Championeeeees!!!!

Championeeeees!!!!

Made the journey down to Blackpool to take part in the GUKPT Main Event for day 1b Friday and meet up with a few NPF ers including fellow Dobba Xenocode, Mullet, Graham, Madasawasp and Hitthehole Tom Middleton. Notice Xenocode has an absolute nightmare table but when I get my seat Im very happy with it although it does include Zach Ford and previous Champions winner Mike Ellis. I actually thought I was sat next to Steve Holden at 1st but was a guy called Jeff Hemmerman. Can I just say this guy was an absolute gentleman and was a pleasure to be in his company all day at the table. He was an ex pro footballer and played poker with a good solid game but with a great attitude and with respect to his fellow players at the table.

I was delighted to see he went very deep with a great 5th place finish getting it in AJ v KK for board to run out AJ10 K rag. was telling me he was lined up for a move to Everton but a bad knee injury last game of season ruined that only for Everton to then sign no other than Gary Lineker as his replacement.
As for me well although busting out 20 mins from end of day all in all I think I played some of my best poker of all year. Got stacked up to a peak of 35k at one stage mainly due to calling a raise from Zach Ford with 88 for flop of 6s7s8. My re raise to his bet was shipped on and my call held to his As3s which missed.
Got into a few hands with a young lad at table which eventually involved a big hit to my stack. After an early limp limp the young lad (Gary Orchard) put a 1000 chip in but did not say anything and when it got to me on the BB I was holding 10 10 with 4 in pot. I asked the young lad did he raise ( to see his reaction) and he said no just a flat call which the dealer then confirmed so i made it 1200 to play on 150/300 to hopefully take it down. Fold fold back to him who then 3 bets me which he had twice before. After thinking it through I decided to ship in having him well covered and he can only call with AA or KK imo. Snap call and I know im in trouble with him flipping KK. Nice limp!!! but he explained he made mistake putting his bet in and was meaning to raise which in hindsight I should of took my foot off the pedal and played the hand less aggressive. Back to the pack then and the task of regaining chips. Not long after that a hand occured which to the player involved basically changed his tournie with in the end was a bad play. New player comes to the table with decent stack 30/40k and after only 4 hands at the table on his BB he faces a raise to 1500 on 200/400 by the young lad who took my chips and a call by Mike Ellis who obv has a good hand as well. The new BB ( Gemal) then ships all in for young lad to move all in as awell. Mike Ellis folds and its AK v QQ. Mike folded 10 10.
Flop comes Q rag rag, 10 turn and Gemal up off seat and walking past the young lad says nice hand offering his handshake and as soon as they shake the JACK come booming down to give the AK the straight and basically cripples the young lad. he sort of went on tilt after that and bust out soon after.
I was on yo yo but making chips with very little yet unable to get that major double up i needed. Lost a few of the original starting line up of table and as we got later into the day I was finding it difficult to pick up a hand and started to lose track abit. Eventually with 20 mins of the day left I picked up AsJs in the BB and when Julian Thew made a standard raise I decided that was good enuff with only 8bbs left behind me shipped in for Julian to snap with QQ. No help and out.
Sometimes bust out of games and think should of done this or that but overall I was very pleased with how i played so no real disappointment. Decided not to stay over night and drove straight home getting back about 5.30am after getting a couple of hours snooze in a motorway services. Although Xenocode made day 2 I know he had struggled all day to get cards and eventually bust out early on day 2. Good news for Mullet though picking up £2200 for I think 18th spot and a few quid back for me holding 5% in him.

Saturday night was a team game organised by the Grosvenor whose cardroom of late has been somewhat empty. Ends up with 8 teams entered with 6 of these made up from the forum teams that have evolved. Obvious big bragging rights here and the game turned into a virtual NPF event and in typical NPF style the last 2 tables in were manic.
Dobbas were looking massive with 9 left from our 10 with 30 left and top 20 scoring. A quick succession of exits left only 3 of us in the points with COGB, Stumpy and Phlmc flying the flag. I had been flying but got too involved with AcKc holding having to fold to guy Im sure had QQ or JJ min and folded to re raise of my cb on a 779 board. Not long after that I ship to a raise by Samj with me holding AJ on my BB and he eventually calls showing KJ. was looking safe but we all know Samj rarely misses and sure enough he rivers the K to take me out.
Last 2 tables and especially the final table were awesome with a huge rail and patter n crack were unreal as anyone of 4 teams could still win it.Ill be honest in that basically Loosemans Radgie team blew it but gotta take ya hats off to our 3 lads left with COGB getting vital points busting just short of the final table and to Stumpy n Phlmc who grinded the short stacks they had into a winning team position with 4th n 5th place finishes giving Teamdobbs the Champions spot and the bragging rights to go with it weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee ship it here.