Allergic to KK

15K starting chips and I was merrily small-balling my way to the first break after two entertaining hours with 14.6K, when I wake up with in the the Small Blind in the very last hand of the session.

Everyone folds to me and I raise to 250 (blinds are 50-100). The BB is an internet player who has lost about a third of his stack and moaned about how he hates live poker for two hours. Jon Kalmar to his left has been mercilessly taking chips off him.

Anyway, the BB decides to re-raise me to something like 600. OK pal, nice try but I am not stealing - I have a hand so let's end it here. I re-raise to 1500. Internet kid calls. The flop comes , which is pretty scary for both of us, but I have to C bet (do I ??) and throw in 2K (probably not enough but I don't wanna go bust). Internet kid calls. The turn is an which is very scary. Check Check. River is a low blank and the board has no flush possibilities.

So what do I do? He could easily have a straight or a set but if I check I also give him the opportunity of bluffing me off the best hand, as the best fit for his actions so far I believe, is .

He could have pocket queens down to eights though, which all beat me. even beats me. However, his check behind on the turn may mean that he is worried I have a straight.

I would like feedback from far better players than me on what I did next. I decided to put a blocking bet in i.e. put into the pot an amount I would be prepared to call if he bet to my check.

So I bet 1500. Internet kid calls (?!?) shows off suit (didn't put him on that) and takes the pot with a straight that he made on the turn. So has cost me a third of my stack and I never get above 11K again in the tournament.

Did I play the really badly or did I in fact minimise my loss? Should I have pushed to his raise pre-flop? Should I have bet the flop harder or shut down completely? Help!!!!

Anyway, next tournament for me is UKIPT Leg 2 at the G Casino Manchester, on Feb 12th. Nicky, Ciaran and Paul are coming over so that should be a laugh. I went to the Manchester G casino on Saturday to support some mates in an APAT team event. Looks a nice place and there were some juicy and very loose cash tables too.

The Brazilian Man U twins were there later on and one of my mates had an entertaining game of computer Heads Up hold'em with one of them, before getting his autograph for his kids. Apparently the cash tables are 1-2 until any footballers turn up when they automatically switch to 5-5. Ciaran - bring some cash with you!!