Catching Fish In Troia

Tróia is a bit of a ghost town. And when I say a bit, I mean if it weren’t for the poker players here there would be no one at all at this remote little part of Portugal.

That being said, it is a beautiful little part of Portugal. It’s a tourist resort that is almost finished. I get the impression we have just arrived before the holiday season really starts. Everything in the hotel is brand new and there are diggers and some minor building works going on in and around the complex. When it is finished it’ll be tops.

Unibet are running a good series here. The hotel have put us in is brilliant. Breakfast and dinner is included every day for the players even on days where you aren’t playing, like day 1b for me. I may have had 3 puddings since I didn’t have to worry about being too full at the table. On top of the good food the rooms are huge. I’ve got my big brother with me on this trip since the package allowed me to bring a guest who also gets to enjoy the free breakfast. We have a big double room and en-suite each and a fully functioning kitchen. I love to cook so I’m very happy to make lunch for me and my big bro.

Unibet has a well-deserved reputation for a light hearted and more of a partying atmosphere at their tournaments. However this didn’t seem the case at the start of day 1a. I think a lot of the players were satellite qualifiers so they were a bit nervous at the shuffle up. But as the day progressed they loosened up and got much chattier and lively which is just my kind of poker.

I had huge stack fluctuations on day 1. We started with 20k and I dropped to 12k and bounced back up to 80k. I hovered between 30k and 50k until the close of play when I ended day 1 with 38k in chips.

On one of the first hands of day 2 I was the second caller of a raise with AJo on the button and both blinds come along too. The board is A54 with two diamonds and the small blind goes all in for around 10 big blinds. Everyone folds to me. He can’t really check raise all in with fold equity here as his stack isn’t big enough to make anyone fold if they bet, so I figure he can do this with a straight draw, a weaker ace (although that probably should have been all in or fold pre flop, but I’ve seen stranger things) or a flush draw. I make the call to close the action and he shows me the bad news. He had 54 for flopped two pair and I couldn’t improve. The very next hand a lady shoves all in for about 12bbs and I reship my 99. She held A6 and I go to shake her hand after I turn a set only for everyone to point out that she just made a flush draw. I hold my breath and fade the river to get myself onto about 40k.

After losing a few small pots and a blind level increase I find myself on about 20bbs again. I moved all in vs Gary Clarke’s UTG+2 raise as I suspected he has looser early position raising requirements than a standard player (he had stolen successfully from this position numerous times on day 1). Unfortunately his AKs insta called me and my 87 needed to improve. The board gave him a flush draw, and me an open ended straight draw. I spiked an off suit 8 on the river to double my 20bb stack to 40bbs.

However the blinds went up again to 800/1600 I lost a pot or two leaving me back on 20bbs. I face a minimum raise from the button and so ship all in with my A9 knowing I’m ahead of his range. He makes a reluctant call with KJo and flops a K. I shake hands and wish everyone the best as I head back to the hotel.

Unfortunately I won’t be bringing home my second trophy from this trip. I still feel I played well. The trip as a whole has been a really enjoyable one and I look forward to playing more UniBet events in the future.

I lost one other bet worth mentioning, and I’m sure I made the right play. I love a bit of side action and my brother gave me 10/1 that I couldn’t catch a fish in the marina bare handed. Despite there being hundreds of the slippery little blighters all I got for my trouble was a wet arse. Can’t win them all! ♠

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.