Hat Trick!

I asked Robbie last night if anyone ever took down 3 or more of the DPN games in the same week before... he said no. Told him I was aiming to achieve that, ‘going for a hat trick tonight’ he smiled and nodded demurely, I’m sure he thought I was just being arrogant!

DPN games are usually bingo poker at the best of times; decent enough stacks (7-8k) with turbo 15 min blinds, which leads to all sorts of play as the games are limited by pub opening hours and the constant supply of alcohol that renders the best players inebriate enough to make questionable decisions. The Dunboyne game is an exception – the standard is higher, but this might be due to the deepstack longer blind structure, unlimited time, dealer dealt etc.

As reported previously, I took down the Hartstown game last Monday by steamrolling the players welding a mighty stack from 2 tables out. The Clonsilla game was a different kettle of fish altogether. I started the final table with just 8.5k getting the lucky draw of the button as the shortest stack with blinds 800/1500. I was playing tight. After a few hands we were 6-headed with only 4 cash prizes being paid when two bigger stacks shoved aipf. Finding AJ suited I had a dizzy moment when I considering shoving, but reckoned I was wiser to fold to safeguard a cash place for myself... as the players turned over QJs and QJo and split for a high card on a J high flop, I was mentally kicking myself, having showing another player my cards he told me off after the action for folding. But if you gave me that decision all over again I would have still folded them again... On the button shortly after with 5k, looked down and found QQ and shoved, three callers, and my girls held up. Shorty UTG Shoved as I was in CO-1 and I called with AK , gave me the double-up I needed to survive one more orbit seeing nothing of note .... Once the bubble had burst I decided I was shoving with any two, pokah gods dealt me another QQ and I went from shortie to chipleader with 3 players left.

Two hands later and I was HU with Shay, sitting on 130k+ to his 40k approx stack, Shay asked to split and I had to refuse him, felt awful as he always splits at this stage regardless of stacks etc. But Shay kicked me out twice with sick beats in the past month I wasn’t letting this one go! It only took one hand A3s to his K8o... and the board read out 4x5K2... and I was €420 richer. GG!

On Friday I had an accident in my car (my fault-no one else involved) but the damage is gonna cost me some to repair... Susie suggested the Dunboyne game and I in full agreement! It was either that or 3 bottles of wine or worse a bottle of whiskey (!) LOL!
There were barely 18 players, a drop in numbers. Several of the regular faces weren’t there, on my table I had several new faces – and apart from one guy, it was a table of good/strong players. I had a tough seat with Paul S to my left, and Jam-Tighty-McTight to my right. To Paul S’s right was a player that kept breaking off my raises and dogging me. Gonna be tough to earn any chips at this table... I rode a rollercoaster game up and down between 13k and 8k.

Just before we moved to the final table, I was languishing on 9k when I found 33 in CO and decided to shove. I had Paul S covered and was only concerned with the Dogger on Paul’s right, who had lost a big pot a hand before and was down to 12k approx. I expected him to knuckle down and preserve his chips but no, he called.... and tables 66(!) Flop comes J 3 10 saving my skin... and earning me a place on the final table with 20k. Blinds were going up to 800/1.5k so I was still in ‘all-in or fold’ mode. Finding 77 in mid-position in the first hand, I raised to 3000. Action folded back to Susie Woosie (chipleader) in BB, she re-pops for 10k. I thought for a moment and think she looks too comfortable and folded, she shows AA... phew!

One orbit later, I’m hand dead and in BB when Susie goes all-in, she’s lost a few chips at this stage and wasn’t looking too comfortable... I lifted my cards high expecting to show/fold them and pass her my chips when I see AKs... there’s a James McManus-look-a-like beside me and a eastern European to his right, both utter a collective gasp and one of them said “you can’t fold that... you gotta call...” I knew if I folded people would suspect collusion, and I called. Susie groans when she sees my cards “oh you are miles, miles ahead!” she retorted turning over K9o. K on the flop and A on the river saw the chips coming to me, and I was back in the game.

There was a loose cannon in a beanie hat on the table, he was yo-yo’ing all over the place. Not wanting to wrangle in a pot with him, I stayed tight to the end even folded A9 to allow him to push the other players out, I didn’t even get the glory of knocking him out... we were down to 3 when I found that A9, I was on 91k, the other two were on 53k each, blinds were 3k/6k. Beanie and Jam-TT were still in with me. Jam-TT raises to 18k, I am in SB and I fold... Beanie completes then checkraises all-in after the flop. Jam-TT calls and his hand (can’t remember it!) holds... and I’m HU with Jan-TT.

Didn’t last long, Jan just eyed my stack and offered to split 50-50... I thought for a minute, looked at Susie who was railing me. “He’s got more than you now...” she signed “only by 20 odd” I replied. I looked at Robbie who was dealing, asked him for the figures... €350 each, €70 off the top. Ah what the hell! I put out my hand and agreed to take 50-50. So I guess I could claim the hat-trick ‘Maddog style’! GG

Leaving a tip for the dealer, I went over to the cash table, where people were getting up and walking away in despair. Paul S son was holding court on one side with over €600 in chips in front of him... Unlike Paul S, his son is not the good player he thinks he is... he’s all Vegas this and Vegas that... really annoying fecker! I put 50 down but he had €40 off me with 82off to my A high. Adding another 20 I doubled it up to €80 in next hand. Found A5 in BB and checked 4 callers to see flop... 437 ... hmm okay. Action checks around to Mr Vegas and he bets €16, I call, as do the other two players. Turn is 8, one player goes all-in for 15, Mr Vegas makes it 33, smelling a rat I called, needing any 2 or 6 to complete. As Graham deals the 2 I just shoved out of turn. Mr Vegas starts to grip about this saying it was not appropoiate etc. Graham points out that I was not folding ‘the pot odds are too great’. I nodded and Mr Vegan looks at me and says yeah... I’ll call. All-in shows 76o, Mr Vegas shows 108o and I table my A5 for a €240 pot!

LOL! Guess I got my car damage paid for now!

I’m playing the team event in the Jackpot tomorrow, last minute request... here’s hoping my hot run continues!