Had to share this one with ye!
After leaving the Jackpot at 4am approx; taxi's were very scarce on the ground, as scores of people were walking out of the city. Sis and I popped into a nearby kebab place to wait out the 'rush'... I got talking to this tall, fine looking specimen, Sis discovered he lived 'in Castleknock' and suggested we share a taxi over... as she went outside for a smoke while hoping to hail a taxi. The flirting was coming on nicely, as you know, easy on the eye and all that! I casually mentioned we had been playing poker since 1am. This was the gist of the conversation that followed:
- Ah poker? Any ya good?
- Ah I'm okay, not the best mind... but I'm getting there! (...don't mention the losing streak!)
- It a tough game to master...
- I agree!
- Yeah... you have to be able to work out what card is coming next...
- Eh? You play poker too? (...uh oh...)
- Of course, all the time, its all in the mind, you just need to know what's coming next. (... ??? ...)
- Really? Hmmm... I would have said luck, position and pot odds would be more important...
- No, no, no, no, no, no, no... *interrupts*... if you play like that you won't win! ...Luck?!! *scoffs at me while shaking his head* (... eh???...)
- Well I would calculate what outs I have left before betting further if I was in a pot but I gotta admit its almost impossible to predict what card will come out, surely?! (... ah, here lies a 'pub player' a la Boardie definition...)
- No seriously, that's how you win. I'm telling ya... I play all over the place... won €5k last week actually... so I know what I'm talking about. (... really? ...)
- €5k? What did you start with? What was the buy-in
- €500
- How many players? 15? 20?
- Naw... You can only play with 6 players, that the proper way to play... 6 people on one table, ye can't play with more than 6... Thought you know your poker?! (...ah ha... )
- 6? And you won €5k? (... red flag....)
- Yeah! Great game!
- Wow... Where was that game?
- Terry Rogers... upstairs... private members only (...alarm bells...)
- Do you ever play in the Jackpot? Sporting Emporium? Fitzwilliam...
- Where's? Never heard of them... do ya reckon your sister will get us a cab soon? So we can head back to your place for a party... or whatever? Haw! Haw! (... sirens ... )
- Errrrr... ha! Ha! good question... Hold on a sec, I'll run out and have a look... (... aaaaaannnnnnnd good night Mister!)
Jeeze! The things you guys come out with!
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Monday, May 26, 2008
Cash game in the Jackpot
Got well and truly jarred on Saturday night at a friend's 40th birthday bash... wasn't in the mood for dancing or house parties, so I dragged my sister to the Jackpot to check out the cash game and made a right holy show of myself!
We stumbled in the door, the place was buzzing with 3 cash tables running, I plonked myself down at the only empty seat at the 1/2 PL table... threw €50 at the dealer amid titters from the rest of the table, I glanced around and realised that I was surrounded by players with 400-600-800 in front of them! Eeek! Not wishing to admit defeat (along with drunken bravado) I ignored them and proceeded to take an interest in the game vowing to play ultra-tight...
Don't remember the first few hands, but notice there was a lot of loose-playing and hardly any bluffing, the chip-leader was in a raise/re-raise race with another player who was practically the next short-stack after me bar one, pushing him all-in, player re-brought for €250 then proceed to lose €200 in the next couple of hands to chip-leader again. Ouch! He stomped off on a break... Just after this I limped in with AJo, flop showed AJx, I called €20 bet to see turn before shipping my remaining €15 to win the pot and double up to €90. Folded several more hands before getting AA on the button; there were 5 limpers so I couldn't bet any more than €12 - a dry flop came out rainbow 10 high, chip-leader threw in €10, I called. Turn brought another low card, Chip-Leader checked... I bet €20... he insta-raised to push me all-in with a smug look and I duly obeyed; he showed KK and I exposed my aces slowly as the entire table cracked up laughing... Said short-stacked player came back, took one look at my stack and muttered 'what happened there...?' Chip-leader replied something along the lines of 'she can play... watch her!' R.E.S.P.E.C.T!
I slowly worked my stack up to €280, growing almost stone-cold sober at this stage! I got stung for €60 calling a player All-In with his 910 -v- my A6 on a 678Ax board then lost a bigger with my QQ's on a JJ10 board against another chip-leader's J9... ah well, so much for drunken bravado! I gave up at that point, it was 4am and I was too tired to continue anyway; went to prise my sister away from the roulette wheel! She was so loud, I was telling her off just as loud, we nearly got asked to leave! Eventually went home with €80... €30 more than I started! LOL!
Looking back I should have put a limit in my head, say €200, then got up when I had this amount... Ah well!
Good night but don't think I'll be playing Jackpot, drunk or sober, for a while!
Photo:Me & Sis - just before our Jackpot adventure!
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Success in the 2008 Irish Open Deaf Poker Championship!
Irish Deaf Poker group held the first ever Irish Open for Deaf poker players, on 3rd May, with Paddy Power Poker sponsoring the event. There were 46 runners from Ireland, Northern Ireland, England, Wales, Lithuania and Australia! While the latter two countries representatives are currently residing in Ireland/Northern Ireland, it still added a nice international feel to the event!
Since I was playing bad of late, I went in with mixed feelings and no aspirations of winning. The TD - the wonderful Derek AKA the Clamper on boards.ie - texted me the night before to ask if I would deal for him; I replied I was playing but if I got knocked out early I will deal no problem. He replied laughing that he doubted it. On the day, he coolly informed me he had predicted that I would be in the top 5% ... I laughed him off! Then thought, feck it I got this ticket practically free - lets just play the game and enjoy it!
I felt the starting stack of 5k with 20 minute blinds was too low, they either should increase the blind times or increase the stack sizes... Ben Palmer the UK Deaf Open winner was first out as a result of two bad beats in a row! He quickly established himself as chipleader on my table, but bet heavily holding full-house against an all-in holding 4 of a kind... twice! Ouch!
By end of level two I was playing card-dead and had dropped down to 3k. Awful! Then came these lovely hands:
Blinds were 75/150; I was UTG with pocket 8s. BB had approx 8k. I raised to 450, got two callers: button and BB. Flop came out 89J. BB bet 1k, I thought for a moment and shoved all-in with rest of my stack. Button folded and BB called with AJ. My 88s held and my pot doubled to 6.5k. Next hand I was BB with K9 hearts; I checked to see the flop with 3 callers. Flop came out 9x9xQh. SB bet 1k, I called, rest folded. Both SB and myself called. Turn was low heart, SB shoved all-in with his remaining 2k, I thought for a moment then called. SB showed AQ and my set of 9s held up on the river! I had 12k at first break (Average was 7k) the chipleader (UK's Henry McD) at that stage had 17k.
After the break, we were re-seated, there were 3 tables left. I don't remember any specific hands, but I had beeee-ooooot-iful hands (AA, KK, straights, full houses etc) got involved in several pots against short stacks; eliminated them and increased my stack to a cool 53k by dinner break (average was 10k). Good going... good going!
We were down to the final 18 players after dinner; as the playing got tight, I got very loose and started stealing the blinds and re-raising players and limpers. By the time I sat down at the final table, I realised I was the last woman in the game (and chipleader with 95k) I moved into ultra-tight playing mode.
But I played soooooo tight it cost me nearly half my stack(!) At one stage I had 120k (my highest), blinds was 1k/2k, I raised to 8k with KQ suited, got called by David Bowers, BB raised with 25k. I folded, crediting both players with Aces; David called. Flop was KQJxx. Both players checked to the river. David won the pot with 10J and BB showed 99. With 6 players left, I was down to 75k, I looked down to see QQ. Blinds was 1.5/3k; I was CO-1 and raised to 12k. Nick O'Halloran was in BB shoved all-in with 15.5k, David Bowers, who had just limped in UTG, called and I threw in the remaining 3.5k. Flop came down K95 and David insta-shoved with 26k. I thought for a moment.... then folded my Queens. BB showed J10 and David showed AJ. (Foooooooo!!!) The turn and river yielded nothing to help Nick who bubbled in 6th place (only 5 places paying out) UL Nick. I was furious with myself for laying down those queens!!!!! This is my only regret of the day - apart from this hand; I was really happy with how I played!
I went back into loose playing mode raising and re-raising bets; and quickly brought my stack back up to 90k. When this hand happened:
Keenan 'Keeno' Byrne was shortstacked for most of the final table, had started going all-in and stealing the blinds for the last three/four hands with no callers. I looked down to see KQ suited, and limped in on the button. Keenan was in SB and went all-in with 48k, I insta-called him. Keeno showed pocket 6s and the board showed A953x to uphold his pair and push him into 2nd highest stack behind the new chipleader David Bowers.
Liam Moloney was kicked out in 5th place; David Mulligan exited in 4th place. We were down to 3, Keeno and David had 90/95k I was sitting on 50k... I went completely hand dead from this point, folded my cards to raises. David wrangled in a couple of huge pots with Keeno and grew very short stacked, before exiting in 3rd place.
Going into heads-up I had 58k to Keeno's 180k pot, with blinds at 8k/15k... a huge disadvantage, I knew I was finished. My Heads-Up playing is always weak... I went down to 38k when my exit hand happened. I shoved with K10 off into Keeno's A6 and the board gave him the 6 to win 1st place and €920. I exited in a very respectable 2nd place with €552!
Very good game from Keeno who started the final table with 2nd smallest stack - a well deserved win.
The top 3 winners (from left): David Bowers, myself & Keeno Byrne
Well done to Ciarán and the IDP for a well organised tournament, the TD & dealers were well able to handle communication with the deaf players mastering the basic playing signs well... Thumbs Up all around!
Good game and great day! ...And before you ask - yes I'm back in BLACK!
Since I was playing bad of late, I went in with mixed feelings and no aspirations of winning. The TD - the wonderful Derek AKA the Clamper on boards.ie - texted me the night before to ask if I would deal for him; I replied I was playing but if I got knocked out early I will deal no problem. He replied laughing that he doubted it. On the day, he coolly informed me he had predicted that I would be in the top 5% ... I laughed him off! Then thought, feck it I got this ticket practically free - lets just play the game and enjoy it!
I felt the starting stack of 5k with 20 minute blinds was too low, they either should increase the blind times or increase the stack sizes... Ben Palmer the UK Deaf Open winner was first out as a result of two bad beats in a row! He quickly established himself as chipleader on my table, but bet heavily holding full-house against an all-in holding 4 of a kind... twice! Ouch!
By end of level two I was playing card-dead and had dropped down to 3k. Awful! Then came these lovely hands:
Blinds were 75/150; I was UTG with pocket 8s. BB had approx 8k. I raised to 450, got two callers: button and BB. Flop came out 89J. BB bet 1k, I thought for a moment and shoved all-in with rest of my stack. Button folded and BB called with AJ. My 88s held and my pot doubled to 6.5k. Next hand I was BB with K9 hearts; I checked to see the flop with 3 callers. Flop came out 9x9xQh. SB bet 1k, I called, rest folded. Both SB and myself called. Turn was low heart, SB shoved all-in with his remaining 2k, I thought for a moment then called. SB showed AQ and my set of 9s held up on the river! I had 12k at first break (Average was 7k) the chipleader (UK's Henry McD) at that stage had 17k.
After the break, we were re-seated, there were 3 tables left. I don't remember any specific hands, but I had beeee-ooooot-iful hands (AA, KK, straights, full houses etc) got involved in several pots against short stacks; eliminated them and increased my stack to a cool 53k by dinner break (average was 10k). Good going... good going!
We were down to the final 18 players after dinner; as the playing got tight, I got very loose and started stealing the blinds and re-raising players and limpers. By the time I sat down at the final table, I realised I was the last woman in the game (and chipleader with 95k) I moved into ultra-tight playing mode.
But I played soooooo tight it cost me nearly half my stack(!) At one stage I had 120k (my highest), blinds was 1k/2k, I raised to 8k with KQ suited, got called by David Bowers, BB raised with 25k. I folded, crediting both players with Aces; David called. Flop was KQJxx. Both players checked to the river. David won the pot with 10J and BB showed 99. With 6 players left, I was down to 75k, I looked down to see QQ. Blinds was 1.5/3k; I was CO-1 and raised to 12k. Nick O'Halloran was in BB shoved all-in with 15.5k, David Bowers, who had just limped in UTG, called and I threw in the remaining 3.5k. Flop came down K95 and David insta-shoved with 26k. I thought for a moment.... then folded my Queens. BB showed J10 and David showed AJ. (Foooooooo!!!) The turn and river yielded nothing to help Nick who bubbled in 6th place (only 5 places paying out) UL Nick. I was furious with myself for laying down those queens!!!!! This is my only regret of the day - apart from this hand; I was really happy with how I played!
I went back into loose playing mode raising and re-raising bets; and quickly brought my stack back up to 90k. When this hand happened:
Keenan 'Keeno' Byrne was shortstacked for most of the final table, had started going all-in and stealing the blinds for the last three/four hands with no callers. I looked down to see KQ suited, and limped in on the button. Keenan was in SB and went all-in with 48k, I insta-called him. Keeno showed pocket 6s and the board showed A953x to uphold his pair and push him into 2nd highest stack behind the new chipleader David Bowers.
Liam Moloney was kicked out in 5th place; David Mulligan exited in 4th place. We were down to 3, Keeno and David had 90/95k I was sitting on 50k... I went completely hand dead from this point, folded my cards to raises. David wrangled in a couple of huge pots with Keeno and grew very short stacked, before exiting in 3rd place.
Going into heads-up I had 58k to Keeno's 180k pot, with blinds at 8k/15k... a huge disadvantage, I knew I was finished. My Heads-Up playing is always weak... I went down to 38k when my exit hand happened. I shoved with K10 off into Keeno's A6 and the board gave him the 6 to win 1st place and €920. I exited in a very respectable 2nd place with €552!
Very good game from Keeno who started the final table with 2nd smallest stack - a well deserved win.
The top 3 winners (from left): David Bowers, myself & Keeno Byrne
Well done to Ciarán and the IDP for a well organised tournament, the TD & dealers were well able to handle communication with the deaf players mastering the basic playing signs well... Thumbs Up all around!
Good game and great day! ...And before you ask - yes I'm back in BLACK!
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Sick, sick, sick two weeks...
What a fortnight it's been... I've had nothing but sick beats in all my games bar one (where I won €100 in side cash game). Either I'm playing totally crap or events happening elsewhere in my life is affecting my playing big time.
Tonight's one takes the trophy for the worse slowplaying hand(!) I was playing the $30+3 Durham on iPoker; playing a totally tight game playing just 1 hand in 4/5; I had just lost 500 on AK with unpaired board in a previous hand, when this hand happened:
In this game all pre-flop betting was taking a cautious approach (2.5-4xBB), leading to outright aggressive bets on turn/river. I had marked Calzer as a somewhat LAG player playing any Ace, King, Queen or Jack with any kicker. He always raised when he had a hand, no matter how small his pair was. When he just called my bet pre-flop, I credited him with a picture card plus low kicker. When he checked after the flop, I was sure he had missed the mark, but I decided try a value bet of 200 to seize him up. He insta-called and I thought: hmmm no raise, he either got a 10 or pair of clubs? When the turn ruled out the flush it was likely to be a pair of 10s at best, nothing else, I felt I was in the superior position with two pairs plus the Ace kicker to cover my 6, should he have a pair of 6s too. I was not expecting that 10s4s! Sick move... FFS! I'm still tilting over it!
I contacted a Boards.ie member for some coaching during the week but after a few PMs trying to come to an agreement (I need face-to-face coaching obv.), nothing came out of it. Ah well, maybe its just as well...
IDP game last night was good, there was a decent turnout with 24 players, including 6 visitors from Germany. Susie-Woosie was knocked out just after the break, she went on tilt after one of the Germans actually stole some of her chips from her pile! I was happy enough with my playing in general, but at my best I only had 10k in chips, given my recent run of bad luck I had decided to played tight and avoid getting into large pots with the 'playing-any-two' brigade! Still, I got busted out in 5th place by Vytas with 77-v-99 on a A79103 board. Ahhhh!!!! FFS! WP, GG mate, etc.
Poor Vytas later discovered after the game that his car had been stolen from the car park... Vytas is a decent Deaf player from Lithuania, living and working in Longford for the past 5 years, and is pretty well liked by the local Deaf community there. I genuinely hope you get it back soon Vytas, bad karma to whomever it was...
It's barely a week to the Irish Deaf Poker Open on 3rd May, with 46 runners so far, don't bet on me getting to the final table just yet!!! I've agreed to meet Susie-Woosie for a game in the Bell tomorrow night. I've decided if I don't cash in this game or the Open, I'm definitely not playing again til I get some serious coaching!
Tonight's one takes the trophy for the worse slowplaying hand(!) I was playing the $30+3 Durham on iPoker; playing a totally tight game playing just 1 hand in 4/5; I had just lost 500 on AK with unpaired board in a previous hand, when this hand happened:
2
008-04-27 00:39:07- players:seat 2 = gunnar1234 (2,290)seat 3 = DaBeear (2,940)eat 5 = MarkusOwnH87 (2,270)sat 6 = QueenJulesII (1,560) dealerseat 7 = UacesK (380) SB 20seat 9 = ScoobyDoo23 (2,180) BB 40seat 10= calzer (3,380)-UacesK pays SB 20ScoobyDoo23 pays BB 40calzer calls 40
gunnar1234 folds
DaBeear folds
MarkusOwnH87 folds
QueenJulesII raises 120
UacesK folds
ScoobyDoo23 folds
calzer calls 80
Pot = 270Flop = 10c 4c 6s
calzer checks
QueenJulesII bets 200
Calzer calls 200<Turn = 4d
Calzer checks
QueenJulesII bets 1,240 [All-In]
Calzer calls 1,240
QueenJulesII shows Ac6h
Calzer shows 10s 4sRiver = 2hCalzer - full house
QueenJulesII - two pair - out in 7th place.
In this game all pre-flop betting was taking a cautious approach (2.5-4xBB), leading to outright aggressive bets on turn/river. I had marked Calzer as a somewhat LAG player playing any Ace, King, Queen or Jack with any kicker. He always raised when he had a hand, no matter how small his pair was. When he just called my bet pre-flop, I credited him with a picture card plus low kicker. When he checked after the flop, I was sure he had missed the mark, but I decided try a value bet of 200 to seize him up. He insta-called and I thought: hmmm no raise, he either got a 10 or pair of clubs? When the turn ruled out the flush it was likely to be a pair of 10s at best, nothing else, I felt I was in the superior position with two pairs plus the Ace kicker to cover my 6, should he have a pair of 6s too. I was not expecting that 10s4s! Sick move... FFS! I'm still tilting over it!
I contacted a Boards.ie member for some coaching during the week but after a few PMs trying to come to an agreement (I need face-to-face coaching obv.), nothing came out of it. Ah well, maybe its just as well...
IDP game last night was good, there was a decent turnout with 24 players, including 6 visitors from Germany. Susie-Woosie was knocked out just after the break, she went on tilt after one of the Germans actually stole some of her chips from her pile! I was happy enough with my playing in general, but at my best I only had 10k in chips, given my recent run of bad luck I had decided to played tight and avoid getting into large pots with the 'playing-any-two' brigade! Still, I got busted out in 5th place by Vytas with 77-v-99 on a A79103 board. Ahhhh!!!! FFS! WP, GG mate, etc.
Poor Vytas later discovered after the game that his car had been stolen from the car park... Vytas is a decent Deaf player from Lithuania, living and working in Longford for the past 5 years, and is pretty well liked by the local Deaf community there. I genuinely hope you get it back soon Vytas, bad karma to whomever it was...
It's barely a week to the Irish Deaf Poker Open on 3rd May, with 46 runners so far, don't bet on me getting to the final table just yet!!! I've agreed to meet Susie-Woosie for a game in the Bell tomorrow night. I've decided if I don't cash in this game or the Open, I'm definitely not playing again til I get some serious coaching!
Monday, April 14, 2008
I'm still here...
... just took a wee break... In sunny Lanzarote that is!
Came across a weekly 'Texas Poker School' held in a local British-run pub, in which the cards where somewhat differently dealt out - 'dealer' continues to deal out the flop, turn and river face down immediately AFTER dealing the hole cards and all other cards mucked/burnt are placed back on the deck(!) Ah. Realising that the results would be the same, I sat down for a €20 FO 'winner takes all' game. It was just as I suspected, a total walkover with 90% beginners but you DO need luck to play too dontcha? (Realise I need to improve my HU strategy big time) It's not all skill! Was unlucky to come 2nd against the guy who runs it every week... they tell me he wins it 3 weeks out of 4... (go figure!) Nice little earner sir!
Now what have I missed?
I got told by a friend (not a 'big' poker player) that my blog is not making sense to her... Ah. Was gonna do another blog, non-poker of course, but sure haven't I got facebook and bebo for that?!
Came across a weekly 'Texas Poker School' held in a local British-run pub, in which the cards where somewhat differently dealt out - 'dealer' continues to deal out the flop, turn and river face down immediately AFTER dealing the hole cards and all other cards mucked/burnt are placed back on the deck(!) Ah. Realising that the results would be the same, I sat down for a €20 FO 'winner takes all' game. It was just as I suspected, a total walkover with 90% beginners but you DO need luck to play too dontcha? (Realise I need to improve my HU strategy big time) It's not all skill! Was unlucky to come 2nd against the guy who runs it every week... they tell me he wins it 3 weeks out of 4... (go figure!) Nice little earner sir!
Now what have I missed?
I got told by a friend (not a 'big' poker player) that my blog is not making sense to her... Ah. Was gonna do another blog, non-poker of course, but sure haven't I got facebook and bebo for that?!
Saturday, March 22, 2008
When you sit down to a cash game...
...do pick the the table with the most empty beers, first-timer's and the free-flowing dosh! ;-D
After my elimination I went looking for a game, but there were waiting lists for all the games from 100 up, all cash games no SnG's. :-/
As I waited around for Susie Woosie to finish up, I had an idea of heading to the Jackpot to check out a game, Susan agreed... as I went to say my goodbyes - JCB suggested we try Cool Hand Lukes, as the Jackpot may be quiet, "This is a good night to make it on the cash tables - cos all the big players are here!" she added with a wink...
I went online the free internet access PC's provided by PPP and a link came up about the Tallaght Poker Room above the Atari-Expo in the Square. Hmmm, not too far away...
"You are joking!?" spluttered Susie "that's Knackersville!"
Ah lets give it a go Susie! She reluctantly agreed... on the condition that if there were goupies/gangs hanging around we were not going in. Agreed. The place was quiet and empty, just a lone smoker huddled outside. In we went...
Only two tables in swing, after conversing with management over membership, games on offer, etc.; we brought €30 in chips and set about deciding on which table to join... table 1 had 4 young lads and an aging Italian stallion, all serious, big chips in front of them. Table 2 had 5 men, pally-pally country style, swinging the free beers and laughing away... mixture of large and small stacks. Yep - that looks the most fun!
What a night! The craic was mighty with the banter, Susie topped up for €30, I topped up by €20; our fellow players were constantly topping up with eye-catching €100 bills: I calculated €600, €250 and €400 (the Aquarium) from three of the guys over the course of the evening! I was served beautiful cards here - two pairs, flushes and straights galore! My 'husband' (as christened by Susie) who was sitting to my left, managed to win most of his friends chips, but kept folding any time I raised. I took advantage of that where ever I could!
Like us, it was a first visit for these guys, they also had been put off by Paddy Power Poker IrisghOpen limitations on the cash games. The only thing that annoyed me was one gobby dealer who kept egging me to go 'all-in' when I was in the tank pondering a call from one of the "Aquarium"...
Susie went home with €211, and me... wellllllllll ;-D Let's say my poker tracker short-fall has now decreased to €151! It was a great night for just €50 odd!
We'll be back! ;-D
After my elimination I went looking for a game, but there were waiting lists for all the games from 100 up, all cash games no SnG's. :-/
As I waited around for Susie Woosie to finish up, I had an idea of heading to the Jackpot to check out a game, Susan agreed... as I went to say my goodbyes - JCB suggested we try Cool Hand Lukes, as the Jackpot may be quiet, "This is a good night to make it on the cash tables - cos all the big players are here!" she added with a wink...
I went online the free internet access PC's provided by PPP and a link came up about the Tallaght Poker Room above the Atari-Expo in the Square. Hmmm, not too far away...
"You are joking!?" spluttered Susie "that's Knackersville!"
Ah lets give it a go Susie! She reluctantly agreed... on the condition that if there were goupies/gangs hanging around we were not going in. Agreed. The place was quiet and empty, just a lone smoker huddled outside. In we went...
Only two tables in swing, after conversing with management over membership, games on offer, etc.; we brought €30 in chips and set about deciding on which table to join... table 1 had 4 young lads and an aging Italian stallion, all serious, big chips in front of them. Table 2 had 5 men, pally-pally country style, swinging the free beers and laughing away... mixture of large and small stacks. Yep - that looks the most fun!
What a night! The craic was mighty with the banter, Susie topped up for €30, I topped up by €20; our fellow players were constantly topping up with eye-catching €100 bills: I calculated €600, €250 and €400 (the Aquarium) from three of the guys over the course of the evening! I was served beautiful cards here - two pairs, flushes and straights galore! My 'husband' (as christened by Susie) who was sitting to my left, managed to win most of his friends chips, but kept folding any time I raised. I took advantage of that where ever I could!
Like us, it was a first visit for these guys, they also had been put off by Paddy Power Poker IrisghOpen limitations on the cash games. The only thing that annoyed me was one gobby dealer who kept egging me to go 'all-in' when I was in the tank pondering a call from one of the "Aquarium"...
Susie went home with €211, and me... wellllllllll ;-D Let's say my poker tracker short-fall has now decreased to €151! It was a great night for just €50 odd!
We'll be back! ;-D
Ladies Event Update
What a game... I felt totally out of my depth!
Susie and I arrived at 4:20pm and the place was buzzing! I checked out Smurph and Martin in the main event at their respective tables - both well in the game with decent size stacks.
JCB spotted us and we had a good chat about what to expect, JCB was on a high and raring to go, Susie was very nervous. I felt calm, very calm, but when I saw the final prize fund on the screens - the flutters began. I had resolved to play tight unless I was in late position...
147 women sat down to play, cards went in the air at 5:10pm. Susie reckons we were among the youngest in the room, I was positioned beside a lovely chatty grandmother from Donegal, and while I was definitely not the youngest on my table - I was in the youngest 25% at least!
I took down the first pot with a pair of 7s, gaining 6 blinds; after that I was card dead. The play went loose, fast and furious! The dealer we had for the first two blinds was the fastest I've ever seen, with the ladies at my table folding/shooting the chips out without a pause, in 30 minutes we managed to do no less than 5 orbits... my newly won stack dwindled fast.
I noticed certain woman was playing with 'big bets' and occasionally stealing blinds with cards (if we got to see them) that one usually wouldn't play. I called her with J10s but the flop showed AA9, I threw in 300 continuation bet but she fired out 1800, I folded. She showed a pair of Qs... phew! But the whole table muttered in surprise. She became the table chipleader very quickly after that - nice strategy(!)
Another woman just kept getting great hands: KK, two pairs, flopping sets, flushes etc; and she managed to treble her stack by the start of the 2nd level. But if she was in a hand, she called every raise. And won... I labelled her a calling station! I was down to 3k by 2nd level, wasn't the only short stacked player on the table, there were 4 of us hoovering around 2-4k.
Then this hand happened: I got AKo in mid-position and raised to 400; got 4 callers including the calling-station. Flop showed 456 rainbow and we checked to the CO who bet 800, UTG raised to 1600, calling-station called; chipleader made it 3k. Then it was back to me. I had no option but to fold. CO called all-in and won the 10k+ pot in a show-down with Chipleader's AKo with 78o(!) I'm so glad I held off going all-in there...
Another set of blinds and I was down to 2k, pushed all-in with AJ, everyone folded to the Chipleader who insta-called me with K10o. Flop gave me the A to stay alive and I was back up to 5k... phew! Chipleader lost a HUGE pot in the very next hand with a 10 high flush to the Donegal Grandmother's queen high and went right down to 4k.
JCB stopped by, seeing my stack, she gave me the thumbs up and remarked that she was card dead and had more or less same as me. That made me feel better. She also warned me to sit tight, the cards will come.
More fast and furious playing with big bets continued, and I remained hand dead for ages; til I lost 1,750 to another short-stacker in a show-down with my JJ v her AA. Bad call.
Was down to 3k when I got a beautiful pocket rockets... But in the previous hands AAs lost out to triple Q's and flush draws - being in BB with 8 callers including calling-station, I decided to play safe and not call til I saw the flop. Flop showed 10 4 2 rainbow; I threw in a value bet of 600 expected to reraise, two players called, rest folded. Turn was 8 and all-in I went, got one caller (guess who!!!) with J8 (eehhh?) and other player folded. River showed the one card I didn't want: 8 ...FFS! That was some playing woman!
I got a lot of sympathetic looks and a lot of head shaking ; dealer muttered something to me but I didn't catch it, Donegal woman nodded and patted me on the back "yah... well played lassie... pure bad luck cards tonight". Hard-luck, good game, goodbye... step behind the railings... ya-da... ya-da...
Out in 131st place. I felt soooo humbled.
Susie Woosie was playing ultra-tight on her table, working between 2.5-4k stack. She managed to boost her stack to 8k by break (end of 4th level) but grew very short-stacked with the blinds and antes, only to crash out in the 6th level in 87th place - well done girl, you lasted longer than me!
JCB was on 35k+ in 7th level with what looked like the overall tournament chipleader on her table with 100k++ (whoa!) JCB was engaging in table play talk with another short-stack all-in at that table...while 'deciding' whether to call into the pot or not when I stopped by, she made a big show of flashing me her cards "look at these... would you call? Hummmm... Ohhhh... Ah I'll call ya..."
Eh? I'm the last person you should ask that JCB! But she won that pot... and went on to finish among the final 10... GG Girl and Well Bloody Done!
Susie and I arrived at 4:20pm and the place was buzzing! I checked out Smurph and Martin in the main event at their respective tables - both well in the game with decent size stacks.
JCB spotted us and we had a good chat about what to expect, JCB was on a high and raring to go, Susie was very nervous. I felt calm, very calm, but when I saw the final prize fund on the screens - the flutters began. I had resolved to play tight unless I was in late position...
147 women sat down to play, cards went in the air at 5:10pm. Susie reckons we were among the youngest in the room, I was positioned beside a lovely chatty grandmother from Donegal, and while I was definitely not the youngest on my table - I was in the youngest 25% at least!
I took down the first pot with a pair of 7s, gaining 6 blinds; after that I was card dead. The play went loose, fast and furious! The dealer we had for the first two blinds was the fastest I've ever seen, with the ladies at my table folding/shooting the chips out without a pause, in 30 minutes we managed to do no less than 5 orbits... my newly won stack dwindled fast.
I noticed certain woman was playing with 'big bets' and occasionally stealing blinds with cards (if we got to see them) that one usually wouldn't play. I called her with J10s but the flop showed AA9, I threw in 300 continuation bet but she fired out 1800, I folded. She showed a pair of Qs... phew! But the whole table muttered in surprise. She became the table chipleader very quickly after that - nice strategy(!)
Another woman just kept getting great hands: KK, two pairs, flopping sets, flushes etc; and she managed to treble her stack by the start of the 2nd level. But if she was in a hand, she called every raise. And won... I labelled her a calling station! I was down to 3k by 2nd level, wasn't the only short stacked player on the table, there were 4 of us hoovering around 2-4k.
Then this hand happened: I got AKo in mid-position and raised to 400; got 4 callers including the calling-station. Flop showed 456 rainbow and we checked to the CO who bet 800, UTG raised to 1600, calling-station called; chipleader made it 3k. Then it was back to me. I had no option but to fold. CO called all-in and won the 10k+ pot in a show-down with Chipleader's AKo with 78o(!) I'm so glad I held off going all-in there...
Another set of blinds and I was down to 2k, pushed all-in with AJ, everyone folded to the Chipleader who insta-called me with K10o. Flop gave me the A to stay alive and I was back up to 5k... phew! Chipleader lost a HUGE pot in the very next hand with a 10 high flush to the Donegal Grandmother's queen high and went right down to 4k.
JCB stopped by, seeing my stack, she gave me the thumbs up and remarked that she was card dead and had more or less same as me. That made me feel better. She also warned me to sit tight, the cards will come.
More fast and furious playing with big bets continued, and I remained hand dead for ages; til I lost 1,750 to another short-stacker in a show-down with my JJ v her AA. Bad call.
Was down to 3k when I got a beautiful pocket rockets... But in the previous hands AAs lost out to triple Q's and flush draws - being in BB with 8 callers including calling-station, I decided to play safe and not call til I saw the flop. Flop showed 10 4 2 rainbow; I threw in a value bet of 600 expected to reraise, two players called, rest folded. Turn was 8 and all-in I went, got one caller (guess who!!!) with J8 (eehhh?) and other player folded. River showed the one card I didn't want: 8 ...FFS! That was some playing woman!
I got a lot of sympathetic looks and a lot of head shaking ; dealer muttered something to me but I didn't catch it, Donegal woman nodded and patted me on the back "yah... well played lassie... pure bad luck cards tonight". Hard-luck, good game, goodbye... step behind the railings... ya-da... ya-da...
Out in 131st place. I felt soooo humbled.
Susie Woosie was playing ultra-tight on her table, working between 2.5-4k stack. She managed to boost her stack to 8k by break (end of 4th level) but grew very short-stacked with the blinds and antes, only to crash out in the 6th level in 87th place - well done girl, you lasted longer than me!
JCB was on 35k+ in 7th level with what looked like the overall tournament chipleader on her table with 100k++ (whoa!) JCB was engaging in table play talk with another short-stack all-in at that table...while 'deciding' whether to call into the pot or not when I stopped by, she made a big show of flashing me her cards "look at these... would you call? Hummmm... Ohhhh... Ah I'll call ya..."
Eh? I'm the last person you should ask that JCB! But she won that pot... and went on to finish among the final 10... GG Girl and Well Bloody Done!
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