PokerQueens.co.uk

[ChrisL]

So, I had a rare free evening this week, and was going to watch the Uefa Cup final, but decided on a game of poker (only my 3rd game this year!)

A quick look on the poker meetup site game me my options:
http://poker.meetup.com/89/calendar/

I went for the Apple Tree pub, which is quite close to where I live.
http://www.blapo.co.uk/the_wednesday_game__the_apple_tree.html

So it was a £5 buy-in. I was just looking for a good game.
There were 3 tables full of people, and the action was a bit random. There was about 3 or 4 all ins within the first half our at my table.

I player about 4 hands and never won a pot. At the last hand before the interval I flopped an open ended straight draw, went all in, got one called and lost. So, I never won a hand all night.

They did £5 rebuys, and i'm not too keen on rebuying on the basis that if I haven't won any hands and gone out with my original stack, i'm unlikely to improve with just a few more chips.
However, it was only £5, so I bought back in to play after the interval.

It was here that my luck had changed. I had a battle with the chap to my right for a couple of hands on the trot, which I came off better, and also made some good laydowns (folded 88 to AA, and AQ to AK)

Tables were split down into 2 and I wasn't winning much, but not losing either. I went down then came back up on the 2nd table, and played it tight to get to the final table.

We had another break, then got round to playing the final table.
Payout was 1st-120 2nd-80 3rd-60 4th-40 5th-15, and we had a dealer.
I was short stack and started as big blind. Perfect oppertunity for half the table to take me on and put me out, but only the small blind called, I pretty much went all in and doubled up!
2nd had I went all in and doubled up! (sorry can't remember the cards. I was getting A8, KQ, stuff like that)
3rd hand I had a rest, but 4th hand I had AQ, and went all in. Was called by a pocket pair but hit something on the flop to win the pot.

So, I had enough chips to sit back and let everyone else knock each other out - Most people were forced to go all in as the blinds had hit 3000/6000.

I was aware that we were close to the bubble, and with my stack, I could make it into 3rd if I didn't do anything silly.

I was forced to call a couple of small stack all ins, which I came off the better. Good stuff.

Made it into the final 3, and wasn't the small stack, so again was hoping the other chap would knock out the small stack. Not to be though. I had to put the chap all in when I was on the button and he was big blind. He didn't like the call, but didn't have much of a choice. I won and it went down to head to head.

The chap I was playing opposite was a bit pissed, so I tried a few moves on him and managed to pick up his blinds until I called his all in. He had A 10, I had K 10 suited. He won that hand and put him into chip lead. A few more hands of argy barge, and I eventually went all in holding 88. He called, K 7 (or something), and my pair held up to WIN my first pub tourney!!!

Great stuff, and a nice cash prize to boot.

Has got my in the mood for a few more games now.....
Anyone want to meet up for a game?
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