A new year and a new Poker League, so a fresh start for everyone. 11 players shared the excitement of the start of our 2012 league, and there were suitable novice moments to give the air of no-one knowing what they were doing 
On my table, Jock when dealing seemed eager to get the hands over as quick as possible, trying to deal out the board before anyone had done anything and was betting out of turn. People kept asking how many chips they needed before being able to buy in and all sorts. Must’ve been the Xmas booze addling everyone’s brain cells
My evening started well enough, with solid play seeing me build up my stack. After a little while, Jock on my left raised UTG and Alex called. Looking down from the BB at my A-A I gleefully raise it up and only Jock calls. The flop comes down something like Q-T-6 diamonds. Six handed, I’m more worried about a flush draw than a made flush in this spot, so decide to shove for just over the pot, but Jock insta-calls with A-K diamonds !! The K turn gives some outs for me, but it wasn’t to be and I’ve given away all my hard earned chips… good job it’s a rebuy tournament.
In the seconds level, there seems to be a lot of limped pots so start getting involved a bit more and manage to get through some dodgy hands, which hit part of the flop and start accumulating some chips. I min raise a K-3 but play it badly on K-x-x flop against Alex, ending up loosing to K-8 by playing passively. When ribbed about the min-raise said something like “well I could have had Aces” and spookily, next hand I got A-A… so min-raised again ! This time the flop was low and my cBet on the flop took down a small pot, but had to show my hand for the comedy value.
At the break I had around 5k with Alex and Darren both on around 9-10k as table chips leaders. Soon after the break Bill gets knocked out on the other table, so I am moved to balance the tables. Derek has around 20K and must be chip leader, Jon and Andy both have around 10k, Lee has 3.5K and I’m still on around 5k.
With the blinds at 400/200 it is starting to get towards shove or fold for me, and Andy is limping most pots so is very tempting to get involved. Couple of hands in, Andy limps so I also limp my 6-4s. Lee on the SB and Derek are in as well. The flop comes something like As-8s-2d and Lee shoves about 2500 into the 1600 pot. Although it’s half my stack, I am seriously thinking of calling, to give me a decent stack to push for a good result, but I guess Lee has at least one pair. In the end, decide even hitting my flush won’t necessarily win it for me, so make what was probably the right choice and fold…
A few hands later see A-x and with Andy limping into the pot, raise it up and take the pot. This is more like what I was hoping to do, but sadly don’t get much oppertunity to exploit Andy’s limping.
Andy’s on BB and I look down at J-J I want Andy to call, so raise it to 1000 My plan goes awry when Derek min-raises and it folds round to me. I’ve only got around 3.5k behind so it’s shove or fold.. and despite my misgivings about Jacks, shove. I’m happy to see Derek with A-Kd but seems I can’t win against it for the second time tonight, as an A comes on the flop and it’s over for me in 9th place… so not even a point on the scoreboard for me 
With the final table up and running and the admin done, see that Simon has got knocked out in 8th, so we go and join Bill and Steve W playing Pool for a while. Jon soon joins us, then Jock not long after so go back to find the table down to four players.
Derek has just doubled up Darren, giving Darren chip lead with around 40k, Derek is still on around 25k, Alex has 18k and Lee 12k Blinds are 4k/2k
Alex gains some chips and Derek looses some, as a key hand soon arose where Derek shoves UTG with T-9 and gets called by Alex with K-Q. The board runs out something like 6-5-4-4-T leaving Alex with under one BB and is subsequently knocked out by Darren when the BB comes round.
On the last hand of normal time, Derek shoves, Darren dwells up and calls, and Lee is very short but is also all-in. Darren has A-Qc against Derek with A-4o and Lee had something like T-8 The board runs out and no-one hits anything, so A-Q has won… Darren then notices he hit flush on the river, but didn’t need it and has taken out both the other players so has not only a well earned victory, but takes Derek’s bounty as well!
Very enjoyable evening, just hope I can improve my result next time… see you then…
