Dublin Poker

Well I won! I take back everything I said about poker! I love it, it's not rigged.... and I'm one lucky bastard! In a night where I flopped a poker, got aces three times, kings 4, and a teddy was playing... where do I start?

I had promised to donate money to the charity if I moaned about any bad beats, but fortunately there was no need! Other than a few minor suckouts I was just winning everything! Every time I'd pick up a great hand someone else would pick up a good hand and my hand would stand up.

i made a TERRIBLE call just after the break when I called TWO all-ins holding 77. The other two showed KK and 99. D'oh! Somehow I managed to hit quads on the flop and knocked the two out! My reasoning was I was already in for 1K, and it was only another 2K out of my stack of 9K. Still, looking back I think it was terrible play on my part. Ah well!

Nothing much happened until we were down to 18. I had been move next to Tom from Antesup.com. I won a big pot with KK vs AK on a J high flop. Nothing much for a while until I pick up aces in late position. I limp in hoping for a raise, which I duly get. An all in no less! Now at this stage I'm sitting on about 22K. The other lad has just less. Its folded around to Tom who thinks about it for a full 5 minutes before pushing. I was next to act and instantly pushed with the rockets. Tom knew instantly he was a bit screwed! There was nothing much else I was calling two all ins with! First player had KK and Tom showed AQ. A mistake I wouldn't usually expect from him but I think he realised this too and was pretty pissed off. Anyway, the aces held up and I'm now monster chip leader while Tom is down to just 1,500 with blinds at 1K/2K.

Anyway after an amazing comeback from Tom we're down to the final three. With blinds at 5K/10K and about 250K chips in play, there is an awful lot of stealing going on. I had planned on trying to confuse the lads with my betting, as I had shown a lot of big hands already at the final table. I managed to force a few laydowns, not least when I pushed Tom off A7 and showed 23! I think I managed to confuse them a few times, and Tom was a little frustrated at times, calling me a 'tricky f***er'!

Anyway, we swop chips for a while until I pick up 44. I'm chip leader and other lad went all in for about 1/2 my stack so I pushed to isolate and get Tom out. Unfortunately Tom had started getting hands and instantly called with AQ. The other lad had A6 and a Queen on the flop tripled Tom up and knocked the other lad out. Heads up and Tom had about a 3:1 chip lead. I doubled up after Tom pushed and I called with 910 on a 10 J 4 flop. He held Q6 and no queen or runner runner and I was ahead.

Then came the final hand. I had about 150K and Tom had just over 100K. I picked up J7 and decided to push and steal his 10K blind, which had worked up until then! Unfortunately for probably only the second time that night Tom actually had a hand. And horribly it was AJ. Not even two live cards! However lady luck again reared her head for me and a Jack on the turned ended Tom's unbelievable comeback!

A great night, which is made all the better knowing that 40% of my winnings went to charity. Karma Karma.......! Also Des should be happy enough after his tenner bet on me to last the longest earned him almost 200 euro!

Anyway, had a great night, put a few more names to faces, and won a few quid (sorry again Tom!), not to mention the glory! Unfortunately I've been in work this morning since 6am and with only 3 hours sleep, 5 0'clock seems a looong way away....