Like with many late night poker stars tournaments there is an unhealthy amount of gambling early on as people look to double up or go to sleep, this was evident as a double up in the first few hands with kings against the monster that is q7. The tournament ran smoothly until the bubble where playing my usual loose aggressive game i started to bleed chips. I manged to drop to last place from being one of the chip leaders. I am far from being good at playing the short stack but in this tournament i uncharacteristicly showed great determination and patience, as i twice managed to dodge bullets as i folded kq and aj pre flop. My patience was soon rewarded as i went on a mini card rush, 10 10 > a 7, kk > qq and then i won a huge flip was i 3bet 66 all in and sent ak packing. As the blinds increased and the final table approached, i stepped up the pressure and applied maximum pressure to those hoping to fold their way to the final 6. At the final table bubble i amassed a huge stack before it was cruely burst as kk lost to an ace on the river. The final table started badly as i tripple bluff barelled with 45 against a tamely played pair of aces, soon after however i stuck gold as i flatted pre in the big blind with 42 and flopped the nuts on a A35 board, luckily for me the chip leader couldnt fold a8 and i retook the chip lead. From here on out it was plain sailing as my hu’s opponent was the tighest player i had ever seen. In the 45 minutes of heads up play he raised his button twice with one time folding to my raise. With the blinds very high i took a comfortable 4 to 1 chip lead and ended it when i hit a flush on the turn against a pair and straight draw

Another big cash for Bas as he finished 3rd in ECOOP 7 (Holdem Limit). Now he has a top 3 finish in all 3 of the major networks, Stars, Full Tilt and Ipoker. Report to follow.

Before the start of the tournament, I took the option to buy an extra 1500 chips and started with a 3000 chip stack. When I play re-buy’s, I like to play them like a freezeout and try to stay away from any big confrontations pre-flop unless I’m holding 10-10+ or AK. This can sometimes work against me, as I often start the freezeout stage with a shorter than average stack but I find it’s too easy and expensive to gamble early on with speculative hands. I also like to play the torunaments for the value and there isn’t a lot of value in the games if you’re regularly re-buying five or six times.

So, with my strategy in place, I proceeded to fold my first fourteen hands before picking up 10-10 in middle position. The blinds were 15/30 and I raised to 150. The Big Blind re-raised to 440, at this point, I probably
could have folded but I decided to push in and hope I was racing. He called me with JJ, I didn’t improve and had to buy an additional 1500 chips to replenish my stack to 2620. That proved to be the last time I had to re-buy.

The next key hand wasn’t far off. I picked up AK in MP on hand 22. The
blinds were still 15/30 and I made a small raise to 85, hoping to induce a
re-raise from one of my opponents. The cut off raised all-in to 1520 and I
called. He showed AJ. My hand held up and I moved on to 4215 in chips.

That was pretty much it until the first break. I picked up a few small
pots and after taking the add-on, I had increased my stack to 7060.

On hand 56, I was dealt 10-10 again in seat three. The blinds were at
75/150 and I raised to 450. The player that had limped UTG called and we
saw a beautiful 3-2-10 flop. He checked to me and I bet 600, he again just
called. A king fell on the turn and he pushed in for his remaining 3105
chips. I called and he showed A9 and was drawing dead. I had now moved on
to 11740 in chips.

The game moved on to hand 74, where I got 9-2 in the big blind. It folded
to the small blind who completed for 100. I decided to take a flyer and
raised to 650, obviously hoping my opponent would fold but disappointly he
called. The flop came down 6-4-6 with two clubs showing. My opponent
checked, so I bet out 850 and prayed that he would fold. He called and the
turn fell the 9h. He checked again, now, I thought he had to be drawing,
or have me called again.crushed. I elected to bet 2500 and to my dismay,
he min-raised to 5000. I should have been done with the hand there and
then but he only had 1366 left behind and it just didn’t feel right, so I
set him in, he called and showed 8-5, he didn’t improve and I moved on to
18206 in chips. Having just reviewed this hand, I can’t believe just how
badly I played it. Fortunately for me, I was up against a player that
decided to make a move when he had little fold equity and a poor hand.

On to hand 86 now, where I picked up 10-8 on the button. Seat 2 min-raised
to 400 and I decided to call in position. The small blind also called and
three players went to the flop. I git the flop hard as it came A-10-8 but
I was aware how vulnerable my bottom two pair was. The initial raiser bet
out for 2000, I raised to 5500, the small blind folded and then the
original raiser moved all in for 13150 chips, I called and he showed Jc 9c
for an open ended straight flush draw, he picked up even more outs on the
turn as a 9 fell but the river was a harmless 5h and I picked up a huge
pot of 28500 and moved on to 30406 in chips.

I’d rode my luck and put myself into a good position. I also had a little
word with myself and told myself it was time to slow down a bit.

Slow down I did. For the next 111 hands to hand 197. I was pretty much
card dead. I’d fiddled around a bit and increased my stack to 34126 but it
had been very slow going and I was getting slightly frustrated. I was
dealt AQ in seat 6 Seat 1, with 13111 in chips raised from 1000 to 2500. I
re-raised to 8500 and it folds back to seat 1, who moves in for an
additional 5011 to me. All I can do is hope I’m racing and call the push.
He showed 9-9 and it took until the river before an ace from space saved
me. I wasn’t happy that I’d again put myself in a marginal situation for
half of my chips but I guess you have to win these races if you want to go
deep in 1000+ runner games.

By hand 257, my stack had reduced to 30020, mainly due to raising with 99
and having to fold to a shove on a K-10-7 board. I hadn’t seen a premium
hand for what seemed like an eternity and was getting quite irritable.
With the blinds on 1000/2000 a200, I got AJ suited under the gun. I had
made the money and wanted to go about building a stack that would carry me
deep, or get knocked out. I had been dying a slow death and decided to
take a stand. I moved in for my remaining 29820, I wasn’t sure whether I
wanted a caller, or not and was disappointed to see the guy on my
immediate right insta call. Everyone else folded and he showed QQ.
Luckily, I caught an ace on the flop and doubled through to 64440. This
was the first hand I’d gone in as a significant underdog and was grateful
that my luck was in.

Now, I was pretty focused on going deep. I’d taken a pretty reckless
gamble and was fortunate that it paid off. I intended to make the most of
my good fortune and decided to slow right down again and wait for a good
spot.

On to hand 276, the blinds had moved on to 2000/4000 a400. My stack had
been reduced to 37540 due to the blinds and a hand where I raised from the
button with A5 and was forced to fold when the BB pushed. I was back into
‘all-in, or fold’ mode, which to be fair makes the game a lot simpler when
I picked up AK in seat 3. I moved in, hoping to be called. Seat six duly
obliges and I’m delighted to see him show KQ. My hand held up and I was
back in the game. By now, a lot of EMS members were railing me and it was
helping me remain composed as I didn’t want to make a donk move and show
myself up.

An hour passed and I’d picked up literally nothing of any note. My stack
had dwindled to to 51364 and the blinds had gone up to 3000/6000 a600.
There had been a player at the table that had been raising at least three
times per orbit for the last half an hour or so and was using his 200k in
chips to bully the table. His range had to be huge, so when I picked up
A10 in the BB, I moved in on him after he’d made it 18k to go. I wanted
him to call, as I presumed he wouldn’t have an ultra strong hand. I was
wrong, he called and turned over AK and I was in trouble, again. The flop
game me an extra 4 outs as it came J-7-9. A lovely 8 came on the turn and
I’d got lucky again. I don’t think I played the hand badly, given the
previous actions of the opening raiser and my relatively short stack and
would do the same thing again in the same situation. Sure, I’d got lucky
but it was entirely possible that I could have had him dominated when the
chips went in.

Hand 407 was a critical hand that to be absolutely frank, I played
abysmally. I’d been card dead for a long while and had been forced to
scratch around, raising with rubbish, just to stay alive, when I was big
blind, the small blind would continually raise, there hadn’t been an
unraised pot in a long while and I was getting nowhere. We were down to
the last three tables by now and I was only interested in getting to the
final table and the heavy end of the money. I was ready to gamble in order
to achieve that but that doesn’t excuse how badly I played this hand. It
folded around to the sb, who pushed all of his 89768 chips in on me for
the umpteenth time, I had 55 and called without thinking about it. It was
a horrible call but I’d allowed my frustration to get the better of me, he
showed JJ and I lost a huge pot. I was down to 50k and the blinds were
5000/10000 a1000. I was all but dead and very annoyed at my lack of
patience.

I couldn’t afford to see another BB leave my stack and on hand 411, I was
dealt K9. It was enough for me to shove with given the circumstances and I
wanted a caller. I only had 40868 chips and fully expected to get looked
up. The big blind called with 33 and I spiked a king. I was back up to
94936 and still in a mood to gamble. It was as if the terrible call with
55 had sparked me into life after getting bogged down wating for a hand.
On hand 412, I picked up A10 and pushed again. I was called by the button
who easily had me covered. He flipped over QQ but I caught an ace on the
flop. I dodged him tripping up on the turn or river and was now sat with
the most chips I’d seen all day, 215072.

On hand 426, I was dealt 88, the table bully, who was getting a lot of
abuse from the rail from those he’d sucked out on, raised again from 12000
to 36000, I moved in for 163000, figuring that I had plenty of fold equity
if he had his usual junk. He had AK this time though and called. The flop
cam small and I caught an eight on the turn to take the pot down. Again,
given the circumstances, I thought I played the hand well given his wide
range and the fold equity I had. I’d moved on to 355344 and only had eyes
for the final table now.

Several hands passed by and I was adding to my chipstack nicely. By the
time we had a final table, I was sat third in chips with around 900000.
The short stack bust out on the second hand, leaving me sat third of eight
remaining players. Unfortunately, the HH I requested from Pokerstars is
cut off at this point, so I’m going to have to go by memory now but there
was a significant pot around 20 hand into the FT, where I raised with 88
from the button. The big stack in the big blind called and the flop came
8-7-7. He checked to me and I made a small bet of around 40000, he called.
The turn was a 5. He checked again, so I bet around 120k and he called
again. The river was another 5 and he made a weak bet of 80000, I raised
to 240000 and he paid me off. I’d moved up to chip leader on around 1.5m
in chips and was feeling really good.

There was a lot of action on the table but nobody seemed to be getting
eliminated. I was maintaining my stack well though and wasn’t at all
concerned that the field wasn’t thinning too quickly. With the blinds at
30000/60000, there was a 3-way all-in between two short stacks and a big
stack. The big stack held 55 and he cracked AA and AK when a 5 came on the
river. All of a sudden, we were six handed and I’d been demoted to second
in chips.

Of the six remaining players, there was one player that was clearly just
trying to ladder up as far as he could, he had let his stack dwindle from
800000, down to 250000. When he finally moved all-in, the BB called him
thin with J9, which beat the short stacks AQ and we were down to five
players.

I was still second in chips with 1.8m. My raises were getting through and
it seemed that I had a good table image. I had been playing as well as I
could for the last hour or so, taking some pots down without a showdown
and generally getting my own way. The chip leader and the guy third in
chips had been clashing often and as a result of that, the other two
players weren’t getting an opportunity to make any moves. It wasn’t long
before we were playing three handed, as the short stacks were forced to
play with mediocre holdings against the table aggressors and didn’t get
lucky. Because of my reluctance to play a big pot whilst two players were
on life support, I was the shortest stack when 3 handed play began. I
still had around 1.9m chips, with the other two players having around 2.5m
and 2.2m respectively. At one point, the weaker player of the two dropped
down to 1.2m in chips and looked to be heading for the exit door, save for
a lucky card on the river which gave his dominated A7 a four flush vs the
big stacks AQ.

Whilst all of this was going on, my stack dropped to 1.6m. Given the
amount of gamble both players seemed to have, I wanted to wait as long as
I could for a relatively decent hand. With the blinds at 40000/80000 a800,
I limped on the sb with A10 suited. I fully expected the big blind to
raise, as he was playing very aggressively. He raised to 240000 and I
re-raised all-in. He called me with 88 and we were racing for around 3.2m
in chips. The flop gave me some hope when it came Q99, a J on the turn
gave me plenty of outs but I missed as a 5 fell on the river to end my
game. Usually, when I’ve just gone out of a game, I’m really annoyed and
deflated but this was a very friendly final table with good banter and
respectful players. This helped me swallow the bitter pill of coming so
close but not winning.

I have to thank all of the EMS members that railed me, offering
encouragement and support for around three hours. It really does help to
have good players watching and encouraging.

In summing up the tournament, I’d say by and large, I played just about as
well as I can. Yes, I got lucky but I think you need a bit of luck from
time to time to go deep in an event. If you are reading this but are not
yet a member of EMS, I would encourage you to sign up and get involved on
the forum. My game has improved significantly in the short time I’ve been
a member. I’m not saying that I wasn’t capable of such a good run before I
joined the forum but I’d say I’m definitely more capable of regularly
going deep as a result of getting involved.

Thanks for reading.

Reg.

I started of this tournament playing very tight as i usually do at the start of any MTT, moving up the gears as the blinds increase. At the first break i had an average stack of about 4500 from an original starting stack of 3000 after i won a pot against a short stack when he pushed his 800 stack in i called from the big blind with ak he shows QK my hand holds.

After the break is the time to get busy, stealing blinds from position and calling raises in position, especially when the antes come into play it makes the blinds worth stealing. After doing this for the next hour or so i had grinded my stack up to around 7000 (about the avg) with about 400 players left from an original 1351 with 216 getting paid.

Now the blinds are getting big 300-600, so now its time to try and double up to give me a chance of cashing and having a deep run in this tourney. Then comes this hand, the player in the cut-off makes a standard 3x raise to 1800 i’m on the the bb with AA i decide to flat call and check raise all in on the flop, flop comes Qxx i check he bets 2000 i push he calls me with KQ my aces hold up and i double up to around 15,000.

After a couple of blind steals and a couple of small pots i have a comfortable stack of around 22k with the blinds now at 500-1000 with 250 players left.

Just before we go into the money my stack is back down to 9000 after i ran my QQ into KK for a huge pot at this stage, so after being on a comfortable stack i only just make the money with my 8x bb stack with the blinds now at 600-1200, time to get busy.

Shortly after i manage a double up AQ to AT, then went from strength to strength really battling away until i had my stack up to a healthy 40,000, feeling confident for a deep finish.

Now there’s 80 or so players remaining my stack is 40,000 blinds are now 1500-3000 i have 99 on the button its folded round to me i make it 9000 sb folds bb goes all in, he has me covered, i call he has AJ and i win the race, now up to just over 80,000 and into the top 20 of the remaining field.

Now we’re down to the final 18 players i’m sitting around 13th in chips with a stack of around 180,000 and very large blinds now of 3000-6000, its time to try to build a healthy stack for the final table. I have a short stack directly on my right and we’re in the blinds its folded to him he shoves for 70,000 i have AT i instantly call he has A6, Ten on the flop and he’s gone and my stack increases to 250,000. Then a huge stack of 1.2mil gets moved directly to my left.

12 players left now, getting very close to the FT im around 6th in chips with about 280,000, still the huge stack on my left raising nearly every hand as you would with his stack. Normally at this stage in a tourney i like to get very aggressive as alot of players are trying to hold out for the final table and its a good time to build a stack stealing their blinds, but on this occasion i’m playing very tight coz of the bully to my left. Then im dealt KK on the button, blind now 5000/10,000 i raise it to 30,000 the big stack on my left reraises me to 115,000 i obviously go all in he thinks for a little bit then calls me with K8o lol, perfect spot for me, of course its never that easy tho as he picks up a flush draw on the turn with his 8 of spades but thankfully the rivers a blank and im now up to 2nd in chips with around 600,000.

Final table time. I finished 7th in this same tourney a couple of days earlier after throwing away a good stack and was very dissapointed, so i was determined to do better. It was a very strange final table because of the large stack, still on my left, was getting super lucky in every pot, running like god taking player after player out in a very short space of time and soon enough we were down to just 4 players and ive hardly won a pot still sitting on my 600,000 stack, still 2nd in chips with the chip leader now up to 3million, its seeming like its a race for 2nd. We’re soon down to 3 and i find AQ on sb, button folds i raise to 55,000 blinds now 10k-20k, big stack flat calls flop comes ten high i c-bet 80,000 he puts me all in i fold. My stack now down to 400,000 the other short stack has 250,000 with the chips leader at 3.3million. Then big stack and shortie get it all in with T8 v A8 and has big stack has done throughout so far spiked his Ten on the flop and we’re now heads up.

His 3.7million to my 350,000, as you can see it’s not going to be easy to win but i wasn’t giving up. First hand of heads up i double up when he limps in, i check my big blind with KT flop comes Kxx i bet he puts me in i call he has K9 my kicker plays i double up to 700,000. Very next hand, 2nd hand of h/u is the last hand. I raise from button with 77 to 120,000 he reraises all in i call, he has JJ, and i dont improve. gg.

I finished 2nd from 1351 runners for $4390.

Betfair/Pokerplayer Grand Prix report.

After winning freeroll 2 back in November, which was a feat in itself with 640 runners, I finally got the details of the live final, which was held at the City Bunker in Canary Wharf on 16th May. The main prize was a £12,000 seat package to the WSOPE, with the final table sharing $3000. 40 qualifiers plus a number of Pokerplayer staff would make up the field.

After looking at the details, I decided to take the train down in the afternoon and then just hang around until 7am and get return train from Kings Cross to Wakefield. Cost £11 each way (brag).

Trouble free journey down, I managed to find my way to Canary Wharf on the tube. I had arranged to meet Carl and Rog (Carl was in the tournament) via the Pokerplayer forum, as they were also planning to stay out all night. Trouble was I couldn’t find my way round Canary Wharf for love nor money, which is a mightily impressive place by the way, but after an hour’s wandering I managed to meet up with the guys for a couple of pints in Wetherspoon’s before we made our way to the venue.

City Bunker

The venue is an indoor golf simulator and also hosts the odd poker event and was a decent place with a bar. No guinness here so I started on the bottled beer with my free drinks tokens, had a chat with the guys and thought about having a few swings on the golf simulator. Before taking golf side bets I found out that Carl played off a handicap of 1, with Rog being 4, so I thought better of that. Had a few goes but was a bit nervous of the poker, so decided not to bother.

At this point I didn’t know the structure, but any tournament that starts at 7 and needs to be done by 2am is going to be reasonably fast paced. It turned out to be 3,000 chips with 30 minute blinds, dealer dealt. Therefore I had decided that with one main prize and perhaps a few nervous players that I was going for it from the start. I think my experience in MTTs and my stack management skills may actually give me an edge here, given that any major pot is going to make/end your tournament.

The Start

It started about 40 minutes late and when I took my seat I realised I had the only sit out to my left, then a player I recognise from APAT/Virgin events (Runadrum), who is pretty solid. I also had a pokerplayer (Rick Dacey) 2 to my right. Rest of the table I didn’t know. I wished Carl luck and we took our seats, I felt pretty confident after my win the previous Friday.

First hand and I am on the SB, Runadrum raises UTG and Rick shoves on him. I have a feeling he is messing around, as basically the Pokerplayer staff have nothing to lose as they cannot win the main prize. Runadrum folds 7s and Rick then tells the table he had a side bet that he would shove the first hand, fortunately he had AK (apparently).

Thinking that the sit out might change the table dynamics a bit, I decided to raise the next hand from the button when it folded to me. I had J9o and made it 200, Runadrum called from the big blind. Flop was J high and he came out firing 300. At this point I don’t want to be first out, so I flat call and decide to re-assess with position. Turn is a blank and he checks, I check behind as I put him on a J but maybe out-kicked. River is Q and we both check and show down the same hand, must admit my surprise at his preflop call, but at least I am evens and a bit of information to boot.

After I while and a few raised pots later, I realised the table was very limp/fold/passive apart from the guy 3 to my left, who seemed to be my rival for table captain. I managed a few steals with favourite hands like 57s, 68s. I even c-betted against someone with 44 on a AKQ flop, which after a long thought they folded. Basically I was abusing position, betting frequently and was getting away with it. One pot was taken away from me post flop when the aggressive guy called my raise from the SB then lead out on a raggy flop, so I decided to muck my best starting hand AJ. But I had gone from 3k to 5k pretty easily without showing a hand in about 45 minutes.

In this time, Runadrum had taken out Rick Dacey with AA v a straight draw, so had more chips than me. However I had probably raised his BB from the button about 5 times out of 6, mostly with reasonable hands. However the aggressive guy showed himself to be a bit too much so when he crippled himself with second pair when it was obvious his opponent had a monster. This gave me carte blanche to be table captain, although I did appreciate that with his short stack of about 1200, he was liable to re-shove me at some point.

5 limpers in one pot at 50/100 and I am on the BB with J4, flop 449 and I decide what the best move is. Hoping a limper has a pair I decided to use my aggressive image and lead for 300, to which everyone insta-folds, how disappointing. Maybe could have played it slower, who knows?

Blinds now 50/100 and a guy in EP who hadn’t played a hand raises to 400 and I look at 22. Now I know a call here isn’t great but felt I could also play him post flop if I missed and possibly stack him if I hit. I called and missed, he lead and I told myself off for being a bit too loose.

Comes round to me on the button again and I have KJh, so I make customary raise to 275. Runadrum in BB calls me. Flop is Q76 with 2 clubs and he checks. I decided that with all my c-bets before I would check behind and try representing the turn instead. Turn is a rag and Runadrum bets 300, I decide to raise to 800 on a stone cold bluff. He calls so it looks like I may have to fire river. River is lovely, the Ks and he checks so I value bet 1000. He folds and tells me he has a lower pair than Q. I thought my line was pretty strong here and mixing things up can’t do any harm.

I get AK on BB and get 5 limpers again. I “squeeze” to 1000, basically saying “lets gamble” to all the stacks shorter than me and taking advantage of my image. Everyone folds, a couple reluctantly.

Basically I had gone from 3k to about 8k now without even showing a card and I think the table were starting to feel that I was taking the piss or a card rack.

Mid Stages

With blinds going up I was still amazed how many people were limping and basically playing so passively. I felt good about this. All I needed now were some premium hands.

I get AKd at 75/150 and raise to 375 from MP and again I get flat called from the BB (who was pretty passive). Flop is Q96 2 clubs and I bet 500 when checked to, he calls. Turn is Qc which is an obvious scare card. He checks therefore I don’t put him on either hand that likes this card so I fire 950. He says “I know you don’t have this” and then folds! Lord knows what he was calling me with.

At the start of the 200/400 level I had just under 11k and still hadn’t showed down a card (apart from hand 1 split pot). I don’t feel I could have played much better and also had set things up for me to get paid if I got a big hand later. Even the guys that had won pots early were in danger now as they hadn’t progressed their stack and most were stuck on or below 10bbs or starting stack through just folding away. Obviously this was now getting to the crucial middle stages.

I get AK on the button and with a couple of new guys at the table, I thought this was ideal, making it 1100 to go. My image from the button was so bad, I felt something was going to happen soon. To my surprise Runadrum flats me from the BB again, for about 1/3rd of his stack. Flop is KJJ and I had an awful feeling, he checks to me and I have no choice but to bet the 2000 that puts him in, he calls with QJ and I am gutted, back just over 6k and back to the pack with my nemesis hand. To be honest I wasn’t that impressed with him calling off from the BB there with his stack, if he felt I was at it from the button he should have re-shoved on me, but hey-ho.

I am quiet for a bit but my image can’t be that bad now as I had shown down a hand that was premium (if people chose to notice). Therefore I get back on the horse with a raise from the cutoff with Q9 to 1000, the SB calls half of his stack, which is a bit suspicious.
Flop Q104 rainbow and he insta-shoves last 900 into the pot, which I snap call. He shows A10, turn is blank and the river is an ace. I feel the previous luck from that last 6 months all of a sudden coming back to me, people playing oddly and still beating me. This puts me just under 4k and all my great work from the first couple of hours has been undone. Dean of 6 months ago would have gone on super-tilt and been out within 2 minutes. I knew that on this passive table my no fear, aggressive style could still play dividends though. I was going to put people to the test.

It was bulldoze time for sure, any spot to get my chips in I would and I was still one of the main stacks at the table as people were hanging on with small stacks, not sure why.
This lead me to shoving with QJ 3 times, A10 and pocket 9s (3rd pair I had all night and best one of the lot) throughout the 200/400 and 300/600 levels, as well as a couple of rag hands from easy places like the button and SB. I changed gears, the others didn’t. This saw me double my stack (about 8k) without showdown, which is good because I run like crap all in pre-flop.

Blinds change to 500/1000 and people now can’t afford to keep folding, each pot is worth taking and if people keep limping my BB, I will take it. After a few hands I look at AK in the BB and think “here we go again”. Runadrum shoves 4.5k from EP and I pray and call for just over half my stack. He tables KJc and the ace on the turn confirms the pot for me. I say good game and now I am back in business with just over 13k. Our table is broken as there are about 18 left. I had just under 10% of chips so healthy on average.

Last 2 tables

Just as I sit down at new table and start piling my chips, I get 66 and so I insta-raise to 2700, to look strong. I did this without checking out the stacks at the table – oops. BB calls and I realise he has 900 chips left after calling. Flop is AJ4 and he checks so I bet to put him in. He calls with Q10o and thankfully doesn’t improve with his overcards or gutshot and I have about 18k.

So I am back to being one of the bigger stacks in the tournament and as blinds are getting severe, players are starting to go out regularly. We are told the final table will be 8 players and there are about 14 left.

A few hands later and a guy who was playing weirdly min raises my blind from the SB to 2k and has about 6k back. I look at A2c and shove and he insta-mucks. A couple of other raises and I am sitting well on around 22k.

Blinds go up to 700/1500, so just about everyone is in the red zone. I make a raise with AQ and take down the juicy blinds so have around 24k.

Then on the BB and the button limps with under 3bb, which is a bit odd. I have Q9. Flop is J83 and I decide to just bet the 2000 that puts the guy all in and he calls with AK. I lose and am back to just over 20k, another bizarre play in my book.

Then UTG I get 44 and raise to 4000. The guy next to me (who I have as a uber-tight nit) insta-shoves for 11k. Now I don’t like this, the odds seem obvious but the small margins we are now working in makes this a tough call, as I go back into the pack if I lose and all my good work is undone again. I was wondering why I just didn’t fold preflop and initial reaction was he had a bigger pair and I should fold despite the odds offered, couldn’t see a bluff near the bubble of the final table and I knew I would be gambling at best. I decided to start talking to him. I said “this would be a sick call, I know you have a big pair or possibly AK, I’d be calling hoping you had AK as I know how tight you are”. He reacted by saying “I wouldn’t shove AK” and this made my mind up and I called for just under 7k more. He had AK and my hand held, I think he thought my call was very fishy but I think I trusted my read and went for the win.

This put me over 30k and I was chip leader with 11 left. I then took out a short stack from the BB when he shoved 2.5k and I called with KQ and his J7 didn’t improve. I had 34k at this point.

Crucial Hand

I then look down at my best hand of the night QQ. The guy who limped the button raised to 4500, so I made it 15,000, which covered the table. He called all in for his 11k and we were playing a 23k pot with QQ v AJ, this would be huge for me. Him flopping trip aces, then turning a boat meant I was drawing dead and I was back to 23k, level with this guy. A defining hand in my opinion.

3 hands later I get KK and the guy to my right shoved for about 4k and I isolated to 15k again. He had A6 and the all club flop gave him the nut flush draw as well (I had Kc), thankfully I dodged all bullets and this made the final table, I was chip leader I think with 30k, but blinds were now 1000/2000 and because the tourney was behind schedule, the TD decided antes were now required (200 each hand). So we were playing for a £12,000 prize and now the skill level was reduced a bit further. However I still felt my endgame could still have an edge here. During the short break a couple of people told me I was the favourite to win, oh dear lol. Was still thinking about the QQ hand though, would have had about half chips in play at the final table if that holds….

Final Table

For most of this final table I was just completely card dead, so I couldn’t really exert any pressure, so I decided to just slow down a bit and steal where I could. Noticed a couple of people with decent stacks playing oddly and one guy blew his stack calling a reraise with a10, then calling all-in drawing to a gutshot, weird. The guy 2 to my left let me steal with gay abandon despite being short, so I kept doing it to maintain my stack, plus I got a few walks as well. Also noted that some were being passive again, with the prize in mind, although the guy 3 to my left was shoving reasonably often.

One shortstack managed to crack KK with J7o, but it wasn’t long before we were 4 handed and the blinds were 2000/4000/400A, so basically all players were in the red zone, 7600 in the middle every hand and it was push and pray time. I had 45k and was about the chip leader, we were fairly even with one shortish stack. I decided to go for the win, the only way I know how to play.

I tried to pick my spots but was getting rags and stealing with rags, the tournament would be decided when a hand ran into another, simple. This is where I made my biggest mistake….was down to about 39k due to blinds going through etc and looked at my best hand at the FT, KQs on the button. But the shortish guy limped, with about 6bbs and hadn’t come across as tricky/trappy. This threw me. First instinct was to shove, then just fold and I did the worst thing, called behind (total brain explosion). So we had a 4 way pot and a A84 flop which was checked round to me, into which I tried to steal with a 9k bet and I got shoved on by the SB and had to fold. I don’t need telling how badly I played this hand.

So down to 24k, its time to get aggressive. I shove from the SB a few times to maintain my stack then get A9 in the SB and the guy UTG makes a raise to 9k for about the 3rd time in 4 orbits. I ask for a count, then shove all in 24k, he has me covered. He ponders for a while and folds. My stack is back to where I was around 42k mark.

Blinds are going up soon and I stay on 42k. In the BB and I have Q10c. The SB had been shoved on a lot and was getting short, he shoved for 17k from the SB. Now, he can be doing this with any two cards and I know the value of pushing rather than calling. I decide the pot is giving me the right price, I have him covered and this would make me clear CL so I call. He has A6o and I am in reasonable shape. He flops the 6 and I miss everything, so I am short again and the blinds are going up to 3000/6000/600A.

Gutted

Next hand I get K4d and shove, which I think is standard. This time the BB wakes up with AJo and calls. By the turn I have a flush draw and a live overcard but miss everything. I am out and take $500, but was gutted not to take the £12,000 package. The way I have been playing lately I really felt I could do the seat justice. If I had have made HU, I would have been confident of prevailing but not to be…

Carl, Rog and I decided to get back on the beers, walked round Canary Wharf for a bit at 3am and then flagged a taxi to Egg club near Kings Cross station for a few hours heavy drinking and a few laughs. Got breakfast about 5.30am, spoke to Jeff for a bit then caught my train home.

Big thanks to Carl and Rog, good lads both of you – hopefully can get them to join the forum. Thanks to Pokerplayer staff for a great night and was also nice to meet Nick Wealthall again.

Next stop the WSOP, hopefully I can continue my live game improvement in Vegas, bring it on baby!!!

The Eat My Stack Forumis being moved to a new server. The forum is back online for now but I’m sure there will be more down time until the migration to the new server is complete.

Bas walked away with first prize over $48,000 beating 1075 players in this $200 +16 buy in event. I hope to have a more detailed report from Bas in the next couple of days.

I’m delighted to announce that Bas has been signed by Virgin Poker. It is great to see a poker site such as Virgin Poker back a young player with potential rather than another well known name and I’m sure this deal will reap dividends for both Virgin and Bas.

Bas posted on EMS…..

“I can honestly say I don’t remember being as excited as I am for the rest of the year, as I have come to an agreement with Virgin Poker whereby I will be sponsored to play in some big UK live events for the rest of the year, starting with the Great British Poker Tour in Bristol in June. I will be representing them also at the GUKPT events in Bolton and Luton, and with other events to be announced!”

Click here to read more on Bas’s blog

The second Virgin Poker Festival was a big success for me personally, as well as an even bigger success for EMS. With 230 runners, and a £28,000 prize pool, it was definitely worth qualifying and turning up for! I played, quite possibly, the best poker I have ever played across the two days, and one hand probably cost me the victory. I started off playing a very tight game and just gradually built my stack up, until I won a big pot with aces and got myself up to 22,000 chips (10,000 starting stack, 40 minute blinds), I then spent about 4-5 hours around that stack, dwindling, playing very patiently, just making the odd steal. Then I finally got all in for the first time, with 44 vs AQ, which held, and I was up to around 40,000, I then turned on the style and went to my normal game, very aggressive, I ended day 1 in about 6th in chips, with 49 remaining, EMS still had 10 members in the tournament. I started day 2 very very tight, and my only moment of madness was re raising all in with 96s vs Lucy Rokach, although she eventually folded after a long delay. I then built my stack up to around 200,000, with 2 tables left. I then knocked 2 or 3 players out, and was raising almost every hand, and ended up with almost 500,000 going into the final table.

I was sat to the left of Lucy, who had me just about covered, between us we had around a million of the 2.2 million chips in play, so everyone else was playing catch up, two other EMS’ers made the final table, Chris Baylis and ramchip, who managed to go out the very first hand of the final table as he only had 4 bb’s and it was folded to him, so had to go with it. I then won a huge pot off Lucy Rokach which put me up to around 950,000. She limps in the small blind, I check in the big blind with Q2 of spades, the board comes 9 7 2, with one spade. She bets around ¾ of the pot, I call as I know she is very aggressive and is likely to take a stab at any pot. The turn is another 2, giving me trips. Lucy checks, I thought that was quite a strange play as that’s really unlikely to have helped my hand, and I thought if she had nothing, she may stab again, so I decided to bet around half the pot as a tempter, she announced all in and I instantly called and fistpumped, she had 95 for top pair, the river was a blank and I was huge stacked. I then spent the next few rounds getting constantly re raised, apart from when I had kings and everyone managed to find a fold…!

Then the crucical hand, this is taken from my blog entry on the situation, which can be found at http://eatmystack.co.uk/bas/

I had K4 on the button, and raised to 55k at 10k/20k still, the SB flats (really unusual), Chris B folds. Board comes JT8, he takes an age before leading 60k, whilst betting 60k, I spot his hands shaking, and the way he said his bet made him sound really weak, and I didn’t feel he was a very big thinker so wouldn’t be pulling off some kind of tell bluff. The turn was an Ace, and I was expecting him to check, and I was going to bet 100k, instead he starts to shake even more, and then announced 80k. I had 3 decisions going on in my head, I knew he wasn’t happy about the situation, I could either fold, let him pull off this weird donk-bet move, move on and still be happy, my favourite option which was to raise to 180k, a small raise that didn’t commit me, and showed serious strength, or just to shove and make him have a huge decision. I started counting 180k of my stack and then for some reason announced all in, he looked across at me and just said call, I could not believe he called so fast, as you could tell by me slamming the table in the video which you can see here: http://www.thenutz.tv/videodetail.php?video_id=66521

I then got into a couple more tangles with this guy and went out in 4th after trying to make a hero call on the river with 3rd pair, and ended up around £2000 richer, but I couldn’t help think I should have taken it down. Still there is plenty of time in the future, and it was a great weekend.

I hope to see everyone in Nottingham in June for the next one

After travelling up to Newcastle on Friday, I warmed up for Saturday’s main event with a night at Stanley’s along with quite a few EMSers. I donked my way out of the first tournament, but then managed a second place in the £20 midnight freezeout to leave me in a good mood and feeling confident ahead of the festival tournament.

Despite EMS having over 40 of the 230 field main event, I spent pretty much the whole of Saturday without any familiar faces on my table. This meant I missed out on a bit of banter, but probably helped my tournament chances not having to play against anyone who knows my game. Saturday’s poker was a rollercoaster for me. I managed to get away from KK vs AA on level 1 for only a third of my stack. I then had better luck with KK later in the day, when I won a 3-way allin preflop against AJ and AQ which gave me a decent stack, well above the average. A couple of harsh spots and lost cpinflips meant I finished the day below chip average, and needing to get busy from the off on day 2.

We returned to Aspers on Sunday with quite a few EMSers in the 49 remaining players.

25 were to get paid so the money was in site, but deep down I was hoping to final table. I got a double up early with JJ then won a big pot with JJ and again later against AK. The money bubble burst and then players seemed to drop out really quickly and in no time at all we found ourselves on the final table bubble. I lost a load of chips with AQ vs 33 that would have knocked the other guy out, but then the very next hand the same guy knocked someone out and we were down to the final 10.

The final table was a great experience. I started 7th in chips but was short enough to only have one move. My stack yo-yoed until I finally found myself short enough to be forced to move with any two cards. I pushed with 87, got called by AK and didn’t improve to finish in 5th place for £1750.

Playing the final table with the lights and cameras, and so many people watching seems like it would be very daunting, but I actually surprised myself by not feeling nervous at all. I also wasn’t thinking about the money at all until after I was knocked. While playing, I simply wanted to win for the achievement, not for the cash that came with it. In the end I was disappointed to go out, but I look back on the whole weekend now with a great sense of pride/achievement. The support from all the EMSers present was fantastic and made me feel extremely honoured. I’m just glad I was able to turn in a good performance that I, and hopefully EMS, can be proud of. Bring on the next one……!