At last the final table is upon us.... seems ages since I won my seat, but now we are all here and it's time to shuffle up and deal. Just hope that Sean, Jon, Derek and Karen who had all had recent illnesses don't spread more than their chips round the table :-)
I pull out the Ace for seating position which is a good start, and get a chance to see everyones mood before having to put any chips in. The mood seems tense and tight for everyone, but always see a flop, so just call the blinds with my pocket 3's and bin them when three overcards come, and thats my one hand for the first level . Meanwhile Sean decides to go all-in and wins the 50 chips, showing down pocket K's.... so there is some method to his madness.
Level two sees me play another hand, but the flop doesnt help me and three other players in means its an easy fold. Meanwhile, we get some action with a 5,6,7 rainbow flop..... Sean raises to 1000 (pot around 300 at this point) then Darren goes all in. Sean calls and shows trip 5's but no good against Darrens made straight.... and 8 on the turn gives Sean more outs, but blank on the river sees our first casualty... it was just a bit unlucky for Sean he ran into a monster when he had a huge hand.
I find A-T in my hand and raised pre-flop, getting 3 callers (why do I always get multiple callers when I raise !) The flop is A-3-5 and it's checked to me, so bet 500 into a pot of around 1200 with only Jon calling. Jon checks again on the turn of a Q, so I bet 500 again and after a long think he calls. He does seem to be on a draw but can't quite figure out why he's calling me..... so slightly concerned... the river came down with a T so am a little happier, but wonder if Jon made a monster straight or was slow playing AQ With Jon checking to me again, I debate whether he is slow playing, but decide to bet again. After deliberating again he calls and shows A-2 Must admit I hadn't put him on that hand !! but pleased to take a reasonable size pot
At the first break, I have around 6000 in chips, with Darren on around 7000. The restart see's Bill calling Karen's all-in bet and his top pair gets trashed by Karen's two pair and Bill is second out. Whilst it is fair to say our two wilder players (in my opinion) went out first, I must also say they both went out on hands that I would probably have played in similar ways !!
The game goes back to tense and tight, and am a bit vague on my memories here..... I remember that Simon, Jon and Derek are all running at around 2-3000 chips stacks so are struggling a little, Darren seems to be playing ultra tight and I am just not getting any cards to play at this stage
Jon was the first one all-in with KQ and was against Darren with A5 (?) The flop came with a K so Jon shot into the lead.... but then A came so Darren was way ahead.... only to see a T on the river and Jon made an unlikely staight to double up !!
In the end something had to give, and it was Simon. He was being blinded away so had to make a move. Darren must have knocked him out (as he knocked out everyone bar 1 !!) but don't remember the hand.
On the last hand before the break, Jon found himself with low chips and a hand to play with, but Darren took him out and we went to the break with 4 players left. At the break I had around 6000 chips, Darren was in the lead with around 12000, Karen had around 9000 and Derek around 4000 (and the Big Blind of 2000)
Despite four players being left, the blinds would ensure that the action was fast and furious. Darren used his chip advantage to great effect and started frequently raising and betting the flops (and why not!)
I found myself with 3000 chips and on the big blind so called Darrens raise without looking at my cards.... showing K9 to Darrens A5, but no-one improved and I went out in 4th (again!) Derek was left with 1000 in chips so had a choice of playing the button or the big blind, but also failed to get any luck and went out in third. There was also only 1 hand with 2 players and Karen went in behind and inevitably Darren took her out as well
A great game, I felt I played reasonably well but Darrens solid game paid dividends this time round and deservedly took the top prize (and the coveted trophy)
We'll do it all again next year, but for now good bye and good luck (but it;s only 3 weeks to the monthly game ;-) )
Friday, May 18, 2007
Monday, May 07, 2007
Poker: Casino trip for £200 Holdem NL freezeout
The Casino was pretty quiet so just hoped there would be at least 6 people for a game... but 5 minutes to go before the scheduled off, and there are only 3 players ! Luckily there is a late rush of entrants and we have one table of 10 players for the game and kick off at 5:15pm
I had decided to take it slow and steady with my first objective of not being the first one out firmly in mind. We had 10'000 chips to start, 30 minute blind levels and 25/50 starting blinds so had plenty of time. For the first hand I was Small Blind and picked up KJ o/s so decided to play. The button made a minimum raise so thought I may as well see the flop and show my blind was not always going to be stolen ! Two others called and the flop came A-x-x all diamonds. I checked, then checked my cards and sure enough had the Kd All checked to the button who put in 100 raise, and having nut flush draw decided I could call, but everyone else folded. The turn was no help but had to call the 200 raise.... and the river was... no good either, so folded to the 500 bet. After that I had no cards and could relax for a few hands.
One of the players was seeing all the flops and calling down to the river or betting when checked to him (we'll call him "The Joker" as he had to be kidding most of the time). The hands he showed were rubbish starting hands, but was hitting his cards, and his frequent betting often took the pot uncontested so was building his chips nicely. In the first level I got a good hand and raised, with The Joker being the only caller. The flop was all diamonds (again!) but I had nothing When it was checked to me I bet out and surprisingly took the pot... so this put me back to starting chip count. A few hands later I flat called a minimum raise from The Joker when I was on the big blind with QT. Couple of other people called as well, and the flop gave me an up and down straight draw. I checked and The Joker bet a small amount so was getting odds to call, with the others folding. I checked again and The Joker bet out, but decided to call and hit my straight on the river... unfortunately there were also 3 clubs. I checked and The Joker bet out, so re-raised hoping he didn't go all in... but he just called and showed 2 pair.... phew, I had made a large amount of chips and was actually chip leader at this point.
A few hands later and The Joker decided to go all in on the flop when he had K-4 despite having missed completely and having no good draws. The caller of his recklessness had pocket A so he was the first one out (also giving me my first objective :-) )
It went pretty quiet after that with the remaining players all seeming to be pretty solid and mainly tight/aggressive. There was a Chinese chap who seemed to be a bit of a gambler, but even he was picking him moments and well capable of folding to a raise.
I continue my tight play but seemed my blinds were being attacked... unfortunately I was getting absolute rubbish on the blinds so had nothing I could defend with most of the time... I did manage to make a move on one of the chaps to my left when everyone folded to me on the SB, so raised with 8-3 o/s and nicked his blind, but it was tense times with 9 players still. My best starting hand early on was pocket 7's in late position, but the Chinese chap put in a raise to 1000 (blinds around 200 at this time) so decided to fold. Of course we saw a flop and it came 8-7-3 so would have taken a nice pot had I felt able to call.
My game continues to be steady with the occasional raise but the whole table was still tight/aggressive. As the blinds went up people started going out.... we saw AA get cracked by AJ when a 2nd jack hit the board taking a player out. The one lady player (who took out the Joker with AA) showed AA again to take a huge chip lead and cripple two other players chances. AA held up again against KK so the hand quality and play was definitely now of a high standard.
I had managed to maintain chips at around the average stack until we got down to 6 players when I started to slip behind, so tried to loosen up a little and be more aggressive. It was tricky to do, but managed to make a few more chips here and there.
Once the blinds went up to 1600/800 and I had around 10'000 in chips (still!) so time was running out for me... but luckily two more people went out in quick succession leaving 4 players (top three pay out - first place £1000, 2nd place £600 and third gets £400) The guy to my right had almost exactly the same chip count as me (around 8400 by now) I was pleased to see him go all in under the gun, so folded my rubbish. Unfortunately he took the blinds uncontested although he had to put in the BB now. I had almost persuaded myself to go all in this hand and JT looked tempting, but thought someone may have a go at his BB so decided to fold. Unfortunatley just the SB called and the flop came with two jacks ! The SB (Chinese chap) put in a bet but was re raised and he gave the pot to the guy on my right so I was now well down on chips and kicking myself for not going all in :-)
On my BB I looked down at A5 clubs, so decided to go all in..... despite the lady putting in a raise of another 3200 on top. She showed AK o/s and despite the flop coming down with 2 clubs, neither of us improved so I went out on the bubble ! At least it was only 9pm so could go home and have a few drinks now......
Overall I felt I played well and hadn't made any huge mistakes.... even in hindsight I feel I played the hands right, the only mistake I probably made was still going all in with the A5. I should have thought it through more and probably folded that hand, although it was a close decision as I had been raising her a lot when it was her big blind, and she had been raising my BB a fair amount as well.... but I would probably have done the same thing in the end as the blinds were about to go up as well
I had a good, exciting game and although I didn't go in hoping to finish 4th, do feel I had a good chance of winning and gave it my best shot. Worth £200 ? well, having had a good result on my last Casino trip to pay for half the entry fee, it was worth a go and have proved to myself that I am not a complete fish even in the bigger ponds :-)
I had decided to take it slow and steady with my first objective of not being the first one out firmly in mind. We had 10'000 chips to start, 30 minute blind levels and 25/50 starting blinds so had plenty of time. For the first hand I was Small Blind and picked up KJ o/s so decided to play. The button made a minimum raise so thought I may as well see the flop and show my blind was not always going to be stolen ! Two others called and the flop came A-x-x all diamonds. I checked, then checked my cards and sure enough had the Kd All checked to the button who put in 100 raise, and having nut flush draw decided I could call, but everyone else folded. The turn was no help but had to call the 200 raise.... and the river was... no good either, so folded to the 500 bet. After that I had no cards and could relax for a few hands.
One of the players was seeing all the flops and calling down to the river or betting when checked to him (we'll call him "The Joker" as he had to be kidding most of the time). The hands he showed were rubbish starting hands, but was hitting his cards, and his frequent betting often took the pot uncontested so was building his chips nicely. In the first level I got a good hand and raised, with The Joker being the only caller. The flop was all diamonds (again!) but I had nothing When it was checked to me I bet out and surprisingly took the pot... so this put me back to starting chip count. A few hands later I flat called a minimum raise from The Joker when I was on the big blind with QT. Couple of other people called as well, and the flop gave me an up and down straight draw. I checked and The Joker bet a small amount so was getting odds to call, with the others folding. I checked again and The Joker bet out, but decided to call and hit my straight on the river... unfortunately there were also 3 clubs. I checked and The Joker bet out, so re-raised hoping he didn't go all in... but he just called and showed 2 pair.... phew, I had made a large amount of chips and was actually chip leader at this point.
A few hands later and The Joker decided to go all in on the flop when he had K-4 despite having missed completely and having no good draws. The caller of his recklessness had pocket A so he was the first one out (also giving me my first objective :-) )
It went pretty quiet after that with the remaining players all seeming to be pretty solid and mainly tight/aggressive. There was a Chinese chap who seemed to be a bit of a gambler, but even he was picking him moments and well capable of folding to a raise.
I continue my tight play but seemed my blinds were being attacked... unfortunately I was getting absolute rubbish on the blinds so had nothing I could defend with most of the time... I did manage to make a move on one of the chaps to my left when everyone folded to me on the SB, so raised with 8-3 o/s and nicked his blind, but it was tense times with 9 players still. My best starting hand early on was pocket 7's in late position, but the Chinese chap put in a raise to 1000 (blinds around 200 at this time) so decided to fold. Of course we saw a flop and it came 8-7-3 so would have taken a nice pot had I felt able to call.
My game continues to be steady with the occasional raise but the whole table was still tight/aggressive. As the blinds went up people started going out.... we saw AA get cracked by AJ when a 2nd jack hit the board taking a player out. The one lady player (who took out the Joker with AA) showed AA again to take a huge chip lead and cripple two other players chances. AA held up again against KK so the hand quality and play was definitely now of a high standard.
I had managed to maintain chips at around the average stack until we got down to 6 players when I started to slip behind, so tried to loosen up a little and be more aggressive. It was tricky to do, but managed to make a few more chips here and there.
Once the blinds went up to 1600/800 and I had around 10'000 in chips (still!) so time was running out for me... but luckily two more people went out in quick succession leaving 4 players (top three pay out - first place £1000, 2nd place £600 and third gets £400) The guy to my right had almost exactly the same chip count as me (around 8400 by now) I was pleased to see him go all in under the gun, so folded my rubbish. Unfortunately he took the blinds uncontested although he had to put in the BB now. I had almost persuaded myself to go all in this hand and JT looked tempting, but thought someone may have a go at his BB so decided to fold. Unfortunatley just the SB called and the flop came with two jacks ! The SB (Chinese chap) put in a bet but was re raised and he gave the pot to the guy on my right so I was now well down on chips and kicking myself for not going all in :-)
On my BB I looked down at A5 clubs, so decided to go all in..... despite the lady putting in a raise of another 3200 on top. She showed AK o/s and despite the flop coming down with 2 clubs, neither of us improved so I went out on the bubble ! At least it was only 9pm so could go home and have a few drinks now......
Overall I felt I played well and hadn't made any huge mistakes.... even in hindsight I feel I played the hands right, the only mistake I probably made was still going all in with the A5. I should have thought it through more and probably folded that hand, although it was a close decision as I had been raising her a lot when it was her big blind, and she had been raising my BB a fair amount as well.... but I would probably have done the same thing in the end as the blinds were about to go up as well
I had a good, exciting game and although I didn't go in hoping to finish 4th, do feel I had a good chance of winning and gave it my best shot. Worth £200 ? well, having had a good result on my last Casino trip to pay for half the entry fee, it was worth a go and have proved to myself that I am not a complete fish even in the bigger ponds :-)
Friday, May 04, 2007
Poker: Home Tournament - May 2007
There are "only" 12 of us playing tonight... seems hard to remember back to when we played with 5 or 6 players in total now !
I had Bill and Simon W on my table so decided to keep my game tight and solid...... calling with medium hands and raising with good hands. Bills game was his normal aggressive style and was the table banker in the first few hands (buying in 4 times in the first 6 hands!) My first move came when I raised with A9d and got two callers. Flop was bad for me, but bet out around 3/4 of the pot and only Bill called. We checked it down to the end and my A high was beaten by Bills pair 4's (or similar) Despite my early feeling of optimism it looked like being one of "those" nights.....
A couple of hands later I got pocket 8's so played in the same way.. ie raised pre-flop (got two callers - including Bill again!) and when checked to me I bet out, despite there being an A on the flop. This time both players folded and took one of the few uncontested pots of the night !
Mick had a great hand when he got pocket 9s and ended up all in on the flop. Two other players battled it out on the turn and river, but Mick had made quad 9's so tripled up !
There were loads of high hands coming out in the first half hour.... we saw straights, several full houses and flushes abound..... Simon hit quad 5's as well... all we didn't see was the Straight Flush tonight. Having said that, we still saw hands where pair of 3's took a pot :-)
My best luck came when I had J9 and flopped the straight. Bill went 200 and Mick called all-in. I flat called hoping Darren would also come in but he made an inspired fold. Bill and I checked the turn but Bill didn't bet the river either. Having around 500 chips left and the pot being around 600 decided to bet 200 as I didn't think Bill would call an all-in. As luck would have it he did call the 200 and I took a great pot which set me up for the night.
My hands didn't hold up after that and my chips dribbled away. I did make a couple of good folds where I felt like being more aggressive, so think I played very disciplined and on form game. At the break I took the add-on and had around 1400 in chips. I think most people had around the same except Simon who had around 3000 and Bill around the same
After the restart Simon W got busted out by Bill on the first hand of the restart which was not unusual, but Simon W had played what seemed to me like a solid game this month, rather than a more loose aggressive style he often seems to play..... but then it was against Bill :-)
I got dealt QQ under the gun, so made my standard raise which prompted Darren to go all-in. Everyone else folded so Darren showed his A-7 suited. The flop gave a flush possibility to Darren, but the A came on the river, leaving me with around 450 chips and on the 200 Big Blind. The poker gods were smiling at me and gave me KK ! Simon and Mick called the blind and I went all-in. Only Simon called and showed A-9, and yes the A came to take me out in a "how did that happen" 11th place. I really felt like I was playing well tonight and two cruel blows had conspired to take me out implausibly early.
Life goes on and so did the game.... there was a lull in the action until Andy and Andy W got taken out and so we were down to the final 8 players
Simon was quickly out in 8th, then Roger seemed to hit a purple patch and took out two players in one hand and had a huge chip lead. He was also very conscious about tournament strategy and was very determined to finish in the money! So much so he busted out Steve not long after as well !!
The last four were very cagey and the blinds were starting to hurt..... it was a tense last round with the chips passing around but everyone lasted to the final hand.
Darren had least chips and was all-in on the blind anyway... Bill put Jon all-in who called. Roger was guaranteed 2nd place anyway so folded. Unfortunately for Roger, Bill had the best hand which held up and Bill took the win. Jon got the third place, which made a change from 2nd :-)
Another great night of poker for all, with many highs and lows...... we'll all be back to play some more so see you then
I had Bill and Simon W on my table so decided to keep my game tight and solid...... calling with medium hands and raising with good hands. Bills game was his normal aggressive style and was the table banker in the first few hands (buying in 4 times in the first 6 hands!) My first move came when I raised with A9d and got two callers. Flop was bad for me, but bet out around 3/4 of the pot and only Bill called. We checked it down to the end and my A high was beaten by Bills pair 4's (or similar) Despite my early feeling of optimism it looked like being one of "those" nights.....
A couple of hands later I got pocket 8's so played in the same way.. ie raised pre-flop (got two callers - including Bill again!) and when checked to me I bet out, despite there being an A on the flop. This time both players folded and took one of the few uncontested pots of the night !
Mick had a great hand when he got pocket 9s and ended up all in on the flop. Two other players battled it out on the turn and river, but Mick had made quad 9's so tripled up !
There were loads of high hands coming out in the first half hour.... we saw straights, several full houses and flushes abound..... Simon hit quad 5's as well... all we didn't see was the Straight Flush tonight. Having said that, we still saw hands where pair of 3's took a pot :-)
My best luck came when I had J9 and flopped the straight. Bill went 200 and Mick called all-in. I flat called hoping Darren would also come in but he made an inspired fold. Bill and I checked the turn but Bill didn't bet the river either. Having around 500 chips left and the pot being around 600 decided to bet 200 as I didn't think Bill would call an all-in. As luck would have it he did call the 200 and I took a great pot which set me up for the night.
My hands didn't hold up after that and my chips dribbled away. I did make a couple of good folds where I felt like being more aggressive, so think I played very disciplined and on form game. At the break I took the add-on and had around 1400 in chips. I think most people had around the same except Simon who had around 3000 and Bill around the same
After the restart Simon W got busted out by Bill on the first hand of the restart which was not unusual, but Simon W had played what seemed to me like a solid game this month, rather than a more loose aggressive style he often seems to play..... but then it was against Bill :-)
I got dealt QQ under the gun, so made my standard raise which prompted Darren to go all-in. Everyone else folded so Darren showed his A-7 suited. The flop gave a flush possibility to Darren, but the A came on the river, leaving me with around 450 chips and on the 200 Big Blind. The poker gods were smiling at me and gave me KK ! Simon and Mick called the blind and I went all-in. Only Simon called and showed A-9, and yes the A came to take me out in a "how did that happen" 11th place. I really felt like I was playing well tonight and two cruel blows had conspired to take me out implausibly early.
Life goes on and so did the game.... there was a lull in the action until Andy and Andy W got taken out and so we were down to the final 8 players
Simon was quickly out in 8th, then Roger seemed to hit a purple patch and took out two players in one hand and had a huge chip lead. He was also very conscious about tournament strategy and was very determined to finish in the money! So much so he busted out Steve not long after as well !!
The last four were very cagey and the blinds were starting to hurt..... it was a tense last round with the chips passing around but everyone lasted to the final hand.
Darren had least chips and was all-in on the blind anyway... Bill put Jon all-in who called. Roger was guaranteed 2nd place anyway so folded. Unfortunately for Roger, Bill had the best hand which held up and Bill took the win. Jon got the third place, which made a change from 2nd :-)
Another great night of poker for all, with many highs and lows...... we'll all be back to play some more so see you then
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