Finally recovered from last nights session (4:30am I went to bed) but I will come back to the games last night later as there is a congrats due for the one of the members of UK Best Bet. So since I decided Sunday would be a day of rest like they used to be I thought I would write a blog about what I got up to, the highlights and of course the lows.
So suppose we better do a flashback to Friday night (sound effect is optional if you want to make it I won't judge you). Well after getting home from work I decided to check the 888 lobby and pick which tournaments to play that night. Instantly I spotted a satelite to the 20K Friday Challenge, 30 seats guaranteed 1 in 4 win a seat only a total buy-in of $9. I fancied my chances in this and not breaking my bankroll I decided to give it a shot to win a seat to a bigger tournament.
I can not stress enough to you all how much I hate turbo tournaments, my idea of playing poker is a very much chilled affair and not a game played at the speed of light (speed of sound I can cope with
). In a nutshell I spent most of the tournament on the edge of my seat (it isn't comfortable doing that) and hung on for dear life in the tournament, with late registration complete it meant there was 46 seats up for grabs with no money for 47th. Luck played a huge part in staying in for so long and I generally thought it would come to an end when I didn't have enough chips to cover the SB with 47 players left, just to add insult to injury a break was called so I would have to wait 5 minutes to see if my all in blind would keep me in the game. I saw the cards dealt 93os how on earth would I win with this, so close yet so far sprang to mind. It turns into a limped pot with 2 others and they check it down trying to climate me even when I spike a 3 on the turn I feel I'm out but it turns out to be good enough. Then news filters in from sandma & andybee that a player has gone out and I've won my seat. I vow never to play this tournament again (see how long that lasts).
This only gives me half an hour to compose myself and chill out after that adrenaline ride, I am joined by Sandma & Andy Bee 20 mins later in Friday Challenge as they have qualified through a $3 rebuy tournament, AAJazz72 is also in it not sure whether he qualified or bought straight in.
After late reg is complete there are a total of 859 runners. Me, Andy Bee & Sandma try to cut a deal for 5% of each others winnings so we all have a chance of getting our money back from the satelite but while we try to agree on it Sandma busts out in 827nd. So me and Andy Bee agree. AAJazz72 tables a deal of 10% for top 22 finish while we try to agree on that Andy Bee crashes out 737th.
Early on in the tournament my chipstack is taking a hit but eventually the bad players start to pay me off (finally) but once again I'm looking for shove spots and keep myself going for an hour or so. Things are looking up went I get to 6.8k but I get pocket Jacks on SB, fishy player limps UTG and loose aggressive player raise MP+1 so I decide to shove, fish calls with 88 and loose player calls with AKS. It works out equity wise my JJ (44%) fish 88 (17%) and loose aggressive AKs (40%), King comes down on the flop, game over for me. This happened a hand after AAJazz72 when out in 219th and I finish 214th, no cash for me but ran deep and it only cost me $9.
After the disappointed of Friday night I decide to hit the tables once more entering $750 Bronze Freeroll, 1.5K The Grand Daddy & 1.7K Guaranteed.
Now to finish in the top 70 with over 4900 runners in $750 Bronze Freeroll is a long shot (understatement of the century). I eventually bust out 201st with RMalcUKBB lasting longer than me failing to cash but all in all quite happy with my performance on other sites that have huge fields it would have been a cash.
Next up is The Grand Daddy and to be honest I have been playing quite well (good solid game with a slice of luck) so I feel confident I can get a cash here and maybe if I play my cards right a final table. Again I'm joined by a few of UKBB regular faces (Andy Bee, Sandma, Shinyone & Rmalc), sorry if I forgot anyone or you didn't play I had effectively been playing 8 hours straight on Saturday night it has all blurred in to one. I doubled up pretty early in the game and remember Andy Bee, Sandma & Rmalc busting out early on, I take a knock on my chip stack a bit later one but after awhile I'm motoring again and cruise towards the cash places. My heart goes out to Sinyone who crashes out 137th 2 places short of the money in some very unfortunate circumstances. So with me easily making The cash places I push on.
With numbers dwindling and the blinds increasing I start to look for spots to survive in the tournament by this point I am joined by DarkNeo at my table some of you know him from the My.888poker league which used to be UKBB League. Down to the last 44 I decide to make a play against DarkNeo, action folds to him on CO he raises, SB folds. Now I know he is a loose raiser (raise over 10%) and with his position his hand range is quite wide with no one entering the pot before him, blinds are 1250/2500 and with 31k I decide to shove feeling I can get a fold. I won't Criticise DarkNeo for the call because there was a lot of thought in his decision (time bank was activated), I feel he may have been close to folding but in the end opted to risk about half his chip stack on a call. My 77 (55%) v his AJos (45%), spikes an Ace on the flop and ends up with trips and that is me busto winning $5.40.
Final tournament of the night was 1.7k Guaranteed could this be the final table I've been after, once again joined by a few UKBB regulars (liquidpoker, shinyone & Rmalc), once again sorry if I missed anyone. Rmalc bad run continues (not sure when he went out) but it was just the 3 of us for awhile before shiny crashes out and leaves it to the sleep depraved ChipPhilfer & liquidpoker. I just remember starting very slowly before I start to accumulating chips. Once again I reach the cash places sitting about 13th on chips with 50 left, then lady luck kicks me, pulls a baseball bat out and pummels my face while I'm on the ground. Action folds to me in MP+ 1 and I raise with 88, MP+2 raises all in with AKos (don't think he is beating me) & short stack on shoves all in with J9s, I call. Flop comes down 9d 7s 8h giving me trip 8's , even though i was technically behind to AK I'm now ahead. Short stack hits a straight on the turn (Th) doesn't bother me I have the other guys chips which is a much bigger pot. Then a Jd on the river makes it a 3-way split. Next hand pocket Aces raise, same short stack calls with A5s hits a flush on the river.
I manage to put this aside and slowly put surely creep towards a final table. Sadly not to be we were joined by a mouthy git at the table constantly insulting the table and shouting (just ask liquid he got put on my table). Down to the last 13 I complete the SB and liquid checks after the mouthy one limps in. Flop comes down J K 8 of clubs, I have a flush draw and a straight draw even a possible straight flush. Running low on chips I shove, liquid gets out the way, typically the mouthy one has the nut flush. I bust out 13th taking $23.55 and missing a possible final table.
It was 4:30am so wished liquid good luck, he promised to knock that guy out for me and I went to bed. I checked sharkscope this morning, sadly liquid didn't knock that guy out but he did finish 7th so congrats for that it was deserved.
Little bit burned out after last couple of days so won't be playing today, feel great with my game at the moment played a few nice moves that did work which I haven't mentioned along with some good solid play and of course a bit of luck as well. Just feel I haven't got what I deserved this weekend but hey I can feel that final table finish coming.
Good luck all and see you on the tables.
