Irish picks for a bracelet

It's that time of year when every poker player's thoughts turn to the bright light city.

With the English having such a good year last time round, it's time for us Irish to stand up and be counted.

We can't have the old enemy taking all the glory! Marty Smyth was our last bracelet winner in 2008 and after an abysmal year for the Irish in 2009, I'm sure we can nick at least one this year.

There's another twenty I could have chosen, but I'm going with these half dozen as our best chances. I believe the following have that extra intangible something, an innate ability to win tournaments.

1. Derek Murray: I watched Derek win an FTOPs for $125,000 recently; he just slaughtered the field from 100 players out. Primarily an online MTT expert, he has a string of good live results. Murray will be entering the series with more confidence than ever before and can continue his magnificent form this year in Vegas.

2. Peter 'The Multiplier' Murphy: Best known for turning grains of rice into paddy fields of dollars in online challenges. Peter has an unrivalled record in reaching major final tables in Ireland over the past two years. It's only a matter of time before Pete takes down a major title and it could easily happen at this year's WSOP.

3. Marty Smyth: When Marty beat Neill Channing heads up at the world open, Neil commented, "Marty is an amazing player, you don't even know the guy is in the room until he's leaving with the winners cheque". On my introduction to this piece I spoke of players with the innate ability to win tournaments. No one compares to Marty for this ability. After an unbelievable 2008, where he won everything, 2009 was relatively quiet for Mr Smyth. I fully expect a return to form and hopefully a second bracelet.

4. Jude Ainsworth: Jude is simply a beast of a poker player. Having won the Irish Poker Championships in 2008, Jude kicked on with a number of huge scores online, culminating with the 2009 SCOOP Championship with a million dollar first prize. Anyone who watched that final table would know just how good a player he is. A number of high finishes on the EPT circuit this year, where he seemed to amass huge stacks at ease will put him in good stead for the challenges of the summer.

5. Padraig Parkinson: With all Padraig's media functions, it is generally forgotten how good a poker player this guy is. I've never forgot and he reminded everyone else this year, being crowned Irish Champion. Padraig practically invented the small ball style that is so successful in the modern game. Having spoken with him at the Irish Open, it's clear Parkinson's focus is firmly on finally getting his bracelet this year and I think he just might do it.

6. John O'Shea: Fresh from his recent WPT Championship final table, John's confidence is at an all-time high. Inquisitive, driven and hugely talented, John plays most variants of poker and has a full schedule planned. It is almost a lock that he will feature deep at some stage over the six weeks and hopefully he brings one home.

JP Masters Festival

I love this festival - JP puts a huge amount of work into getting every detail right and constantly strives for improvements.

Chatting with him after last year's festival, he wanted to find a way of finishing earlier without any compromise of the great structure.

The previous two years the final table ran into early Monday and he wanted to give the finalists a chance to celebrate. His solution was to introduce ante's at the 100/200 level and to go eight handed as early as possibly; it worked a treat.

Unfortunately, I didn't get to play eight handed for long. I lost a quarter of my stack to a Silky set. Another quarter not connecting with multiple cheap flops over five hours and the last half pushing a flopped flush draw verses top pair.

The two side events went no better. In the €300 I slowed played Queens expertly - unfortunately my opponent held Kings. The €150 saw another early exit getting it in pre flop with the boots verses the Fox's tens.

Similarly to the recent Celtic poker tour game, this is filled with players who are used to playing much faster structures. Hence, a huge amount of value for players who play the better structures regularly.

Amazingly, Sean Prenderville went back to back. Some performance again, I'm sure there is a bit of run good involved to achieve such a brilliant feat, but Sean must be doing a hell of a lot right at the same time, so a huge well done to him.

Another three that are showing great form are Jason Tompkins, second in the CPT and bubbled the final table here in a couple of coolers, Donal O'Connor who had double final tables and Dara O'Kearney with a forth and FT in the main side at JP's game. Well done to all.

Well done also to the Waterford lads who managed to cash. My friend Pat Storan who is getting back into the grove with a double cash, Jim Ringland and Gally who was second in the €150 for a nice €4,000.

I had another good chat with JP Sunday. I think he was disappointed that the numbers were slightly down on last year. I told him I thought breaking the 200 mark in these recessionary times was a great result.

As we rambled on about how the recession was affecting the poker ecosystem, it really struck me why I've always been so supportive of this guy. It was clear that the cash wasn't good over the weekend, this obviously means less profits.

JP's distress was focused on the fact that dealer's tips were down and his main thoughts were about counter-acting this next year, to ensure the high quality is maintained for future events.

He told me his hierarchy of objectives when running an event are:

1) make sure everything is spot on for the players
2) ensure he has the best dealers and it's worth their time to work his events
3) make a few quid for himself.

This ethos is exactly why I've always said JP is the best tournament operator in the country.

Cardplayer

I've somehow managed to nip onto the cover of this months Cardplayer Europe. Rebecca McAdams was very nice to me in this linked piece. Although I feel calling me a role model is probably taking her artistic licence a little far. Cardplayer

CPT final Carlow

Firstly, huge kudos to John on his magnificent run at the WPT Championship. I know John will be gutted, but he can take great pride from such a brilliant performance.

With John's drive and talent, it's only a matter of time before he scoops a major title on the world stage.

The Celtic Poker Tour grand final had a €1,100 buy-in and 130 starters, with a 20,000 starting stack and one hour clock. For the top players in the country there is no greater value event on the poker calendar.

As I write this, it's down to four players including Dara, Jason Tompkins and Sean Prenderville with Donal O'Connor finishing an unlucky seventh. I think any knowledgeable person looking at the line-up would have the four lads in there top ten to run deep.

The CPT is more or less a rural tour and has a big following of a similar demographic, who more or less play the same style. Basically plenty of limp calling and never folding top pair.

The early levels were a bit of a minefield. Every open got 4/5 callers and every limper is calling 100% of their limp range. This is fine when you're hitting flops but if you're not, the best policy is probably giving up. The early levels here are about getting value from your made hands, I feel bluffing is not wise.

Couldn't get anything going until level three, where I picked up a good pot when I raised A6 and hit top two and another with the bullets.

Was cruising along nicely with 45k, when I get QQ in the small blind. Short stack pushed for 1600 and he was min raised from mid-position. I was fairly sure the raiser had a big hand, so I gave him a bit of talk about how his kings were in big trouble. His reaction confirmed to me that I was right.

I probably should have just folded the Queens, as I wasn't getting the odds to mine for his 23k, I just didn't want to and hit a Q33 flop. The other player had 5k left by the time the river King hit. I was so sure of his hand that I actually check called the 5k reluctantly into the 40k pot.

Had the king not hit, I'd have been on 70k with two hours play left, the chip lead at the end of play for the day was under 80k.

I buckled down for the rest of the day and managed to finish on 34k ahead of the average.

I had a great table but unfortunately it broke early on day two. My new table was harder with Sean Prenderville, Donal O'Connor and Bops on it.

Third or fourth hand on the table, I four bet Sean light. My following button I opened KdQd and Sean 3-bet me again from the BB. I peeled a low flop and floated his C-bet. My plan was going fine when he checked the turn but became unhinged when he shoved over my bet.

Gutsy move with the A8, for ace high which he showed, I would have called very light, just not K high light (just see result now and Sean went onto win it so at least the chips were put to good use).

This dropped me just under the starting stack, which was decimated further in a race AK v 99. I wilted away soon after.

I enjoyed the event; it was well run with a great structure and good atmosphere.

With a third of the year over my results have been woeful. I suppose I should be a bit worried about this, but I'm not. I've really only played a hand full of tournaments this year. I have a decent understanding of what variance can do to you from my STT days and I'm not panicking just yet.

I'm actually in a very positive place with the game mentally. I've been playing a bit more the last few weeks and I'm really enjoying playing. If I'm honest my enthusiasm for the game had weaned seriously for about a six months period.

I can't put my finger on the reason for the inertia in that period. I guess it's just a natural cycle. When you've spent as much time doing anything, as I have playing poker over the past five years, there's bound to be a flat spot. I'm just very happy to be hungry to play and still enjoying it.

No Joy but Good Times

I headed to the Burlington Thursday evening, full of the hope that the poker gods would shine on me and my name would be on the trophy come Monday evening. I'll be back next year with the same optimism.

Decided on playing the super satellite late. Mainly as a ploy to keep me out of trouble. It worked as I managed to pass the bar, which was hopping upon my exit at 2 am

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I knew Jay Renehan and recognised a couple a couple of other Irish lads at my starting table. It looked a decent draw until top English pro's Andy Ward and Laurence Houghton filled the two empty seats after about 30 minutes

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I had dropped to 7,500 after finding and in two hands where opponents chased draws and hit. I was happy I had lost the minimum.

After another level the table was broken. Andrew Grimason was running the show on my new table, which was far more aggro than the first.

The early and were the only two hands I had for the first six hours. All I really could do was to maintain my stack between 9k and 11k for this time

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Towards the end of level six, the chip leader at the table limped in early position, the first limp in three hours. Another three followed and I made up the small blind with . The flop of was rather pleasing. However, I started to think it might not be my day when all five checked the flop behind and then folded to my small lead when a second suit Jack hit the turn.

My exit came on a new table shortly into level seven. Jason Tompkins opened the button to 1,100 and I re-popped to 3,400 holding off suit with the intention of calling a shove. Unfortunately he held .

Jason is a player I've played against over the years and has developed into one of the best in the country. My initial reaction was it was a cooler as Jason's range for opening here is any two cards.

Given time to digest the hand, I should probably fold when he pushes. Our stack sizes were practically identical. And as he knows I'd seldom raised/folded over 8 of my 23 blinds here, he almost always had me crushed when he shoved.

Another fantastic run from Pete Murphy. His record in reaching final tables in major Irish tournaments over the last two years is phenomenal. It really is just a matter of time until he gets his hands on a major title.

I was gutted for runner up Paul Carr. Paul's a top lad and regular at every festival in the country. He put up an epic showing and but for a cruel river would of been crowned champion. When the dust settles, I'm sure he'll take some solace from the €312k cheque and his place assured in Irish poker history.

Having exited the tournament, it was onto the back up plan of Marty's s

tag. Marty was a little surprised to find himself handcuffed to a dwarf for 24 hours. He was probably more surprised to find the dwarf spooning him in bed the next morning.

The following week was spent golfing at the fabulous Lough Erne Golf Resort. We did take a day off from the golf for Marty's wedding.

A fantastic week, in a smashing spot with the best of company, good times.

Irish Open

Easter weekend is the most important annual religious feast in the Christian liturgical year. For poker players in Ireland, it means one thing; the most important tournament of the year is upon us.

The Irish Open is Europe's longest running poker festival. The significance of the event in Ireland can be gleaned from the fact that the prize-pool on offer is greater than the next five major Irish events cumulative prize pools totalled.

The tournament has two major changes from last year; the structure and venue.

The structure for the Irish Open this year sees a couple of needed extra levels added. Also, those lucky enough to make day two will see an increase in the duration of each level from 60 to 75 minutes.

While these are major improvements, I still can't understand the resistance to an increase of starting chips from ten thousand. Sooner or later the stakeholders will have to fall in line with every other major poker event in the world and give a larger starting stack.

This year's tournament sees a return to the 2007 IO venue, the Burlington Hotel. I'm not aware of the reasons for the move from the City West, but both are great locations, so another fantastic festival can be expected.

The last time the Burlo held the event, I was lucky enough to be part of an epic final table. The final nine in 2007 included Peter Eastgate, Roland De Wolfe, Sorel Mizzi and eventual champion Marty Smyth.

I finished sixth for €100,000 having entered the final day 2/7 in chips, I was so disappointed upon my exit, that I drove straight home and didn't leave the house for three days! I somehow don't think I'd be as disappointed now about nicking 100k.

2007 was also the last time an Irishman kept the title on home soil. Hopefully we can see off the raiders this year.

If the budget needed for the Open is beyond your bankroll, the Bank Casino Cork are running an alternative festival. This have a main event buy in of €275 and hosts three side events, so something for most pockets on offer.

Tight Kerry men

Kerry men have in general attained a reputation for playing tight poker. I saw this taken to a new level at the Paddy's day Deep Stack extravaganza at the Macau Casino Cork.

In the main event a Kerry player smooth called the river with a royal flush, in the round of each side event I saw another check behind the river holding the nuts. Loosen up lads.

The Main Tournament was a €440 buy in with 73 runners and boasted a 50,000 starting stack.

I was critical of the recent European Deep Stack's structure and this wasn't much different. I'm not saying these tournaments don't have merit and deserve a place on the calendar, just that the structures need to be a bit more balanced.

Of the 73 that started day one, 68 made day two, so we lost just shy of 7% of the field on the first day. This isn't enough and playing the day just all seemed so pointless to be honest.

I feel leaving out the 25/50 and 75/150 levels while introducing the ante at 100/200 would improve these structures no end.

My tournament itself was going fine until we hit level nine (500/1000-100 ante) when I lost a bunch of chips to a chap who considered 42s a profitable hand to play out of position. I had raised his limp pre and stuck in a good flop bet with my Queens on a flop.

I suppose I could have folded the river after checking behind when a second two hit the turn, but I'm a bit of a station.

Shortly following that hand, I lost the main chunk of my chips all in pre holing v . After a minor rally I went out two levels later in a button cut off exchange holding against stalwart of the Cork poker scene, Zeke Tuits Aces.

I did play the round of each tournament, but no good. Shout out to the three lads from my local club in Waterford; Shamu, Eric and lucky Colin Fardy who chopped it three handed.