Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Connie's Kingdom

Lakes of Killarney festival

Had a great weekend down in Kerry as ever. While poker is the premise for the weekend in Kerry it usually means meeting up with the cork crew and a good piss up. The last time I was down in Connie's club I finished sixth but had no recollection of the final table. I wasn't intending drinking that much on the way down as I had been stuck in bed sick all week and in fairness I didn't get stuck into the drink until play finished on day one. JPs room was the venue for some great stts early Saturday morning with myself caoimh bomber weafer sideshow lucky jimmy jp and skeletor. The craic was mighty but I'd of hated to of been the maid that had to clean that mess.

The tournament itself started very well for me and I had over 35k at the dinner break. I lost 13k in a very strange hand second hand back after the break and bounced between 20/40k for the next eight levels. I lost a 50k race with QQ v AK well into day two and somehow managed to get my last 21k into the middle with As7s v AK v AK shortly after to go out with under 50 of the 160 starters left in. Pat cashed for 4k in sixth so that covered my entry.

As a player I think that the 15k starting stack 60 minute clock is the optimum structure. But something I've only seen in Kerry and really like which is a Connie patent is the introduction of the antes at 500/1000 with a repeat level here + the 100 ante. I think structure wise it don't get any better then the weekend. Generally the average stack was over 40 bigblinds and didn't drop below 25 at any stage in the main event.

Also, well Done to the Cork lads who had a great weekend especially my bro's Skeletor and the Show. Theres no show like the Sideshow.