First Night Nerves (comp report)

[Colchester Kev]

10pm is approaching and I am getting settled and ready for my debut in the Blue Square $100 freeze out, with a $3.5k guaranteed prizepool... I hear that sound that informs you that the game is about to begin (the American horse racing bugle) and we are off !!.

I know a few people on here think that I play high stakes poker all the time, But thats not the case, I mostly play $15 or $20 STT's and do ok on them, I make enough to pay my utility bills so its a nice bonus, and I love the game of poker so I can have fun make a few quid and all is well in the world.

So playing a $100 buy in comp was a big step up for me, and despite my bluster and bravado I was actually quite nervous, and concerned that I might bust out early and make a mug of myself.

Although only 17 people entered there were a few names among them that i knew and respected ... Red Dog, Bad Pab, wardonkey, Flushy, Dont7ry, BigVraji, The Claimer, among others.

First few hands I was dealt nothing significant and just passed without having to even make a decision... then I pick up QQ and am wondering how to play them when the decision is made for me , a raise before me and I just flat call ... dream flop comes Queen high rainbow... I check  and Red Dog bets, I call and the turn brings another blank this time red checks so I bet and the river is another lovely blank ... I fire out a bet and Red passes... I have won a half decent pot and my nerves just vanish.

once I had settled down I began to enjoy it, the fear of being a bounty was diminishing, and i even got a few walks in the blinds which helped.
People were getting knocked out on the other table and on my table too, and before I knew it it was the final table.....

I felt better knowing that I had made the final, even though there were only 17 runners, the fact that i had got to the last 9 made me feel good and gave me confidence to play a bit.   

I played one hand really badly, Wardonkey had raised to 300 (blinds were 50/100 ) and all passed round to me in the BB.. He only had about 500 back and i look down and see KJ soooooted, I feel that he is weak and may have a low pair or a weak ace and as i have him well covered in chips I push and make him decide if he wants to risk his comp with his hand ... he calls and turns over ACES..ooops. Although Donk walked into ACES a few hands later and went out.

I was getting short stacked now and was looking for a spot to double up and it soon came courtesy of Flushy when he raised in early position ... folded round to me and i have AK... no decision for me, I re raise all in (which meant flushy only had to put another 500 in to call)  he calls and shows AQ.. no miracles and I double up.... a few hands later flushy departs and before I know it we are down to 5 and on the bubble !!!!

a few rounds pass with no real action , I manage to nick the odd blind with no cards , but i am the weakest stack of the 5 .... Then the Key hand .. with Blinds at 150/300 Pab raised to 800 on the button, SB passes and i look at pocket 9's and flat call..the flop comes 7 5 2 rainbow, and Pab bets out 1,000 .. now i only have 2,300 left and think that Pab may have AQ or AJ and is trying to make me pass because I am the bounty and because I am short stacked ... Show strength I think , RE RAISE ALL IN !!! ...... Pab calls in a flash and those bloody ACES show themselves ....

So there you have it, I am the Bubble boy .... not the first time i have bubbled in a comp and im sure it wont be the last.... But boy did that hurt last night, 4th would have paid me $350, not a fortune, but a fair amount for what was effectively a freeroll for me..

Congrats to Pab for taking the bounty .... I dont know who won it because I left when they were down to 3 players.... I thoroughly enjoyed the game and despite the pain of bubbling, I am looking forward to tonights game immensely and I am determined to go one better and make some cash.

BRING IT ON !!!

[ifm]

Not a criticism Kev but i think you need to re evaluate your conception of being shortstacked!!
You also know i'm not a big fan of the allin move, you can find out how far behind you are with a lesser bet than allin, you only get called (generally) with a hand that's beating you.
I really wanted to play one of these this week but i don't finish work till 10.30
Good luck mateyboy, i shall be hitting the rail around 10.45.
I was looking forward to watching yesterday sooooooo much!!

[Tonji]

well done Kev. Is that the reason you went strangley quite at the end of the Blonde comp last night?

[Colchester Kev]

LOL yes mate, I final table bubbled in that as well !!!!

[booder]

well played kivvy.........you were lucky i busted out early otherwise i would have been gunning for you      

[Wardonkey]

Good post Kev!

Nothing wrong with your play on your exit hand. IFM how else can you play that hand? 5 handed with an overpair to the board, and a shortstack, if you don't lose all your chips you've played it wrong.

See you tonight!

[ifm]

Good post Kev!

Nothing wrong with your play on your exit hand. IFM how else can you play that hand? 5 handed with an overpair to the board, and a shortstack, if you don't lose all your chips you've played it wrong.

See you tonight!

I wasn't necessarily on about that hand, i just think Kev is a bit trigger happy at times.
I am SOOOOOOOO desperate for Kivvy to do well in these it hurts!!!!!!!!!!
COME ON SON!!!!!!

[Royal Flush]

For whats its worth i thought you played well last night Kev, apart from moving in on Donkeys AA, which was not really a move you needed to make and then one hand where you min raised in EP then passed to my re-raise i didnt see you put a foot wrong. The exit hand is automatic, you cant pass to a rock there, let alone pab!

[suzanne]

Great report Kev.

I know exactly what you mean about nerves, I feel the same playing the Blonde league games.

Keep up the good work and im sure you will cash before the end of the week 

[Robert HM]

Great report Kev, thanks for sharing. It is a safe bet you will be in profit by the end of the week.

[Pab]

I second what flushie said, i thought you played well throughout the comp and had a big hand in flushies downfall, that got to make your night anyway.

And at the time you went out i was raising a lot of hands  and you were unlucky to walk into AA. Not long after you left i muffed it and went out 3rd anyway, lol.

Hope i win the draw to be the bounty next week would be good fun, also $400 worth of entries, :-)


gl agian for tonight kev!

[Dewi_cool]

Kev, fish always have nerves I know coz I am one, sounds as if you did ok. keep up the good work 

[Colchester Kev]

thanks all for the kind words and support.

Im looking forward to tonights game

[Dewi_cool]

I tried to get in. obviously not like my $, good luck