More mid-week Double Chances - SE & Fitz

Two tournaments to cover, both fairly short:

Sporting Emporium €50 Double Chance - 2/3/2006

I was heading to London early the next day, but decided to head in for a night of poker in the SE. The €50 Double Chance is becoming a very popular (relatively speaking, of course) tournament, and there were 9 tables on the go when it kicked off, 20 minutes late at 9:20pm. In fact, they didn't have enough chairs to go around and a few players who arrived late had to stick around hoping for others' early exits!

I was on a table of beginners, some really terrible players. Of the 10 at the table, I only rated 2 of them. This is always the best situation to be in at the start of a tournament, lots of dead chips to suck up...or so I thought.

I motored through the first two levels without incident, building my stack up a bit. Many beginners love to call and chase when the bets are small in relation to their stack (they don't ever think about bets in relation to the size of the pot, or other such outlandish notions!), so to bluff them off a pot you often just need to throw in a nice raise. The table was extremely loose, and many huge pots were built up by Ax beginners butting heads, or Ax beginners outdrawing premium pairs. The other two experienced players' stacks were decimated by the end of level two due to repeated outdraws.

At the start of level three (75-150), I was dealt AA in late position, and with two early limpers, raised to 4xBB. The extremely loose and clueless BB called, the other two folded (which surprised me, I was certain one or both would call at the time). The flop came down AK6 rainbow, very nice. The BB instantly pushed for his remaining 700, I called, he flipped QTo and his face sank when he saw what I had. The turn was a rag, but the river was the J he needed to survive. My aces just cannot hold up in the SE for some reason.

I was still in decent shape and happy to keep going - still many poor players on the table willing to give their chips away. A few hands later I was dealt KJ in the BB. A few limpers, I raised to 450, all folded but the SB. Flop was KQJ rainbow. SB made a minimum raise, which from such a poor player screamed of weakness. I re-raised to 1/2 pot, he dwelt for a few minutes and then went all in for 2k more. I was still certain he was weak and called. He flipped A7o. One of the other experienced players who had been raped earlier smiled, but uttered 'Wait for the ten', as that is how the table was running. Turn rag, river ten.

For the first time in a long while I didn't take it gracefully and stomped off without shaking the villain's outstretched hand. I subsequently felt very stupid for getting upset, 'tis just a game and I know that I should be thrilled to get so much into the pot when I was so far ahead. I will continue to play on Wednesdays and Thursdays at the SE and take the inexperienced players' chips.

Fitzwilliam Card Club €50 Double Chance - 7/3/2006

Surprised myself going to this one, as I had planned to stay in, watch the Chelsea game and maybe play a STT or two on Pokerstars. However, went in for a lash at what had once been my favourite Dublin tournament. There were about 48 runners on 5 tables, mainly Fitz regulars but a lot of newer faces. That said, I haven't played very much in the Fitz over the last two months, so who knows who is or isn't a regular anymore.

I was on a table which was 50/50 well-recognised players and unknowns. Regulars included Macker and later Vivian. The table was so much tougher than a comparable table in the SE that it isn't funny - the dead money really is in the SE, despite the poorer blind structures mid-week. Anyhow, didn't get off to a great start. During level two (blinds 50/100), I was dealt TT in the BB, three limpers, raised to 275, only one called ( a total unknown to me, no reads on him). Flop was QQ5 two clubs, I checked (1st mistake, should have bet out). He bet 500, which I called (2nd mistake, should have pushed for my remaining 1200, still had my rebuy at this stage). The turn was a A (heart I think) and he pushed on my check. Played that so badly, I am sure, in the cold light of the day, that he had Ax and a bet or re-raise on the flop would have won it.

Doubled up a short time later when five limpers (including myself on the SB) saw a flop of 336 with two clubs. I had 73o and checked the flop, UTG bet 200, called by the button, and I pushed for 1050. UTG folded and the button quickly called. I thought 'oh well, out-kickered, time to use my double chance', but he actually had J5 clubs and didn't hit on the turn or river. Up to above average. Made another mistake shortly before the break when I limped with KJd, the flop was 55T with two diamonds, one of the blinds bet 500 (into a pot of 600 or so) and I called. No diamond on the turn and I folded to her all-in.

Wasn't having any luck after the break, and we were down to two tables quite quickly. At one stage a player was down to 75, and the blinds were 150/300. He pushed, I was on the button and I called along with two others. I had 98o, the flop was KJ6 rainbow. Checked around, turn was an A. Checked around again, I knew (playing vs. Macker and another regular) that I would take the side pot if I bet, so I threw out 700 into a side pot of 675. They duly folded, and the short stack took down the main pot of 300 with Q-high. The other two sighed loudly, grimaced and complained to me about checking it down, but I can't say I agree with them. I increased my stack by over 20% by taking the side pot, and the short stack still only had a blind to play with.

Anyhow, blinds increased rapidly and I was soon gone. I stole the blinds about four times by pushing with my remaining 2400, everyone was playing tight. UTG I found TT with the blinds at 400/800, pushed my 2400, folded around the rockiest rock in rocktown, who had only played two or three hands that night (no joke). He called, the rest folded with pleasure, knowing I was a good country mile behind. The very, VERY best I could hope for is AK, though it was unlikely. He actually had KK, the board didn't help and I was home for midnight.