I can feel the closeness of a decent final table coming! Last nights efforts saw a go at the $20 with one rebuy and add on and also the $3 rebuy, both on Stars. Started with an 'error' in the $20 when I rebought straight away, which isn't a problem, but it didn't leave me enough for an add on in my account for the crapshoot Sunday Million sat I was playing in at the same time! I soon bust out of the sat and just concentrated on the tourneys though and whilst it was fairly uneventful for the first hour, I did manage a nice double up to just over 6k in the $20 before the break which left me in good shape going in to the freezeout, especially with the add on.

The $3 rebuy is a fun event. I decided to use this one to practice making moves more and applying Adanthar's video tips of defending blinds and making better moves more before doing them in the $20. I was never really chipped up in this, but I did hit a few nice hands and managed to get up to 35k before I hit a hand with AQ utg where I limped, one other caller apart from the big blind and the flop came Q T 8. I bet pot and matey called, BB folded. turn bought a J so I was a bit worried about the straight, so I checked, he bet a small amount and I called. River bought another jack and I was pretty worried about the straight and I'm sure there was a flush there, so I checked, he bet 3k and I called. He showed AJ! TBH, I was pretty disapointed that not only had he lucked out hitting the two outer, but didn't give me any credit despite having him well covered and having played tight for.....since the beginning. Still, I guess that's what you get for playing OOP and not playing the flop and turn properly. I'm not quite sure what he called the flop bet for, but that's life I suppose. It was sort of nice to see him going out about 100 from the money though, just a shame I never got my chips back.

Made a few calls against shorter stacks pushing against my big blind, the best when someone pushed when I had KQ. I had him covered by quite a bit, just over double his stack, and decided that I was well ahead of his range here so made the call. Thankfully he had KJ and my hand held to crys of him typing in "WORST CALL EVER!", made me chuckle.

Whilst I didn't set the world on fire, I did cash for $17 in this for a very small $8 profit which is better than a kick in the arse I guess.


The $20 rolled on and I was getting close to the money. With 65 left, money on 63, I was dealt pocket kings, but UTG +2 who was also the CL decided to raise 2xBB to 3200, so I just pushed all in, thankfully he folded claiming AJ and then I sailed in to the money. I say thankfully because I reallly wanted to cash and going out on the bubble would have been very disapointing. My tens held against AJ to double me up in the money which was handy then it sort of went wrong in a few hands. I managed to pick up a few blinds here and there and was in good shape, doubled up with QQ but then I had TT again, raised to 9600 and the small blind pushed for his last 13k. I thought I was in big trouble, but he had A2s but unfortunately, the ace came on the river. He seemed to go on a sick run then and managed to get to over 100k, then I was dealt AK and raised 4xBB and again he pushed from the big blind and I clearly called, he showed KJ and sadly the board came QJQQ8 and that was that. I was a bit pissed last night that he made some bad play there, but I guess KJ could have been ahead of my stealing range so I can' t complain too much on that, I just got unlucky. The A2 was a bit wierd though, I clearly wasn't laying the hand down and he's not beating much. What is annoying is that he went on to get 4th for just over $2k! THAT'S THE PAYDAY I WANTED!


Still, quite pleased with last nights efforts, but I need to make a nice final table still. The $20 with one rebuy and add on is a great event for me as it's a max of $60 that's invested but it only attracts around 500 runners. The $55's would be more ideal as they are slightly cheaper, but they get around 1000 runners which is a lot to plough through. I just need to boost my Stars account really as I'm always low in there. I have the roll elsewhere, but I don't like to have it all on one site. It's just a personal thing.

Oh, played at The Western on Friday night in the £30 freezeout and John Tabbatai was there playing. He'd played an event upstairs for something else and decided to join in our little bash. Seemed a really nice guy, happy to talk to everyone and was friendly. Guess he went on to final there too. I busted out in 12th pushing with 7's and ran in to the big blinds queens. Prob not the worst play ever, but I wanted to make any final table with chips rather than my usual short stacked, so I pushed. Looking back now, I'd like the cash :)