City 100, Loose Cannon

Another City 100 tournament at the Loose Cannon. Both the tournaments prior to this one have been big successes with 60+ fields and a good solid structure. The field was down to about 45 for the latest installment, but that still offered a prize pot of 4.5k so worth playing for.

My table was full of familiar faces - Beverly Pace, Carl “the volcano” Kibblewhite, Hugh Mullally, and Mark Skrypec. Luke Hallard was seemingly following the 1970’s trade union mantra of “last in first out” as he arrived half way through the first blind level and was gone about 15 minutes later.

I didn’t really see many cards to begin with so limped with suited connectors and took down a few pots when nobody seemed to want to bet the board. I also tested the volcano’s patience when holding on to AK longer than I should have and hitting on the river.

I’d worked my way up to 6500 (from a 4500 start) when I look down in the big blind and find AQ. The big blind is 200, but the button makes the odd decision to push for 3000 chips, despite there being no action before him.

Hmmm - I figure its a flip at worst as there is no way he does this with AK, AA, KK and I reckon there is about 40% chance he is completely dominated. I want to play to win this tournie so I call and he turns A9. The Q plays and I’m up to 9500 and in good shape. I edge up to 11k by the break winning a few small pots here and there.

Play restarts with several players missing. It’s folded round to a short stacked Bev who pushes. The volcano has left his big blind unattended (I’m in the small blind) so Bev would do this with any two cards. Its an instant call with A8 and it holds against Bevs 10 3 to elimate her.

Our table is now broken and I’m moved next to Tom Spence who is an aggressive player, so our blind battles would prove to be interesting to say the least.

Norman Pace is opposite me (of Hale and Pace fame). It’s the first time I’ve met him and he seems a nice bloke and is a solid player as well. The first of my skirmishes with Tom occurs when I’m in the big blind. Tom raises under the gun 3xBB (so its more likely to be a strong hand than if he’s doing it in late position). It’s folded round and I defend with 4 6 suited, planning to check raise Tom’s continuation if it’s a low flop (I’ve got enough chips to be creative at the moment). The check raise works on a Jack high flop and it’s 1-0 to me.

A few hands later I raise in late position with K10. Tom reraises 3 times my bet with J8 and I fold. Tom bags the equaliser :)

I’m running well at about 15k in chips at this stage but then the hand which signals the beginning of the end. I find AK in the big blind and it’s folded round to the small blind who raises to 3000. I push for all his chips (3000 left behind) and he calls with Q8 (correctly in my opinion). The door card is the Ace but a Queen on the turn and an 8 on the river costs me 12k in chips and I’m starting to feel short stacked on 9k (there are now antes every hand).

I see nothing for an orbit and it comes round to my big blind again. The button raises to 3000 and he has 9000 left behind. He has been pretty active, so I decide to push with 10 3 because the stack sizes are perfect (I have about 8k behind). It will cripple him to call and he ums and arrs for some time, before eventually calling with AJ.

It’s probably not a call I’d have made but fair enough and it holds and I’m gone in 15th spot.

Overall I felt I played pretty well, but the AK hand really killed me as I would have been up to 21k if that river card hadn’t come and in great shape.

Congratulations to Carl who placed 2nd and has started the year in fine form. Also another strong showing from Tom for 6th.

Tonight…poker league.