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A rollercoaster ride in the toon.
What I didn’t realise is today I’d experience all aspects of poker. I’ve played hundreds of low stake MTT’s, and I’ve always felt I could go up to the next level. I think at Newcastle I have a lot to be proud of. Not only was jumping one or two levels I was jumping from low stakes tournaments into what seemed like the deep end. I was to unfold of one the craziest days of poker I’ve ever had.
When I sat down I didn’t know anyone on my table. I was actually moved table before I discovered I had played poker for 5 and a half hours previously with UKIPT Nottingham runner up Brett Angell. I had to actually Google him when I got home to know exactly which opponent he was although I had a small suspicion as I ruled it down to 3 people and one wasn’t what you’d expect to be call Brett. My first table was where I’d spend most of the day, and certainly one where I went from every emotion possible in poker. Here’s a brief analysis of hands and thoughts and of what everything in between from the day.
As I sat down I hand two local Geordies to my left, both where a great laugh, although the guy who I spent most of my time talking to was an Irish lad to my right. To the right of the Irish guy was a very Laggy local player and then another local who very rarely played a hand. To the left to the two Geordies on my left was Brett Angell. Names of all these players I’m unsure of as I wasn’t really paying much attention just having a laugh and banter while playing cards. Certainly this table had to be in the top 1 tables for table banter playing on the 16th of June anywhere in the world.
By the time I got to the casino and made sure everything was in check I was pretty nervous, I never drink while playing but after speaking to my backers for the event they both agreed it was best I had a pint before we started just to relax me a little, so I did. It didn’t help and I was quickly donking off chips. In honesty those first two hours where just terrible for me. I played the worst poker I’ve ever played. It wasn’t too loose or too tight, one hand I’d be in with 73o, the next I’d be limping UTG with AQ to limp raise, only for 5 people to limp behind. The first break hit and really I needed it. I spoke to my backers again I was frustrated with myself, I’d spent part of the second hour on tilt, but had managed to re-group at the table with a little thanks to some “colonial” banter with the Irish guy.
After the break I found this second gear, I started with around 9K I think, and about 10 minutes in a guy who’d only raised once previously raised, folded to me in the CO and I look down at AKo. I 3-bet and he flats, the flop comes 10 high and I c-bet and he shoved. Now id put 4K into the pot and I only had 1 5K chip back, I probably should have stacked with AK high, but I decided to avoid any further action. He seen the stress on my face and as I folded he showed me KK. Great fold in the end, but really should have been broke there. It was then another bottle of Sol arrived for me. I don’t know what was in that bottle of Sol, but I tell you something it made a difference. I stepped up a gear into aggro mode. I started to read situations better again.
Then sitting with about 4K after a couple of raise fold this hand happens. Folded to the Irish guy who raises in the CO. I make a light call on the button with 34 of hearts expecting both blinds to call to make it profitable. They didn’t. The flop came AJ3r I checked, Irish c-bet. I snapped. Turn 10. I checked, Irish checked. In honesty the 10 was a bad card for me here. I was pretty sure I was ahead on the flop, but KQ just got there, 10x just got there, I was regretting not check raising but I think the flat was better. The river was a 2. I check again and the Irish guy asks me how much I got, I say, “around 3.5K back, but if you shove ill call” I was being honest, I believed he either had KQ or complete air, and I was willing to put my tournament on the line that my read was right. He checks saying afterwards he was going to shove but I talked him out of it. He had K high. This was great for me, the read being right was a huge boost, but not only that, id talked my way out of having to pay to prove it. Wrong and I look like an idiot leaving a tourney with 4th pair and no kicker to match.
The very next hand Brett Angell raises from UTG and its folded round to me. I look down at AK again, this time I decide no chances, and declare raise. I suddenly realise Brett has raise 4xBB therefore I can’t really 3-bet. So my whole stack goes in. Everyone folds. Brett’s fold was almost instant. This was suddenly momentum coming back and confidence was flowing, as the next hand is dealt I thinking about leaving the table for a second to go for a smoke, but I look at KJ of hearts facing a MP min raise from the tight player who previously had kings. Maybe a bad call but I made it up brimming with confidence. The flop came Ah, Kc, 4c. He c-bets and I decide to float. I reckon a K might be good, but ill assess the turn; it’s the 10 of clubs. He checks and I think perfect every draw just got there. I bet he folds shoving an Ace. 3 hands in a row and suddenly I’m back up to 9K.
That was me until my next BB. Geordie raises from UTG+1 and folded to SB who calls. Blinds at this point are 150/300 so my 30BB stack didn’t feel great still. The raise was to 750. So as I look at QTo I think not great hand, but its 350 to win 1600. So I call. Flop 89J 2 diamonds. SB checks, now usually id check raise here, but Tikay once said “do your own betting” and I don’t know why in the one hand it echo’d in my head. I checked, no diamond, maybe that’s what worried me a little. I lead for 975 miscalculating the pot slightly. The both call. The turn card almost couldn’t have been a worse one, a 7. It wasn’t a diamond but now only a 10 can really pay me off. SB checks and this time I get the pot size about right betting 2950. They both folded although one stated he wanted to shove but his gut told him not to. I quietly just placed my hand in the muck and piled my now recovering chip stack up. After this I was dominating the table, no one it would seem wanted to play with me. I literally raised without showdown from 14K to 25K.
Then a break. We got a few hands in when we got back but I was moved table. 3 levels to go and I am into Day 2. I’m 10K above average but I’m on a table I have no knowledge about. First hand and I’m straight into the hi-jack seat. It gets folded to me I look at AJ of clubs and raise a standard 2.5BB. SB and BB both call. Flop comes Qc, Ks, Xx not a great flop v 2 opponents with just a gutshot so I checked back taking the free card. The turn was possibly the hardest card in the deck for me to play with my hand, the King of clubs. It adds me a flush draw aswell as the double draw with the one outer to the nuts. Checked to me again, I bet ¾ and SB re-raises the pot. BB gets out the way and I suddenly hate my hand. Aye other card but the King of clubs and I’m not even tempted to put another dime in. However the draw gets the better of me and I call. River J of diamonds. I miss literally everything. SB checks and I count up a big pile of chips to bet, then my better judgement tells me don’t just check back here. He shoves me K2o. This was pretty annoying. I went away from the table for 5 mins just to recover my head a little. Maybe I should have bet the flop, maybe I could have checked the turn. By doing either I save money.
I keep an eye on the table and see the button approaching my stack again I sit down just before my UTG hand is dealt a little bit more refreshed, but I was soon to play the worst 30 seconds of poker I could ever have done. I looked down at 9h 9c. I raise 2.5BB. Folded to BTN who re-pops me. Again my lack of knowledge of this table is hindering my judgement. I look at my opponent by getting a rough idea of his age and where he’s from I might can get a read of some sort, he’s younger than me and of Ethnic Origin. I decided he probably I LAG but for some reason I flat. The flop comes 8 high with 2 diamonds, I check and he bets. I make the worst decision in the history of poker. I Flat. The Turn comes a 10, but it’s a diamond and there 7810 on the board now. I check he checks back. The river is a blank, its lower than a 10, not a diamond and doesn’t compete my straight. I bet pot, my opponent tanks then calls, I show my 99, he shows me T4o. My stack destroyed in 2 hands. I decided at this point, 45 mins till the break, nothing silly till then, ill re-group and re-focus during that time. BB next hand and I get KQ. Guy in MP with a lot of chips raises 2.5BB and its folded to me. I look at KQo and decided to 3-bet to take control of the hand. He folds quickly. This was me until the break as I folded my way.
After the break I realised 2 more levels and I’m in day 2. My stack isn’t brilliant but 10K would be worth taking to day 2 if I can get to that. I on around 6.5K. First hand back and its my turn on the button. Blinds are 200/400 so I have 17BB so still playable. I have Ad, 10h and CO raises, he’s been quiet in that time and as a result I flat, the flop comes 7 high all diamonds. 2 overs + NFD, he checks, I just stick the lot in. Maybe a mistake but playing this pot with my stack was a mistake. He folds but it was quick I think he was on the steal, his check was quick too. About 3 hands later the guy who had 104o previous raises in MP, I have AKs and shove, my stack was about right for that 3bet shove. He asks for a count and then folds. I was back over 9K. However that was to be the last spot I was to get. I folded my way back down to 6.5K blinds at which point where 300/600 but it was the last level of the day. One spot I kept telling myself, as the rest of me kept saying fold to day 2. There was lots of 3betting on my table which made shoving light harder, but I still said 78s or better and its in. I wish I could have even found better than 78s. In a whole 90 minutes of folding the best if folded was A8s with a 4 bet before me, which made it clear I didn’t have a spot there. Then came my hand A5o but with just one raise from a guy who’d seen that id been very tight and spot picky. He hated my shove and he told me as much. He said, “do you want a call?” and without answering directly I said “ill show either way.” This was almost just desperation to get it through. 8K I would be up to if I don’t have to go to a flop, although I’ve figured my Ace high as being good I’m not that far ahead of any two. He sighs and calls and shows QJo. Flop J23 giving me some outs but its been turned. I didn’t get there. However im glad I went out there rather than folding to day 2 and having a completely pointless stack.
Dad made it into day 2 and he has 17.5K so the day wasn’t pointless and ill be back hopefully playing the £300 side event if I can qualify in via the live sat.
Comments
UL mate good experiance though
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Very good read don hope you do it to 2nd day next time and post the experience for us mere mortals. WP
Glad you enjoyed your day, enjoyed reading that.. Good Luck In Edinburgh!
My favourite quote was
"I look at my opponent by getting a rough idea of his age and where he’s from I might can get a read of some sort, he’s younger than me and of Ethnic Origin. I decided he probably I LAG but for some reason I flat"
So if you see a really old man, with silver hair from Ilkeston, raise, its a snap fold innit!
TKP- WE STAND AS ONE
' Certainly this table had to be in the top 1 tables for table banter playing on the 16th of June anywhere in the world.'
lol exaggeration ftw
Also :
'It wasn’t too loose or too tight'
then you were playing fine?? but u said you were playing bad before this sentence contradictions ftw
agree with Doh about the AT hand. a couple of the hands above seem like an a fold or shove spot and you chose to call.
unlucky exit hand too, but like you said you needed a double up to make day 2 and far better to go out fighting at the end of day 1 than folding ur way into day 2 with a nothing stack.
now grind a roll on 2p/4p and then qualify for the GUKPT Luton! only if you agree to wear a blue Sky Poker t shirt tho and not them fishy Orange TKP ones haha
Thanks to Scotty and JJ aswell as i know both of you are commenting with the best of interests when your saying that about the hands. In responce to pre flop with the 99 hand JJ, he re-raise to about 1900 i had a stack of 18Kish at the time. The biggest problem was re-gathering my head at the time.
The AT hand i agree with pre-flop comments. Both the blinds had about starting stack at this point which was 15k, maybe a little more.
I really enjoyed the day, and believe i can compete in those fields more than ever now. Im glad Scotty agrees with my shove aswell.
I forgot to add the hand in this blog where i raised Brett Angell on the flop with 7 high
My m8 played it and went out on 99 - flop came kk9 - other guy had quad k,s - As long as you learn from it tho
I know Julian Thew is playing today and heard he was around 17 or 18k not that long ago, although how up to date that is i dont know.
I just discovered the player on my second table who i 3bet with KQ was a guy called Richard Hawes. Now that meant nothing to me but his picture was on the UKIPT facebook page so i thought meh he must be decent as theirs only 5 peoples pictures there. So i googled him. Turns out hes got a decent track record and according to chip counts is a sponsored player for the event.
I know this was probably one of the softer events but it certainly didnt feel like i was out of my league playing it when i played poker they way i know how.
Ty again to all. And MP33 i never recovered from that mentally before the break which i need to, by folding till then i hurt my stack badly.
TKP FTW
xx
Brownndog on just above average when I exited I think, LjamesL probably CL or not far off it, so hopefully we'll have a winner from Sky anyhow!
Just as i was getting this i seen this doesnt sound good
8.52 pm: Williams on the rail
I just bumped into James Williams who is currently nursing a tumbler of apple juice* having got mangled in two grim hands a couple of levels ago. He first turned a straight at the same time as Keith Hawkins made a full house and then shortly after he got in with A♦Q♦ against kings. Tough lines for the cash game player - get back online
Dannymcs, are you going for the bigger side event today? Sat for it at Aspers at 4PM.
A little while later folded to me in CO. I shove 33. BTN calls AK, hits flush. I blind down badly, and shove my 3BB stack with 99. AQ calls but only has 8.5K, 1K less than me. Theres 2 people to go till a seat and i see someone walkin away so this was now the bubble. A is the first card out. Im left with 1K and BB gets moved, im BB with 1/3 of a BB to put in. I dont even loook guy shoves and shows KJ. I flip mine over to my delight 55, flop A67. Turn A, river 7. Possibly the cruelest way to lose a flip.
Good news comes however. Dad donated me 20% before the event as part of a deal of taking 30% of me. Hes made the money and will return tomorrow.
Updates from UKIPT blog on dad.
6.55pm: Premium versus Premium
From middle position Donald Elliot opened to 6,000 and when it folded to Lars Stockenschneider in the small blind he moved all-in, Elliot made a quick call.
Stockenschneider: J♣J♦
Elliot: Q♥Q♠
The dealer dealt the flop one card at a time and it fell J♠4♥Q♦ and both Stockenschneider and Elliot went through a raft of emotions. The turn was the 9♣ and the river was the 6♥. The stacks were counted down and Elliot's all-in was for 38,100, Stockenschneider was left with around 17,000. -- NW
Richard Hawes is a player I come across a fair bit on the Leeds poker scene, he is a very good player and usually has backing for these events
Dave
Great experiance for me to have and its really boosted my poker knowledge and i loved every min of it. Dad is back today although im not sure if im going down.
2.10pm: Three early exits
Three players are already out and have been whisked away to the payouts area to collect their £750, they are: 72nd: Martin Amer, 71st: Marc Humphrey and 70th: Donald Elliot . -- NW
He got nasty trable draw.