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Seeing as this is my first blog for Boylepoker, I better make it worthwhile. I have been studying for my final exams for the past few months and only playing the odd live cash game or online tournament.
Normal enough for me, that after an exam on Friday I got itchy feet and headed down to the JP Masters, which had already kicked off.
I had no intention of playing the main event for a number of reasons, it being out of my current bankroll only one of them! I did an interview with Irish Poker Radio and went through some of the table draws. The standard was surprisingly high with 2/3 good players at most of the tables.
I played some cash and wasn't in the game very long before Chris Dowling busted from the main. We went for a few beers, which turned into a good few more as more players were sent to the rail and joined the ever growing crew of unhappy degenerates washing down their bad beats with a whole lot of booze!
Came back on Saturday to play the €300 side event. I had a nice table draw with mostly unknown players. I had Keith McFadden to my left and Iain from Irish Poker Radio on my right. Needless to say I stayed out of trouble and chipped up nicely.
I played some of the most balanced poker I have played in a long time and was never in trouble. I had a huge double up when I 3-bet some wizard to my right for the 4th hand in two orbits. I happened to have the goods in the other hands by the way; I was on a rush, not making moves.
It was a bad table to make moves on, mostly calling stations which always seem to get the better of me!
Anyway, in this particular hand I 3-bet him with 
. He flat called and the flop came 
. We get it in and the genius has 
. I was cruising on 
80k with the average at 50k. The side event started with 150 players and the top 16 made the money.
We came back on Sunday with 26 hopefuls left in. I had a mixed table draw, most of the better players were at the table, but also about 40% of the chips, so a good run would have me going to the final table with a big stack.
I played a little rushed at the start, and was in trouble of busting myself out of the tournament. I got moved table at the right time and managed to double up with 
v . The bubble burst quickly enough and I had chipped up back to 120k.
I must have been in the top four in chips when my exit hand happened. With the blinds at 2-4k with a 400 ante, I made it 10k to go with . The player to my left makes it 25k. I shove, and snappage with the Queenballs. I miss and go out in 14th. A bit sick considering had I won, I would have had about 25% of the chips in play!
I was obviously gutted, another crossbar. I haven't run well at the right end of a tournament yet, so all I can do is keep giving myself chances. I spent the rest of the night grinding in a very entertaining cash game. One hand that I found quite funny was with some magician who had run a €40 stack up to about €800.
The hand previous to the one I played with him he had which he played horrifically. During the hand he started nudging me and showing me the kings. He obviously did this when he had a massive hand.
The next hand I raise with 
, , he insta re-raises and I was about to move in, when I noticed him nudging the player beside him and showing his hand. He had been playing so fast all night; surely folding QQ is a mistake?? After all, this guy is liable to be showing off J10 as the nuts pre.
I went with my gut and folded face up. He tossed over the kings and couldn't believe my fold. Sent him on life tilt and proceeded to lose a chunk. That being said, I won very small for the weekend, barely covering expenses.
JP put on an excellent showing again, unlucky to John who bubbled the main and Donal O'Connor who yet again hit the crossbar. Well done to Sean Prendeville on a great achievement winning the CPT and JP Masters back to back.
My plan is to start online grinding on Boylepoker with some backing from a friend. I'll play for a month and then go to Vegas. We have a sick mansion booked so can't miss out this year. I'll keep you up to date on my roll building and Vegas preparations.
Comments (1)
Nice pass with the Queens, to many players make the cardinal sin of not following their gut instinct. Great 1st blog.