Chief's Take on Things ...

The 'Treble' is completed .

So how did my weekend go on the poker front .... not so great really.

Firstly I withdrew from Neteller some money from on-line winnings to give a few live tourneys a crack. I truly believe in good bankroll manegement and don't dip in to other funds.

Starting with Wednesday night, at a local pub game that was paying about €900 for first prize, was down to the last 12 and a healthy stack cruise onto last table if I want to, dealt KK.
UTG, about same size stack as me, raised 5BB, folded around to me, and I put him all-in, I was quite sure he would fold, as any time my cards were shown all night, I had the goods. But nope he called with 99, which I thought was a terrible call, but of course he made a 9 high straight (wtf!). If it was in a casino I would have won the hand as when the first card on the flop came as a King, he threw his cards into the middle face down, only when he saw the other two helping cards, did he pick them up again, if it happened in a casino a dealer would have mopped up the cards. I didn't make a big deal of it, and accepted the beat, but looking back I was a fool, and should have got a ruling, especially as I was well in the hunt for the dosh. Played very well, and got yet another terrible beat, surely I can't keep getting these hammer blows?

Next up to Drogheda on the Thursday night to Shortstack tourney which was a disaster for me. I went up with the buy in and 3 re-buys and I used them all :(
Was behind once when I stuck my chips in with TPTK against a set of 9's, which was my first move of the night, but after that was out drawn on each occassion.
It's a good tourney but you must acculumulate chips quickly as you start with 1000, and blinds are 25/50 to start with, so the pressure is on if you get involved in any pot you don't win initially. Eventually out when I had 88 on button, shortstacked, and moved against UTG raiser who i hoped would fold, as after giving him a good studying, I knew he didn't want a caller. Anyways he called me with A 10, which again is a very dubious raising hand UTG, and he hit a 10 on the turn so that was that. Disappointed with myself, but simply no cards. Next Time !

Friday night there was a €40 freezeout in The Anglers Rest which was a great tourney, well structured, nice crowd and a good standard. Again absolutley terrible cards, and lasted alot longer than I should have considering, and from the 56 starters made it to the last 15. Top 10 was paid, all be it top 5 was where the real money was, so I was not going to get anywhere with my poor stack unless I made some rapid progress, so with a raiser and 2 callers, I went all in with 89 suited, thinking alot of overcards were in play, and this was a chance to at least treble up.... I nearly pulled it of, as 89 fell on the flop, but the preflop raiser with QQ caught a Q on the river. Joe O'Neill won it. Happy with play, just no cards again. Sigh

Saturday went on the beer with a buddy of mine in the city and watched the Tyrone/Dublin game, back out to Clonsilla to the local and spent the night there trying to talk sense which was getting difficult at that stage. Met a nice Czech fellah that night who was out for a few pints, so hope to see him again around the place, even though Myself and Michael didn't make much sense at that stage to each other, never mind the language barrier we had with yerman.

Sunday, I had €60 credit at the Merrion from a freeroll win, so used it in a €15 tourney, was sitting at same table as a RTE broadcaster who was a very nice bloke. Man this was a loose game of cards, and again, I'm low stacked to medium stacked all night, and I'm thinking to myself I need to re-access my live play. How come I make very regular money on-line, but not off-line?
Main answer is I suppose, I'm only starting off-line and need to get more experience, and a decent run of cards to see if things even themselves out. Again I go out with about 18 left from 60 starters or so, with QK, and made a similar value move in an attempt to win a big pot. No good, no help so home again James!

So still nothing doing, I think about it on the way home, I think about it the next day, and I think I'm just playing too tight. I can play tighter on line because you get alot more hands in for the blind levels. In live play you might only get one orbit per blind level, and if I'm not prepared to mix it, then I'll get blinded out.

So, decided to go to the Mayfair freeroll. Mayfair is very nice, great dealers, and the highest standard of freeroll players I've seen. 37 starters. Had decided I was going to play alot more hands straight from the off, and played more like a cash game player and sure enough the chips starting coming my way with some aggressive play. Anyways long story short, got some luck with 1/3 of my chips on the way when I hit a 10 high straight against KK, but made the final table as one of 4 big stacks against 4 very short stacks.

4 tickets on offer, you would think the 4 big stacks would play together against the short stacks ....not on your nelly.

I get dealt AK, I have two big stacks to my left, and the short stacks are at the other end, I raise 4BB and two of the shorties go all in, I take them both out, so just two more to go. Then all us big stacks get involved in the craic and really play agressively against each other including some all-in moves and the shorties are just praying we will take one of us out...it didn't happen in the end, so wrapped up a ticket for myself to their monthly big tournament.
The final table is a beatiful table at the Mayfair as well, some piece of furniture.

Really enjoyed the evening, and enjoyed playing more hands post flop, which I know I can do, so that is new approach for a while anyway and we'll see where it leads.

The Mayfair win completes the 'treble' on the Dublin Casino's freerolls in the last 2 months or so (first time there as well) ... time to start cashing out now !!

Sherwin arrived back this morning from New York so that'll put a halt to my live poker gallop for a while, but now with renewed optimism, I'm ready to play winning live poker now .... need to fill up Neteller first though !

posted by Chief_OHara @ 5:23 AM