Waterford Winter Festival Feedback Thread & Trip Report

The Istanbul

Just home from playing in the main event, a €500 freezeout. Have to say it is a superb festival of poker IMHO. Really enjoyed the game with superb structure and prizemonies (only pity is that I could not finish higher: NFR's AA saw to that:(.

Enjoyed meeting and playing with excellent poker players from all over Ireland and abroad.

Well done to the Big Slick guys.

tipp86

Ya enjoyed it won my entry for €50 so was happy in general with 21st still hurts when my 1010 was no good for jens 99 :( very well run tournament keeps getting better and better:D

Goodluck2me

I have logn since heard of the great structure and how enjoyable such games can be, but due to financial constraints/bad play etc I hadnt had the pleasure of enduring one for a considerable length of time, but I must say that I absolutely enjoyed this tournament.
It was an excellent structure with tons of play and an decent competitive standard which was nice.
I maanged to float around the 15K mark for the whole day reaching a high of 19K then losing 4K with 99 when I folded the flop at 100-200. Then after the break I lose with AQ v 77 on AQ7 flop but it was AIPF so not so bad, still a little disheartening.
I then push a few rounds later for 7.2K with AQ Roy Brindley shoves with TT and I hit the Aces and I`m back in the spud business.
I fold TT to a Raise from UTG when I had 7.5K as the guy raising hadnt played a hand in hours, and He got it in with the BB with KK v AT so I felt like I shouldv`e gone broke and was happy to continue.

Day 2 - I had 99 3 times and AK once in 7 hours in Day one and hadnt won a significant pot the whole day so I knew that I was due a burst of Good variance.
Ive opened a few pots and been re-raised and then dabble a bit between 14 and 16K, then I get A3c on the CO i raise to 1600 at 300-600 button repops again to 3600 and I decide to peel off a flop.
I check a 237 Flop, he dwells for a while and fires out 5K I really thought I was good and that he had AK/Q and so raised all in, he calls with AA and I turn a 3, to double up. Now Im really playing on borrowed time.
I win a pot from the BB where UTG limps SB completes and I check A9o. FLop is A48 checked to UTG who bets I call. Turn Check Check, river I bet 4K and He calls and mucks.
Then this hand...
I make it 2100 with AA at 400-800 from CO, button who is RR happy, Shoves for 15.8K, Sb folds, the BB dwells for an age and Calls for 15.8K, i think for a bit and decide he is probably strong enough to call so I shove for 48K, he dwells for quite a while and I think he is about to pass so I give a bit of speechplay later he INSTACALLS with QQ, the Buttons has 99. pot is 115K average is 31K, blinds are 400-800, so Its huge.
Flop is Qs3c5sQdXx and I`m busto... I was disappointed to be knocked out as I really felt I could have gone much deeper and felt I was playing better than I had for quite while, but alas they are the breaks and it wasn`t to be. The short term variance needed is unreal to win a tournament though it has to be said!

I knew it wasnt my weekend when I played the 250 side event, fully focussed the first hand I raise with AA, one caller. Flop is A94 he checks I check behind, turn is 9 he checks i bet 500 he calls, river is a 9 he bets 2K i flat call and he had J9o obv, that was quite sick I thought, then Ak v Q on KxxQx board AIPF..meh


FInally lest i forget, a huge thanks for Mike et all at GJP for sponsoring me into the game, really appreciate it.

NickyOD

Brutal weekend for me in tournaments. Just completely self destructed in the 150 playing like an idiot. Finished 8 off the money in the 250 yesterday. All weekend I've been very card dead and with the exception of when I slow played aces yesterday, almost every single time I've picked up a group 1 or 2 hand I've lost.

Thankfully I'm up 2.5K in cash games so I'm leaving in profit. If it wasn't for that I'd really hate this place but its been a great festival, exceptionally well organised and a lot of fun.

My highlight of the weekend:

First hand after the first break I make a UTg raise and BCB who has just moved to the table ships his whole stack in fora ridiculous overbet from the SB. I call will kings. He has AK. I hit the case king on the flop. He his running diamonds for a flush.

Lazare

goodluck2me wrote: »

I
I knew it wasnt my weekend when I played the 250 side event, fully focussed the first hand I raise with AA, one caller. Flop is A94 he checks I check behind, turn is 9 he checks i bet 500 he calls, river is a 9 he bets 2K i flat call and he had J9o obv, that was quite sick I thought,

Joe, you're such a fish, any decent player would go broke there.

MUTBS FTW.

Ollieboy

great weekend of poker and excellant event. The highlights for me:

1. the large field
2. brilliant structure
3. decent buy-in with good size prize money
4. Very well run and rules very clear.
5. dealing was in general excellant.
6. Fold top 2 pair against a set on the flop
7. hitting a house of 4's against a lower house of 2's on the flop

bad points:

1. to still have 15k in chips in total at level 10, ie 500/1000 level
2. to get beaten by rigger with his AK against KK when he got runners for straight.
3. to get knock out in 33rd position after playing some really good poker and making some good calls with Ace high.
4. to get knock out when player hit 3 out on the turn when he should have fold preflop and not bet the flop to make himself pot commit in the 1st place.

brilliant time, disappoint not to spend more time drinking though.

Lazare

Just a couple of points about the cash tables,

I thought it a little strange the way the cash tables were treated like a tournament in that dead stacks were dealt to and blinded away. I questioned this and was told it's club rules, but it just doesn't make sense.

Another weird one was, I left a very fishy 1/2 table with about €300 to join an adjoining tougher table (my style suits playing against people that know how to fold ), anyway, I busted there and reloaded. I decided to go back to the first table (they weren't feeders) and one of the players complained, the floor was called and the dude told me I can't come back to the table unless I have exactly how much I left with. WTF?


Whatever about the above, I had a really great time down there, and Neill did an excellent job.

tipp86

Think that rule is just there to stop people cashing in small hitting big then running,then cashing in small in around a hour.

Pabloh

Excellent weekend overall. The structure in both the 500 and 250 left for loads of play - and the cash games were crazy, especially on Sunday morning with a certain Liverpool fan who was having a rollercoaster ride and won a surprising number of pots with Ace high after shipping it in on the flop for €300+:eek:

Next time I'll be sure to book into the Woodlands though as driving to and from the venue every day was a pain - or rather the lack of booze was.

Well done to neil and all the guys for a great event.

Ace2007

Lazare wrote: »

Just a couple of points about the cash tables,

I thought it a little strange the way the cash tables were treated like a tournament in that dead stacks were dealt to and blinded away. I questioned this and was told it's club rules, but it just doesn't make sense.

Another weird one was, I left a very fishy 1/2 table with about €300 to join an adjoining tougher table (my style suits playing against people that know how to fold ), anyway, I busted there and reloaded. I decided to go back to the first table (they weren't feeders) and one of the players complained, the floor was called and the dude told me I can't come back to the table unless I have exactly how much I left with. WTF?


Whatever about the above, I had a really great time down there, and Neill did an excellent job.

The first rule i would disagree with - but the second one i would agree wit

BigCityBanker

cocktails on 24, cocktails!!

phantom_lord

Lazare wrote: »

Just a couple of points about the cash tables,

I thought it a little strange the way the cash tables were treated like a tournament in that dead stacks were dealt to and blinded away. I questioned this and was told it's club rules, but it just doesn't make sense.

yeah, that really grinded my gears, pretty silly rule tbh. first time i've ever had to post in a live game too, but that's fair enough i guess.

NeoSlicerZ

This was the first Festival I've played at and I enjoyed it immensely, it was superbly run with great amounts of play. My starting table looked pretty innocous for a while untill Niall O'Callagh sat down 2 to my right and Derek Murray sat down 3 to my left. StraddleFor6 later joined in seat 1 and dave curtis was on Niall's left.

Day 1 was to say the least not off to a great start, fairly card dead. Made a few k with slowplayed TP vs the table spewmonkey who then went out first fairly soon. Called a few raises with AQ/99 but folded flop. Stole a bit. Then it started to get interesting, picked up a few pots, semi bluffing with draws. built stack to 23k. Picked up QQ as the best hadn of the day, got up to 50k~ with that then ended day 1 with 52k.

Day 2 got off to a decent start, built up to 65k, then promptly dropped to ~28k CO on SB with AQ vs AK (yes, brain fart felt that he had a small pp). Regained 17k with AA vs 77. Picked up KK in the CO, raise to 4.5k, SB pumps to 15k, at this point I'm sure that he does't have AK/AQ/AA, due to his past behaviour with AK/AA. Live tells are good! Thus I don't lamp it in, and manage to look suggestibly pissed off as I call. Flop comes A high with 2 diamonds, I have 34k left with a 30k pot. He bets 17k, I ship it in for 34k. In isolation, it's a horribly suicidal play but I'm damn sure he doesn't have an A and has a hand that doesn't play well oop like 88/99. He folds and I'm back to cruising with nearly 70k. Run up to 120k after raising to 11k at 1500/3000 from the SB with AK trying to induce a shove from Pat who obliges after some though, I snap call, flop is 22x and I'm trying not to slump over, I then proceed to hit runner runner diamond for a flush, phew! Do some restealing, some 3 betting, mostly from StraddleFor6 whose table I was moved to and had noticed was quite intent on my blinds from the first table. Got up to 160k then we had a nice train wreck hand.

Ultra aggro guy opens in HJ, he had been 3 betting the CL AI with marginal hands like 99/88 and then showing. Showing is bad m'kay? He made it 14.5k, I made it 43.5k with QQ, utter ROCK calls my rr by shoving AI for 43k~. Aggro guy reshoves for ~160k nearly instantly. I'm sitting in the middle going ".......wtf." I disregarded the rock since I knew he had me crushed, the 43k there was pretty much dead money as far as I was concerned. The other 110k or so on offer was more attractive! Rock isn't doing this with anything less than KK/AA. Any normal person who reshoves there with AA/KK would at least think about it gobsmacked. I figured he was drawing to 4 outs and called. Sure enough, rock has KK, HJ has AK and my QQ holds up for the massive side pot.

Then proceed to go card dead for 4 hours, drop 45k~ in a race with AQ vs shortie's 88. Blinded down to 120k~, all the loose people who might call me slightly light fold around to me, I have a veritable rock garden on my left, I won't be called by at least AQ, TT+. My head unfortunately decides that 12/8 =1.2 rather than 1.5, and I ship it in instead of normal raising with 86o, oops. Rock wakes up with Ak, calls after 5 mins of deliberation, everyone stares at me in shock when I flip over my cards, turned a 6 river A. Oh dear, and that was that, out in 26th. Hugely enjoyable for my first major buy in tournament, I was pretty happy with how I played apart from my exit hand.

ditpoker

bubble the €150
well run tournament

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

NickyOD wrote: »

Brutal weekend for me in tournaments. Just completely self destructed in the 150 playing like an idiot. Finished 8 off the money in the 250 yesterday. All weekend I've been very card dead and with the exception of when I slow played aces yesterday, almost every single time I've picked up a group 1 or 2 hand I've lost.

Thankfully I'm up 2.5K in cash games so I'm leaving in profit. If it wasn't for that I'd really hate this place but its been a great festival, exceptionally well organised and a lot of fun.

My highlight of the weekend:

First hand after the first break I make a UTg raise and BCB who has just moved to the table ships his whole stack in fora ridiculous overbet from the SB. I call will kings. He has AK. I hit the case king on the flop. He his running diamonds for a flush.

I wondered when this hand would come up, i was sitting to the right of you, vul and i believe it was his first hand at the table

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

BigCityBanker wrote: »

cocktails on 24, cocktails!!

your a raving looney by the way, but good craic

mdwexford

It started bang on time which was good, my first dealer sucked which was bad but all my other dealers were very good.

I had a pretty strong starting table with halibut2, Shortstack, JP Poker and a couple of other decent players all on my table. I was totally card dead on Day 1, struggled all day and ended up with 12k odd going into Day 2.
Doubled up almost straightaway with K-K vs 3-3 on a 5-7-8 flop, softest double up ever. Bled away blinds and antes and went back down to 13k again when i got all in with 10-10 vs the 9-9 of halibut to get me back into it and then played A-Q nicely against A-10 with a river value bet getting me up to a tournament high of 38k. Got moved tables then and never got anything going after that. Stole the odd pot here and there and eventually shoved for 25k otb with 10-8o into Alberts bb and he called with Ah-9h, turn gave me an oesd but i missed my 14 outs on the turn and that was that.

I played ok, kept expecting to get a nice run of starting hands but it never materialised, didnt hit a set in 14 hours of play which is pretty sick, flopped the nut straight once in a limped pot from the BB, bet it and everyone mucked and that was the best hand i had all tourney by a mile. Ugh, tourneys suck.

Very well run by Neill and co. obv.

The hotel sucked though, i rang on Wednesday to confirm my booking and was told the room cost 110 a night for 2 people sharing and i had a double room booked. I arrived and was told the room cost 130 a night and i was booked into a single room, the girl on the desk was pretty ignorant about it as well.

Azazel-

May I ask what table you were at the ME Md? Just curious cause all the tables i was on, or watched, the dealing was at a pretty decent level.


Thanks to Neill for a fantastic event. First festival i was at and I had a good laugh

The rule about posting and blinding in the cash tables was strange... But rules is rules I guess :-)

bops

my tourney was horrid - everything went to sh*t, it's like a 6 hour constant battering.

but it was nice to catch up with a few of ye, and to put a few names to faces

ollyk1

Lazare wrote: »

I thought it a little strange the way the cash tables were treated like a tournament in that dead stacks were dealt to and blinded away. I questioned this and was told it's club rules, but it just doesn't make sense.

There is at least one good reason for this imho.

Playing in a hotel where lads are beering up they tend to take very long breaks away from the table and knowing that they are being blinded away might make them come back to the table a little more quickly. Plus if it helps the fish view the cash games as a tournie that has to be a good thing right???

It is a wierd one though.

ianmc38

NickyOD wrote: »

First hand after the first break I make a UTg raise and BCB who has just moved to the table ships his whole stack in fora ridiculous overbet from the SB. I call will kings. He has AK.

lol

BigCityBanker

ianmc38 wrote: »

lol

this was just the begining.

it was actually my very first hand of the whole tournament.

ollyk1

BigCityBanker wrote: »

this was just the begining.

it was actually my very first hand of the whole tournament.

KevIRL

Really great couple of days, well done to everyone involved in the running of the event.

Spent Saturday drinking and watching the main event. Really enjoyable, then on Sunday I decided to go into the 150, my first ever live tournament, finished in the money in 14th. Great experience, playing way out of my normal level and very happy with the outcome:)

LuckyLloyd

KevIRL wrote: »

Really great couple of days, well done to everyone involved in the running of the event.

Spent Saturday drinking and watching the main event. Really enjoyable, then on Sunday I decided to go into the 150, my first ever live tournament, finished in the money in 14th. Great experience, playing way out of my normal level and very happy with the outcome:)

Congrats!!

rag2gar

KevIRL wrote: »

Really great couple of days, well done to everyone involved in the running of the event.

Spent Saturday drinking and watching the main event. Really enjoyable, then on Sunday I decided to go into the 150, my first ever live tournament, finished in the money in 14th. Great experience, playing way out of my normal level and very happy with the outcome:)

Well done Kev, you must have picked up some good pointers on the rail on sat nite!

KevIRL

rag2gar wrote: »

Well done Kev, you must have picked up some good pointers on the rail on sat nite!

Thanks, I did indeed, wel up to a point anyway, by about 2am I was pretty tanked, and from then till 5 is a bit of a blur lol, had to read the blonde updates on Sunday morning to remind myself of what Id seen!

davidgti

KevIRL wrote: »

Really great couple of days, well done to everyone involved in the running of the event.

Spent Saturday drinking and watching the main event. Really enjoyable, then on Sunday I decided to go into the 150, my first ever live tournament, finished in the money in 14th. Great experience, playing way out of my normal level and very happy with the outcome:)

well done sir in your first cash:cool: was talking with you for a while..

yes great to put some names to faces had good time played main event finished 90th too times in 20 mins floped trips beaten both times by straight bad flops for my trips.also played 150 freezeout after break i raise utg 3.5 times the bb with JJ guy puts me all in i call he has 88 board 678 anyway good to meet everyone i was talking too they where so nice and im sure ill meet you soon in a game again soon

well done to neil and team again for a great tourney and to the camera guys for the great pics and great updates

The Istanbul

davidgti wrote: »

well done sir in your first cash:cool: was talking with you for a while..

yes great to put some names to faces had good time played main event finished 90th too times in 20 mins floped trips beaten both times by straight bad flops for my trips.also played 150 freezeout after break i raise utg 3.5 times the bb with JJ guy puts me all in i call he has 88 board 678 anyway good to meet everyone i was talking too they where so nice and im sure ill meet you soon in a game again soon

well done to neil and team again for a great tourney and to the camera guys for the great pics and great updates

Pity you have a face made for radio Dave

davidgti

The Istanbul wrote: »

Pity you have a face made for radio Dave

JP Poker

mdwexford wrote: »

I had a pretty strong starting table with halibut2, Shortstack, JP Poker and a couple of other decent players all on my table. .

Hi Md,

What seat were you in?

Yes there was some good players on the table, Willow Connelly in seat 2 and Emmett Gough sitting to Mikes right went on to come 3rd in the €250 game there was also Andrew T from blond sitting to my right. With the exception of mike and than halibut2 when he came to the table no one was realy mixing it up. I called halibut down twice with 2nd pair as i thought he could well be bluffing.

I got a poker of 5's and only won about 800. Next decent hand i get is pocket Kd Kh in the BB when the blinds are 100-200 3/4 limpers i make it 800 to go. Andrew T calls from the SB.

Flop Qh 3H 8d

Andrew Checks i make it 1600 or 1700 he repops it for 3500. I go into the tank and think his most likely hand here is Ah Qx and so i reraise to 8k. At the start of the hand i have 15.5k and Andrew has about 16.5k i feel like i'm basically telling him i'm not folding here and i'm very strong. Andrew takes about 20 seconds to make his decision and goes all in. I call.

He shows Jh 9H :eek:for a gut shot straight and flush draw.

Turn is Js River Jc for trips and i'm sent to the rails.

mdwexford

I was in the 3 seat JP.

I called Dave down light a couple of times myself, he played very well obviously and got unlucky to keep running his big pairs into the bigger pairs of the guy in the 7 seat. Running Jacks was a sick way to go.

kakak1

tipp86 wrote: »

Ya enjoyed it won my entry for €50 so was happy in general with 21st still hurts when my 1010 was no good for jens 99 :( very well run tournament keeps getting better and better:D

sat immediately to your left from the start of the tournament & never knew you were tipp86, if I had I'd have been asking you for advice.

You played a very good steady game and you're beat by Jen was horrible.

Hope you were never thinking of laying down that house of queens. :eek:

Anyway well played young man, nice playing beside you, sorry I couldn't stay longer

bottom feeder

KevIRL wrote: »

Really great couple of days, well done to everyone involved in the running of the event.

Spent Saturday drinking and watching the main event. Really enjoyable, then on Sunday I decided to go into the 150, my first ever live tournament, finished in the money in 14th. Great experience, playing way out of my normal level and very happy with the outcome:)

Kev nice to meet you mate and very well played, i'd say you'll be one to watch out for in the future. shame you couldn't play the super sat on paddy power due to playing in the 150 event, ahhh well...

caesars pal

The Istanbul wrote: »

Just home from playing in the main event, a €500 freezeout. Have to say it is a superb festival of poker IMHO. Really enjoyed the game with superb structure and prizemonies (only pity is that I could not finish higher: NFR's AA saw to that:(.

Enjoyed meeting and playing with excellent poker players from all over Ireland and abroad.

Well done to the Big Slick guys.

i'll second that. 32nd place but went card dead for 2 hours.made one mistake all day and paid the price.called 60 thou with As Js v A Q off.lost half my stack and never got a hand after.
now i know i will win the MACAU M.E.:cool:

KevIRL

bottom feeder wrote: »

Kev nice to meet you mate and very well played, i'd say you'll be one to watch out for in the future. shame you couldn't play the super sat on paddy power due to playing in the 150 event, ahhh well...

You too Wes, as for the Super Sat, sure fukk it, I probably wouldnt have made it anyway, had much more fun at the Woodlands. Anyway after what happened Laura in the Super Sat (bubbled out), it was probly jinxed anyway.

Very well played yerself too, great call on table 7 earlier in the tournament and fair play for layin down them Kings against yours truly

KevIRL

davidgti wrote: »

well done sir in your first cash:cool: was talking with you for a while..

thanks Dave, good talkin with ya, see you again sometime!

bottom feeder

KevIRL wrote: »

You too Wes, as for the Super Sat, sure fukk it, I probably wouldnt have made it anyway, had much more fun at the Woodlands. Anyway after what happened Laura in the Super Sat (bubbled out), it was probly jinxed anyway.

Very well played yerself too, great call on table 7 earlier in the tournament and fair play for layin down them Kings against yours truly

yeah KK on a A high folp always helps, lol - because i was on the button i taught you might be trying a stop and go from the blinds but gave you credit because you where playing very solid.
Although i was contemplating a shove...

Shortstack

There is a load of photo's from the event here:

http://s215.photobucket.com/albums/cc43/Luckyblind/?

It was a very good event, I enjoyed playing but it was the most card dead I have ever been in 12 hours of play and finding spots to be creative was pretty tough at the table I was on. Mr Halibut played a great game, it was the first time I have spent time at the poker table with him and been able to see his game close up. Big things in tournaments for him coming if he feels like playing more.

A big thankyou to everyone who supported Green Joker Poker at the event. Hou Man/Neslicerz was star and unlucky not to go further in the biggest tournament he has played. James Kenny mixed it up well. The Bomber - well he was just The Bomber! Derek Thorpe was one of my picks at the beginning and this was his first live event since the WSOP main event in which he cashed, if he made the difficult call against Bomber who knows he could have easily won. Jimmy Keirnan showed that his win in Letterkenny was no fluke.

Tony Baitson made a sick laydown and couldn't recover - He has the fortitude to not let it affect him and will bounce back.

Rob Taylor, Nicky Power and Smurph have made a load of finals this year and a big win is on the way for all them soon.

The rankings are shaping up for a close finish, still some results to be added but Jay and Bomber look to be neck and neck but a decent result in the SE or Cork for any of the top 20 or so could shake things up!

smurph

Well what can I say about the weekend, WOW WOW and WOW

Absolutely brilliant structure, great buzz about the place and were both on the list for next years game.
Super Sattelite:D:D
Got knocked out of the super satellite, sat down in the 1, 2 NLH cash game with €100, go that up to €400, moved to the 1, 2, N L omaha table got the €400 up to €2,300 cashed out... Bought back into the 1, 2 NLH and got my 100 up to 600, so made about €2,500 :):)

Main Event
Day1
Got off to a brutal start with this and after doing a donkey play I was down to 2.5K at level 4, so not going according to plan...... I somehow managed to get my stack up to 15K when our table get broken..... This was an absolutely blessing in disguise.... I called a raise to 2K in the big blind Ak off suit. The flop comes down K 3 2 offsuit, I bet out 2K the initial raiser re-raises to 6K and I go all in...... He dwells up and calls with A 10 offsuit:eek::) 30K happiness. I spend next while floating between 25 - 30K then this hand happens.

Blinds are 400 800 and a player raises UTG to 3.5K I look down at poket Kings and re-pop to 8K he dwells and calls. flop comes down 3x 6c 9c. He fires out 8K into the pot.... I think for about 2 mins re-raise all in.... Well he dwells up for about 5 mins and folds showing a 9, but when he is mucking his card I can see his other card...... THEN HE CALLS ME A FISH:mad:. Now this is the last hour of the night, im absolutely shattered and no patience left.... I calmly point out that I saw his hole card and he should have a good think before calling me a fish... "Yeah he says so what was it"... I smile and say quite loudly "it was a Queen", he goes bright red. yes ladys and gentlemen a Queen, re-raise UTG with Q9offsuit and call a re-raise.. Then he calmly anounces that im not a bad player for a woman like". After a bit of investigation I found out that this is one of the local lads called knicknamed gilly, Nicky kelly described him as "the Chief multiplied by 10".Jen mason had been moved to my table and was on my direct left with about 80k, so we had a good giggle at his comment. The next hand she takes down a big pot by re-raising a weak bet on the flop.... I turn to her and say "not bad for a woman" she smiles and says "Thanks fish" I finish day 1 with 37,700.. I was absolutely knackered at the end of the day and probably lost 5k in chips but we managed to struggle outside and have 2 beers.

Day2
God I was tired at the start of Day2. I had decided to try and avoid Jen Mason if at all possible. It was actually not bad having a monster chip stack to my left. Nobody messed with my SB and she limped in quite alot on my BB so there was plenty of flops seen, which I was happy enough with. This is where the memory gets blury, hours and hours we played and I nicely and slowly worked my stack up, no big pots to mention. Got lucky with A9 against a very badly played Kings, but other than that nothing much.....Then the storm..... table broken I hear, and Nicky Power gets moved to my right with Thomas "The Bomber" Nolan beside him... So my bb has thomas Nolan on the button wow.... The next few hours it becomes a battle of the raise and re-raise.... Thomas destroyed the table..... I battled and battled, got lucky once when my chips went in the middle AJ V AK but a lovely JQ2 flop and I was still there. Lost a massive side pot with probably the most interesting hand of the day. Guy in early position raises to 10K, (blinds are 1K 2K) I call with poket 8's and then this northern guy re-raises all in for 110K..... the initial raiser has 25K behind so I just cannot get my head around this at all.... If you had a high pocket pair your not going to ship your whole tank in like that??? I call the all in....

original raiser shows JQ off suit
Ship to Sherbet guy shows AQ off suit.

I have8's

flop is 9 9 6 turn is K and the river is 10 to give the short stack a straight.....
I win aproximately 16K in the whole action and lose a side pot of over 100k.

Were get down to last 3 Tables and the action is fast and furious. I lose a big pot with AK V 8's and swing from between 70 to 160K...... The tension is unreal and so is the atmosphere. I re-raise Michael Cummings in a very big pot preflop and get him to lay down Jacks (I had AK).... eventually when the dust settles and were down to the last two tables I have 204K. Thomas Nolan is chip leader with 560K but I doubt if he will remember this..

Day3 and €150 game
The seat is re-drawn and my table is good, I have Tony Baitson, Rob Taylor there so I know their play and I also know they are not going to do anything too crazy.. So my crippling hand. Guy raises to MP to 35K (Blinds are 4K 8K)
folded around to me on the Button, I ask him how much he has behind, he says about 120K, I look at my cards AhQh, he has been quite actived since the start, So i re-raise all in (180K approximately) he dwells and eventually calls with Ad10d... flop comes down 8 8 9 turn 10:( river blank and I lose a huge pot... Crippled at 55K next few mins I fold fold fold, then I pick up QdKd, Tony baitson raises to 45K guy to my right ships all in I ship because there is nearly 60K in the pot already, guy has kings and im gone..... 16th or 17th can't remember for €1,100 so what to do now...

Decided not to play the cash as I felt I might tilt away some money so I played in the €150 tournament instead, 128 runners, 8k starting stack 20min blinds, managed to work my stack down to 3K before getting it up to 15K by the dinner break... Long story short got knocked out by wes Farrell in 12th position for a respectable €300, played cash til 2.00 a.m. and collapsed into bed.


The funniest thing about the weekend is that Blondepoker have made this report on page 2 of day2 http://blondepoker.com/forum/index.php?topic=28997.15

Jen update:

She's lost about 8k so far today "by playing badly". Doesn't seem to mind though. She's sharing a table with Irish poker legend Colette Murphy, and they look to be having a lovely time. Colette's on around 45k, Jen's on around 75k

I also heard one the the pokerblonde people tellin some guy that I won the Irish Open twice, the player beside me overheard this, but I felt it wasn't the right time to put him straight... Seems im being mistaken for a certain Colette Doherty.. So from here on I would like to be remembered as the "almost famous Smurph"

MrPillowTalk

smurph wrote: »

Seems im being mistaken for a certain Colette Doherty.. So from here on I would like to be remembered as the "almost famous Smurph"

Lol thats a classic.

WP Smurph

davidgti

Shortstack wrote: »

There is a load of photo's from the event here:

http://s215.photobucket.com/albums/cc43/Luckyblind/?

It was a very good event, I enjoyed playing but it was the most card dead I have ever been in 12 hours of play and finding spots to be creative was pretty tough at the table I was on. Mr Halibut played a great game, it was the first time I have spent time at the poker table with him and been able to see his game close up. Big things in tournaments for him coming if he feels like playing more.

A big thankyou to everyone who supported Green Joker Poker at the event. Hou Man/Neslicerz was star and unlucky not to go further in the biggest tournament he has played. James Kenny mixed it up well. The Bomber - well he was just The Bomber! Derek Thorpe was one of my picks at the beginning and this was his first live event since the WSOP main event in which he cashed, if he made the difficult call against Bomber who knows he could have easily won. Jimmy Keirnan showed that his win in Letterkenny was no fluke.

Tony Baitson made a sick laydown and couldn't recover - He has the fortitude to not let it affect him and will bounce back.

Rob Taylor, Nicky Power and Smurph have made a load of finals this year and a big win is on the way for all them soon.

The rankings are shaping up for a close finish, still some results to be added but Jay and Bomber look to be neck and neck but a decent result in the SE or Cork for any of the top 20 or so could shake things up!

great pics mike.top man

connie147

Where do I start? Well I havent been playing a lot lately as I've been a bit sick but I had targeted Neils winterfest as my comeback game and in fairness,it lived up to my expectations. I know Neil quite well and I was pretty sure this would be a top class event and thats exactly what it was. Hats off Neil if you read this. You,your team and blond poker can be proud of how this festival ran.

I started the tourney on Friday evening on table 12,seat 6 and after an hoiur or so,I was very happy with the table I got as it was quite passive. Stayed at this table for a few hours and had my stack up to 28k without having to showdown many hands but more importantly,when I did have to showdown,I had the goods. Best hand for me here was in the 2nd blind level, i raised from mp with KK to 350,the button(loose English player) and BB (lag) both called. As usual,I'm saying to myself dont flop an ace dealer, but he does,but delightfully,he also flops a K and a 4 in a rainbow flop. BB checks,I lead for 800 and both call.Turn is a harmless 2 completing the rainbow.Now the BB leads for 1500.I want to keep the English guy in the hand so after a bit of a dwell up,I smooth call but my English friend folds. River is a 10. BB leads for 2,500.He has about 13k behind,I have 15k.Theres only 3 hands beating me,AA JQ and 53.I'm sure my hand is good so I reraise to 6.5k.He insta calls with A 10 and I'm up to 23k.I take down a few more pots over the next couple of hours without showing down and I'm just loving this table.Then the dreaded words in my ear"your next BB connie, bring your chips and follow me".Fcuk,thats the last thing I wanted.

Anyway, moved on to table 24.Jesus,one look around this table and I knew this was a tough one.Poker was gonna have to be played now.Seat 1,funky monkey off boards,seat 2 Paul(the Rigger)seat 3 Bops, seat 4 Noel Hayes(BCB), seat 5 Jackyback, seat 6 myself, seat 7 connor doyle, seat 8,unknown decent Galway player, seat 9 Ollieboy, seat 10 unknown. Noel Hayes was dominating this table and him being my button,I just knew we were gonna clash sometime.Noel was being ultra aggressive and in most pots. This time he asks me if his button raise will get any respect and he min raises to 600.I tell him obviously no and take a flop with 78 off.Flop is K 10 5,two spades. I check,he bets 700,I call.Turn is 4. I check,he bets 1300,I raise to 5.5k, he 4 bets to 14k.I ask how much he has behind and he has 9k.He's really committed himself so I cancel the idea of trying to push him off it,so I fold and he tables 23 offsuit!! while falling on to the table in tears of laughter. WP Noel, but I was even more adamant to bide my time pick you off.
I got them chips back two hands later when I raised UTG+1 into BCB's BB with JJ. Bops called as did BCB. Flop is 973 rainbow.Both check to me and I bet.Called by Bops only.Turn is Jd putting two diamonds on the table. Bops checks,I bet 2.5k, Bops reraise to 6.5k.I cant see him with 2 pair and he's playing tight enough to know that he hasnt hit a straight,so I put him on the nut flush draw.I tank it. He has 13k behinds and he folds bottom set. Yes.thats right,bops folded bottom set!!!
Shortly after that,BCB raises in mp(as he does).I'm in the c/o and look down at AA. I gamble here and decide to flat call, nobody else comes into the pot and we're heads up. Flop is 10-6-3, 2 hearts,BCB leads for 9k and I push for more than what he has, he instacalls with K10 and I move up the ladder.

We're now in day 2 and the table still isnt any easier.I playing pretty solid and when Connor Doyle gets knocked out,Bomber Nolan takes his seat,directly to my left.But I'm not too worried,Ive played with Tom before and theres a mutual respect there.But again,I just knew we were gonna clash at some stage.Ive 62k at this stage which is double the average.Thomas is there about 2 hours and he's been his usual aggressive self and builds his stack up to 60k.And then it happens.Blinds are 800-1500.Bomber in the BB,me in the SB. Folded around to me.I look down at Ac10c.I know if I just call here,Bomber raises 90% of the time. So I flat call and sure as shiite,Bomber says make it 5.5k more. Right,so I got the raise I was expecting.Now I dwell and I'm thinking if I reraise him to say 17k,he's liable to push all-in over my reraise and I'll have a huge decision to make.So now its call,fold or push.Well,folding's out of the question as I played to trap him so I decide(maybe in a moment of madness,I'll probably post it on the hand advice forum for opinions) to push all in and put bomber to a decision for his chips instead of the other way round. He calls instantly and turns over As-10s. Phew. When he called so quick I thought I was miles behind. The flop brings 2 ugly spades, and when the Ks shows up on the turn,I could have got phisically sick there and then. The dealer pushes Bomber the 120k pot and gives me back 2,100 chips with blinds at 800-1500. This is one sick fcuking game.

Next hand I'm on the button,The Rigger raises to 4.5k,I call otb with J9 off for my last 2'100, all else fold. rigger shows 10-8, nobody improves and the suffering is extended. I push again next hand for 7k,no caller,and next hand,no caller and now Ive 12k.I double it up with 77 when our table is broke.
I get up to 30k with the blinds at 1,500-3000. I'm due to pay the BB when they announce table is breaking. I needed that bit of luck. But theres no chip trays at the ready so the dealer is told to deal another hand while someone getting the chip trays. Well fcuk me. Doesnt this just sum my day up.So I put in my BB,I've 26k behind.Average stack is about 70k now.So before the cards are dealt,Ive decided I'm not losing this blind and moving tables again,this time with 24k.So its folded around to the C/O(funky monkey) who raises to 9k. Folded to me, I look down at 8-3 offsuit and I push for 29k total. "Sorry Connie,I have to call" says Funky Monkey and tables KK. Crowd gathers round and the flop comes A-8-3. No help turn and river and I mone table with 62k .
New table is a decent one too, with flushdraw my button,other players on the table are Pat Storan,Jen Mason,Anna panna from Mermaid,Neoslizer. Tony (flushdraw) was active on the table, I was able to reraise him a few times (twice I had KK) but he never looked me up.Once I even over raised all-in and tony dwelt for ages,but no bite.Is hand after the last break utg puses all in for 60k,folded around to me in the small blind. I look down at AA for the 2nd time of the day and I push as well as the BB,Albert Kenny has a huge stack and with 75k in the middle, I want it heads up. Albert folds and I take it down against A-10 and I finish the night with ave, 200k, and feeling quite good about my chances.Its like being on a freeroll after the day I've had!!.

On to day 3.Im quite happy with the table draw.The 3 big chip leaders,Thomas Nolan,NFR and flushdraw are all on the one table.Im on with 3 english players,(Jen Mason is BB to my button) and the eventual winner(dont know his name).Nicky Power is there,Pat Storan,Ken Corkery,John Quinn and Jimmy Kenny. I draw seat 2 and the BB.Foled around to the sb who is the shortstack and he moves all in for 48k.BB is 8k.I look down at 22 and call.No help on the flop and I've upped my stack to 250k.Another short stack moves into seat 1,a clubmate of mine from Killarney.This is new territory for him and he's not playing his usual game.Flat calling raise with his shortstack and getting it in twice when well behind but hitting 2 outers twice to stay alive. He cost me 75k when he pushed in mp with A-8,I reraised all-in with QQ.No other callers but he hits his ace and knocks me back to 160k. I get a little rush of cards,no premium hands but enough to win chips and I get back up to 258k.Quite a comfortable position really, blinds are 5k-10k,ave stack is about same.14 players left.The real moneys in the top 4 or 5 places,and I'm aiming high.I think I'm playing really well and nothing's really scaring me when this hand happened. I raise to 35k from the HJ with KsJs into Jimmy Kenny, who's blind is there for the taking.Jen Mason reraises to 90k on the button.BB thinks for a while(hollywooding) and folds.Now I've been playing with Mason for approx 8-9 hours at this stage and I've picked up a read that I'm sure is 90% right as to when she has a strong or weak holding.Any other time she got reraised,I knew before she did whether she was going on in the hand or not,and my read turned out to be right each time.I'm absolutely sure she's not holding a premium hand so I've a decision to make.Since we've played together over the last 2 days,she's seen me reraising 3 times all-in where I got called down,I had QQ,KK and AA in those 3 hands.With all this in my head,I push for 257k total,another 167k for her to call. She puts her hands on her head, says shes after getting herself in trouble.She asks me if I had AK.I told her she'd have to call to find out. She has 350 at the start of the pot,so if she calls and loses,she has 90k left. She eventually calls and turns over 44:eek:. A 4 on the flop is accompanied by 2 spades,I'm thinking will the flush Bomber hit against me come back to save me, but two clubs on the turn and river shipped her a half million pot and the chip lead.
I shook her hand and wished her good luck in the rest of the tourney, but as I reeled away from the table,my stomach was churning.I'll never understand how she can call in that position. She said to somebody she was getting 2/1 on her money. What good is that if I have the hand there that it looks like I have ie:QQ,KK or AA. She's 4/1 there and if its two overs,she loses half the time there. She can fold and still have the average stack,call and lose and she has 9 BB's left. Maybe its me being a sore loser,but with the stack she has,I'm folding to that 4 bet all day with 44 agaist a player who has shown down the goods each and every time in the last 9 hours. This is her 4th time seeing me make this move and as i said earlier,my 1st 3 hands were QQ,KK and AA.

Anyway,I collected €1500 for my troubles but it could have been so much more.If I win that pot,I become chip leader with over half a million chips.But it wasn't to be. I really really enjoyed the week-end.I thought the standard was excellent,but then again,that probably comes from the fact of the table I was on.I'm sure not all the tables were like that!! Thanks to all my fellow boardies who made playing in the tourney so enjoyable(on table 24 we had 7 boardies at one stage).
Sorry for making this such a long post.But my exit has been bothering me since yesterday and putting this on paper will help my recovery.

Oh,and bops plays nothing like he writes.
Once again,well done Neil and team.Excellent job.

taliban

caesars pal wrote: »

i'll second that. 32nd place but went card dead for 2 hours.made one mistake all day and paid the price.called 60 thou with As Js v A Q off.lost half my stack and never got a hand after.
now i know i will win the MACAU M.E.:cool:

great tournment.also well done to ian witty:D.andm to u seamus u were due a run, i also heard[could be a rumor] that there will be some fishermen in caesars palace this week,someone told them there was a big fish down there:D:D:D:D well done

RichieLawlor

First off congrats Neill Richie Keith Laura and all the Big Slick Team fantastic event and cant wait for the next one!!

Was impressed that it managed to kick off dead on, nice start.

Took my seat on table 12 seat 5 and an interesting table it was, Seat 1 and 2 were locals (that i was happy to see) 3&4 were unknowns 6 was empty and 7 was Jimmy Kiernan(final tablist), 8 was Kerry Connie 9 was former wwf champion Bret hart, see blonde photos (lol mindless aggressive/ passive/he didnt even know for sure nut bag) and 10 was James Kenny(2nd place finisher).

Started off slow enough the nut bag had doubled up and more 36k very quickly but was gone by level 3. Had increased my stack to 24k when a local guy moves into the vacated 3 seat with his 22k. he is in every pot with garbage. so at the dinner break we have a small chat and i tell him i will have his chips very soon, we will go to war. Kept a record of my stack sizes at the end of each level 15125, 18450, 18800, 23775 so all was good.

Midway thru level 4 100-200 there are 3 limpers and seat 3 (yes the guy i told i was gonna get) raies to 1000 and i look at AQo on the BB and re-pop to 3200 ( im sure im ahead here as any picture card is the nuts to this guy, he doesnt understand position or anything he is raising and reraising with everything Q7o and K6o were some of his gems) all fold and he calls. on a A J 9 lop i bet 3500 he min raised and i insta shoved. he calls with Q9o for like 30bb and im up to 50k sweet. More or less finished day 1 here in 12th place so WP

Day 2

Then Paul Garnham (blondes M3Boy) Tikay and waterfords own Buda ( just LOL) and Wes " he might have got my trophy but ill fleece him for a lift home" Farrel get moved to my table.

unevent full few levels i go from 49525, 59675, 65575 and up to 70 midway thru this level when i get caught up in a big pot with Tikay (Rocky McRockerson;)).

500-1000 level one limper (stop limping every pot chris) Tikay makes it 4k OTB Wes calls and i look at AKo so i think its a good spot to shove (both players are below 20k i think) Tikay calls with QQ and i lose the race.tikay spend the next few hours tryin to monkey tilt me telling everyone and there mother that he has all my red 5k chips LOL Back to battle with around 40k. Chp away for another couple of hours up to 57k.

1000 2000 level and Bomber has been here for an hour and a half or so and is in every pot. Ep limp again!!!! followed by 4 other limpers the Button Anthony Lynch ( very active 10th place finsher riased about 5 outta 10 pots and also called a 60k all in with 6 6) raises to 10k and i look at AQs on BB after a bit of a think i ship for 50k (i think it was a prety good spot) all limpers fold and Button calls with AKo and thats all she wrote. dont think i would play it any differently.

Played cash for most of sunday night for a small profit, Had a good chat with Smurf 9 nice playing with an irish poker legend;)) and anyone who hasnt read her report the story about the local who called her a fish is quality)

Overall really enjoyed it, played good the blonde poker crew were sound and look forward to the next one.

taliban

Took my seat on table 12 seat 5 and an interesting table it was, Seat 1 and 2 were locals (that i was happy to see) [/QUOTE]

hope your not insinuating something ritchie.my biggest achivement was lasting 2 days on the same table as you :D:D.you played well by the way.thought you would make it futher,,,,but maybe seamus is right about u after all

RichieLawlor

taliban wrote: »

hope your not insinuating something ritchie.my biggest achivement was lasting 2 days on the same table as you :D:D.you played well by the way.thought you would make it futher,,,,but maybe seamus is right about u after all

Just happy i had someone to talk to thats all. , enjoyed the table though, sick hand u went out on

Matt Santos

Old Yesterday, 21:52 #6
Ollieboy
Registered User

Join Date: May 2005
Location: Clonee
Posts: 1,427
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great weekend of poker and excellant event. The highlights for me:

1. the large field
2. brilliant structure
3. decent buy-in with good size prize money
4. Very well run and rules very clear.
5. dealing was in general excellant.
6. Fold top 2 pair against a set on the flop
7. hitting a house of 4's against a lower house of 2's on the flop

bad points:

1. to still have 15k in chips in total at level 10, ie 500/1000 level
2. to get beaten by rigger with his AK against KK when he got runners for straight.
3. to get knock out in 33rd position after playing some really good poker and making some good calls with Ace high.
4. to get knock out when player hit 3 out on the turn when he should have fold preflop and not bet the flop to make himself pot commit in the 1st place.

brilliant time, disappoint not to spend more time drinking though.
__________________
http://www.onepercentpledge.com/


Thanks for mentioning our uber nasty/terrific hand! No way I could lay down the house especially the way the hand developed. It was a nice gesture on your behalf to stop and give me a little chat during the break. I was in pretty low form at that stage but it was eased somewhat after the chat.
Cant wait till we meet again big man!!
On the topic of the event itself............................. Mind blowing organising from Neill and Keith with the rest of the staff. Greatest tournament for my level to play in and a God send that it so local for us.

Well done.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

bops wrote: »

my tourney was horrid - everything went to sh*t, it's like a 6 hour constant battering.

but it was nice to catch up with a few of ye, and to put a few names to faces

Nice to meet the famous bops, in fairness that was a tough table

caesars pal

Leona Proud Topaz wrote: »

Nice to meet the famous bops, in fairness that was a tough table

easy table if you had 8 more like bops.definitely thee most famous fish in the S,E.:D

RichieLawlor

caesars pal wrote: »

easy table if you had 8 more like bops.definitely thee most famous fish in the S,E.:D

I think ur breeding them down there Seamus, and Bops is there leader