I promise I'll finish the Vegas diary but you know work/family etc... But I've got time sat at the poker table to type this!!!!
Simon Trumper Bounty.
So in only my 3rd tournament after Vegas I decide to enter the local Thursday night tourney in Liverpool dubbed the Simon Trumper GPS Bounty Night.
I don't play weekday tournaments due to early starts in work the next day but as I was planning on picking the Mrs up from the airport in the early hours this was a possible quick way of trying to win a bounty and not being late to pick her up. 64 entries and my usual late reg meant I'd be lucky to get to play him. Although I sat at a different table I noticed there were single seats free at some tables so I was hopeful he'd be moved around then join my table. Move he did but to my immediate left!!
He didn't know that I hadn't played many hands when he sat down so I just called and called again hoping he would play and I could hit a flop. He'd got way a few hands earlier when I turned trips and heads up I shoved on the river blank. He didn't call with his K on the king high flop and said I should have let him raise.
So I started the banter that he was the only reason I played and how I had a plane to meet!!!
I tested the waters with a bluff 2 hands later. Simon must've thought I was reckless but the others I believe thought I was still tight.
I still had to figure out how with Simon on my left I would get all his chips in the middle. So I decided my best option was in the blinds out if position.
My first time in the bb Simon flat calls utg and I'd already decided to make a play with any connectors or 2 gappers.
5 players called him incl the sb. J9 suited would do me fine and the fact they were spades made the hand look so much prettier. I raised just short of the pot and Simon called. Even better was everyone slowly folded around and then the banter started. I repeated I had to meet the Mrs and kept calm as the dealer revealed a orgasmic 8 10s
for the flopped straight and redraw to the flush and straight flush.
I nonchalantly bet 2/3 the pot with 1k chips and after looking me up and down Simon raised with some black 5k chips.
With a slight delay I shoved hopefully representing a over pair which I wasn't going to fold. Ever the professional he checked his cards and the flop then called the overbet confidently turning over pocket 8's for a flopped set. A sick cooler of a hand and he was so gracious on the blank turn and river. Point is though 6 handed I wouldn't have got his chips as flat calling on the bb I would have been the only player in the hand with him come the river and he's too good a player to lose with bottom set on that board.
The table was stopped for the obligatory photo and hand shake with the bounty bar (which had gone way over my head when he sat down with it!!).
Simon you made my night and this small role play was the highlight of my year. It wasn't just the final hand but the build up to it and I couldn't have written the script better myself!