Lets get the party started again

Its been another long while since and update, so lets see where we are. Ill try to fill in all the major parts here and if relevant, track back to www.ukpokerlife.co.uk for the forum update.

Forcast is Going Good to Bad

What an interesting night. After a while away from the Grosvenor Stoke (due to lack of upper management support and lack of dealers). I decided to come back and play the £15 Semi + Add On as its a game I enjoy. From the experience and fun I had the last few nights I decided to play a more LAG game here and proceeded to take chips from a fairly passive table playing the board against them, showing the bluff then having the nuts the next time

Yes I sucked out a couple of times, but they should not of been in there to start off with. Eg.

Me (BB) – AK Spades – 8k
Him (UTG x 2) – QJ Spades – 9k

Play – Preflop 100/200 – He raises to 700, 1 caller, I re-raise his bet 5x to 3200, he limps.
Flop – Qh 10s 4c – I bet 4k – I immediately thought that when he goes into the tank he has limped with AQ or maybe KQ, possibly 10 10 or so and the Q had scared him. He comes out of the tank and says I put you on KK or AA, but I call!!! Donk
Turn – 7s – I go all in and he calls for value, also picking up the straight and flush draw.
River – 4s – I hit the better flush and yes I might of sucked out, but should he of been in that hand? Where is he if he doesn’t hit on of the cards?? I didn’t feel sorry as I felt he deserved it

That and a couple of other power plays bring me up around 27k (average 18k).

Then this happens around bubble time, I am sitting on around 21k and blinds are 800/1600

Me (UTG) – AA – 21k
Mid 1 – 77 – 10k
Mid 2 – AQ spades – 18k

Pre Flop – I raise it up to 3200, Mid 1 goes all in, Mid 2 goes all in, I have to go all in. We have 11 left and the possibility to more than double up and get the final table started and my Nuts look fantastic. I call as i’m 68% to take it with M1 21% and M2 11%
Flop – 9s 4s Kd – I’m now 58% to take it with M1 7% and M2 35%to take it and I know that the worse hand is now going to win!
Turn – 8h – I’m now 76% to take it with M1 5% and M2 19% – I feel ill, its inevitable
River – 10s – He flushed me out and i’m down to 2200 – Bollocks to that.

From all to nothing in a cruel river. I wait two more hands and get A 5 so push and get two callers. A Q 8 on the flop and one goes all in. Heads up and he has K J, the dealer turns a 5 for my 2 pair, but I know im off. He then deals the river face down and lets me turn it. Guess what, 10 of Spades the same card that anally violated me before. Thank You and good night, im off tot he Two Way.

Could of been better, couldn’t fault my play just unlucky, but maybe lucky in the fact that I made it this far?? Sod it, i’m unlucky and the world is the donk!

AWOP Team Game @ The G Casino, Blackpool. Day 2

Today is the day of the Team Game and after having some breakfast of pie, chips and gravy. Head over tot he G Casino again and meet up with he rest of the team for a pre match team talk. The 10 of us got together and had a beer, the team talk didn’t go particularly eventful, except for lets go out and win this, take it back to Stoke (We won the last team event, so had to show face and have a good game here).

The structure for the event was an 11 table first stage which was a knock out format, where each table was effectively a sit and go with the top 2 going through to stage 1. Points were awarded from 11 for 1st and 2nd and then 9 – 1 from there.

The game started a little over the scheduled start time and started at 3.30pm, but the dealers wouldnt arrive until 4, so we self dealt for the first 30 mins. We all had 5k as a starting stack and I decided to deal as I don’t mind doing it.

The plan was for us all to take it easy and not do anything rash, let the others knock each other out. This didn’t go to plan and 3 hands in I find myself playing A 10 on the button, very badly. I raise pre and get the small blind and UTG calling, flopping 9 9 J. Check, Check and I bet again, call, raise min (I know this guy from the stoke games and he plays like this, thinking he can get people off pots, not taking in pot value). I call and the other calls. Turn a 10, i have 2 pair and dont put them on a J or a 9, check, check, I check. River a deuce and with 4.5k in the pot, check bet 1k. I have to call as I still haven’t had them hitting, call. 4.5k in the pot and they both flip J 7 and J 6 for a split, I being the only looser. Why did they cal the raise with J rag !!!!! Ohh well, im half stacked and gotta play sensible now.

The dealer arrives and I sit back, looking for opportunity’s and playing ABC Poker. The rest of the table seem to forget this is for your teams points and treat it very loose, getting knocked out left right and center by the big stack. Blinds are now 200/400 with 20 minute blinds and im down to 1.3k and very short stacked with 6 left. The big stack seems to limp in every time utg on my blind, so with a couple of all in’s, he folds all the time and I get back to 5.5k by the first break. When we restart, I bully a bit and double up with some full houses and flopped straights. and am back in their after 2 hours playing the short stack.

4 people left now and the big stack has around 30k, im upto 12k and the rest between the other 2. Blinds are 500/1000 and im dealt AQ suited in the BB. Pedictaly, the utg big stack limps, it folds round and I pump it to 3k, he thinks and raises it 5k more. The call would leave me with 4k and commited, I stare him down and count out he 5k, then my other 4k. He tenses up and his neck starts pulsing, hes weak, doesnt want a call and I know this. I push and hes looking sick, he calls and turns over A J off. Flops low and I double up to 25k.

He soon seems to tilt this away to me and another guy and we are down to 3. The short stack pushes to me and I call him with 8 9 clubs, he has K Q clubs and i river an 8 and me and the other chap are through.

From 1.3k to 40k I thought I played a stormer and together we have 3 people for out team through to the next round.

A few more drinks and happiness from the team, we kick off the second stage around 8.30pm, this envolves a 20 person freezeout with points from 20 – 1. We are sitting in 3rd place, about 13 points behind 1st place and 5 from 2nd. 1st plce have 4 people in and we have 3, so if we can knock them out early and fish near the top, we should secure it.

Nothing really happens and im content playing steady and letting the others know them self out.

We are now down to 12 and 1 of our guys take a hit and hits the rail. Soon after we are down to 10 and the final table. Nothing significant really happens for me here and im fairly short stacked, double up with A 6 off on the button for a value call when 4 people are in. I flop and 6 and river an A for 2 pair and am in their for a little longer. 3 people bust out and the points are looking more probable, 2 in for us and 3 for them. I dont last much longer when I am dealt A J diamonds on the BB, the button raises 3x and I call. Flop is 5 5 7 two diamonds and I raise 2x, button goes all in and she has around 1k more than me. I have a nut flush draw and two overs, i feel either she is pushing with pockets or maybe a 7, after asking if she has a 7, she appears to nod and I push for the draws. She does and i don’t improve, im out in 7th and we have one left in their.

He battles through to 4th, but the other team have too many points by now and take 1st place, we have got the 2nd spot nailed and are runners up in the comp.

We collect out £1000 2nd place money and get the beers in. I hit the cash and double up after 3 hours to £200, so all in all a good weekend away, didnt cost a thing and i ave got some spare pennys for the competition down at the Grosvenor stoke tonight.

Thanks go out to all of Team UKPL – Billyboy, Brasso, Sleazy, Puddin, Dik9, Danny Gel Boy, Mizz, Jonah and Che. Big up to the G Casino for accomodating the game and massive thanks to AWOP (www.aworldofpoker.com) for arranging it all.

Laters Taters

Long time, no blog!

My Bad, I have been neglecting this due to sorting out some parts of my life, im back and will summarise the stuff thats happend.

Poker

Well, I havent played loads and loads, but the games I have played have been rather enjoyable –

Bearwood – £30 freezeout satellite to a £125 (£3k guarenteed) torn in Milton Keynes. `17 players, 4 seats guarenteed.
I love playing here as the professionalism of the Dealers and TD are second to non, we all started with 5k in chips and there was a 2k chip lifeline for anyone who busted for an extra £5. I had actually won here as I designed the most popular logo for http://www.ukpokerlife.co.uk. Eitherway after some good play, reads and lay downs I won one of the seats, so will be down in Milton Keynes come the 2nd June.

Grosvenor - Played a few times here in the meantime, had some good runs in cash and some nice tornaments. I finished 6th last night for the £15 + £15 + £15 torn, so that was a nice moral boost, but apart from that not made any recent cashes any any significance.

Other - Bought a new 32″ HD Samsung LCD TV, sweet and a bargain so all good. Gutted about the FA Cup and the Champions League but at least we won the Premier League.

Quick summary over, i have a little extra cash so expect to play a few small games, the big one in MK and anything else I can.

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Walsall £30 d/c Freezeout

I havent played here for a while and if it was closer, id be playing here alot more. Anyway its a double chance game so you start with 1500 and have an optional 1500 awaiting which can be used at no extra cost within the first 2 blinds. There are 79 runners, so not bad for a Wednesday evening with about just over £2300 in the pot.

We start and I pick up our table being rather tight, small raises being respected, so I try to take advantage of this. First hand I remember, im dealt 4 4, four limpers, boards 3 8 K, checks around I bump in 200 and 2 people fold, turns a 9, checks to me and I bump 400 as I think he has a weak K or maybe a 9. They fold and I muck em. Similar situation a little later on, this time I have 6 6 and its a similar flop with a Q high out their, small bet limp limp limp, I re-raise 3 times the bet, 2 callers. Turns low, check, check, I bet half the pot, they fold. LAG was certainly a good form on here, the break arrives and I take my extra 1500, in total I have 6500 now, which is good compared to the average stack being 3500.

We start again and the field in now 38, around 40 down in 1.5 hours, so its a case of let them whittle it down. we move tables and its got a couple of other LAG’s on their, so I change to a tighter complex for this. I’m next dealt J J and flop a set, taking one person out and around 5K. Im up to 15k and quite happy atm.

Play carrys on and with the blinds 400 / 800 I pick up AK, im on the button and player in the BB has about 7k, I raise 3 times the BB, folds to BB, she ponders and calls, flops 3 10 Q, she bets minimum cagely, I push her all in and relectantly she calls. She turns over J J and its looking bleek for me, 8 outs and I dont hit, so im down to 8k. Bad call, but couldnt put her on anything that big, so well played I guess, dunno about calling my all in though with mid pair?

We are now down to 16 players and tables broken up, not much happening and blinds are 600/1200 now, Im dealt Q J hearts and limp on the sb, flops 10 5 K and im open ended with around 4k left woman raises 3 grand im left to push on a draw, which I cant do, so fold it and she takes it down uncontested.

My final hand of the night came 2 hands later when im dealt 8 8 and push after it folds round to me, I push for 4K, the BB and chip leader calls with a chuckle and shows A 6 clubs, neadless to say hits the 3 outer on the first card and im out in 13th, a little dissapointed but also happy with the majority of my play.

Overall, my impression of this event was positive and I feel its easily winable by playing the players here and not necercerrily the cards, so i’ll be back Walsall, just you wait.

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Groves £15 Semi

Not much of an effort needed here. I had sucky cards all night, I got sucked out on the River, I generally sucked because of this.
1 Rebuy and I could of had more fun spending my £50 on a Ho! Maybe next time, the Ho I mean.

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Circus £15 Freezeout and the big bad donk!!

Usually my Saturdays are left to play down at the Grosvenor, but for some reason, probably because of the Great TD being off and the lesser underling standing in, when we arrived, none of the monitors were on and the place was empty. When we asked him if the poker was on, he say I think so, checks one of the leaflets and turns the monitors on! I could only see there being around 3 people playing. I go to the Circus as although its not as fun, there are usually loads of runners. There were 86 tonight, So pay my £15 and get my 5k in chips. Usually its a n00bish game until you get to the end, so lets see.

Im on a table with a couple I have played before, stil high from my win the other night @ Rileys, im confident and looking forward to it.

Play starts and im soon on the button with A clubs 3 spades and limp as its 25/50. flops 8 3 K all clubs, 5 people in, checks all round, I put 200 in there all call, hmm fishy, turns a 7, first player bets 400, all call, I call. Rivers the 9 clubs. Bonza, I have the nuts. First guy now bets 500, folds to me. I raise up to 1500 he calls, shows a pair or 8′s and no clubs after explining tht the sun glasses made him miss the suites! Nice one for chipping me up so early on and for missing that one lol.

Either way, im picking up tells from nearly everyone there, which is boosting my ego and im pushing this advantage. again im in late position and get dealt 8 3 of clubs limped around and i oblige for 100, 3 of us in and the flop is 4 5 6  two clubs, pos 1 bets 400, pos 2 calls, I call. Next card is a K clubs, pos 1 bets 1k, pos 2 calls, I call. By now Im placing them on a hand, pos 1 is a guy I have herd has a reputation for donking/breaking some major poker rules (but thats not for here), so I think hes shitting us and put him on a straight draw, my main concern is the lady in pos 2 who I know plays strong hands, but can also get attached to 1 or 2 pairs regardless of board. With her calling I actually put her on a flush, which has to be beating my poor one, but either way im in. Rivers a 3, he goes all in for 2900, she dwells and folds and im left to put my reads to the test and see if he was bluffing me or more than likey has hit a straight. I call and he shows a pair of 6′s, shakes my hand and says thanks for the game. Fair duex Flush wins and once he left, I get various praise and aknowledgment for taking him out, Ho Hum, im chipped up and its only 35 mins in, sweet.

Nothing much happens untill just before the break. Im sitting there with 13k, about chip leader at the table and get dealt Q J spades. I limp in mid pos, one guy raises to 500 and it folds to me. I call, I see his face that hes looking directly at the table and from recent notes, bites his cheeks/cheek muscles flexing when hes bluffing. Flops 10 J 4. He has his serious face on and bets 600, I insta call and notice his cheeks wobbling (all this is in a non sexual way you perverts!). Next card is a 7, again he’s looking the same staring ahead and bets out 1200, wobble wobble and I know im ahead, i insta call. Rivers the 9, no flush on and his worried look drops and wobbles stop! Shite I have just been dicked on the river! He chucks his small chips in which was about 800, hopeing to induce a re-raise from me, I tut and call for the value. Low and behold he flips Q K for the nut straight, spawny git I call and he chuckles. Ohh well, the break comes and im down to about 8750.

Not much happening and I manage to bluff my way up to about 12k I then get dealt 10 10 in the BB, folds round to the sb and with blinds now 300/600 sb raises to 4k. I know the guy for being quite tight and noticed before when I was in a hand that he shakes alot hand wise when weak. His hands were stone cold still, I call not putting him on anything over queens, flops 9 4 6. Over pair still looks good. He looks at my 8k stack and pushes his 18k stack in explaining, that I was going to do it anyway. True, with this move he hasnt got JJ or QQ, he sees where hes at, to see if I push or call. I call and he shows an unhapppy A K. they dont improve and im back to chip leader.

Not much is happening now and im comphatable letting them fight away, until another table is broken (down to the last 3 tables) and some fella plonks down a load of chips in seat 10 (im in seat 2, so only see the 1000′s, 500′s and 100′s). Its soon that im dealt A Q in the late pos, this new guys in BB, I raise it to 4k (blinds @ 500/1000) and he calls, flops K 10 8 rainbow, im gutshotting with the over, he checks I bet 2400, he calls. Turns a 2, he checks and I bet 3600 he calls. I bamboozled as to what he’s got and fair deux Chances are hes hit something, but hes just flat calling. I see quite a few of his chips are in the middle and the River comes a 9. I miss everything and he then pulls a black chip out (5000′s), I hadnt seen these and hes got a few more behind. He chucks one in and I have to fold getting caught, good bet, he doesnt show. He then gets up and offs to the loo, I check with some of the regulars as I hadnt seen him before and they explain that hes new, been playing crap cards, luckboxing and is pissed. Hmm I’ll have him next time then…

Im looking at around 16k now and get dealt KK in mid pos. I raise it up 5k, blinds 600/1200 wobbly cheeks calls, new guy (we’ll call him donk) calls. Flops ideal Q 7 4 two hearts, I bet 6k, wobbly goes all in for 7k, donk calls I call. Turns 9 clubs. I go all in for about 4.5k donk calls. I think I have played this hand brilliantly, got maximum value and am gonna get a 40k + payoff. Wobbly shows 7 3 must of got bored/feeling lucky. Donk shows A 2 hearts. Shite, am I about to to get dicked on the River………….YES, heart, i fist the table and the Donkey Mother Hubbard is laughing chip wise.

I played this game brilliant I thought and im still personally
faultless to how I played, so might (im not addicted right!) go down to
the groves after work for their torn and try to play some better
opponants.

Laters Taters.

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Rileys £20 Freezeout

Played this game tonight as its was local and seemed quite a nice idea. With Rileys getting the 888.com backing it could only be a good thing.

The game is a £20 Freezeout, which gives you 5000 chips, but in crapshooty style, only 15 minute blinds and starting on 50/100. Only 14 turned up for this, so it shouldnt be a long game.

I start off on a table, only one recognisable face and the rest looking a little nervous. After a quick go around, we find that the majority are new to the game, so should be a good learning game for them. The one face I did recognise was Daz, a regular around the circuit and has had some good runs in the Rileys comps, so i’d have to keep an eye out here.

We kick off @ 9pm and im starting to give myself some table presence, drawing a few people in with my pocket 10′s, 3 players and 650 in the pot, I flop 7 10 K, so in late position its looking fairy sweet, theres a 200 raise, call and I bump it up to 700, they call. Turns an A no flush on and cant see them with better trips, AK or K 10 maybe, he raises to 1000, call. I go all in, he calls i show trips, he shows A 10, Rivers a 2 and i’ve doubled and a bit more up. 1 down. I get nothing for a while longer and about 6 hands later, Daz and another chap is heads up, they both limped and theres a flop of 7 6 8, daz bets 1000, other guy raises to 2k Daz goes all in, other guy thinks and thinks, then calls. Daz flips a set of 6′s Other guy has Pocket 10′s, turns blank, Rivers a 9! Dangerous Daz has gone and not without a barating of the other player and a handfull of chips flying.

I think I can take this table now quite comphatably as they are only playing premium hands and its quite obvious when they have hit. with the blinds and a few undesirable flops, im down to about 5k and get dealt A 3 of spades, im on the button and limp for 200, flops down 5 3 10 two spades, theres a bet of 500 and its folded around to me, I make it 1500 and the chip leader who raised goes all in I ponder as im down to about 3k now and the blinds are going up. I have bottom pair, nut flush draw and an over card, not sure what he has, it obviously has to be A 10, K 10 or an over pair, so think sod it and call. N00bish decision maybe, but there was thinking to my madness, any spade and 3 and A and im sorted 15 or so outs. He turns over pocket Q’s and im not looking good, but there are no spades there, turns a red 4 rivers a spade. I flush and double up. We loose another 2 people and with one more to go after the break, we are 9 handed and down to the final table.

I start the final on 6.5k with the leader on 22k and the lowest stack on 4k. Play goes round with alot of folds and blinds playing each other, there are 2 faces I know on the table for being good players, so unless i get the nuts, im going to try and let these play their game.

The shortstack goes out after a couple of hands to the chip leader, this chap is new to the game and very unpredicatable and hard to read. He has hit and played some fcracking hands and also bluffed and got caught a few times with garbage, so its always hard. We loose another one and shortly after this, im dealt the AK os, good old big slick, so with blinds now 600/1200 I raise to 2.5k, leaving me with around 3k. 2 callers and the flops 4 K 9, top pair and raibow flop. I check and other guy bets, folds to me and I push he calls and shows A 9, sweet, hes pretty mush drawing dead to another 9 and he doesnt hit, im up to about 7k now and enough to play and bully with.

The same guy from the previous is on the big blind and it folds to me I limp, he pushs for like another 1000 and I call with K 7 clubs, he shows 7 4 os and I win when I flop a King. 4 people left (3 get paid), me, chris (a good all rounder from the circuit) and too new to the game people both with 2 thirds of the chips between them.

We get underway and im dealt AK os on the button comes round to me and with it being 1000/2000 i raise it up to 4k (10k total) small blind calls, big blind folds, again I flop top pair on a 8 K Q board, he pushes and I call, he has 6, 7! (nice time to try a bluff) Turn and river dont help and I double up 21k. Im happy to let them fight it out now, bar any premium hands. I get non and Chris shortly takes out the fella with the 7,6 to leave us 3 handed and all in the money.

I do some bullying here and there and get up to about 28k, not bad from shortstack at the start. Then (as I sometimes do) dont look at my cards in the big bling, button folds and Chris calls, I check blind (dont think he’s seen this yet). Flops 4, 9, K. He checks, I check blind. Turns a 9, he checks, I take a look and low and behold I have the Rockets – AA, I take a look and bet half of my greens (smallest denomanation @ 100) so its about 4k, he looks and calls. Rivers a 7, he checks, I bet the rest of my greens, and a couple of 500s, so about 6k He raises to to 12k and I call, he shows K 7 for two pair, I flip the Aces for bigger two pair, sweet

Chris is taken out next hand as he was left with about a blind by the other chap and we are heads up, a couple of bluffs later and the blinds now on 1800/3600 i get A 10, raise up to 6k (he has roughly 13k), he calls. Flops low, he goes all in and I call. He flips over J 9, unpaired and the A high stands. I’m £130 up and I have a large bag of confidence restored.

Over all it was a nice friendly and interesting night, for my 2nd time there and my second top 3 finish, im liking it and the business can only go up once they are allowed to advertise it properly (gmabling law and all.)

Hand analysis, one hand that bugged me was one where I had K 10, two chip leaders in and me with about 9k at the time. Im on the button, call for 2k. SB raises to 4k, BB calls, I call flops 10 8 5, SB raises 2k, BB raises to 8k. Im left with the choice to all in. I think, I have top pair 2nd best kicker, what can I beat. I had to put myself behind with 2 people going crazy here. I fold as I cannot commit my chips, even for a triple up to a hand I think im beaten with. Turns out the SB calls, then folds the turn when it flops K!!!! I would of had 2 pairs and the BB shows Q 9 for a gutshot.
Was I wrong to fold on the flop??

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Grosvenor £10 Semi F/O 1 rebuy or top-up

Decided to play this last night as I needed to get out of the house. Its a 4000 chips game that allows you 1 rebuy and an add on.

I arrive and its a little dissapointing, only 21 people registered, either way I stick my name down and become the 22nd. The game starts and I am deciding that im going to only play premium hands as i want to give this theory a go, it doesnt last long and i notice myself compelled to try the old 9 7 suited in late pos and flop a straight and take someone out . OK premium hands only out, normal unpredictable play in. I build my stack up to about 8k and then loose it all when someone rivers my trips with a backdoor flush. I have my rebuy and get back up to 5k, a combination of poor cards and no action means I go into the second half with the the same.

I choose not to have my add-on (mainly as I cant afford it), so battle on with 5k, average by now is around 7k and as it restarts we are down to about 18 players. It takes a couple of rounds of the button and im dealt AK hearts, i put a small raise in and I get a call from Lee another unpredictable player. Flop comes 3 9 7 two hearts. I check and he bets about half the pot. Im not quite sure what he has, maybe a pair, hopefully a flush draw. I call as im on a nut flush draw and hold 2 over cards. Turns a black Ace, this gives me a little safety and I check again, Lee puts in a cagy 4 bb bet and I call (im down to around 1.2k so going all in regarless next). Rivers the 6h and I get my nuts, whisper ‘theres the killer’ and chuck my chips in, he calls and shows trip 9′s, fair play, he had something genuine and I was looking in bad shape, but it was cheap enough to call and the Ace gave me another reason. Back up to 11k I shortly double up again from a new guy when I flop a straight and know he has Pocket Aces (I know as he did exactly the same thing he did earlier on when he had them lol n00b). upto 25k for the final table and its only 12am.

2 Hours later we still have 7 people (with top 6 getting paid) so its a slow bubble game and im getting shattered. Witht he accumulation of luckboxes, blinds and really poor cards Im down to about 5k again (blinds 1k/2k). Lee decides to go all in in the small blind for about 4k and called by the chip leader, whos Ace High stands up and we popped the bubble. I get very small profit for time invested but ultimatly a free night and enough to play 2morrow (£30) if I go out in 6th. Everyone else seems to have the same mentality and quickly the shortstacks are pushing pre, I look down and see KJ off, so push as well, im up against A 10 and not looking good, neither of us improve, his Ace stands up and im out with the £30 and 6th Place.

All right night in all, but it did drag on towards the bubble. One hand that does stand out though that happend between the 2 chip leaders was quite amusing was:

Big Chip Leader (bb) and other chip leader (mid pos).
OCL raises minimum and announces ‘min raise’, BCL calls, Flop 6 J 10 rainbow, BCL checks, OCL checks.
Turns a 4, BCL checks, OCL raises 4k (blinds 1k/2k).
BCL calls and the River is an 8.
BCL checks, OCL raises 8k, BCL goes all in, OCL goes all in.
OCL smugly shows trips Jacks, BCL laughs, beratates and shows 97 off for the straight.

Moral is not to try and be a smart arse with a generous board and not to let anyone (especially someone with chips) in too cheaply (the move on the turn). We did chuckle as he was walking away, but then stopped as the massive chip leader was now huge!

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Home Game Round Nick’s

Friday has come and im left with the choice of drinking or poker, personnally I am not in the mood to booze as its the Grand National Binge tomorrow, so I decide for poker, theres either the £10 rebuys in stoke or a new game on at Rileys – A £20 freezeout, which sounds quite tempting. Im prolly going to go Rileys, until I get a call from a mate advising hes having a game tonight and are looking for people, I sign up and we have a 6 man game.

Fair enough, value wise id be better down Rileys but for the friendly banter and the fact I can have a been or 5, jobs a good un. We decide on £10 freezeouts, 1500 in chips (denomanations of 25 / 50 / 100) and a blinds up when ever someone goes out. Prize pool will be £50 for 1st and money back for 2nd. Table consists of myself, Barry, who has had life and final table experience down the circus. Nick who has had little experience live, but plays online and 3 of Nicks work colleagues all getting into the game and of varied knowledge.

The first game lasted a little longer than we all expected, nearly 3 hours! and after I had nocked out one of the new people when I hit a set of the river from being let in too cheaply, I pounced and had the chips, its now heads up with me and Barry, we are both even stacked and its getting a bit tedious, shuffling, 1 bet, folding, shuffling one bet folding etc etc… non of us were getting any premium cards or wanting to risk all the chips, so as we r only having a laugh, I propose we do a split and after a little tempting, we split for £30 each.

The third game goes a little south as one of the guys has to leave in 30 minutes, so we deal up again and all but him put in the money, so its a £50 pool, we allow him to play but agree to share his chips when he leaves, its only a home game at the end of the day. From the off, Barry get s doubled up and takes out Nick with his 10 10 vs Nicks QQ I think be riverd a heart flush, so a little harsh, but hes looking comphy and soon again he is risking some chips on the big blind on a board of 3 5 7, Andy is raising and Barry calling, then Barry goes all in when a Q hits the turn, Andy calls and barry has the straight 4 6, whilst Andy has hit trip 7′s. Unlucky but the board doesnt pair the river and Barry is dominating. 3 left and i am well short stacked with 400 and blinds 75/100, I piss them away next hand chasing a nut flush draw, but get thrashed by Barrys 2 pair! He goes on to beat Tommo and collects the £40 prize.

The final game of the night starts around 12.30am after filling my face with pasties and scotch eggs, find myself with a flopped nut straight (8 to Q) I think I had J 9, Barrys in this time and I bluff it along and draw him all in on the river, i still have the nuts and take him out (pay back ). 4 handed, we are all playing fairly tight until Nick gets into a hand with Tommo and takes it down and we are 3 handed. Its not long untill im dealt 33 on the button, I put a small raise in, Nick folds and Andy calls, flops 2 4 7. Andy bets about 200 (blinds are 75/150 ), call as I dont think the board has helped him. Turns a K, he bets the same, I dont think he has hit board again as hes looking a little worried now. maybe he has a pair, mid pair maybe 8s or 9s. I call, Rivers a 3. Im beaming inside. He has about 1.2k I have about 2k, he leads out again with 200 and I raise to 600, he goes all in. By now I am certain and have to put him on my knowledge before, of a mid pair and maybe hes trying to scare me off. I have him covered and call, he shows QQ and my trips hold up. His small raises were giving me the right pot odds to call and slow playing this monster 3 handed proved to be the downfall and his torny and hes gone. Im a monster chip leader now and its heads up with Nick, again im here for the fun and as its late and the others knocked out are looking extreamly bored I offer another chop and we play a final hand for the remaining £10. In a cruel deal and flop Nick takes it with a pair of 6′s and we end with a good game.

I have another egg and set off home. Hopefully this will become a bit more regular and maybe on the odd friday I will give the Rileys game ago, but for now, alls good and its been a laugh. Hope I haven’t scared off Nicks Mates!

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