DOGS @ MARTY'S
11 poker players converged in Yateley for what will no doubt be remembered as one of the greatest poker nights in History. They had travelled from as far away as Reading to participate. Walking into the arena you could almost smell the respect between the players and tensions were high as the usual suspects took their seats.
Table 1. Table 2.
The boy G Del Boy
Dave New Pete
Andy Baz
Steve Marty
Straight Pete Phil
Nick
The 2 table situation brought loads of action and chips were flying from the off. Steve "I'm gonna raise" Deadmoney dominated table 1 for most of the rebuy period making some good plays including bluffing someone (ok it was me) off pocket queens when a king hit the flop
On table 2 Del had employed Baz as his personal chip runner. Baz was running around so much that it must have felt like being back in basic training getting drilled by a moustached man in a uniform. Still I'm sure he's well used to that.
The calls of "all in - all out" came frequently. Del was getting brutally raped while Marty was hitting everything under the Sun. No matter how many times Del rebought he just couldn't find the cards to build up a stack.
At the freezeout Del finally had a few chips but his luck didn't improve and the walk of shame was his. Baz and Dave went shortly after and we were at the final table.
What followed after defied the laws of mathematics as time after time the river card saved or destroyed players left right and centre.
G went out when his chip stack got to the point that any picture card will do except that this time it didn't do.
Marty was on the ale as he was 'working from home' the next day and it was beginning to show. He got even more aggressive and was building a massive stack. He crippled Steve winning a monster pot. Steve eventually folding after the 93rd raise of the hand. Hands were not shown and Steve just looked like he was in shock for the next 10 minutes.
New Pete and straight Pete were involved in a monster. New raised and Straight called. Straight bet out immediately on the King high flop. "you've got a king then?" was new Pete's comment. "Well yeah" was the reply. New Pete went into the tank and eventually called and turned over QQ which was enough to take the pot and leave the other Pete short stacked.
Steve and Straight Pete were next to go after being forced to gamble with their low stacks.
5th place went to New Pete after Marty hit his club flush on the river. The 'pot odds' were just too good for Marty to fold the hand even after Pete bet out after every Street. Pete played well though and was unlucky not to go on and take a place on the podium.
NOONE WOULD DIE!!! This was a bubble that just refused to burst.
Phil was all in with pocket 9s against Marty's overcards. The Quads man hit trips on the turn and Phil was nearly out of the door when his 9 kindly dropped in giving him the full house. We continued.
After losing a load of chips to Andy, I got all in with my A 7 against Marty's K T. The flop came 10 high and I was about ready to slit my wrists but the turn and river game me a much appreciated 8 high straight. We carried on.
Again Marty and me get all our chips in the middle pre-flop. Me with AQ and Marty with QJ. Marty was dominated until the QJ flopped but just as I reached for the razor again the ace landed and again justice was served. It was getting late now and Marty was on the red wine.
Phil is all in in the small blind and quickly gets called with Andy's JJ. Phil turns over his monster 9 - 4 (well it was suited). A 4 on the flop gives Phil a fighting chance but the turn card is a brick. This time Phil was in his car when the other 4 hit on the river.
We decided to give 20 quid to 4th place as it just seemed so cruel to go out now. Eventually as the blinds got huge, Phil first and then Marty ended the madness and left Nick and Andy heads up. Nick having a small chip advantage.
Heads up was fairly uneventful with me using my chip advantage to steal some pots here and there??. and then it happened. Andy raised from the button and looking down to see KQ suited I decided it was good enough and raised him all in. I received the quickest call ever
Andy - AA Nick - KQ
Flop - 2 6 K Turn - 9
Thinking about how the night had gone. There was only one card that could have landed on the river
River - K
I thought for a second that Andy was going to hit me and I was actually embarrassed to win like that but I suppose as they say...That's Poker!.
Anyway. It was the best game that I've played in and cheers everyone for some great poker.
Nick (reluctantly HP)
(Ed - Originally included in this report were a lovely diagram & pictures but I was unable to upload them to the site)
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