London, Cardiff, Dublin and Amsterdam  -  By Poker Boss

The week following my return from Baden coincided with my fortieth birthday. This meant that, by the time the ninth leg of the UKPT had rolled around, I was definitely in need of one or two early nights.

The week following my return from Baden coincided with my fortieth birthday. This meant that, by the time the ninth leg of the UKPT had rolled around, I was definitely in need of one or two early nights.
Having said that, I was happy with how I played down at the Vic and when the chips went in, I was in front, just one level way from bagging up some chips for Day 2.
What messed up the hand was an UTG limper. The button raised and sitting on average chips I looked down at A-J in the SB. I probably should have raised but the limper put me off. We both checked the Ah,10h,10 flop and the button moved all-in for 20k into a 4k pot. It stunk of a flush draw, I made the call, but his 9h-3h got there on the turn and I kinda got my early night after all…
Given my new fame and fortune I got a phone call out of the blue with an invite to play Late Night Poker. I was very happy to oblige as this had been the show that got me hooked on the game. A lot of the old faces were invited back and I’m sure it’ll make great viewing when it eventually airs.
A week later I headed over to Dublin with the wife & kids for a weeks holiday which happened to coincide with the next EPT. The numbers were astonishingly low with what was once a really popular destination getting just 220 runners. I guess the shear size of the buy-ins is beginning to take its toll
Given the short field & a five day structure we were all given an extra 5000 chips - a very nice cushion. I was up and down between 6 &16k for most of the day and I went out on a move against a big stacked serial button raiser:
He made 900 & I re-popped it to 2900 with A-K from the SB. He called and I checked the 8,9,J flop, he bet 4k, I pushed for 14k. He called with 8-10 and unfortunately I missed my six outs.
At least not making the final in Dublin meant I didn’t have to alter my Amsterdam trip and I arrived just in time for Saturdays 200 re-buy. All the side events at the Master Classics fill weeks before the start and this year, for the first time, the main event was sold out a day in advance.
I didn’t go deep in any of the four events I played, but in the main event I did somehow manage to blow a double-average stack somewhere in the middle of level 5. With 90 minute levels and 27k all was looking rosy until I ran an A-K into A-A for 10k, dribbled another 7k off with second best hands and then made a flush on a paired board which just happened to fill up my opponent.
Time for a week off I think.