Riding in the Rain to Play Free Poker...

Me dealing a MCPL pot at Union Jacks.

(Sure I could be at The RIO right now playing a WSOP event but I'll be there soon enough and these guys are more fun)

Does cycling 7 miles in the rain to play free poker make you a sicko? If, Yes. Than I have truly reached (if I wasn't already there) sicko status. There is no real money involved for this tournament, but there is an end of league final table battle for an entry to an Atlantic City WSOP Cirucuit Event. I have to admit that even though it's purely for fun rather than immediate profit, I find these nights quite refreshing and entertaining. So much so, that I am apparently willing to cycle 7 miles across rolling hills in the rain.

I arrived at about 7:55PM for an 8PM start. With true kickoff not until 8:10PM I had time to nip off to the bar for a pint of Boddingtons and a Pint of Coke.

The tournament fired up with 27 players (26.5 if you count me). We each started with 2K chips and 15MINS levels. Previously the levels have been 20MINS but with a rising attendance they have been adjusted to allow completion before 11PM. (OK for you poker purists, not the best structure but, remeber it's a free poker league NOT the MonteCarlo Millions).

I rapidly doubled up over the course of the first 4 hands by making a nut flush, top two pair twice and a big bluff on the 4th hand. (Funny how they believed the bluff on the 4th hand as I had just shown down 3 nuttish hands :P ) After that is was slogging poker as the blinds rattled up rather quickly and the player to my right and I started taking it in turns to knock players out left, right and center. By 9:25, we had reached a final table of 10 players (with the top 5 players getting points towards the league leaderboard).

A few interesting hands along the way,.
My first knockout.

Prior to reaching the final table: with blinds at 50-100 all fold to me and I button raise to 325 with 9-2off. The small blind with a very small stack calls and the BB folds.

Flop = J 9 Q rainbow. He goes allin for his last 475. I have over 5K in chips and think "hmmmm. Pot is now 1225 (2 x 325 +100 + 475). I'm getting around 11-4 pot odds plus it won't hurt my stack plus there is a goodly chance that hes going to go allin with any 10 (straight draw)." So weighing all this up I announce "You seem a decent fellow. I'll gambooooool with ya!" and throw in the call.

His hand KJ -----My Hand 92
Flop = J 9 Q

I'm dealing and as I burn and start to place the turn card down I let out a bionic man "Na na na na na" noise just as a 2 is revealed on the turn. The river is a blank and I've won it with my 2 pair.

KQsoooooted smells bad

Blinds at 200-400. I'm BB with KsQs.

UTG raises to 1200 all fold to the SB who calls. I call the 800 from my remaining stack of 7600.

Flop = Kh3d8h.

SB moves allin for 675. I think for awhile and decide I'd rather get rid of the original raiser so I raise to 1675. UTG without hesitation re-raises me to 3675. UGGGGGGH! Now I think for a few moments and realize he cannot be bluffing and muck my KQ. SB had a flush draw and UTG had AK. No changes and UTG busts the SB and I avoid busting.

My Last Stand

With 5 players left, I'm the shortstack on 4100 with the blinds at 2000-4000. The UTG players just wants to go home (since his mates are waiting for him) so he puts in a blind raise to 4000. I look down and find A2 and realizing I only have 2 hands left before I take the BB and I have Ahigh AND I'm guaranteed action against a random hand, I shove in my last 4100. Then the party really starts. Button moves allin for 9600 and then the SB Moves allin for 8000. BB and the straddler fold and we are 3 handed with a chunky main pot and nice side pot on offer.

Me Ac2d --Button Kc10c --SB AhAd

Ouch! run into ze aces. Perhaps there are some 2s in this pack.

Flop = 542 rainbow (WooHoo a lifeline! I can win with one of the remaining 2s or chop with and 3)

Turn =6

River = 5 and the AA scoops the monster pot. And I finish 5th. OH VELL! Played 3 weeks now and I've finished 1st of 18---------2nd of 20-------and 5th of 27. I'm Top O The League!