In some ways that's actually been good for me as I feel really in tune with my game and the amount of 10 minute and 15 minute blind structures I've played lately has really helped up my aggression level tremendously. When I've been playing the normal 25 minute blind level events on Friday and Saturday nights I've been starting them in attack mode right from the start and it's really paid dividends.
I failed to come first or second in the invitational event on Saturday 1st Oct though I was still in with a chance with about 14 left. I lost a flip and busted out, so I was reasonably happy about it. In fairness I've been winning flips there lately and I was starting to worry that I was using up all my run good.
2 new people came 1st and 2nd so that's added 2 to the FT and one of them, Scott, is a good player so that wasn't the best result for me. With 3 left he was way better than the other 2 but the blind structure reduced his edge and he finished in 2nd spot. That means he'll only have 5k starting stack in the final (me 10k) so it could have been worse.
After the invitational I played the normal evening comp and it had 69 runners the most it's had for a while. I started off really well, though getting KK in the bb and AA next hand in the sb didn't hurt. I actually flopped an Ace for a set and got what I think was the max from someone with J,Q on a board of A,3,8,Q,9.
Starting stack is 9k (it's actually 7.5k, but if u reg 1hr early you get an extra 20%) and I was up to 25k by 200/400. My initial starting table was very active indeed and I had several serial openers on my table including Dave Goody who was on the button to my bb.
I got moved to a really easy table where it was fold city. I started opening a few pots and picking up blinds then at 300/600 made it 2.1k from UTG+1 as UTG had limped.
The bb called as well as the limper and when the flop came A,7,5 I led out for 4.1k after they both checked. The bb folded and the limper shipped in for 25k!!
Yike, I didn't like that one little bit. I thought I was betting for value as I was sure one of them had an Ace and 100% it wasn't AK. Now I was worried he'd got lucky with A7 or A5.
Having never played the guy before my read was.
a) He had a pint of lager to hand and was clearly half pissed ( I do play the best quality tourneys) as he was slouched into his chair.
b) When I looked at him he just didn't look like a good player! I know that sounds daft but I do make certain assumptions based on how opponents look and he had done nothing in the 10 minutes I'd been on the table to suggest he was slippery. Very subjective I know, but he didn't look like the type to limp call UTG with AA and then just call a 3bet! Though if I'm honest I've not faced that move too often so don't really have an idea what that player would look like! Usually if a donk limps with AA they they 3 bet ship if someone raises pre.
b) When I started to talk to him I picked up that he wasn't that confident. ( I won't give details as too many of my opponents @ G Cov read this now)
Anyway I figured he was not that confident so although I wasn't thrilled about it I made the call and he showed A,8 and my hand held up. That put me well over 50k and made me CL with just the 3 tables left.
When they broke my table at 800/1600 we were moved to another with 1 very good player on it and 4 or 5 of the biggest donkeys ever.
Of course the best player goes busto and I also get KO'd by a shockingly bad call IMO.
I was really furious with my exit hand. I was totally card dead on that table and had literally no cards and no good spots to 3 bet or even open pot's. I'd literally folded for 2 blind levels when at 1500/3000/300 a guy limped from UTG+1 and the CL calls on the button.
When it gets to me I ship all-in from the sb with 88 for 35k more. The original limper, having looked at his hand initially and thinking that it was not good enough to raise with, then decides on 2nd viewing that it is in fact a good enough hand to call off another 35k with. He should also have been aware of the fact that the CL who was equally as shit as him, is still to act behind on the button and was liable to do anything including re-ship for 100k.
Anyway the button folds and I turn my 88 and he shows A7. WTF was he thinking? If he'd opened for 2.5 bigs and I shoved and he calls it would have been fine but to be so terrible to limp from early position and then get lucky on me really hurt. I haven't played a hand for 2 blind levels and he thinks that's ahead? Anyway in the grand scheme of things it's not a bad beat as I know I'm only about 67% but it hurts when bad play gets rewarded.
I'd have been back above chip average if I'd won so I was annoyed as he hit's an Ace on the flop and a 7 on the turn. The 7 gives me an up an down straight draw but I miss it and have to leave. If I'd won that pot I'd have been right back in the game and would have strongly fancied my chances.
To give you an idea how bad some of them were the guy to my left had less than 10 big blinds and got dealt AA when in the bb. The button raised and he just called. The flop went c/c and then bet/raise/FOLD on the turn!!!!!! Yes he folded pocket Aces with about 4 bb's left!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The board was 10,9,7, 10 and he said "I thought you had the straight or a 10. The button showed 7,6.
WTF these people amaze me. I know I shouldn't bother but I did ask him "how come all your chips didn't cross the line pre-flop?" He had no answer to that question.
I didn't offer him any advice but if he reads this I'd give him one tip. If you are going to play that bad don't compound it by voluntarily turning your cards over when you fold. It just shows the whole world what a knob you are. I make bad plays myself and I have often slow played hands pre-flop and had to lay them down, but I tend not to advertise the fact that I'm a tit and keep it to myself.
On the whole though I enjoyed the tourney and the early stages in particular.
I'm very pleased with the fact that for the last few months I've been consistently accumulating lot's of chips at the early levels of tournaments. I feel my edge is far greater over the novice player during the early levels and have changed my approach accordingly. In the past I was far too tight early on and just kept out of trouble during the early levels now I'm really getting involved.
My Schedule for the Week.
I will probably go on Wednesday to the G Cov as they are having a "Sharky" special promotion night in readiness for the GUKPT festival. This Wednesdays (5th Oct) normal £15 Deep & Steep Freezeout, (15000 starting chips) has:
£1,500 in added prizes. Make the top 5 and win a £150 seat to GUKPT COV05 (Super sat for main event (ME) 1/7 gets a ME seat)
Knock Sharky out and win a £150 seat to GUKPT COV05
First player out wins a £30 seat to GUKPT COV01 (super sat £30 re-buy 10 ME seats guaranteed)
Also random prizes will be awarded throughout the night.
This comp normally gets 60 runners and the standard is terrible. (seriously the worst ever)
Regarding the "Knock Sharky out" I may take a baseball bat with me, that should do it.
My one big concern with the GUKPT events starting so soon is that I've been playing the locals at the G Cov too often lately. Even allowing for the sprinkling of good players there, by and large the standard of play of the average player there is so terrible that I'll have a great deal of difficulty adjusting to the standard in the GUKPT events and that is a worry.
Week Commencing 9th Oct
So it all starts on Sunday 9th at 2.00pm with the Freeroll Final Table where approx 7-9 of us will play winner takes all for the £1,000 Main Event seat. The evening comp is the £30 super satellite which I've also won a seat for, this guarantess 10 seats for the ME.
Then Monday I'll be playing the £100 NLHE freezeout (event 02, see http://www.grosvenorukpokertour.com/en/Event-Details/2011-Leg-5-Coventry/ for all event details)
Wednesday the 12th I'll be in the £150 super satellite freezout which will make at least 7 or 8 ME seats, though playing that means that I cannot play the £150 PLO event which is on the same day.
I just need to decide whether to play the £200 six max 1 day event on Thursday, or the £300 2 day event starting on Tuesday. A lot depends on whether or not I win a ME seat and if so when do I win it?
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