More success at APAT

Yesterday was the 2nd Regional leg of the APAT Championships. I went to the heat being held at the Grosvenor Victoria ("The Vic") where last time I made the final table, but out of the money. I was hoping to do better this time.

I almost didn't get in. When I arrived, they told me that there were 2 places left and there were 2 guys ahead of me interested in playing. However I think they may have been known players there who are used to playing at higher stakes as one of the managers came over and told them that it was only a £20 entry with 1st place only about £200. Luckily that put them off and they went to find a cash table instead.

Last month we only had 48 entrants, and I expected about the same number. This time we had 74. There was a limit of 80, but I think a number of players who had pre-registered didn't turn up.

I had a great first session where I increased my stack from a start of 3k to 8k. This was down to me catching some great flops with marginal hands. Therefore they were better disguised. I knocked out a woman directly to my left whilst holding Q8 in the small blind. She went all-in on the river after failing to hit her straight. Fortunately, I had hit my 2 pair.

Getting a good start early on really helped my confidence, and I played well and confidently without getting any great starting hands. My table was fairly tight/passive and I was able to steal alot. If I did get called, I had the confidence to make a lot of continuation bets which were usually enough to win the pot on the flop. It was also a very odd day in that I saw so many times, hands that were being completely dominated win. For example, I tried to knock out a short stack with AK. He had KT, but hit his straight on the river. I tried to knock out another short stack (in the big blind) holding 62 in the small blind. The flop was Q6x. I put him all-in, but he had Q8 for top pair. I caught a 2 on the turn to knock him out (ouch!). This was the story of the day. I seemed to lose some hands I should have won with, or get lucky to win with ones I should have lost with. I wouldn't say I was particularly lucky or unlucky in general as it all seemed to even throughout the day.

My stack continued to grow by each session. By the end of the 2nd session, I had about 14k, then 25k by the end of the 3rd session (it was as high as 32k, but I made a bad call against a short-stack with only A3 suited - he had 99). Again by playing solid poker, stealing blinds, and occasionally knocking players out, I was never once in trouble.

Evenutally when down to the final 2 tables, and 14 players left, the game really slowed. It took ages for a player to get knocked out. I was probably 2nd in chips at the time, and it got real easy to steal blinds as players were holding out for the final table. Myself and the chip leader (also on my table) had a lot of respect for each other and tried to avoid each other when we could. In fact I even folded AQ to his raise at one stage, not just because he had only been playing strong hands, but mainly because he was the only guy that could bust me. As it turned out, it was a bad, yet lucky fold because the mid-stack acting after me won the pot with a flush (the chip leader only had KJ at the time - so much for my reads!).

We made the final table after I busted Linda Iwaniuk who had been on my right. I know Linda from a couple of previous APAT tournaments and know her to be a very good and sometimes aggressive player. She had got short-stacked and pushed her Q9 only to be unlucky to run into me holding QQ.

I started the final table with 39k in chips. I think I was the 2nd highest stack. With the blinds now very high (1k/2k I think), there were a lot of all-ins. After the first player had got knocked out in 9th place, I had tried to take out the short stacks myself but failed on 2 occasions in short succession with 44 and 66 respectively. I then started moaning about how it would be nice to win a coinflip just once when the very next hand I got dealt JJ. I pushed again and got a caller who thought I was on tilt (that's kind of what I was hoping). He had AJ and my Jacks held up to double me up again.

I then eliminated 2 players when there were 2 all-ins with me holding AK. The others had TJ & KJ (if I remember correctly). A jack on the flop had me cursing my luck once again, but an ace on the river saved me.

Eliminations were coming thick and fast, and in no time at all, we were down to 3 players. There was myself, a Russian guy in a Scotland rugby shirt (???) and another guy who only had one move - all-in. In fact, although the blinds were high, it was still possible to play some poker and see flops, but Mr All-in wasn't having any of it. In fact I once tried to just call in the small blind with a marginal hand in order to see a flop. He still pushed. Myself and the Russian let him know what we thought of him. I got my own back on the next orbit when I was back in the small blind. I only had a measly 84, but went all-in. Mr All-in thought long and hard about it. He said "I suppose it served me right". He eventually folded and I took great delight in showing my hand, much to the amusement of the Russian and everyone watching. That moment made my day.

I had a slight lead over the others when the following hand came up. I had 99 and made a raise on the button. The Russian pushed in the big blind. I called instantly, he showed Q9. Great for me, I'm dominating the hand as 67% favourite to win. However he makes a lucky straight on the river to double up and cripple me. That was so cruel. If I had won that hand, I would have been huge chip leader and would've knocked Mr Russian out. Instead I was down to 19.5k.

However, I managed to make a couple of double ups straight away (I can't remember with what hands), so was back in it. In the meantime, Mr All-in got knocked out by the Russian, so we were heads-up with him holding a big lead. I folded the first 2 hands, but I couldn't afford to fold any more and the blinds of 5k/10k were eating into my stack. Mr Russian went all-in and I had no choice but to call with T4. He showed KK. EEK! No help on the flop, but a ten on the turn, then a 4 on the river doubled me up in a very lucky way. An immediate double up again with 76 brought us to about even in chips, so I asked the Russian if he just wanted to chop the money. The game had simply got to an all-in fest with the blinds being so high. He agreed, however we had to play on for the Gold & Silver medals. A few hands later, he won. All I remember is calling his all-in with A4 to his K5 (I think), but he hit one of his cards to win.

I actually did better in the deal than he did as my prize money went up from £176 to £199 after the chop. I also won a £75 entry to the National Championships next month, which I can't make. I'm hoping I can claim this back.

So, 2 events, 2 finals tables (9th and now 2nd). That puts a lot of pressure on me for the next one. I can't complain. I'm really enjoying these tournaments, and last night was probably some of the best poker I've ever played. I'm very happy!