Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Cork's good

When I play poker in Cork I'm generally more enthusiastic about the game. I've often wondered why this is the case. I usually get some kind of a result there, but I'm not so fickle about the game to be that result orientated.

I think the realisation of the reason struck me when I was going through Dungarvan last Monday on my way to the Macau. As I was passing the accounting practice where I jacked in my job nearly five years ago to play poker full time, I was filled with very warm and positive feelings towards the game; god I hated that job!

Ken is making a real effort to produce a different kind of festival than we are used to here in Ireland and he came up with a super week's poker, with something for everyone.

Monday and Tuesday saw a shoot-out and short-handed tournament. I played both with no real depth, but both were very enjoyable and deserved more support.

On Thursday, Marty and myself headed to the pub early in preparation for the PLO event. We all arrived a bit late, and we were lucky enough that local socialite, Flipper, was able to fit us in on his tight schedule for a sweet dinner that Mark Spellman kindly paid for.

I'm not even decent at PLO but it's a game you can run well in. Buoyed by the dozen or so Guinness in the system, I got away with a few retarded bluffs early and got a nice stack together. The pivotal hand of the tournament for me was against Marty with about twelve players left and us both being chip leaders.

Now, I'd never question Marty's play at PLO, but his move of calling all those chips with a pair of threes and a ten high flush draw on the flop went way over my head.

The final table went okay, but by six in the morning, with five remaining and a hangover kicking in, I was delighted to take second place money of €2,500. The other four (obviously bedazzled by my PLO skills), got €1,500 and included Paul Spillane and Noel Magner, who went on to take the trophy- so well done Noel.

Friday was Day 1B of the main event and the starting table was difficult enough. I lost the two biggest pots I played over the day, a chip_icon.jpg28k pot with Unkown suit AUnkown suit K v the Unkown suit 9Unkown suit 9 of James Hawkeye McManus, and a chip_icon.jpg24k pot last hand of the night, with Kings against a flush draw that went in on the turn.

With 14k going back for day two, I was hopeful rather then confident. Second hand in, I lose half of these when I call a short's shove with AJ and lose, he had 67. Queue the heater, I win two races with 77 and then hit a set over set and end level one with 50k.

Over the next three levels I get this to chip_icon.jpg100k, but fall back a bit just before dinner and get moved to a new table with about chip_icon.jpg75k. The first hand I play here costs me about chip_icon.jpg20k. Kings on a Jack high flop, against an elderly gent who wouldn't put down AQ, no draw, and hit the Ace.

Having recouped to about chip_icon.jpg80k, my exit came at the hands of the same gent. I raise the button with Unkown suit 10Unkown suit 10 and we see a Unkown suit 9Unkown suit 4Unkown suit 3 two club flop. He check raises me to chip_icon.jpg20k and I shove to be called with a set of three's.

I may seem spewy to be putting in that amount of chips with a bad over pair, but at the time I was confident I was value shoving.

It was a really enjoyable week overall. We managed to get in three rounds of golf with Marty winning the first two. His comment to his mate Ronan near the end of the second round, about me being easy money, deserved retribution and retribution was what he got Sunday, with me taking by far the biggest pot of the week.

We're heading to Donegal for four days golf this week and I'm sure he'll have his revenge as he'll know the courses fairly well.

I'm looking forward to September's poker. The first weekend, I'll be at the Cue Club in Killarney for a €300 game. This should be another cracking weekend. I don't think I'll bother going to London at any stage but will take in the UKIPT Dublin and I've booked flights to Barcelona on the 22nd to take in the EMOP, an €1,100 buy in event that I played last year.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Scalps your way to IPO bonus chips

I'm currently in Cork for the seven-day Macau festival. This is one of my favourite festivals of the year and while I've had no luck in the shoot-out and short-handed events so far, I'm still very hopeful I can bag myself a decent result before the week's out.

Speaking of favourite festivals, the IPO is closing in fast and it's about time I got my bonus chips earned. Boyles are running a great little series of scalp tournaments next week with plenty of added money.

As well as being great craic, these $5 and $10 buy-in tournaments will go a fair way to totting up the points needed to secure the bonus chips for the big one in October. Why not join myself and the rest of the team every night next week for the 8.30pm scalp games?!

8.30pm Aug 23rd
Scalp Series 1
$10 + $1 FO
$100 added + four $25 pro bounties
8.30pm Aug 24th
Scalp Series 2
$5 + .50c FO
$100 added + four $25 pro bounties
8.30pm Aug 25th
Scalp Series 3
$10 + $1 FO
$100 added + four $25 pro bounties
8.30pm Aug 26th
Scalp Series 4
$5 + .50c FO
$100 added + four $25 pro bounties
8.30pm Aug 27th
Scalp Series 5
$10 + $1 FO
$100 added + four $25 pro bounties

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Race Week

After Tramore, myself and Marty went to the Carton House for a couple of rounds of golf with Paul Spillane and then headed onto Galway.

Marty thinks we should play golf with Paul once a week, now that he's unemployed but I can't afford losing to him every week - so I suppose once a month will have to do. They actually do a great deal at Carton, around €125 for an overnight stay and both courses.

Galway was a good laugh. Marty mentioned in his blog that a couple of impromptus €500 re-buy STT's that sprung up Tuesday and Wednesday. They were right craic and I nicked a few quid in them both.

The Wednesday night one only had seven starters but with 14 re-buys, it was certainly worth winning. There were two randomers that would have been value in a $5 STT and Fintan as well; so massive value all round.

I managed to chop it with Paul Carr. I took 6k, with Paul getting 4.5k. Comment of the night went to Marty when he earnestly said, "Isn't it amazing how Fintan could nearly win an EPT with all those players in it and he has zero chance of winning a seven man single table."

No joy in Thursday's €1,000 buy-in invitational the ICCCCCCC; I was second out losing most of my chips in a cooler to Big Mick.

I played the hundred nightly festival game after my exit and made the final table but got dogged first hand.

Went racing Friday and made a few quid, after which it was back to the casino for the €250 game. Again, no joy, but a very enjoyable tournament.

I don't think I have ever left race week with money in my pocket, so driving home Saturday with a profit for the week felt rather good.