The Coachman Pub - Tue £10 f/o - 200 chips

This is a pub owned by one of our favorite posters fathers (Squirmy). He organises a weekly game is Northwich, Cheshire @ the pub.

There were only 16 of us and we arnt exactly playing for mega rolls but its the fun part of the game that took me here.

Coupled with the Fantastic Manchester United playing (and beating) Barcelona, my night was already sorted. A couple of beers and some cards.

The game its self appeared fairly weak to start off with as there were a couple of loose cannons on the table, whether they were genuinly good and acting like idiots or generally idiots acting like normal! I couldnt quite tell, but i’ll plan on sitting back and let them knock each other out… I mean i define idiots raising 100, when blinds are 4/8 and the pot 20 etc etc.

They didnt last long and we fought to the final table, after acumulating some chips by a double up, I proceeded to stupidly donk half of them over to Danno, bluffing the blinds. No matter there will be another opertunity.

The final came and 8 of us sat down, I have around 300 chips and blinds are 10/20. I get nothing really for a while and look down at Q J and 200 chips, I raise it up to 80 and someone goes all in. OK I have to be beat preflop here but maybe I have live cards? he has me covered and I dont want to hang around with limited chips as the blinds are going up to 20/40 in a minute. I call and see im against A Q. Not a good situation as im drawing to 1 live card! The flop came down a fantastic A K 10, I flopped a straight and his face drops. I can almost here the mental berating of ‘what a donkey’ and ‘how could he call, what was he beating’. I smiled an the turn came a J, lol. fair enough I can live with a split pot, he certainly will take it.

Still a bit tilty and a little annoyed by the last call, the same guy goes all in when I raise it up with A Q, I oblige again and he turns an A 10 over. Perfect, Flops Low and the bord pairs. I stand up and he’s crippled. I back to about 400 now. People start dropping and we are down to 4.

Myself
Sleazychis
Danno
Jason

All 3 of us are forum member except Jason who shares a flat with Sleazychris! So its a local Final.

Payouts are 1st £80, 2nd £40, 3rd £20, 4th £10

Its a closely matched game and no one really gets any advantage until I end up nocking Jason out (cant remember the hand).

Sleazys next when I raise the button with 10 10 and he calls with A J aftrer a minute of Sleazy theatre I stand up and have aorund 1.3k and the majority of chips.

Myself and danno last around 10 hands when I pickup 2 3 off in the BB and he flat calls. I check for a flop and its magical! 2 3 2, I have flopped a boat heads up. I check and he min bets (blinds are 100/200), I have a pose thought and flat call reluctantly. Turn is a K, by this point I cant put him on a hand with the flat call, obviously i am hoping he hits this King. I hesitate to set the mood and pretend like im goig to try a bluff, but dont and check again. It must of worked as he pushes all in, I insta call and he shows Q Q. The cheeky buggar slow played them and got his fingers burned, rivers blank. Thats poker! we take £50 each and I take the remainder £20 for 1st.

Nice little comp and considering we only have around 4 hours worth of play, worked out alright.

I’ll definatly be back guys. Thanks for the game

1st. Boydy
2nd. Danno
3rd. Sleazychris
4th. Jason

Suck Out Central - Circus - Sun £20 Round of Each - 10k chips

Another favorite game of mine is this one, with the only draw back of no dealers till the final. There were 20 runners, which is gradually getting better, week by week.

To be honest, there isnt much to report here, nothing really happened that would cause me to detail the hand and to be honest, an hour or 2 later its the final table and Im looking at 16k.

Again, apart from one absolute dickhead, who would raise every hand blind and then raise pot through out blind as ‘he needed to be somewhere else‘, kept getting lucky. After the whole table became so pissed off that we all worked together to get him out. He went about 30mins later.

We slowly started to whittle down numbers and around 4 hours after the start, we were down to 5, I only have around 13k atm but with the blinds only 600/1200 I can still play.

The round is currently Hold’em and I look down at K, K I pot the bet and the SB thinks and thinks and calls. He leaves himself with 1.5k and I offer to put the rest in now. He says he might fold! Yeah right theres near 8k in the pot. I though the 1.5 in as the cards are being dealt and a seemingly harmless 2 4 Q flop had him commit the rest. I have him dominated when he turns Q J. The turn shows a J!!! and then the river follows with another J. Jeese, what a nasty beat that was. Im down to 6k now and a few hands later, i look down at K K again on the SB. Button raises and I push, he calls with A K and needless to say he hits an Ace on the flop and I dont improve.

How bad it that, K K twice, dominated both hands, got my money in when im massive and get sucked out on twice!!! More points, but no cash. I cant see myself playing again for a little while now, a week or two off is called for.

Tara for now - 8 Games 5 finals - 55 points.

Circus - Sat £20 Speed f/o - 2k chips

This is the second comp that is available on a Saturday and started at 23:15.

There was only 20 of us playing it and with 15 min blinds and 15 sec’s to act, it was going to be a quick one. I manage to hang around to average, watching the drunks reckless play take out people, one by one. I look and see it the same happening on the other table and within around 35 minutes we are down to the final table, which means more points. I manage to double up to 4k after my A J stands up. Then with 6 left, get a chance to inflict more damage with K, K when my preflop raise triggers a smiling lady to push all in, we have about the same and I call. She shows Q Q and im laughing. They stand and its down to 5. In fairness if id of though I could of tightened up and let the other drop so I could at least get a return.

I didn’t think and ended up over playing A J, when my raise was cagily flat called , it looked like she wanted to raise, but opted to safety. Big Ace or Pair, the flops 9 High and shes first to act. She goes all in and I go against by initial though of a definite pair and hope shes on the blag. I call and she flips 10 10. Dammit, I dont improve and out in 5th. 4th goes shortly after and they split it 3 ways. Dammit, I should of thought and hung in there!!!

But on the flip side, I have my points easily, but have lost out mentally by not cashing.

7 games, 4 finals - 49 points

Circus - Sat £20 f/o - 5k chips

Saturdays Crapshoot is my next game, this tends to draw a lot of reckless drinkers and general weekend donkeys, blinds are fast and you need to make you move as it draws 100+ players and is going to be a long night if you dont.

I manage to play myself into trouble at the start when a player raises from the button and I complete my BB with A J suited Flop is K J 4. I lead out with a bet to which he raises just over min by 25. I dont believe he has a K and call. Turn is a Q initially I had him maybe big Ace, with a Q J 10 etc so this worried me a little. I bet again and he only flat calls. Looks like the queen has helped him, he seems a lot more relaxed. Rivers a 2, I bet the minimum and he bets big. He’s now trying to make me think he’s buying it. I fold and the fool, shows Broadway. Cheers for the info and im down to 2.9k.

I must point out, that im on a fairly fresh faced table, with what appears to be half students, these noisey retards are continually chatting accross the table and barracking each other on bad plays. STFU idiots, im just glad I have my Ipod!

The next significant hand, brings me 4, 5 suited on the button. There is a small raise that i call and the SB and BB complete. 4 way. Flop comes 2 3 10 rainbow. and there is a raise from the BB, the other guy calls and I get in there with an open ender. SB folds. Turn card is a gorgeous A also rainbow. Im sitting on the nuts and the BB checks, so does the other player. Odd I thought, are they scared of the ace or trapping. I had one of them on it minimum. I bet out quite big as I think someones slow playing and leave myself with about 1.1k. BB takes a moment and calls. Bingo, trap set, I have to have him on 2 pair, maybe a BB special of A 2. The other folds and the river is a 9. He looks over and asks how much I have got, I look sad and show him the 1.1k which he bets. I hellmuth all in for a laugh and he sees my straight. He did have A 2 and cannot believe how badly he got played. As he was the loudest player at the table I shove my ear hones back in and stack my chips.

Up to about 7k and we break tables. not much else happens and I end up getting down to about 4k.

Nothing really happens again till the break and there is a pissed up idiot who I have played before, he loves any suited cards and Ace rag, catch and your chipped up. I look down at 3, 3 in the BB. Idiot makes his standard min and a bit raise, another guy sticks them all in for about 3.8k hes a good player and I think he thinks the idiot is on the blag with crap again like I do. I need to double up or its going to be hard, take a chance and shove.
Idiot shows 4, 4 so its looking bad, other has A, Q and my 3, 3 is not looking good.
Flop is 9 10 J
Turn 8
River 7
We all hit a straight, but the A Q takes the bigger one. Im out, but look at is at a few more league points and a chance to play the £20 speed which starts in a few minutes.

Points so far 40 with 45 being the entry limit. So thats 6 Games, 3 Finals.

Circus - Thur £25 f/o - 5k chips

My favorite game of the week, decent blinds, room for play if you can double up early and a reasonable payout.

Out in Level 3!

Not much to report on here, got sucked out on a couple of hands eg. my K 8 (BB) vs 89 early position. I raise pre, he calls. Flops 8, 7, 5 - I bet, he flat calls, turn Q, I bet big, he flat calls. River 6. I bet big, he things and flat calls! and turns 8, 9 for a rivered straight. The idiot committed nearly all his chips chasing a fucking gutshot! He also has the nerve to say ‘errrm, I think I have a straight‘ - Moron!

Needless to say im chipped down and have to turn 1.1k into a big stack, get gash for the next few hands and look down at the first card which is a K, leave the other one blind and push to a raise and re-raise for value. I have K 3 and he has A K - Gone and a little disappointed.

Circus - Mon £25 Semi f/o - 5k chips

Boredom left me facying a game tonight, so I popped back to the Circus for another session. the game was a 1rebuy and addon game, so potentially £75. Either way, I fancied trying to play the 5k and that was all. There was only 29 runners, so I didnt expect it to be a long night.

It all started OK, I won the first hand with a 4 card flush after someone slow played A, K with an A on board. Silly person! Then lost a few and got down to 3k. Im quite please with the next hand here as my read was spot on. Im in the BB with K, 10 and it is back to me with 3 limps. I bang it up 4x and everyone calls. Flop is 2, 9, 2. Im first to act and and bet 2x BB, call, call, fold. The turn is another 9, so I have two pair King kicker. i bet 3x the big blind, fold, call. Heads up with quite a dangerous player, but a creative one to say the least who would try to represent anything. To be honest i think he has nothing, not even Ace High and is planning to make a move on me on the river. River card is a 6, no flush, no straight. I bet 5x and he looks over and pushes all in. I still dont believe him, but its for all my chips (about another 1200). I tell him I have you on a complete bluff and I call with King High!!!! He looks amazed and states you win showing 3, 4 Perfect read that one, great! I also have some comfy chips to carry on with.

I take out the next guy with A 10 flopping top pair and even with him flat calling every bet to the river, even with a flush on board, I put him all in and he calls with J, 10! Well Blue, thats fishy cash players trying to play tournaments. Thanks for the donation!

From the break onwards i get up to about 15k, but am card dead for 3 revolutions of the button. Im fraustrated and seriously wanted to go home, in 18 hands I had one of the following combo’s - 9, 2 / 9, 3 / 7, 2 / 7, 3 / 5, 2 / J, 2 / Q, 2 - Utter gash!!! I finally have been blinded down to about 5k, get my BB gay raised (min raised) and look down at Q, 10. I call, flop is A, Q, 9. The raiser has been playing suited connectors all night like this, so I seriously didn’t have him on the Ace. I bang them in and he re-raises?!?!?
Its heads up, im all in and he re-raises! tbh I thought he was simply trying to bully me knowing im either committed or folding pre, but it appears he didn’t have any idea about my chip stack so probably did have a genuine hand!!! He turns A, 8 and I gently tap my cards asking for it to hit. It worked, I rivered a 10 and have a few more plays.

The run of shitty cards continue to the final table and im blinded down to a big blind. I see the best cards for another 22 hands and they are 3, 3. I push and get a call from A, 4. Ace rivers and im out in 9th.

Top 5 got paid, but its currently a league format and the points were what I needed as well, obviously the cash would of been equally nice

In summary I have played 4 games and manged to Final Table 3 of them, earning 36 points. 45 points means you get free entry to the league final, so another one or two should do it.

Circus - Sun £20 Round of Each - 10k chips

I love this type of game as its something different. Its a round of Hole’em and a round of Omaha, they alternate every revolution of the button. With 10k in chips as well, it gives you a bit of play during the Omaha games as it can get a little pricey sometimes.

The game in its self is fairly new to the Circus and it is gradually getting more players, we had 21 this week, which was very nice and the game itself was a steady fun event, even though we have to self deal its not that bad, but good news is that we might have some dealers in the next few weeks.

I was a little tied up for the majority of the day and had to arrive as a late entry, which didn’t bother me to much. I arrived for the first revolution of Omaha which proceeded to give me every possible draw to the river where id blank out! Needless to say, id managed to spunk 5k by the start of the hold’em! Ohh well blinds are tiny and theres plenty of time to grind.

First hand in I get KK and manage to get my action stopped by a short stack all in. I call and stand up. Could of been quite profitable from the button but ohh well. A little while later im graced with Q Q on the button and another short stack raises half her stack. I put her in and she obliges with 8, 9. More chips for me and im about back to 12k, not much happens and the final table is called.

I only have 13k going into this, so pick spots and steal chips. Its a real foldy game for me here as im getting nothing to challenge with and it just appears like the big stacks are getting bigger. We get down to 5 and im still only around 16k, its round to Omaha and I have a Semi hand. K, Q, 7, 8 to a flop of 2, K, 7. Top two and a runner flushes. I bet it and the other short stack who has around the same, pushes. Now this was never by any means a good decision, more of a ‘i’ve come this far’ decision. I ask if he has got a set of 2’s and the response answers that for me, so I know im behind, but have outs. I bang them as I didnt really have much at all chip wise. Spike another 7 on the turn and take it with a Boat. 4 left and its bubble time.

Im still only slightly the short stack but a while later in Hold’em I manage to get 9, 9. Im in a bit of a predicament here, I fear that Kevb who is 3rd in chips has picked some sort of tell up on me as everytime I have limped or raised (with shit), he has re-raised, could be genuine that he is picking up something. I raise this from early and predictably, he re-raises me all in. Why? Is he massive, is he big or is he on the blag?? I ponder a few questions and ask for a tell, but he’s silent. I have to put him on Big cards, I feel im ahead and running at a 60% so I bang them in and he has A, K. Blanks all round and I have doubled up again leaving Kev as a major short stack.

He is shortly knocked out and we look at the clock. For a game that had 21 runners and started at 4.45pm its now 12am and we are all shattered. So we cut a deal and take £130 each. I get the top spot here after a draw so on Paper its technically the first win, I have been waiting for. So a tiny woo yey here. I’ll take it as confidence but will need to try and outwright it sometime soon.

Results from aworldofpoker.com

Position	Name	Prize
1	Matthew Boyd	£135
2	David Welsh	£130
3	Anthony Wright	£130
4	Kevin Bloor	£25

Welcome Back - Circus £25 Freezeout - 5k Chips

After my expensive and frustrating weekend at Aspers, I pick one of my favorite local comps to try and re-acclimatize to. Its a good comp, with a decent clock and the ability to play. There are around 49 players and £1225 in the pot to play for. I start the whole theory here trying to play a reckless aggro just to get an image, so that I can swing it round and get some chips. This works well for the first couple of hours as I manage to double it up to around 12k. After the break I decide to play a bit of ABC as the blinds structure isnt going to harm me really and quite a few are playing recklessly so numbers are dropping quite fast.

I manage to avoid much action as I have dealt crap to be perfectly honest, playable hands, I find myself out of position and decent hands run into better hands, so I stay put and by 1am we are on the final table.

There are 10 players, 7 getting paid, I have around 16k with 2 other short stacks, but the blinds are only around 400/800, so plenty of play left. Numbers start dropping and I creep into the money having done not much really. Blind stealing was working and I was occasionally hitting the flop.

My break came, when we were down to 5 and the chip leader raises again. I look down at A, 10. I call, catch a 10 on the flop and he raises me all in. I have to think im beat, but have to have outs, so I call and he shows K, K, its not looking good, but lady luck shines and graces me with an Ace on the river, to double up to around 30k. Sweet.

Another player falls and and its 4 handed there are two 100k+ stacks, Mine and Shaun’s who has around 20k.

I get my chance again when im dealt K, K in the BB and Shaun throws a bet at me, I re-raise him all in and he call’s with A, J. The Kings stand up and I have a nice amount to challenge now.

The next move I get to play is against the rather aggressive Karl Hoefkens of WBA FC. I look down at 8, 8 and put a button raise onto his blinds, he calls and the flop is fairly harmless 3, 5, 9. I put a value bet in, he re-raises and I re-raise all in. Trap set, he thinks and calls with A, 3. Sweet I have him drawing to a 5 outer and the 8, 8 stands up to take him out.

We are now heads up and I can feel the chance of finally winning a torn here getting so close. Previously I have had countless 2nd’s, 3rd’s 4th’s and final table’s, but never won here.

I manage to take the lead after the other player starts off a bit reckless and then get a dream deal of A, K to which he predictably raises me. I re-raise and he goes all in. Wicked, I call and he shows K, 10. Im massive and 1st is so close. Blank, Blank, Blank, Blank, 10. Dammit!!! We eventually get back to being all in, when I flop top 2 and unfortunately he has flopped a straight! I take 2nd and miss out on another opportunity. Bugger it, I played well, was motivated from it and feel 10x bigger than I did in Newcastle.

The cash table brought me some goodies as well, taking another £180 off that.

Final Placing from aworldofpoker.com

Position	Name	Prize
1	C Heaton	£530
2	M Boyd	£310
3	C Hoefkens	£180
4	S Whiting	£120
5	H James	£60
6	P Edworthy	£25

Virgin Poker Festival - Aspers, Newcastle - Day 3

This is it and a chance for Sleazy to take home the £7000 first place prize. We get to the casino and queue up like druggies at a smack bar, waiting for the doors to open and get our fix.

The tourney restarts and within 30 minutes or so, Sleazy has been knocked out. His 10, 10 taken by A, K that flops a flush. He couldnt of played it any better and its been some good experience for him, well done fella.

We join HYF and have 4 player battle at Wii Bowling, its a funny little game and HYF starts to kick our ass, smashing 6 straight strikes, but looses track and misses out on the high score for some free wine, we have a laugh and head over to the restraunt to use some free vouchers we had won the previous day. I go for the 16oz T-Bone and Mash, which was bloody gorgeous! (pun intended).

We head back and, avoid crashing and I get home to chill and reflect…

… I guess at the end of it all, I had fun and it had its moments, but being serious, I shouldn’t of attended without the seat int he torn or my own dollars. Its all in the great learning book of life though I guess, onto the next local comp to crush :)

Virgin Poker Festival - Aspers, Newcastle - Day 2

Well its day 2 and im starting to come out of my mard and look at the possibility of playing in the massive comp that takes place today.

We head back down to the casino The the 4 playing get registered. I get to entry’s to the draw get 27 and 28, I watch the guys play a little blackjack and we wait for the tourney to start. It has a great structure. I believe theres about 240 playing 10k chips 40 minute clock. The draw takes place and its not me, There is a Grosvenor casino around the corner from here, so I phone up to see what comps they have on. It turns out that there is a £10 semi freezeout with 1 rebuy or addon. Me and Kev are gagging for a game and end up taking part in this comp whilst the others battle it out int he 2 day event.

We get there with another player we know and register. Its self dealt, but seems like a nice structure. 30 minute blinds. It kicks off and I offer to deal, mainly as an ice breaker for being in a new place and secondly, because I can deal and would rather do this than someone who isnt confident taking all day. Its really surprising that for a £10 comp its treated like a £1000 comp, respectful play and good banter. I have to say that apart from the piss up and home game poker, this has been one of the best comp’s I have played in a long while in a cardroom.

I slowly start to get chipped up after dealing A, K and A, A to myself (i wish i new how). Then comes a big hand, which if I do say it myself, was played perfectly. I get K, K in mid position and put a small raise in. Another player, re-raises and I have a moment and call. Flop is 2, 7, Q. He’s itching to bet and theres no way he has a set, maybe 10, 10 or A, K or A, Q. i check and he bets and I push for the majority of his chips. He is in fairness committed to the call now, and when he has to think, I know I have him crushed, He does call and show A, K. He still has outs, but its 3 and its slim. Turn Blanks, River hits an Ace. Gutted, id of been monster if it had stood, but it wasnt meant to be and I have to rebuy.

Shortly after the break, we close our table and I move to another, which with pleads, get roped into dealing again! We are down to 2 tables and im picking spots to stay alive, never really getting anywhere but surviving. The blinds have gone down to 20 minutes and there are plenty of big stacks left. Me and Kev are on a 10% deal and I see him in with quite a few chips still. 14 players left and I am moved to Kev’s table who ironically is also dealing Second hand in. I get Q, Q and push my 8k (blinds are around 2k/4k), Kev re-raises for protection and hopefully to try and chip me up abit. he turns K, Q, but flops himself a K, 6, K - Cheers Kev!!! and when im told i am drawing to no outs on the turn, im a goner.

I hit the rail and rally Kev on, they are down to 10 and its bubble time. Needless to say, someone calls Kev as they are committed and proceed to suck out on him, he’s out and we both missed the cash by a whisker. Great fun, but gagging for a beer about now, so we head back over to Aspers to see how the troops got on.

Turns out that the field of 240 is now 48 and out of our 4, only Sleazy is left, but fairly short stacked compared to the field. I get a beer and it feels like heaven in a glass, cold bubbly and relaxing, by the time I go for a second the bloody bar has shut!!! Now that felt like a bad beat

Ahh well we headed back to the hotel for some shut eye and Sleazy prepares himself for Day 2 of the tourney.