Hi All
 
I was in great shape for today’s £3000 No Limit event of the London EPT European Championship and expecting to make the second day as I have done four of the six times I have played it in the past.

After receiving a copy of the structure sheet, I realised it was set faster than usual so waiting until the later levels for premium hands and a double up was not going to be strategy on the day. It was clear you needed to accumulate chips by the 5th level of 300 600 or the blinds were going to kill you.

With 10,000 chips I usually spend the first three levels learning the players. I don’t even bother stealing blinds and play mostly premium hands and position. With blinds that don't double each time this works well.

Today, however, we were on a 45 minute clock with the blinds doubling each level until 300 600 when there was a 50% increase and then 400 800 when there was only a 33% increase but with a running ante of 25.

I survived only two levels and the best hand I held was 77. In that time I also only saw two hands with an A one of which I played. I decided early on I was going to play aggressivly to try and build my chips early then use my stack to accumulate more chips as the blinds increased by selective positional play and blind steals. Good plan…but this is what happened!

The player on my left had just come from the EPT in Barcelona where he had finished third. He was over aggressive, raising the blinds several times a round even at the 25 50 level. He always raised four times the BB and after slow playing KK well from the BB was already up to 14000. Twice I had flat called a small raise with suited connectors only for him to re-raise. I decided that I was going to take a stand if the opportunity arose.

Philip Marmorstein was two to my right. He is a top cash player who has also had success in tournaments and does not raise with weak hands. He made it 300 to go and in the SB I decided to see the flop with KQ of spades. The BB now, as before, re-raised to 2000 but this time I picked up a tell. Whereas before he would just put the chips in silently this time he announced "I raise!" Philip passed and I decided I was going to call and bet out on the flop if I hit any part of it. This left me 6000 so I was risking 25% of my chips.

The flop was 4 T J with 2 diamonds. This gave me two over-cards and a straight draw. I moved all in and he passed. This had the desired effect as he now slowed down for a while and the rest of the table knew I was prepared to play for all my chips.

I only played two more hands. There was a raise to 300 from the player second to act and all passed to the SB who flat called. I was in the BB with A4 of spades - the first A I had had in over an hour. I called for 200 more, the flop was 2 4 6, with two spades, SB checked as did I, allowing the raiser to bet which I expected him to do with any over pair or big A. The SB passed. I had already checked the better’s chips and after betting a 1000 on the flop he had 5200 left.

If he had AK I was winning with my paired four so a raise may have won it there and then. Also if he had a pair of TT or JJ he may decide to fold as I called a pre-flop raise and may had flopped a small set. However, he was not likely to fold QQ KK or AA as only a top player could do that on this flop. I raised all in knowing that if he called, as long as he didn't have AA, I could win with a 4 an A or a spade. He thought for a while then called with QQ. There was no improvement for me and I was down to 5000.

I then took the SB and on the button was dealt 46 of spades. Again there was an early raise to 300 and the player on my right called. I decided to call as I knew the blinds were passing.

I will play a range of hands on the button when I have a good feel for where I am against the player/s in the pot. In this case I knew the raiser would have a medium to large pair or at least AQs. The player on my right had been playing too many flops and I would know where I was on the flop unless he hit. If it was checked to him he would not bet with me behind him. I also knew if I hit the flop I could outplay both players and get paid.

The flop was perfect A 4 4. The raiser bet 1000 and the player to my right passed. Now I knew if the raiser had AA he would have checked. Also if he had an under pair such as KK he would check with the 2 of us behind him so he had to have AQs or AK. I flat called, an 8 came on the turn and he bet 1500.

I now re-raised all in for a total of 3600, he called making a pot of 10,250 and turned up AKs. I showed my trip 4's and with just the river to come he had only 2 outs , the river was the A of hearts which broke mine!

I had played a hand in position, hit the perfect flop, got my opponent to commit 4600 chips by the turn but was rivered and was out. Afterwards, as I wished everyone well, the player came up to me and apologised for getting lucky. He explained he had only been playing six months and it never occurred to him I had a 4. I said not to worry and that I would take that situation every time and the odds would be heavily in my favour. I also told him that he should learn from the way I bet and one day that may save him a lot of chips if he can see the danger.

Obviously I was disappointed to be out so early but I had stuck to my game plan of playing aggressively in order to accumulate chips and if the A hadn't come I would have been right back in the game.

I have decided to give the next European Poker Tour event in Dublin a miss and will take the rest of October off until the 31st when I will be playing the £500 No Limit freezeout in Brighton then on the 2nd November the £400 No Limit in Southampton. Following that will be one of my favourite tournaments of the year - the Masterclassics in Amsterdam - where I intend to be fully focused and prepared for the 5000 Euro Lido.

You play well and I look forward to catching up soon.
 
ACES