The Nuts Any Good Lads?

After a week long battle with some flu variation, christ knows what sort, i was just hoping to be fit for the Grosvenor Team game at the weekend.

I wouldn't say i was 100% (i'm still not now) but i was there, unlike some of the team who either had other arrangements or didn't show up, for reasons best known to themselves.

Met up with SamJ in The Lodge and had a quick drink whilst waiting for the human sat-nav that is Junior Bomber to work out which way was 'up' the street from his Salon..

Straight over to The Living Room when Walker arrives and it's pregame Fish and Chips for me and an Awesome Burger for the Skipper. Spoona was in transit so Fish and Chips was ordered for him also, but after 25mins pass, his food getting all cold (and eaten by SamJ), still no Spoons. He finally walks in, looking like his only reason for being late was the effort that went into choosing his fcking hoody and joggers. Never have i seen a man eat Fish and Chips with his hands, but apparently today was the day that changed. No sooner had his arse hit the chair, the fish was in his hand, well played Spoona, yee looked like you were playing some sort of Cod Trumpet at certain points.

Off to the casino and there are 8 teams ready to do battle, or should i say 7.9 teams as the Sensations were a man short. Spoona (not playing due to marriage issues) stepped up to the plate in times of need, but with his departure set for no later than 6pm, we were essentially only 9 deep leaving us slightly disadvantaged.

My starting table saw Koyte and CGK both sit down, along with The Bulldozer Neil Barron. The now standard CGK early bath was on the cards once again after he gets called by one of the Cubs holding only AK on a low flop to see an ace on the turn. This hand didn't do all the damage to his stack, but seemed to do all the damage to his heed, as he goes on to proverbially piss the rest away in a seemingly steamy frame of mind.

I can't remember many hands of note, mostly because i barely got any. Pocket 8s UTG seems to stick in my mind though. I limp UTG for 150 and Simmy calls in late position, which was surprising as he'd opened from this position nearly every orbit, i guess my limp slowed him down. The flop comes K 6 K which im more than happy to fire out a bet with first to act. The pot is tiny, so i fire a little 300 tickle into 525. Simmy calls. Not entirely sure why he calls as there are no draws whatsoever, so i assume he's just looking to float the turn or river. Wanting to keep the pot small, i elect to check the turn regardless of what it is. The ten on the turn could see me now behind, but i doubt it. I check, and Simmy quickly checks behind. Im now confident my holdings are ahead and barring a stupid river, im good. The 7 on the river keeps me in a comfortable spot and with 1125 in the pot i try to get a little value out of my hand betting 450. Simmy finally makes his move and raises to 1200, but unfortunately isn't really representing anything on that board and i make the call. Wanting to see his cards i wait for him to show, but his statue like state tells me im never seeing them unless i ask. I table my eights and he mucks.

With my stack up and down all day, my peak reaching about 35k before the FT, FullTilit, having joined the table some time ago, raises my button from the CO to 3.6k (forgive me if the exact numbers are wrong from this point). With 18.6k in chips, i make the call holding A8 suited, thinking i have position, and im probably ahead of his opening range. With the right flop, ill get it all in. Including the blinds the pot stands at 9k. The flop comes 6 7 9 rainbow, giving me the open ended straight draw and 1 overcard to the board, which im happy to get it in with, but to my horror wor Danny boy bets 10k.. over betting the pot. Shite. Now in a horrible spot, his bet basically tells me he's not going anywhere if i shove. 19k in the pot, i have 15k left, i really can't fold here getting virtually 2-1 on a call. Obviously i can't call with only 5k behind, so after a little visit to the tank i shove, Dan calling reluctantly telling me i'm ahead, and im over the moon when he tables Q 10, drawing to only a Q or an 8. He bricks the universe and i win the 39k pot with only Ace high.

I take this stack to the final table alongside SamJ giving us a good chance at victory and within the first 10 hands see a couple of steals get through, and with AK (K high flop), and AA thrown in for good measure, my stack is up to it's highest at 65k. The big stacks big blind, who has been defending all day long and i raise 3BBs to 12k from the CO with 6 8 of spades. He obliges and we see a 7 8 J rainbow flop. He bets 12k first to act and looking at my stack i know he wont want to do this much damage to all his hard work if i shove. Assuming he passes everything but the nuts, a set or two pair here i shove and he promptly goes into the tank. The dealer asks if he requires a count, to which he agrees and my chips are counted out. A little more deliberation and he makes the call holding 9 10 off.... wow, just the nuts eh? Why in the name of jesus did that take so long? Make sure you get a count first before making a decision though yeah.. i mean, what answer does the dealer have to give you before you consider passing the nuts? Needless to say as soon as the cards went on their backs the whole place went crazy, i simply walked away. Christ knows what came on the turn, let alone the river, as i wasnt at the table to see it. Lesser men would have caused a riot.

Unfortunately my exit there ultimately cost the team first place honours, as with SamJ's first place effort we finished 1 point short of a tie for first. So had i tightened up a little instead of trying to accumulate chips we may have actually scooped the whole damn show on our debut performance. Sorry to let you down lads. Big big big well played to SamJ who once again showed his quality, and a mention to Junior too who also made the points with another deep run on the back of his performance in the Championships.

Sensations FTW