Virgin Poker Festival Aspers Newcastle

Well what a weekend. Went to the Virgin Poker Festival in Newcastle. Unfortunately I hadn't managed to win a seat to the main event, so would have to rely on the luck of an on the day raffle but more of that later.

$500 Double Chance Freezeout

With 12000 chips and an hour clock we were all looking forward to a decent tournament and we were not to be disappointed. Many old faces appeared out of the woodwork and with a decent sized field around 60 we knew a good standard of play would be required.

Early on I didn't get too involved and to be honest didn't get too many hands. But I have pushed my stack up to about 15k. Just before the first 2 hour break, blinds at 100/200, there was a raise from under the gun and I looked down in the cutoff at AA, with the initial raiser making it 350 to play, i bumped it up to 2350, he calls. The flop comes down 2 5 9 with 2 spades. He checks and i bet 3500. He immediately pushes all in. Does he have a set? My initial read was that he had AJ or something like that, at very worst AK, I never put him on a pair at all. I'm convinced he would only make this play with a flush draw and whilst I don't really like it I call because I think I am ahead and he is drawing. He turns over As10s and with a blank turn and river I increase my stack to 24k.

Several hours pass and I have stagnated winning a few pots here and there just to keep my stack ticking over. I get moved tables and go straight into the BB. It Folds round to the button who puts in a raise. I look down at 55, at least i got a hand to raise him with and teach him not to raise my BB. I raise it up and he calls after a long think, I have him on A rag. We end up checking it down and sure enough he has A7 and my 5's hold up. As I am counting the chips, he looks over and says "Are you GiMac?" and I say "Yes". That's how I met MadasaWasp from AWOP. Nice guy and a good player.

At the last break for the day they decide to squeeze in an extra level and it's during this level that I get the most action. My stack is still in the 20's and I need to get a few hands to make it worthwhile coming back the next day. I get moved tables and an old adversary of mine, says "Here he comes, he always knocks me out. I'm getting your chips this time!!!". I just say that will depend on the poker gods and we will see. Anyway, with just over an hour to go, he raises from Mid table position, I immediately put him on A10 or therabouts.I look down on the button and see the dreaded hooks. Now whilst JJ is one of the best ranked hands in poker, it is a hard hand to play with because of the number of times an over card will appear on the flop, but I'll take it against A10 any day. With blinds at 400/800 he has raised it too 3200, i raise a further 6000, he has 9000 behind so he has a push or fold decision. Meantime Li in the BB folds AK, he is some player. Anyway matey boy decides to push all in and I duly call. It's better than expected because he has AJ and is a 30% dog. Anyway the poker gods decided to smile on me and I knock him out once again. "You always take my chips" he says, "What can you do?" I say, with a rye little smile.

The very next hand a player pushes all in from under the gun, as does someone else. I look down in the cutoff at AA and push all in too. My Bullets hold up and I take out the two small stacks. These two hands have increased my stack to 65k and I can shut up shop until day 2.

It's getting late and the decision to squeeze in an extra level will affect my end of day chip count. It's well after 4am and nearly the end of the days play when it folds round to me on the button. I look down at A 3 and although I don't normally raise with it, cos it's not in my hand range, even from the button. I decide to use my chip stack to take down the blinds. I announce raise and Benny, who has to be the quietest dealer on the planet says something to me. I have to ask him to repeat and the whole table tells me that Malcolm has already pushed all in from under the gun for about 9k. Shit mistake!!! My only one of the day but it's going to cost me. He has AK which holds up and with a further set of blind going through me I end the day on 49000 chips.

Day 2

Play was due to start at 3pm with 21 players returning, but I was unfortunately delayed and didn't arrive until after 4pm, not a good start. I had lost approx 9k in chips and stood on 40k. This wasn't a disaster because I had just about bang on the average stack, but with the blinds about to go up to 1000/2000 there was no real pressure to get a move on. Twice I raise only to be re-raised by tight players and I find myself having to lay down decent hands. Then I go completely card dead. Everytime I look to make a move, someone raises before I can act. I'm bleeding chips and am now the short stack of the table and need to choose a position to make a move. I end up raising on the button with A4 suited. I make it 4500, leaving me approx 12k behind to go and the BB calls, the flop comes 10 5 8. He immediately pushes all in. Now he did this to me before and I figured he had something and passed. Using that information, if I was right the first time his demeanour was slightly different this time, meaning he had nothinig or was on a draw. The only thing to figure out was, was I right last time??? I decide I was and call he turns over 67 and is up and down. Someone at the table says "Thats a damn good call!!!" just as the dealer turns over a 9 of diamonds to complete the BB's straight. A good call made at a bad time and I go out in 12th position. I was happy with the way I played overall and the only two things I might do differently would be not to make the mistake at the end of day 1 and maybe I should have pushed all in with the A4 instead of just raising. Always learning!!!

The tournament ended up being won by Eric Barker an extremely good player.

It was a great tournament, won by a worthy winner and ran expertly by the Aspers Cardroom Crew.

Well done all!!!

I'll post about the rest of the weekend later.