No run, deep run PLO fun.

Following a redic run of away days decide to opt for the Circus £75 over the DTD Monthly £300 this month and keep vaguely in the good books.

Turns out to an awesome decision as I become the first exit in level 2 and back home for 5pm.

Wasn't that keen on my opening table which was v loose and no sign of any pair being folded at any stage so my laggy play was becoming expensive as I continually flop and bet out with middle pairs, open ended straights and flush draws and combine missing everything with getting called down by fishy top pair not kicker types for some small loses.

Finally win a pot with 104o which I raised from the cut off and bet 3 streets to river my straight. Then immediately get AA on the button and "squeeze" 5 limps to 600 with and get 2 callers weeeeee. Flop comes down Q82 rainbow but its checked to me and a half pot bet this time takes it down here FML.

Then get 99 into JJ on Jxx which he check reraises and I make a cheap fold and miss some more atc spots for small loses. Killer had comes UTG I make it 325 with KK and get just the button in for the flop of KdAd4d, I lead for 500 and he tank calls. Not ideal but with my image now I can get action from almost any A here and certainly Qd/Jdx. Turn a is a brick and I make it 1200 to which he tank moves in for 3000 more, I snap to be shown 6d7d and brick the river to move down to 1800 at 50/100. Pretty shitty play and standard shitty read from me basically not prepared to lay down a set when I'm obv crushed.

Exit hand I reship for 1500 over a 300 open from SamJ with 8c9c and ask for a call. His As10s is good despite flopping the world on 3c4c7h and brick out to bust. 1st early exit from a deepstack game for a long time despite getting some big hands which only ever lose big pots early GG dickhead.

So decide to go straight home and fire up a proper session on PS registering from all <$10 MTTs from 6pm to 8.30pm, that consists of about 12 games and the shit continues manage to bust 4 tourneys in about 5 mins aipf with AA 3 times and KK and never really get going in anything.

The night continues in that vein for ages except for a PL08 game where I hit every hand I play and go CL early doors and lead, at times 3 or 4 times 2nds stack all the way to the final 3 tables. Just as I bust the rest in shitty fashion I am left in just 2 MTTs and go on a turbo heater around the bubble in the $3+R on Stars and hitting absolutely everything go from 20BB to 150BB and top 10 stack with 1000 remaining.

The wheels truly fall off in the PL08 as I manage to miss the world all in on flop in 3 massive pots with AA23ds and AA34s on 56X type flops with nut flush, straight and nut low draws to bust in 17th for a shitty low cash.

Down to 1 table and playing really steady on good tables where I have good restealing spots vs the worst fish and just steadily keep chipping up on small pots before I open 1010 from the cut off, flop comes 10s7s4h and he check/ships to my C-Bet, I snap him off and his QsJs rivers the flush for a huge pot.

PS have truly pushed the doom switch now and I open JJ and make a good fold to 2 all ins where my JJ would have bust KK and AQ for the CL if I'd donked off, then forced to open/fold 1010, 99 and JJ again to reshoves. Basically can't win a pot now and finally get caught restealing with 7h9h for 16BB as stealer calls with AQ ;). Finish in 78th/7000 for $140 and another shitty deep run where 150BB stack turned to shit at the vital stages.

Going to take a break from weekend live poker till after Xmas now and spend some time with the family rather than getting shafted by this shitty game.

NPF Championships II

Another weekend another quality tournament. This time a £50 Deepstack Freezeout with 10000 starting stack and 45 minute levels for the NPF Championship and ultimate local bragging rights.

The game sold out with 100 runners and it was rightly held at Circus Casino where the team really have gone to another level in providing great service for local poker.

Arrive early and get the drinking underway early doors and a really great atmosphere is already starting to build.

My starting table included a few players I have played with quite regularly and a couple of nemesis players in Quietman who always seems to own me in online games and Glenn the Geek who is the luckiest man in poker ;). Also on the table is Jon Lundy a guy who plays for a living so not the greatest start.

Plenty of banter early on and I decide I'm going to play loose aggressive again for the first three levels as the table is really tight with the exception of me and Jon. Start raking in plenty of small pots as my rags either connect nicely or manage to take the pots away on turn and river and my stack is moving in the right direction. First major hand is playing 75o in a raised pot 3 handed the flop lands A64. I'm sure that at least one has an Ace and decide to peel a turn which comes 7, this is checked round and the free river 7 gives me a nice pot when my value bet is called on the river by AK.

Win lots more small/medium pots before calling a raise with Ah9h on the button and see an AcKhQs flop, call a pot size raise with intention of moving them off on the turn or river and the turn comes 7h. Checked to me I decide to take the free river which comes 4h for the nuts and my reraise gets called down by KQo for a 15k pot. My stack is now up over 40k and the blinds 150/300 without a single premium hand and really happy with the table now looking to take some shots as people are becoming short stacked.

Then the inevitable happens. Mid position limp I make up the SB with 99 and BB checks. The flop comes KJ9 rainbow and I check raise the BBs 1100 bet to 3900 which he flats. Hating my life when the Q turn drops and check check. The river is another J BINGO! and I make I go to 5k for value now praying he has any 10, K or J and he shoves for 30k more, snap call and he slowly flips KJ FML!! This was the only player at the table with a stack over 15k too which is kinda sick.

That puts me down to 10k again and I'm well back in the pack. Just before dinner I get a double with QQ v JJ and end the session on 16k and blinds at 150/300 25A.

Post dinner I make a few moves and lose a few 1000 making plays but the stacks are not really deep enough to get people to fold marginal hands now with my image and am forced to shut down and play tight.

A few shitty plays later and I get moved to a new table with Tom Middleton hugely stacked and active to my left and now I really need some premiums to have a chance in the game. I get a couple of raises through but my stack is at 10k when the blinds go to 300/600 50a and complete the SB with 7d10d and see a Jd9c4d flop. I lead for 1.1k which Tom flat calls and I move in when the turn bricks, get the call from J10 and miss the river.

Pretty shitty end to the day but was a great game played in great spirit and the trademark roller coaster ride for me. Happy with my play mostly and just need to not lose 70k pots in the early stages of these games ;).

Well done to Teamdobb who showed hes is more than just a shortstack master by blowing away the final 20 once he got some chips.

Played some cash at the end of the night managing to get 100BB in first hand with JJ v A3 for a loss then 100BB in on 456 with 23 against 78 but somehow recovering to £30 up after stacking a luminous pink headed guy on his first hand with 6h9h v KK. Was a cracking table and had a great laugh along the way, quote of the night from a guy laying down a big hand then stating "if it was a tournament of course I would never fold there but this is cash" lol gg sir.

Sunday night I played 2 tournaments the 1/4 million on stars with 29257 runners finishing in 620 for $82 and the FullTilt FTOPS Warm Up with 45000 runners finishing just the wrong side of the bubble in 7800 ish. So thats over 60000 players beaten for $80 FML I run so good.

APAT English Championships - Day 2

Day 2 and I go back as one of the short stacks and 32 runners remaining. The blinds start at 2000/4000 300 ante so I figure I have to take the blinds at least once an orbit to survive and hopefully get an early double trying.

I resume in the SB and get 52o folded round to me but the BB is on ~42k also so I elect to fold here (much to everyones surprise) and make a little speech about having lots of time (lol).

I then get 55 and 22 but its opened and reraised before me so I elect to fold both and finally shove 83s and get it through. Back in the SB the button raises to 10000 and I shove over the top with J10s and they call with J10s (FML) chop chop.

Same orbit I shove from the cut off with AQo and get it through (grrrrr) but the table is pretty passive despite the big stacks all around. Back into the blinds and I get Ad8d on the SB. One of the big stacks has just lost 2 big pots in a row and makes it 12k to go. I have 39k but the blinds are going to 3k/6k 500a after this hand so I figure I'll take my chances here. Tilty finds a call for half his remaining stack with K9o and I miss the lot after the board runs out 7d4dX9hX.

No luckboxing on day 2 was disappointing and a return to 1 chance and out poker but to be fair I can only blame myself on this occasion for not going deep. I really got the run of big cards I've been moaning about and won when I was ahead often enough. I'm sure I will learn from this one more than most.

APAT English Championships - Day 1

Finally managed to register and remain available for an APAT event again this weekend which saw 200 runners at the Grosvenor Casino in Bolton.

10k starting stack and 45 min levels gives a load of play and my starting table consisted of 9 unknown to me faces and three raise 3BB and win it pots. Errr not for me thank you. So I begin to play every pot from position and make a steady but unremarkable start winning a few 1000 floating flops and winning with bets on the turn or river.

Due to the nature of my play from here in this event I cant really do my normal bumbling report, there are just so many key hands from the day its probably easier just to list them as I sort of remember them, the levels and stacks might be off but they kind of haze into 1 atm:

Level 1 - 25/50
Me-Cutoff-12k-Raise to 125 (7h5h)
Folds to BB-Reraise to 500
Called
Flop 7s6h4h
BB-600, Call
Turn 4c
BB-800, 2000, Call
River 10c
BB-800, 3500, Call
BB shows A10o

Level 4 - 100/200
Me -UTG (12k) - Raise to 500 (KK)
Folds to BB (8k) - Reraise 1.6k (JJ)
Reraise to 4k - call
Flop - 1074
BB - all in - call.

This spew with JJ had some history as I'd raised his BB from UTG 4 times in the last 5/6 orbits and he was convinced I was at it (I wasn't having had AK, AK, QQ, 1010). Right back in the game here and get enough chips to resume opening most unopened pots in position.

Level 5 - 150/300
Me -CO (28k) - Raise to 400 (6s3s)
Folds to BB (7k) - Reraise 1k (JJ)
Flop - 1043
BB - 800 - 3000 - All in - call
Turn - 5 River 6

Pretty shocking hand this one but I end up valuing myself into the all-in call with my semi bluff at the flop. The guy had played about 4 hands in total and was extremely rocky, I just felt he would fold post flop so much that the bet was ok and then I luck box him on the river MBN.

Dinner Break - 40k
Totally flying going into to dinner and really feel this game is in the bag (i.e. cocky twat). Totally comfortable at my table and only really 1 bad spot on it. A little motivational chat and push on to destroy the table and get a massive stack was the mission.

Level 7 - 200/400 25a
Me - CO (42k) - Raise 1000 (AQs)
BB (12k) - Raise 3500 (AJo)
Me - Reraise 12000 - Call
AQ holds

Really tilted this guy into the call as I had raised his blinds from the cutoff all day and just got his timing wrong into one of the few hands I could have played back at him with.

Reach chip peak of ~60k

Level 8 - 300/600 50a
Me - UTG+1 (60k) Raise 1500 (99)
CO (20k) - Raise 2k (didnt see my bet) Raise 6k (QQ)
Me - Reraise 20k - Call
QQ holds

The beginning of the end for my stack. The fact he goes to open not seeing my bet I then translate this into weakness (? god knows why) and as he has been uber tight decide I can get him off the pot here. He tanks for ages and makes a pretty easy call imo with my image.

Level 8 - 300/600 50a
Me - UTG+1 (40k) Raise 1500 (A6s)
BB (10k) - Call (A9o)
Flop - A33 - BB Check - Me 3000 - Call
Turn - 9 BB Check - Me 5000 - Call All in
River - 10

This is just a few hands behind still well chipped and determined not to let one setback stop the flop I decide to play A6s UTG+1 which was well out of the blue hand wise and just a result of a bit of tiltyness I think. So the BB defends as he repeatedly has but he's a relentless call folder so I'm happy enough. As the flop lands I'm more than happy that at worst we chop this one up if I cant get him off his A. I'm always gifting the further 5k on the turn TBH tilt or not. Amazingly he tanked for a few minutes before calling as he thought I might have the 3 lol.

Level 8 - 300/600 50a
Me - CO (30k) Raise 1500 (A9s)
BB (12k) Reraise 12k (AJo) - Call (FML)
AJ holds

This was worst of the lot and just part of adjusting this style to play effectively. I manage to convince myself that cos he (the rockiest of rocks btw) has seen me spew he just figures I'm opening light (I am) and that he can get me off a hand now easy. So I tank and decide I'm ahead here enough (I'm really not against this guy) and cos I have chips behind if I'm wrong I'll gamble. Ooops.

From here I lose a few smaller pots and drop to 3k when I bluff/fold a marginal spot FML. The key to this demise though was my move from playing small ball poker to big pot poker without premiums. The worst thing looking back is that if I don't drop quite so many chips in these spots the following pots are huge and probably still play out the same.

Level 9 - 400/800 100a
Me - MP(3k) All in (AhJh)
CO (28k) Call (?)
BB (16k) Call (Q8o)
Flop - KhKcQh
CO-Check BB-All in CO -Fold
Turn - x
River - 10c

Weeeeeeeeee. Catch a river and for once survive an all-in situation and treble back to 10BB.

Level 9 - 400/800 100a
Me B (12k) All in (97c)
SB (9k) All in (99)
99 holds

Decide to push on with 12BB rather than blind out only to find my worst nightmare spot. Back down we go.

Level 9 - 400/800 100a
Me MP (3k) All in (AhKh)
MP (20k) Call - Fold
MP (18k) Call -Fold
BB (16k) All in (AQo)
AK holds making nut flush

Weeeeeeeeeeeeee. Sweet play from the AQ protects me once I get my money from the other 2, make the nuts on the flop anyhow and back to a fighting stack.

Level 9 - 400/800 100a
UTG (18k) 3000
Me B (12k) All in (AcQc)
UTG Call (QQ)
Board - 7c9cXXAh

Get moved tables the hand before this one. I'm never folding AQs at this point as I try to find chips for day 2 and get lucky again with the rivered A.

Level 10 - 600/1200 100a
Me-MP (35k) 3000 (AJs)
MP (8k) All in (1010)
SB (16k) All in (A10o)
Me - Fold
1010 holds - AJ>A10 if played.

Still pretty new to the table the SB all in looked really strong and I was conscious of donking off my last stack so opted to fold which really bites me in the arse vs same player next hand.

Level 10 - 600/1200 100a
B (10k){A10o from previous) All in (106o)
Me BB (32k) Call (A2o)
Board - 72266

Funny old game innit, if I call hand before this doesn't happen lol. Pretty sick way to lose it but the call was marginal so managed not to totally tilt off and still ok chips.

Level 10 - 600/1200 100a
Me - CO(22k) 3000 (KK)
SB (16k) Call (A10)
Flop 1094
SB 4000 - Me All in - SB Fold (FML)

Somehow he finds a pass here which is ridiculous. I then peak at 60k again but the arrival of a few 100k stacks forces me to shut down after a bit after a few open/folds and I remain card and situation dead to end of play taking 38500 back to day 2.

DTD £300 Deepstack

Saturday saw my debut at DTD for their monthly £300 Deepstack tournament and I was totally blown away by the place, it really is amazing and the level of service and standards of dealing, TDing and everything really was top top notch.

The game shuffles up and deals on time to the second and with a 10k stack and 45 min levels I decide I'm going to continue the super laggy approach if the table doesn't show too much resistance.

The first level shows that the table is pretty weak with lots of limping and a few crazy overbets its perfect for my game and I manage to run my stack up to 16k by the end of level 2 with a premium hand just picking up the majority of the small undefended pots.

Level 3 (75/150) and I'm still limp stealing but starting to get some comments from the table moaning that I can't always have it but to this stage I've not shown down a single hand. That changes in this level as I limp 99 and value bet every street on a A94 board and get paid off all the way by a non believing A5. Then after limp calling 1010 my raise to 1k on 964 gets shoved on for 5k by 88 and I hold to move over 25k.

Level 4 (100/200) arrives and in the early orbits it folds to my SB 3 times in a row, BB has been constantly chirping I should give him walks but I have limped every time and won the pot every time the third time he calls the river with bottom pair to be shown my 105o good for the pot with 2 pair and he's not a happy camper.

Then the key hand of the day. Mid position limps and it folds to my SB and I raise to 800 with AA reds, BB makes a big speech and ships in for 20K (lmao), mid position tanks for ever and fold (he show QQ) and I snap it off to be shown KK black. As the BB is getting his coat the flop lands Kh 4d 2d the turn is 3d to give me some hope but the river blanks and I lose a 40k pot and am cut back to a disappointing but playable 8k stack. Really is unbelievable play from KK who later states that he was happy to win 1k there with KK because he didn't want to play a big pot with me lol.

So it was back to rebuilding and once the antes come in I'm raising every unopened pot from position and manage to peak back at 18k playing only small pots mostly without showdown. At level 7 (200/400 25 ante) when I get my 2nd premium of the day QQ in early position and make my standard 1100 raise. I get calls from the button and BB and we see a 2 7 8 rainbow flop. BB check/calls when I make it 2500 to go and the button folds. Turn is 9 and BB check calls my 3500 bet and I'm done with betting this hand. The river pairs the 2 but I check behind him and he goes mental that I haven't fired again when I flip QQ and he shows 10Jo to scoop having hit his flopped gut shot and I'm back down under 10k again FML.

Now I don't have enough chips to play so open because the table is looking to fire back at me so much of the time so I decide to shutdown and wait for good 3 bet spots. By level 9 (400/800 100 ante) I am just hovering around 15k and twice 3 bet shove AQs to get called by AQ and chop them up, win the blinds with KK, and lose 5k to a short stack with 55 v K10. I go into level 10 (600/1200 100 ante) with 16k.

Mid way through the level the most active big stack (60k) makes his standard 4k raise from mid
position and I shove for 16k with 77 he tank calls with 1010 and as ever the first chance I have to go out is taken and I exit in around 100/300+. In hindsight I've probably made this move too early again with my stack size and should maybe keep grinding my short stack with the 45 min levels.

Have to say I really enjoyed the game and the experience and it continues to amaze me how soft these £300+ fields can be. If I win the AA v KK and have 250BB I could have really dominated my table but just not meant to be again today. Really pleased with my play on yet another card dead day but its shown again that I can still build stacks without cards which gives me a real chance to get in the money every time I play without having to really run golden, just average would be nice.

Q10 - the Aspers NUTS!!

Saturday was the return of the $75 Double Chance Freezeout at Aspers and with no added the money the field was a slightly less challenging 64 runners.

I decided before the tournament on a change of tactic and with a workable table went for a super laggy approach in the early levels playing atc in limped pots or with position. This reaped some rewards as I was flopping monsters pretty regularly but winning just small pots. I really need to feel on top of my game to play that style as the majority of decisions need to be correct post flop. I got a real boost though playing A2o on a flop of 345 and getting away when the 7 flopped to be shown 68o for only a small loss.

My first big pot came in level 2 as UTG and 3 other limpers to me I look down at JJ on the button. I limp with the intention of continuing to play small ball but also disguising the strength of my hand. The BB raises to 600, UTG flat calls and it folds back to me. I decide to use my position now and reraise to 2100 which the BB flats and UTG ships in for 15k which has me covered. Really strange line from UTG imo and with all the players acting after his flat of the BB raise I can't see that he ever has a big pair here, finally decide to call assuming he has donk shoved with a mid pair or worst case AK and the BB folds. Its JJ v QQ (wow) and I flop the J and hold to have a really playable stack of 28k at 50/100.

After that hand I really continue with the laggy approach and win loads of small pots growing steadily through the day from 30k up to a peak of 75k once we are down to 2 tables and blinds at 1500/3000. Weirdly throughout the day I was just totally card dead and JJ remained my biggest starting hand with a few mid pairs and A10 or worse thrown in but playing small ball and using my stack I managed to avoid having to play any massive pots and just picked up the pots with small raises playing good lines.

Finally when we get down to 6 handed I get my first big pair KK and win the blinds lol. Two hands later and playing 75k UTG shoves for 24k and I pick up AKs on the BB. In they go and its AK v Q10 which makes a flush on the turn and brings me back into the pack for the first time in the day at 50k but still pretty playable given the dynamics at that stage.

My seconds mistake of the day was my last. The button raises to 7.5k and I elect to defend my BB with QJs (the nuts) but elect to just flat rather than reraise (hmmm) to outplay him post flop. The flop comes 91010 and I check to raise his 100% C-bet. He leads out for 10k (playing 100k) and I reraise to 25k, when he sighs and puts the rest in I know hes got the mfkn 10 but there's no way I can ever fold. He flips Q10 and I brick out in 12th with 10 getting paid.

Despite the cringyness of the exit hand and almost certainly the -ev of that play, the day as a whole didn't feel like a total waste. My play throughout the entire day was probably my best to date especially considering the total lack of starting hands I had. To go 8 hours with 3 legitimate premiums and never be in danger was a real boost and I'm now really looking forward to a probable trip down to DTD for the £300 game next weekend.

ljgl;asdfgjk;lgjdfg

Down to Circus for the £30 Double Chance and 60 players tripped the £2000 guarantee.

Pretty standard starting table with no cards except QQ and a few small wins kept my stack at the starting 9k going to the break.

Quickly moved tables after the break and build my stack up to 14k raising in position with atc and winning a few decent pots without showdown.

Another table move and really get into the game playing 16k at 400/800 limping with 4♥5♥ 4 players to the flop of 4♠5♣8♥ and after its checked to me I make it 2000 to go, SB flats and we check check the turn 4♣ hoping to induce a river bet. The river comes Q♣ and he fires 3500 but folds to my raise. That pot puts me in a nice position in relation to the table and quickly build my stack stealing and restealing up to 30k.

Another table move and after a few active orbits later I get J♥7♥ in the SB at 600/1200 playing 38k. UTG limps (26k) and it folds to me, I complete and BB (9k) checks. The flop is a dreamy 4♥5♥6♦ which I check with the intention of getting all the chips in here if UTG has limped a monster. BB bet folds 1k after UTG insta ships and I call, he shows A♠A♦ and despite the fact the kids got a fking limp I can't win the race for 60k and an easy final table and miss my 15 outs.

A few orbits later at 800/1600 and I get 88 in the BB and the button makes it 5k to go, I ship in for 15k and lose another race as his AQ turns a pair and I'm busto in 16th place.

Really is an amazing run of cards I've had for the last month live with so few premiums meaning its really hard work to build a decent stack without being able to get to showdowns. Surely must be due a real card rack night in the near future and I wouldn't object to winning the occasional race at the key stages either.