Prose from a Poshboy

[PizzicatoXev]

Great to see you take it down Alex

You played well and it couldnt happen to a nicer bloke

[cambridgealex]

Day THREE part TWO

So final 8. It was very tough with the draw, I had to really adjust to having Pez on my left and thought I did that really well. I generally just let Pez be the table captain and dominate and I just picked my spots. Losing the TT<A5 at the start was pretty deflating, but since then I ran great. Shoved a few hands with hands like 66 and A6 in spots where I just had to shove but didn't want calling so ran good not to run into any big hands either of those times. You all saw all the hands go down so I won't go into them. The KJ vs A9 hand was a defining hand - binking that King on the turn was pretty fkn sweet. Then the AQ>AT hand was a massive double up, the turn sweat was horrible!

I was really gutted to see Mitch bust out in 7th, I really wanted him to stay in and us take it down. 4 handed was the most interesting I think. Me and Pez were by far the most aggro on the table, Dan Laming had chips but was very card dead and had a terrible seat draw with me and Pez on his left. Stuart Fox was short and played so weak it was so easy, everytime I opened, so long as Pez folded, it was getting through. When 3 handed it was pretty tough because it felt like Fox was just waiting for me and Pez to bust each other and it was hard to see any other outcome because he was just folding all the time! So whenever Pez played back at me or it was me and him bvb it didn't really make sense to play back too hard and let the guy ladder.

3 handed lasted ages, in the end, as it often does it came down to a crucial flip. Shove from Fox, I reshove AK and am up against TT. It was about half my stack in the middle and winning it meant a 17k pay jump and being chip leader heads up with Pez.

Raggy flop then KING BALL on the turn! Didn't flinch a bit until the safe river was dealt then couldn't help but release some of the immense relief and happiness that was pent up inside. Shook hands with Fox then went over to my rail for some love.

[cambridgealex]

I was heads up with Pez with a 4:3 chip lead, playing for an extra 32k, the trophy and the glory. It started well, won a big pot making a flush with , hit a few flops and Pez just didn't seem to ever have much. Then there was a break. Pez had about 17 big blinds left which I wasn't really sure what to do with. After encouraging me to have a celebratory shot with the boys, Keys advised a limping strategy and it was perfect. Limp 100% of buttons with my usual opening range and put him in the tough spot with his stack size. This definitely threw him, he didn't know what to do. Hands that'd be an easy 3b shove for 17bigs he was just checking and playing flops. I felt Matt's game was absolute awesome preflop, but postflop I certainly felt comfortable in pots, he wasn't nearly so aggro. Pretty normal I suppose for tourney players' strength to be in their preflop game, and in Matt's case it was hugely impressive.

For about the 4th hand in a row I limped the button with and he shoved with , I obviously snapped.

This was it, this was for the win, for the 77k and for the trophy. Ace King rag flop was good but he did have a gutshot..........turned a flush draw.................brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrickkkkkkkkkkkk!!!!! And it was over.

Absolute euphoria, it was incredible. Words cannot describe how happy I was, still am, to win. I was dreaming of it ever since Day 1 finished. I never slept more than 5 hours since Day 1 because I was too excited about this remote possiblity, it was literally a dream come true. Unbelievable.

I thought Pez played awesome and probably deserved the win more than me because he was the best player and dominated the comp from the bubble till the end. I so proud of how I played though, I thought the adjustments I made at each stage of the comp were spot on, and I held my nerve and played to win throughout, depsite the money jumps being like 2x liferoll, 3x roll, 6x roll etc!

It's obviously amazing for so many reasons. However, one of the unexpected but awesome things to come out of it was to do with family. My family stayed up till 1am watching the live feed supporting me, my Dad and Mark in one house, my Mum and Bobby in the other. I've said before neither of my parents like the poker thing and they never follow how I'm getting on, ask questions or seem interested in anything other than the basic details of what I do. So to hear that they were shouting "King! King!" and things like that, and that they both rang me to tell me how proud there were of me, how exciting it all was etc, made me so happy.

Plenty of shots were had and we headed into town to Pandoras box, got the champagne and vodka flowing and got smashed and had an amazing time celebrating.

Without a doubt, the best day of my life so far.

[SuuPRlim]

Just been out for a few drinks with Pez and he was very complimentary of your play throughout. can't tell you how pleased I am to see someone who has grafted and grafted at it to have a nice little bink. hearty congrats again mate.

[kinboshi]

Alex, what you've said about your family and how they look at your poker-playing is interesting. I'm sure there lots of people in a very similar situation with family who were either disinterested or even against them playing poker who then come round to the idea after a tournament win.

I'm sure they'd rather you were representing England at croquet or real tennis, but I bet they're proud of you now and telling anyone who'll listen about your win.

[leethefish]

I was heads up with Pez with a 4:3 chip lead, playing for an extra 32k, the trophy and the glory. It started well, won a big pot making a flush with , hit a few flops and Pez just didn't seem to ever have much. Then there was a break. Pez had about 17 big blinds left which I wasn't really sure what to do with. After encouraging me to have a celebratory shot with the boys, Keys advised a limping strategy and it was perfect. Limp 100% of buttons with my usual opening range and put him in the tough spot with his stack size. This definitely threw him, he didn't know what to do. Hands that'd be an easy 3b shove for 17bigs he was just checking and playing flops. I felt Matt's game was absolute awesome preflop, but postflop I certainly felt comfortable in pots, he wasn't nearly so aggro. Pretty normal I suppose for tourney players' strength to be in their preflop game, and in Matt's case it was hugely impressive.

For about the 4th hand I limped the button with and he shoved with , I obviously snapped.

This was it, this was for the win, for the 77k and for the trophy. Ace King rag flop was good but he did have a gutshot..........turned a flush draw.................brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrickkkkkkkkkkkk!!!!! And it was over.

Absolute euphoria, it was incredible. Words cannot describe how happy I was, still am, to win. I was dreaming of it ever since Day 1 finished. I never slept more than 5 hours since Day 1 because I was too excited about this remote possiblity, it was literally a dream come true. Unbelievable.

I thought Pez played awesome and probably deserved the win more than me because he was the best player and dominated the comp from the bubble till the end. I so proud of how I played though, I thought the adjustments I made at each stage of the comp were spot on, and I held my nerve and played to win throughout, depsite the money jumps being like 2x liferoll, 3x roll, 6x roll etc!

It's obviously amazing for so many reasons. However, one of the unexpected but awesome things to come out of it was to do with family. My family stayed up till 1am watching the live feed supporting me, my Dad and Mark in one house, my Mum and Bobby in the other. I've said before neither of my parents like the poker thing and they never follow how I'm getting on, ask questions or seem interested in anything other than the basic details of what I do. So to hear that they were shouting "King! King!" and things like that, and that they both rang me to tell me how proud there were of me, how exciting it all was etc, made me so happy.

Plenty of shots were had and we headed into town to Pandoras box, got the champagne and vodka flowing and got smashed and had an amazing time celebrating.

Without a doubt, the best day of my life so far.

nice to see that family is so important to you,
 from your background and doing what you do playing poker for a living etc to get this phone call must have been as good as the win!!

again really well done alex your a really nice young man and i hope this win is the start and first of many.

[cambridgealex]

Alex, what you've said about your family and how they look at your poker-playing is interesting. I'm sure there lots of people in a very similar situation with family who were either disinterested or even against them playing poker who then come round to the idea after a tournament win.

I'm sure they'd rather you were representing England at croquet or real tennis, but I bet they're proud of you now and telling anyone who'll listen about your win.

Not sure I'd go that far, but it's certainly a huge step forward. Mark said my Dad said something like "I'm torn between wanting him to win and not because if he wins he'll stay addicted for much longer"...

So still get these kind of remarks but oh well. 

[smashedagain]

Alex, what you've said about your family and how they look at your poker-playing is interesting. I'm sure there lots of people in a very similar situation with family who were either disinterested or even against them playing poker who then come round to the idea after a tournament win.

I'm sure they'd rather you were representing England at croquet or real tennis, but I bet they're proud of you now and telling anyone who'll listen about your win.

Not sure I'd go that far, but it's certainly a huge step forward. Mark said my Dad said something like "I'm torn between wanting him to win and not because if he wins he'll stay a dick head for much longer"...

So still get these kind of remarks but oh well. 

fyp

[Skippy]

Alex, what you've said about your family and how they look at your poker-playing is interesting. I'm sure there lots of people in a very similar situation with family who were either disinterested or even against them playing poker who then come round to the idea after a tournament win.

I'm sure they'd rather you were representing England at croquet or real tennis, but I bet they're proud of you now and telling anyone who'll listen about your win.

Not sure I'd go that far, but it's certainly a huge step forward. Mark said my Dad said something like "I'm torn between wanting him to win and not because if he wins he'll stay addicted for much longer"...

So still get these kind of remarks but oh well. 

Get dad to play 1/2, IMO.

[cambridgealex]

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/chromebook-1460-commercial.html

excitaments.

everything is stored on the internet apparently, it's not like a normal computer. More susceptible to hacking / privacy issues?

[kinboshi]

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/chromebook-1460-commercial.html

excitaments.

everything is stored on the internet apparently, it's not like a normal computer. More susceptible to hacking / privacy issues?

It's really an alternative to an ipad or other tablets, rather than a replacement for a 'normal' laptop imo.  Can you guarantee you'll always have an internet connection, and if you want to use any 'decent' applications for any specific tasks they're usually ones that you need to install locally. Even if you're just browsing the web and grinding on it, you'd want HEM installed on your lappy wouldn't you?

[cambridgealex]

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/chromebook-1460-commercial.html

excitaments.

everything is stored on the internet apparently, it's not like a normal computer. More susceptible to hacking / privacy issues?

It's really an alternative to an ipad or other tablets, rather than a replacement for a 'normal' laptop imo.  Can you guarantee you'll always have an internet connection, and if you want to use any 'decent' applications for any specific tasks they're usually ones that you need to install locally. Even if you're just browsing the web and grinding on it, you'd want HEM installed on your lappy wouldn't you?

knew you'd have to pipe up with an answer to that question boshi. probs just gonna buy a new latop instead. Want a 17" display though and it to look sick.

btw, [ ] ever used HEM

[kinboshi]

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/chromebook-1460-commercial.html

excitaments.

everything is stored on the internet apparently, it's not like a normal computer. More susceptible to hacking / privacy issues?

It's really an alternative to an ipad or other tablets, rather than a replacement for a 'normal' laptop imo.  Can you guarantee you'll always have an internet connection, and if you want to use any 'decent' applications for any specific tasks they're usually ones that you need to install locally. Even if you're just browsing the web and grinding on it, you'd want HEM installed on your lappy wouldn't you?

knew you'd have to pipe up with an answer to that question boshi. probs just gonna buy a new latop instead. Want a 17" display though and it to look sick.

btw, [ ] ever used HEM

[  ] online grinder
[X] Live tournament guru

[titaniumbean]

God was I happy when you won AK  >TT zomg JUSTICCCEEEEE

Alex, what you've said about your family and how they look at your poker-playing is interesting. I'm sure there lots of people in a very similar situation with family who were either disinterested or even against them playing poker who then come round to the idea after a tournament win.

I'm sure they'd rather you were representing England at croquet or real tennis, but I bet they're proud of you now and telling anyone who'll listen about your win.

Really made me lol

Can also totally sympathise with the family situation, parents just don't get it and probably never will.

[skolsuper]

My parents were dead against it until my first WSOPE cash. I didn't tell them I was playing it, when they found out on Day 2 they panicked and were trying to think of how they could come up with £10k to bail me out if I didn't win, god knows how they thought I'd got the money to buy in. Anyway after I explained that I was in for $80 and more importantly cashed for £60k they were very happy, but for the next 2 years they'd still ask when I would be getting a real job. It took a long time, but eventually my mum told me she was very proud that I was making my own way in the world. Hang in there mate, they'll turn.