Dublin Poker

What a week! After the disappointment of just missing out on the money in Drogheda, I decided to head down to the Sporting Emporium and have a go at their 50 double chance. I met Ionapaul and JP down there, and I think we started with about 70 runners.

I started off well, and realised after about 5 minutes that the standard was absolutely rubbish. Now, I'm don't like putting down other players, as were all that bad at one stage! But it was absolutely ridiculous how bad these players were. There was myself and two other decent enough players at the table, and we were literally taking turns in taking the other players chips. Each time we would knock one of them out, another would sit in his place, and the three of us would smile at each other... Very strange atmosphere actually. Probably how Andy Black and Co. feel when we sit down at their table!

I don't want to seem like Im getting big headed or anything, (I still consider myself somewhat of a beginner!), but I have never sat at a table where I KNEW I was way better then most of the others. They were falling for everything, and it was too easy to push them around.

Anyway enough of that, coming up to the break I had a decent stack, and looking at Paul's table, he was doing very nicely. After the break, JP came to sit at our table, and it wasn't long before I had doubled him up! I had called the initial bet with 56 hearts, and I think JP had raised it. I felt he had AK or a medium pair, and when the flop came Q high, I thought I could push him off it with an all-in. Unfortunately he called with a set of Queens! D'OH! I looked across to Paul at this stage and he had a huge stack, maybe 50K+!

Nothing much to report in the run up to the final table, as I was simply card dead. Survival poker had me down to 3K with blinds at 500/ 1K! Somehow, I doubled up a few times and robbed a bit and had about 16K going into the final table.

Paul's stack had diminished somewhat to about 12K... Oops! JP was knocked out and soon we were down to 6. I think the payout was something like this;
6th 100
5th 200
4th 300
3rd 500
2nd 700
1st 1400

Paul was down to 7K UTG with blinds at 2K/4K, so I was basically guaranteed 200, bar a miracle. So why then did I feel the need to make a move against the CL with 68o? Because I'm an idiot. I had worked up to 25K, and flopped a double gutshot straight on a 10 high flop. He bet 5K and I called. Turn came a King and I thought I could get him off the hand with an all in, but he just had too much chips to fold. He called with 10 2 and out I went for a profit of..... 50euro. Shite! Paul went out the next hand but at least I had doubled his money! It wasn't the last final table we would meet at...

Then came the Vegasnights Team Event in the Anglers Rest last night. I was captain of Fistful of Shamrock's, and we had some stiff competition against some very good teams. Although it was only a 20 euro game, we were still playing for bragging rights... and of course the trophey!Unfortunately, two of the lads on FOS pulled out and I couldn't get replacements in time, so we started the tourney with 6... which was instantly 5 after Iago's early exit! Very unlucky, a difficult hand to get away from Iago.

Anyway, I started the tourneament well, landing at Careca's table. I was getting decent hands, and getting paid off on most off them. Careca on the other hand wasn't getting the cards, and was pretty shortstacked coming up to the first break. Des moved to our table, and had soon amassed a huge stack due to the great hands I was dealing him! We had sorted out a deal in the car on the way up where I would deal him aces in exchange for a few days with the trophey!

Anyway, hitting the break and I was up to about 21K, in there with the chip leaders. Des wasn't too far behind. I 'rounded up the troops' at the break and found that karlh was doing well on 17K and the other 2 lads were still hanging in! Starting the second level and I continued on as I had started, slowly amassing a big stack. Our table was broken soon after, and I was moved to Olly's table, sitting just to his left. Thank God, no more dealing! I was starting to really feel the effects of too much alcohol on Friday night, and the hangover was really kicking in. I had to keep going outside for fresh air to clear my head... feeling pretty ropey!

I still made it back in time to knock Olly out! He made a good call with pocket sevens vs my AK but unfortuantely just lost the race. I found out later that the las that knocked him out was apparently 'gay'. Nice to know Olly! We were soon down to the last 3/4 tables, and nearing the points stage. Amazingly, Boardstoopids team still had 6 players in it! If they could keep this up they would win the team event by sheer numbers. Myself and Ionapaul were flying the flag for FOS and most other teams had 2-4 players left. Nick had announced that the top 19 players would get a break and some food. haha the dreaded 'food bubble' I shouted!

Then came a row of hands that could have, and probably should have ended my tournament. I had worked my way up to about 60K, which was about 2x average with about 25 left. First hand I got pocket Queens, It was raised up to 10K, and I quickly went over the top and made it 25K. He instantly went all in. Fuck! I had a pretty good read on this lad, and had picked up a tell on him aswell. Anytime he had a very good hand, he would start tapping one chip on top of the other. I had noticed this when he had KK previously and when he had flopped a set. I folded before I could persuade my self to call, and he duly flipped over AA. Second time in a week I have had to fold QQ preflop (Drogheda).

But the drama wasn't over. Our table was broken after that hand and I was moved to Careca's table. First hand at that table I pick up JJ! I raise it up to 12K (blinds 1500/ 3K), and get a caller and an all in. AGGGHHH! I have to drop the Jacks, and realise I was up against 77 and AQ. A queen flops which makes me happy about the laydown.

The NEXT hand I pick up AJ and decide to flat call, as I am now down to close to 20K. wtf? An ace flops, and I am about to recoup my losse when a ROCK goes all in. I fold the AJ and he duly shows A9 for two pair. I could have gone out o any one of those hands, and I'm very happy with my restraint. If only I could carry that across to online play!

Soon we were down to 19 and I announced we had all made the 'food bubble' which made everyone happy! Just outside the points and it was starting to get serious... Nick sat with us for food and was praised for a great tourney. It was obvious he lost a lot putting this on, but fair play to him, it was a great tourney.

We were soon down to 18, and into the points. Boardstoopids had 4 or 5 people in the last 18, so were almost guaranteed the trophey! I wasn't too worried about it though, and was more aiming on 1st. I'm a selfish fucker! However IonaPaul kept our hopes alive after TRIPLING up when his queens hit a set against AA and KK! You jammy bastard!! Go on FOS!! I remember Careca doubling up on Aces too along the way...

I can't remember much in the run up to the final table, but Des was knocked out along the way, and when I knocked out 10th place, we broke for the final. I had a healthy stack of 88K starting, and IonaPaul had 99K. Two other boardies made the final table too. Rounders and Careca from rivals Boardstoopids had both made it with good stacks.

Nothing much happened in the first few rounds, with a lot of blindstealing going on, and not a flop in sight! I suggested to Nick that we freeze the blinds at 3K/6K, which he agreed. With the average stack at 75K, going up to 4K/8K would be too much.

A few shorties went out and we were soon down to 6. All four boardies were still in, with a lad from Poker.ie and the last member of Vegasnights. I can't remember if Careca went out in 4th or 5th, but as far as I can tell, he was pretty card dead at the table. Kept running into aces anytime he raised! I knocked out the poker.ie lad who had been stealing pots left right and centre. Pretty good player, but my tens were too much for his 68o!

Rounders had built up a HUGE stack, almost 250K by the looks of it. However this wouldn't last too long... I had been stealing his BB a lot, and going over the top of his raises, and had taken a good chunk off him. He was playing excellent poker last night. As was FOS legend Ionapaul. He was raising every pot and was announcing ALL IN! at regualr intervals! His stack was going up and down like a yo-yo!

Again, my memory isin't great, but I think Paul knocked out Rounders, and we were down to three. I was playing very aggressively re-raising the lads and pushing them off some big pots. I was raising with 27, going over the top of raises with muck.. just playing super aggressively. It was no suprise then when I reraised the Vegasnights lad all in with Aces, and he instantly called with pocket eights! An oscar winning performance if I say so myself! No eight killed me and I doubled up to over 200K.

Soon after this I got involved in a make or break pot with IonaPaul. He raised it up 40K and I looked down to see pocket tens. I raised it up to 100K which he flat called! wtf!! He had about 180K so both had half our stack in the middle now and this was going to be a HUGE pot. I was thinking he had either a low pair or A10 AJ, otherwisew he would have gone all in. The flop came Q high, and he checked it to me. I had to make a move on it, and felt he hadn't hit the Queen, so I led out with 40K. Thankfully he folded. Phew! My thinking was if he went over the top (he had about an extra 50K), I could at least consider folding and still have 60K left. It would be a very tough fold with a pot of over 300K, but I may have folded to a re-raise.

Anyway, I'm soon huge chip leader, at over 300K. Then came Paul's penultimate hand. I looked down to see 78s. A decent limping hand. I think Paul raised it up to 20K which I called. The flop came 458 rainbow, and Paul pushed for his remaining 60K. I instantly called with top pair, but unfortunately Paul was sitting on Q8. Fuck! well played! I needed a 6 or a 7 to knock him out, and for once Pokah helped me out and spiked a 6 on the river! sorry Paul, it killed me to knock out a fellow FOS member. Unlucky, you played a great tourney.

I've been watching Paul's progress over the last while, and he seems to be on the up and up. He cashed well in Citywest and I've met him TWICE at final tables this week alone.

Anyway, HEADS UP! Me and the other lad from Vegasnights had made it to the last two. We took a short toilet break, and I had a quick chat with the lad. He seemed like a nice bloke and he told me he'd been out all night playing poker in the Angler's Rest and hadn't slept! Haha, I had been worried that I wouldn't have my wits about me due to my hangover but this made me feel better! We were both equally fucked! Should be an interesting heads up match...

A good crowd had gathered to watch the final table, and I had Des and the other boardies cheering me on. Nice one lads!

I started off with about a 2:1 chip lead over him. It started off terribly, and the other lad was pushing me around. Any time I raised he went all in and I had to fold. He was a very good player and soon we were back to even, just over 300K each. I was getting annoyed as I really wanted to win this, and I was throwing it away. I knew he didn't have a hand most of the time, he just had more balls than me, and had no problem pushing. I decided to try and play more aggresively so the next time he raised it up 40K I went over the top for 120k holding 24c. He went all in! Fuck! Nice play. I folded and he showed A3 saying "I knew you were going to make a move with shit!". Fair play, nice move.

Soon he had a 3:1 chip lead over me, and I was down to 140K. I was fuming at how I had fucked it up. Next hand I get AQ, and was about to raise, when I though I may be able to slow play it. The flop came Q high, and I bet out 40K. He went all in an I instantly called. He showed Q4, and was very surprised to see I hadn't raised preflop with AQ. I went over the top of his 50K raise next hand and we were back to about even.

Next hand I get JJ. He raised it up 50K and I went all in. He thought about it for ages and finally said "fuck it I'm tired, lets do this!". He flipped over K10, and when the chips were in the middle it was a 669,700 pot. ( I had 300 left!). All I had to do was avoid a King and the tournament was mine! The flop brought out a possible straight draw, and he needed a King or J on the river to knock me out... but it never came. I WIN!

____

Very happy with my results of late. Not including my disastrous debut to the Sporting Emporium, I've had good results. Which Des seems to have noticed too. He keeps betting on me and winning!

Fitz Charity tournament - 1st

Fitz Sunday freezout - 3rd

Fitz monthly 270 - 13th

Drogheda - 22nd

SE 50 double chance - 6th

VN Team Event 1st

I've cashed in 5 out of the last 6 tounaments I played in,k and just missed out on a nice payday in Drogheda. I think the main reason I am doing well live is due to the fact that I don't play online regularly anymore. I don't get stressed playing poker anymore, and try to keep my emotions hidden, and not moan too much!

As for the VN tourney, overall it was a great tournament and fair play to Nick for putting it on. I'll definitely be back in 3 months to challenge Boardstoopids and claim what is rightfully ours! FOS will be back with a FULL team, and that Trophy will be ours! Write THAT on your arse Des!!!!!

*EDIT: Photo's courtesy of Des