4th.... again!

Went to LEPO this evening with Susie Woosie to rail Cee in the final 18 of the main event, and donated to the €100+10 side event.

Cee played a terrific game to exit in 5th for €1750, Stephen K (a regular from the Tallaght Poker Rooms) kept his act together (for once!) to come 3rd, while Rob Cooker split 50-50 HU for €7250. VWP guys! I dealt at the event for a few hours over the weekend and the standard at the tables I was on, was impressively high, WP to Bru and the Clamper for the great event. I heard nothing but praise from everyone about it. I'm sad they didn't make their numbers but if this becomes an ongoing event (and I hope it does) I can only see it getting better.

The side event that I played in was the toughest game I've ever played in. I had MickG on my first table dogging me big time (I swore I would get his scalp before the game was over but I never got the chance! LOL! Next time Mick...) plus JP and a few good French and one Italian 'rock' players. With so many 'rocks' on the table I decided to play a wee bit loose than my usual cards and it paid off giving me a nice stack going into a tougher final table! I shoved my bigger stack with AKs into JP's AIPF with 55 and stopped another young French player from joining the race, in hindsight am sorry I didn't just call JP's raise to bring the young French player in and trap him.

On the final table I was 2nd chipleader in a tough spot with Clamper (chipleader) to my right and MickG to my immediate left, the infamous Katherine 'Kathy' Hartree was also present on Clamper's left nursing a shorter stack. I had no choice but tighten up big time, my stack got a little bigger (to 52k) but I went on tilt a bit after losing a race with AJs against young French player's AIPF for 9k on A5s (AAQx5 board, 5 on the river...) he kept going on about it to his mates so much and wagging his finger at me that when he moved all in a few hands later while doing this mad "oooo don't call me, oooo don't call me, yaaaaa!" speech-play act at every player who folded down to me - I had A6 off, putting him on another raggy ace or small pair 22-77... I called to see AK. Meh! Bad call. I limped in (Blinds 500/1000) on button with QJs (4 limpers and blinds...) flop comes Q57 two hearts. BB who checked led out for 5k, Polish 'Rock' guy calls, action folds back to me... I want to raise but didn't trust the Polish guy who has not played a hand in a while and is big into slow-playing; I opted to call hoping for a J or Q or heart... River is black Ace, BB then moves all in, Polish player insta-calls and I'm outta there! Clamper was giving a running commentary throughout "...Jules now realises that her hand is not as good as she thought..." just before I folded, (I snapped at him to shut up!) that 'call' really made me look weak... I nearly yelped in dismay when I saw BB's Q4 off but the Polish guy tables 55 for trips, WP sir!

My stack got decimated by the blinds and for the next orbit (we were on the bubble) I went totally card dead - I folded 88 to Clamper's UTG+1 raise with one French on shortest-stack in BB; I was disgusted to see Clamper show 22 when BB pushed his meagre stack with 78 off. Flop Q78(!) I gave out like hell to poor Clamper who kept apologising to me... I faced another set of blinds without any cards. After the bubble had broken, I raised 3XBB on the button with K10s hoping to entice the now shortest-stack BB all-in but faced a re-raise from the Polish 'rock' in SB, short stack folded and Kathy (who had limped in UTG) called the raise and I had to fold the hand... after another I got a slight reprieve I pushed all-in with AQ on Button to be called by the shortie in BB with his K4 to put him out in 5th place, and my stack went back up to 38k.

Kathy raised 6k into my BB (1k/2k) finding A10s I pushed all-in I thought I had her well covered, she called with KK. Ouch! The 10 high flop brought a little glimmer of hope but with no 10 or A forthcoming, I was down to 7k with Blinds going up to 1200/2500 after the break; Was in BB, Polish guy raised UTG and Kathy called, I knew I was in a bad spot but shoved anyway hoping luck would be on my side... but no, out in 4th for €300.

It was great, but challenging, to be playing against really good players considering my limited experience - I'm happy with how I played apart from 2 or 3 terrible mistakes. I certainly learnt a lot from it too. Clamper played a terrific LAG game making the most of his big stack, and offered a deal with French rock and Kathy for 700 each with him taking the excess 200 as Chipleader and rest to the dealers. Nice one!

Googling Kathy and the Polish Rock afterwards I was very proud to get 4th! LOL! Onwards and upwards!!!!!