Spring Poker festival, Concord Card Casino, Vienna

[easypickings]

I promsied Jen at the weekend I'd do a little running report from Vienna this week with the team all in Warsaw. Boy, does it deserve it, this tournament is fantastic. What other tournament in the world goes back for the third day with blinds at 600-1200?!

Not too many Brits have made it across (Johnny Texas, Ryan Fronda, Mickey McCool amongst the lucky few), but we're thin on the ground now with just me and Mark Herron left with 44 left. I played on the left of Mickey for most of day, and with his good agressive game and my luck in catching a 9-high flop after calling a raise with pocket nines, we found ourselves as the two big stacks on the table. We clashed a few times; with QQ on a 1054 flop, I didn't like his re-raise and big turn bet, but had to call it down and found myself just ahead. My turn to fire at him came when I missed with A10 on a board of K722J. After he called the second shot, I was nearly ready to muck my hand, before I realised how good his call had been; his A8 split the pot!

Coming back for the second day with 56k (oooh sorry, add to the amazing structure a starting stack of 15k!), I was daunted to find myself on the TV table, and kept on forgetting to show my cards to the l'il camera. It was hard to believe the draw was random when the first man knocked out was replaced by a fellow called Tony G, but Thomas Kremser assued us that is was just the lucky day for the TV company, and the banter began. Tony seemed intent on playing alot of hands agressively, so I wasn't too scared when he flat called my pocket tens raise with position. The flop gave me less reason to be worried, as it came a beautiful ten high rainbow! I checked, hoping a weak looking continuation bet on the turn might induce action. Action there was on the queen turn, but for a more simple reason. Tony had been slowplaying pocket aces, and after three raises, all the money was in. No help on the river, Tony very graciously said "you've got me covered right," and shook my hand, leaving me to take it all in. But alas, that all-knowing man Thomas Kremser reconuted the chips, and grabbed Tony back from his exit interview. With 1k remaining, it wasn't my scalp after all, but Mark Herron's on the next hand.

Mark then had a tough time catching a run of ugly flops with big aces, but returns intact for the third day, as do I, hoping for just a couple more of those nice top set flops.

[KingPoker]

Good read and good luck!

[tikay]

Good Luck fella!

I played this tourney last year, we were on 150-300 after 9 hours, with a 15k starting stack!

Impossible to bust on Day One. Short of running KK into AA, that is.......

[Slick Kid]

What a great Card Room this was and the experience was fantastic. What Stu failed to mention was that Rob Hollink was the unforunate soul sandwiched between us for the day and what a lovely time he had with Stuart and myself firing bullets left, right and centre. I will most definitely be back there............

[claypole]

Good luck mate - if you read this say Shaun says hi to Mark - and wish him luck

[easypickings]

Another fun day in Austria, which leaves us coming back for the fourth day still with 24 players.

Mark unfortunately went out half way through the day, and I too looked in dire straits after clashing with a tricky young Hungarian player and having to pass to a flop re-re-raise all in. Things looked up when I had a short stack's KJ all in with aces on a K87 flop. A turned 7 reduced his outs further, but a king on the river left me reeling.
I clawed my way back, restricted in the action between the two big stacks, and went into the final hour two players short of the money with 90k. Raising with K4 of spades, I was not too pleased to see the 300k Hungarian chip leader call on the button, and missed the A75 flop. I fired 9k, but was caught with a call. The turn was almost the only card to keep me interested in the pot. The 3 of spades gave me flush and double belly-duster straight draw, and  check-called the Hungarian's 18k bet, praying to hit an out on the river. I missed, the river was the king of clubs to give me one pair. I checked, planning to give up the pot, and the young guy bet 37,000. Suddenly, things didn't seem right; 37k was not a bet that looked like it wasn't a call. But was I beating a bluff? The guy was such a tricky player that he could easily have been "bluffing" with KQ or a low ace. Trying not to take in that the tournament was basically on this decision, I thought to the end of Thomas Kremser's clock, and made the call. He mucked, a surge of relief came over me, and I'll go back with 176k tomorrow aiming to play smaller pots!

[tikay]

Another fun day in Austria, which leaves us coming back for the fourth day still with 24 players.

Mark unfortunately went out half way through the day, and I too looked in dire straits after clashing with a tricky young Hungarian player and having to pass to a flop re-re-raise all in. Things looked up when I had a short stack's KJ all in with aces on a K87 flop. A turned 7 reduced his outs further, but a king on the river left me reeling.
I clawed my way back, restricted in the action between the two big stacks, and went into the final hour two players short of the money with 90k. Raising with K4 of spades, I was not too pleased to see the 300k Hungarian chip leader call on the button, and missed the A75 flop. I fired 9k, but was caught with a call. The turn was almost the only card to keep me interested in the pot. The 3 of spades gave me flush and double belly-duster straight draw, and  check-called the Hungarian's 18k bet, praying to hit an out on the river. I missed, the river was the king of clubs to give me one pair. I checked, planning to give up the pot, and the young guy bet 37,000. Suddenly, things didn't seem right; 37k was not a bet that looked like it wasn't a call. But was I beating a bluff? The guy was such a tricky player that he could easily have been "bluffing" with KQ or a low ace. Trying not to take in that the tournament was basically on this decision, I thought to the end of Thomas Kremser's clock, and made the call. He mucked, a surge of relief came over me, and I'll go back with 176k tomorrow aiming to play smaller pots!

A GREAT read, Good Luck!

[tikay]

What a great Card Room this was and the experience was fantastic. What Stu failed to mention was that Rob Hollink was the unforunate soul sandwiched between us for the day and what a lovely time he had with Stuart and myself firing bullets left, right and centre. I will most definitely be back there............

He is not wrong, the CCC is maybe among the best three venues for Tourney Poker in the world.

[Slick Kid]

stuart remember my small pecertage. bring it home son!