My First Taste - Part IV

Tue, 18/04/2006 - 1:32pm
 
Embarrassingly, I was interviewed during the break and just after I’d lost a chunk of my stack to my neighbour. Boy, I must have looked grumpy. My interview basically translated as this… ‘I’m a complete muppet. I just made a crap call, and gave away 10k needlessly. I’m a fish.’ Hmph, I don’t think I did myself any favours by reliving that hand with Rhowena. Why I couldn’t have mentioned my top-notch play from last night or how I got into the comp on the cheap… I don’t know, but I didn’t. Grr. At least I made Rhowena look good though, not sure the female viewers will be calling for this mug to return to their boxes.

After the break, a bright light shone from the heavens and I actually managed to win a couple of hands. Amen!

I checked bottom two pair in the big blind, called the flop bet, and reraised on the turn to take a decent pot. I also managed to push Luke Patten off pocket kings (incredibly) when an ace flopped. I’d called from the blind with K-J suited and bet my flush draw. I thought check raising would look to obvious. So, with my stack back in the thirties, I felt as though I was back in with a shout… If only I could find a darn hand. (snoopy twiddles his thumbs whilst he waits. Zzzzzzz)

The blinds went up and the bubble soon loomed. Whilst others rose like leaping dolphins to watch a hand from the other table, I was determined to stay seated and play my normal game without worrying about missing out on a payday. I didn’t even know the payout structure for the event as I’d made an intentional effort to block it out of my mind and just play for first.

Anyhow, Tim ‘Okidily Okily Damn Doodidly Hokidily Pokery’ Flanders bubbled and I was in the money. Bizarrely, I wasn’t particularly chuffed. It was great to turn $100 into £1500, but, at the time, I was disappointed that my once 50k+ stack had turned into 20k and I was no longer a threat. That’s either me being an unjustifiably sulky monkey, or someone yearning for first. Hopefully the latter, but you decide.

Soon after, I found A-4 in the small blind and, with the blinds at 1/2k, I shoved in 9k of my 17k stack. To my surprise, the big blind, who had just 1k more than me, flatcalled. Sheesh, I knew I had to hit now. The J-J-9 was no help whatsoever and my only decision left was whether to check or push in my remaining 7k. At this point I had no intention in folding to a bet, but I’m still unsure as to whether my all-in move here was correct. His flat call was very suspicious, so I was sure I was behind. If he had a small pocket pair or a big ace, he would have reraised preflop. I was tempted to try and check it down to the river in case he had an ace like me, but I don’t think I could give a K-Q, or suited connectors a free card, even if I could push him off an ace high with a move on the turn or river. Either way, he had pocket tens (just my luck) and I was a gonna, tail firmly between my legs, but head held up high.

I was expectedly glum at first, but soon realised that I should be proud of my performance. I’d cashed on my first Main Event and given my opponents one or two things to think about. Well, okay, just the one, but I promise they’ll be seeing me again. In fact, I guarandamntee it.

In one of my blog entries from last week, I recall mentioning how I’d concerned myself too much with what people thought of me and my game. I’m still trying to eradicate that concern, as I have made so many friends in poker and I really care about what they think, but I have to admit to hoping that people now respect my game a little more than they did before. I played too passively on Day 2, but I reckon I put in a top performance to hit the 50k mark. Hopefully I can build on this and be better prepared for next time when the money approaches, I know I will. I work hard at this game and am determined to better myself each and every time I play. I firmly believe that one day all my hard work will pay-off. Karma baby, karma. Boy, I’ve been watching too much of that Earl fella.

 
Many congratulations to JP. What a star and a total gent. 
 
Over and out... snoops