| Game Type: | Pot Limit |
| Buy-in: | £30 |
For the fifth time on the bounce, Gala @ Notts broke their record for the Prize Pool in their Sunday night £30 tourney last night - 77 runners, and an amazing 292 rebuys, equating to a Prize Pool of £11,070, & a tempting £4,320 to the winner. 369,000 chips were in play at the Freeze, so 37k was needed to final with an average stack.
The field was led by Yoyo Thew, Kim Costa, & Ian Oldershaw, together with the usual collection of Tykes down from Sheffield, & a strong Notts gathering.
We pick it up in 3 tables from home when, unusually for him, tikay is in great shape with 40k+, more than twice the average at this stage, & more than enough to final with. But I decide not to fall for my usual trap of easing off, & keep playing, determined to Final with a big lead. Least, that was the plan.....
My table breaks, two tables now, I draw a card for table 1, & I march off, proudly carrying my stack, only to find that I am in seat 9 - & in seat 10 is a deep stacked Thewy. Game on, then.
Sit & watch tricks for a few hands, see who has the chips, who is busy, then decide it's time to get back to work. On the button with 6-5, no action yet, "RAISE" I announce, "full pot". Thewy in the SB fixes me with a stare, he's gonna pass. I KNOW he's gonna pass. "RERAISE" he says. I just KNEW he was gonna do that..... Oh boy. Hand in till, & Thewy of all people has to catch me. I decide to be sensible, let it go, & bashfully show my 6-5, but save face by declaring, so that all can hear loud and clear, "OK, I know you got a monster". He flips over Q-6. Smart ass.
Two more setbacks - not smart ass this time - and my 40k is now a puny 17k, sheesh, why didn't I just nut up?
On the BB this time, blinds are 800-1,600, Thewy has passed, but dealer Chippy has limped, so have two others. Hmm, 9-6 this time, but a tempting 5k+ in the pot, "RAISE" I say confidently, I know they all gotta pass. Chippy limps again, WTF? The others pass. Oh jeez. OK, plan is to bet the flop come what may. "How much you got Chippy" I say, he says 3,200, & I immediately & theatrically pick 3,200 from my stack, ready to bet the flop, & I hold the chips over the line, ready to drop 'em. That'll teach him. Cant be doing with folks seeing I R'd with 9-6, now can we? Flop is 9-6-3 And just as I am about to drop the chips I realise - shit, I got top 2 pairs. "Check". Chippy moves in, he he, I call, chippy got A-9, top pair, top kicker, I announce "two pair, but am slow to show. Thewy picks up my cards & turns 'em over, "come on Granddad (grrr), lets see your monster". Table see my 9-6, Chippy is history (sorry Fella - that's the first time I nicked, honest), but he takes it like a true gent, "well done Tony" he says, though not hard to imagine what he is thinking. Meanwhile, Thewy has called the supervisor - "look, the ol fella's at it, 9-6" & displayed my hand to all & sundry. Ha bloody ha.
And so it continued, my stack doing a real Yoyo imitation, and I am at about 25k when I find AA on the SB, & bet it properly. Thewy calls - "gotcha!" I think - and a low stack in mid position calls too. Flop is J-8-6. This plays itself, I have to bet, "full pot", I say, & in they go. Thewy gives it a dwell, then RR's me....Eh? Low stack calls all-in, now I gotta decide what to do about Thewy's RR. Two pair? Trips? Bugger all, more likely. All-in, I announce, Thewy calls, he shows J-6 - two pair, two damn pair, & he's called my R with bus tickets! Billy low stack has K-8 - he's caught the 8, but he's no prob. Damn damn damn, Thewy has done me again - but a miracle 8 rivers! So Billy low stack has a set now & gets pot 1, & tikay has somehow got out of jail, two pairs, Aces & Eights, against Thewy's counterfeited two pairs, Jacks & Sixes as was, Jacks & Eights as is. He he, yum yum yum, life is good, this game is easy. Thewy sulking now.
Tikay king of the castle now, but I promptly blow away half my stack in two hands - proper hands too, but get outdrawn both times, pah, back down to 19k, 16 players left, NEED MORE CHIPS......
Death came quickly. I find 22 on the Button, R it up, for the umpteenth time Yoyo Thew RR'd me. Sod him, I don't think he has a pair, I am SURE he aint got a pair, I REFUSE to be knocked outa this thing. "RR" I say, Thewy sets me all-in, in they go, I turn over my two deuces, he turns over.....AK. Perfect! 3-4, AK, I don't care, he aint got a pair, I am ahead, & I am favourite. First card out is an...... ACE, & tikay has donated the remains of his his stack to golden bollocks....
FINAL
So I am sidelined, but it looks a good Final, so I decide to sit & watch.
Seat 1 - Steve Steves, 35,500
Seat 2 - Luigi Troccolo, 22,000
Seat 3 - Micky Campbell, 61,500
Seat 4, L Javed, 34,500
Seat 5, Pete Conduit, 38,000
Seat 6, Julian Yoyo Thew, 77,500
Seat 7, Chris Reynolds, 2,000
Seat 8, Ali Bag of Bollocks Ahmed, 18,000
Seat 9, Jimmy Hague, 45,000
Seat 10, Rob Yong, 38,000
So chip leader is Thewy, in good shape after consolidating his stack with mine. I refuse to discuss him. Next up is Micky Campbell. Very, very aggressive. In the semi's he had RRR'd in what looked certain to be an AA v KK confrontation - & turned over A-J. His oppo had KK, & the A hit the turn. Where did he learn that play?
Third stack is dealer Jimmy, used to play a lot in Derby Stanley's, got a cute game. Next comes Pete Conduit, retired Rock, but now a full-time member of the at-it brigade. Equal with Pete is Rob Yong. Rob's only been on the scene a year or so. Youngish looking 40, hugely successful businessman, seriously lairy at the table. Almost made the money in his first WPT effort at the Bellagio in December.
Then comes L. Javed - one time owner of a fleet of taxis in Derby. Does everything at his own pace, wont be rushed, a quiet & unassuming Asian. Steve in seat 1 is a Greek-Cypriot, born in Liverpool, if that makes sense. Pleasant, feisty if messed about with, but not a member of the Greek Same-Village Society. If there were such a thing, which of course there is not, perish the thought.
Luigi in Seat 2 an Italian - fancy that, with a name like Luigi - owns a local restaurant. Semi-maniac. Ali Bag of Bollocks is in seat 8, & it's shock to see Ali at the Final Table. Ali's second greatest talent is his ability to accumulate huge stacks of chips. His coup de grace is his uncanny ability to redistribute them. And, lastly, with a puny 2,000, is Chris Reynolds. Only his third ever comp, & this is his third Final Table - great stuff Chris!
OK, off we go.
Chris, riffling his stack - well, both chips - like a veteran, is soon in action, & remarkably, trebles up with JJ. He pushes in again next hand, inevitably gets called by both blinds, & it's Conduit the Failed Rock who gets lucky when his rag 8 hits. Chris Reynolds out 10th.
Thewy then tries it on in the SB & raises into Ali Bag-of-B, but Ali gives it his trademark "I bet the POT", & Thewy wisely steps aside, message received loud & clear.
Next, it's Thewy & Pete Conduit, Pete limping with A-J, & Thewy getting all heavy with 77. Pete calls the R with alacrity, an A falls on the flop, & he milks it beautifully, Thewy depositing half his stack into the 60k pot before slowing down.
Micky Campbell get's busy now, bluffing on the Button & showing to the evident chagrin of Javed & Conduit.
Now we saw a remarkable hand, when Javed R'd on the button with KQ suited, & Thewy took umbrage in the BB & decided to slog it out with his 6-2 off. Maybe he thought he was ahead, eh? Anyway, the board comes T-4-8-9-4, Thewy bets 12k on the end with his 6 high, (playing the board!), & Javed after a lengthy dwell, calls with his KQ suited - and wins with K high!
Then Steve, sitting quiet until now, risked his all with AQ against Micky with AK, and got a last gasp reprieve when his Q rivered to keep him alive.
But the next hand was a real jaw-dropper. Pete Conduit made it 24k to go with JJ, Rob Yong RR'd all-in another 48k, & then Micky Campbell came over the top of both of 'em & pushed his 90k in the middle, giving Pete Conduit a serious headache. Pete gambles with his JJ & calls the RRR, Rob Yong turns over "the boots", but Micky had a surprise in store for then both - Q-T. Queen Ten! A board of A-8-K-9 gave everyone something to hope for on the river, but a harmless 3 fell, giving Rob Yong a monster stack and a lead he was never to relinquish.
Thewy was getting restless now - it's been at least two hands since he's been in action, & he risks all against Ali B-of-B with A-Q, and that aint a bad hand on a board of Q-5-3-Q-5. Ali out 9th for £220, & doubtless on the roulette table before the next hand was dealt. There's no nicer or more fascinating character than Ali, and it's always a little sad to see him depart, the table is always quieter without him.
Luigi now decides to take his chance, & moves in with K-T, but Thewy has K-9, which to mere mortals makes Thewy a serious dog, but this is his specialty act, & nobody is in the least surprised when he catches his 9 to send Luigi crashing out, with £375 for solace.
Dealer Jimmy then took on the huge stacked Rob Yong, and an all club flop saw Jimmy bet, & Rob RR. Jimmy eventually let it go, & Rob showed his A-Q, with the Q of clubs, Jimmy in deep trouble now.
The same pairing clashed next hand, &, amazingly Rob Yung had the same hand, A-Q, missed everything, but somehow caught the wheel, & Jimmy was toast, having enjoyed no luck at all. But 7th & £430 was handy.
Micky was back in action next, and a flop of A-K-J was hardly perfect for his pocket Queens, but he bet out, & both opponents let it go, amazing stuff. But he was soon to perish, after two huge outdraws, & exited 6th £540.
Thewy now embarked on a series of raises, 3 time in 4 hands, twice forcing Rob Yong to let go of hands, very probably winners too. But when he tried it again, Yong cried "enough" & moved in on Thewy. Yong has a shrewd mind, & the suspicion had to be that he did not have much at all, but was telling Thewy "stop messing with me, OK sunshine?". And Thewy knew this - he must have done, or else he would never have made the all-in call with A-J. Rob turned over QQ - proper hand - & with no help, Thewy was gone, 5th, £645.
Pete Conduit was soon to follow him, when his AK failed to improve against Steve's QQ, Pete netted £810 for 4th. This guy's game has improved enormously the last 6 months, & he's a true gent. He's one of those guys you find it hard to believe can steal, & maybe that's why he has done so well. Maybe I oughta try this stealing lark.
3 left now, & 20 minutes to chip count, all 3 are mentally calculating the best way to play this. And all 3 know that Rob can maximise his winnings by busting 'em both, but they know they only have to avoid being KO'd to increase their winnings. It's intriguing stuff, Rob raising hand after hand, the 2 short stacks ducking & diving to avoid him, but trying to nick enough chips to get home. Rob has a sea of purple (5k) chips in front of him, & it's truly "any 2 cards will do", but Javed decides it's now or never, moves with K-4, Rob rises to the challenge with Q-8, hits, & that's Javed gone, a braver 3rd, & £1,080.
5 minutes to chip count now, & Steve's far too bright to jeopardise his stack by tangling with Yong. Yong limps, check raises, calls, the whole works, to try & trap Steve, but the Greek-Cypriot-Scouse aint having any of it, & clings on to a superb 2nd when the last hand is called & played out anti-climatically. Chip count - Steve £2,500, Rob Yong £3,900. Not bad for a £30 comp, & top marks to both of these guys.
Top marks to Rob & the Gala crew too. The comps there are self-deal (apart from the £100) & we hear plenty of chuntering about this, but the attendances keep rising, inexorably, week after week. They must be doing something right.
The field was led by Yoyo Thew, Kim Costa, & Ian Oldershaw, together with the usual collection of Tykes down from Sheffield, & a strong Notts gathering.
We pick it up in 3 tables from home when, unusually for him, tikay is in great shape with 40k+, more than twice the average at this stage, & more than enough to final with. But I decide not to fall for my usual trap of easing off, & keep playing, determined to Final with a big lead. Least, that was the plan.....
My table breaks, two tables now, I draw a card for table 1, & I march off, proudly carrying my stack, only to find that I am in seat 9 - & in seat 10 is a deep stacked Thewy. Game on, then.
Sit & watch tricks for a few hands, see who has the chips, who is busy, then decide it's time to get back to work. On the button with 6-5, no action yet, "RAISE" I announce, "full pot". Thewy in the SB fixes me with a stare, he's gonna pass. I KNOW he's gonna pass. "RERAISE" he says. I just KNEW he was gonna do that..... Oh boy. Hand in till, & Thewy of all people has to catch me. I decide to be sensible, let it go, & bashfully show my 6-5, but save face by declaring, so that all can hear loud and clear, "OK, I know you got a monster". He flips over Q-6. Smart ass.
Two more setbacks - not smart ass this time - and my 40k is now a puny 17k, sheesh, why didn't I just nut up?
On the BB this time, blinds are 800-1,600, Thewy has passed, but dealer Chippy has limped, so have two others. Hmm, 9-6 this time, but a tempting 5k+ in the pot, "RAISE" I say confidently, I know they all gotta pass. Chippy limps again, WTF? The others pass. Oh jeez. OK, plan is to bet the flop come what may. "How much you got Chippy" I say, he says 3,200, & I immediately & theatrically pick 3,200 from my stack, ready to bet the flop, & I hold the chips over the line, ready to drop 'em. That'll teach him. Cant be doing with folks seeing I R'd with 9-6, now can we? Flop is 9-6-3 And just as I am about to drop the chips I realise - shit, I got top 2 pairs. "Check". Chippy moves in, he he, I call, chippy got A-9, top pair, top kicker, I announce "two pair, but am slow to show. Thewy picks up my cards & turns 'em over, "come on Granddad (grrr), lets see your monster". Table see my 9-6, Chippy is history (sorry Fella - that's the first time I nicked, honest), but he takes it like a true gent, "well done Tony" he says, though not hard to imagine what he is thinking. Meanwhile, Thewy has called the supervisor - "look, the ol fella's at it, 9-6" & displayed my hand to all & sundry. Ha bloody ha.
And so it continued, my stack doing a real Yoyo imitation, and I am at about 25k when I find AA on the SB, & bet it properly. Thewy calls - "gotcha!" I think - and a low stack in mid position calls too. Flop is J-8-6. This plays itself, I have to bet, "full pot", I say, & in they go. Thewy gives it a dwell, then RR's me....Eh? Low stack calls all-in, now I gotta decide what to do about Thewy's RR. Two pair? Trips? Bugger all, more likely. All-in, I announce, Thewy calls, he shows J-6 - two pair, two damn pair, & he's called my R with bus tickets! Billy low stack has K-8 - he's caught the 8, but he's no prob. Damn damn damn, Thewy has done me again - but a miracle 8 rivers! So Billy low stack has a set now & gets pot 1, & tikay has somehow got out of jail, two pairs, Aces & Eights, against Thewy's counterfeited two pairs, Jacks & Sixes as was, Jacks & Eights as is. He he, yum yum yum, life is good, this game is easy. Thewy sulking now.
Tikay king of the castle now, but I promptly blow away half my stack in two hands - proper hands too, but get outdrawn both times, pah, back down to 19k, 16 players left, NEED MORE CHIPS......
Death came quickly. I find 22 on the Button, R it up, for the umpteenth time Yoyo Thew RR'd me. Sod him, I don't think he has a pair, I am SURE he aint got a pair, I REFUSE to be knocked outa this thing. "RR" I say, Thewy sets me all-in, in they go, I turn over my two deuces, he turns over.....AK. Perfect! 3-4, AK, I don't care, he aint got a pair, I am ahead, & I am favourite. First card out is an...... ACE, & tikay has donated the remains of his his stack to golden bollocks....
FINAL
So I am sidelined, but it looks a good Final, so I decide to sit & watch.
Seat 1 - Steve Steves, 35,500
Seat 2 - Luigi Troccolo, 22,000
Seat 3 - Micky Campbell, 61,500
Seat 4, L Javed, 34,500
Seat 5, Pete Conduit, 38,000
Seat 6, Julian Yoyo Thew, 77,500
Seat 7, Chris Reynolds, 2,000
Seat 8, Ali Bag of Bollocks Ahmed, 18,000
Seat 9, Jimmy Hague, 45,000
Seat 10, Rob Yong, 38,000
So chip leader is Thewy, in good shape after consolidating his stack with mine. I refuse to discuss him. Next up is Micky Campbell. Very, very aggressive. In the semi's he had RRR'd in what looked certain to be an AA v KK confrontation - & turned over A-J. His oppo had KK, & the A hit the turn. Where did he learn that play?
Third stack is dealer Jimmy, used to play a lot in Derby Stanley's, got a cute game. Next comes Pete Conduit, retired Rock, but now a full-time member of the at-it brigade. Equal with Pete is Rob Yong. Rob's only been on the scene a year or so. Youngish looking 40, hugely successful businessman, seriously lairy at the table. Almost made the money in his first WPT effort at the Bellagio in December.
Then comes L. Javed - one time owner of a fleet of taxis in Derby. Does everything at his own pace, wont be rushed, a quiet & unassuming Asian. Steve in seat 1 is a Greek-Cypriot, born in Liverpool, if that makes sense. Pleasant, feisty if messed about with, but not a member of the Greek Same-Village Society. If there were such a thing, which of course there is not, perish the thought.
Luigi in Seat 2 an Italian - fancy that, with a name like Luigi - owns a local restaurant. Semi-maniac. Ali Bag of Bollocks is in seat 8, & it's shock to see Ali at the Final Table. Ali's second greatest talent is his ability to accumulate huge stacks of chips. His coup de grace is his uncanny ability to redistribute them. And, lastly, with a puny 2,000, is Chris Reynolds. Only his third ever comp, & this is his third Final Table - great stuff Chris!
OK, off we go.
Chris, riffling his stack - well, both chips - like a veteran, is soon in action, & remarkably, trebles up with JJ. He pushes in again next hand, inevitably gets called by both blinds, & it's Conduit the Failed Rock who gets lucky when his rag 8 hits. Chris Reynolds out 10th.
Thewy then tries it on in the SB & raises into Ali Bag-of-B, but Ali gives it his trademark "I bet the POT", & Thewy wisely steps aside, message received loud & clear.
Next, it's Thewy & Pete Conduit, Pete limping with A-J, & Thewy getting all heavy with 77. Pete calls the R with alacrity, an A falls on the flop, & he milks it beautifully, Thewy depositing half his stack into the 60k pot before slowing down.
Micky Campbell get's busy now, bluffing on the Button & showing to the evident chagrin of Javed & Conduit.
Now we saw a remarkable hand, when Javed R'd on the button with KQ suited, & Thewy took umbrage in the BB & decided to slog it out with his 6-2 off. Maybe he thought he was ahead, eh? Anyway, the board comes T-4-8-9-4, Thewy bets 12k on the end with his 6 high, (playing the board!), & Javed after a lengthy dwell, calls with his KQ suited - and wins with K high!
Then Steve, sitting quiet until now, risked his all with AQ against Micky with AK, and got a last gasp reprieve when his Q rivered to keep him alive.
But the next hand was a real jaw-dropper. Pete Conduit made it 24k to go with JJ, Rob Yong RR'd all-in another 48k, & then Micky Campbell came over the top of both of 'em & pushed his 90k in the middle, giving Pete Conduit a serious headache. Pete gambles with his JJ & calls the RRR, Rob Yong turns over "the boots", but Micky had a surprise in store for then both - Q-T. Queen Ten! A board of A-8-K-9 gave everyone something to hope for on the river, but a harmless 3 fell, giving Rob Yong a monster stack and a lead he was never to relinquish.
Thewy was getting restless now - it's been at least two hands since he's been in action, & he risks all against Ali B-of-B with A-Q, and that aint a bad hand on a board of Q-5-3-Q-5. Ali out 9th for £220, & doubtless on the roulette table before the next hand was dealt. There's no nicer or more fascinating character than Ali, and it's always a little sad to see him depart, the table is always quieter without him.
Luigi now decides to take his chance, & moves in with K-T, but Thewy has K-9, which to mere mortals makes Thewy a serious dog, but this is his specialty act, & nobody is in the least surprised when he catches his 9 to send Luigi crashing out, with £375 for solace.
Dealer Jimmy then took on the huge stacked Rob Yong, and an all club flop saw Jimmy bet, & Rob RR. Jimmy eventually let it go, & Rob showed his A-Q, with the Q of clubs, Jimmy in deep trouble now.
The same pairing clashed next hand, &, amazingly Rob Yung had the same hand, A-Q, missed everything, but somehow caught the wheel, & Jimmy was toast, having enjoyed no luck at all. But 7th & £430 was handy.
Micky was back in action next, and a flop of A-K-J was hardly perfect for his pocket Queens, but he bet out, & both opponents let it go, amazing stuff. But he was soon to perish, after two huge outdraws, & exited 6th £540.
Thewy now embarked on a series of raises, 3 time in 4 hands, twice forcing Rob Yong to let go of hands, very probably winners too. But when he tried it again, Yong cried "enough" & moved in on Thewy. Yong has a shrewd mind, & the suspicion had to be that he did not have much at all, but was telling Thewy "stop messing with me, OK sunshine?". And Thewy knew this - he must have done, or else he would never have made the all-in call with A-J. Rob turned over QQ - proper hand - & with no help, Thewy was gone, 5th, £645.
Pete Conduit was soon to follow him, when his AK failed to improve against Steve's QQ, Pete netted £810 for 4th. This guy's game has improved enormously the last 6 months, & he's a true gent. He's one of those guys you find it hard to believe can steal, & maybe that's why he has done so well. Maybe I oughta try this stealing lark.
3 left now, & 20 minutes to chip count, all 3 are mentally calculating the best way to play this. And all 3 know that Rob can maximise his winnings by busting 'em both, but they know they only have to avoid being KO'd to increase their winnings. It's intriguing stuff, Rob raising hand after hand, the 2 short stacks ducking & diving to avoid him, but trying to nick enough chips to get home. Rob has a sea of purple (5k) chips in front of him, & it's truly "any 2 cards will do", but Javed decides it's now or never, moves with K-4, Rob rises to the challenge with Q-8, hits, & that's Javed gone, a braver 3rd, & £1,080.
5 minutes to chip count now, & Steve's far too bright to jeopardise his stack by tangling with Yong. Yong limps, check raises, calls, the whole works, to try & trap Steve, but the Greek-Cypriot-Scouse aint having any of it, & clings on to a superb 2nd when the last hand is called & played out anti-climatically. Chip count - Steve £2,500, Rob Yong £3,900. Not bad for a £30 comp, & top marks to both of these guys.
Top marks to Rob & the Gala crew too. The comps there are self-deal (apart from the £100) & we hear plenty of chuntering about this, but the attendances keep rising, inexorably, week after week. They must be doing something right.