£6,250 - 4/150 Croal British Masters...

Final Table Results As Follows...

Total Runners: 150

1st.....£13,500.....John Gardner
2nd.....£20,000....Richard Lewis
3rd.....£16,500.....Chris Brice
4th.....£6,250.......Tom Piccirilli
5th.....£4,200......Adrian Pound
6th.....£3,050......Trevor Pearson
7th.....£2,350......Ady Eaton
8th.....£1,900.......Neil Blatchly
9th.....£1,600.......India Storrar

This is quick TR of my experience at the British Masters this past weekend. I havent proof read it or spell checked it so sorry for the errors or if some of it doesnt make sense, enjoy...

Right then time for the Trip Report. First of thanks to everyone for the railage, my brother took loads of screen shots of the chat and it was class loads of my mates were in the chat as well as the PCUK forum members (who are also mates ). Some people I havent spoken to for 2 years said they saw my facebook status and watched it last night haha.

I arrive on the Saturday and see 140 odd people are registered, I have an empty seat next to me and who comes to sit down??? none other than Matt Dale aka Mango Fish This was the most fun/entertaining table I've played at ever, Matt can talk for England and could even make the Queen laugh. He was the most active player at the table picking up quads, top two pairs and also trying a few unfortunate bluffs which seemed to always be called (to my knowledge). After almost 2 hours (i think) Matt looses a big pot, getting it in on the turn with top 2, he was up against a flush draw, gut short straight draw or 2 cards for the guy to hit trips, which he did. Matt was down to about 400 and although managed to double up didnt last to much longer which was a shame. The table went dead when he left, although I was able to focus and stop talking to Matt haha! We had many detailed convos about endless topics...Mad Marty, Gloucester Road, iPhone Fifa, The Christmas Party haha ! But when he left I got to work.

At the first break Matt Dale emerges from the smoking area with a friend ... the one PCUK vetern and future Hulkamaniac Lucky Scrote. Got chatting with Dan for a good while and hes a top lad, easy going and easy to chat to Also got to know Tom Fielding over the weekend to which was nice, again a v cool lad Also met Paddy, Rod, Drago Judi (Im sending to your £50 dont worry ) and Toby over the weekend too, also great guys a great mix of people on the PCUK forums

Back to the poker... for the first 4 hours or so nothing really happened I was maybe at 13k from the original 10k. I eventually moved tables where I got involved with a bigish pot...

Im in the bb with J10 and its folded around to the button who makes it about 1000 (blinds 200/400/25 - i think, there or there abouts anyway). I call as I fancied seeing a flop, flop comes JA6 and I check, the button bets out 1500. I think for a while, an A is defo within his range although he could have a medium pair, KQ, etc... so I decided to just call and see how he plays the turn. Regardless of the turn card I was always gona check it back to him, so I check in the dark. The turn is a J and Imake 3ofakind. He bets out 9k which has me covered. Its a strange one as I could obv have the J and have him beat so why is he putting me all in? I cant put him on AJ/KJ as why would he bet that amount? I'm never folding here so make the call within a few miliseconds and he turns over A9, river is a blank and I take down a 20k ish pot.

To be honest I really cant remember anymore major hands from day one, due to the blind structure I really tried to enforce pot control, I avoided putting myself in horrible situations as there was no need. I was never allin (bar the J10) and just small balled. I built up to about 60k on day one however lost 3 medium sized pots and got blinded away abit to end the day on 30k with the average at about 50k.

Day 2

My plan for the start of day 2 was just to settle in and not do anything rash to early. I wanted to get a feel for my table and see who the blind stealers were/tight players, etc... after 2 hours I pick up AK on the button blinds are roughly 2000/4000 and I have about 40k so I shove. the big blind calls with 1010. Now... obv this is a standard race so AK > 1010 isnt that major. However the way I won the pot was very cruel lol... flop comes down 6 10 2 and the guy fist pumps his trip 10s and Im getting my hoody heading for the exit however the turn is a Q and river is a J I didnt really fancy saying sorry as I was allin Pre, it would have been a different story if I moved in on the flop after he slow played and I hit that lol that would have been a complete sickner but AK > 1010 AIPF isnt major anyone wana work out the odds of me winning on the flop? haha!

Thats takes me to about 100k, I then small ball and make it to the FT with about 130k. In the whole tourney (prior to the Final Table) I was AIPF once which I'm happy with. Theres no real need to get busy in these tourneys unless your Blachly lol. He ended Day 1 on 160k and he said he had pocket Aces 10 times in Day one, most of them were shown down as well.

Anyway at the FT I pick up Aces twice in the first 10 hands or so, although I only pick up the blinds and antes its still a nice boost to the stack. The first major hand of the FT was when it was folded around to India in the sb who moves allin, I'm in the bb and think to myself "please just once have a good hand to call with" ... AK ... Call. She shows K8s, the board runs dry and she busts out, that was a nice boost to my stack.

Blatchly starts getting short so shoves allin a number of times. He then raises about 3.5 times the bb from under the gun"ish", Adrian Pound thinks for ages before folding. When he raised I actually sneaked a look at my cards and see 1010, as people were making their decisions I was thinking how I would play the hand (assuming it was folded to me in middle position). I thought about folding but then thought no, I can't give him that much respect. I thought about calling but hes nearly always shoving the flop and its always gona be a hard call if any over card hits. So I decide to raise (if it folds around) just over double his raise. Anyway its folded around to me and I pretend to look at my cards and instantly put a 50k stack in. He thinks for a while but once he starts thinking I know hes folding because if he shoves I have to call (pot committed) so he lets them go.

There is a flurry of bust outs and we are quickly down to the final five with a minimum of £4k for the next bust out. At this point I had achieved above and beyond my expectations, qualifying for $5 and I greaful for the experience and the chance to meet some forum members and play my first tourney above a £200 buyin. So I realx although keeping in mind there is a £2k pay jump for the next bust out.

One key hand played out which I feel I played like a donk but it was the right fold as the ripper told me what he had, and he assured me he had no reason to lie and he 100% had the hand he said he had. Anway I'm in the sb and ripper is in the bb, its folded round (not sure of the blinds maybe about 8k/16k. I looked down at KK and limp from the sb. He checks and the flop comes down 668 with 2 diamonds. I check and he bets 30k. Now ive been sitting with him for about 4 hours and everytime hes bet into a pot and showed down hes had the hand. He bet big into a pot earlier and a guy moved over allin he insta called with trips. So he doesnt like to slow play. Theres every chance he has a 6 or even an 8. I call and decide to re evaluate on the turn. The turn is a rag and I check, he moved allin. There is 2 diamonds out so I can only assume he has a 6 and thinks im fishing for a flush, so hes happy to take the pot here and now. I think for a while and fold my kings. I bump into him outside the toilets at the break and asked him what he had he said A6, I said "I can only hope you did, but it was a fantastic bet all the same" I tell him i folded Ks and he cant believe it, I just said great play even if he was bluffing but im 90% sure he had A6. The way hes been playing all day, the reason he had 600k at that point was because he was betting his big hands hard and no one was believeing him so they were moving allin over the top and getting called.

Anyway Adrian Pound busts out in 5th, he was allin with 66 and gets called by 55, river brings a 5 lol. It was so nearly going 3 handed as John had like 2 bbs but he kept doubling up. I pick up KQ on the button and shove, get called by 6s and bust. GG.

CBMPT Day 1

This is just a quick update as its 3.30am (4.30am technically). I just finished Day 1 of the Coral British Masters Poker Tour £500 ME @ The Harbourside. 150 runners, 30 left, average stack about 50,000 and I have 30,800. Blinds will be 1000/2000/200 (i think) when play resumes tomorrow. I'll do a proper TR when the tourney is over. fyi I won a £50 last longer I had going with Matt Dale and other members of the Poker.co.uk crew. Although If I cash that will be handed to the player to bust before me (who didnt cash) which was Judi.

Nite.

Back2Back PCUK Forum Game Wins

Every week the very kind MD of PCUK holds a €150 value added tourney for it's regular forum posters. I've only been playing the weekly game 3 weeks and have taken it down twice over the past 2 weeks, cashing for €230...

(click image to enlarge)

Good Game.

UKSPC 2009 - Broadway Casino, Birmingham

(Me in the white, 2nd from left)

UKSPC 2009

This report is long overdue, however I thought I'd quickly blog bout my experience at this years UKSPC.

This was a 2 day event held at The Broadway in Birmingham, you started with a stack of 10k on a one hour clock so plenty of room for lots of play.

The tourney had a buyin of £33, however the sponsors BetFred added a WSOP Main Event Seat for the winner, which generated a huge overlay and was more than an added incentive to play.

Play started at around 2pm on a Thursday afternoon.

I was somewhat card dead for the few first hour so played like a nit. I picked up one hand from the button and I flopped the nut straight with J10s, the flop came down AQK with the BB having AQ, so I won a decent sized pot.

One hand of note was when I picked up 44 in late position. MP made it 3x bb and I called, everyone folds. Flop comes down 10 5 8, the guy bets the pot. This guy had been playing weak throughout so I wanted to test his hand with my 4s, I put in a 2.5x raise and he tanks. Finally he folds and shows K10. I rake the pot and show him one of my 4s lol. He looks sick and we move onto the next hand :D

After this hand I stayed quiet for a while and after 6 hours of play I finally move tables :( At this point I have about 15k, which is below average, blinds are about 600/1200 (roughly).

First hand at my new table I pick up AK on the BB. UTG makes it 2800 to go, its folded around and I shove my 15k. He tanks for ages before finally folding, he tells me he folded QQ.

After 20mins at this new table I get moved again :(

I have about 20k at this point and after a few hands at my 3rd table I pick up AJs on the button, its folded around to me so make a standard 3x bb raise, the bb shoves for like 20k (I have 15k behind). I figure although his range is fairly wide here, theres a good chance I'm either a small dog against 22-1010 or a big dog against AK or AQ. I decide to fold.

Later in the day I have about 18k with blinds at 750/1500 and I pick up JJ. UTG makes it 3x BB and I make the shove. A guy behind me moved allin over the top, everyone including the original raiser folds and my Js are up against AK. The flop brings all blanks, so does the turn BUT the Ace spikes the river and I'm gone.

All in all a good experience and I feel I played a good solid game. I didnt show down many hands and took lots of pots I wasn't entitled to. Just a shame my Js didn't hold up as that would have seen me into the second day.

Good Game.

Weekend of relaxation

Absolute SPA Hotel - Limerick, Ireland

I spent this weekend with the girlfriend, I flew to Ireland on Friday after work and we spent the weekend at the Absolute Spa Hotel in Limerick City. It was a very nice stay however the "extras" were a little pricey. It was €12.50 for breakfast so €50 for the both of us over to days, and it was €25 each for one hours use of the Spa haha. Didn't mind too much as it was only a 2 day stay, however I wouldn't stay there any longer than that. I arrived home on Sunday so decided to hit the virtual felt for the evening...

Pokerwise

Due to the weekend trip I didn't play much poker this weekend, however I did manage to squeeze in a four hour session this evening.

My schedule consisted of 3 tourneys, results shown below: -

1. €150 - €100k on Poker.co.uk. This tourney saw 698 runners and I was gutted to only last an hour and a half. Busted in 464th place after coming over the top of a big pre flop raise with AKs. We ended up getting it AIPF and I was up against AQo, needless to say the board brought a Q .

2. €22 deepstack on Poker.co.uk. Finished in 27th place out of 260 for a €32.20 cash. Would have liked to have pushed for the final table in this one :( I made a squeeze play with KQs and got called by 1010, the board ran dry and I busted.

3. $5R on Coral. This was a sub satty to the $80 direct satty to the Coral Masters. This tourney saw 18 runners and I managed to take this one down within 2 hours...