Sunday, May 4, 2008

Cash League Final - Round of each Tourney

So last Saturday, the Jackpot ran its quarterly Cash league final. I just scaped in with about 65 hours. There were 98 quailifiers, and over 90 showed up. Ten tables, push some late entries, so it was pretty close to the max showing.

I show up at close to 8, starting time. Its pretty full, and when I collect my chips and go to draw a seat, i'm told that they are opening up table eight and to go to seat one, this is the last table available in the main room.
i can only laugh as I look at the remaining players entering and sitting at the table, the final line up was something like, in seat one myself, Mark McD, Conor Doyle, Dermott, Noel, Conor Bloom, Paul (Macspower), Annie (I think, Asian girl), and Dave Jackpot.

We are going to be the first to be broken, and the aim to to not lose any chips, the omaha round bothers me, seeing as for at least half the table its their game of choice, while the rest of the room struggle to pick up four cards without showing the lads beside them.

The first hand I get involved in almost spelt the end for me. (level 1, 25/25 Omaha) 3 limpers to my button and I call with QxQsJx9s

Flop (150)
5x6cQc

Dermott (UTG) bets 150, one caller around o me and I make it 750.
Utg checks my stack and raises to 2k, I push and he calls.

He shows 2c3x4x5c
Which is pretty much worst case scenerio, the wrap and the FD, I was hoping to be just ahead, instead its about 50/50 (or just in his favour depending on suits)

Turn
Queen

So I win he flip, and can sit easy on 13k for a while. And don't really get involved again at that table (bet a turned house and get no callers, QQ on board). In level 2 the table is broken and I move across the road. New table is much better, Paul moves over too, and Cormac and Gary are already sitting down, but there is some value on the table, Hector to my left for one. There's a bit of banter early on, a few comments about Hector calling every hand. Then the outburst. MP raises and I call in the SB with AQ, Hector dwells, and I say come on, we all know you are calling, put in it, and I motion to put his chip in (to be clear, I didn't and wasn't going to move or touch his chip). Well he loses it, and starts shouting in broken english, finishing, I no call, I no call, I raise, POOTT. I don't think he was tricky enough to pull aby sort of move, so I call.

Flop (5k)
A Q 5

I check and hector fires out 5k, i push and he snap folds showing 77,
Im on 20k sor so now and pretty happy.
The rest of the action on this table is mostly small spots, or me dwelling up and folding made hands and big draws, the jury is still out on the latter. The only exception is me busting both Rag2gar and Macspower (sorry lads), AAxx, with nut flush draw against Mac, and AK vrs AQ with Rag2gar, I was ahead in both so at least I didn't have to suckout.

For the next few hours, its moving tables and grinding up. Making it to last 4 tables and having an above average 35k. I don't show many hands and take most down with betting against weak players and avoid the three strong players on the table. I show down a few big hands and keep thicking over.

Controversal Hand (400/800)
4 Players see a flop and I hold QQ34

Flop (3200)
28Q Rainbow

I lead for 2,500, one caller.

Turn
5 completing rainbow

I bet 9k, He announces pot. And pushes half his stack over the line. He as about 45k, I have 60K
I announce re-pot andpush my stack over. Now here is where it gets messy,
He pushes the remainder of his stack over the line (bar a 500 chip)

I (in error, apparently) took his whole stack over the line as i call, and I flip my hand over. He see it and stats to backpedel, saying he never called, he thinks about it and says he was folding, 11k behind, and a 80k+ pot in front of him.
Now if he didn't actually call, he can fold, my mistake. But I am pretty certain, as are alot of the table, that he did call. Forward motion, etc.
A ruling is called and the dealer says he didn't push his stack over, and MickSte spoke up saying he did, the ruling goes in his favour. The ruling didn't bother me, but the dealers discription that he didn't have his stack over did, to make it worst, after the table was split she sas to me that she had seen his whole stack bar a 500 chip.

Last 18, I start running over the table. Get it up to 120k to be chip leader with 12 left.
Ray, the tightest player in Dublin, meanwhile folds his way to 2,5BBs, he pushes twice on my BB and I double him up.

I omaha, I bet pot on a 99Q5 board with 55, one caller. Not a great player, he'll pay me off here. River 9, typical. He bets pot and I think, Paddy the table mouth, starts running off about what I had, I said I had a house on the turn and he doesn't believe me saying that I still win with, liar etc. I laugh and fold, saying i'm beat. Player shows KK.

I swing down to 60K and up to final table. 9th place €1k

Its getting all-in time now and the bad players on the table clash, two players go home, two build stacks. Another clash and a player gone. I get it in with top and run into lots on hands, losing to Ste chamers with a straight draw.
I'm gone, 5 players left,they deal for 3k each, and 6k for massive chip leader Ste.
I get paid €1.9k*

Was a good night, and at 6.30am, I was happy to go to bed.

*On monday I get a message saying that I was overpaid, so I owe money to the Jackpot. Still, a wins a win

The run contines, and last night I take down a €10 game with friends.
Hopefully, it continues