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

Swim a Mile wth a Smile

First, some charity.
You might not think it to look at me, but when I was younger I swam quite a bit. I gave it u have way through secondary school, and have long want to get back ito it. This weekend, I'm getting my chance. I decided to put to my name down for a charity mile swim, to raise money for child cancer research (a pretty worthy cause imo). So this saturday, i'll be taking to the water for the first time in a few years.
Wish me luck,


I managed to get oneive game in last week.
It was a pretty successful. Of sorts.
I made the final table, (only 16-18 runners), as the chip leader. I had only played a few hands, but I got paid off each time.
But, thats were the good news ends, onthe final table I literally could not win a hand. Alot of the table was quite short, and I found myself on the bubble rather rapidly (4 paid places). I now had half my stack from the beginning of the final table. The shortie was very very short, like 4 BBs.

Cue lots of me folding and not being able to stay ahead. Eventually coming 4th.

Congrats to Keith Rooney for taking it down, but I was disappointed that such a poor player came second (deck, face, smack).
And also, Keith, if you happen to read this. I think your call on my busto hand is pretty bad.




Anyway, onwards to the cash league final, I only have about 55 hours right now, so i'll put in a few on friday, to prehaps clear 70 odd.

Running hot, in the non-poker

First off, while its not news to anyone, I have to say congrats to Gary Clarke. He took down a 56 or so runner $500 euro tourney to net himself a WSOP ME package. I'm not going to get into the details of how it went down, but lets just say its controversial at least. Its available on boards but it a long read.

 

Also, congrats to me for running hot in a non poker gambling lately,

I had three horses backed in the English national, who finished 1st, 2nd and 4th respectively. To follow up, in a raffle last night (yes raffles are gambling). €10 in tickets netted me the top prize, a designer lamp worth €1,400. That's a whopping 13,900% ROI. I don't know where I will put it yet, its pretty big.

 

Unfortunately the poker front is not so shiny. After a streak of winning live sessions, I've dipped. 4 or 5 losing sessions on the trot now. I've decided to give it two more sessions before the cash league final and depending on the results of that, re-evaluate. Possibility put in a better effort online, I hope to get back on track as this week a few boardies donated some HHs as I lost my pokertracker DB.

 

And finally, a non-gambling piece. I'm planning on swimming a mile for charity (child cancer research) the day after the cash league final. If you know me, you will know I'm not exactly in shape so it won't be easy, all support appreciated.

Live Poker is Rigged!!!

A drunken Mellor strolls into a drunken jackpot. The 1/2 table is agro, assholes getting mouthy over nothing. Lots and lots of whining going on.
I call a raise preflop, 4 see a flop. I make top pair and bet.
Two callers and a BB all-in.
I go into the tank for 30 secs , top pair is gold in the Jackpot, especially on Saturday night.
I'm a little uneasy. The dealer calls clock, a little shocked I ask who called clock and he replies that he did. Now, I wasn't very happy about this, a dealer should not call clock (especially after 30 secs). I tell him I'm not happy, I take my minute and reluctantly fold. Hand not shown.

After the above injustice, the pokers gods felt it right to repay me.
Shortly later I am dealt AsQs in LP.
3 limpers, I raise to 12
Four callers,

Flop
Ks 10s 8d

3 checks, player to my right bets pot, I call, ep calls, two folds

Turn
2s

Ep checks, player to my right bets pot, I call (leaving about €25 behind €400+ in pot)

River
Js

My first ever Royal flush, and he says go, your all-in then.



The table closes, and I make a few euro on the next, then that closes.
New table. Not much happens and i'm up slightly, but very active, and very chatty, a few players are distracted my simple talking shite.

I raise my button after 3 limpers, Chinese guy in the BB calls, and one other.
I hold Ah5h

Flop
Js 3s 4s

Chinese guy bets pot, fold from the straggler
I call.

Turn
2s
(in case somebody thinks this is just a nut flush, look close, its a steel wheel, straight flush A to 5, two SFs in an hour or two)

Chinese guy checks, I bet pot which has him all-in.
He is thinking, the third heart obviously slowed him down, I'm thinking he wanted a free card to pair the board. He looks at me and says;
"You got flush"

"Of course I do, fold, you're drawing dead"

He calls in defiance, with the I've got outs mentality that I love. likely not believe the mouthy guy (me)
I flip the straight flush over before the river, I want his money, but I don't want him to think a paired board is a winner for him.


I left that night, up 3 or 4 buy-ins (full ones not the $50 buy-ins mind)
I'd like to thank both the poker gods for smiling and the rude dealer for upseting the balance.

Back on the Blog track.

Just like Mike Myers returned to kill, Rocky returned to the ring, and Rambo returned to the jungle. I have returned to the rail and felt.
I took a break after christmas, partly because my laptop gave up, and partly because I was in a rut. I game had stopped improving, well actually I stopped trying.
Too often I found myself in the Jackpot at a table of players what were laughable, and I couldn't take it serious, thus removing any edge I had or think I had. I find myself too tight in these games, hanging on to an average stack throughout only to burst the bubble with AK when the chip leader has to call with 78s. lol donkaments indeed.

I plan on making an appearance next week, either the Jackpot or Lukes DC game. (open to suggestions too). Hopefully the short break will allow me to focus on a game a little better. In related poker news, congrats to Gary Clark (found here) on a second place finish in the GJP ME. With a nice BR behind him expect Gary to get underway on the road to being a top tourney blogger. Congrats also to Lloyd and Mark Mc Donnell also, both made the final table and a nice prize. I hope to enter at least one large event before the summer, so hopefully I can chart my progress to entry here.

In the non-poker world, I've been keeping a keen eye on the 6 Nations betting, each week sticking up my picks on a boards thread. All bar one prediction were handicap bets, as I believe this is a profitable market. so far I am two for two in my bets of the week (France, and Wales in turn). and I was 2 out of 3 last in in all matches. This week I and picking france in the handicap, but all my betting money is going on a nice new market over at Pady power. Any team to win both halves @ 8/13 in both the Walves v Italy, and Ireland v Scotland games. Lump it on the double at over 3/2 (€100 euro returns €261). Banker

Good luck in the weekend gambling Bloggers, (what ever you method of choice happens to be),
And I may see you on the felt early next week, (although few would notice)

I'm running out of ideas for here.

Coming up with titles can be slightly annoying.

Anyway, to the poker. I haven't played live in a while, so no exciting stories there.
Online, has been a little boring, I've got in almost 6k hands the last few weeks, showing a profit, but its not near as big as i'd like. Alot of it is just down to varience. To highlight this, my biggest loser is AA. Win rate is down, and the pots I lost were the big ones. All-in preflop alot, and 2 outered. Out of all the hands I lost, very little of the the money went in behind, and when it did it was on the river when I was committed (river card was a 2 outer). If I had won those hands, I would be doing alot better.
At least, i'm getting it in ahead and happy with it.

I plan on playing some live game during the week. So any suggestions here.

Santa Special at the Jackpot

Before I throw up a brief run-down of the goings on at the Christmas Special in the Jackpot, a update on my online poker runnings of late.
I decided to try grinding it up again. As soul crushing as it can be, it can also be an excercise in two of the most important poker skills that must be learnt, bankroll management and tilt control.
www.bonuswhores.com have a decent affiliate deal with Titan for low limit players. 100% up to $200, but it clears 3x quicker than the better sites on ipoker for offers (GJP is commonly regarded as the best). I started off ok, 2 or 3 tabling and I ran pretty good at first, 10BBs/hr. Bit a cooler I couldn't get out of reversed that and I found myself in the red. Its to normal now, but after a little more than a week amd a half, im even. I hope to run out a few weeks for a decent profit, plus the bonus on top. Then switch to another site and bonus (200% up to $200 on VC, or 100% up to $500 on GJP).

Now to the highlight of the week, The Jackpot Xmas special.
It got 63 runners. And the mood very light and as soon as they started handing out santy hats it looked like the night would be a laugh. Of course, the santy hats were soon put to shame when Gary Clark stuck to his word and came dressed as a Polar Bear, wp Gary.
A truely sick hand unfolded early of Set vrs Set vrs Set all-in on the flop. It didn't stop there, QQ pre-flop, set of flop, villain turns a straight with J10. Board didn't pair and i'm down to 400 (I actually thought he had me covered was was leaving). The blinds are 50/100. So I ship the next hand, 3 callers and 9 10 makes a pair and its good. Very next hand AQ two callers and i'm good again. Over the next hour or so I try repeatedly to double up, of about 6 times I pushed, 4 times no callers and I win the blinds, twice a caller with the same hand and split the blinds.
Then finally Gary doubles me up and is left short, couple of hands later I am KK on the SB. Folded to Gary who pushed, Keith calls, I push Keith folds. Gary shows JQ, of course he hits trips. So, i'm short, push K2 from the button, and hit trips against AJ, sorry Keith.
Between now and the final table I raise over weakness or in LP for the blinds and make a good job of it too and take 50k or so to the FT.
The payout structure was very top heavy, with 6th-9th getting maoney back. So I was aiming for 4th+. Some players were getting quite drunk as it was almost 3am and Duke had provided free beer.I was sitting tight, waiting for a hand, while I did this, the various 3 shorties went all-in a couple of times, everytime the shortie survived. Creating a new shortie, who then survives his all-in.
So we are down to 8 and I have 10 BBs, I can't wait anymore (alot of the table is fairly happy to fold to the felt). Chipleader raises to 12000 UTG (BB is 4000). He has done this in 3 of the last 5 hands. I re-raise all-in for 45k with AQ on the SB, this is almost half the CLs stack. And I'm happy to take dowm the 16k in there. He insta calls and before he flips over his hand i'm hoping its JJ and a race. I was half right as he happily shows KJo , my AQ is no goodof course, with a J on the river.
If I had of won that hand I was chipleader or there abouts and would of fancied my shot at taking it down for 2k+, instead I has to contend for money back after 6 hours of poker.

LOL Donkaments indeed