hi everyone thanks very much for your good wishes, I was actually shell shocked last night when I got thru so if I'd posted it would have been pure gibberish - standard for me I know.
Col and I decided my strategy before we went. Because I was very much the unknown quantity at the table, I knew anyone who asked about me would be told - loud, loose, any 2 cards, shit etc etc... So there was to be no hands played for the first two levels at all (unless aces basically) fold SB every time to create an image of being terrified. I made sure I told anyone who would listen how nervous I was (although it was true at that stage)and how much I was praying I would get some cards, again so that when I started to play they would have to respect my raises.
It killed me to not get involved - I now know I was folding hand sthat others were raising with lol But it paid off. First hand back after the break I found KK no callers, then raised I think 6 out of 7 hands just cos I could and took myself up from short stack at 130 to over 210, then started to play.
Couple of noteablehands - reraised Kelly Jackson with AA, tried to talk another short into calling inbetween, talked kelly into calling, she says call and turns over aq off. So I turned o0ver my aces immediately so no kind of slow roll going on, only for her to realise she's not all in. Her call has left her 100k behind and both our hands are exposed
Marty TD decidesKelly cannot bet but I can. In the interests of fairness I then declared I would check it down. Interested in opinions here - anyway, my kindness allowed her to catch a one card flush... sigh.
Couple hands later she pushes my BB and I find AQ. I now I have to call with my short stack but I knew I was behind - kelly only plays aa kk or possibly ak lol. Karma kicked in and first card out was the Q leaving her AK behind by the river.
Maria played just like I thought she would - extremely well, and wasa the only player I didn't want to get involved with at the table. I initially felt like that about Kara but eventually she didnt get to play her game as the girl on her left was too active and kept taking Kara's chances away. Maria can back me up but yes I did thanks Kara for having a crack.... once she'd left the table lol.
You are very conscious that everyone in the green room can see what you are folding/calling with, and of course can see what your opponent has and that's hard. The atmospohere was great, I do think we all had fun and even the dealers thankked me for making them laugh all day, so hopefully I did bring a little to the game!
Truthfully - I'm absoloutely thrilled with myself mainly because I made every effort to concentrate and make the right folds/calls/pushes. I folded one hand were I was ahead but the other decent folds I made, I was behind so I'm happy that my reads were good. Going back now to cheer Michelle Bricknell on, and then the final starts around 5pm. Thansk for all good wishes, Maria thanks for your nice words on here and it was a genuine pleasure to meet you x
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