JP Pokers Christmas festival tallaght

December 27rd 2006
Location: Tallaght
Type of Game: Freezeout tournament
Stake: €125+25reg

As I write this blog, I’m just thinking about the last week in my poker life….
I’ve gone from a fairly average player with no bankroll to a high roller
(well in terms of Student Budget). My tournament play has always been good live, however I do like to xxxx it up at the end with wild calls and draws. But since this college poker year stared I think I’ve iron these bad qualities out( as well as my eyebrow twich when I get pocket rockets).
The day before I rang a few friends to see if they were going down but sadly they were either busy or they couldn’t afford it, so I decided not to go. So I went into the Harp in Swords and got twisted, came home and won, I think, €6 online at ppp. The next day I arose to the sound of my phone ringing I checked the time it was 4:30pm and it was Chris Gallagher asking if I was going to the JP Poker main event in tallaght. I told him id no way out and said I wasn’t going to make it. Then my Bro came home and asked him on the off chance if’d he’d drop and pick me up. Too my AMAZMENT he said “yeah”. So I rang Chris back and we said we’d go, I then rang Chris Fitzgerald to go and he said yes he thaught it might have been a €20 freezeout but when I told him it was a 2-day €150 buy-in deep-stacked event he was excited.”now yer takin jus my kind out event” but sadly with only 4hours to go he could make up from Kildare in time. So on the way down the I rang tag who was dealing and he pre-registered us. But when I got to Tallaght Chris could make, he’d won a city break in temple bar for the weekend and his girlfriend would of killed him, I said ;good excuse.
So I landed into the function room of the plaza hotel and seen 10 satilete tables for the main-event taking place. One of which I seen Conner Keane dealing to Tag. And Sean from UCD watching he was also dealing at the tournament. He was 2nd in chips and looked healthty for others remained in the game. The play to his right was soon knocked out. The next player was a handicapped 18-22 yrs sat. his brother helped him put out his chips and pick up his cards. So its turn that any body can be an altlete in this sport. The next was a blond haired chap who in the first hand I seen at the table made a out rageous play at the chip leader and was caught. Next guy CHIP LEADER enough said. It ended up being splited between the guy in the wheelchair and the chip leader guy. In middle of that game I seen Niall Fitzgerald come in he’s won a few the Tuesday night DIT Bolton St poker Games, He’s Joint 2nd on the points list of the DIT POKER League (but I’m at the top of Course).
I was drawn table 8 seat 6 and players started to sit poker, straight off I started looking for characteristics and things I could pick up of the way they’d play if they were a pro or pub-game local. The first man was an elderly gentleman in seat 4. I first taught this guy could be good for a few chips, he had a pint at the table. Little did I know he was a real sharp player and had a keen mind for tournament strategy. His play was tight-aggressive. And I was 2 to his right in seat 5. And was to by my nemeis for the day. The next guy in between us a tanned guy early 40’s wearing a top collar open job long-slieved shirt with them rolled up. I taught this guy looks rich, bit of a jet-setter and might be here for the craic maybe a loose aggressive type player and with him to right a couldn’t of got better if I wished and all my original reads were roght. To my left there was a vacant seat and in seat 8 was a Barry Greenstein look-a-like and played like him too. In walks Ken the poker organiser for the Fitzwilliam card room and I say hello and start chatting then this guy lets call him Barry knows him hasn’t been down to the Fitz in a while but used to be a real regular. Great information thinks me. The next in seat 9 was a young guy nervous drinking a bottle of beer. Me thinks another I could push around. These were the people at the table I talked to and the rest were knocked off and changed as they when knocked out. Initonaly taught these guys weren’t a treat. But with a friendly face Karl ”UCDCOC” dealing at the table my nerves quickly settled.
As plays begins I play tight and take small pots by raising at a pot when I had position and few limpers on the way round. A more than pot-sized bet usually took it. We then took a dinner break after the fourth level, I was on 19,600 and was more the on course. Niall was similar but his mate was down to 5500, he had KK and tried to slow them and called a guys bets and re-raise on the river, but lost to AA who played them weak and was very lucky not to lose all his chips as KK vs.AA usually does. Barry was on 13,600 and the auld lad was on about 25,000.
After the break , new guy was moved to our table in between me and Barry and Had a massive stack about 45,000 he claimed the others at the table went in with crap and he hit amazing hands, I thought this guy could be trouble. He was Dave Master’s Brother, must be a popular player( because loads of players commented). He also went to DIT Kevin St years ago and was telling of the good old days in Kevin Street when you won cash and not crazy trips to Lithuania?
The first pot after he sat down I got KK in the Big Blind and was praying that he was a loose aggressive type who would try to bully the table but he limped in 2 more callers on the way round and then it got to the auld guy in seat 4, he raised it to 1200 blinds this stage were at 200/400. I decided to slow-play cause I figured him for a A-paint and taught if no Ace I could milk him. Every1 else folds and like so many hands to day it was just us 2. the flop comes 4 A Q rainbow, I was first to act and I felt he’d a monster from his table image u’d of taught he’d nothing but in the 2nd hand of he day I lost 25% of my chips to him he’d AA and got another on the turn. So I folded and showed the cards to him immediately as I suspected he had AQ.the next hand I re-raised the auld lad by 6000 after the flop cause I taught he missed the guy in between us didn’t worry me however Masters re-raised me 25k, in other words me all in. I‘d JJ and the board was 10-4-6. but I wasn’t prepared to risk it. I showed my Jacks and 3 players at the table laughed at my fold but then Masters showed his 44 for a set and said “great fold mate”. My Table image was Brilliant but chip stack bad. 3 hands later I squared off against the new big gun I raised with 3-4 off J and he called as did Barry and the Auld Guy. The flop came A-2-5. the auld bet I called and masters folded barry called. Next a Q and Barry raised the auld lad re-raised and I moved all in it was a major over-bet but they both folded. Next action hand was in the next level 300/600 and I was in the Big blind with KJ the auld guy raised I called and the whole table started joking about the amount of hands that we have played together. The flop came 9-Q-10 and I decided to bet like fu*k he called turn a 5 I bet he called the river an 8 and put in half my remaining stack he called. He had 2 pair 9’s and 10’s I showed the straight again and was chasing Masters.
Now on 35,000 I decided to take a few small risks and steal blinds I won 6 out of the next ten hands. Barry had now taken the lead at the table taking a nice chunk off Masters. And the kid in seat 9 had clawed back from 6k to 22k the auld guy was on 30k now and the rich guy was on 10k its now 1.15am and I decide to start knocking people out I was using as safety gaurds (easy to out play for a few chips) first the guy next to me. 4 hands later a young new guy in seat 2, he raised and I caused with J3 and intended to out play him the flop came J-8-7 two spades. He raised 60% of his stack I think 9k I put him on a draw so I put him all-in he’d A-J and I was behind but the river came a 3 and he stormed off, Barry and Masters put him on a draw as well and said would did the same. If that wasn’t bad enough id KJ next hand and the young guy in seat 9 raised and I called cant remember the flop but it was bet and the turn was Q and I Bluffed with 7600 he moved all-in, now I was heavily invested in the pot and it was only 5000 more to call, I said mate you caught me your well ahead but I got too much in to fold I need to get lucky he’d a pair of Queens and I needed a K……. the poker gods were smiling tought and I hit now on 85k I was tournament chip leader shortly after the table broke and I was moved.
The next table had a familiar face in Fitzie, and the other players looked in awe at my stack. First hand I bet 3k blinds only 400/800 and fitzie re-raised it 7k I felt bullyed but I knew if I made any pair on the flop id put him all-in. he’d 13.5k left he told me while the flop was coming out and I was first to act and I raised 13,500 with a pair of 9’s he taught and folded. I built my stack over the next hour quietly but craved ACTION. Then it came KK followed but an very small bet but everyone folded. Next hand had 99 and I guy moved all in and from the look in his eye I knew id him beat and was itching to call but then the guy next to me called and I hadn’t seen him. I knew the only moves were fold or raise the all-in was for 15k but this other guy I had no read on had 30k, I taught ages and put him on an over pair but for some reason I raised and he’d QQ……. they held.
Shortly after the table broke and I went to DIT Poker ainger st member Anto was dealing. The whole of this table was watching my last hand because of the size. First ahnd I got KJ of hearts and 1 guy up the table moved allin for 10k and I called pretty loose for me in the way that I was playing but I couldn’t get that out of my mind. He’d AQ and they held. I composed myself and sat tight for 30mins now with 30mins ot go to the end of day I started my Bubble game (aggression near money knick blinds that sort of thing) but it was here that I learned the most valueable lesson of all about deepstacked 2day events the END of Day is not the bubble. Players would call with very marginal hands just because they couldn’t be arsed coming in 4 day 2 with under average chips.
The end came when I suspected a guy was making a move to knick my BB we were at 1000/2000 and he was on the button and raised to 6000 I moved all-in on a stone cold pre flop bluff for the first time in 8hrs of play with 26,000 with K-10 Hearts, the guy to my left called and the button put him allin. Button had AA and the other guy had JJ the flop came 10……K……I cheered then a ACE now I drawing dead… the 2nd 10 came on the turn just to twist the knife.
I was out in 32nd out of 149 players and 12 outside the money. Was very annoyed but thinking back I got wealth of experience and played with some of Ireland finest cardplayers and was more than a match I lost because of impatence and fatige (8hrs of working out odds and looking for any tells) and also a tournament with this great structure would usually cost you upwards of €1000 to enter, so for €150 it was relative cheap. Had a great time and met some great people was gonna go to the Fitz after to meet Dempsey (who was langered but still up massive amount) but was too wrecked. Pokers on a break now until after exams next big tournament should be the Irish National Student Open if you want to register look at www.pokerireland.ie