LUTON GUKPT REPORT

Journey to get there was awful include 2 low lights.

1) I booked the wrong day for my flight to Stanstead !!
2) I then got a National Express bus from Stanstead to Luton where the driver got lost !!!!

DAY 1

Started day 1 with a decent looking table draw with Rob Sherwood the only name I recognised. Have read his blog for years so was good to meet him - sound bloke who i had a few beers with after poker on Friday. Anyway table was awfully tight and i was bored so started opening raising every couple of hands that picked me up a few chips early. Sherwood then cottoned on to this and started to reraise me bored !!!. Anyway to cut longish story short i started day 1 with 10k and was happy to finish day 1 with just under 40k about 5k above average. I was all in at one point when QQ held versus AK and then late in day I raised / passed when Mike Ellis reraised , however when he did the same few hands later - I shoved with KK and he called TT and I had 50k. I spunked off 10k but went to bed happy.

DAY 2

New table draw (unfortunately) and I was moved to a new table with a few Internet names. Things started bad when a short stack pushed for 10K and I called with KK but it lost to Ace Ten on Ace high flop. I then basically had small ball poker without been in any big pots and stayed around the 30k mark - one bit of luck in a 20k pot when i got a chop AQ v AK but was bit gutted in end as 1st card out was Q followed by J and T and then K on turn !!

Got moved again and was in trouble half average stack - 50 odd left and 32 paid. Tryed a couple of moves that did not work and I now was down to 20k with little riggle room. However, I then picked up AA and Micky Wennick raised to 6K ( I had seen him fold KK pre in Newcastle). However, I thought anything bar a shove would scream AA so I shoved and he passed which was dissapointing.

I was then moved to another table with around 46 players left but i was in bottom 3 with around 20K. I was geting dealt not much and twice was all in too survive.

Hand 1 - I had 78 diamonds on button - i raised to 4k and both blinds call so about 16k in pot. I was happy with a flop of 459 - not cause I had any of it but because I assume they missed also. Checked to me and i shove all in and they fold.

Hand 2 - Few rounds later possy 1 limps for 2.4k and small blind calls. I am on big blind with 56 sooted and 20k behind. On the internet I push here - only risk is possy 1 has a monster - anyway I shove and he passes.

I then try a few raises and have to pass to reraises and am playing 20k. On the button I pick up JT sooted and i do not want to give them a chance to rejam so i push for 20k. into 5k pot. Small blind folds but big blind who was a huge stack starts giving it the speech play. He kept saying you got an ace under their son - so i knew he had mid ace. My assumption was that he would pass so i said nothing - In hindsight I wish i had said something like your other card need sto be higher than ten to be racing or something. Anyway after an age he makes a hero call with ace 8 offsuit. Flop of A82 and my jacket is on, turn of 9 freezes me (8910J) but no joy on river and out 45th ish 13 or so from the cash.

I also met "The Mole" (Stephen Boyd) when I was their. He had a fantastic personality and really enjoyed the 30 mins of crack I had with him. He was also on our table for half an hour and for enterainment value everyone excet Rob Sherwood (who held 88) were dissapointed to see him go (99). For the likes of Brennan who swear by the poker software etc - this lad has never read a poker book, never ever uses poker software and has just learned what the cut off means this week !!! - or and i did not mention, he also won 1.5 million $ at on line cash !!!! He is featured in this months inside poker if anyone is interested.

On the celeb spotting front - Teddy Sheringham (watching) and Wayne Mardle( playing) were there. Mardle has made the final table so good luck. I seen Rob Sherwood is out also so Mardle can have my hopes for the win.

Anyway getting closer - another good experience (bar the travel).