IRISH OPNE 2009 DAY 2

DAY 2 of the Irish Open Main Event.

I managed somehow to give you an update last night after quite a few drinks in the bar after the days play was over. I am not normally a drinker while I play but I was taught from a young age one expression: “When in Rome, do as Roman’s do”

I left early though to get a good nights sleep in as I knew that day 2 would be long and gruelling and I wanted a clear head and make it through the day without feeling worn out before the end. I am here to win and to do this I need to keep a clear head.

06:30 there is a knock at my door. I was not amused as I am sure you can guess. I think it is my girlfriend who was coming in that morning, I had left here some money and a room key at reception so she would not need to wake me and I realised that it was to early for here so who the F**K was it?
It was my friend who I came with Joel, he decided to celebrate his chip count for ending day 1 by drinking all night with the others and had just found out that he lost his bet which was that I was not in the top 20 in the chip counts. I was in fact number 20 and he was not happy, waking me up at 0630 though is not advisable in normal circumstances and if it was not for the girlfriend coming out in 1 hr I would have gone mental.

I manage to get some more sleep get to the gym sweat out some booze and relax in the steam room before heading down to start play.

My table draw again was great and I could tell from early on that we had quite a tight table.
I played the first 2 levels really badly and lost a lot of chips, I still have not had Kings in 2 days and Queens and Aces 3 times between them.
I called a lot of the short stacks and before I knew it I was down to about 25K. Not feeling the best I decided to take a walk, on my return I watched the table as the guy 3 to my right was raising and raising hand after hand. My small blind comes round and he raised again, the blinds were 500/1000 and he made it 3000, I looked down at 88 out of position and decided after a lot of thought to shove. He stopped and thought for a while checked I didn’t have him covered and finally called. He had KK and he was not slow rolling me! I found out after he was a rock and must have been on a mad rush.
The flop was 995 so all the money would have gone in anyway and the turn was no help. For the 1st time in a long time my stomach went as I thought this was my year and maybe now it wasn’t going to happen, I didn’t want to appear cocky and I tapped the table and stood up. As I was about to walk away I saw the 8 hit the river from the corner of my eye. It was fate! Now I believed that this is my year and the feeling is unreal. I was shaking and from there I grew my chips rapidly. I had people paying me off 40K a time and I quickly got myself up there with the chip leaders.

Kitty (that’s my girls knick name arrived and went out shopping for the day as they do as I do not really want her railing me all day 1 its boring and 2 she is more nervous than me.

Level 7 and 8 of the day we were moved to the feature table where I took 175K with me. I built this up to just over 300K and finished the day with 187,300 in10th place from the 64 remaining. The average chips is now just over the 100K mark.

I remember seeing in the rules I was allowed to wear 1 logo on shirt and 1 on the sleeve. I stuck another one on the sleeve for luck as the Betfred logo is bright and would stand out. This was live on the net and will be shown in Ireland and the UK over a 12 week period.
I played pretty tight on the TV I re-raised the scandie 1st hand with QQ and was solid most the time apart from near the bubble. I raised 1 pot with K8 and was called on the button the big blind pushed for 31K more which I thought I had to call as the was like 50K in the middle at that point. Somehow the button managed to fold JJ face up and I was glad he did. The big blind had the hand I was hoping for AT and and 8 high flop sealed the deal for me. I was now on my way and going past the 300K mark so was the chip leader.

I was feeling tired but had played well most the day I think I made 2 mistakes through the day, I am lucky that I was able to bounce back and see the positive side of it all and re group. I was happy the day ended when it did and we headed to the bar for a few drinks before heading back to the room to do my updates and get a good nights sleep in.
I am telling you all as I told my friends, 13 is my lucky number. 13 years I have waited and grinded. A bet on me to make the final table and to win is a good one if you can get it on. Don’t say I didn’t tell you……..

Play starts at 1400 again on Sunday and I will be updating once we get to the final table.

IRISH OPEN 2009 Day 1

IRISH OPEN 2009


So it’s a Thursday morning at 0400 and my alarm goes off. Those that know me know that me and mornings do not go hand in hand and trying to wake up b4 midday is not an easy task for me.

I manage to push snooze 4 times before I turned the alarm off and thankfully I ordered a wake up call and got it just in time.
I decided to pack the night before and was not 100% ready but had 10 mins to finish packing and remember to add the girlfriends hairdryer and other stuff before heading off to Luton for my 0615 flight to Dublin.

I go to collect my friend from his house and we head off.
We make it just in time well 5 min before check in closes but there is a small problem Ryan air flight 5 quid. I paid for a bag 18 quid problem was only allowed 15KG and I thought we were allowed 20KG. My bag weighed 22KG and they wanted 15 quid a kilo? WTF was cheaper to buy another case in the shop and pay for an extra bag. 1 problem only had 4 minutes left to do this. I took out 5KG and thought f**k it I am about to win 600K what is 75 quid. I paid the excess and we moved on.
From there we went to security where the queue was a joke you can now pay 3 quid to jump the queue which of course we did. The flight was on time and I managed to sleep the whole way.

DUBLIN

We arrive and jump into the cab which was 80 euro after paying 8 euro for a packet of cigs. SICK
City West Hotel. This is where the tourney was tacking place same as last year and it is a very nice hotel. The event is run so well and I think that the Irish open is the best event in Europe. The cash games are unreal and the partying goes on all through the night, when in Rome………..

So as normal like a bull in the china shop I get into a cash game. I mange to get involved for 1600 after 10 min loosing AA QQ AK and 77 and KK wining but small as an Ace was on the flop. I manage to get most of it back with K6 dia flopping the nuts…..
From there I decided to play the super sat for fun it was a 200 rebuy event and great value. I bought in on level 3 so it didn’t cost me a fortune as only 2000 chips. I added on for 4000 chips and managed to play QQ so badly I went out early on.
OFF TO THE BAR IT WAS
I meet Ashley Hames from sin cites who was here to play poker also, we got on well and managed to drink and drink and drink well and drink some more.
We were a few of us Grecs, Paul Goulray and mrs as well as a few others.
I headed of to bed at 0200 as I wanted to be in a good mood for the Main event the next morning.

1100 My alarm goes off, my head was hurting and I managed to get myself down to the gym as I promised myself I would do.
I worked out for 1 hr sweating the booze out and sat in the steam room for a while.
I came back and started my book on shares I was swapping as well as buying! Wow I felt like Neil Channing with my note book, I hope I can do as he did last year as this was my dream from 2 years ago after I lost a sick pot on the river 11 handed.
After all was done as I had collected 20% from a friend in the super sat for 700 euro I was ready to play. All I asked for was a good table draw and I got exactly what I asked for.
A table from heaven.
I did go down to 8K early on but I was happy with my table image and was having good banter with my table mates.
I then started hitting hands after playing small pot poker and betting my hands big and getting paid.
I am keeping a journal of every hand I am playing as well as the types of hands I am dealt. I don’t want to say too much as I will write it all up after I win the event. I was up and down from 22K to 15K through the day and managed to double a rock up after flopping top pair and checking to him to fold but decided to gamble.
Then we got a new player at our table WITH OVER 30k HE WAS NOT USING HIS CHIPS AND MAYBE PLAYED 3 HANDS IN 2 HRS. We saw 1 of them which was the nuts and didn’t get to see the other 2. HE decided to raise my BB when the blinds were 300 6000 to 1300. I called with As9s and the flop was AA9, I was sitting with about 25K at this point. I checked as you would and he bet 1300 again, so I dwelled up for a bit and made a reluctant call as if it was a continuation bet I have to call. The turn was a Jack and I checked again he decided at this point to move all in where within a split second I thought would he do this with AJ and if he did I think I would give poker up for a while. Of course I called instantly and he sheepishly turned over his 7c2c and I was sooooooo happy he was drawing dead. This was a 50K+ pot and there was less than 1 hr left in the day. The next hand our table broke and I was sent on my way. I relaxed for the rest of the day with no hands just steeling 2 pots to keep my chips up there.
The day ended with 312 players from the 700 that started and I was happy to have double average.

Off to the bar we went for well I would say a drink but to be honest was more like 10 drinks were I meet and had a chat with x world champ Jamie Gold.

FILL YOUR BOOTS & GET A BET ON ME! J

IRISH OPEN 2009

IRISH OPEN 2009


So it’s a Thursday morning at 0400 and my alarm goes off. Those that know me know that me and mornings do not go hand in hand and trying to wake up b4 midday is not an easy task for me.

I manage to push snooze 4 times before I turned the alarm off and thankfully I ordered a wake up call and got it just in time.
I decided to pack the night before and was not 100% ready but had 10 mins to finish packing and remember to add the girlfriends hairdryer and other stuff before heading off to Luton for my 0615 flight to Dublin.

I go to collect my friend from his house and we head off.
We make it just in time well 5 min before check in closes but there is a small problem Ryan air flight 5 quid. I paid for a bag 18 quid problem was only allowed 15KG and I thought we were allowed 20KG. My bag weighed 22KG and they wanted 15 quid a kilo? WTF was cheaper to buy another case in the shop and pay for an extra bag. 1 problem only had 4 minutes left to do this. I took out 5KG and thought f**k it I am about to win 600K what is 75 quid. I paid the excess and we moved on.
From there we went to security where the queue was a joke you can now pay 3 quid to jump the queue which of course we did. The flight was on time and I managed to sleep the whole way.

DUBLIN

We arrive and jump into the cab which was 80 euro after paying 8 euro for a packet of cigs. SICK
City West Hotel. This is where the tourney was tacking place same as last year and it is a very nice hotel. The event is run so well and I think that the Irish open is the best event in Europe. The cash games are unreal and the partying goes on all through the night, when in Rome………..

So as normal like a bull in the china shop I get into a cash game. I mange to get involved for 1600 after 10 min loosing AA QQ AK and 77 and KK wining but small as an Ace was on the flop. I manage to get most of it back with K6 dia flopping the nuts…..
From there I decided to play the super sat for fun it was a 200 rebuy event and great value. I bought in on level 3 so it didn’t cost me a fortune as only 2000 chips. I added on for 4000 chips and managed to play QQ so badly I went out early on.
OFF TO THE BAR IT WAS
I meet Ashley Hames from sin cites who was here to play poker also, we got on well and managed to drink and drink and drink well and drink some more.
We were a few of us Grecs, Paul Goulray and mrs as well as a few others.
I headed of to bed at 0200 as I wanted to be in a good mood for the Main event the next morning.

1100 My alarm goes off, my head was hurting and I managed to get myself down to the gym as I promised myself I would do.
I worked out for 1 hr sweating the booze out and sat in the steam room for a while.
I came back and started my book on shares I was swapping as well as buying! Wow I felt like Neil Channing with my note book, I hope I can do as he did last year as this was my dream from 2 years ago after I lost a sick pot on the river 11 handed.
After all was done as I had collected 20% from a friend in the super sat for 700 euro I was ready to play. All I asked for was a good table draw and I got exactly what I asked for.
A table from heaven.
I did go down to 8K early on but I was happy with my table image and was having good banter with my table mates.
I then started hitting hands after playing small pot poker and betting my hands big and getting paid.
I am keeping a journal of every hand I am playing as well as the types of hands I am dealt. I don’t want to say too much as I will write it all up after I win the event. I was up and down from 22K to 15K through the day and managed to double a rock up after flopping top pair and checking to him to fold but decided to gamble.
Then we got a new player at our table WITH OVER 30k HE WAS NOT USING HIS CHIPS AND MAYBE PLAYED 3 HANDS IN 2 HRS. We saw 1 of them which was the nuts and didn’t get to see the other 2. HE decided to raise my BB when the blinds were 300 6000 to 1300. I called with As9s and the flop was AA9, I was sitting with about 25K at this point. I checked as you would and he bet 1300 again, so I dwelled up for a bit and made a reluctant call as if it was a continuation bet I have to call. The turn was a Jack and I checked again he decided at this point to move all in where within a split second I thought would he do this with AJ and if he did I think I would give poker up for a while. Of course I called instantly and he sheepishly turned over his 7c2c and I was sooooooo happy he was drawing dead. This was a 50K+ pot and there was less than 1 hr left in the day. The next hand our table broke and I was sent on my way. I relaxed for the rest of the day with no hands just steeling 2 pots to keep my chips up there.
The day ended with 312 players from the 700 that started and I was happy to have double average.

Off to the bar we went for well I would say a drink but to be honest was more like 10 drinks were I meet and had a chat with x world champ Jamie Gold.

FILL YOUR BOOTS & GET A BET ON ME! :)

March 09

March 09

Sorry for not posting in March I have been up to my eyes in work and not playing so much.
I did manage to get to a couple of the GUKPT events and also played in the bounty event for Talk Sport.
Seemed that it sold out each event with 2000 players. If you were the lucky one who knocked me out well done and hope you manage to spin the free money up to something good.

I have been helping a friend of mine grow his poker club in NW4 this month and seen some pretty crazy action in a 1 2 nlh game.
More importantly I have been mentally preparing for this years Irish Open. I think that this is by far the best event of the year in Europe and something I was close to wining 2 years ago. I want this title more than a WSOP bracelet (unless main event or the 50K horse) that’s what this event means to me.

I think there will be about 800 runners this year and I am in a very positive place and ready for the 5 day marathon.
I will be updating daily from Dublin and am sure I will have many fun stories to tell you all.

So the GUKPT was coming to London and with a whole range of tournaments to play in this should be a good week for the Vic.

I decided to play in the 500 plo and the main event as I was busy with work commitments so had to pass on the others.

I have been working in a local poker club in Hendon trying to help them grow their business so poker has been back in my life full time again. It has been hard working all night and sleeping all day as glamorous as it all sounds it does effect your normal life especially as I am trying to grow my own business so time is very precious to me at the moment.

The Main event.

What a line up. My table had sitting there, Jeff Kimber, John Tabatabai, Sammy George, Sam Tricket as well as some other well known scandies. Ok Good for a laugh and maybe some big pots were going to be played with a chance to get a big chip stack early on.

The game was slower than I thought it would be and Sammy was playing pretty tight! Well tight for him, I was running hot getting a lot of cards but not getting to much action. I think I had Aces 6 times Kings 4 times and AK 7 times. I played them all aggressively to try to get paid the max but this does not always work. The good thing is though that they never got cracked as I prefer to win a little than loose a lot.

Again I pick up AK suited UTG and we are about to go into the second break. I limp and John raises in early position. Sammy George calls and I decide to flat call. John announces that this hand will probably take 10 minutes which is the break time and we continue. The flop comes out KhJs7c. I am not sure why but I didn’t have the best feeling about my hand so I decided to play it cautiously as I was in a pot with 2 very aggressive players and didn’t think I needed to put my whole stack at risk unnessacaraly. I checked and John bet out 700, Sammy then raised to 1500 and my confidence in the hand started to get worse.
The crowd was now gathering in force as this looked like it was going to be a big pot and with Sammy in it they all wanted to watch.
I called the 1500 after much thought as how to play the hand, I was sure I had the best hand and I also may have look strong limping UTG and check calling. The turn bought the 8s and again I checked. John bet out 2650 I believe and Sammy thought for ages and ages, I was preying for him to call to give me the value but he decided against it and passed wanting to show his hand and clearly in pain that he folded. He did say that if this was a cash game he would have called in less than 3 seconds. Lol. I decided to call as I was sure I could get paid if I hit the river. I was not sure if I was in front but if I checked the river he would have to have a hand to bet it as I was starting to look stronger. The river was 6s and once again I checked to let John take over. He did and bet out 5600 I moved all my chips into the middle and he called I shows my hand The nuts and he mucked. We all had a laugh about it and Sammy reveled he passed J8 (2 pair) hard to believe I know. John had 9T for a straight and I was the lucky fish who hit the river. LOL Was a fun hand and I came back from the break with 26K.
The day did not really get any better from there, I went card dead for hours and was grinding it out. Nick Gibson was moved to our table and players were raisng and re-raiseng before the action got to me so there was not a lot I could do.
I managed to walk into AK with AQ then walked into AJ with AT and finally on the button bushed with KT and found AK Not a lot I could do and as I didn’t take a bad beat I was ok with it, would have been nice to win 1 of those……….

I did manage to win a few $ on line this week finishing 32nd in a $215 comp with 414 runners and also won good in the mixed 8 game.

Wishing you all a very happy Easter..