OK gonna do another unfinished tourney report. Was an eventful year once more and another
mfkin mincash deep run in a tourney. I'll start at the beginning.
My pennage is probably going to seem pretty lame next to Zero Five's and I considered putting this in my "diary". Let's face it though- the diary is lame and my life day to day is not as interesting as Greeky's, Poshboy's or even Tikay. Just a normal Dad with an amazing family who likes to peek at two cards from time to time.
This is our annual pilgrimage to Ireland for the IPO and our 3rd year. Around 15 travelled from Leicester, most play regularly at Leicester gala and DTD. Those known to blonde are me, Shelley, Kev Smith (autobetkev) Dan Ward (wardy84). Special mention must go to my mum who for the second year has bravely looked after the kids to allow our weekend away.
Our flight was at 3pm and after a morning at work we set off for the airport. After check in and security we play chase the ace in departures for a quid a life (great game!) and then board for Ireland! We arrive, chill out, play some hold em for 5 Euro a man in which me and Shelley chop the first and cash in the second. Run good has started. After an awesome Italian meal (restuarant opposite the Skylon Hotel- highly recommend it if you're ever near there), we catch an early night in readiness for the 12pm start.
If you've never played the IPO it's a great value tournament with a DTDesque deepstack structure. Stacks have increased from 10k to 15 with a 40 min clock for 23 levels increasing to an hour thereafter. They had done a "November 8" promotion for the final. The final 8 will be resuming in November to play to a winner. Maybe a bit ridiculous for a low buy in comp such as the IPO but I kinda understand why they've done in that previous finals have been an absolute shoot. Maybe inevitable when you get a lot of amateur plays who play more cautiously Tikay.
They also run some very reasonable side events including a nightly 100 Euro comp and then on the last night a 115 scalps and a double chance Omaha. Cash games galore (although mitch told me they weren't great last year) and a nightly 50 euro turbo. Well usually. Due to lack of dealers, they binned the nighty turbo. Despite and improved structure in terms of starting stack, the atmosphere of the tournament felt a little stilted tbh. They were no bounties this year. No big build up. I spose it's understandable. The Irish economy is struggling at the moment and I guess it's inevitable it's going to have an effect on the poker economy. The Irish Winter Festival next week has a reduced buy in which I think is prudent in these tough times.
I take my seat, table 27 seat 7 and quickly realise everyone is pretty nitty. I lose a decent pot with Q10hh in a 3 bet pot first level. Here's what happened. I open button to 150 at 25/50, sb 3 bets to 350. I peel.
Flop is AQ2 with the Ah. He c bets.. I call. turn is
and I call another barrel. River bricks and he bets again. I fold and am down to around 13k. I get dealt a few duffers before playing a fairly big pot. UTG opens (pretty nitty) and gets two callers before me on the button with 63hh. Blinds also call and we're 5 way to the flop. Flop is 652 rainbow. Raiser c bets 800 into 1500, gets two folds and it comes to me.
I decide to raise here to 2050. Maybe a little spewy but I find in these comps you can apply real pressure to certain types of players. Blinds fold and after tanking for 30 secs or so OR calls. Turn is
to give me a straight and to put spades out there. He checks and I bet 2650 with around 8k behind. He takes two mins and then flats. River is a 5 and he checks. I jam after a min or so and he snap folds. I'm up to 18k now and start to open and call with in position with frequency. I'm hitting flops but also winning a fair amount by just playing in position and c betting. No one is playing back so it's quite easy to fold when 3 bet knowing they have it.
I chip up 40k, winning one major hand with 78cc when I flop the open ender and turn the straight. Villian folded river. Think I potted the river which in hindsight was a mistake but I was playing/betting so many hands I thought he might have had enough. I also win QJ vs KJ aipr vs a shorty.
We're approaching dinner break when they following hand occurs to put me to 90k. It actually involved a dinner queue sweat. Dealer is dealing cards with 10 seconds to go and the group are leaving for lunch. I almost just get up before the hand is dealt but decide waiting for dinner a little longer might do me some good.
UTG limps, which starts a limp fest. I make up in the sb with 86 and we're 7 way to a 1075 rainbow flop. Checked to UTG who bets 2600 into around 4k. One caller and I also call. FOUR FOUR>
hits the turn. Hmmmm- how do I get paid. Lead? Board is still fairly dry so I decide I'm going to check raise. Check. UTG is eyeing his stack- looks back at the flop- back at his stack. Flop. Stack. Flop. Stack. Cmon dude!
I am spying him out of the corner of my eye and suddenly I see around 25k cross the line. This does not happen to me of late! I have the nuts and the guy wants to overbet turn all in. I can't wait to get my money in but hold on, other guy is tanking and asking for a count! O rly? I'm thinking, huge treble up! The irrational side of me is saying that he has 86 too and this is a huge waste of time, or he has a set and it's going to pair. Eventually he folds and I call and flip my hand. He shakes his head hard and flips 55. Pair up sweat.... J on river. The carvery dinner tasted pretty good. 90k going back to 500/1000/100. TYVM!
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