“Next week it’s the Western Open in Castlebar, I lost a small fortune over there last year when the cash games ran straight through but I have every intention of getting some of it back this time round. Hopefully the usual suspects show up and my big hands hold up”
The last paragraph of my last blog was in my head as I lost the third €5k+ pot in a row in Castlebar last weekend. It was a pretty sick hand too as we were all in 3 ways on a Q,10 x flop with the other 2 holding each other’s outs and me having top set, but somehow they got there.Its seldom I walk away from a cash game completely gutted but this was one of those occasions, it was the same sort of feeling I have when I get knocked out deep, in a big tournament when you’ve been unlucky. In fact it was similar to a tournament because I feel if I win that pot I can go on and win a lot of money as the others were buying in for one or two thousand at a time and I would have had over €7k in front of me had my hand held.
Anyway apart from the fact I done the tank in, the first stop on the new The Irish Tour was a great weekend of poker and with the majority of the money staying with the locals. The beer and the cash games ran pretty much 24/7 and from what I could see everybody had a great weekend. Next one is the first week in May in Dublin.
Still licking my wounds for the trip west I went into my regular Naas plo game and had my biggest losing session in over a year. Woke up the next day feeling like an idiot and got word of a decent golf bet. I called a few guys who know more than me about golf and they all agreed this was value so I called one of the lads with the intention of having €500 on Yang @ 6/4 to win his 3 ball that night. Somewhere in the next 3 minutes I decide instead of having €500 I’m sticking €4k on him!
The biggest bet I’ve had since the all-Ireland final and with such an amount of cash on the line you’d think I’d know the rules.. When Yang was on the 17th all square with Clarke I didn’t know dead heat rules apply and in fact a tie would have returned a profit. Nicky Power was on the msn chat and kindly informed me how I was fixed and added that he thought Clarke would find the water on 18. Nicky turned out to be spot on and Clarke did find the drink leaving an easy win for Yang and me collecting €10k to get me even for the week.Went to Carlow on the Friday night for the plo and again I done well down there. The biggest and last pot of the night was my AKQ9 v 1010XX on a AA10 flop. I called a bet in position on the flop and potted a Q turn, and got a full pot bet in on the river which put the villain all in.
Next up was the €40k gtd in Clane on Saturday, I gave the tournament a miss as I intended putting in a long session at the cash tables. Everything was going fine until I got rivered for a big pot and then the pain started. I lost pot after pot getting it in as good as you can in Omaha and they just kept getting there. I finally threw in the towel when 3 of us were in a massive pot and a guy manages to hit a single out to scoop.
Omaha can be pretty cruel game but all in all I’ve had my fair share of good breaks so I can’t complain too much when it goes against me for a while. Played in Naas again last night and booked a small profit, the game was not as crazy as usual with some of the more “creative” players missing.
Tomorrow I’m playing the first of a few live satellites for the Irish Open in the Jackpot. They have renovated the place and I believe its top class now with new food facilities and sports on the TV’s etc. I haven’t played a live tournament for 3 weeks which is a long time for me and I’m looking forward to it, win lose or draw I’ll be in this 30 seat gtd on Paddy Power on Sunday night. Whether you agree with the PP last longer being in the most prestigious Irish tournament or not its madness not to be in it. There are usually about 100 qualifiers so its effectively means if you qualify on line its worth €1k more to you, can’t be bad can it?
