Fathers Day

Sunday 19th June 2005 - Fathers Day, the day that changed my life. I was due to visit the inlaws, but both my Kids (Joshua and Holly) were ill and ended up in bed. As it was fathers day I was given the choice of what I wanted to do. I had started playing a little bit of poker, a few single table tournaments of very low stakes and the odd multi table tournament. I had even had one attempt at the world series qualification.

It was a gorgeous day and I decided to sit in the garden with my laptop and play some poker. I started on a Littlewoods £500 freeroll in the afternoon and found my way onto the final table. (Eventually finishing 3rd and winning £50) I remember thinking I was playing quite well and fancied another attempt at the world series qualifier. I told everyone on the final table that I was going to play in the world series qualifier later and they just took the mickey!

I sat down at a $42 Ten seater single table during the freeroll. The first thing that was bizzare was that ended up sitting next to the only guy I knew that played poker - my best mate from school, who I had not spoke to for over a year. 'Sharkbait' (played on Betfair) started chatting away to me and it took me the first level to work out who he was! (He is now Dumbsmuck on Littlewoods).

I made it to the last two, my mate went out in third and I was left against 'Djslow' I had 1800 chips to his 8200 and somehow ended up winning it.

The main qualifier was just starting and I was playing two games. One a freeroll the other I world series qualifier - is there a bigger contrast!

The event lasted 5 hours and 15 mins and I was off to Vegas!
The early stages were a blur, but all of a sudden (if you can say that about four hours!) I looked at the lobby and there were just 40 left, with 10 going to Vegas. My computer suddenly flicked back to the game as it was my go, but as the scroll button on the lobby is in the same place as the all in button - I had suddenly unintentionally risked my whole tournament.

I looked up to see A6 off suit and prayed everyone would fold. Thankfully they did, I breathed again. Slowly players were eliminated and we were down to the last 11.

I was becoming short stacked. I had only 5 players on my table compared to 6 on the other one, we were playing more hands as hand to hand play had not been built into the cryptologic (The software that runs Littlewoods, Betfair, Wm Hill, Uk Betting etc) software as yet. I had realistically two hands left. It was my big blind 92off. Under the Gun raised all in and I had no choice but to fold.

The small blind gave me 99 and I knew that had to be the hand. I went all in against one player who turned over J9. There was no Jack and my nines hold up.
Meanwhile on the other table, the short stack is all in with K2, he is called with KK and the miracle had happened, I was in the World Series 2005.