blonde poker

 

The WSOP kept registrations open for 45 minutes after the start of the tourney, as they wanted the field to reach the magic 2000 entry figure. The atmosphere was the best so far in my opinion, I think this was because the arena was actually full and there were crowds of onlookers asking for the stars autographs and trying to catch a glimpse of their idol playing a pot. Phil Helmuth was generating most interest and the railbirds were 5 people thick just to see the 9 times WSOP bracelet in action. Poker is going to be massive in the UK in 3 years time, without a doubt. I arrived at my table to find no name players on it and the table was very tight except for 2 players, one of them called every single raise with any 2 cards - he was out within 15 minutes. By the first break we had lost over 500 players and I was heading the same wayI had only played 5 pots, including the blinds  and anted down to 1000 chips from 1500, my best hand had been AT. Sometimes you just get a cold deck and miss every flop and there is nothing you can do about it  (I will play more cards than the average person so a cold deck for me is a freezing deck for most players). The blinds were at 50-100 so I was in poor shape, with only 1 move left - All-In. I decided to wait for one of the looser players on the table to raise and re-raise all-in with a hand that I was confident that I was at least 60-40 ahead with. This way I could get some chips if he passed or I was odds on to double if he called me. Some players I speak to define a trouble stack at 4 times to big blind (theory being that you have one decent raise left), but I feel that I have a trouble stack at 10 times the BB,, one Re-Raise left, as with 4 times the BB, the Big Blind nearly has pot odds to call you with any 2 cards unless you have a high pocket pair - also there is normally some clever dick that likes knocking people out with 73 off suit when it you can't damage his stack. Anyway, my opportunity arrived shortly:

Hand 1: I am in the SB. I loose player one off the button makes it 300 to go with the blinds at 50-100, making 450 in the pot. This guy thinks he has won the lottery when he is holding a rag ace (A9 or worse) so I hope I find a hand I look down and see AJh in my hand. This is not normally a hand, which I like to make a move with, as it could be dominated by AQ or AK. However, against Mr Rag Ace it is the daddy and I would be over 2-1 on to double up. I push All-In for my last 900 chips and Mr Rag Ace immediately mucks his hand..I reach over the collect the pot when a voice from the Big Blinds says wait a minute, I am still to act. This guy had not played a hand in 2 hours since he doubled up with AA early on, he was the Rock of all Rocks and I had been stealing his BB every round. I get the sinking feeling when I hear how much is it to call and I know my pretty AJh is going to be in crushed by his pocket aces or kings. He puts his 800 chips in the middle and turns over The Rockets, AA. No flush or straight for me and I am out and the Rock wins again. I don't like Rocks and hate giving them my chips, they are not poker players, they just wait for AA, KK and some of their species even fold QQ to a raise. Often people refer to certain top players as Rocks when they are actually not, these players play very tight early on so they can set you up for big bluffs later on. This guy was the Grandfather of Rocks and the poker gods had to give him AA in the Big Blind when I make my move in the SBbut I am not bitter!

Anyway, that's 4 WSOP events played, 1 small money finish and 11 pages of my journal completed. I have 7 more events left to win my $50,000 back. I still believe I am good enough to do it, maybe win more, but my timing is a bit off at the moment, I keep making the Right Moves against the Wrong Hands in the Right Situations!

1.   55 V and AA limper,
2.   Jack flush V Ace Flush
3.   Straight on the river V my top pair
4.   AJ V AA (SB V BB)
   
In 3 of these hands I got all my chips in first and ran into dominating hands and when I lost to the straight on the river I had made the correct call. I'm happy with how I have played, but not with my results so far. However, for the first time I actually understand clearly why I spend so much time playing poker and find the game of No-Limit Hold'em fascinatingit's the psychological and mathematical side of the game, Of course I want to win, but it is the mental stimulation that does it for me. Lets hope I will be able to write about some big pots that I take down in this journal!