Cricket, tennis and Hugh

Daily Result: £41.62

Hmmm. He doesn't know it yet but my new next door neighbour Hugh and I haven't got off to the best starts. He's a pleasant enough chap, friendly and with the good grace to call round, say hello and introduce himself. In fact we had a nice chat. I even complimented him on his new green front door paint job. However, what Hugh doesn't realise is that it's our little chat that caused today's loss and I'm holding him personally responsible! Even if it was really my own fault!! Let me explain...

The day didn't really get off to the best of starts. Was involved in the India Blue v India Red Indian Challenger Final. Didn't have the greatest of positions but was still on course to make a profit when the rain arrived and eventually caused the game to be abandoned. Still managed to lose £28.20 on the game though. Calculated risk. I knew others would have the advantage on the weather situation but after one Sky update, and taking the amount of time left into consideration, I laid No completed match for the liability at 1.14. Just thought there was still plenty of time to get a completed match in. To be fair I could have taken a small profit but just left it and by the time I realised the match was off those people with the advantage were busy snapping up the 1.01. Probably a lesson to be learned there but I just thought 1.14 was too short at that stage.

Anyway, the lack of cricket action left me at a bit of a loose end so I finally turned my attention back to the tennis and traded my first match since August 30 while watching some "live" coverage of Porsche Grand Prix on Eurosport. Now the televised tennis is picking up again I intend to start trading it again but after any break like that I always start at very low stakes just to regain the feel of the markets and today was no exception.

Which was just as well really! I picked up a quick £32.44 and was was given a fantastic reminder just how volatile tennis, and in particular, WTA, matches can be. I tuned into the Dementieva v Srebotni match just as Demetieva complete a 1-4 comeback to win the 2nd set and level it at 1 set a piece. Srebotni was in tears at letting the match escape her and her coach was on court comforting her. Well, if ever there was a time to back Dementieva!

And sure enough, Srebotni came out to serve the opening game of the third and was broken. And then the time-honoured WTA rollercoaster really picked up speed. Dementieva was then broken. Couple of games with serve. Then Srebotni was broken again. Which meant Dementieva was serving for the game. And winning the service game. Until she cramped! A full medical timeout was granted and she drifted from 1.18 to 1.5x. During which time my computer also took a time out and crashed. Back up again the Eurosport pictures freeze and we get an apology. And then finally Dementieva loses the service game and it's 5-5 in the final set. At which point I settle for my green and wonder if tennis is really game I want to get back into trading!!

Anyway, Dementieva finally won and I moved onto the Jankovic v Pierce game, joining midway through the first set. Again, playing for small stakes I made the odd error or two but was building some small green nicely.

And that's when Hugh enters the story with a loud knock on the door. I had a quick check of my position and went to answer. He introduced himself and we had a chat for about 10 minutes. Now obviously I was keen to get back to the match but the guy is my new neighbour, I've a good position in the game so let's be friendly I thought. Exchange some gossip and check he hasn't got a dog that insists on barking everytime it breathes. Things like that.

Pleasantries out the way I returned to my den to be greeted with a miserable sight. I was £90 red on Jancovic who was 1.1x. WTF? Turns out in my haste to answer the door I'd left a bet in the system that someone later helped themselves too, no doubt thanking whichever mug left the juicy price there for them to pick off. Yep, well, I was the mug so enjoy the money but be warned - I'm coming back for it!

Anyway, without wishing to leave a huge red on Pierce for very long for the sake of making a few £ on Jancovic I simply traded the rest of the game to reduce the overall red position and ended up losing £45.86 on the game. Which left me down on the day. Great.

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