Barca Report

I woke up yesterday morning and felt as though I'd been kicked in the guts by a mule...the platter of smoked fish I had eaten the previous night was taking its revenge. I spent most of the morning being violently sick and was in no fit state to play poker. I still had no idea whether I was playing on day 1a or 1b so I had to drag my sorry carcass down to the casino. I was still feeling like death although I'd stopped vomiting.. I was really hoping I was day 1b but it wasn't to be as luck would have it I was allocated day 1a. Now I had to get myself in the right frame of mind to play...this wasn't going to be easy when all I wanted to do was go back to bed and die quietly.

5pm came and I was feeling slightly better and the couple of coffees I had had woken me up a little, I wasn't in ideal shape but I was well enough to play which was the main thing. I recognised three players on my 1st table, Jan Sjlavik, Fuat Can and Johnny "Texas" Hewston (I didn't actually recognise him but he had his name on his shirt :-)). The table was fairly tight during the first level, It was clear however that there were 3 weak players at the table. The first big hand on the table came early in the 2nd level when Hewston made it 300 in mid position Sjlavik called as did the Welsh/Italian bloke to my right. Flop came down 987 with 2 diamonds. Hewston led the flop and the other 2 called. Turn was a black 5. Hewston checked and Sjlavik bet out 1.5k other guy folded and Hewston quickly called. Turn is a 2 so board reads 98752 with no flush possible, Hewston then jams for 7k into the 5.5k pot. It stank of a complete and utter bluff, I couldn't put him on a made hand that he would play like that JdTd perhaps for the nut straight with flush draw but surely he would raise turn with that holding. Sjlavik thinks for 10mins before a clock is called and he makes a cracking call with J9, Hewston had KdTd and had missed all his draws. one of those hands where you know he has nothing but it takes bollocks to call for virtually all your chips with top pair J kicker on that board.

My first proper pot of the day came in level 3 (75/150) when I made it 450 UTG+1 with TsTd which Fuat Can called. Flop came AsJhQh, not quite what I was hoping for so I check and Can checks behind. Turn is the Kh giving me the nut straight with the heart flush also out. I check again and Can bets 1k, which I call (not convinced about that play but I had my reasons). Turn is 3h so board reads AsJhQhKh3h. Again I check and Can bets 3.5k, I only have 6.5k back so its for a fair chunk of my remaining chips but I'm certain im ahead so call and he flips over AJ for 2 pair. That got me off and running and the table broke soon after.

I don't know anyone at my new table and sit quietly for the first 3 rounds folding the rags which came my way. The guy in seat 2 who looked familiar was very aggro and running over the table and had 30k+ in chips. I won a couple of small pots from the guy in seat 2 simply by playing back at him then I took a nice pot when one of the muppets raised to 1100 in MP, I call in the cutoff with AdJd. Flop comes Kh4d2d giving me the nut draw, he leads for 2.2k which I call and he grimaced at this point I have him on a hand like JJ, QQ and he is worried about the King. Turn is a blank and he checks, I bet 4k and he eventually calls but doesn't look happy about it. The river is another blank and again he checks, I now have A high so have to bet, he has about 8-9k back so I put him allin. He thinks for ages before shouting something in Spanish and gesticulating at the board and mucks his QQ face up :-).

Next big hand (and the worst hand I played all day) was against the guy in seat 2. He raise to 1200 in MP and I called on the button with 88, flop comes a lovely looking 843 and he checks to me I bet 1500 and I'm happy to see him reaching for chips he raises it up to 4.5k which i call. I'm hoping he has an overpair but I suspect he is making a move on me in light of the couple of earlier pots we had played. Turn is a 7 and he checks to me and for some unknown reason i think itll be a good idea to bet and he subsequently folds (hate that turn bet, I have to check behind him imo). Not to worry i'm now over 30k with average only 15k. My next big pot is again against the guy in seat 2. I raise it up in MP with AJs seat 2 calls as does the BB, flop comes J96 and I bet out which seat 2 calls and BB folds. I'm positive I'm ahead at this point and planning on a check raise on a blank turn. Turn is a 2 and I check he bets half the pot and I raise, he duly passes. That put me up to 44k and at this point I felt in total control, i was playing well and knew where I stood in virtually every pot I played.

I then took my first hit of the day when I found QQ in the cutoff, i made it 1300 and BB called flop comes down Jd4d3h, he checks and I bet 2k which he calls. Turn is the Jh and he checks to me again, I'm still sure I'm good here as he check raises me on flop with a J only possible holdings I'm behind to are 44 and 33 imo. I bet 3.8k which he calls at this point I'm sure he has the diamond draw. Turn is Kh so board reads Jd4d3hJhKh and he leads for 4.5k I don't like it as it seems a milky bet and all I'm beating is a busted diamond draw but for 4.5k I have to call. He turns over Ah9h for the flush. Yeah well played sonny jim.

I'm a bit pissed off with that hand but still have 30kish and fluctuate between 25 and 30k for the next few hours and there is 30mins of the days play left when the exit hand arrives. The totally useless muppet to my left raised UTG for the umpteenth time, every time it had been folded to me in the past I was callinfg with ATC and taking the pot postflop every time. I look down at 4h4d this time and obviously call the extra 1.2k, flop comes a sexy looking Ac7c4s. I check and he bets 2.4k i make it 6k and he announces allin (he has me covered) I insta call putting him on a big Ace. He turns over As7s for top two pair, ok i think no Ace or 7 and its happy days. He didnt hit an Ace or a 7 but it sure as hell wasn't fucking happy days, he only went and caught running spades for the nut flush. Really really sick. 55k pot right at the end of the day and I get shafted. I'd have been going back on day two in great shape with almost double the ave stacks had I held but it wasn't to be.

I now know I can compete at this level and I'll be doing my utmost to qualify for at least 1 more EPT event. I was planning on buying into London had I cashed over here but thats not to be so I'll be satelitting my way to Dublin and Copenhagen...hopefully :-). Day 1b is about to get started but I'm too sick to go anywhere near the casino so I'm going to go and see what sites Barcelona has to offer.