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.
