SEMI FIANL 888OPEN

SEMI FINAL


Here we are 7 players, 6 winners of their heats and then the winner from the turbo which was a turbo heat of all the second place finishers.
The line up was tough, tougher than my heat and probably the toughest 1 table I have ever played.
Seat 1 James Dempsey
Seat 2 Ian “the razor” Frazer
Seat 3 Richard Wheatley
Seat 4 Josh Tyler
Seat 5 Andrew Feldman (Last years winner)
Seat 6 Paul Zimbler
Seat 7 Andy Ward

So what do I know about these players.

James. Well I played James a long time ago in a heads up match, which I came back from the dead after the first hand to win the match and apart from that I have not played so much with him but I know he has improved from all those years ago.
I knew I would be able to use table talk against him and I have the upper hand.

Ian. A talented player who understands the game of poker and knows how to win 1 table tourneys. Possibly my biggest threat at this table but since 2 players go through there was this time room for us both. I just needed to be careful with Ian as he is capable of many plays.

Richard. What can I say? Richard is just one of those people you just get on with. His personality is great and he is full of fun and laughter. He loves to play poker and your guess is as good as mine as to what 2 cards he is holding. Should be interesting!

Josh. Well not sure what to say. As like most of the young internet kids they think they know and have it all. Very cocky and still lacks experience I think as he managed to win his turbo he will start good but fall when it counts. He is another player I will be able to get into their head with trash talk.

Andrew. A very talented poker player and also a friend. I am not saying he is the best but his game selection and ability to read and understand the short handed games is unbelievable. He also won this last year so he also knows what it takes to finish these 1 tables off.

ME. Odds on favorite to go through…… As I have said before I have never felt more sure of anything. I know I will be at that final table.

Andy. I do not know Andy very well but I do respect his poker game and think he to is 1 of the more likely to go through with me.
Did I have a game plan? Yes to make sure I went into the final with good chips. I was prepared to risk it all if we were 3 or 4 handed to gain a big chip stack so that I had a chance to win the whole event rather than just scrap through and hope on the day. A lot of players say the same thing but when it comes to it they are not really prepared and play scared. As you will see from my heat I was all in nearly every hand heads up with 2 8, J 3, T 2 etc as I was prepared to walk into AK and take a shot as the gamble there was to win the heat and the reward was great for a 40/60 otherwise have to wait and play a turbo and try to get lucky to win that.

Back to the Semi. It started with young Andrew playing 4 out of 4 hands and what looked to be like people making statements to each other and the testosterone flying around was in fact in most of the cases supported by good hands. Well good hands for these players.

The first hand I played I raised to 6K with the blinds at 1K 2K with 33 I got a call from James with ?? and then a re-raise to 22K from Richard with ??. What to do. Well it could be a squeeze but do I need to play this hand? No so I folded as did James.
An interesting hand though!
1st did I need to raise? Not really what flop did I want to see? I raised coz the blinds were cheap and to represent 1 of many hands. The flat call by James? What is this? He wants to play small pot poker with me? Is he crazy? Then the move form Richard. This could be anything! It was a good raise whatever his cards. James allowed this to happen by just calling me. As it happens James had 66 and Richard AdKd.
What was James going to do on a flop with 3 over cards try to out play me?¿? Good luck!

The next pot I am involved in Ian had limped as did I with 3c3d. The flop was 6d6h5d I bet out 9K and I an called the turn was 7d check check, I knew at this point he must have either flush draw or over pair. River 9d Frazer bet 16K. I did stop for a min to think about the hand and I even said you must have like quads or your bluffing me as there was no value bet to be had here. I even thought out loud as I said I think you have bet big to make it look like a bluff so that I call. 16K was 20% of my stack and I knew it was a bad call.
I did think though if I did call and he was at it he would be on tilt and a much stronger chance of me getting to the final. I would also be showing the other players at the table that I am not afraid to call big bets on the river with medium hands so do not try to bluff me. Still was not easy but I decided to do it. He slow rolled me and showed me the black 8 first making him a straight but I thought he would never bet with that hand on the river. I then showed my 3d and he turns over the 8d for a straight flush. Well played I said and everyone else was talking about the slow roll. No problem I said I will get my chance for revenge and it will be sweet or even he may just get punished for that.

So I was down to about 70K and still feeling good.
Next hand against Andrew. Kh5h for me and the board was 3dAhQs the flop was checked so I bet the turn and took it down.
Then I pick up KK and raise and it gets folded round.
Andrew raise before me with an Ace I then move all in and he folds. Slowly getting some chips back.
Level 3 approached with blinds 3k6k I raise with J)h and James mucks an A7 lol

This next hand was crucial. I raised it up to 16K with 88 It is folded round to Richard who moves all in. If I call and lose I would still be in the game but with like 12K. I decided I was ahead and called for a race and hoped quietly that he had either a real rag Ace or an under pair.
He turned over KQos and said I thought you were at it and would not call. As it happened James also folded KQ but the flop was not good and a queen came on it. With no help on the turn or river I was down to the felt but still felt very alive.
WOW what a play and what a hand. Imagine this. What would the odds have been pre flop of Richard and I making it to the final when he was all in against me on a 50/50 and if I lost I would be down to 12K still 7 handed???????

Nest hand Feldman decided to move all in with Q4 and I decided the value was right as I shoved it all in with J6. He looked at me like I was mad but you have to be prepared to get it in the 40% side and get lucky if the value is right. Later you will have many 50/50 or 60/40 so what is the difference I needed chips and wanted to show them I was not an easy pushover whose blind they could steel. I hit that hand on the flop and managed to nearly treble up.
I then move all in with A7 and it gets through.
A7 again and I raise again all in. James starts thinking hard and tells me if he had his hand last time he would have called at to which I replied well I have the same 2 cards. I know the commentator did not like my chat but I knew who I could talk to and who not to and I managed to talk him somehow out of calling me with AQ. Andrew then also gave me the treatment before folding A5.
Next level 5K 10K still 7 handed and I only have 52K
Richard makes it 30K I wake up with TT and move all in Richard calls me with 44. A nice double up for me….
Richard then moves all in with A4 and Andrew wakes up with QQ. The flop was 3TT and Andrew called in the 2 and 5 for a sick beat, leaving him with like 6K.

Next hand was also interesting. Andrew was in the BB and nearly all in. James decided he wants to raise here to set Andrew all in? what I am not sure with K7 but then Richard moves all in for over 40K more and he still calls?????? What can he think Richard has? Any way Richard wins with 99 as Andrews 34 unable to make anything and we are down to 6. James has dropped like 100K from his 200K stack so good news for me!
I did start to wind him up about his play and he even told me the value was there. OK I said and then I find out he passes AQ to me LMAO.
Richard is now chip leader with 160K I am short stack at 95K

Josh takes out Andy and now has 240K while my 75K looks to me like the real winner.
All I knew at this point was with Ian also short stacked I was the best player at the table and if I could get some chips I would show these kids how to play.
I made a few all ins to steel blinds successfully and then I found a real hand TT and Richard called me with 88. I thought this could be a bad sign but it was not to be and I was now back in the game.
I had warned them that they did not want to double me up but now that they had I was ready to play. 185K
Just As I had got these chips I looked over to josh and said “ you don’t want to play a big pot against me” he replied only if you make it big.
So I was in the BB and he was the SB he decided to limp and I looked down at 22 I made it 45K to play and he decided to call me out of position? OK I thought is he going to make a stop and go play on me? Am I ready to call of this semi with 22 to show him I know what he is up to……

Flop 5d4sKh Josh checks. So I check. I know he is capable of moving all in if I bet so what is the point.
Turn was 9h and he checked again. I thought now for maybe 60 second while I looked at him I seceded I was ahead and to play the percentages as if I did check now he would have to bet the river and I was prepared to all as long as no real scare card comes.
The river pairs the 5 and Josh starts to count. I think to myself here I am just going to instant call whatever he bets and if he goes all in I must be brave and trust my read and still call but maybe it would have taken me a few seconds to do it.
Finally he bets 50K as to which I have said call before he has even put his chips into the pot. Just a pair he said hoping that I would throw my cards away. I said you must win then still holding my cards. 5s he said as he did not want to show his hand. O I said I must have 2 pair then playin dumb…. “COME ON BABY, that’s how we play these young kids” I said. I did warn you I said to him after the hand at which point he was not talking to me anymore.
Now up to nearly 300K and feeling good I do not think anyone could have stopped me.

2 hands later Josh and James tangle and Josh is out. A8 v A5 and the best hand won.
4 players left 273 Zimbler, 160 James, 157 Frazer and 110 Wheatley

Richard then gets it all in v Ian At v AK and hits a T to survive MBN
To be honest I preferred Richard to get the chips as he was less of a treat in the rest of this heat and also in the final.

Ian then all in and I called with A/ he turned over 78 and with no help Ian was out.
I know had half the chips in play and this was the comeback of all comebacks.
There were a few pots here and there all in and no calls and finally James pushes all in on MY BB. Has he not been paying attention at all this semi final?????
I called with A4 and as I did I said this is so that I have a real chance at winning. He turned over JT to be fair it was near enough what I was expecting to see and I just needed my Ace to hold up.
It did and we were through Richard and I had made it against all the odds.
Going into the FINAL of the 888.com Open
Paul Zimbler 418,000 So far I am the chip leader but 1 more semi final tomorrow.
Richard Wheatley 282,000 (Average is 350,000)
Thanks to Matchroom Sport for allowing me to post the results and for the pictures that will follow as well as all their hard work.

I was very grateful to be in the final after being short in my heat and winning to the same happening in the semi I was sure it was a sign that I was destined to win. There are always 3 things that help me smile when I am down to the felt and give me the feelings I need to turn it around and start wining: My nephew Ziggi, my niece Skye and my doggy Lola. Pure unconditional love and it is the best.

I will let you know how the final goes.