As a published poker author I have always liked to see what the competition is up to, and if the books are really cheap I might buy a copy or borrow if from the Library ('If life is a game of poker, late fees are definitely the rake'). I now have quite a collection.
This week whilst looking for a second hand Henry vacuum cleaner at my local Car Boot Sale (Stroud Rugby Club every Sunday), I came across a book by fellow 'degen' Gus Hanson entitled 'Every Hand Revealed'. Knowing I was getting the right price, I snapped it up for 50p.
I read a few pages and quickly realised that I should copy the idea and list all my hands from a Poker tournament, giving my readers an insight into how I navigate large multi-table fields. I decided to choose the Friday night £15 Main Event held at the G Casino Coventry.
Blinds 25/50 Starting stack 7500 (plus 750 for turning up for the 4:30 tournament, busting and registering early for the 8:30).
Hand 1 Dealt J9o in the small blind. Five limpers so call 25. Flop comes Ac8c5d, Button bets 150 so fold. I've not hit.
Hand 2 Dealt 8d9d on the button. Two limpers, I call. Flop doesnt have an 8 or 9 so fold, someone may have bet, but made no difference.
Hand 3 Dealt AA in the cutoff. One limper, I raise to 600, everyone folds. Excellent, I've won my first hand and picked up 125 chips. Was hoping the limper would re-raise me all in so a bit disappointed. AA is a really tricky hand to play and I didn't want to let hands like J3 call me and then get lucky when the flop comes JJ3. Need to be a bit careful now and make sure I fold a few hands otherwise people might think Im just trying to bully them.
Hand 4 - 15 folded. Need to build a good image.
Hand 16 Now I have built a good image I can take advantage of these loose agressive types and bet when I have it. Look down and find AcQc in middle position. Blinds are now 50-100 and starting to hurt the limpers. Little old lady had joined the table and is sat to my right. She hasn't played any hands yet but apparently did double up when someone tried to bluff her off quad Queens. She limps for a 100 so I decide to raise. I raise to 700, not too much as I don't have a pocket pair. Everyone folds except the little old lady who hesitates and then calls. Flop comes Q26 rainbow. She again hesitates then checks. I announce RAISE (dealer appears to mutter something like 'it's a bet you tosser') and slide 2400 into the middle to win the pot. Little old lady calls. Turn comes a slightly scary 4 so I decide to raise bigger and bet 4025. Little old Lady calls. The river comes 10. She again checks, I decide to check cause she might have Q10. I turn over AQ, she turns over KK. Lost the minimum.
Hand 17 To 25. I am getting low on chips so have to be careful so I only limp into each pot. Have to fold as people keep raising.
Hand 26. I have 700 chips and the blinds are 100/200. I'm in the Big Blind and look down at KK. Fantastic, time to double up and get back in the game. Two players limp and the small blind completes. Now I can play this one of a few ways so i need to consider each option in turn. Option 1. Fold, bit tight and they do say folding is almost never the wrong action. Option 2. Raise. A sneaky raise to 400 is really sneaky and may get someone to re-raise me. Option 3. Call. This is really trappy as no one will expect I have a monster hand. Option 4. Go All In and win the pot there and then, a signature move of mine. Someone calls clock on me for taking 10 minutes. I have less than a minute now to decide so in a rush I announce raise 300, which was the wrong amount, so it's a min raise to 400. Everyone calls, haha I could quadruple up at least. Flop comes down AdQs4d. I check, small blind raises/bets/raises something, everyone folds, I ask him if he has a set of Qs, he says no, I fancy flip my KK and he turns over Q4, Q4!!!!!!! you called with Q effing 4!!!!!!!!!. DONKEY, WHAT A DONKEY, IS THIS A EFFIN JOKE Q4 SOOOOOTED. WHAT A MORON, IDIOT MORON,ARRRGGGGGGGG. Whats your twitter tag, are you on Facebook, I need to stalk you cause you ARRRGGGGGGGGGGGGG.
Well that was the end of the tournament, I didn't min cash which just goes to show that Gus Hanson's win in the Aussie Millions was a complete fix just so he could write a book. Probably not even a real tournament, all the players were probably actors and out of work waiters.
Q Bloody 4, I mean, I raised pre-flop how can he call, need to play poker where they respect my raises.
Next week I'll cover how to play against your Nemesis. Till then, please keep sending in your comments and questions and I'll try to answer them all.
TNBD :)
My Tweet of the week
#Hally57 Played the main £15 event at Cov today. Some donk called my huge all-in re-raise bet with Q4 drawing practically dead, needing to hit is 2% to win and gets there. Was just on the bubble and everything FML.
