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Another Day, Another Beat
I forgot to mention last night, that after I busted out of the Terminator at around 3am I was walking back through the casino and just up ahead of me two guys were approaching and I noticed one of them accidentally dropped a wad of $100 notes out of his back pocket. I quickly yelled out to him that he’d dropped it, and he laughed as the two explained to me that the notes were actually fake and they “had been doing this prank all night to people”. Awesome. Part of me wanted to tell these guys to get a life (seriously) but I hoped that Karma was watching as I was now one in front and was expecting a payback today when I played the 6-handed event.
I only got a few hours sleep last night, so I was pretty tired, but extremely focused and determined. I’d been waiting for this event for a looooong time. The only event I wanted to play in the PokerNews Cup was the 6-Max but due to lack of resources I had to work last minute which sucked. However once again I found myself on a table with a fair whack of hyper-aggression, which I’m finding fkn annoyingly difficult to overcome. This one guy just wanted to win every pot, so I had to wait to find a hand to strike with, but I kept getting royally bent over. I raised pocket jacks to 500 at 100/200 and lagtard called in the BB. Flop was QcTc3s and we both checked. Turn was the Kc to give me a Royal Flush draw. He checked, I bet 800, he called. River was the Qs and he checked again. I check behind and he flipped Qd4s. I compliment him on his choice of starting hands and I’m informed that he “is going to call with any two cards for a raise of that size”. Awesome.
Fortunately the guy couldn’t change gears and busted so I was able to get back into my groove. After losing half my stack before the first break, I was able to chip up a little before Sean Keeton sat down and assumed the role of the maniac. Very aggressive. However I was able to trap him with what I felt was a nice play. I raised As6s from middle position and he called the BB. The flop was ace-high and he checked. I checked behind for deception and pot control. He fired 2,000 on the turn and then 6,000 on the river. He put me to a tough decision but I was confident that he was full of shit and I made the call. He had queen-high and I was back to my starting stack.
I maintained my stack before winning a nice pot against the weakest player on the table. He limped the small blind, and I’m raising the BB there like 95% of the time, so I did with K3o. He called and we took a K-5-3 flop. He checked and I fired 2,200. He check-raised me to 6,500. There were no flush draws, so I decided to flat and let him hang himself on the turn. A deuce fell and he fired 8,000. I moved all in for around another 10-11k and he cringe-folded. That put me up over 45,000 and in good shape.
At that point I’d say I relaxed a little bit and lost some focus. There was some friendly banter on the table with Liam Moffett and David Gorr, which I was enjoying, but looking back I probably got a little distracted. Normally I’m not a big talker, and I think I play better when I’m giving a stone-like image and get into a “zone”. I probably loosened up a little too much and bled some chips away splashing around too much.
I misplayed two hands in a row which frustrated me. I got into a mess with ace-king on the button. Liam raised UTG to what I think was 800 and a random Scandi called. I should’ve raised here, and I’m not sure why I didn’t. I respected Liam’s UTG raise, but still I’m ahead of his range and in position. I made a bad call, but at the same time my hand was disguised I guess. David Gorr then re-raised to 3,300 from the big blind. I’ve played with David quite a few times, and found him very tight. He’s never raising here from the BB without a monster. It folded back to me, and maybe I could’ve called here and taken a flop as we were deep enough. But I knew I’d already made one mistake in the hand, and didn’t want to compound it when his range there is QQ+. So I cut my losses and folded meekly. Argh. Next hand I have 88 and again get myself into a mess against a very solid player from the UK. The Scandi raised to 1,000 and I called, before the UK dude made it 3,500. Scandi called so I’m priced into call again. Flop Q-T-4 and it’s checked through. Turn is a repeat Q. It’s checked to UK dude who fired 6,500. Scandi folded and I thought long and hard as to whether I had the best hand. There’s not many hands he can have here I dont think. AK or pocket jacks are the two that sprung to mind, and I could beat one of those. But I gave it up.
We were getting close to the dinner break and I had over 40k and told myself to let those hands go and get to the break with stack in tact. So of course, what do I do? Piss away my chips as quickly as possible. The weak player to my right raised the button to 1,100 and I re-popped him to 3,400 from the SB with Ah 8h. He called and the flop came down Q-Q-4. I then noticed he only had 7k behind. Shit. I thought he had more. I can either check and give up, or, as I chose, toss out 10k and pray he doesn’t have a queen. He insta-called with Q9. I actually pick up a flush draw on the turn, but the river bricked. Nice call of my re-raise with Q9 for a third of your stack, I berated silently in my head.
Two hands later and the same guy raised and I flat with KQo in position. The flop is 678 and he bet 1,600. I decide to try and get my chips back and take it away from him with a raise to 4,300 with my overcards. He made the call. The turn was a brick and we both check. The river brought the Ac to put three clubs out there. He checked to me and I did hesitate as I got a feeling I was being setup for a snap-call here, but the ace also seemed like a good bluffable card so I toss out 5,200. He insta-called and I insta-muck. He didn’t show, but I’m guessing A7 or A8 for sure. It didn’t matter.
Dinner break couldn’t come fast enough as I’m down to 17k. After the break I maintain my stack for around two levels before my final hand came up. The action folded to my fishy friend to my right who raised to 2,400. I looked down at AsJs in the big blind with around 16k in my stack. I thought for a long time, as I had a few options. I could raise to 7k-ish but this fish had already shown me that he doesn’t like to fold, and he if flat-called my raise, I’m going to feel committed to most flops so it’s real mehhhhhh. Since I’d shoved on him previously with my two pair, I figured a tank-shove would look really suss to him. I’m confident I have the best hand, and he might make another spastic call. It’s also not really too far from standard, as he raised 3BB and I shove for 20BB. The plan worked as he thought my oversized raise was weak and made a hero-call with A4o. I was in great shape to double up and get back in the game. Flop K-8-5. Turn 2. River 4.
I grab my jacket and hastily exit before I break someone’s head like a coconut. I walk it off along Southbank and decide to donate money to every busker I find along the way. Karma, you better be watching this time, as I’m definitely back in front. You can pay me back in the Main Event.