IPC Tour - Waterford Leg

Played the main event on the Saturday, which took considerable effort on my part. I was working on Saturday morning as usual and only left work at 1.20pm. It was a mad dash home to collect Rob and get on the road. It was certainly a daunting task as it was physically impossible for us to make the starting time of 4pm, but we had to arrive as near to that as possible and even more importantly had to arrive within the first 2 levels to be able to join the game. Well everything that could have gone wrong on the way did go wrong . . . traffic was horrific in parts, the road towards the end of the journey wasn't great not leaving many over-taking opportunities and we even managed a wrong turn which cost us 20 mins! But finally we made it with about 3 mins to spare!



I'm quite happy with my play on the whole, got some good cards and made some good reads. I had a tough table pretty much throughout, when I have at least 2-3 very aggressive players to contend with. There were only 3 females that entered the tourney and as usual my first goal was to outlast them, which thankfully I did. I had managed to get myself up to about 50k at my highest point which I was very happy with especially considering my table. I hate being at an agressive table, it really does take me out of my comfort zone. I'm happy to get aggressive at the later stages and final table but don't see the urgency in the eary stages. I took a hit at the end of day 1. I had JJ, opened for 3k (Blinds are 500/1,000) and Big Al repopped it to 8k. I duly called and we see a flop of Qxx, apologies for the lack of details but it was a terrible raggy board. I checked he bet 6k which I called hoping it would slow him down. Turn comes yet another rag, I check he bet 6k. Now I know check calling twice here isn't great play, but I know this guy has a huge range and I find it hard to give him the respect to fold which is silly really. The river comes another blank and I check again (I know, with hindsight I really should have made a move here) and he shoves. I think for a while, I certainly don't like this. I didn't think he had a Q, but the raggy raggy board doesn't help me either. Al is known for his wide range and I know he could easily have 2 pair here, even a set. Also, he did reraise me preflop so I can't rule out AA, KK, AQ. I'm sick seeing people paying off big hands because their opponent has a 'huge range'. All players can be dealt big hands and I am certainly very aware of this. Anyways I fold to his 20k shove and everyone is shocked. Al told me afterwards that he had KK. To me the KK would fit the 6k bets but not neccessarily fit the shove on the river. My gut told me to fold so as far as I'm concerned it was the correct move. With hindisght I should have folded after the flop and saved myself 12k.


I made it to the FT anyways although shortstacked. I had 23k, Mick McCloskey had 20k and the next smallest was mid 40s from memory. I was on a mission to double up early and get some chips together. Suprisingly a lot of my raises got respect and I found myself on about 50kish when I get KK UTG. I made it 3600 (600/1200 blinds), shortstack shoves and then a tight guy with a big stack shoves after him for well more than I have. I had a really sinking feeling but I have to call. The original shove turned over QQ and the tight guy had AA! Just as expected and I'm gone in 7th. Sickening alright but luckily enough I get busted out just in time to enter the €200+ €20 side game.


I start with about 7700 (8k starting stack) and am eager to go deep to make up for the disappointment of my ME bubble. I got some chips together early on and was running ok when card death struck. Like the ME there were a few aggressive players but these ones aren't paying me off when I do get any sort of a decent hand. I get unlucky in a couple of hands when there are 11 left and I'm now incredibly short. Scraped my way to the FT with a piddly stack but I know when here anything can happen. I'm hoping the fresh seat draw will bring me hands and it does, well 2 of them! I first get AJs and shove in late position to get no callers. Then the very next hand I get QQ. Guy in early position makes it 2k and I shove for about 6k. He calls and flips over his AA . . . thank you Waterford and goodnight!


All in all happy with my play, solid enough and timed my moves well in the most part, which is all I can hope for really. 2 final tables and not a bean to show for it though which is very frustrating! Rob has been coaching me on my STT strategies and I'm happy to report that side of things has picked up and did pay me over the weekend, so that combined with the tour points for the final tables has made this another worthwhile trip for me.


Rob bubbled the ME final table but as I type this he is currently still in the side event with 5 left.


Edit: Rob has just finished, he ended up 3rd. He played very well & ran into more than one dunkey who got lucky, still a cash is better than a bubble . . . always!