Errr wow. Sitting at home after 6 days in Nottingham. It's a strange sensation. The stresses of the team event and the joy of playing the main event have passed and it's a weird feeling. I'm definitely on a come down adrenaline wise, however, for obvious reasons, I'm on quite a big high.
24th Feb at 23:42 it all started for me. A message out of the blue from Steve, asking me if I was in the stud and 6-max. A puzzled yeah was the answer, as I was basically getting ready for bed... then he told me I was in the team... WOW! I've had a great season online, but only an ok live so wasn't really thinking about getting in.
Fast forward to last Wednesday, I've gone down a day early to DTD, to get my eye in and get my mindset ready for the team event. Start with 10k, get a nice 8k pot earlier, raising pre and all 3 streets with 63os, and getting a fold on the river of a dangerous board. In the bb with Q10ss call an early position raise after 4/5 callers, flop was AKJ ( must be nice), it's checked round, turn is an off suit 3 ( no flush draws), and 1st to act shoves. I obviously call, and dominate against A9. Keep building my stack until I'm up 40k, where it hovers till my exit hand. Table chip leader has been opening loads, and he does so again from UTG, I look down at 99, that's good enough for me, eventually the chips all go in preflop, he has AK, and hits the K on the river. Disappointing, but can't really complain as it was a flip.
Wake up at a decent time on Thursday, have a good chill, then pop over to Frankie & Benny's for a pre match meal and chat with the team. Get there just as Stu and Lucy pull up, all good timing
Carl and Emma aren't far behind, with Steve and Tony finally turning up. Although I've spent a bit of time with Stu, Carl, Lucy and Emma, I've not spent a huge amount of time with them, and I've spent very little time with Steve or Tony before. It's fair to say, I was a little nervous. I had no need to be, all of them were extremely friendly and before we knew it, it was time to head over. Before we did, both Emma and Steve had come prepared with extra England branded things, sunglasses, wristbands and tattoos, a nice add on ?
The plans were simple as a team. I was going to play the 6 max NL games, with Stu the 6 max Omaha. I think we all felt that was a good plan, but probably for different reasons. I personally felt that some teams would see it as an opportunity for easy points, and others would see it as an opportunity for points for the weaker members of the team? I've no actual idea to be honest either way.
My game plan going in was very simple. Nothing stupid. No daft pots. No early bluffing. Play sensibly. Even in 6 max, I wanted to maximise the start. Played sensibly, slowly building my chips. Took one player out when they'd lost most of their chips earlier, then the big hand. At 200/400 blinds, raise to 1100 on the button with 55. Both the blinds called, and after the J75ss flop, the sb shoved. I was never folding trips with that many chips in the pot, she had KK with no spades, and that was 2 gone. End up being heads up with Fergus after he knocks Paul McGuiness out in 3rd, the crucial pot being 99 vs AJ, most of the chips went in pre, J10x board, turn and river Q and 8....
That's it for now, to come, Omahaha shenanigans, day 2... and that magical feeling
