So I've made it to the final table, I have to book an extra night in the hotel as a consequence, not that I'm complaining of course, it's a good thing. Just a shame I won't get any sleep on the monday night either!To recap, I was second lowest on chips with just over 11 big blindss, so I'd have to start making moves soon. I get to the casino and meet up with Jen and snoops and begin to tuck into to a delicious fry-up breakfast (which I'm sadly forced to leave to play some stupid poker game). I find out I'm sitting directly to the left of Keith 'The Camel' Hawkins and I'm advised by our intrepid updating duo, that I should just be prepared to stick all my chips in versus any raise from him blind on blind, as it's more likely he won't have that much than a raise coming from the other players. It is a good idea, I'm going to need to double up quickly to get up towards the top end of the cash.
So with a decisive battle strategy that Sun Tzu would be proud of, we get down to the action. Of course, this strategy goes straight out of the window when the big blind first reaches me, there's a raise, a re-raise all-in and a call, and the shorter of the two stacks loses a Q-Q vs A-K race.
Ok, so I'm now guaranteed exactly the same money as before the hand, (it's like I've tried to ladder up and the first rung broke). My complete lack of hands continued, the only hand I found was a pair of fives, but I had noticed Ian Cox (right) to my right had already looked at his hand and then his chips, a sure sign he had something decent. I decided to fold and Ian then moved in, taking down the blinds and showing Kings. Phew! Discretion is the better part of valour as Falstaff once said. Apart from that one pair, my hands continued to be the same junkish rags from the night before, I stole a blind or two once or twice, but nothing more than that.
Ok, so I'm now guaranteed exactly the same money as before the hand, (it's like I've tried to ladder up and the first rung broke). My complete lack of hands continued, the only hand I found was a pair of fives, but I had noticed Ian Cox (right) to my right had already looked at his hand and then his chips, a sure sign he had something decent. I decided to fold and Ian then moved in, taking down the blinds and showing Kings. Phew! Discretion is the better part of valour as Falstaff once said. Apart from that one pair, my hands continued to be the same junkish rags from the night before, I stole a blind or two once or twice, but nothing more than that. Then Keith went out, very unluckily. First he raised with A-J and folded to Ian Cox's all-in with A-Q, then he raised again next hand with J-J and Ian Cox moved all-in for a second time with T-T hitting both remaining tens on the flop. Then The Camel's bad fortune continued when he moved in versus Stuart Nash's raise with T-T vs A-J and lost the raise. Sometimes the cards are brutal.
I finally decided to go for it with 9-8 suited in the small blind but Ian Cox quickly called me with A-K. Fortunately, I spiked an 8 which gave me some breathing space. Ian went out soon after that and suddenly I was up to 6th place. I cannot stress enough how tightly the table continued to play, all raises tended to be respected, and whilst I had increased my stack size, I still couldn't raise without pretty much all my chips. I won a medium sized pot with 8-8 vs Stuart Nash's 6-6, maybe I should've played it more aggressively on the flop, but it's quite possible he'd have folded, owing to my tight image, if I'd pushed. I picked up A-K and made another move from under the gun, the big blind showed me the 8-8 he folded. Yes, we were all playing very tight.
Stuart Nash (left) exited next, he was incredibly unlucky when he made a flush in the small blind vs the chip leaders bigger flush in the big. And with that, Sid Harris now had over half the chips, whilst the rest of us looked on enviously. Again I was still short, but just doing enough to tread water, unfortuantely not much more, then Paul Traynor lost a coinflip vs the big blind and I was now in the last four!
Another break came along, I was still short, but so was Nick Jenkins (Ripple on blonde). Snoops and Jen recommended I just move in with any two cards, otherwise I would struggle. Also, looking at the prize structure for the final four, 4th paid £2900, 3rd £3600 and 2nd was £7200, so essentially it was much more important to gamble and try and get second rather than pick my moments to take third.
I finally decided to go for it with 9-8 suited in the small blind but Ian Cox quickly called me with A-K. Fortunately, I spiked an 8 which gave me some breathing space. Ian went out soon after that and suddenly I was up to 6th place. I cannot stress enough how tightly the table continued to play, all raises tended to be respected, and whilst I had increased my stack size, I still couldn't raise without pretty much all my chips. I won a medium sized pot with 8-8 vs Stuart Nash's 6-6, maybe I should've played it more aggressively on the flop, but it's quite possible he'd have folded, owing to my tight image, if I'd pushed. I picked up A-K and made another move from under the gun, the big blind showed me the 8-8 he folded. Yes, we were all playing very tight.
Stuart Nash (left) exited next, he was incredibly unlucky when he made a flush in the small blind vs the chip leaders bigger flush in the big. And with that, Sid Harris now had over half the chips, whilst the rest of us looked on enviously. Again I was still short, but just doing enough to tread water, unfortuantely not much more, then Paul Traynor lost a coinflip vs the big blind and I was now in the last four!Another break came along, I was still short, but so was Nick Jenkins (Ripple on blonde). Snoops and Jen recommended I just move in with any two cards, otherwise I would struggle. Also, looking at the prize structure for the final four, 4th paid £2900, 3rd £3600 and 2nd was £7200, so essentially it was much more important to gamble and try and get second rather than pick my moments to take third.
First three hands after the next break I move all-in with J-4, Q-T and 7-7. That buys me some more time, but then Nick doubled up with K-Q vs A-K. His was the only stack I could realistic damage, and now was the big blind vs my small blind, so I just made up my mind to move all-in versus him and he would have to have a monster to call and, well, that could take ages 3 times. I finally made my last hurrah with J-8 off but Nick had Kings and somehow managed to completely outdraw me.
So I exited stage left, one place shy of Red-Dog's prediction. As for the comp, I do wish they would have rolled back the blinds, even if it was just one level, the tournament was virtually over after just 4 hours of the final table, a chance for a bit more of a play would have probably made it more exciting for all of us. With everyone talking about numbers being down, I think it's proof that there is festival overkill and that the ones that will survive will be the ones that are the most player friendly.
So thanks to Jen and snoopy for keeping me going and everyone else for your kind comments, hopefully another main event won't be too far away... (as long as I get a decent bed in the hotel!)
So I exited stage left, one place shy of Red-Dog's prediction. As for the comp, I do wish they would have rolled back the blinds, even if it was just one level, the tournament was virtually over after just 4 hours of the final table, a chance for a bit more of a play would have probably made it more exciting for all of us. With everyone talking about numbers being down, I think it's proof that there is festival overkill and that the ones that will survive will be the ones that are the most player friendly.
So thanks to Jen and snoopy for keeping me going and everyone else for your kind comments, hopefully another main event won't be too far away... (as long as I get a decent bed in the hotel!)