Returning to form at just the right time

I was nervous about my form going into Vegas - I wasn’t worried about my play, just the fact that I couldn’t hit a flop, and opponents would always hit the draw against me when I was ahead. Thankfully the last 2 weeks seem to have turned around, and not a moment too soon, ahead of the biggest trip of the year.

Thursday was Fluke’s home game, and I played pretty solidly, before a heads up session at the end against the Baron (Tom), where I got a huge slice of luck and took pretty much all the money left on the table. In the earlier games, Uncle Paulie was very unlucky to get quartered in Omaha8 when my straight turned into a straight flush on the turn to give me the high. We also played a round with a Joker, and I recieved it twice, winning big pots and eliminating the Professor.

We then came to heads up at the end of the evening - some players had left with modest profits, but mine and the Baron’s stack were by far the largest. There was a bit of history to the killer hand, as Tom had previously bluffed me off the best hand with 72o in a big pot. I was dealt 4♣5♦ and raised it up to £6. Tom re-raised to £18 with J10 I think, and I called.

Flop was 5, 6, J. I led out for £30, Tom repopped to £100 and I shoved with bottom pair for about £300 more. As soon as I saw the Baron’s expression, I knew he must have the Jack, but after vexing he made the call with his top pair. Turn was a 4 to give me two pair and win me the final pot of about £700, leaving me a profit of about £550 for the night. The baron took it well, and I think still made a profit for the evening as well, even after that cruel turn.

Last night I followed this up with a rather good online session. I played three Full Tilt tournaments without success, but made 2 final tables on other sites. In the cryptologic 20k guaranteed I took down 4th place for $1,500, and on the PokerStars 25k guaranteed I placed 7th or 8th for about $1,000. Making two final tables in such big runner fields is pretty solid stuff, and a great morale boost. That elusive form appears to have returned…let’s hope it sticks around for another 2 weeks eh?

PROFIT/(LOSS) USD 2008
Live Holdem Tournaments	3,020
Live Holdem Cash	(1,711)
Live Omaha	110
Live “Professional” Tournaments	(11,476)
Home Games	540
Online Holdem Tournaments	56,628
Online Holdem Cash	17,026
Online Omaha	330
Sundry	854
Rake	(2,167)
Total	61,939