Friday, November 05, 2010

Poker : Home tourney–November 2010

I was happy to be playing live tournament again, it certainly has a different feel to playing online and is a nice change !

With Andy and Sean on my table they were seeing a lot of flops, which seemed to encourage Lee and Steve W to limp as well.  I tended to pick my spots a little more but often was worth seeing a flop with two connected cards.   My luck came when I managed to persuade Andy I had best hand with K-9 on a A-9-x flop.  I was certain he didn’t have the A and seemed to be in his normal mood to chase draws, but my all-in on the river saw him manage to find a fold !   a few hands later and Steve raised it up before me, so I re-raised my A-A and was delighted to see Steve call.  The flop was inconsequential so I launched all-in and Steve called with his 7-7   No help came so I was a good chip leader on our table.  

Sadly for me, this meant I was a little over average chips, as the other table included Bill who seemed to be making up for the previously missed games and was “stoking the pot” more than normal !

I played pretty solidly after that, making a few stabs at the pot here and there.  On the break I was again just over average and about even in chips with Steve on my table

It was inevitable that Bill was first to fall and just as predictable that Andy and Sean got each other all-in, with Andy being the victor this time, talking out Sean.   It seemed to come round quick but we were soon on the final table

Derek had amassed a huge chip lead on the other table, with Jon and Jock both very short stacked against the increasing blinds

A few hands in and Jock was all-in against Steve, but couldn’t hold on and got taken out.   Jon soon followed when my A-Qo hit an A-x-x flop.   Karen had seen the flop with her K-K but found the fold to my Check/raise

Steve’s form and aggression  has picked up in the last few games (must be coz of the practise he’s getting on BBP Smile ) and was able to stand up to Andy’s all-in.  Andy had limped K-K but Steve hit the flop well and took him out !

Soon after, Lee made a brave attempt to bluff Derek off a huge pot on the river, but sadly Derek had the hand to withstand the attempt and Lee went out in 5th

With only 4 players my A-J on the SB looked in good shape when two players folded, so raised it up against Derek in the BB.   He called and we saw a Q-6-3 flop.   I did wonder if he’d hit the Q but felt it more probably he’d missed the flop or had a medium pair, so shoved all-in which was about a pot sized bet.   Of course Derek had A-Q so took me out on the money bubble.

The final three played a tight, tense game.   Karen let herself get too low on chips and got blinded out in 3rd.  Steve made a good attempt to make up the huge chip deficit but had too little time to have a realistic chance of success, so Derek deservedly took the win (first time this year!) and Steve took (another) 2nd place

Great game and still all to play for.     Andy has a Jenson Button type chance to snatch the League Title away from me  and there are three people in serious contention for 2nd place

See you for the exciting finale to the season !

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