Update from yesterday.
1 truly superb day. Travelled to London in the morning for a 1pm start. 45mins train, 15min, tube, and a 10min walk/hobble. so no real issues.
Nice venue Loose Cannon, and busy too as they had a local regional final for Redtooth series.
5k in starting stacks. 25min blinds, 32 players. 28 from the online freeroll and 4 Poker players from the magazine (Ross, Stuart, Steve, Paul)
Can"t do a "thinker" report as my memory isn"t as good for the details..but hands of note..
loose player raise 3xbb, i call with 99.
Flop kxx..he checks, i 1/2 pot bet...he re-raises, i re-raise him all in...he open folds qq
(Must be my image at the table!
)
Just before break..made a Full House on River, with AJ...and made a mistake byy going all in (OK I got excited!
)..as i called 2 bets before my of 400....flop was aax..so obv big hands...and i should have value bet the river or maybe check raised.
1st break - 7.5k.
1st hand after break 2.5k!...kk vs aa...sigh
Blinds now at 200/400 after a few hands after the break...so i only have 6 bb..and not alot of options....but i play totally against the norm, and not just shoving it in with anything..and try to hold out for a reasonable hand...wrong i know but it worked
so i fold until I"m pass the blinds...around again and in bb now left with 1.5k checked to me..i check j8....jxx flop i shove and get 2 callers and it holds.
slowly slowly nuture it, and with 18 players now left, final 8 get paid, i have around 6k.
hanging around the 7-9k mark for a while, very patinece and disciplined poker..push it all in in hopefully good spots, and seeing it through to bubble.
9th position pushing it in with AK, vs my 99..it holds and final table is made.
18k on the FT, and i make sure I"m more aggressive, so to avoid another short stack battle. So a few bluffs and 1 good re-raise and I"m laddering and feeling good.
Soon enough blinds are high again, and i don"t wait and push...Exit hand a6 vs kk in bb..and i"m out in 4th.
$300 + $190 expenses won in the freeroll, and a superb day out had by me...
The outfit....Sir beer (Teachers gown, and a string of beer cans around me.(representing Serbia)....It won the best fancy dress!!!.....topping it all off!! (A Party Poker Shirt)
All new to me, and a shock to be involved as I was photographed loads, and interviewed 3 times by Poker Player and once for a blog for Party Poker....gulds know what it looks and sounded like..but its out there somewhere soon!...
Loved every minute.