Vegasnights Team Event - €20+5 08/05/2006

I actually played in a poker tournie on Saturday night, but as it was for charity, I didn't particularly want to be there (boss organised it and I had given my word to turn up) and very, very bad value (only about 20% of the buy-in would be paid out, if that), I won't take the time to give a report. Only to say I was knocked out after two hours play in the biggest pot seen in the tournie so far - I flopped a straight on the BB, the SB flopped middle set and the UTG raiser flopped the nut flush and gutshot straight draw. Suffice to say, after a betting round on the flop that went: check, check, bet, raise, re-raise all in, call, re-raise all in, call, there was 70k in the pot...and the big draw hit on the turn. At least I was home for midnight...on a Saturday night :(

After many weeks of planning, Vegasnights' 2nd team event was scheduled for Sunday, May 8th out at the Angler's Rest in Chapelizod, Co. Dublin. I wasn't sure I'd be able to make it, and the F.O.S. weren't fielding a team this time (despite our great display last time!), so I couldn't commit to any other team until the day of the event. At which point almost all were full up! Despite that, after picking Dom (5starpool) up from town and getting to the Angler's Rest about 5 minutes before the 1pm start, I managed to bag a place on the Galway team, handy as I'm pretty much a Galwegian (other than my very early years in Kerry, which is the cause of my supporting the Kingdom in the championship each year, at least it gives me something to cheer about every other September!). Loads of boardsters and Fitz / SE regulars about, particularly in the BoardsStupids team (last event's winners) and in the Fitz Breakeveners.

I sat down on the same table as Marq (Fitz dealer, F.O.S. member and Breakeveners runner) and Brianmc (boardster and Breakeveners runner). Fun table, we started with a stack of 5000 I think, with a nice slow (thanks Vegasnights!) blinds structure, so lots of play. I won a few small pots near the start, and built my stack up to 6k before the end of the second level. During the third blind level (75/150), Shane (DeDeraco) was moved to my table, to my immediate right. He is a strong player and one I'm wary of tangling with. However, I found AA on my big blind, and after Shane and 4 others tried to limp, I raised it up to 900, and they all folded bar Shane on my SB. The flop came down 98x, with two diamonds. He checked, and I raised it up to 2k, which he relucantly called. I had him on a flush draw - little did I know he was on the straight draw as well! The turn was a non-diamond rag, he checked and I insta-pushed for my final 3k or so. He folded with a sigh, and I showed him the bullets to let him know he was behind. Probably shouldn't show my monsters so much, but as he is a nice guy I thought why not.

I had a decent sized stack now and could afford to play a little. After the break the table got a few new players, Mick (Culchie) the BoardsStupids team captain and a few Vegasnights regulars sat down. At this stage Marq was running over the table, he was catching some nice cards but also outplaying all others there, at least he was outplaying me with ease! I dropped some chips to him when I found AK clubs on the button, he made a big UTG raise, which I flat called (almost definitely should have raised, I could have afforded to at that point). The flop was fairly raggy, but with two clubs. I foolishly called a pot sized bet fishing for a third club, but folded to a bigger bet on the turn. Bad play from me. A few hands later action was folded around to me on the button with KQ, I made a 3xBB raise, the SB thought for a second and pushed all-in and the BB folded. I could tell the SB did this as he did not believe my raise...I could be facing Ax...but decided I was in front and should call (I had him covered by a mere 1100, blinds were 150/300 I think). Sure enough, he had KJ, and was dominated...so why didn't the poker gods agree? Flop came down Jxx (and I was dealing!), no Q on the turn or river and I'm down to the felt. Ugh, to make the proper call and get dogged, never feels too great. I would have been set up with a nice stack had the board been jack free.

Anyhow, I pushed with A6c a few hands later and hand two callers, hit my flush and came back into it, an orbit later found KK in mid position and pushed after a player UTG raised to 2k (blinds were 400/800). He was extremely loose, loved a gamble, and decided to call with 98s. No help for him and I was back in business. Won a great pot a while later against another pub player, I raised in MP with AQo, he called from the BB, raggy flop, he checks I bet he calls. raggy turn, he checks I checks, river is a blank, he checks and I can tell he missed his draw or didn't improve his low PP, so I push and stare at him (but not glare, didn't want to act too strong! I leave that sort of mischief up to Olly) and he predicably folds. Nice one.

Down to the final 25 or so, blinds are really increasing and I soon need to double up or head home. Marq is still running over the table, having knocked Mick out and put another good young player with a big stack in his place with a nice OTT move. I find AKs in LP, push for 7.5k or so (blinds 500/1k I think), Marq calls with 44 in the SB, no help for me and I'm out in 19th or so. No points for team Galway, the points start at 18th! I mention to the lads as I'm leaving that I'd be surprised if Marq didn't go on and win it - and win it he did! A fun day out, great value (hours and hours of poker for €25!) and fair play to Nick and Vegasnights for yet again putting on a good show.