£300 at Stoke

[NoflopsHomer]

So, I'm already home. Yep this early, stop laughing at the back there.

I arrive just after 3pm at Stoke, quickly meet up with Red-Dog, Tikay, Slick Kid and Karabiner as we find an increased field this time for Stoke's well structured £300 freezeout. Last time there were only 16, this time we've an increased number of 35. Slowly but surely.

Anyways, I'm drawn on a table with a couple of loud scousers and some locals, no-one I know. First couple of levels are utterly crazy, players raising to 500 preflop from utg (blinds 25/50). General nutters the lot of them, I finally pick up A-Q in the second level in EP, and immediately get re-raised to 1300 by the young kid who talks a better game than he plays, though to be fair, that is a little harsh and he does have some moves. Anyway, I muck and get shown K-K. Ok, no problem I don't need to be in a big pot for lots of chips this early, plus I'm OOP. Couple of missed flops later and I'm forced to muck all my low pairs, I then call an UTG+1 raise from the guy sitting on my right with 9-9, this brings a few more of the loose players in and we all see a flop. It comes T-7-2 rainbow, which isn't too bad, UTG+1 who had a habit of continuation bets makes a weak 300 bet at the 1.5k pot, I figure I have to pass or raise, as one of the loosey gooseys behind me might easily raise it up with a worse hand than mine, I make it 1.5k and everyone folds except UTG+1 who just calls. Turn is another T and now he bets out 2.5k, I now realise I was probably beat on the flop and end up passing, he shows 7-7. Shortly after I pick up in the SB and after 4 limpers am rewarded by a flop, I check hoping one of the LAG's will take a shot. Everyone checks, the turn brings the giving me the 2nd nut flush draw and hoping the Ace has hit someone, I bet 800 into the 1200 and get the BB calling me and also a passive older gentleman who I assume has an Ace and isn't aggressive enough (But more on him later). The BB I'm not so sure but I put him on the case 6 and think my kicker might be good. The river is and I decide to check, haven't played this hand too well but never mind. The BB now bets out 600 into the 2.8k pot after I check, the older gentleman flat-calls with I'm sure is the ace, I decide to make the over-call and hope trip sixes with A-Q kicker is good. BB shows . 

I finally win my first pot 10 minutes before the end of the 3rd level, make up the small blind with 5-4 after a limper and get rewarded with an 8-7-6 flop. Insta-folds from the bb and limper, ship the 450 chips to me, can someone flop something please next time!

Finally passive older min-raises utg to 300, two doors down, it's made 600 by the guy who had 7-7 vs my 9-9. Everyone else passes. Older gent proceeds to check call the K-9-4 flop and the blank turn, and just before the river is dealt he says, "I'm going to be nice and just check the river to you." He does and the other guy checks behind him, the latter showing A-A. Older gent shows 4-4. WTF!?!?!?! He should've had every single chip. Jeez.

Break-time and the remaining 4 of us, (Mick McCool went out early) discuss how we are doing. Rubbish, probably best described it, although Karabiner was doing good with over 10k, Red was on about 4k, as was Tikay, whilst I had a paltry 2.7k.

First hand after the break and I pick up Queens, there's a couple of limpers including elder gent (who never seemed to raise but did a lot calling). I decide to push and pick up the 800 chips or so though I'm not unhappy about a call, plus pushing looks weaker. Couple of hands later I limp the button with and turn a straight with a flush draw, another small bet but no action.

Ok I decide, I've now got 3.3k, with blinds 100/200, time for the LAG Monster to emerge and build up my stack and show these guys what I'm made of. I pick up in mid-position and raise it up to 600, "Hah, they won't see this coming," I think. Button puts me all-in. I pass. Lag Monster decides to get back into his cage. Eventually I pushed with A-Q in the blinds versus a raise just at the start of the 150/300 level, called by 5-5 and the unappealing 2-3-4 flop didn't get any better. Tikay went just before me, A-K into K-9 whilst Red had a bit more than me, and Karabiner was going ok.

Still it was a good comp with double the turnout of last time. Could still do with more though.
 

[tikay]

I'm home, too, after something of an accident with a badly played AK. I got in a big-dick contest on the flop & all the chips went in against his top two on the K-9-2 high flop, but as it happened, the 2 paired on the end & I'd have probably done the lot anyway. Pah!

Looks like a recovery mission wil be required at Cardiff on Sunday now.

It was a lovely comp though, nice buffet, & I hope it continues to attract more players, it deserves to.

Karaboner was motoring along nicely, but Red was thin. He had a real ugly beat early doors when he Raised up with  & got a caller.  Flop was    (or similar) & it was hard to put his oppo on the Deuce......which he had - he'd called with  ! The turn was the dreaded  , giving matey boy the Boat, so although Red thought the River was a great card, in fact, he did not really wanna hit that  ......

[booder]

wouldf have been 36 runners but automobile decided to retire from active service yesterday evening right on a zebra crossing.hoping for a nice cash in the near future to buy a replacement.

[RED-DOG]

I thouroughly enjoyed playing the stoke £300 for the second time. It was nice to see that
the field had doubled in size since last I was there. With such an excellent structure and player-friendly venue, I confidently predict that this trend will continue.

During the first hour or so I saw no cards of note, and was content to sit quietly and get the feel of my table when this hand came up, I will reproduce it below with my take on how the hand played out. I received a mild rubdown for playing it the way I did, so your thoughts will be appreciated.

With the blinds at 50/100 there were 3 limpers when I find  on the button, I make it 400 to go and a player 2 to my right calls.

The flop comes  , Matey checks, I make a continuation bet of 1000. Matey RR me 1000 more, I go into the tank for a bit of a think.

I decide that he has quite rightly deduced that I have missed, he sees my continuation bet for what it is, and he is trying to take the pot away from me. It's difficult for me to put him on a hand now, but I figure he could have a small pair or overcards with a flush draw. I call the 1000 more with the intention of taking the pot away from him on the turn.

The turn comes the  . If he was on the flush draw, he just hit pay-dirt. At this point, I'm finished with the hand, theres too much danger, so many possibilities. but the thought does cross my mind that he could somehow have a 2 in his hand and if that were the case, he would be scared of the third heart on the board.

He checks. Now what? Do I represent the flush? If I do I have to make a pretty substantial bet, I decide to take the free card, after all. I am now on the 2nd nut flush draw myself.

The river is the  , giving me the nut flush. Matey now decides to bet out for 2500, I feel I have to call


He shows 

I never really recovered from this hand but somehow, 10 hours later, I made the 9 man final as one of the short stacks. The comp pays the top 5, so someone suggested a £150 saver for the first 4 players out, and everyone agreed. Then someone suggested that we chop the entire thing, £1400 for the two chip-leaders, £1100 each for the rest of us. to my surprise everyone agreed again, even the chip leaders. Then, a player with an average stack decided that he wanted to play on, bearing in mind that he had to finish at least 2nd to better this offer, it was a brave decision, anyway, that was that.

The very next hand, Mr no deal got it all in with JJ v QQ on a 9 high flop, the turn was a J.

The hand after that, I peeked at my cards and saw KQ suited, I was in late position and decided to move my short stack all in if it was folded around to me. Well it was folded around to me and I dutifully moved my chips in, only to find that a player had folded out of turn and caused a chain-reaction, Mr No Deal has not yet acted and was sitting on KK.

So, I made my exit in 8th position and, clutching my £150 saver tightly to my breast, I bade Stoke a fond farewell. Until the next time that is, when I well return to find an even bigger field, and have even more fun.

[pffa]

I agree with all of the above. Reds exit was horrid and in my opinion unfair not only did the people that folded, fold out of turn but they then stood up and left the table obscuring his view, even though had he been successful it was my 2k bb he would have taken (lol).  I never eat whilst Im out so although both buffets looked fantastic I cant comment on the taste.  The structure is fantastic the card room is very friendly.  The rulings are consistant, and although the field was double last time, it is a shame it wasnt better supported.  Living close by next time I may try to win a seat and not pay the buy in, Im assured the 5 rebuys are manic and great fun.

Suggesting the 150 saver was an excellent idea as I got half my buy in back when I exited just after red.  I flat call a 5k raise with AQ diamonds, I have decided hit or miss Im all in on the flop.

Flop AQ7 so I decide maybe not all in, convince myself the guy hasnt got 77 his raise indicated he wanted a call so I decide KK or JJ he cant have AA or QQ because I have one each of them and if he has it wasnt meant to be.

He immediately says I put you all in, cant get the rest of my chips in quick enough and BANG he turns AA.

Porty was playing cash so we hung around and left at 4am ish with 6 runners still in and still one player saying no deals.

EXCELLENT AGAIN CANT WAIT FOR THE NEXT ONE, and Im sure there were at least four women playing too.

Many Thanks to all Staff at Stoke

Paula

[RED-DOG]

Thank you for negotiating the £150 saver for me Paula, (and almost a bag of sand chop) See you at the next one.

[Lordandmaster]

Thanks everyone for your support,

Nice to see you again Red dog....watch out for them 4's though...

Nice to see you too Paula and everyone else that was there who i spoke too.

Glad you all enjoyed yourselves and see you all soon.

The Stoke Poker Staff.