Sole Survivor

London Poker Madness

So I get to London for the major poker shenanigans occurring in September. I’m exhausted after a three-hour train journey, navigating the underground and hopping in a taxi to drive towards my hotel. It did not look appealing.

The building looked quite dilapidated and the area quite rough. I pull up, thank the taxi driver, hop out and approach the door which has a brand new lock. Turns out it was essential really as it was apparent that the door had recently been kicked in. I try to enter but the new lock is working perfectly so I call the number scrawled on the outside of the building. A mumbled conversation later and a man emerges from a side door smoking something… “Sorry mate, hotel closed down two days ago. You’ll have to go somewhere else.” Oh good. I was in the middle of London, with no bed for the night. The smoking stranger tells me to go to a pub around the corner which may have a bed for the week. I arrive there and it felt like this place was next in line for a door kicking. So I did what any other man would do in this situation. I called my mum. She found me the details of a nice Holiday Inn in which I stayed for my London poker expedition. How do mum’s always sort things out? Is there a course they do?

In terms of poker, although I didn’t cash in a single event, the two weeks I spent in London were awesome. The Unibet Open, with a €1,500 buy-in, was won when Patrik Ghatge beat Tomasz Kozub heads up to take down the £85,050 prize. A fun tournament for me except for my pair and a flush draw being sucked out on by a bigger flush draw with a gut shot. I held 6 5 he held A 2 with the board coming Q-5-3-8 with 2 hearts. He check-raised my turn bet here and I read him for the flush draw. The money went in and an ugly offsuit 4 landed.

The English Open was the toughest field of the three main events on offer in September 2012. Mickey Peterson, an online pro I believe, skipped playing some WCOOP events to come. He not only knocked me out when I donked my money in with A-9 vs his A-K but went on to take down the win versus a tough final table involving Surinder Sunar and other tough players. If only he’d stayed home to play online.

Robin Keston took down the win at the GUKPT London for £84,310 having beat Daniel Rudd heads up. I was feeling confident during this particular tourney as the field was weaker than the Unibet Open and the English Open, but unfortunately I was stupid enough to bluff a calling station which left me short. I squeezed all in with K-Q with many callers of the original mini-raise, but the raiser held pocket tens which held and felted me.

I didn’t cash in a single event in these two weeks. I made two significant mistakes that I remember, but otherwise made plays I’m happy with. It’s so hard to ride out a bad streak but I guess I’ve just got to keep making good decisions and refining my play.

I’ve just got back from the Eureka Poker Tour event in Riga. I made two final tables, one of which didn’t pay me as only top six got paid, but my 10th place finish in a side event covered almost all of my travel expenses, which is something. Sam McDonald brought some glory to the UK when he came in second to Valtteri Merikallio in the €1,100 main event.

The Irish Winter Festival hosted by Paddy Power Poker is just around the corner and I’m hoping that variance will be in my favour. After that I’m off the Las Vegas in December and then the Bahamas in January. I must remember to buy Paddy Power a pint of the black stuff when I’m in Dublin as a massive thank you for this unbelievable year I’m having. ♠

Science teacher Ian Simpson came fourth in the Irish Open 2012 for €107,500 and, as the last paddypowerpoker.com online qualifier standing in the main event, won the Sole Survivor contest netting himself another €100,000 =- €50,000 in cash, €50,000 in tournament buy ins.