Nov 3rd - APAT - £75 NL Hold'Em (Walsall)

After being robbed at Dublin airport by Ryanair, who insisted I had to pay a £2 'check in fee', I wasn't in a great mood when I finally arrived in Birmingham for the start of what I hoped was to be a long weekend of poker playing in the Walsall APAT event.

Two hundred runners, a 10k starting stack, and a 40 minute clock meant that this was to be a hell of a day and my initial luck was very poor indeed. It was half way through level 4...I'd had NO pairs...I'd had NO luck and my chip stack was at 2375. I get Jc-6c in the BB and see a flop of 3-4-5.

I checked. Player in MP bet out 600. Next player to act called. I push all-in with my straight draw and both opponents called. Turn card was a 2 (yipee)...river card a 7. I triple up and I'm back in the game.

I then get A-A and make another 4k on that. The last hand before the break I get Qd-10d and call a 1200 raise. Flop is Jd-8d-6h. I ask my opponent as to how much he has left. 5400! I make that the bet and he calls with K-K. Turn card is a diamond and no help to my opponent on the river. I'm now on 20k!

Levels 5-8 increase my stack upto 40k.

Level 9 and I get lucky. Holding A-8 I call a players all-in, for 7k, along with another player. Flop is A-x-x. My opponent checks. I bet 5k. He calls. Turn card is an 8. Opponent checks. I bet out 13k and he calls all-in with A-10. All-in player has A-10 also. No help for them on the river and I'm upto 60k. I cruise to the next break at the end of level 10.

Level 11. After many hours of play and my earlier 'travel time' I'm a bit tired. I'm on the button and I look down to see what I THINK is 8-8. I raise to 6k. Player on BB re-raises to 16k. I call.

Flop is 2s-4s-5d. BB bets out 10k. I RAISE to 20k. BB goes all-in for another 40k or so. He has me covered. I check my cards. I HAVE 8-9!!! Argh!! I fold in disgust. The pot cost me 36k!

A short while layer I'm UTG and smooth call the 2k blinds with K-J. Three other players come in. Flop is 2-3-5. Its checked around. Turn card is a Jack. BB bets out 6k. I re-raise all-in. BB calls and flips 4-6 for a flopped straight. I'm out!

I've no qualms about my play other than the 8-9 debacle but dems the breaks. I lasted to the last 6 tables and I'd played for around 9 hours.

Next tournament will be in Florida. Its a tough life!

Entries -> 200 - Place -> 55th Loss-> £75 Profit/Loss for 2007 -> -£2362(Rate of exchange is calculated at £1 = $2.00 / £1 = €1.40)