Quiet Time

I haven't played much poker in the last while so not an awful lot to report. Since the last update I have played twice only. The first time was in the first run of the Fitz 150 game. This got 49 runners which isn't bad for the first time. Hopefully it will get a consistent 50-60 runners as it is a good structure, and there isn't an awful lot elase on a Thursday apart from the SE double chance which I am not that fond of to be honest.

Anyways, starting stack of 5k, 3x20 minute levels and then 30 min levels. There were one or two teething problme swith the clock but aside from this I enjoyed the tournament in general. Before the break I barely made a move, only playing 2 hands and barely picking up much in either of these pots. I have a tad over starting stack at the break.

After the break I got moved table and first hand I lost around 1500 when playing QTs from the button. A couple of hands later though I got dealt 88 in late position and raised to 700 (100/200). button called, and he was the guy who had taken the 1500 off me. He is an aggressive (usually) tricky and good player. Flop comes 78Ar so perfect flop. I check into him, he checks back. Turn is 7 filling me up. I bet 1200, calls quickly. River is T I think, I bet 2100 into him and he quickly calls. I flip my house over, he taps the table and shows an A and mucks. I got lucky then a couple of times once when raising in the cutoff with KQ in an unopened pot, and BB goes allin for less than double my raise so naturally I called. He showed AK and a Q on the flop meant I increase again. Sorry Jason.

At this point I lost a few more chips in 2 hands against a newcomer to the table who smacked of bullying with his chips but I never quite had the conviction to go over the top against him. Yet.

Then came another hand. I got dealt 66 in MP. Ronan then raised to 1500 (200/400) from EP and I pushed for 4100 hoping he would respect my raise and let me steal there cause I knew I wasn't in great shape. Ronan knows my game as well as anyone in the Fitz, as I play a lot of tournaments as well as cash games with him. It gets backto Ronan and he thinks about it for a bit and says 'I think we are in a race' and calls showing 88. Bugger. A 6 on the flop though gets me out of it though, the case 6 as it turns out as one lad afterwards says he had one.

Then I played 99 (nearly 9.5k now), raising to 1500 from lp on 200/400 with a limper. The button (bullying guy from above) called. Flop comes QT4r. I bet 1700 into the pot and he thinks for a bit and calls. Oh-Oh. I resolve now to push any blank (I have him on KQ at the worst(for me), probably a decent T though) and the turn duly obliges as it is a rainbow completing 7. I push for 6200 instantly into a pot of around 6500 so not an overbet at all. He thinks for ages which I think is a bit of bluster really as I don't think he was strong enough to call as I hadn't played it weakly. I think he was planning to push on any weakness from me, but there is a good chance I was behind so I didn't want this. He folded anyhow after a think.

Then came 'the hand' and just as I was starting to really enjoy the game. I was SB and Macker was BB (300/600). Folded to me and I complete with K7o. Flop comes a tasty KT7 with 2 hearts. I lead for 1000 which is promptly raised to 5k. He has me covered. There are 3 possibilites here I reckon. Flush draw and a pair. I have seen Macker do this a few times on this type of draw. T7 which was what I really wanted, or KT which I didn't. I pushed for 13k which was quickly called and the horrible KT was turned over. Turn was a K so I was dying here anyhow if we saw this.

My mistakes in this hand:
Not raising preflop. May not have worked against KT but it may have.
Not respecting Mackers reraise. I knew he had a decent hand, I just vainly hoped it was worse than mine. Macker doesn't raise with shit.
Not folding preflop.

Ah well. Out in 14th I think.

Not an awful lot to report from the Monday 100+10 game either. Only 36 runners, I lost a good few chips early on to mad Tom, and got them back a while later when I doubled up with KK then won a decent pot on a board of KK97 with 77 vs KQ. Thanks for checking the flop :)

I didn't really get going in this game and went out in 12th. I didn't play last weekend as I was in Hamburg getting very drunk on a mates stag party, and I won't be playing this weekend as I will be at home for my bimonthly visit. Assuming I don't go on Sunday evening either this will be 2 visits in 13 days, my most barren run for quite a while. No harm though with the World Cup and all. I haven't played online either really in the last 2-3 weeks. I will be moving apartment though in a few weeks so both online and offline will be more difficult for me so I may just go mad.

Bye now.