Mar 31st - Apr 2nd - Various

Firstly let me say that its been a good weekend at the poker tables but a bit of a downer in other respects! Firstly the poker!

Friday night was always planned to be a 'take it easy' night with me probably spunking several buy-ins in the £10 rebuy tournament at the LCI followed by an early night. It didn't quite work out that way.

Yes, I did purchase seventy quids worth of buy-ins plus a top up but I did manage to reach another final table despite the fact that my 70-30 hands were being beaten up in good style and of a regular basis. My A-J got smashed by A-5 (he made a straight), My A-Q got snuffed out by A-9 and my A-J got beat up by A-10 (yawn). It was getting boring!

Anyway so there I was at the final table with around 20k in chips and all set to go. I got an early double through when by J-J beat out 8-8 but then it all went wrong. Down to 7 players I get A-Q in EP. A player goes all-in from across the table for 45k and I feel obliged to call. She flips A-10 and I can see it coming...8-9-10-6-10. Feck it! Shortly after this I'm all-in with 9c-5c (under ever increasing blinds) and get called by Qh-10h. I finish 7th and pick up £120 for my troubles.

Saturday was a big day for me in that having won a satellite for the £400 FULLHOUSE freezeout I took my seat amongst 46 other hopefuls and proceeded to play to the best of my ability.

The structure was fine (35 mins), the starting chips were a little on the short side (6000) and the standard of play was generally good...to start with!

I won't bore you with the bits before the final table, which I managed to get to with 22k in chips (average was 30k) but the final table proved to be a much better story to tell.

First up came what was the luckiest break of the night. With 7 players left I get J-J UTG. With blinds at 2000-4000 I wasn't hanging around and so went all-in. 'I'm all-in as well', said the player to my immediate left who'd just sank a whole bottle of champagne (as it was his birthday). He had more chips than me so once the rest of the table had cleared and he flipped A-J I just hoped I could hang on. The first card out on the flop was an Ace. I got out of my seat and started to walk. The flop continued...A-10-7-Q-JACK!! WoW...I'd hit the 44/1 shot and doubled through.

Next up came the 2nd most inept play of the night...and not by me!

We're down to 5 and Mr Shortstack goes all-in for around 14k. The player to his immediate left calls. The next player (last to act) umms and arrs. He has around 70k in chips and its 10k to call. He flips 8-8 and folds! Mr shortstack shows Jc-2c. His opponent shows Ad-Jd. Flop is Qc-3c-3d-9d-8c. Mr Shortstack doubles up whilst Mr 8-8 is smiling ruefully!

A short while later we're down to 4 as I get K-K against Mr 8-8's 7-7.

So...4 of us left and I have 100k in chips. Next...the most inept play of the night and me on tilt!

Ok...I have 100k, player to my left has 10k, next player - 40k, next player - 130k.

I'm on the button and blinds are 4k-8k which means that Mr 10k is about to go all-in. Mr 10k puts his 4k in...Mr 40k puts his 8k in. Mr 130k passes as do I. Mr 10k (now 6k) goes all-in. Its now 2k more to Mr 40k. He PASSES!!!!

To say I explode would be an understatement. Accusations of chip-dumping came immediately to mind & mouth and Mr 40k is wondering what all the fuss is about (as he's now pissed as a fart himself).

Well...now I'm out to get him but things conspire against me in a cruel way!

I'm dealt Ks-10s on the SB. As Mr 40k is pissed he puts his chips into the pot and then says 'all-in'. 'Sorry sir...thats a call', states the dealer. 'Er...ok', he slurs and waves his arms around like a big jellyfish. Mr 130k passes and I now flat call myself. Mr shortstack checks and off we go.

Flop = K-J-7. I check eager to get Mr Pissed's chippies. Mr shortstack checks and Mr Pissed puts all his chips in the pot! I call. 'You must have the King', he says and stands up. He flips J-9. The next card kills me as its another Jack and suddenly I'm down to 60k in chips!

Mr Shortstack disappears next hand and now there's 3 of us.

I'm free of blinds and get 9d-10d. 'All-In', I say. 'Call', says Mr pissed and flips 10-10. Doh!

Of course I don't get there and have to be content with £2350 in 3rd place prize money.

Sunday night I play the £200 freezeout at the LCI in Brighton. I'm kippered up when I decide that my 4-4 is good on a flop of 3-3-9. An opponent flips 10-10 (what else) and I'm out in 16th place (out of 16).

On another note I found that my bank card had been cloned and £700 lifted from my account over the weekend! Apparently the culprits were in Glasgow & Edinburgh attempting to lift £300 a day since Friday. Wot a life!!

Entries ->??? - Place -> ??? - Win -> £1745 ($3054) Profit/Loss for 2006 -> +$6641