Sept 23rd - €50+€10 NL Hold'Em - Fitzwilliam (Dublin)

I've been doing quite well at the Fitzwilliam over my past few visits, card wise, and so I was hopeful of another final table appearence at least. It didn't work out that way though with me finishing about half way down the field.

I now don't join the game until 10-15 mins into it. This enables me to still pick up the extra 400 points that are given out for all players that are there before the end of level one and also enables me to play a bit more in the cash game which I'm now starting to play in before I get started in the tournament.

I had my rebuy fairly early with what seemed like a perfect flop that I couldn't get away from. Holding Ad-9d there was a smallish raise to 400 (antes were 50/100) which I duly called. The flop came 2d-3d-9s. I checked, the original raiser bet 500, I raised all-in and he called, as you would, with 10-10. No Ace, no nine and no diamonds appeared on the turn, or river, and I was shouting for the rebuy!

Steady as she goes was the order of the day then and I reached the break with 5k in chips.

For some reason or other there was not the usual rush of players exiting the game as is normally the case on a Friday night once the break is over. With blinds at 300/600 we still had some 50 players (out of 70 starters) left. My chips had whittles down to 4600 and I decided to make a stand with As-4s calling an all-in bet from the same player who'd had the 10's against me earlier.

He flipped 10-10 but as we all know in poker if you have an Ace then you have a chance and once the flop had come A-A-8 I was back in business.

Lost 4k in a tussle with a young player before he went all-in and I passed before the fateful hand of the night!

Holding K-J, in EP, I raised to 1500. A player, two spots further over, reraised to 3500 and it was passed back to me! With only 4k left I pretty much knew that I was committed to the pot so I pushed all-in ain the hope he might fold. He didn't and flipped Q-Q.

Although a Jack appeared on the flop I wasn't to improve and that was that!

70 Entries - 34th - Win $0 - Lost $132 (€110) - Acc. Total + $2637