Headed up Thursday and had a few drinks rather then play the super sat. The first hand I played in the main event was against Neill Channing where I lost 1000 chips making a very bad river call with top pair, the call on the turn wasn't as bad as I held an open ended straight flush draw. I picked up a few small pots before I was moved to the TV table.
Wasn't in anyway nervous about being put on the TV table but TBH would of been more comfortable getting on it at the business end of the tournament rather then the start. It wasn't to matter much as i was there for a total of two preflop folds and my exit hand. I raised UTG to 150 with 7c8c and Mike Sexton makes it 450. Now I probably should fold here as I'm out of position but 300 is 3% of my chips and I fancy playing a hand. I probably wanted to show off and pawn Sexton on TV if truth be known.
Anyhow the flop brings Jh 8h 7x and I lead for 1000 he thinks for a while and repops for 3500. I think I say out loud "three jacks Mike naw" and then push to be shown three jacks. I generally think fast and if the hand is shown on tv it might look as an insta push but I figured my hand played well against what he will raise with on this flop AA KK QQ JJ AhKh. I hope they don't show the interview I did after my exit, while I don't have any nerves about playing on TV I'm not good at interviews especially immediately post exit. So it was off to the bar for a good drink, Connie and Marty Smyth also went in level one so had some good company anyhow.
Pat Storan was flying and up to 50k before a few setbacks but went back for day two with over 30k and well in the top 15%. I cant help but feel that I added to his demise, when I woke Saturday morning his bed was rearranged near the hallway of the hotel room. I knew straight away that this was as a direct effect of my snoring. The lads used to give a hard time over it in Vegas this year but the noise never bothered me. Pat had a bad day where nothing went right eventually going out about four levels in having been crippled for a decent pot when he called a K10 push with AQ.
Jude Ainsworth went on to win it. I don't know Jude well but I'm great mates with his good friend Derek greenrizla Murry. Derek has always spoken very highly of Jude as a player and was very confident he would take it down from a long way out. I'm sure it wont be the last we hear of him.
Played the €750 and never saw a card. I played a good TAG game but never got going eventually going out with 28 left AQos Vs the AQs of big Al. It was good to see Donal, semibluff from boards get into a 4 way chop in this. Pat had a similar tournament to me but got a bit of a rush going late and had a real chance until some guy pushed for 27k with 910 into Pats QQ and hit 910 crippling him, eventually going out 24th.
Didn't bother with the €500 game on Sunday, experience has shown me that I might as well back liverpool to win the premiership as play these last events of a festival. The move to Galway for the event went well I think and pokerevents have cemented the IPC as one of the majors for the Irish poker calendar without doubt.
