As soon as I heard that there was to be an APAT event in Dublin, the priority became qualification. Dublin is a city I know and love very much, having visited the place hundreds of times, and been lucky enough to live here for a few short months around the year 2000, before my liver begged me to go home for a rest.
Unusually for me on a poker trip, I brought the other half with me. We have very good friends who still live in Dublin, who would be good enough to be hosting us for the weekend, so she would have plenty other things to do, rather than twiddling her thumbs waiting on me busting out of a tournament. As they dropped me off in a taxi they said they were going for lunch and joked that I would probably be able to meet them for dessert, going on recent form.
So, it was onto the tournament, determined to give a better account of myself than I did in Edinburgh, I was given confidence by some decent online cashes recently and a return to some semblance of "form". My opening table was decent enough, with a couple fo friendly faces including APAT Scotland runner up James Eccles, the one and only Ginger, and an array of Irish Gamblers, which suited me. Play got underway with nothing much of any note happening in the first few levels. I got involved in a few minor skirmishes, but my strategy was one of controlled aggression, where I was not prepared to put my whole chipstack on the line so early in the tournament. I recall losing a 3-4K pot to Ginger where her pocket 7's were a pinch better than my pocket sixes (she made a brave call of my flop bet, a flop which had two overs on it
). I also laid down pocket jacks pre-flop after my original early position raise is re-raised instantly by the player to my immediate left. He had only arrived at the table, and I had no informaion on him.
I was beginning to get the measure of the table. Two players in particular stood out - an old guy in seat one, who seemed determined to tilt everyone up by betting out of turn whenever possible and, somewhat bizarrely, telling someone else not to bet anymore, because he had a really good hand ! To his left was a guy whose every movement at the table screamed "novice", and it was him I turned my attention to in the next hand. On my big blind he raised it up. I was holding
, and decided this was good enough to get involved with at this stage. The flop came down
. I checked it to him, fully intending to raise him off the hand when he bet. He duly bet 2K, and I then decided just to call. Turn card came a blank, again I checked, and he then mistakenly bets 2K again. Again I just call. River comes
. Pot is now around 7K. I need to bet here, try to get him to put some chips into the pot. I bet 3K (leaving me about 4K back). He thinks for a long while before folding. He exits the tournament soon after.
I then get involved with Ginger again. I hold pocket jacks and raise her big blind (for about the 200th time that day). She calls and the flop comes Ace high. Jane checks, and I put a big bet in. Luckily she folds
As I begin to gather chips I become more aggressive. On the button it is folded round to me when I hold
. I decide to test Mr Eccles by raising his big blind. He calls. The flop gives me two pair which is checked, the turn card a Queen, which I believe gave him top pair, cos I ended up getting paid for my two pair
Sorry Eck!
By now I have about 30K chips and get moved to a new table. I dont play a hand before the dinner break, deciding to keep my aggression in check until I have been fed. By now players are getting short stacked as the blinds creep up. I find a good time to get dealt AA in the small blind. Unfortunately it is folded all the way round to me, so I just make up and the BB checks. Flop is inconsequential (maybe jack high), I check again, and BB bets a good amount. I min-reraise him, and he goes all in, and turns over queens ! (sneaky bugger). My stack rises to 45K.
By now I am getting moved all over the place. I am to be honest, not playing many hands now, because the shorties are getting desperate. I find
under the gun, and just call, then hear the wonderful words "all in" from a guy who has around 25K in chips. I call, have no drama, and now sit on around 65K chips.
I am now using my stack to bully people off of probably decent hands. It seems I can re-raise at will and get no action. I get moved to my final table of the day where I am the chip leader, and my big blind isnt very attractive to potential stealers. My strategy now seems to have become limp with monsters and raise with junk. Eitherway seems to be profitable. My final big action of the day is to limp again with
, and call an allin from our Norwegian visitor, who turns over
. No drama and I finish the day with over 100K in chips and in a very good position for day 2.
I reflect on my performance on the way home in the taxi. I do not recall being all-in once all day. I have not been involved in any "races". From my point of view it has been as close to perfect as it gets. This is not "gambling", this is poker. Anytime I have called an all-in, I have been literally miles ahead.
Wonder what lies ahead in day 2 ?
....
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