Gutshot

On 12th August 2005, I met up with some guys from the InternetTexasHoldem (ITH) forum. We met at the Gutshot cafe in Clerkenwell Road. There were 4 of us - me, Ammon (Ammbo), Ian (Piemaster) & Paul (PauliF).
Whilst there, we entered the £10 rebuy tournament which had a total of 125 entrants. This was an experience for me as it was the first time I had ever played a live game.
The tournament was quite frantic to start with as people were moving all-in all the time, then rebuying, then pushing all-in again. Up to the first break, I remember only playing 3 hands and folded them all on the flop. After the break, our table was broken up. I was moved to the same table as Piemaster. I then started to get some better hands. However, I nearly went out within minutes of joining the new table. I raised UTG with TT. Guy to my immediate left reraised all-in. I thought for a while, and realised I didn't have many chips left anyway. I felt I had to call although I was sure I was behind. I was...he flipped over AA. No help on the flop or turn, but the miracle T came on the river allowing me to double-up. Piemaster was the dealer :-)
I got involved in a couple of other all-in battles with, if I remember rightly, AT & AJ. The table got broken up again, and I moved again, but this time with a nice stack. Again, I played tight and didn't play many hands. I do remember getting AT in the Big Blind. Everyone had folded to the Button, who raised. I re-raised by another 2000 in chips. He thought for a long time. I just stared at him praying for him to fold (although I probably was winning). He eventually folded and my heart-rate returned to normal.
It was about this time when Ammbo came up to my table and told me he had busted out around 42nd place. He said PauliF & Piemaster had already gone home. He decided to watch me for a while and give me some tips. I should explain here that Ammbo is a professional poker player and has previously played in a couple of WPT events as well as playing in the Party Poker Million IV. His help and advice were invaluable and much appreciated. On one occasion, I was in the Small Blind. A couple of guys had limped in, but I looked down and saw 74o. Trash! I folded. He explained that if there were no raisers before me, I should play any 2 cards in the SB as I'm getting good pot odds. I told him what I had, and he replied "You're kidding me, right?". I looked down and saw the flop was 568. I would have flopped a straight. Oh well, lesson learnt.
It certainly was lesson learned and I went completely card dead after that.
It was also shortly after that incident the tables got broken up again. I then noticed we were down the final 2 tables. I had made the last 20. I also noticed that only the top 9 got paid prize money. I needed to improve...fast!
The blinds were raising fast and my chips were dwindling. I really wasn't getting any cards. I had a couple of chances to push all-in and try and double up. One was with A9, but the dealer misdealt an Ace which had to be shown to everyone face up. This meant that I had 1 less out and thus reduced my chances of winning a showdown. I decided to wait for a better opportunity. I later got A6o in the Cut Off. Everyone had folded to me. This was the ideal time to push, but I bottled it and folded. A mistake, but as you will see, probably didn't make a lot of difference. Eventually, as the blinds had gone up to 1000/2000, I was in the BB with about 3000 in chips (of which 2k had been put into the blind). Everyone folded to the SB who raised. I had AK. At last a decent hand, albeit a bit late. I put my meagre remaining chips in. The other guy showed A9. The flop came down with a 9, but alas no K. Turn no help, and the river was another 9 just to make sure. The SB had quite a substantial chip size. I still believe that even if I had doubled-up with the A6 earlier, he still would have pushed with his A9, and he still would have got his trips. I finished in 13th, just 4 places short of the money.
What a great evening. I'm sure it will become a popular meeting place for future ITH meet-ups.