MTT's arrghhhh

I played the $150k guaranteed on Betfair yesterday, which actually ended up with a $174k prize pool! Wow i was steaming by the end. I was in the top 5 chips all the way to the bubble. Then in 20 hands i had KK v AA, then JJ v QQ on JQx flop, then QQ v JK to a fishy Rob Sherwood! lol

From hero to zero in no time at all.

Joey Lovelady won and Rob came third. Congrats. Joey was a total card rack in the final and the result was never in doubt. He only played because i told him it was on without twenty minutes till the start!

Off to play EPT Dublin this week. I play Day 1(b), which is Wednesday!

LAG

Since WPT Barcelona i've been playing aload online including two 16 hour sessions last week. I've managed to get some monster stacks at $25/$50 PLO ... my biggest was $78k and i lost a flip to make it very close to $100k so called it a day. Mind you i think in that particular session i was in for $40k anyway!

Here are a few hands i've played lately.

Donkish draw that was winning all the way! lol

Bad misread

A much better read

One word - TILT

Next up on the tournament circuit is EPT Dublin. After that the GUKPT final and EPT Prague. Hopefully i can get a result in one of them!

Also i forgot to blog about this before, congratulations to Dusk Till Dawn on securing their license to open a poker club in Nottingham. Hopefully there will be some big festivals held there. It will definitely be good for all poker players, as they will run tournaments for all buy in ranges.

WPT Barcelona day 2

Steaming... just busted out.

Playing 16k stack (blinds 200/400) ... I called the BB with 67 suited after two callers to a raise. Flop 67T with two clubs. I led out for 2500. Guy who raised preflop called. Turn a T. I bet 3000. He called. He seemed weak and its tough to put hom on a T. He may have an overpair in distress. River a Jack and i pushed all in. He dwelt for ages and i was sure he would fold. He finally called with 88. lol. I found a calling station.

Another Tourney

Heading over to Barcelona to play the WPT tournament this weekend. I love Barcelona so never mind travelling there for a tournament. Kind of recovered from my tilt from EPT london. These tournaments are so big now, that you don't get that many opportunities for a top three finish, and i definitely think that was one that past me by.

Still its kind of a consolation that cash games have been going so well. My $25/$50 PLO stats have been really good for the last few months. I've played about 30000 hands with a BB/100 hands of over 20, which is definitely unsustainable long term. But i can enjoy the rush while it lasts :-)

WSOPE articles

Before the WSOP Europe main i did an hour or so coaching for a Telegraph journalist Martin Johnson. They make a good read and the links are here Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

lol i sepecially like this extract:

I told him about the Oriental, and Kirk said: "Oh no, that's Kenny Tran. He's not someone to mess with. Just don't talk to him. Don't talk to him at all. He's trying to read you, and if you've got him as baffled as you got me on the first day, we wanna keep it that way."

It proved to be an impossible tip. I was involved with Kenny again after everyone else folded on the pick-up, and he bet 5,000. I had King-Five unsuited, and thought I'd at least see the three flop cards. Nothing to help there, but something told me Kenny's urge to nail me might have outweighed him waiting for a decent hand, and I stayed with him until his final bet of 10,000.

I called. "You've got me man, if you can call me, you got me." I flipped in my K-5, and the entire table gasped. Kenny had indeed been bluffing, and, as he said, I'd got him. But the sight of the K-5 made his eyes pop. His mouth opened, but nothing, for once, came out. If I never played another hand, I could dine out on that one.

EPT London Bustout

I made day three of EPT london 2nd in chips with 40 left. Anything short of making the final table and i was always going to be very disappointed but the way i went out was the worst way yet.

I had just under 190000 chips... blinds 2500/5000. Player who had me just about covered made it 17000 from the button. Tony Cascerino was in the big blind and had been playing very tight so i knew he was auto raising the button. I looked down at AQ. I reraised 17000 with 41000 more so 58000 to play. He thought for five minutes then the clock was called. I was going to pass if he pushed and was just hoping he passed. He eventually said call and threw in 14000 more chips. The dealer told him it was 41000 more and now he wanted to fold. The floor was called and because he announced call he had to put the 41000. I knew it wasn't a moody as he genuinely wanted to fold when he realised it was 41000 more.

So now i knew he was weak. He either had a couple of pictures or a medium pair. So i decided i would push any safe looking flop because there was 130000 available in the middle. It flopped 823 and i pushed, he insta called with 88. Sick. Only way i could go out at that point.

If he genuinely calls the 41000 i don't push the flop. If he hears the dealer i never go out of the tournament at that stage..........

Home

Its good to have some time back in the UK. For the last three months i think i've been away playing poker or on holiday about 80% of that time. Its hard to get into a run of putting decent results together online. My results have been quite good of late... in the last 20 sessions i have played i've won 17 times. That makes my pokertracker look a bit healthier :-)

The WSOPE is over and i really hope that next year there will be at least 6 events. I think the fields will get bigger when people have more chance to plan and qualify online.

Its EPT London next week and i'll probably play the £1000 PL Omaha tournament this Sunday as well. The WCOOP is also running and i'll probably play 2/3 events including the main event that i final tabled in last year.

Also Tillerman has started blogging again. It's one of the best blogs when he updates it!

WSOPE £5000 Omaha

Had a massive rollercoaster day going down low in chips then up to about 65000... felt like i was in good shape with double the average the took two big coolers.

400/800 - Durrrr from Full tilt made it 2000 to go i called with A6QT double suited and the small blind called too. Flop A63 giving me top two and the second nut flush draw. Small blind went bet 3500. Durrrr called. I reraised the pot as the small blind had just 3000 more and i wanted the pot HU. Durrrr called with AAxx. Main pot was 22000. Side pot 35000 ish. Turn brought me the flush though the small blind had the nut flush... i was happy to win the side pot. River paired the board!

400/800 - I made it 2000 from early position with AA57 with one ace flush draw in clubs. Two callers. Flop 2c4sKc. First guy to speak leads out for the pot. I reraise the pot to 24000 as i am at least 40% against any had he can have plus i've got fold equity. He calls with a set, and pairs the board on the turn.

Was really low after that and couldn't make a comeback.

Congrats to Buzzer on winning the £2500 HORSE.....

WSOPE £2500 HORSE

I busted out late in the evening of day one in level five....

I started well and by the end of level 2 i must have been one of the chip leaders with around 20000 chips. It was fun to play all the games as well..... i had a disastrous level three i went an entire orbit of the games without winning or chopping a single pot it was brutal. That put me back to my starting stack.

I got back up to 20000 chips again in level 4 and here is how i lost a chunk of them...

Razz 400/800

(A)(2)3 i three bet against a (x)(x)6

I pull a Q... he gets a K

I bet again and get called

I pull a 9... he gets a J

I bet again and get called

I pull a 6... he gets an 8

I bet and get called

Last card no improvement for my 9 low and my opponent made an 8 low on the river!

I also lost a big pot in the same level when i three bet prelop in Omaha Hi/Low with AA3T double suited. It flopped what appeared a monster for my hand 5s6s7h as i had the As3s.. I bet and got called. Turn a 5d.. i bet and got raised. I called. River a blank 3 which was the worst card in the pack for me and i got scooped by 248J lol.

Both those pots were around 10000-12000 and i didn't recover after them.

Its the £5000 PL Omaha tomorrow. Please can i run good just one time......

WSOPE begins

The World Series of Poker Europe starts this week in London. Its an exciting time for poker and hopefully this event can go on to match the WSOP in Vegas. I'd love to see even more events next year! I'm sure the first prize for the NL Hold'em tournament will be the biggest ever paid out in Europe.

I'm only able to play the £2500 HORSE which starts Thursday and the £5000 PLO which starts on Saturday. Wish i could play the main but too committed to stuff which was organised before the WSOPE was announced. I've been playing some HORSE online, and its always fun to play mixed games so i am looking forward to it all starting now....

I played a qualifier on Sunday with a bounty on my head for $1000 if you knocked me out. There were about 250 runners with 8 seats guaranteed. I was doing good and then walked AK into KK, and a bit later busted out with AK into QQ! The guy who got the bounty also won a seat. They have a last chance qualifier scheduled for Wednesday with five seats guaranteed. Details are here.

I've aslo been playing a fair bit online! Had a really sick spell at $50/$100 when i didn't win a pot for like 150 minutes even though i managed to get all in with the best hand a load of times. Was in for $50000 at one point and ended the day $14000 down which was ok considering i thought i was losing my mind!

Some hands... looks like a only play Aces from these!

Aces part 1

Gutshot only way to lose stack

Aces part 2

Aces part 3

EPT Barcelona

Yuck

Had a decent table and reached 14000 towards the end of level 4.

Then this hand happened. Tight ish player opened mid position for 650 (blinds 100/200). I decided to call with QQ. Flop QT7 rainbow. He checks. I bet 1000. He made it 2300. I pushed all in. He pondered for a while and called another 6000 with JK. 5 on turn, Ace on the river of course.

Got back up to 6500 and got all in preflop with TT v AK. Board 222K9.

If I can't win a big pot in the early stages with top set then its probably not going be my day!

EPT Season 4 - Barcelona

I play in a few hours. I see the beginning of the EPT season as the start of the poker season. There is a exciting programme of tournaments in the next few months... hopefully i can get off to a decent start!

Random Stuff

I've just got back after a three week holiday in Cuba. Really interesting country to visit with loads to see... only played a few hours poker whilst i was away. Nothing interesting to report on that front!

Before i went away, I did some travelling around the UK to some pubs where the winner of each single table tournament got an entry to a satellite for the WSOPE main event ... its called the Betfair Poker Hit squad! Here are a selection of the clips! Part 1 and Part 2. I do like the Midlands really! God i hate watching myself on TV.

I'm excited about the next couple of weeks. I'm off to Barcelona for the start of EPT season 4 on Tuesday. I am playing Day 1(b). It will be interesting to see how much the bigger buy will affect the numbers.

Pooooooooker

I decided to take a close look at my Poker tracker to see where my money has gone this year lol. Here are the results!

Betfair Pot Limit Omaha

$250/500 6 handed max

Hands Played 267 Result +$31000

$100/$200 6 handed max

Hands Played 1920 Result +$90000

$50/$100 6 handed max

Hands Played 1031 Result -$62000

$50/$100 Heads Up

Hands Played 1400 Result +$27000

$25/$50 6 handed max

Hands Played 21000 Result +$174000

$25/$50 heads Up

Hands Played 3600 Result -$36500

Overall PL Omaha - +$223500

Betfair NL Holdem

$100/$200

Hands Played 172 -$21000

$100/$200 HU

Hands Played 2200 -$61000

$50/$100

Hands Played 116 -$21000

$50/$100 HU

Hands played 1740 -$41000

$25/$50

Hands Played 4500 - $67000

Overall NL Hold'em - $211000

Crypto PL Omaha

$25/$50 6 handed max

Hands played 13000 - +$102100

$50/$100 6 handed max (actually is a £25/£50 table)

Hands Played 4100 - +$62000

Overall PL Omaha +$164100

Crypto NL Hold'em

$25/$50 6 handed max

Hands played 2030 +$21000

$80/$160 6 handed max

Hands played 3100 -$44000

$200/$400

Hands played 220 -$105000 (was such a sick day)

Overall NL Hold'em -$128000

Full Tilt PL Omaha

$100/$200

Hands played 1560 -$61000

$200/$400

Hands played 700 -$39000

Overall PL Omaha -$100000

2007 PL Omaha +$287600

2007 NL Hold'em -$339000

I've missed out $10/$20 games but i'm pretty much even on the year. At one point i was down around $300000 ish ... sick! At times this year its gone very badly online, but considering the runs i've had i don't feel too bad about the results so far.

Clearly Hold'em has gone very badly this year. Last year i won about $250000 playing Hold'em and this year i'm down about $300000. A $550000 swing! I've definitely played badly at times and haven't been as focussed at Hold'em cash as i once was (far too easily tilted). The general standard of players has definitely got better!

Seems my best results by far have come at $25/$50 PL Omaha 6 handed. I'm up close to $300000 at that.... maybe thats what i should stick too :-D

There are a load of big tournaments scheduled from September onwards.... here is what i am hoping to play!

EPT Barcelona August 28th - Sept 1st €7700 NL Hold'em
WSOP Europe Sept 8th - 10th £5000 PL Omaha
EPT London Sept 25th - 29th £5200 NL Hold'em
WPT Barcelona Oct 11th - 16th €7500 NL Hold'em
GUKPT London Oct 18th - 21st £1000 NL Hold'em
EPT Dublin October 30th - Nov 3rd - €7700 NL Hold'em
GUKPT Final 29th Nov - 2nd Dec - £3000 NL Hold'em
EPT Prague December 10th - 14th - €3700 NL Hold'em

Online

Been playing a load online since i got back from Vegas. Probably put in about 90 hours in the last two weeks and things have been going good. I've mainly been playing $25/$50 PL Omaha.... had a few shots at $50/$100 as well, and even a bit of Hold'em.

Looking back on my tracker i had really good results at short handed NL Hold'em last year and i have hardly played this year, except for an unsuccessful period of playing Heads Up $50/$100 and $100/$200 on Betfair. Anyway, i played two tables of $25/$50 yesterday 4-6 handed for a while and did well despite running bad. Maybe i've found my enthusiasm to play NL cash again!

Tournament wise... there is nothing before the WSOP Europe that i'm going to play. Going away next weekend for a non poker holiday! You can buy in for the WSOP Europe on Betfair's poker site now... there is even a small discount because we are running good against the dollar right now!

WSOP Europe

As you may have seen Betfair Poker are sponsoring the WSOP Europe. This is the schedule:

Thurs September 6th H.O.R.S.E Buy in £2500 (3 day event)

Saturday September 8th Pot Limit Omaha £5000 (2 day event)

Monday September 10th WSOP Europe Main Event No-Limit Texas Hold'em £10000 (6 day event)

The main event is sure to create the biggest prize pool ever seen in Europe. All the details can be found here. Betfair are guaranteeing to hand out a $1.5 MILLION in prize money and packages before September 6th!!!

The link also includes details of all the casinos its going to be played in, hotels to stay at, online qualification routes and how to buy in direct.

I've had a nightmare the WSOPE has fallen on the worst week of the year for me to be able to play because of stuff i organised before it was announced. I may be able to play the Pot Limit Omaha, but the main event looks unlikely at the moment!

WSOP Over

Hmmmm built my stack up to 60000 by the end of level 3. Was cruising. Average was 28000. Then lost with 47 v 79 all in on a 47K flop for 30000. Got back to 65000 when the following hand happened. Couple of limpers (blinds 200/400) I make it 1600 with KK in the BB. Two callers. Flop JQ7. SB check... i bet 6000. Other guy folded.... SB makes it 15000. I call. Turn a 7. He moves all in for about 37000. Its almost impossible for me to be losing given the preflop action so i insta called. He showed JQ. At this point it was a 110k pot for the chip lead. Off course i got four outered....

NH GG WP

WSOP Update 8

Back in Las Vegas. Got here a few days ago and have generally been chilling. Been out for a couple of decent meals and bars.

I'm playing today (Day 1b) which seems to be a popular day to have chosen. Hopefully i will get a decent table.

Betfair qualifier

For those after some value there is a World Series of Europe package available this evening on Betfair! Details are here.

The package is worth $23k and there are just three players registered at $780 a go with 7 hours to go. Last week there was a decent overlay i expect this weeks to be even bigger, with so many players in Vegas.

Remember to download through this link if you want rakeback and a bonus.

Back to Vegas

Fly back on Tuesday for part two of this year's WSOP. Only going to play the main event and possibly the WPT at the Bellagio if i get knocked out of the WSOP main early enough! Think i may have gone crazy by now if i had stayed there for the whole six weeks.

Been playing a fair bit online 25/50 PLO and doing pretty good. Won 7/8 days that i have played since i have been home.... but the games have been fairly dead, due to most of the people i normally play against being in Vegas.

I expect the games to be really good again in a few weeks when the WSOP ends... so hopefully i can keep up my decent run!

For anyone looking for updates - pokernews has the best coverage i have found!