My NPF Team game report
Decked out in fetching lime green polo tops the in fashion colour of Paris Im told with the purple sparkling message of " We dont FCUK up and finish 2nd " as a little reminder to our big rivals the Walkers Sensations and the Dobbas enter the NPF Team Challenge arena ready to do battle. White caps give the colour co ordinaton that mix other teams simply didnt have and lets shuffle up and deal and take this down.
New look team with some established Dobbas not available for various reasons and debuts for Andy "KQ4eva" Blair, Steve "Fatfish" Brennan and Craig "Big Stumpy" Newton.
Cardguard Kid steps down unselfishly to be able to be tournie director and to do what he only can do and add that extra special buzz to this amazing tournament.
Intros and amazing walk ons for each team and great opening table for me. 7500 stack with continuous 45 levels make it an excellent structured 2 day event with 190 runners.
Know 1/2 the table well and have good position and good crack right from the start makes it very enjoyable. Not the best of starts when folding top pair AQ in 3 way pot to original raiser who is 3 bet on flop with his decent bet and makes the call. Q turn and re raiser is called with his turn bet. River Ace and original raiser leads to be called and its AQ to 55!!!! Pick odd small pot up then open from button with 78 to be called by both blinds. Flop of 975 hh and ck ck to me I bet for the BB Sean to make the call. Ace hearts gives 3 heart board and i continue to bet and get called. Im obv behind but decide not to give up if Sean checks which he does and I fire 2200 in leaving me same behind but its all in or fold for him as well.
My Bitch
He tanks for ages before eventually folding and I show him my hand to which he tells me he was ahead with his 9. Only showed to set reverse image to rest of table especially for certain players there. This was to be imo the only time in the tournie I was under any real pressure of going out.
Picked up some good spots to take chips and eventually when our table is broke Im very comfy and well above average. Get great seat at next table with Avkid (Stars Millions winner) to my righht and Junior Bomber of the Sensations as my button.Couple more from NPF at table including Simmy3k and the banter between us 4 set the tone for the table. Couple of low stack utter rocks were getting targetted by 1st one in pot able to bet and Simmy was being re raised quite alot. Picked up a few decent pots then Avkid ships his depleating stack with Ace 10 and I re ship with KK to take him out. Few hands later and top blogger Dan Trett from Full Trett Poker sits in Avkids empty seat.
Crack and action remains good when Simmy re raises small stacker who puts 1/2 in then calls. Its K 10 v AQ and shorty makes the K 1st card to Simmys dismay. So next had and Simmy puts in early position raise which gets 3 bet by Dan Trett to my right in the sb. I decide to 4 bet Dan with my ** and Simmy looks on bemused and folds to which Dan also folds. That was the last hand at that table as its broke up and I move to my 3rd table.
Recognise a few at the table which includes Dans brother and current sponsored Coral player Mark Trett,NPF er Cameltoe, Mrs E, the infamous Tired Eyes from Kracked Kings and also another player player from Kracked Kings to my left who had won the Poker Stars Millions warm up last week. Im well stacked now and decide due to our teams good position to play very tight unless I pick up good or find some easy spots. Bit of both happened with some decent hands and a few re raises n steals and then my 1st real big decision of this table and the tournament. Cameltoe had been sitting with a big stack to then lose 2 massive flips with AK when I pick up 66 mid pos to his BB. I raise for him to re ship all in on me. I certainly dont put him big pair with what I know of how he plays and slot him decent Ace or hes even going to do it to me with decent suited connectors. Im left with 12 bbs if I lose and very comft stack if I win the race and decide to take it. He shows AQ and my 66 gets there to put Cameltoe out. Im really comfy now and close shop to return day 2 well placed.
We come back day 2 with 3 players left and in decent shape although Walkers Sensations are clear favourites. 31 left which soon goes to 30 as we lose Stumpy shipping his low stack into the other low stacks BB with 99 and she calls blind showing 86. Perfect but 2 pair cripples Stumpy and hes out next hand shipping blind which doesnt improve.
Im left with debutant Dobba Steve "Fatfish" Brennan who had totally nitted his play for team points and all was looking good when his QQ ship is called by JJ for 100k plus pot. Killer river Jack sends Fatfish out in 18th and so so sick for him and the team.
Down to 2 tables and its getting really tight and simply gotta make right ship as the blinds were biting in. Pick up KK in the sb and ship it to button raiser who tanks for ages before eventually folding and then few laps later same guy single raises my BB and I see a flop holding J9. Flop is Js5h4h and sb announces all in to which I call with me at risk. He shows AhKh with 1/2 the pack to hit nearly. He misses and Im back in it.
AK guy then next orbit calls sb ship on his BB waking up with KK and hes against As2s. Flop comes 22 to take him out so sick and next hand and early ship is called by the A2 big stack now with 10 10 and hes up against AQ. 10 on the flop basically seals it and its final table.
Position now is big stack Stevie Gibson from the Sensations has to finish below 4th and then we still have a chance to win if I can finish 2 above him but hes well stacked up. I get off to a good start with a couple of pots before we lose one and then another. Sensations loses big pot with JJ to AA and eventually he ships A9 to find A10 and hes out in 5th. 1st now and we win team prize which would be unreal tbh with what had been going on banter wise and the prestige at stake locally was immense. The dream of the 2 major NPF titles was in my head I must admit but felt totally in control and super confident of taking it down. The noise n rail was unreal and anyone who hasnt experienced an NPF event may not understand but its 100% more crazy at this event especially with 2 of our teams and big rivals looking set for 1st n 2nd places.
Shipped over couple of weakish raises that get through and then get shown an AQ fold from chip leader to my ship which shocked the crowd and me tbh. Wow this really could be my night Im thinking when another raise from button player from Breakers Poker Club Nottingham who imo was an excellenet player finds me holding AQ in the BB. I re ship all in and eventually he announces "Im sick of being shipped on" and calls with 33. Win this hes basically out and Im bang right back in it. Miss the flop, no help turn infact it takes my Ace out as will give him straight so drawing to just the Queen. No good and Im out in 4th and the Dobbas take down 2nd place along with it.
Walkers Sensations get crowned team champs and Phil Scott from Mike & Lou Sabans Ace of Clubs Club takes down the individual prize.
Awesome event, awesome weekend and another awesome NPF organised tournament. Ive put my thanks to all concerned here at the NPF forum team game report together with the final placings here at final places and some brilliant pictures of the whole weekend here team pics
