As regular readers may be aware I managed to get a seat into Dtds £500k guaranteed last week and the following is an account of Day 1a.
I had originally planned to play Day 1c but after contacting David (Pokerpops) I decided to play the same day as him and we could travel down together saving extra costs like hotels and fuel as we could get back the same day, He says he is not a good passenger so offered to drive so thanks to him for that.
Starting stack is 50k with a 40min blind structure, got seated at table 27 seat 2 right under the air con and it was freezing but got to soldier on, made of strong stuff on Teesside.
I didn"t recognise any of the names at the table and it didn"t cause too many problems, except when seat 3 turned up a few hours late, more on that later.
I managed to get to 57k with a few raises and c bets here and there and generally had a decent start, had AA twice but got no callers so won blinds and antes but was happy how things were going.
Seat 3 finally arrived a few hours in and in his first managed to hit a full house on the river and get paid and get almost a double up, timing for him was perfect.
First significant loss 2 limpers to 500 I look down at KK, bump it up to 2k, seat 3 flats my raise and the 2 limpers call, flop 10 10 5, checks back to me and I also check this is a good flop for KK but seat 3 was a wild card and a 10 is definitely in his range, seat 3 calls others fold, turn card Q, ibet out half pot on the turn seat 3 min raises, i call, river card is another q, he takes an age and he checks, I am now beaten by any 10 any Q but because I bet out on the Q turn I could turn my hand into a bluff and represent the Q but I wasn"t convinced he would lay down the lower house because of his previous plays and his general loose play, I checked and he turned over A 10, nh so lost about 20k in that pot but because I didn"t bloat the pot on the flop I lost the minimum, was disappointed but i think I played it well, as I could of lost a lot more.
Got a few more back with AK on a k high flop with 2 diamonds on board bet every street got called on all streets, he didn"t hit his flush, I then limp yawned (apparently this is my biggest tell in the Stockton home game),ask Philtc he is aware of it but the others are oblivious), horrible flop, straightening, flushing but managed to get some chips although not a full double up.
I get a table move and have about 83k, can"t remember blind levels, get dealt KK, big stack flats and big blind makes up, flop 3, 8, 10, again looks a safe enough board but got to be aware of sets, checked to me I bet half pot One flatter, now worried, turn j, check check river q I bet smallish about one third pot, and he bets 45k a massive overbet, obviously a straight beats me, any 2 pair combos or a set or a bluff, I reluctantly fold as calling would leave me with about 10 bigs, he doesn"t show but he said he had 333 so another bullet dodged.
I am now looking for a good spot to shove and nothing transpires and have been blinded down to about 15 bigs blinds 2k4/1k2, then the poker gods smile on me, utg raises 6k gets a flat call I look down at the mighty 67 suited, and decide that this is my make or break hand as I am short, tired and grumpy,
All cards on there backs AK v AQ v 67, magic 6 on the turn and I am back to 30 bigs and a decent ish stack.
I can now raise and fold, I raise 66 utg get flatted in 2 positions, flop 6 2 4, magic,check from bb, I check, guy bets pot (guy who had 33 v KK), I double check my cards,all in,and a call he has 99, fade the 9 boom 211k.
I finished the day on 189,500 blinds are 3k/6k when we go back (Dave has about 150k), so about 30 bigs which I have got to be happy with considering we"re I was, if I can get a few big hands to hold on Sunday you never know.
