Susie Woosie's Night at the Jackpot

Susie Woosie really wanted to play in the PPP Ladies Event but she had no intention of paying €330 for the privilege...

Laura had warned me at the team event - playing in an all-women's event is 'very different' to the mixed fields. I really wanted to check it out with the ladies night at the Jackpot. I had a wee bit of trouble getting Susie to agree to come with me, she's had a bad run the tables since her win in the Deaf UK Tournament.

I made a with deal with her - if I win the golden ticket I'll sell it to her for €100... Deal!

Then her hearing aids went on the brink... this setback was soooo not helping! That's how I offered to be her official interpreter... (ah stop laughing!!!) Those who know us will know that Susie is usually my 'interpreter' in these situations, the girl has technically way more hearing than me... with her hearing aid in, that is. Sans la HA's, the girl is deafer than the proverbial post and is a hopeless lip-reader! Would throw in a few examples here but she'll kill me and I need to keep her sweet for Friday! ;-D

We arrived at the Jackpot - Susie had to register herself as a member - I already had my card since the dealer training last October. The Jackpot had a ladies only game with one ticket guaranteed for the PPP Ladies Event. With wine and nibbles to hand, 9 of us sat down at 9pm for a SnG - 4k starting stack, 1 re-buy (4k) or 1 top-up (6k).

Was kinda surprised there wasn't more than 9... Three of them actually worked in The Jackpot, 1 was a Sporting Emporium 'regular', another was a Fitzwilliam 'regular' and other two were Jackpot 'regulars'... we were the only 'non-casino' players around. Hmmm! Getting that ticket might be hard! The place was dead: apart from our game, two cash tables started around 10:30pm and 11:30pm.

The game opened well for me: I had quad queens, two pairs and triple aces, so took down the first few pots, but after that... I was dead for ages, then managed to take down a couple of decent pots in second and third level. One of the Jackpot regulars proved to be a top-notch player: I never saw anyone build up their stack so fast either, by the end of the first level she had at least 18k. She was like a JCB... Thanks to her, three ladies had to top-up before the end of the first level... and two were out before end of 2nd level(!) The player to her left never raise once all night.

In the third level, I got caught in a trap with this JCB and fell foul to a house ruling. I was in CO with 12k, had Ad7d. Raised to 400, JCB (in BB) plus one other player called.

Flop: AJ10 rainbow, both players checked, I bet 400. JCB called, other player folded.

Turn: 5, JCB checked again. I bet 800, JCB hestiated then called.

River: 7 - two pairs for me... I saw JCB nod (her usual check manner) and thinking she had checked, I threw in 1500. Dealer asked if I was calling, but I misheard him, thinking he was clarifying my bet I said 'yes, 1500...'. JCB realising the confusion said "I'm 'all-in'... sorry, I forgot you couldn't hear... you calling?". But the dealer then said yes, I had 'called' therefore was "all-in" and to flip my cards... I showed my two pair and JCB showed hers: KQ for a straight flopped ace high(!) FFS!

I top-up to 4k, I was in CO-1 with Q9s and limped in, the flop showed a AK9 rainbow, everyone checked, turn was 7, another round of checks - I threw in a tentative bet, got 4 callers. River yielded a 9. Susie was in CO-2, girl to her right (the Raiser) threw in 500, Susie raised it to 1k, I raised it to 2k... everyone else folded, including the Raiser. Susie raised to 4k I called moving All-In, and won the pot against Susie's 98. Sorry girl, but I needed that!

Susie went all in in the next hand and knocked out that Raiser just before the break, along with her top-up she still had a decent 9k starting back after the break.

I was totally card dead after the break, lost one big pot with a flush to a full house. I ended up short-stacked moving all-in with pairs and high hands, even knocked out another short-stack'er but with JCB pushing her chip-leader advantage at every opportunity, I was finished... I exited gracefully in 5th place.

Susie played ultra-tight, only calling tentatively with superior hands... JCB was getting very snappy with Susie: "Oh c'mon, why didn't you bet that one, girl!"

In playing into JCB, Susie managed to knocked out the other two players to end up in heads-up with JCB... But what JCB didn't know was our Susie is the type of player who will play you at YOUR game. If you are aggressive she'll match your aggression with a force; if you are tight, she'll be tighter; If you slow-play she will slow-play just as good as you... JCB was a slow-player, if aggressive, and she had a 2-1 chip lead over Susie.

Susies also a brilliant reader of Tells: I never sit opposite Susie when we play in the same hands...

"Do you want to know what 2nd place gets?" I asked her
"Naw... I'm going for the Ticket."
"It's €150... "
"Really? Oh... naw, I'm playing for the Ticket!"
"Good woman!" sez I.

Susie worked that 2-1 disadvantage to 1-1 to a 1-2 advantage for her, it took her just over an hour but she did it! She got that ticket! Yaaaaaay! You go girl!

Her final hand (a flopped club flush ace high set) really nailed it for JCB, they checked til the turn card appeared. JCB threw a bet, Susie thought for an age then called her. Susie checked the river, then JCB motioned "all-in" quick as a flash Susie Woosie replied "Yes" then looked at me, before she flipped her cards, smiled and signed "I betcha she's got a JX..." And yes, JCB did indeed have a JX... the look on her face when she saw our Susie's A3 cards was priceless!

Have to hand it to JCB, she came back over (after getting her €150) and congratulated Susie on her playing. She asked me if I would be playing next Friday (in the Ladies Open) too...

"Oh yes, she already has her ticket." says Susie... I nod.
"Same here, I got a free ticket, just playing tonight for the practice..."

Ah... gonna plenty more slow-playing ahead then(!)

But hey, Susie Woosie is now playing with me on Friday!