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As I've just played my final live event of the year I thought I should catch up and close the diary for the year, maybe even close it for good. I'll come back to last nights fun and frolics at the end.
It seems a very long time ago since I last wrote on the way to Malta in mid October, but when I think back, a lot has gone on since, so this may drag on for a while, apologies ��.
Poker wise, Malta mirrored my last visit in March. The poker gods weren't on my side, in the main, my fault. I decided to late reg the main event, not a good move. I ended up with top British pro's Billy Chattaway and Carlo Citrone, along with a couple of other very good regular circuit players. I didn't make the dinner break, non believing a player (again) after he'd been caught 'at it' several times earlier on. The few side events I played I didn't fare any better barring one where I did make the f/t, but only 6 were paid, someone had to finish 7th didn't they?? ��. My exit hand summing up how I run in Malta. All in pre with AJ v A4 and a 4 in the door doing for me. My enemy, a young Romanian lady who I've had regular clashes with over the past year. Very friendly, but extremely aggressive.
The good news very much like back in March, came from the golf course. I was on Dubuisson at 50/1 (and then again 100/1 after his very average 1st round) and Aphibarnrat at 40/1 to win in Turkey, and they came 1st and 3rd. It more than paid for the week. Oh and the other good news was that Susan came out for the last 4 days of the trip, so we had a mini holiday after the poker was finished. One thing I learned from that was be prepared to be crushed if you ever use Malta's public transport. At €1.50 per 2 hours, there's no wonder everyone uses the bus service, very much like Prague that I'll come to later. Makes you wonder where all the money goes that The British Public put into our transport system. I stayed in The Corinthia for the trip, and although it was a 20 min trek to the venue, it was worth it, a lovely hotel, albeit expensive compared to its sister hotel in Prague.
We flew back from Malta on the Tuesday afternoon, and it was a quick turnaround for me, as Wednesday morning I headed off to DTD in Notts for the WPT Festival. I'd grabbed a main event seat through a high finish in a previous tournament in the summer, so that was nice.
Although I was in on the cheap, I didn't make use of it and exited before the close of play on Day 1. I hung around and played the 8-max side event, a good move as it happened. I made the f/t in a decent position, and Paul 'Action' Jackson aside, there were no 'names/faces' amongst the other 7. We were down to 6 when Paul suffered a bad beat from the chip leader who was hitting everything and destroying the table. When we were 3 handed he had 75% of the chips, myself and the other chap more or less level. I chipped away at his lead, and then found AQ in the SB to his BB. I limped knowing what he would do, he didn't let me down. So we were all in pre, my AQ v his A2 that would have flipped things around and put me chip leader. But a 2 on the flop did for me bringing groans from a few mates railing... Oh well it was a 16k bink instead of a probable 40k one.
The following week brought Blackpool for the GUKPT jamboree there. The usual weather accompanied the festival, howling winds and torrential rain. I parked my car on the sea front car park outside the Casino. My hotel was opposite so it was just easier to leave it there for the entire weekend. I hadn't had time to check in etc when I landed, and it must have looked like a scene from a comedy sketch as I carried my clothes on their hangers, fighting a head on gale and driving rain at 3am, I was ready for take off and being dumped in the Irish Sea.
It was a fun packed weekend, plenty of alcohol and poker ensued. I got myself a healthy stack in the main event, and lost a very big pot towards the end of day 1. Annoyingly the recipient gave them away again in a 3 way all in just before play ended when it was obvious he was miles behind. I bumped into Sky Poker regular RSPCA on the Saturday, good to see him playing a live event.
After Blackpool it was time to take a break, I don't know how these young uns go from venue to venue, week in week out. I like the comfort of my sofa and TV too much.
Whilst having the sabbatical on my sofa, it was nice to see Rory recover from his faux Pas, pre The Open earlier in the year and win the R2D title, so clinching a fun year long running acca. And Kisner's win in the USA the same weekend put a cherry on the cake.
The last w/e of November saw me making final arrangements for the last road trip of the year to Prague. This was made complicated when I made a last minute decision to late reg' an online satellite for the main event. I was the 49th and last entry, and by this time only 23 were left in it. 2 hours later I was the last man standing, and only then did I discover it wasn't just a seat I had won, but €€€ for flights and a free stay in The Hilton where the event was being staged. I was already committed to staying in The Corinthia with Mike Hill, and Susan was coming out with me on the 6th for 4 days. The package inc the hotel stay, only started from the 10th, the day the EPT main started. Not wanting to mess around with the arrangements I booked flights and gave the hotel package to my parents, and my Xmas present to them was taken care of.
We arrived in Prague on Sunday the 6th to almost balmy weather conditions. The Corinthia in Prague was a step up from the one in Malta imo, and at 1/2 the price!! I bust the Eureka main early on the Monday which I didn't mind. I'd promised Susan that once I'd bust that, I was hers until she went back home on the 10th. So we spent a couple of days shopping and sight seeing, making full use of the cheap metro system, the equivalent of £3 for an all day pass.
As Susan left on the Thursday my parents arrived. I'd checked in the previous day and had given the room away that night. Scottish good kid Mudasser 'Macka' Hussain and a mate were short of a bed for one night only. I don't think he could believe his luck when I told him I had a spare bed for the night. They had sorted themselves and the room was A1 by the time my parents arrived so all was good.
Again the main event was a no no. It's no good getting in for €215 then not capitalising, I ran KK into AA in the 1st level. Tbh, I should have played it better and got away from it. When you 4-bet a solid pro', and he 5 bet jams, what can he have?? Fold man!!!
I fared better in my 1st side event, I came 7th in a field of 150+ for €8,300. Then I played an event at The Corinthia which had staged some WPT and Unibet events. One of which was taken down by the biggest 'fish' in the UK circuit. Non other than my good buddy Mr David 'Pasta Fish' Burghardt, well done to him. The event I played was the GrandLive Main Event. It attracted just short of 300 runners, and by day 3 we were down to 30 runners. By the time we were down to 12 I had a bang on average stack of 550,000 at 6/12k. I was in the SB and I had AK, nice so I thought. Early raiser to 29k, active button made it 90k, I then re-popped it to 200k, effectively committing myself. The initial raiser folded, the button shoved on me, I obv had to call. He had KK grrrr!!! ����. No help meant I was left with peanuts and I was soon on the rail, albeit €4,600 richer. It was there for the winning so I was very frustrated, I could have flatted the 90k and seen a flop then check folded, but hey ho.
The following night I had a meal with the parents, they were enjoying their holiday, so all was good on that front.
On the last day I played the last event of the festival, my 6th event of the trip. It was full of 'sickos' and somehow I navigated myself into the money. With 18 left, the field still included Deadman, Gellich, Schemion and Cimbolas to name a few, and I'd already received my 1st ever 'Timex' stare, - I just laughed -. 13 wasn't my lucky number, I looked down and saw QQ, 1st to act shoved with 15 bigs, Deadman before me tank folded, I re shoved and we were heads up. He had K9 off, nice I thought, K on the turn wasn't so nice and crippled me and I never recovered, 13th it was for another €4,600.
3 cashes out of 6 events made for a nice finish to the year, just a shame I didn't turn one of them into a top 3.
The journey home was both smooth and quick and it was time to ready myself for Xmas.
I played on line for one night, taking in 2 of Sky Pokers main UKOPS events. I managed 7th in the H Roller, Dave Maudlin came 8th. There was just 1 more live event to play and that was just a fun/drinking event played in memory of local poker celebrity CT Law. I didn't know CT, but had heard of him. Oh my, what a turn out!!! I'd probably fail to fill one table if an event was staged to celebrate my life, he had 120 and a reserve list!! Much alcohol and shenanigans later everyone had had a blast. I shared a taxi home with Jeff Kimber, just the £70 ��.
So that's it, I've survived a full year playing the live circuit. Many ups and downs, and fantastic memories to treasure. From the epic journey to Deauville, helicopter landing in Monte Carlo, misery in Malta, failed defence in Marbella, bedlam in Barcelona, to the pleasure of Prague, I've really enjoyed the journey.
What next?? There's more shenanigans in store next weekend when it's the Kavanagh Cup 2. Now there's a man who defies logic. Derek was given months to live over a year ago, but he wouldn't have it. He's kicking the a@@ out of Cancer, confounding the experts, we all look forward to seeing him next year at The Kavanagh Cup 3.
Which brings me to to some less fortunate people, many of you who will read this will know of someone else who is battling the horrible C, mine and I know everybody else's thoughts are with him and his family at this time. There's 2 other Facebook friends of mine who have lost their battle very recently, my thoughts are with their families too.
After The Kav Cup next weekend I'm in Luton at the end of the month for The APAT Team Championships. Obviously one team struggled to fill its quota ��.
As for the near future, I'm committed to going to Dublin in February for the UKIPT/EPT and again at Easter in March for the Irish Open.... After that, who knows, I may retire gracefully or carry on. I need to sort work out. I've 1 or 2 offers in the pipeline, both in and out of Green Energy. What will be will be.....
Happy New Year!
There's some good diary threads on here, but have to say I always enjoy your posts, more than anything for their 'real poker' content.
For 2016, more not less please and forget early retirement.