PERSONAL Well what have i been up to.... To be honest, nothing much. My weight loss has entered that stubborn stage, you get so far, and then it refuses to budge. In fairness my intake of alcohol over the last few weeks hasn't helped much. I decide enough is enough basically and have increased my training schedule, so hopefully I will see big changes soon, need to get some pounds off before we hit the Festive binging.
Super Satellite - Wednesday 25th November Decided to head in and play this. It was a€50 + €5 buy-in for 3K in chips, unlimited re-buys for first 3 levels + top up of €50 for 5K in chips. My stack was down to 400 in the second hand. Practically everyone at my table limps into me on the Button and I join the limpfest with 8c 10c Flop comes down Jh Qc 4c So I have a flush draw and gut shot straight draw. everyone checks, I check to get a free card Turn is beautiful 9d. I check, guy utg bets 400, other guy folds, I re-raise to 1600 he instacalls....mmm river is 10 d and he goes all in... great balls of puck I call to be shown K J off suit , nice catch sir.
I'm down to 400 in chips, but am determined not to re-buy, and get that back up to 1,650 by the Break, get my top up and come back with 6,650 and blinds starting at 100 200, so plenty of play. There is an English guy to my right who I kind of recognise, but don't know his name, but realised after the break that it was Paul Parker, I had seen him at a few of the festivals. He said that he had started getting the Fitzwilliam monthly Newsletter by email and heard about the festival so was coming over to play in it. He is a very funny guy, who was also introduced to the Chief, who arrived at our table, with a big stack announcing that "we were all ABC players, and ya need kahunas and aggression to win in this game".... lol the face on Paul Parker with a couple of the Chiefs famous comments, was priceless.
I eventually knocked the chief our when I made a dodgy call with As7s from the BB, when he shoved for 9,300, blinds are 400 800 and im sitting on about 42K at this stage, he had lost a big race previously, and was pushing everytime it was folded to him, I was up against Qc9c I flopped top pair with the nut flush draw and got my flush by the turn..
I never really was in any kind of trouble after that and easily secured a ticket, unfortunately I knocked out the guy on the bubble with AA v his AQ all in pre-flop, unlucky for him. There were 9 tickets at €540 and 10th was €440 in tournament credits. When we got 10 handed it was decided that we all put a tenner to the kitty to make up the final ticket, no problem there.
Fitzwilliam End of Month Game was in two minds whether or not to play this, as there is was a hectic day ahead of me in work on Friday, but I headed home got a bit of a sleep in and then headed myself and Martin headed to the game. I was expecting a bigger than normal crowd because
(A) it was part of the Fitzwilliam Festival and (B) the 10K starting stack would add a little bit to it.
All previous records were broken, and 158 people playing in the tournament, WOW. The place was full to the rafters, the staff did an amazing job feeding and watering everyone. I had Tom Hanlon on my left for most of the night, which was pretty shitty to be honest, very nice guy, just way too good a poker player...The game itself was pretty standard for me, got no hands, get short stacked push and fold mode hits in, out in 30ish place.... meh.
Friday night Scalps Game This game got 68 runners, pretty much rinse and repeat from the Fitz E.O.M. game, I had the worst timing ever, if I picked up a decent enough hand, I raised and then got re-raised by Dara O'Kearney, I folded 88 face up and he kindly showed me jacks. Guy to my right thought it was a good fold, but to be honest, Dara knows im a tight enough player, and he is not re-raising light there. Anyway guy to my right, is a fitz regular, northern guy, was playing a psp while playing in the tournament, how sick is that, I played a hand really badly against Rob Taylor that did the damage, and because I'm such a nice person, I decided to ship my remaining stack over the line with KQ and run into his Aces, again great timing Colette......
Main Event The Main Event got 113 runners, which was fantastic, and I was delighted for everyone involved, however I certainly was not delighted when I saw my starting table, I had Michael Muldoonon my left, Dermot Blain was also there, and Goran to my right... The main event, was a complete non event, I had utter and complete Card death, hung on until I decided that Rory brown didn't have a King on a K 8 2 board, and shipped by Ad8d.... again perfect timing Colette, because nop he didn't have a king, he had 2 of the feckin things.......and got quad kings on the turn, doh.....
Was going to head in on Sunday, but to be honest I had been in the Fitzwilliam every evening since Wednesday, so the wine and XFactor results show won.... Oh on a side note went to see Law Abiding Citizen on Sunday morning, that's 108 minutes of my life I won't get back.... Utter and complete shit...
So it's the 1st December, and we head into the Festive Season, GOD I HATE CHRISTMAS there I said it, in big bold bleedin letters, I absolute detest it.....the only good thing is that 2010 cannot be as bad, can it?????
PERSONAL I'm in fully countdown to my holidays... God September dragged by, I mean it was the longest month ever, I was really under a lot of pressure in work, and sometimes it's hard to switch off at the weekend... It is something that I am going to have to work on, or elseI'm gonna go go stone mad ted. Don't get me wrong, I'm delighted to still have a job, especially working in a Construction Company in this economic turmoil with the future looking so uncertain for everybody.... I wonder will we all look back at this in 2-3 years and have a good laugh about it,mmmm I very much doubt it. I have been working on my fitness a bit more, even though my back has been giving me a bit of trouble, so it has been good.I'm down another few pounds which is brilliant, can really feel it now in my clothes, and my energy levels are much better. POKER
4th September - Schalps game in the Fitz Myself and Martin Headed into play in this - Good crowd 70 + runners. Had a nice steak (with salad of course), god they do the nicest steaks and at a good price too. Gave my stack to Jude with AK VJJ all in pre-flop... The flop started well with A A 2 blank on turn and badda bing Jack on river, lol .. I went downstairs but was not really in the humour for cash, and Martin got out of the Omaha game, and we headed home, because the vodka was there mmmm vodka, as the great comedian Tommy Cooper once said "Im on a vodka diet, ive lost 3 days already".
19th September Christopher Connolly Memorial Trophy - Voodoo Club 7.00 p.m. I had been cutting down big time on playing cards, because I felt I was getting a bit bored with the whole thing, but I certainly had to go to this in the Voodoo Club. It was a very worthy cause, and have alot of time for the Eamonn and Willow. We headed in a bit early and had a bit of food in one of Franks (a fitz regular) restaurant's Chaiyo in 100 Baggot Street. There was an early bird special for €18.50 a head for a good selection of starters, main courses and dessert. which was really quite excellent value. I had the Red Thai Curry which was hot hot hot.... butDelicious .. We headed into the Voodoo Club, Martin got to the final table, but alas I never really got going in the game, but not to worry, there was always Ryan's Bar, next door, so after a few Vodkas I hit the cash tables, but never really got above my initial buy-in. The numbers were a little disappointing but I think that is the sign of the economy at the moment, numbers are down everywhere. We had a great night, and the staff were excellent as usual.
Fitzwilliam E.O.M. Tournament Thursday 24th September
Headed in to play in this, I was interested to see if the numbers would be effected by the Arthur Guinness Day, it was down a bit, but not too many. My table had a maniac on it who raised big every hand, called re-raises if he limped, couldn't get a handle on him at all, and he was of course turning up monsters like K5 clubs and such like. Ollie boyce was at my table as well, which usually ends in tears for one of us, but this time, Mr. Maniac did the damage, sigh. I played some cash for a while, and what do you know, Olly's at my tableas well, lol . I managed not to go broke with set over set, and anytime I flopped a set, my opponent stayed with anything from a 10 high flush to a Jack high flush and always got there on the river, I left the table €300 up, which I was happy with, but if one of my bigger hands had held up I would have been + 1K for the night. Martin had a bit of profit in his cash game aswell. Headed home about 1.30 a.m. I actually enjoyed playing cards tonight, so am really looking forward to Killarney.
Friday 25th September - schalps Bubble girl for this, out in 10th , when I couldn't improve with AK V 77 all in pre-flop sigh.... I actually announced that I reckoned I would be the bubble with 17 left.... just got the feeling
Saturday 26th - €125 game Fitzwilliam I came 2nd in this for €900 euro happy days, I called the chief down with King high which was good, got a good tongue lashing by him for calling, but I thought he was taking a stab at the pot, I was right, hero calls are great.... As the chief is giving me a bit of grief a french player (lol) decided to come to my rescue, and said that it was a great call etc., etc and then the chief and the french guy have a bit of verbals,
two hands laterI get QQ in ep and raise to 350 (Blinds 50, 100) the chief throws out 300 (Not seeing my inital raise), and has to call my raise, but cannot re-raise. Flop comes down Qh 9H 8d, I bet out 600, he calls, turn is As, I bet out 1,200 he smooth calls, At this stage I reckon well if he has K 10 he would have told me before this so I put him on a flush or straight draw, river is a brick and I bet out 3.5k, he mumbles that he played the hand so bad, and let me catch up on the turn.... and calls and turns over KK . when I showed my hand the french player starts slamming the table announcing at the top of his voice "well played, great play" trying to rile the chief. The french player then says to me that he knows my face from somewhere. I asked him if he played the IPO last year, he did, so it was probally the guy who slowrolled me double lol....
Few hands later the french player min raises (is a minraise always Aces) and I look down at 9 7 sooooted and call. Flop comes downa beautiful 6 8 10 with 2 hearts, I check and he bets twice the size of the pot (lol) I shove and he instantly calls showing 2 black Aces.... He went away happy, because the previous hand he had knocked the Chief out. By the time the blinds were 300 600 I had 26K from the starting stack of 7.... I went completely card dead after that though and had to pick spots to get chips, I eventually got heads up but could not come back from a 4:1 chip defecit, €900 for 2nd was good though, and it was great to get to a final table again, felt I played better than I have in a long time, so hopefully coming into a bit of form for Killarne
Im heading down to Killarney in the morning, to play in the Ladbrokes Killarney Game, and I can't wait to be honest... When I get back from my Holidays I will do up a report, hopefully we will both get a good run in the game. I'M ON HOLIDAYS - YEPEE - YAHOO - YEPEE - YAHOO - YEPEE - YAHOO
The Fitzwilliam Card club very kindly paid for a team into this event, and what a team
Colette "the Smurph" Murphy Pat "smiley" Vickers Stewy "what you gonna do" Jimmy "Iceman" Wan Paddy "The Dyson" Hicks Barry "Cool Glasses" Donavan
I had arranged to meet the gang on Thursday in the Fitz, to get teeshirts and talk team tactics, eh which lasted about 5 seconds, lol. The structure for this event was very impressive, and it had Jp McCann's stamp all over it, so we met on Friday at 6.30 p.m. Martin came out and took a picture of the motly crew. To be honest I struggled the whole way through this tournament. Paddy Hicks unfortunately went early when his two pair was cruelly beaten by a flush on the river, followed rapidly after the dinner break by Barry Donavan. I was at a tough enough table, with a maniac super super super aggressive player. He raised practically every pot, and I fell into the trap of trying to play pots with him, but when you run good and crack KQ and KJ with K4 for 2 pair etc., there is no contest really. I eventually got shortstacked and got my KQ all in Versus Jacks, so team Fitz were down by 3 by day one, sigh.
The remaining lads did the Fitz really proud, and Jimmy Wan made the final table going out in 6th. Stewie went out cruelly 77 V A2 all in, 2 2 9 Board and pat Ran Ac7c into an aggressive player with pocket 10's..
It was a great event, first big team event that I played in and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Roll on next years event, once again a big thank you to the Fitzwilliam Card Club for putting a team in.
Myself and Martin headed into this. After last years Event , we were hoping for a less contraversy at this one. It was really great to see the Sporting full, met up with a few faces we hadn't seen in a while. My starting table had the obligatory "All in on the Venetian", with the Re-buy's at €10 a pop, it was going to be fast and furious... I managed to have 8 re-buys and a top-up , which strangely enough im actually quite proud of. I somehow managed to luckbox my way to 11K stack by the break including my top-up.. Martin was motoring along aswell so happy days all round. Managed to get my re-buy money back in the 2 Kaluki games on the break, so I think I was completely break even by the end of the night.
The game obviously changed after the break and turned into quite and interesting game of cards. Martin was knocked out in a terrible cooler hand where he flopped a set of 8's and his opponent, turned a higher set....
The turnout for the tournament was very good 113 runners. 444 Rebuys/Top-ups. Total Prize pool : €8,700 (€2,000 added by Vera's husband Kevin).
1st Prize : €2,000.
Our table got broken up and I got moved to one with alot of chips... I was hovering around the 18K mark, with blinds at 800 1600 I raised to 4K in mid position with 78soooted as you do and a player ships his 10K stack over the line.... "hand in cookie jar moment"... I was getting 2.5/1 on my money, and reckoned I definitely had live cards and called, he turned over pocket kings...
2 6 8 flop 8 on the turn and I luckboxed myself out of that jam... I worked my stack nicely from there up to 70K when I get crippled, trying to be cute. Guy to my right raises to 5K in ep (blinds 1k 2k), I look down at pocket Queens and flat call, another calls and so does Tom Kitt on the Button. flop comes down 8c 9c 2x, Original raiser checks I check Player bets 8K, Tom Kitt re-raises to 18K, original raiser folds and I re-shove and tom calls with bottom set, and I pass over 50K to him, sigh... I could have re-raised the initial raiser but felt that I would be nearly turning my hand over as a monster, anyway took my chance and got crushed.... At least my chips went to the eventual winner.
My exit hand the very next hand I look down at Ah Kd and push my 25K over the line and get inst-called by Ad 5d... at least the dealer made it relatively pain free for me and had me drawing dead by the turn... ah well...
Great night of poker, few glasses of wine, good fun and a bit of banter....
FRIENDS OF THE LATE JOAN VICKERS INVITATIONAL POKER EVENT
If anyone reads this blog (not really sure how many), but that is irrelevant, please please if you can, come along and support the Joan Vickers Invitation Poker tournament, on Saturday 8th August at 7.30p.m.
This fundraising tournament if for the Family of Joan Vickers. Joan died under tragic circumstances earlier this year and the money is badly needed, to help her children, come along play some cards, have a few beers.....
Update on the Event. Myself and Martin headed into play in the tournament. It didn't get the numbers that I was hoping for a dissapointing 29 Runners, but the Voodoo put on a great tournament, good structure, but I did leave with a tad bit of sadness in my heart about the turnout, but as the saying goes, every little helps.
We split the night between running to the pub next door for a few vodkas and playing the game, which resulted in me bringing my Z game to the event, and luckboxing my way to 4th.
I actually thought I was going to win it, when I had a guy all in with A10 v A9 for 80K pot at final table, but alas he spiked a 9 on the river.
Then I called a ship A9 sooted v pocket 4's, I picked up even more outs on a K55 board, but the 4's held up and i was busto
It would have been nice to win it for Joan... but that's poker...and again a big thank you to all the people who made the effort and turned up.
Well to tell the truth I had been feeling a little pokered out.. Too many tournaments, too short a time in between. I have been concentrating on losing weight and drum-roll.....
I have lost a stone... yes 14 pounds yepee yahoo, thank christ.
I have been whinging and moaning and whinging and oh yeah moaning about my weight for years now, until eventually I became sick of listening to the same old record. Has it been tough, hell yes it has. Anyone who says "It's just a small lifestyle adjustment", is taking utter and complete tripe. It was hard feckin work, and I had to cut out alot of stuff, mostly Alcohol during the week.... I know poor me. I swapped Wine for Vodka, and beer for Vodka, cut down big time alcohol cut down on alcohol consumption during the week, also on my Carbohydrate intake and did more walking/swimming etc., It's not brain surgery, but I feel so much better in myself. Roll on (or off) the next stone, yepee yahoo
Now let's have a nice dose of reality for a second. I need to lose about 2-3 stone more, but to have the first stone gone, is like the best feeling ever, nearly as good as getting runner runner for the straight/Flush...
On other news, well there is none to be honest, grinding away at mundane things called life. There is a little air of optimism around work which is helping with the humours of the Boss people, but their humour is a bit like the weather, blows hot and cold,
POKER Played a few of the Bruce poker tournaments, they are twigging the structures at the moment, and it is always good to see organisers of events taking feedback on board and changing it accordingly.
I played in probably the best run tournament in a long time on Friday 3rd July Poker Room Celbridge Main Event and I would recommend that TD's take note.....Buy-in was €220 and it was a 30K starting stack with an hour clock, for the first day and going to a 2 hour clock on Day 2 and 3 (ie the same structure as the W.S.OP.)
First off I have to congratulate
A. the staff of the Poker Room who made the event run exceptionally smoothly, I didn't have one dodgy dealer at all and the atmosphere in the place was electric, and
B. BigbadPat from boards, who really put in a great effort getting a boardsie list together for the main event, and putting up all the links for the nearest Hotels/transport to The club etc., etc.,
DAY 1 The club itself reminds me a bit of Joe O'Neills club in Drogheda and certainly puts the customer first. Anyways I waffle a bit, so to my starting table, random draws my hole, lol, seriously this was probably the toughest table I have ever sat down at.... and for the beginning of a tournament it was ridiculously tough.
Table 2 Seat 1. Random player (played in the Satellite with him,
likes to see alot of flops)
Seat 2. Jay Renehan Seat 3. Lloyd O'Farrell Seat 4. Mick Stephens Seat 5. Moi
Seat 6. Mick Osbourne Seat 7. Unknown Player
Seat 8. Stewie (regular Player from Fitz), me nemeses
Seat 9. Unknown Player
Did the Jackie Skelly's Swim/Jacuzzi first and arrived at the club shortly after 7.00 p.m. and went down and had a drink with Fran Egan, Joe O'Neill and Sean Gregory. Absolutely delighted to see Joe up and about after his recent illness.
With a 30K starting stack, you would think that there is no way someone is gone in level one, unless it is
(A) set over set or
(B) Aces V kings, but nope
Richie Lawlor gets an early Christmas present when all the chips go in the middle with his Aces up against AK (the guy thought he was just trying to rob the SB BB which were dead stacks, so he decided to defend them, and get all his stack in over the line with AK, WOW.
Our table spent most of the first two levels moving chips around, nothing too significant happened, not huge hands to speak of.
My first big hand arrives at the 150 300 level, I'm in the BB and there is a standard raise in lp by Jay Renehan to 800, I look down at pocket Jacks and decided to smooth call here (with the stacks so deep there is no need to play a big pot preflop yet).
flop comes down J Q 8 rainbow
I check and Jay bets out 1,500
I smooth call.
Turn is a 7 and I bet out 3K which Jay calls very quickly..
river is another 7 to pair the board. I bet out 4.5 K, and Jay thinks for a minute or so and calls,
I show my house, and by the look of disappointment on his face I reckon he had Kings or Aces here. The 7 on the river was a good card for Kings or Aces as it counterfeits and JQ 2pair combo...
I then get Aces a couple of hands later against Stewie which hold up on an A 8 10 board. I did quite a big turn bet and he hesitated before calling, so I put him on a draw of some kind. A blank on river, meant my bet wasn't called. By the dinner break I had gotten my stack up to 52K and was happy enough with my play. It was a very interesting table and there was some great poker being played. I hadn't played at the same table as Lloyd in over a year and there was some good banter being thrown around. Mick Stephens was beside me, and I think is he a great laugh, in a hand he has the best poker face ever, but my Christ between hands, when he is listening to some of the beauties of comments from players about how they played a hand this way or that, he is all over the shop. The poor guy was in bits with his wisdom teeth... there is nothing as bad as that kind of pain.
Next hand of note is blinds are 200 400 and stewie limps in in early position along with a few other players. I look down at AhQh in the BB and re pop to 2,800 pre-flop, Stewie insta-calls and everyone else folds.
Flop comes down 4 5 5. I do a Continuation bet of 5K stewie calls
king on the Turn check check.
J on the River, and I bet 12K, he hmm's and haas and say's "I can't stay here all night, you might aswell have the chips" and Calls, I announce Ace high and he turns over 3h 4h.......
SIGH.....
I proceed to go stupidly on tilt...... and lose another couple of pots playing stupidly to be honest. At this stage we get a new player in seat 1 Fergus, (babymaker6 from boards)
Blinds are 300 600
Fergus raises to 1,800 in ep,
Lloyd calls and I call from the Button with pocket 10's
Flop comes down 5s 5c 2s and Fergus bets out 5.5K
(which is the first pot size bet at our table really),
Lloyd folds and my initial reaction is to fold. I know Fergus is a very tight player, and is trying to protect something. I check my stack and I have 18K behind so I'm not calling, it's either a fold or all in... I somehow manage to talk myself out of folding and ship. Fergus calls after a bit of thought with pocket queens.... Donkey push by me, and I certainly didn't deserve to spike the 10 on the river, but sometimes the poker gods decide to kick someone in the nuts ( sorry Fergus) and I'm right back in the game. Fergus takes it on the chin, few deep breaths later and he is back in the game.
I pick up AK in EP an orbit later and raise, get 2 callers and Lloyd ships for 18K (I think) from the sb, I re-raise all in to isolate and he turns over Jh 6h and my AK holds up. I know he has a wide range of hands for shipping here and is 100% correct with the money in middle, but also I can fold quite alot of my raising hands here, but unfortunately he found me with a hand that I was willing to go to war with.
Our table breaks up shortly after this and I get moved upstairs to OllyK from Boards table. It was a great table to be honest, and raises were getting through no problem. Blinds are 400 800 at this stage and I raise in Ep with AhQh to 3.5K and Olly re-raises to 8.5K, I ask how much he has behind and he says 18K approximately. I decided to see a flop.
Flop comes down A A 2, I check and he pushes, I of course call and he has kings,
I get my Queen on the river to make sure. We finish play at 4.30 in the morning and I finished on 88K, absolutely shattered... Got home as martin is heading out to work.
DAY 2 Play resumed back at 4.00 p.m. and joy oh joy it was a 2 hour clock. there is a table re-draw and I have Tony Baitson (flushdraw) and maybe 2 other players that I know. First hand I look down at AsJs and raise in ep to 3.5K called in lp position by unknown player. Flop comes down Q J 3 rainbow, I bet out 5.5k and he immediately re-pops to 18k meh I fold... Then I get moved before the orbit is finished
my new table
Table 4 Seat (1) Mick Dixon
Seat (2) Ben Price
Seat (3) Michael Doran (wexford Mafia)
Seat (4) Rob Taylor
Seat (5) J.P (best Tournament director in Ireland (sorry John)
Seat (6) Eddie the Eagle
Seat (7) Lorcan Dooley (wexford Mafia)
Seat (8) Moi
It was the first time I had played at the table with Lorcan Dooley (mate of Mick Doran and Richie Lawlor) and he was certainly the most impressive player at the table by a long shot. He took quite an interest in my Sb and I had to snap off a few of his raises, I knock out Eddie the Eagle quite early when his Kx7 x didn't improve V My pocket 10's pre-flop.
My table although it is tough, I manage to find a few spots, and made a hero Call V JP with AJ which was good versus his Kx on a 7810 7 2 board..., I end up getting my stack up to 130K. There is no really big hands at our table, basically because everyone involves knows how ridiculously deep stacked everyone is...... until this hand.
Rob Taylor Raised in early position , Lorcan Dooley quickly pushes his stack of 110k all in,
Rob did think about this for a good 3 - 4 minutes before calling for his tournament,
Lorcan turned over AA ,
Rob shows QQ .
Flop comes K47 Turn J river 7.
Rob goes out in 19th position.
We then lost a player on the other table and our table is split up....
our new Table looks like this
Seat (1) Moi
Seat (2) Damian Kent (Damo72 boards)
Seat (3) Can't remember
Seat (4) Gordan Cowan (gorrr72 Boards)
Seat (5) Dianne Hunt (ladyDi Boards)
Seat (6) Femi Fakinle (undertheradar Boards)
Seat (7) Robert Grendon (cesc & me st boards)
Seat (8) Jp McCann
Seat (9) Lorcan
Myself , JP and Lorcan are moved to the same table, which has Femi (monster chip leader), and Robert Grendan (another big monster stack, played beside him the night before at OllyK's table but he had tightened up something wicked) Diane is also at the table, after brilliantly nursing a short stack for most of the day.
I barely have my arse on the seat when this hand comes up.
JP , raises under the gun to 3.5K
I call in ep with QhQc, (didn't want to play a big pot preflop yet), another player calls
then Robert Grenden, makes it 15k from the BB , Jp pauses and pushes all in, for 60K.
I look up and Robert isn't even checking out how much JP has gone all in for, he is staring straight a my chip stack. I read this as monster, meh and folded
Robert called and threw over AA , ( I mentally pat myself on the back)
Jp shows 10J Clubs ,
Flop 9 k 6 Turn 9 River 8
Jp's gone in 18th
Few hands later, I raise in EP with 10h 10d to 4.5 (blinds 600 1,200) Femi calls on the Button
Flop comes down 10c 3c 6d, I bet out 8k he calls.
Turn bring the 4c... mmmm
I bet out 11K and he picks up about 60K more and re-raises. I eventually give it up, and lose about 25K in that pot, he says "I reckon you had a set, and I felt the board would pair on the river, so I wanted to take the pot now", wish I had that feeling I might have called lol.
Things aren't going great and the next few of my raises are being snapped off. I then lose the biggest pot of the lot when I make a call on the river for an 80K pot with pocket fives V Lorcan, He says nice call I have a pair, and shows 6's.... I did 2 things horribly with this hand.
(a) I should have gone with my instincts and re-raised him on the river, I just felt that he was weak, and, there is no way he would have been able to call
(b) I should have thought more about my hand, it had absolutely no showdown value at all, meh maybe it's results based thinking but honestly I really did think he was weak, you live and learn.
I'm now on about 80K and wondering wtf has happened. Then I get involved with the rock at the table Gordan Cowan (gorr72 from boards) on a 8d 5d 3d 3x 4d board, im in the BB with Ad2h so I river the nut flush/straight and run head first into his Quad threes, nice hand sir.. We eventually get a break and when the dust settles im on 41,800 and am in no illusions as to what I have to do, get busy or die trying, blinds are 1K 2K I think, I do a few positional pushes which get through, I then manage to get Gordon to call my re-raise all in with a Weaker Ace
His A8 v My AQ
but the board double pairs on the river for a split pot, big buckets of puke.... then alas my exit hand
I push with AhQd, and when it is re-popped by Dianne, I know im toast, but pray I have 2 live cards,
bu nop Dianne has A-K of diamonds.
The board reads 7-8-7-6-10 and im gone in twelveth at 5:00 a.m. in the Morning, and im fairly dejected. After a bit of reflection though I realise that I made a bad mistake in 1 hand, got my chips all in bad once in another hand (sorry Fergus), so overall happy enough with my play. I was actually delighted that we got a really tough starting table, because it makes you focus more about your game, and you don't fall into the "fancy play syndrome V random players" that sometimes im very very guilty of. The tournament had a brillant structure, hours hours hours of play, played like a cash game to be honest at times.
Had a brain fart level, which was the serious dent in my stack, then played my short stack ninja poker well,
Hopefully word of mouth on this will get around and it will be a bigger crowd for the next game.
Thanks to the Poker room Celbridge and the staff, top class dealing as usual.
Now I want to play in the real W.S.O.P.........
Thursday 3rd July Sporting Aquarium Double Chance Tournie Decided to play in this tonight as I haven't been to the Aquarium in yonks. The main thing that puts me off is the fact that you could be half an hour trying to find parking, never mind the fact that my parrallel parking would bring tears to a glass eye, after nearly running over a big red No parking bollard accross from Leinster house (don't ask!!) I eventually get parking. Im already on tilt before I even set foot inside the door, first person I meet is Glyn, and I give him the long awaited bottle of Rum I promised him.
My starting table, had Mick Stephens, Glyn (elstuntman), Tom Kitt beside me and Tess, who I haven't seen in yonks, she was in flying form, and almost immediately had Mick stephens on tilt, I played like a muppet, somehow managed to hang on until 10th, and managed for the first time the whole night to get my chips over the line good A5 V J5 (we know the rest), and gone on the final table bubble. Good banter and 39 runners was a good crowd.
Friday 11th July, Fitz Schalps madness Decided to play in this, although with the kind of day I had in work, it took all my will power not to go drinking, headed in and there were 60 + runners, which was good considering the Vodoo Casino had it's opening night, headed upstairs, Martin was heading in after work and joked, "don't be gone when I get there"... I laughed so hartily, little realising that is exactly what was about to unfold.
First level 25 50 and I look down at pocket Queens on the button, stand 5 - 6 limpers so I make it 600 to go, folded around to Fitz regular female player on my right and she calls.
Flop comes down 2 4 6, she checks I bet out 800 and she ships, I call and she turns over A 6, "I put you on A Q or something like that mmmmmmm I slowly bit my lip, while my brain is screaming back, is that why you called me pre-flop with A 6....
Turn is an A, gg nh wp....... Re-buy
Level 2, Same player does a raise, I look down at AsQs and ship, she calls and has AK, and im toast. Martin had just arrived, so his preminition was spot on. We both look at each other and decide, lets go. Went home ditched the cars and headed around to the local pub the "Autobahn", for a beer, which I really enjoyed, we hadn't done that in so so long it was unreal.
Saturday 12th July Voodoo Club Opening Weekend Headed into play the €110 5K = 5K double chance game. The club looked great, I know a few of the backers behind the club, and really do hope that it does well. It has a really good feel about the place, although they could lose the stuffed birds, but that's another story. We decided to leave the cars at home and have a few bears. At the back of the club is the entrance to Ryans pub which has a great little atmosphere, lot's to look at in such a small space. My starting table had a high percentage of english players and only one other player I knew, he was immediately to my left, I got my stack up to the dizzy heights of 15K after the break, only to do a donkey call with pocket 7's and run into pocket kings, sometimes I play poker so so so badly. Played a bit of cash, Omaha for a change, and gave €500 to Chris Dowling on a call on the river, so did the sensible thing and headed home. I hope the club does well, but it is a very tough market out there, and I really doubt that the Dublin poker scene can sustain 4 Casinos in such a close proximity, but only time will tell.
Monday 14th Fitz Monday night game with Added Money As part of their July summer promotion ther is €1k in prizemoney being added to the Monday night Tournament in the Fitzwilliam Cardroom for the month of July, so myself and Martin headed into it
It is a €75+5 No Limit Holdem Freezeout, 6K starting stack
Blinds are 3 x 20 Minutes
then 25 minute blinds after the break.
It got 96 runners last Monday, tonight there were 101 runners, no recession round here....
The night didn't get off to a great start when I decided to play cash and get all my €300 tank in over the line with AA V QQ, we all know the rest, ping Queen on the river.
I actually managed to last to the Break which is a mini victory for me, im running quite bad...meh,
Friday 17th July, Decided to try out the 10K Deepstacked game in the Vodoo Club
It got 12 runners - very dissapointed, but the game was great, donated my stack to Tom Murphy with A 9 on an A 2 J A 5 board, (he had house of 2's), there was no sign of a cash game, so I headed to the Fitz, which was packed out the door with 70+ runners in the scalps games.... DOH....
Friday 24th July the Waterford Masters €40K Guaranteed Headed down to play this after work, Martin was supposed to pick me up at 5.00p.m. from work but there were 2 crashes on the M50, and he didn't get to Parkwest until 6.15 p.m., but we got down there about 8.30 p.m. The hotel and booked 2 Rooms for 1 night instead of 1 room for 2 nights, although after having a look around the room, I was happy enough getting a B&B for the following night.
The poker room had a good atmosphere about it, but christ it was warm, my starting table had more Dubs on it than the Scalps game in the Fitz on a Friday night, once again JP was there, along with a few more regular faces, Rory Brown (spencerjames) and Albert Kenny. The first few hours were interesting to say the least, with Rory getting a sick beat with runner runner for a straight against a turned set of eights.... yuck... I had decided to try and play a bit tight, and try to work a stack up, played AQ horribly on a AK9 board against a rock of a player, meh..... I got moved with about 10minutes to go at the end of the night, over to the table of death, where I didn't play many hands until the end of play. Retired to the bar happy enough with my play, but under no illusions that my new table was going to be tough, but there were people who could fold a hand which is good.
Day 2.
Table 5 Seat 1. Moi 24,300
Seat 2. Paul Quinn 15,875
Seat 3. Unknown 7,600
Seat 4. Cat O'Neill 19,125
Seat 5. Paul Smallwood 41,550
Seat 6 Unknown 64,900
Seat 7. Keith McFadden 5,500
Seat 8. Nicky Power 37,750
Seat 9. Fionn Sherry 13,550
Seat 10. John Ward 3,950
The day started bad about 5 minutes into the startings level and I pick up KK in early position and do the standard raise, called by Paul Quinn,
flop is 9x 7s 2s , I do a Continuation bet, he calls,
turn is 4s, I check he bets, I fold showing the kings and he shows Flopped set of 9's, sigh
Couple of hands later I raise up with pocket Queens, called by Cat O'Neill, in BB
flop K x x
Check check, turn is 10,
she check I do a three quarter pot bet she calls,
check check on river, and im shown K J double double sigh.
my stack is now at the 17K mark and to other people at the table I might be tilting a bit, but im actually okay, but wouldn't mind winning a hand. so to my exit
Blinds are 300 600 and Cat O'Neill raises to 1800 in lp (Cat would be a very solid player, who is well capable of moves, a player that I would call tight aggresive)
I look down at 8s8c, and flat call from the sb.
Flop comes down 2x 5d 7x rainbow,
I check and she bets 2.5K, I flat call....
Turn is 8d, I bet out 6K
and Cat immediately goes "you've hit your set haven't you, sick sick sick".
From her reaction I wasn't sure if my action literally turned my hand face up.... or if I should have gone for the check raise nutmeg on the turn, anyway she shakes her head a bit and calls.
river is Jd, for some reason when she did the chit chat on the turn, I was trying to figure out how I was going to get paid on the river.I felt that because she had said my hand out loud, I was supposed to push the river with a set obviously, and by checking the river I would make my hand seem weaker,
so I checked, and she pushed, I obviously called and was shown a set of Jacks....
I got lucky on the turn, and done on the river.... that's poker, I really wasn't too sure about my play here and posted the hand in the Hand History section on Boards for reaction....
you can check out the Thread here
I phoned Martin who had been knocked out a little bit earlier, and he was having a drink down the town. I headed down there and spent the afternoon playing Killers and pool with JP, Johny Weafer, Brian and a couple of other lads,
Myself and Martin had something to eat and then headed back to play the
Side event which was the €150 Freeze Out –
Buy In €150 + €20
Starting Stack 10,000
30 Minute Clock.
I cracked Chris Cookes Aces with my AK, after playing AK the previous hand like a muppet, but fear not retribution was at hand when my AsQs was done by 8 9 offsuit of BigMickG, who went onto win the tournament.
We headed back to B&B, exhausted in the buckets of rain......
Thanks to the Waterford lads, the Fox O'Keefe and of course Bruce poker for organising a great weekend of cards, only gripe was that the room was way way way too warm.
So Anyways,picture the scene, It's Wednesday afternoon and im in work looking out at the rain pelting off the car roofs, thinking up all kinds of excuses why I really don't need to go to Jackie Skelly's for a swim, when my mobile rings, english accent on the other end of the line kinda recognisable, but im not too sure. "Hi Colette it's Paul here", funny because I know at least 6 pauls through work from the U.K. so I go "Hi, how have you been keeping", hoping he will give me at least one other clue.
"How do you fancy playing a Poker Game next Monday and Boylepoker will pay you in"..As the penny drops I realise ahhh Paul Spillane, and reply "yeah sure where, thinking Dublin, maybe Drogheda, Dundalk area?",
It's over in London we want to put you into the Party Poker Women's World Open III, then for some reason I tell him I have to get back to him with work etc., etc., and see if I can get cover. I take his mobile number and then spend the next 5 minutes banging my head off the table, you absolute twat..... Gift Horse and mouth and all that.
My work colleagues roar laughing at the fact I didn't say yes immediately, so I ring Paul back and say yes yes yes of course I'll go. WOW, he also say's that they will pay for Martin's flight etc., over so happy days..... yepee yahoo,
I meet up with Ciaran Corbett on Friday night at the Bruce Poker Tournament in Dundalk, and he gives me the gear to wear in the UK... I decide to try and have full concentration at the Bruce Poker game, to practice for Monday, that went fairly well to form and the engine was still warm in my Car as I headed back to Dublin, I dropped mad "Paddy the taximan" off at the fitz and headed home
Sunday 24th May 2009 so we fly over with Ryan air and get a Taxi to the Waltham Abbey Marriott Hotel where we meet up with Padraig Parkinson who is quite impressed that I had already got my 2nd Vodka into me (calm the nerves).... Monday 25th May 2009 My nerves are fairly well in flitters at this stage, we get picked up at the Hotel and brought to the 3 Mill studiosin east London. Im brought into makeup and then have an interview with Party Poker (I had to hid my Boylepoker logo which I thought was bad, but couldn't really say much). Then there is a 45 minute delay before we are eventually brought into the Studio. It looks like something from a Star trek movie, all bling bling and lights. Once the game started I settled down a littel, but my hands were still shaking a bit. My table was as follows
the Format was 100K starting stack and blinds starting at 1k 2k and going up every 21 hands. Lise Vigezzi, got off to an agressive start and was raising quite alot, I on the other hand was getting nothing, tried raising in the sb to 6k (blinds 1k 2k) with 5s6d... call from cecilia Nordenstam Qc9c... QsAs5d... I check folded to a raise from her meh. Next hand of note I raised with 3s3d and took the blinds, phew I won a hand, gold medal for me....
I relaxed into the game a bit more, although the game itself there were very few flops being played, raises were getting through....
Lise Vegizzi raised in the cut off to 5K, I smoothcalled with AhQc... so does Hina Modha in the blinds Flop comes down 2s 6h As check from modha, lise bets 12k and I raised to 28K both folded
Next hand of note lise limps in the Sb and I check my BB with 7h5h - Flop is Qh9dAs and goes check check... 6h on the turn and Lise bets 2k, I re-raised to 8k as I had a flush and straight draw Beautiful 8c on the river... Lise checks and I bet 12k but she didn't bite
Now to the worst hand that I played - yuck Patricia Li raises to 7k utg, (she had been very quiet) its folded around to me in the Sb and I look down at Ad8d and call... so does the BB cecilia Nordenstam flop comes down QcQdAh... I check, Cecilia checks and Li bets 12k, and I fold - horribly play by me. I felt that she was really strong though and got a bad feeling about the hand (but calling with A 8 and folding on an AQQ board is pretty spewy play) found out later she had 7's - you live and learn
blinds move up to 2k 4k and I have 110K + and feel okay, but the play is fast and I feel that im playing a bit too tight maybe.
I get As10s and raise utg. Cecilia next to act re-raises to 25K its folded around lise's BB who reraises to 50K, I do a little dwell and fold and Cecilia moves allin and Lise calls Cecilia has two black queens and Lise has AdQh, the queens hold up and Cecilia becomes big chip leader.
Blinds move up to the 3k 6k level and I am seriously card dead and am finding it difficult to pick my spots. Also there is no player gone, and I drift back down to 75K, there is a raise utg and I look down at pocket 10's and move all in, no callers and I get some badly needed chips.
Just when it looked like we were never going to lose a player, 3 go in quick succession, 1st gone was Rotjana Thomson who was short stacked and had to push Next gone was Lise Vigezzi who ran her pocket 7's head first into Pocket Aces
so were 4 handed with stacks as follows 238K Hina Modha, 224K Cecilia Nordstrem 95K Moi, 43K Patricia Li
Patricia Li goes out fairly quickly and we are 3 handed and the serious bubble begins. I am critically short stacked, I raised on the Button to 25k with Kd9c and Cecilia re-raised to 100K, she looked supremely confident and I folded
I pushed the next hand with A 6 and took the blinds blinds now go up to 7K 15K and I need a double up pronto, I push my stack from the sb 8s7s... cecilia says that maybe she might have to call, I enquire whether she wants a chip count, trying not to sound too panicked, knowing damn well im way behind her range, she eventually folds - phew. I then push next hand with J10 and get no callers,
It's folded arounf to me and I get a walk, nearly look at my cards and decide not too, thank god I didn't because apparently I had POCKET KINGS in the BB, AAAAArrrrrrgggghhhh 2 hands later I move all in on the button As5d... cecilia with Ah9h... calls... modha behind folds red sixes with a big grin... flop comes downAc2c10h 5c yepee 2 pair "Go on ya good thing" River is the 9c!!!! Ouch, great balls of puck.
And im gone on the bubble, did post game interview, and headed to the Green room where Martin was, felt the only hand I played really badly was the A8 one, but you live and learn from these. I certainly would play the game completely different the next time, and would be way way more aggressive in position. Martin said that it was nerve wrecking watching it in the Green room,
Checked out the other heats and was delighted to see that Cat O'Neill won her heat and is in the final. she is playing this afternoon and you can get live updates here , Go on Cat one time and all that jazz. Headed back to the hotel and went on the beer, I was full of what if's for an hour or two, but just put it behind me, back to the reality of work for me and daily slog on the M50 sigh
I felt like a superstar for a day and cannot thank Paul Spillaine and boylesports enough for putting me into the tournament,
