where I will be trading all of the first week, and then am off from the Wednesday of the 2nd week...looking forward to it!

French Open 2013

Ahh Simona fancy getting rid of nature's gifts! still you have played a bit better this year ;)

So the French Open is well under way now and sadly but not surprising all the British hopefuls are out, Laura Robson really needs to put in more hard work I feel, she has the talent but has she got the raw hunger to get to the top?

Heather Watson has just recovered from illness so in the circumstances she did ok, Baltacha...hmm well good luck at Wimbledon!

A lot of one sided matches so far and its a bit painful coming in from work and been stuck with Fed or Williams just thrashing the next no chancer, much better when there is the red button choice of matches that you get with Sky (most tourneys) and the Beeb at Wimbledon...

Here's the last seven days trading...

A few reds in there but that's all part of sensible trading, taking the red and moving on to the next match/trade...its vital really, not to sit there and watch that red get bigger and bigger...just get out while you can!


Playing in New Earswick for Selby's tennis team this week, the score cant be any worse than last time! (not sure if my last partner is playing this time...) and hopefully the Saturday night beers in leeds wont affect it too much ;)

Clay Season

The clay season is leading up to its big tournament - the French Open and I can only see Nadal winning unless he gets some form of burnout, truly amazing since he has come back to win so many titles.

Murray has zero chance and his attitude has been awful recentley, to retire when he had just won the 2nd set must have burnt a lot of trading accounts, glad I was at work, why fight through the tie break then just retire..hmmm...but then to slag a Sky commentator off on his twitter account, well just not on imo.

In the Womens on her day Serena can beat anyone very easily, but if she has a bad day one of quite a few could have a chance, hopefully Laura Robson has a decent run...

Had another good week on the trading front...

Enjoy the sunday night golf when its the final round as people overreact on the leader even if he is just in the lead by one shot, put a lay in as they hit the back nine and hopefully there is the odd wayward shot so the odds shoot up, tennis has carried on been a good profit maker and am looking forward to the French starting on Itv/Eurosport this weekend.

Played in my first doubles match for Selby's team this Sunday, felt rough as was out on the Saturday till 1.30am and my partner (who i won 6-1 in singles the other week) was off form and they just constantly hit the ball at him, with that combination we managed 0-12, 0-12, 1-11 LOL! Still enjoyed it and having fun at the club nights played some mixed doubles this week, wow some women can actually play ;)

Good Times!

Great news that 24 is going to make a comeback, the show needed a break but I never thought it would return, nice surprise out of the blue! hopefully they will try a bit of variation as it had got a bit samey in the last few seasons, imo though seasons 1-5 were the best tv ever!

Been having some great trading sessions aswell, taking the green's when I can and not getting greedy, of course a few times I could have left it and won a lot more but then on the flipside if I hadnt have greened up I would have had a large red, Murray V Berdych is a good example, took the green after having backed Murray, Berdych came back to win 2-0 so I was wise to get out, not one red over the last week at tennis and have managed to trade quite a few with a lot of the matches running into the evening...

Loving the tennis and have been to club night at Selby Tennis Club a few times now, some good people down there and people of all ages and skill levels, think I have over done it though as my left foot is constantly hot and painful now most of the time, I will fight through it though!

I see Bt Sports have got all the Wta tennis from next year, hopefully some better coverage as Eurosport are a bit hit and miss, prefer the Wta as much more swings in it so better for trading and like to cheer Laura Robson on who if she can sort her double faults out could move onto big things...

A Post

Not posted in a while and read The Sultan's post over at http://centrecourttrading.blogspot.co.uk/ and made me think I should at least keep this place updated at least every now and then lol...I enjoy reading other blogs and am guilty as most of just giving up after a while...

As you may know I work full time and most tennis is in the day at the moment so not many trading chance's for me, day off today though and pulled in a few £££...

Made a few blunders over the last couple of months all involving backing at sub 1.30, from now on those odds are just treated as value lays, as I speak it looks like low backers are going to get hit as Fognini hit 1.01 and is now over 2's.

Snooker is a good sport to trade as it is slow moving (unless its near the end of the match) and you can weigh up your options without panicking, though my fave will always be Tennis as I love to watch aswell as play it...

Have played Horneris again recentley and managed to win a set and took it close in the third after getting bageled in the 1st :) its great to have a proper challenge against a decent player. Have also played at Selby's club night, partnering up with my old Headmaster! winning 6-4 and then 6-1 (myself at singles) against some random Pole...

Rewatched all of Breaking Bad recentley in preparation for the last ever episodes in August, abs brilliant again and picked up on loads of stuff I missed first time round...most films pale in comparison these days, some of what i've seen recentley...

Lawless - Ok but predictable

The Last Stand - Some good action but sad to see  Schwarzenegger looking so old...

Taken 2 - Switched it off, just so cliched dull and boring, seen it all before years ago in 24 and done much better...

Still Winter?

Wow this winter seems to have gone on forever, funny the years fly by but it always seems to be cold and grim weather...really missing playing tennis now, hopefully March will bring some decent playing conditions.

Djokovic showed he was the boss at the Aussie Open and Murray was never really in it...did Novak let him win the US Open? :)

Gasquet Vs Paire in the French final today and Gasquet starting low at 1.31, will be putting in a lay there...Gassa has one of the best backhands in the game but normally starts a bit slow and Paire is no slouch am expecting a 3 setter...

Premier League Darts started this week and was an enjoyable selection of matches Van Gerwin as low as 1.02 but only managed a draw in the end vs Taylor, goes on for many weeks so will be following it and hoping to catch some of those low lays.

Film wise:

Silver Lining Playbook - Fantastic stuff, dont normally like this type of film but this one really hit home...

Wreck It Ralph - Ha family time! but as a massive 80s arcade gamer this was made for my generation aswell, guest spots from Pacman, Qbert, Street Fighter etc...brilliant and some fantastic end titles.

Life Of Pi - Great looking visuals (apart from the ridic Meerkat island) but very overrated slow paced and religious preaching. Will probably win all the oscars then...

Australian Open 2013

The first grand slam of the year starts tonight over in Australia, midnight starts mean I will miss most of it which is a shame but it should be a great spectacle as always...

Think Djokovic has got this one in the bag with a straight forward draw all the way, on the outsider front I have had a sneaky £10 on Almagro at 500s as he has shown some decent form these last few months, looking to trade out after a few rounds...

In the womens, Serena should have no problems if she is fully fit, she is simply miles ahead of all the others and makes the world no 1 Azarenka look like a world no 50!

The darts BDO touney which has been shown on the BBC has been a big letdown compared to the PDC that is shown on Sky, no walk on dolly birds, quiet sound system, compere who can barely say "one hundred" and poor quality players. I even miss the drunken mob shouting "boring boring tables" lol.

Seen some good films this last week:

Skyfall - Excellent Bond film after the poor Quantum Of Solace

Seven Psychopaths - New film from the director of In Bruges, not as good as that but still great and  quirky, violent and original much the same way as the former....

Django Unchained - Quality Tarantino form here with Christoph Waltz giving a brilliant performance as the German.

Ok Burglar alarm was going off at 4am so im off for a lie down!