The chips go from me to you
Poor old Pete Best. Talk about missing the gravy train - one minute he’s happily playing the Hamburg club circuit in a young band known as The Beatles, and the next he’s been kicked out, just as they have secured a recording contract. To rub salt in the wounds, he briefly thinks he has been replaced by a dog, before realising that a man can actually be called “Ringo”.
I guess Best never really fitted in to the band - he dressed differently, abstained from drugs and preferred time on his own, whilst the others were going potty around the Reeperbaum. His popularity with the female contingent of the early Beatles’ following was also a source of irritation for Lennon, and once Abbey studios decided they weren’t too keen on his drumming during a recording session in early 1962, there could only be one outcome.
In poker terms, I still have a feeling of what might have been from last night. I played phenomenally well - probably the best I have ever played online I think, even surpassing the FTOPs success (and this is saying something as I am normally pretty critical of my own play).
Even when I am back on the live poker scene in a few weeks, I aim to play online midweek, once a week. I’ve come up with a schedule for these weekday forays:
7pm FT 27.5k guaranteed ($26 buy in, 2500 runners)
7pm PS 30k guaranteed ($10 buy in, 3500 runners)
8pm FT 75k guaranteed ($162 buy in, 350 runners)
8pm PS 80k guaranteed ($55 buy in, 1800 runners)
830pm FT 20k guaranteed ($55 buy in, 350 runners)
I think this schedule doesn’t stretch the bankroll too much, provides a shot at a big win and also prevents me going to bed at a stupid hour on a school night. I guess the first 2 tournaments are odd choices, normally below my bankroll but:
A) the top prizes are significant
B) there is a lot of shoving involved, and I should be better at picking spots than a lot of my opponents.
C) they are really fun
Astonishingly, I final tabled both of the 7pm events fighting off a combined total of 6000 players to take my seats at the end game. I also cashed in the 20k, and was only eliminated from the other two after suffering outdraws. Like I said, on form. However, at $1950 up for the night, I can’t help feel that I should have won a truck load more. I busted 6th and 8th respectively on my FTs, after arriving at them 3rd and 4th in chips. The prize jumps were steep in both, at $500+ a spot.
Quick summary:
FT 27.5k
Played very aggressively, and people were far too tight once the final table was in sight. I picked up so many blinds uncontested I was chip leader with about 15 remaining. Unfortunately, at this point the wheels came off a little, and I had to make several lay downs when I had open raised the pot. I then lost a huge pot for the chip lead 77 v AQ all in pre flop, and that left me in 5th spot with 6 remaining. I shoved my last (still substantial stack) in with AQ and was called by the big blind with A5 and he spiked a 5 to bust me in 6th for $1350.
PS 30k
Again built a huge stack with aggression, and also picked some nice spots for resteals. Was sitting 7th of 8 at the time of my exit. However, I had over 1 million in my stack and the chip leader only had 1.6 million so it was any one’s game. The blinds were 50k/100k, so everyone had 10-15 blinds remaining. I find UTG and stick it in. The big blind calls with and flops a flush. Really gutted about this one, as would have been chip leader if my hand holds. I am out and win $750.
FT 75k
I fly up to 12k from 3k starting stack fairly early on, and am sitting in about 15th place. After the second break, I have trodden water at 13k, but am still in the top 40 or so. Someone raises UTG to 1200, and I find QQ in mid position and make it 3600. He shoves for 15k total and I make the call, to be shown . I flop a set, but he makes a straight to bust me. His play is so bad in so many ways. Recently I have prided myself on not tilting online, but I am close to the edge after this one. You just don’t expect it in a $150 tournament.
PS 80k
I run my 3k stack up to 8k in the first 2 levels, before getting into a pre-flop raising war with the other big stack. We get it all in - I have AA verses his KK, so it looks good for an early chip lead, but he flops a King and I am knocked out. Hand plays itself really - just one of those things.
FT 20k
I build a big stack early (again), but am not going anywhere fast as we plod into the money. The tournament pays 65 places, and I wriggle up the ladder, as with 45 remaining I am still clinging on in 41st place. I still have 15 blinds though, so no need to worry yet. However, when I find AQ in the cutoff I decide to just bang it in as i don’t want to lay down post flop if I miss. I get called by the BB who has A5 and he flops a 5 to bust me.
As you can see, I played really well, and generally got my money in good. I just can’t help wondering what might have been on the final tables.
Missing out on the big one…Pete Best must have mused what he had done wrong when the Beatles roared into the charts and registered their first number 1 in 1963. I felt similarly despondent when my huge mound of chips disappeared to the AQ villain on the PS final table. Oh, and the title of the Beatles first UK number one? “From Me To You”. How apt.