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I played the UKIPT Leg 2 at G Casino Manchester last weekend and achieved my 1st cash for Boylepoker, but it could have been even better.
I played Day 1B with 290 starters. Added to the 228 Day 1A entries, the starting field was a whopping 518. Only 66 players had survived the marathon 11 1-hour levels from Day 1A, so I knew reaching Day 2 would be quite an achievement.
My starting table included Jeff Kimber and after a couple of early bruising encounters when I tried to defend my BB against the former world heads-up champion, I said to Jeff, "I don't think playing heads up against you is positive EV, is it?"
Anyway, I managed to get back the losses shortly afterwards when I defended his habitual raise with 
suited and hit the nut flush on the turn. Jeff bet every street including the river and even paid me off for my not-too-greedy raise on the river. We managed to keep out of each other's way after that.
The main hand from Day 1 was my double up from 
19k to 40k. I had 
in the big blind and I called an early position raiser and a caller. Two lovely diamonds came on the Ten high board and I bet 4K into a 5K pot. The early position raiser, who had me covered, then made it 10K. The other pre-flop caller got out of the way.
What I should have done now was push on the flop because if I call I am totally pot committed, with over half my stack in there. Against Queens, Jacks and lower pairs I am actually 55% favourite, against KK and top pair / top kicker I am just under 50%, against AA just under 40% and against an unlikely set - I am 25%. I don't quite know why, but I just called.
The turn comes a blank, I check and the villain announces all-in. I have about 8K left and the pot is about 32K, so I don't need much to call. My nut flush draw is more than enough and an Ace or King might also win me the pot. I mumble "I got myself pot committed here" and call - the villain shows 
and the river is a beautiful 
. Same result I guess, but not pushing on the flop was a mistake by me.
So, I play a lot better after that, raising in a lot of pots in late position (particularly when Kimber has folded) and get up to over 70K quite comfortably. This was helped by having and flopping a full house, and flopping a set with and knocking out an 
short stack after telling him he had pre flop and then raising when the hit on the turn - very Channing-esque by me!!
We move tables and for the last three levels I am a virtual spectator as Richard Kellett dominates the table from a tiny stack. He had just had Aces cracked and then got dealt Aces four more times in the last three levels and got paid every time. I could find very few spots and ended the day on 52,800, just below average. I was surprised to find that only 56 had survived Day 1B, so 122 of us were sitting down on Day 2, with 72 being paid.
Day 2 was obviously re-drawn and most of my new foes were from Day 1A. The only person I had seen play before was a Latvian Lady Rock (LLR) who I have seen play on TV. In the first few rounds she shows three times and the broadway nut straight. She also shows no interest in even considering raising from late position with no action before her - this is good for my blind because she is a few seats before me. However, her blinds are being pillaged by the people to my left.
Anyway, I have dwindled down to just over 40K and the dreaded bubble is approaching. I wake up with under the gun and I raise for 11K (blinds are 2-4 with 400 ante). LLR with over 100K announces all-in!! It gets folded back to me. From everything I have seen - both on TV previously and today - I can only put her on a powerhouse hand.
Discounting Queens because I have two, I can't even see her doing this move with Jacks or Tens - I have been very tight and it is my first raise in early position. I fold my and flash them quickly - the BB sees them and shows me his !! LLR mucks but tells the table later she had "Two Red Kings". If that is correct, how sick is , and pocket pairs in the same hand? LLR is shocked that I folded , as is the rest of the table.
A few hands later and about four off the bubble, I push from late position with 
suited. I have about 30K and there is 10K to pick up in blinds and antes. The BB goes in the tank and then says "I am only passing because you folded Queens", and shows !! Wow!! I can't resist showing my .
A few hands later and I wake up with and push again under the gun. The guy who folded doesn't notice my push (I am hidden in seat 10 position) and tries to make a standard raise. The TD is called over and he can fold and lose his raise chips or call up to my bet. He decides to call, no other players, and my doubles me up against his . In the money!!
I then get back to the comfort zone by re-raising all in against a small stack that makes the call with 
. My holds up and I am over 100k.
Average chips at this point is about 140K and there are five tables left. I dwindle down to 90K then semi-steal under the gun raising 11K with . Next hand and BANG - it's the bullets, - I throw in 15K this time. The tricky Finnish guy who I have mainly kept away from and just has me covered raises it to 40K. Back round to me and I look disgusted before announcing all-in. My act was pointless as he insta-calls with . If my stands up, I will have over 200K and a great chance of going deep. Nothing on the flop, then on the turn and it's all over for me with 45th place and £1,200 for my troubles.
Looking back it was a great tournament for me - I played with more aggression than the GUKPT Bolton and it paid off. I feel like I am definitely improving from experience (this was only my 5th "big" live event ever) and I hope to do well at the Irish Open, which will be my next event for Boyles. In the UK, I have decided to stick with the UKIPT instead of the GUKPT, besides the lower buy-in for most events I also have ranking points, which I hope to build upon.
It was great to spend a bit of time with Paul and Nicky and they were both very supportive. Unfortunately, Ciaran could not blag himself onto the private Man U table with Merssrs Evans, O'Shea, Brown and Fletcher - they obviously don't know a gift horse when they see one....
Comments (5)
Well done mate, be good to catch up at a tournament next time your down, just missed you at bolton, give us a shout next time. Nice one.