The final week of six in the recent Betfred Poker League saw twenty
eight players battle it out to see who would end up with the top five prizes.
With the winner already decided the pressure was on those in the top ten. Being
placed in sixth I knew I needed at least a seventh place to come fifth or better
- but that that may not be enough.
From the start I was always in the bottom few and struggling. Whilst I
never had a worthwhile stack I managed to duck and dive, keep myself alive and
stay out of trouble. One of the benefits of playing a gazillion sit n gos is
knowing how to play a small stack. Push or fold poker baby. As the game
progressed I was hanging around like a bad smell while some other major
contenders went out including overall winner Van Persie20. I was 20th of 24,
13th of 15. Eventually we were on the final table bubble and another tactical
double up propelled me to seventh of eleven. Maybe I could now do it.
Whilst two key players above me were out and seventh would move me up two
places to fourth two other players just behind me had much healthier stacks. It
was time to get the calculator out and adapt ones strategy accordingly. This is
the great thing about a league structure and something we missed out on in week
five. The final table bubble burst and I had a real chance of seventh but other
players to consider. Three key hands then played out to seal my fate.
With eight players left, me in seventh and one of my key opponents in
eighth I was hoping he would get knocked out and let me sneak into at least a
fifth placed spot overall. The poker gods had other ideas. I had queens with
about only five big blinds left. I could not fold, though given my opponents
four big blind stack there was a statistical argument to do so. I went all in
and ironically it was my key opponent who called with AK. This classic coin toss
felt like it would count for a lot league wise. A king on the flop and no
improvement meant I was chip dead and almost certain to go out in eighth. All in
against the big blind I managed a double up but still had only around two big
blinds. No chips, no fold equity, no chance.
However, The next hand saw me under the gun with a pair of twos. Not an
ideal situation. I went all in and was called by both the blinds. I managed to
flop another two and won the hand which gave me some vital breathing
space. Within a few hands two opponents including x were out and sixth place had
been secured along with at least fifth spot. Soon I was out myself in sixth with
QJ against a monster stacks 87. My other key opponent progressed enough to make
fourth and leave me in fifth place.
Overall fifth won me £50($80) and I made around another $50 profit cashing
in the games themselves. The prize was as much as I deserved I think as my three
top tens of third, fifth and sixth out of six games is decent but not
spectacular. It has taken a while for me to publish this post as I have been
waiting for a final league table in vain. I have been paid out so I should be
happy with that I suppose. Congratulations to the other top five finishers.
There is talk of a new series in the New Year with a better structure and
prizes
Anyway, Happy New Year to all and thanks to anyone with a genuine interest
in my blog and particularly those who have contacted me over the course of the
year. Good luck at the tables in 2013.
Cheers
Jason (Kartajana)
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