IRISH OPEN REPORT

UPDATE 1 DINNER BREAK DAY 1

Have not had many hands and when I have they have either been thing slike AQ and then boards like 678 or couple times i had monsters (1 AA and 1 KK) both got no chips.

Spent most day between 4k and 8k from 10k starting stack and go for dinner now at marginally over 6k and less than half average, still bit of play as blinds only 150 300 but limits any moves and thus far been mega frustrating. Have tryed to scrap and battle to stay in in but a double would be hugely appreciated so i can get a bit more creative.

UPDATE 2 COB Day 1

Above proved to be wishful thinking, doubled up to 17K getting AA in versus QQ and holding. Then got much more play in and up and down around this mark till key hand of the day, someone raised and got flatted and i shoved with jacks and got called by AK that hit their K on the turn but I hit my redraw flush to win the 35K pot. Then got a load of steals through but then towards end got played back at miles more and dropped back a little and shut up shop fr last 15 minutes as getting bad image and table redraw tomorrow.

Play resumes at 2pm with 260ish left of 700 starters and i am about 10k over average with 37.5K

UPDATE DAY 2

Just seen I am 66/250 odd but have Avery tough table draw with 2 of the top 6 stacks on the table. I also just got shafted again on Laddies versus 2 outs for 800 pot when i was just chillaxing to go with the 2K bad beat I had yesterday, i have probably played 200 hands this month and am 2K behind EV which is pretty sick.

DINNER BREAK UPDATE

Still in with about 80K (just above average) with 101 runners left and 72 paid. Had nice hand earlier versus shorties when got it in with KK v AK and QJ and held. Then started to accumulate until some big stacks moved to table including Ashby and a very aggro scandi both to my left. Got over 110K but then lost 50-60K pot bluffing Ashby on the river when board was 2345 8 and i had KQ but he had ace so called and i had to show it. I made a big call at one point with K5 on K88 2 heart board when the guy who called my raise shoved (couldn't work out why he would shove a better hand) and this was correct as he had q.

Blinds now 1K 2K and 2 levels left for the night of 75 mins I think will get close to the bubble in play today.


OUT UPDATE

Got low just trying to cash which I am pretty pissed off with myself about but got no hands for fw hands then exit below SICK and worse than EPO in similar possy.

Got low but cashed then all in pre for 70-80K with KK v TT pot to get back in it, especially into the sole survivor for 100K EUR, flop QJ9 turn sick king and no fill up for me on river with my 10 outs

Was an absolute pleasure watching Liam Flood watching some of the best poker I have ever seen as well as hitting almost everything which helps.

FINAL THOUGHTS (Sunday)

Just arrived home and decided to take the first flight home that I had booked. Not sure what is sicker of below as played online after busted.

1) had had no hands for 3 hours until KK bust out in main and then online within 10 hands I had AA KK twice JJ QQ and AK !!!

2) The above hands were played at a net loss of over a buy in with KK beat by AQ that backdoor flushed when got it in with him with next to no equity and AA lost to a flopped straight flush draw !!!!

Anyway I digress.

I sat on the plane today and tryed to think of what could have been and most my thoughts were negative, however I tryed to find some positives before I try and address the negatives.

POSITIVES

1) Obviously cashed so did not lose anything and if did not get the bad beat I would have had 80K with average 100K and 6 or 7 sole survivors left which I would have been in hunt for 100K EUR.

2) I think on day 1 my patience was really good when low and ultimately on the journey I went from 4K teatime day 1 to 110K teatime day 2.

3) The tough decisions I had to make when I had chips were nearly always correct.

4) More experience of bigger buy ins and 1st hand look at an absolute master at work (Liam Flood).

5) I was once all in with JJ v AK and if lost that would have been zero.

NEGATIVES

1) When I had 110K I was really aggro and then had 2 really tough players moved to left after Flood so had Flood, Ashby and aggro Scandi. Ashby wanted to play pots with me in position and after i made a bluff that was called i lost a load of confidence and went into shell to avoid confrontation out of position.

2) There were times i knew i was the target and failed to reraise enough from BB, online i do this in a second with no thought.

3) No hands for about 2-3 hours and not really doing anything without hands, i need to address this and will play a few local small buy in events that £ don't matter to try and grow my confidence and table image in doing this, again on line i do not have issues with this so must be a live thing.

4) Going from 60K to 35K when trying to cash and waiting for bubble to burst, not sure what i should have done due to players on left who would obviously call me in position or raise to pressurise but felt i was too timid and ultimately meant i needed to double up to get back in it (nearly did).

5) I backed myself EW (1st 4 places) to win the sole survivor at 70-1 so that was another hit from the bad beat !!!!!

I have seen there is an Irish Winter festival for 1500EUR buy in at Burlington again in October and I think i will go back for that. Irish people find really really nice and down to earth and a country i personally love. brenos / Ben stick your cash bonuses for next 4 months in a side account and get yourselves in - we all need to take shots now and then else will be organ grinders forever !!! :D

Liam Flood also asked me whether I think and Irish Open sat would be a goer in Newcastle next year with a couple of seats gtd and i told him 100% yes, would love to see something say boxing day or something like that. One of my fav moments of the week was aggro scandi with 150ksig to Liam Flood how many chips you got and Liam replied immediately 66400 (he had no clue whatsoever!!!) then when he went hot for ages and got to almost 300K and scandi down to less than 100K with 2 100 chips, Liam to Scandi how many chips you got, Scandi says 95K and Liam says you cant have you have 2 100 chips :D (maybe had to be there)

Other titbits from week.

1) Shared life with someone who won over 3 mill in a day at cash in a day.
2) Teddy / Tony Cas / John O Shea / Ken Docherty all played event.
3) Tables in bar have beer pumps on them so no need to que at bar you just put credit card behind bar and pay at end based on volume.
4) Dina dropping a chip down her cleavage when dealing, numerous offers to get it out!!!
5) Ryanair is awesome - think flights were 40 odd quid.


Most of all I have enjoyed and learned from my experiences, finally thank you to people who backed me both financially and from support standpoint in the event.

and that concludes what will be my biggest ever post on blog.


zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz :D