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Don of all pots - My SPT story
After some request I’ve decided to write this up.
The SPT began for me really on Friday morning; I’d had a later night than planned on Thursday as my usual live game had lasted longer than I expected. So I woke up at 7AM just to pack as I hadn’t got the chance to do it. It was then down to Dads to drop off my keys so the cat could be fed, just a mere 5 min walk and then back to mine, to wait on my lift arriving. Luckily the lift I had phoned me when he was 25 minutes away so I knew exactly how long I had, and Dad’s is only a 5 minute walk each way.
So I had now got my lift and off to Leeds we went. Now I won’t mention who gave me the lift, however what a top bloke he is, on the car discussing aspects of both of our games, and since he plays a different style of game to me I have to say, I learnt a lot. Not only that, but the general banter was great.
When we arrived in Leeds I met the first of the TKP’ers I have came to have online banter with over the past few months. Scouse_Red, again another top bloke. He then took me to weather spoons where I awaited a second lift as I was staying at a fellow player’s house. At Weatherspoons I met DTWBandit, who’s certainly full of ideas and knows what he’s talking about. I would have registered for the casino at this point but I certainly wasn’t going by casino dress code so I decided to leave it till later.
Later on that night we went back to the casino for the Friday night events. I met all attending TKP’ers and received my very own orange t-shirt. As we went into the casino I started to realise this was far bigger than anything I’d played before and this was still the night before. I entered the £15 game which was my comfort zone. This started promptly and I was a little nervous. Now I usually do wear a hood and shades to play anyways but this was one of these times where I wanted a full facial mask on. My table was drawn with Yorkie and TRIP5 who both made it a little easier on me and I relaxed a little more. Before the heat got to me, so the hood and shades only became I use for hands I was playing.
I went on to make final table, and a good quality final table worthy of a buy in bigger than £15. To name a few on the table there was DTWBandit, Yorkie, Mike1975 and JamieLou. I went on to come 4th for £50 which in honesty I was disappointed with. Although I never felt like I played 100% in the tournament. JamieLou won the event.
Saturday was when it really did start to feel real. After a small 4 hours sleep, I was back in the casino registering for the SPT and collecting money from those that staked me. I was feeling the nerves more than ever and despite being a comfortable live player, I was well out of my comfort zone. However I think it was this discomfort that really made me want to go out and play the best poker I could. I looked at my table draw and there where no names I recognised. I later discovered I had a couple of pretty capable players at the table and Kiwini4u was sitting to my right, I’d played with him the night before so I knew was to expect from him. I decided just before shuffle up and deal, if this table allows me to take control I’m taking control.
That’s exactly what happened. A couple of players did get frustrated at my consistent raising, however that’s exactly what I wanted, and as they started to answer back I started to tighten up. However I had a tell on one player, and looking at the mighty 68 of diamonds I realised he had already looked at his cards and was wanting to raise. So instead of raising I just flatted the big blind. This created a lot of confusion amongst the rest of the table. He raised and I called. I knew this guy was also frustrated at my check raising on the flop, he’d been in most pots with me so a good 50% of the chips id picked up where already his. The flop cam J86 rainbow. I checked and he c-bet. This is where I thought that frustration will pick up. I raised. He thought about it for ages, before he shoved. I snapped and he showed AQ for 2 over’s no draw. The turn came a J to make me sweat it but rivering a house always helps. The table later said they thought I had Aces or Kings because I just limped and I hadn’t limped before this point.
It was a short while after when I got moved tables. On this table was Hurst05 (Hurst07 according to his name badge) and Mike1975 was again on my table. I had them both covered on arriving, but I knew I wasn’t going to be able to control this table like I did my last. Actually to my surprise neither really got involved, there was another player who’s name I can’t remember who was the table captain. It was him who eventually bust me.
In busting I felt disappointed but by doing so it gave me a bigger lesson in poker than winning 20 SPT’s could teach me. I’d gone into the event with no fear, the thinking that if I could just be the most aggressive player in the tournament I would win. Showing a bluff of coarse never helps. My instant decision making was a weakness pointed to me so many times by Dohhhh, this was something I was to finally take in. The reason for this is I usually played a hand out in my head before it happens, based on variable change. By showing the bluff, it made my instant decisions look weak and therefore whatever I hold looks weak when I do it. When I showed the bluff, I had the intentions maybe Hurst would pick up on it, and I would hopefully flop the nuts against him soon after. However this didn’t happen and of coarse I was the only person at the table to forget I’d shown the bluff at the time. I think this 10 minute spell was the biggest poker lesson I could ever have had, and not even the greatest players combined could have drilled the lesson into me without me seeing for myself. I always knew table image was key, but its even more key to remember what you own image is before you make a move.
I decided to chill out for a little bit and despite being tempted by the 50p/£1 cash I wasn’t exactly rolled for it. So I took as Sit and Go and was seated with Tempusfuge, Mike1975 (again) and Barbie who had passed on MP33’s stake for me. Again I made the basic error of showing a bluff early on. However I think the call from Tempusfudge with A10 would have come anyways he spiked the 10 against my AK and I was left with ½ a BB. UTG I just put it in a didn’t look at my cards. Turns out I had 56os and rivering a 4 for the nuts gave me a quad up. But with the BB next hand and my mighty hand that I can’t remember I busted out.
Later on in the day I met OnlyoneCT for the first time. He really was a sound guy, and later offered me some pretty sound advice just before the Side event. Again this was £15+4 and although it took a while in getting going it was a good event (for a super turbo). I was Again seated with Kiwini4u for the third time in 3 events. Other names on the table include a now fully recovered Jaegerbomb and RosJim1. I think my natural aggressive game really came through in this tournament as by the first break I was one of very few who could still raise fold. I was amongst the chip leaders before I was crushed back to starting stack. However QQ v JJ flopping a Q to secure and then AK v AT flopping trip K’s turning a house and rivering Quads really helped and again I was back within the chip leaders.
Rich Orford then joined the table and the banter really got going. As final table set in, I think me and Rich where the two dominant chip leaders, with Tighty not far behind. I may be wrong in saying that, we certainly had the largest piles. Then Tighty and Rich got into a big hand together in the end I thought Rich had Aces or Kings, tighty thought the same and Rich then showed AK, one a flop of QJx. This was a big dent in Tighty’s stack and now Rich was chip leader by some way. The very next hand I was the only player to get chiped up mainly because I had most the 100’s and 25’s so I was given the only 2 5000 chips in play. Im on BB tighty shoves, Jaeger shoves, Rospink shoves. And then everyone folds to me. I look at one card, Q. And I think please to god be anything but a Q. I look at the other one, it’s a Q. At this point I really could have cried. 3 all ins and I have Queens, its around half my stack, maybe more to call. I ponder and fold before I change my mind. Rich looked at me and asked if it was a big fold. I said yes, but I wouldn’t disclose until I knew it wasn’t going to effect other players. A9, AK and 66 where shown. Rich said does it effect I said, no I had Queens. My head at this point was clearly regretting the fold, but I felt at this point in the tournament it was the right one. The flop comes 77Q to make me feel even worse.
Eventually we got down to 7. We where asked to move tables so we could have a dealer. Not something I’ve ever heard of, but then again we didn’t complain. I had tilted badly after the QQ hand and was now down to 3BB and it was the bubble. Rich and someone else where discussing money and I piped up, does any one fancy a split, knowing its never going to happen. However Rich and the other player came up with a deal that 7th gets £30. This was a pretty big relief I was 3 away from the BB and with only 3BB I knew in this I was getting a call. Tilt had been my enemy again. I get 3’s I shove and somehow it gets through. I folded the next hand, but then UTG I got QJ. 5.5BB I felt I didn’t have a choice all in it went and folded to Rich in the SB. He ponders and folds. The BB snaps with KQ, good game, the river was a Q but I needed the jack. I almost thought for a minute I had won it when the Queen landed. Rich later said he folded A10. When he said that I was amazed. I was probably the loosest player on the table shoving with a very wide range. I actual fact I wish he’d called now as the BB would likely have folded and id be back in the game.
However it was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had and certainly one of the fastest learning curves I’ve ever experienced. On the whole and epic weekend.
Comments
really wanted to play at glasgow last year but never qualified. would love to see another SPT in scotland but sky have explained some pretty valid reasons.
I beleive Barbie went on to win £600 on the cah tables which is pretty suprising when he,s hardly ever played cash - There were some good players on his table as wel -
He won,t mind me saying he,s a propper luckbox tho - He,s already got a seat at Cardiff for a fiver
I,ve been sat on tables for a few hours in SPT,s with some good players on here and you can,t help but learn from them - Are you trying for Cardiff?
Yea hes a good player though, when i played with him he didnt make any major mistakes i can think of. Pretty solid game. I also railed part of the SPT Cardiff semi tonight and he was ripping the table apart.
I will be trying for Cardiff. As soon as i get paid ive set myself 2 attempts. Will defo be at DTD as putting a kitty together to buy in direct (seriously cba with sats if i can avoid them) and will likley still sell a stake. Couple of family members have piped up and interest.