APAT ECOAP 2012 (iv)

Monday

I don’t remember too much of Sunday other than the deserving win of Carl Pilgrim in the Main Event. Along with other final tablists and winners this series was one for the APAT core supporters.

For me, it was the usual. Get out of bed late, wander over to The Water’s Edge for a (very) late breakfast before heading over to DTD for my final event, the Pot Limit Omaha.

I swear that this should be my strongest event (I even finished 3rd once in an APAT Omaha event) but you just can’t win if you don’t get the cards.

I know I was basically card dead for HUGE stretches of time and even though the ever lovely Phil TC was at my table to take advantage I never say a flop that connected even remotely with my hand.

As it was, I finally got something I considered a proper Omaha hand (89TT) so late that once I’d re-potted a serial pre-flop raiser, we just go the chips in.

As it turned out, his expected bug pair (KKxx) SHOULD have been behind but the flop, turn and river missed me by a mile and that was that for me, somewhere in midfield.

I helped with the updating for a while at the end but with a reasonable drive the next morning, I didn’t want to hang around for too long. I’m not entirely sure I held out to the end, I THINK so, but that might be my brain editing history to make me feel better.

Carl was a deserving winner regardless.

I crashed at a reasonable hour.

Can’t do Glasgow, but I have the ChezGer home game and a visit to the Stockton Massive coming up. The break between mid-October and Stoke at the end of November will give my liver a chance to recover.

APAT ECOAP 2012 (iii)

Sunday

Well, Sunday was always going to be a down/rest day for me. I hadn’t bought into the Main Event for purely economic reasons although I would probably have tried to alternate if I had binked decently in the previous couple of events. However, I hadn’t so I could take it easy.

I had another late morning start since I had no over-riding reason to get out of the hotel before noon. Despite a number of people saying they were ‘up’ for a trip to Hooters there was paucity of actual physical presences when I wandered out into the Nottingham daylight.

Obviously the first port of call was The Water’s Edge and even there I appeared to be the first one in. Ah, the youth of today…lightweights, all of them.

So, I ordered up my pint and sat outside as the sun tried to inch its way from behind the clouds. I didn’t have to sit there too long. Obviously my social media interactions had prompted the masses to follow my example and venture out into the environs of the Castle Marina.

Before long we were many fold (including Jaxie...of which more later), beers and burgers were being inhaled and it was a very pleasant sojourn in the arms of Greene King. However, in due course, the siren song of the APAT ECOAP Main Event called to my comrades and I reluctantly left them to make their way over while I transferred from the Holiday Inn to the somewhat less inviting Premier Inn.

Fair enough, I’ve never had any problems at Premier Inns...they are a significant step above Travelodge. Sure, you pay for what you get but if you go in knowing that then I don’t have a problem.

I was a tad annoyed that the much touted ‘Free Wi-Fi’ (which was placarded everywhere in BIG signage) was, in fact, only free for 30 minutes, only £3 a day (I think) after that but a disappointment nevertheless. Not that I needed it, I have mobile internet (and a backup) so I was sorted either way.

Getting checked in and sorted didn’t take too long, the PI Castle Marina only has about 40 rooms, so I was free and clear by 3pm. My basic plan was to head over to the Showcase cinema on the Redfield estate and see what was offered.

On arrival I had plenty of time before my preference (The Dark Knight Rises) was due to start for I took the opportunity for a spot of lunch at Chiquito’s. Very nice too, free Wi-Fi (with sign-up) and quite tasty.

I can’t say the final (?) movie of Nolan’s Batman Trilogy blew me away but it was a top level finale to the series.

That’s enough of that; let’s get on with the show. Fed and entertained, I made my way over to DTD, arriving around 7pm (perhaps a little later) and immediately took a seat at the updating desk. Tighty was in full flow adding his particular brand of humour to the update thread.

Whatever the situation, it’s my personal view that APAT (as an organisation and community) is going to sorely miss Tighty and his work. His updating skills are legendary and I’m very pleased that he’s found a niche in this arena with both Sky Poker and DTD.

In the absence of anything else to do (the Main Event was only a few hours old), I plunked myself down in front of a free monitor and keyboard and added my meagre efforts to the updates. It was handy having the screen etc. available at the update desk, I had my netbook in the car but it’s a little ‘compact’ for proper work.

Time wore on; I had a drink or two, commiserated with bust-outs and celebrated with those who were still in. I resisted the blandishments of Laxie, Jack, Curlarge and senior (sundry) members of the Stockton Massive to head out to the infamous Chambers Karaoke bar in downtown Nottingham.

Firstly, although I think I have a decent singing voice, I’m way too reserved to ever get up on stage and expose myself to ridicule and, secondly, I could see where this was headed.

Frankly, I can’t recall what the time was when the first stragglers started making their way back to DTD. It might have been before midnight but I’m not entirely sure. I was having ‘fun’ (if that’s the right word) adding my poor efforts to the updates.

Reports started coming in once they made their way back though. Sure enough, certain members of the expedition had made full use of the beverage facilities although, it appeared, their ability to remain conscious had been severely impaired.

Sure enough, Jack had, once again, fallen asleep in the lavatorial area of the entertainment facility and there was a reasonable chance of him suffering a concussion from the door hitting him in the head as he lay on the bathroom floor when the security staff kicked it in.

Hang on a second…this has always been something that confused me. People over-imbibing has to be a fairly often occurrence and falling asleep &/or being out of it in toilet stalls equally frequent. Why don’t pubs/bars have some sort of key that can open the stall door from the outside?

The increased cost of the locks has to be massively outweighed by the cost of repairing a kicked-in door…No?

Whatever, the party (what was left of it) made their way back and were telling tales of the exploits of the ‘weaker’ members. Little did they know what awaited them!

I helped with the updating until the end of level 12 or 13 and decided to call it a night. I think it was around 1.30 am… an early night for a change or, at least, earlier than the past two.

The drive back to the Premier Inn was uneventful…job done.

APAT ECOAP 2012 (ii)

Saturday

I cracked an eyelid…I didn’t want to but nature called. I didn’t open the other eye, but carefully scanned the room checking for any evidence that I’d had a nocturnal ursine visitor.

Didn’t look like it, didn’t feel like it…so I opened the other eye. I heaved the carcase out of bed and headed into the bathroom.  On the way, I glanced at my phone for the time….Oh God, 7.30 a.m.! Four hours sleep.

That decided it, the bear hadn’t been but there was no way I was in any fit state for the day. Of course, there’s only one thing to do in this situation…Yep, back to bed.

When I awoke again, it was a much more realistic 10.30a.m. I can manage on that.

I caught up on some email and surfed for a while before abluting and descending into the lobby around noon. There was no-one around and I’d already decided that I was duty bound (Travel Guru and all that) to investigate a local restaurant….Hooters.

I’d mentioned this to a few people the day before but insofar as it appeared that no-one was emerging from under the covers I decided a solo trip was in order. I typed ‘boobies’ into the SatNav and was rocking up to Hooters ten minutes later.

It was a very nice meal…Buffalo Chicken Sandwich with Deep Fried Calamari and a nice double handful…of fries. A couple of beers to wash it down with and I was set up for the day.

I drove over to DTD arriving a few minutes before they opened and was one of the first inside. The Team Championships got under way and a few minutes later I was seated in the 6-max comp…with Stu Ward again.

As I said, 6-max is not my normal milieu but this seemed like an opportunity to play outside of my normal comfort zone, plus…what the hell else was I going to do all day.

It took me a while to make any headway but eventually I started gaining ground, never really monster stacked but, for the most part, ahead of the average. I will say, all my big hands stood up. I think I had Aces two or three times, Kings twice and Queens maybe twice as well.

I got paid off most of the time. By the time we were down to 4 tables, I was starting to drop below the average though and when we went to three tables and bubble time came around I was looking for an opportunity to get doubled up. The hand-for-hand took an age and, apparently, it’s DTD’s practice not to stop the clock. I can understand this but we probably only got three or four hands a level in. It was tortuous.

Eventually, the bubble burst and wouldn’t you know it, my very next hand was KK. I raised pre-flop and 4 bet shoved and was called off by A9. A nice double up and I was sitting on around 75k. I picked up a few more chips and was on around 100k (perhaps a little bit shy) when it happened.

Blinds are 3k/6k (with ante, I forget how much) and there is an UTG raise to 15k. UTG+1 flats and it’s folded to me and I have AQs. With 40k in the middle this is an easy push for me…which I do.

UTG folds and UTG+1 dwells for a long time. It’s basically for his tournament life. He has me by a little but not much. He was a very pleasant young lad, only his third ever live tournament, his first ever cash, he eventually calls and rolls 88.

Brave certainly….a good read? I’m not sure. I think, perhaps, a more experienced player, certainly anyone who knew me would have folded but, again, I don’t know.

Regardless, although I’m behind, it’s not by much and we head off to the races….which I lose exiting in 14th place for a min-cash. Disappointing, I firmly believe that if I win that hand I’m odds on to final table and perhaps even place…but we’ll never know.

Not the best result but considering my inexperience with 6-max, I’m not unhappy with it. I cash out for my £2 an hour profit and head off to the bar for some beer and sympathy only getting the first. I rail Sharon and Suzanne for a while and was very pleased to see them both final table and very well played to Suzanne for winning it. Really pleased for them both.
However, it’s three o’clock in the frigging morning again so I drive some people back to the hotel, I forget who. No, I was careful about the alcohol intake…honest. I already have a dented car I don’t need any more damage.

By the time I get my head down its half past three again.

I’m too feckin’ old for this.

APAT ECOAP 2012 (i)

Wow…it’s been a while since I posted anything on this old thing.

Obviously, APAT ECOAP has now come and gone and what a great long weekend it was. I’d always planned on being there for the whole weekend but having dug myself into a small financial hole (with pre-paying for hotels and other stuff for the ECOAP and getting ready for the epicness that will be the Las Vegas Adventure in December) the events I’d determined to play were merely the Stud and Omaha.

As it was, when I arrived on Friday my weak will gave way and I bought into the 6-max comp scheduled for Saturday. 6-max is not my area at all, my HE game is tighter than a nun’s chuff usually but I thought the opportunity to LAG it up a bit might be a worthwhile experience.

However, I’ll try and deal with this day by day but the memory has started to fade.

Friday

I left home in the scarred motor (still waiting for a repair slot) and the drive to the Holiday Inn, Castle Marina took about 3.5 hours instead of the anticipated 2.75 thanks for road works on the M1. Oh well, not too bad I’ve had worse drives.

I rolled into the HI car park to be greeted by the always welcome countenance of Ger…who was waving goodbye to an AA van. His weekend had obviously not started too well.

We checked in and I took a few minutes to unlimber the laptop, splash some water where necessary and, as is my wont, descended to the bar. Naturally, himself was already in attendance so we chatted away while more of the APAT hard core made their own arrivals. Chris Peers, Glen Laming & Ian Thompson all made appearances while we waited for the Stockton contingent.

I’d fully expected them to be there when I arrived but, following the various Twitter updates it seemed there had been problems.

Before long, I managed to peel everyone away from the HI bar and we made our way over to The Water’s Edge, a Greene King pub (part of the Hungry Horse chain) for some much cheaper drinks and keenly priced food.

Before long Phil & Stu has turned up and it wasn’t too long before there were a dozen of us, including Rodders and Michelle, monopolising the seating area behind the pub. It was all very nice too, sitting by the canal with canal boats and other small pleasure craft passing by.

However, time stands still and all that and it was time to head off to DTD for either participation in the Team events or the Stud. A quick call to a local cab firm had them lining up to take us and we made the quick trip over.

We’re greeted by the ‘mostly-smiling’ face of Leigh Wiltshire who has been thrown back into the updating mix. He has that a resigned look on his face as though to say…”It’s my own fault, I should have known better.”

I greet him with “Welcome Back” and he looks at me with the “How many more times to I have to hear that this weekend?” expression. Amazing how much a couple of looks can cover isn’t it?

Before long however, the team games get under way and the Stud kicks off. I’d drawn a table with Stu Ward (sigh) and Chen Tam (deeper sigh)…this was going to hurt.

Apparently, Stu had practised for over an hour to learn how to play Stud and proceeded to explain to our table mates just how inexperienced he was. Frankly, it didn’t matter; Chen was going to play his typical Hold’em style even though we were playing a completely different game.

If it was limped round to him, he’d raise. Not bad strategy as it happens. I got some chips early on and thought I was cruising but eventually the structure really started to bite. Unfortunately, this coincided with me going remarkably card dead and I exited in mid-field if I recall correctly.

After that it was just a case of supping up at the bar and waiting for the end of the Day 1 of the Team Championships. It starts to get a little blurry but I do recall climbing into a taxi with Ger and Phil Tompkinson around 3am outside DTD.

Arriving at the Holiday Inn, Ger was most displeased to discover that, heaven help us, the hotel bar was shut. I left Ger and Phil in the foyer negotiating with the night porter for a bottle of wine.