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Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Another tourney... another cash

I was due to bring out a friend for a driving lesson last night, but when I was arsing about on boards.ie, I noticed that the Antesup lads were putting on a game in the Regency hotel. This isin't too far from me, but I was still a bit wary about forking out €115 for the game. I know I won €700 on Friday, but thta all went on paying off Thailand, so I didn't have too much spare cash knocking about.

Anyway, I wasn't going to head in until I heard that Mike was going to have a 'last longest' between any boardies that headed down. Once more than 5 lads off boards headed down, the player who lasted longest without making the money would win a €250 ticket into Mike's game in Drogheda. This was a nice bonus for the 'bubble', but I was still a bit wary about the hefty €115 entry fee. I would be happier if I could get a few people for a €20 STT beforehand, which would perhaps soften the blow. I posted up about the STT and got a few replies back in agreement, so I set up a game for 7pm. The main game started at 8pm so we had enough time to get a decent game beforehand... or so I thought! It was only myself and Ntlbell there at 7pm, the rest didn't arrive until about 7:30 so TURBO blinds! I'd only brought €40 with me so it was all or nothing!

At 8pm there was still 5 left so we had to double the blinds every two hands! CRAPSHOOT! Anyway, as it turned out we €220 in the pot (a few rebuys), so we agreed €100 for first and second and moneyback for third. Anyway, an uneventful game. I sat back for a good bit, getting muck, then doubled up on aces and sat back again. I managed to split it with Gecko so we both got €100. I paid the €15 reg fee and sat straight into the tourney. At least the tourney only cost me €35 so I wouldn't be too annoyed if I got knocked out.

So... on to the game. Crazy game altogether. A night of absolutely rubbish cards but beautiful rivers! For the first few hours my best hand was 22 and I had only seen three aces. I just couldn't pick up a premium hand to get me going. I started off sandwidged betweet Ehsan (Gholimoli) and White Knight. Ehsan is a great online player, and regularly make Final Tables of the big games. Ive only played with White Knight once or twice before in the BSOP, and he seems a handy enough TAG player.

Anyway, I had planned to stay of of pots with these two as much as possible... there was a much easier ways to build a stack! The standard at the rest of the table wasn't up to much, so hopefully I could pick up a few hands and clean up. Unfortunately I just couldn't pick up a playable hand, and anytime I limped I never hit a flop. Instead of playing loose and trying to force the play I decided to sit back and wait for a hand. The blinds were small and the stacks were deep (5K starting) so there was no rush.

Eventually at the 50/100 level I picked up A9s in the BB, and flat called. It was myself, Ehsan (SB) and another lad who had played a lot of pots with mediocre hands. The flop came A 4 10 rainbow, and when Ehsan checked I threw out a small bet to get some info on the other lad. I was pretty sure Ehsan had muck. The other lad called an Ehsan folded. The turn brought another ace and I had been watching him when it came out and by the looks of it he had hit. I checked and he checked behind, hoping for the board to pair on the river or a 9 to give me the house.

The river came a 7, so I now had A A A 10 9. I felt like he wanted to bet, so I planned a check raise. I checked and he bet 500, into a pot of about 700. I raised it up to 1700, wary that if he pushed I may have to fold. I felt he had ace rag, but if he'd made a house or had a kicker higher than 9 I was in trouble. I didn't think he had the house as he didn't look like he had hit the turn or river, and I don't think he flopped it. Also, if he had a kicker higher than mine it would be AK, AQ, or AJ, which I think he would have raised preflop with. So I actually thought we either both had A9 or he had a worse kicker. A risky move, but I needed to accumulate chips. He flat called the raise and flipped over A5 so my 9 played and I raked in a 4K pot.

I knocked another lad out a while later when I called an all in on the turn with Ad7c on a
5d 7d 10c 2d board. I was pot committed and would still have 3K left if i lost. I hit the flush on the river and beat the other lads 6d 8d. He'd turned the smaller flush, which I figured he had but I wasn't happy knowing 2 outs to the flush were gone as they would make him a straight flush!

No other hands until we broke to two tables. I was still card dead and sitting on around 6K. I picked up AK and raised it up to 2K. One caller and I raised an ace high flop and took it down. Up to a high of 9K I pissed away half of it on a silly play. I was still card dead, and dying to pick up a hand, when I looked down at AQ. I again raised it up to 2K, and the same lad called. The flop came Jack high, and I felt I could take him off with the same raise as last time. I raised 2K and he instantly went all in. I couldn't see how I was ahead so I folded, losing over 4K. He later told me he had Q9. Well played, my raise must have stunk of a missed AK, AQ. Stooopid play by me, throwing in 2K when it had been checked to me. Ah well...

Ehsan made a great call at this table to knock Mike out, calling an all-in river bet with A8 on a dangerous King high board with 3 clubs. Very good call.

I was moved to table one when we got down to 11, and looked down at 99 first hand. Best hand of the night so far, and with only 4K and blinds at 300/600 I had to move. Luckily no callers and Im up to over 5K. I don't pick up another playable hand and sat back until we broke for the final table.

I had 3400 going on to the final table, with the blinds at 500/1K. I needed a hand to move on and fast! UTG I look down to see an Ace. Ready to push on any decent kicker I'm sickened when the dealer accidentally flips my second card, exposing a second ace! ugh... what a time for a dealer f**k up! Ah well, I can't blame him, it was an easy mistake, just unlucky that it happened then. My second kicker turned out to be a 4 so I had to fold...

The blinds passed over me and I couldn't make a move with my blind hands (23, 35), which were both raised, so now I was on 1900, with the blinds moved up to 700/1500. Still more than 1xBB! I waited for any hand to push on, and amazingly I looked down at 92 4 hands in a row! The odds on that are the same as hitting AK 4 times in a row, but I cant remember that ever happening! Finally I picked up the monster that is 10 5 soooted, and pushed. Ehsan raised it up for protection, but unfortunately was called by the only woman that was playing last night. As it turned out he had A7 and she had KK. A 5 on the flop and a 10 on the river tripled me up to 5700 + 1500 blinds. Over 7K so a nice pot to win with 10 5!

I doubled up again soon after when I rivered a flush and grinded my way up to 20K with a few steals. Down to 6 and top four got paid so now we were on the real bubble! If I got knocked out in 6th and White Knight or Ehsan went out in 5th they would win the Drogheda ticket. It was for whoever lasted longest WITHOUT making the money.

Anyway, I picked up 99 in the BB (blinds 1500/3K), and Ehsan raised it up to 10K. he had about 40K altogether, and I felt it was probably a race so I pushed. He called and were looking at a race for 42K with my 99 vs his AQ. An ace on the flop had me sunk, but the magic 9 on the turn saved me! Ehsan went out soon after in 5th in a four way pot which White Knight won. He got a ticket to Drogheda for his troubles, but I think he already had one...

Down to 4 and we were now in the money. 4th = €200, 3rd = €400, 2nd €700, 1st €1400. We knocked out the shortstack and it was now myself, White Knight and the other lad. I doubled up off the other lad with KJ vs K10, and now had the chip lead. Unfortunately my luck ended and I ran into a luckier player in the shape of White Knight! he had already had AA, flopped a poker and sucked out with a 6 outer on the river earlier on, and continued his rampage on our table!

He had quadrupled up earlier on after his AJ hit trips on the flop, and had a decent enough stack. I doubled him up when I called his all in with JQ thinking he had a low pair. I was willing to race, and as expected he had 99. The flop came a juicy 10 K 4 with two clubs. The turn came a third club, and I had the Qc, but somehow missed my 18 outs on the river. I now proposed taking €100 off first and making 3rd €500, as we were all even stacked. The other two agreed.

A few hands later I pushed with 66 and White Knight made a risky call with A8. I'm thinking he did this based on my earlier loose play. Anyway he spiked an 8 on the turn and out I went in 3rd for €500. Not bad off €35! White Knight went on to win it. Well played.

So thats a profit of €1200 this week ($1545 for all you Americans!). Hopefully I can keep it up!

good luck

Comments:
Nicely done! Looks like you're on fire. Keep at it while the going is good!
 
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