Poker Creationism

Day 1 - Light & Darkness
Day 2 - Water & Land
Day 3 - Sun & Moon
Day 4 - Birds & Sundry Sea Creatures
Day 5 - Cattle & Insects
Day 259 - Jimbo finally breaks even at live cash poker

God saw what had happened, and it was good.

And so it came to pass - with the mighty hole cards of 2♣3♥ I finally clawed my way to even for the year in live cash NLHE. It came in a rather fortuitous pot as well - I raise in mid position as I have been doing for about 60% of hands. I get a customer, see an unpromising flop of A, K, K. I continuation bet and get called - the turn brings a 4. I lead again and get called and the river brings the 5. I value bet on the end and get paid off.

The cash game was short handed - six players the maximum at the table which, as at the weekend, suited my game. At one point I was pretty close to posting a £400 losing session, after having to dip into “Bank of Honest Dave” for £200, but I was comfortable with the fact I wasn’t donking off chips, and I guess with my style I will have pretty swingy losing sessions from time to time. In the event, I roared back and won £200 by the close.

The City100 tournament was a pretty damp squib. Only 8 runners, so it was basically a deep stacked sit and go. I bubbled in third place, as I seem to do in most tournaments these days. I made a right mess of things 4 players out, as I was huge chip leader. Three hands led to my demise:

Hand1
Sven makes up the SB and I check in the BB with Q5.
Flop comes 2, 3, 8
Check Check
Turn 3
Check Check
River Q
Sven bets 1k, and I check raise to 3k. Sven shoves for 8k total. I have played this hand terribly - I should have just called down on the end. Anyway, I call, and Sven has his trip threes to take down a huge pot.

Hand2
Three players remain and Sven passes on the button. I raise to 5k virtually putting Sir Mike all in, but he shoves back for 1k more. I have to call with my 10s4d and Mike has K♦7♥, so a good read by him. He hits two pair and I am now the short stack.

Hand3
I check my big blind with 7♦3♠
Flop comes a promising looking 3d3c6h
Checked around
Turn is a Jack I think, and I shove my last 5k into the 3k pot ,hoping that they think I am on the steal.
Mike snap calls however, and I’ve been cold decked as he has A♥3♥, and I am done.

Very disappointing not to cash - perhaps I am leaving it for the Virgin Festival a week on Saturday, which is my next decent sized tournament.

Looking back over the records, I think that is the fifth winning cash session on the bounce, which is a bit of a tear, so if I keep that up I should be well up by the end of the year. Operation “not being an imbecile on the river” has improved my game no end.

This weekend, I have staked Sir Mike for 5% of the WSOP 1.5k event. I can’t play as I’ve got the chance to have my son stay over, and don’t want to miss that. However, this way I at least have a small piece of the action, and have backed a tournament player in red hot form. Go Sir Mike!