Mar 7th - £20+£2 NL Hold'Em - LCI Club (Brighton)

Finished 5th, out of 57, tonight which was quite pleasing although it could have been worse. With no rebuys (just a top-up) I started 'proper' play with around 8k in chips. Antes were at 200-400 but this amount was about the average on my table so I didn't feel I was too far behind in chip-count terms.

To be honest my stack was never all-in until we had three tables left. With blinds at 400/800 I made it 5k to go in MP with As-10s. The chip leader on the table flat calls and its off to the races. The flop is a pretty good Ks-Qs-9h and I go all-in for my last 13k. Mr chip leader passes so thats kool. A short time later though he gets his money back off me.

With 7-7 in hand and again in MP I raise to 6k. He again flat calls and its off the the races again. The flop looks good with 9-4-2 and I bet 10k (I still have about 30k left) Mr chip leader (still) goes all-in and I decide to pass as we're now down to 13 and I can't be arsed worrying about it. He flips a NINE and I'm scratching my head.

Blinds get to 3k-6k and we're down to 10 players. I'm in EP and get the Ad-8d. I attempt a quick nick of the blinds and go all-in for 24k but get called in two spots. Mr No-Chips (5k) has K-7 and Mr 28k-in-chips has Qh-10h. The first card off is a Queen (doh) but the river card is the Ace (weeeeeee) and its final table time!

So I have around 50k in chips but with the antes about to go to 4k-8k I have to gamble!

Three players drop in quick order and I still have around 50k when I get 8-8 in EP. I raise to 20k but the player to my immediate left re-raises to 100k all-in. I pass as the player to my immediate right has only 6k left and its his BB next hand. I'm hoping he'll get knocked out and thats a £100 step in prize money.

He drops next hand and we're down to 5. I can't find a hand though and with 12k in antes coming around every 5 hands I need to get busy but can't as my hands are absolutely crap or someone raises before me and my hand can't stand the raise. I quickly lose 30k in antes.

My last few chips go in with Q-7 against 4h-5h. My opponed hits trip 5's and I'm done although the £335 prize money eases the pain somewhat.

Entries -> 57 - Place -> 5th - Win -> £293 ($513) Profit/Loss for 2006 -> +$1975