Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[Tal]

You don't tell us your hand explicitly, but, as you raised pre, that would be dem aces?

That or bossmoding it with 5656

[tikay]

I played pretty snug all afternoon, too tight, as usual, I just can't play that game where they punt with any 4.

I do have a sort of standard opening range, generally nice rundowns, or a nice blend of paint, but it's probably way too tight, & I reckon I passed 9 hands out of 10 pre-flop. I don't get bored though, I like to just enjoy the experience, chat & laugh, and Omaha is such fun.

Anyway, I poodled along nicely, & peaked at around treble my starting stack.

Then, as per, the defining hand came along, & I got myself into a bit of a mess.

It had been opened in early position by Marcel, flatted in 2 spots, & I called with....

 

The lad behind me - Adam Owen, I think, a really lovely lad, came along too.

Flop was....

 

Lovely job, & they checked to me, so I bet out, & was both pleased & surprised when Adam flatted behind me.

I tried to think what his hand might be. A-J (I have blockers though), bottom set, K-Q-10-x maybe?

We saw an A turn. More blockers. He CAN have A-J or A-10, but it felt very unlikely as played. Probably a bare ace, unmatched, or A-5 & I'm in trouble.

I checked, as I was sure my underhouse was good & I wanted another street of value, but to my mild annoyance, he checked behind. What can he have?

The river was a 10, & I have blockers to that, too.

I really could not quite figure out what was going off here, why did he check behind on the turn? I have to be good here, unless he is being cagey with A-5.

For reasons I am unclear on, I decided to make a small blocker bet now. Call THAT Mister. 

He never called. He just said "POT".

Bugger. Why did I make that blocker bet?

No point messing around, I have to be behind, so I folded.

And he showed me QUAD ACES (which he had turned).

I nearly fainted. Even with hindsight, I could never assign that to him. When he flatted pre-flop, he was the third caller to an open, and he had the Blinds behind him still to act. I was 100% certain he could not flat aces there.

My hand reading skills are incred. Not. 

[tikay]

You don't tell us your hand explicitly, but, as you raised pre, that would be dem aces?

That or bossmoding it with 5656

Oops, I'm so shite at this hand history stuff.

Yes, dem Aces, it's the only hand I ever open with.

[tikay]

So that was the turning point, & I barely won another pot, eventually going busto in about Level 12 I think, when 24 of the original 59 were still battling away.

I just could not find any decent spots, & then I lost a decent one, which left me about 6 Bigs. Bugger.

Folded to me in the SB, & I looked down at this.....(ignore the exact suits, memory issues)

   


A pile of poo, yes, but with 6 Bigs, it suddenly looked monsta. I could flush it in either of 2 suits, hit a set, or 2 bad straights. Wowzer, this is fantastic. Strange how things look better or worse depending upon circumstances. In a dark room, late at night, I might even look young & sexy.

Lo & behold, I flopped a set, & was mentally fist pumping within 0.2 of a second, & then, in another 0.5 of a second, I realised it was an all heart flop.

Can he have hearts? Well I moved my last dregs in, & he quickly called, showing J-10 of hearts. Pair up, Dealer? Nah.

So that was that.

Hung around chatting to Maria at the bar for a bit, then went & had what was planned to be a 30 minute meeting with Rob Yong about UKPC, which, really, was why I had travelled up.

Rob was not in the best of moods, as there had been some UKIPT related furrowed brows. 4 hours later - 4 hours! - I emerged from Rob's office, with, I was hoping, the UKPC sorted. Then I have to report all that back to my Suits on Monday, then the reverse process on Tuesday, back & forth, back & forth.  And it's still going back & forth now.

Having done 3 UKPC's, you'd think it would be easy, just agree dates, buy-ins, tick a few boxes, job done. No chance, there's always a bag of headaches & complications, despite the fact that we all - Next Door, Rob & I - get along famously. No disputes, none at all, just detail headaches.

Have to say, negotiating with Rob, even though it's all in good spirit & intention, is not easy, he is SO unpredictable. Good unpredictable usually, but unpredictable, all the same. And on this occasion, he never disappointed.

So a stressful week followed, as e-Mails went back & forth, & then on Wednesday, I travelled up to Leeds Head Office to try & nail it all down. The UKPC, not the office.

That went OK, so wrote back to Rob, then he wrote back to me, & so it goes on. And on. And on.

We shall see, but I've done my bit properly & efficiently, & really, that's all that matters. Failure? I'm OK with that, just so long as I do my best. Fingers crossed.   

[tikay]

Cliffs - played some PLO, had a ball, lost.

I adore Live PLO, absolutely adore it. I do wish I was better at it, & was not such a bloody nit, but I love it to bits, every hand dealt, every flop turn & river, chatting, chilling, laughing.

I'm acutely conscious of how the others see me, of course - the old nit bloke - but that's OK, it's not malicious.

If I get the tin tack tomorrow - & I might - or just decide to pack it in, it's all good, & I'll be able to live another little daft pipe dream - sit at home all day, playing little PLO & PLO8 SNG's, & trying to earn a little pension. Some days, I can't wait for that moment, other days, I want to continue working. Either is fine.

[tikay]

Been up to Foyles this morning, as I'm running short of books.

Got these three.....












Flicked through the Danny Baker books on the train back, & immediately loved it. He writes as he talks, which is perfect, EXACTLY the style I most enjoy in writing.

They'll be finished within the week.

[tikay]

My last two books were a disappointment. Both good books, I'm sure, but not my style at all, & the titles & cover promised more than they delivered.

[The Camel]

That reminds me, haven't bought you that book I promised you yet.

Or sent you your winnings from Ireland.

Will get onto to both pronto.

Are we on for baseball this year?

[tikay]

That reminds me, haven't bought you that book I promised you yet.

Or sent you your winnings from Ireland.

Will get onto to both pronto.

Are we on for baseball this year?

We won money in Ireland? Happy days. Thank you.

Baseball, the 51-ers? You bet - pick a date......

http://www.milb.com/schedule/index.jsp?sid=t400&m=6&y=2015



All together now.....

Take me out to the ball game,
Take me out with the crowd;
Just buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack,
I don't care if I never get back.
Let me root, root, root for the home team,
If they don't win, it's a shame.
For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,
At the old ball game.





http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Take_Me_Out_to_the_Ball_Game



That'll be us, in those blue seats right at the front. $25, shocking.

[tikay]

Watching the London Marathon. I never watch the pro runners, just the fun and charity runners.

They are currently showing Paula Radcliffe, bla bla bla.

Just in front of Paula, two ladies are running, tied at the wrist by rope. One of them is blind. Talk about a reality check.

[The Camel]

That reminds me, haven't bought you that book I promised you yet.

Or sent you your winnings from Ireland.

Will get onto to both pronto.

Are we on for baseball this year?

We won money in Ireland? Happy days. Thank you.

Baseball, the 51-ers? You bet - pick a date......

http://www.milb.com/schedule/index.jsp?sid=t400&m=6&y=2015



All together now.....

Take me out to the ball game,
Take me out with the crowd;
Just buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack,
I don't care if I never get back.
Let me root, root, root for the home team,
If they don't win, it's a shame.
For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,
At the old ball game.





http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Take_Me_Out_to_the_Ball_Game



That'll be us, in those blue seats right at the front. $25, shocking.

Have you got a date for your road trip yet?

I wouldn't be averse to flying to San Diego and meeting you there to go to a Padres game instead.

A long time since I've been to SD, but I loved when I went ~25 years ago.

Only if the dates fit and you fancy it of course.

[The Camel]

Possible you are attending an gardening and allotment conference Stateside of course.

[tikay]

Possible you are attending an gardening and allotment conference Stateside of course.

Nailed it, and you saved me a rather awkward reply and explanation. The Allotment Association Outing is May 31st - June 9th, mixed in with a bit of poker. All other dates are available.

It's very cheap to fly to San Diego and back from Vegas, so maybe we could do it during your trip. Ryan was telling me that Del Mar racecourse is in Dan Diego, too, and well worth a visit.

[sonour]

Could I increase my stake to 2% please ?
No problem if not.
xx

You are mad.

That's all.

BOOKED

Thank you.

£170 Sent

[Omm]

Could u send me your bank deets pls Tikay.