Jackpot

Played the €100 charity event in the jackpot Friday night. Myself and Pat were back in Waterford by 4am but had a good night and enjoyed the game. Padraig made a stirring speech at the start of the event including a stipulation that this one wasn't to be won by a Waterford player; he was right but we will be fighting harder to keep the main Simon title next year. I went out in a 4 way all in holding 99 and being instrumental in talking the other three callers into doing so. I remember one funny spot where a chap bet 1900 into about a 5k pot on the turn and I pushed for 4200 with an open ender but holding 45 for 5 high and he folded.

I head to Mullingar Friday for the Brucepoker live tour, these have been a great success so far and I'd expect a great turnout again. I haven't featured in the previous two events but I'll be bringing my A-game to Mullingar as I think its time I did something in one of these.

Finally super stuff by Martin Silke on taking down the GUKPT London. Martin is a regular at all the festivals in Ireland and I was delighted to see him get such a magic results; one for the good guys.

IO IO its off to work we go

Not much to report on. Played a couple of €100 games locally last week. Friday night wining the game in Olympus casino; the numbers have been increasing well for the lads over the last few weeks. I recommend this tournament to anyone looking for a good weekly game in the price bracket, hitting between 35/45 runners each Friday. Saturday I played the Pronutz €100 game in the grand hotel, Tramore, going out early. This had a super turnout of 85 runners. Wayne O'Halloran runs Pronutz and I'm sure as promoters they are well on there way to running bigger events if the weekend is any measure.

I was planning on going to London for leg three of the GUKPT at the Vic but I don't think I'll bother, as I just don't fancy it. The second leg of the Brucepoker.com live tour is on Friday in Brucepokers home base of Maynooth. I expect another good turnout and ill be heading up for this.

All eyes are firmly focused on Ireland's premier tournament with it being just over three weeks now. What I wouldn't give to get to play on the stage pictured above again. What a final table that turned out to be with future main event champ Eastgate, Marty, Mizzi and De Wolfe in the line up for the final nine. I'm forever giving out about the structure and I feel that the organisers are not keeping with current trends. The WSOP main event and the EPT final have both increased their starting chips to 30,000 stack. I don't think the chips need to be increased in the IO but I do think the structure needs tweaking to ensure value for players. I feel a few more levels like 250/500 2500/5000 3500/7000 and increasing the level times after the first 10 levels to 75 minutes would allow for the playability the tournament deserves.

The organisers need to open there eyes to worldwide trends in tournament poker and show some flexibility to the players wants. When a tournament can be run in Killarney with 800 runners over three days with a better structure then the IO then there is really no excuse for not improving the existing structure. In general most tournaments have to much play early and to little late but recently promoters such as JP and Ken Corkery in the Macau have produced excellently balanced structure where loads of play is possible throughout the tournaments so its not as if the templates aren't in place. Having said all that the juices are flowing in anticipation of this magical event.

North & South

Went to Cork for the €250+25 Macau monthly on Friday night. I have an abysmal record in this tournament over the last two years. In fact I don't think I made past level six in that period. I did make it past level six and played very well but ran kings into aces for the chip lead with about 30 players left Friday. There was a great turnout of 84 players and this tournament goes from strength to strenght.

Another great turnout for the first event in the Brucepoker live tour on Sunday. 144 starters for the €100+€50 rebuy/topup event. While I played well in Cork I played horribly in Dundalk. Its a long spin for me and more time was spent driving to and home then playing poker but the lads put on a super game and should take a lot of credit for running such a great tournament at there first attempt.

The IPC has one more episode of the eight to go and was very enjoyable so far. Mister Big C O'Leary said some very nice things of me on Sundays show. In general I got loads of air time and all the commentators were very complimentary over the last seven weeks. Big thanks to the commentary team and production company for sticking my bulb on the show as much as they did. That may sound a bit presumptuous but its important as a sponsored player that I get myself featured when Irish poker is shown on TV here.

I did a fair few quid on the world matchplay last week even though I had a decent bet on eventual winner, Geoff Ogilvy before the semi final. 18 hole matchplay probably isn't the greatest medium to be punting on and I should know better but when Garcia fucked away a two stroke lead with three to play in his first round match, I was well stuck as I was on him in a number of markets and I went chasing; silly boy. Anybody who punts golf regularly will know how frustrating it can get following that man but I think he will win this week so I'm going in again, maybe I need my head examined.

Boards.ie has been great over the last few weeks, I think its probably the time of year where poker is most in vogue but no doubting that the forum is back to its best ATM.