First $20k win of the year

29th March 2008.


I sit down for the $20k, buoyed by last nights 2nd place in the $4.5k.
First two levels are uneventful, my chips have fallen from 3000 to 2446.

Level 3 I get JsTs, I try a limp after an early limper. Its raised to 300, two other callers, I get odds of calling 250 with a pot already containing over 1k. I decide to call.


Flop 6TT - Bingo.
Dogman003: checks
ClintonO: checks
redmundir: checks
Johnd1801: checks
Action please!
----- TURN ----- [6h Tc Th][Ac]
Dogman003: checks
ClintonO: checks
redmundir: bets 500
Johnd1801: calls 500
Dogman003: calls 500 (Thats so much better!)
I get one caller and I move to 5356 in chips.


Level 7 is next significant hand, I have 4981 in chips.
dealt to ClintonO [Ah Ad] Bullets! 1st time of the night
I get one caller and the flop comes.
----- FLOP ----- [Jh 5s As]
ClintonO: checks
rl1986: checks
----- TURN ----- [Jh 5s As][Ac]
ClintonO: checks (oh my god, quads how the hell do I get action!)
rl1986: bets 1200
ClintonO: raises to 4081 and is all-in
rl1986: calls 2881 ( I guess that answers my question!)
----- RIVER ----- [Jh 5s As Ac][8d]
----- SHOW DOWN -----
ClintonO: shows [Ah Ad] (Four of a kind, Aces, Jack high)
rl1986: shows [7s Ks] (A Pair of Aces, King high)
ClintonO collected 10262 from Main pot


I get to the bubble (21 players) with just 7000, but get to the final 2 tables with 18000 without showing a hand!


With 20 players left I get dealt 99 and end up all against A2 and move up to 28k. I win a couple of nice pots and get to the final table with 46k.

Seat 1: Player010 (57588 in chips)
Seat 2: stagman (26936 in chips)
Seat 3: GumBallR (7861 in chips)
Seat 4: ClintonO (45988 in chips)
Seat 5: Folder (130632 in chips)
Seat 6: Allinnet (134643 in chips)
Seat 7: Homerindo (63658 in chips)
Seat 8: Ultgamb (42678 in chips)
Seat 9: __07__ (18146 in chips)
Seat 10: Fullbak (89870 in chips)


6th place as I enter the final table. I get 99 first hand and end up losing 8k with them.

Mick (__07__) goes in the first few hands, I knock out Stagman in 9th, Gumball follows shortly after in 8th and Fullbak who was so strong finishing in 7th. Player010 goes out the hand after Fullbak and very suddenly we have 5 players.


With 5 left Folder and Allinet have run into a big lead and I sit in last place.
Blinds (3000/6000) Antes 750
Seat 4: ClintonO (45722 in chips)
Seat 5: Folder (181886 in chips)
Seat 6: Allinnet (242898 in chips)
Seat 7: Homerindo (83696 in chips)
Seat 8: Ultgamb (63798 in chips)


I get very lucky against Folder when my AT splits with AQ, that piece of fortune inspires me onwards.

I find AJ in the Big Blind and Homer pushes. He has AT and my hand holds up to move to 126k and I have a real chance now, we have 4 left.

Next up I have JTclubs, get to see a flop and its 8h2cQc. I bet out and Ultgamb moves all in. I am very comitted. He has 83, but the turn brings a crucial club and its down to 3.


Seat 4: ClintonO (224341 in chips)
Seat 5: Folder (199761 in chips)
Seat 6: Allinnet (193898 in chips)
The stacks fluctuate a fair bit until this hand, my favourite of the tournie, if it did not happen to be against Mr Stuart Wardale, a very nice guy!

dealt to ClintonO [6c 8h]
Allinnet: folds
ClintonO: raises to 24000 (lets try something)
Folder: calls 16000
----- FLOP ----- [5s 7h 9c] (nice!)
ClintonO: checks
Folder: bets 166761 and is all-in (THANK YOU!)
ClintonO: is all-in 147341
Returned uncalled bets 19,420 to Folder
-----TURN ----- [5s 7h 9c][5d]
----- RIVER ----- [5s 7h 9c 5d][9h]
----- SHOW DOWN -----
Folder: shows [7c Kc] (Two Pairs, Nines and Sevens, King high)
ClintonO: shows [6c 8h] (A Straight, Nine high)
ClintonO collected 345682 from Main pot


Heads Up its 342k plays 276k. Blinds 4000/8000
Hand 1 (Ad,Qc) - he calls, I raise to 32k he folds
Hand 2 (8c,9d) - I call, he raises to 32k. I fold
Hand 3 (Jd,3s) - We see a flop, JA2, he bets 16k, I call and its checked down, me winning 50k pot.
Hand 4 (Qc,4c) - I call, he raises. Hes not allowing me to limp in.
Hand 5 (6c,2d) - He raises, I fold.
Hand 6 (5h,3h) - I raise, he reraises. I fold
Hand 7 (7s,5h) - He raises, I fold.
Hand 8 (8h,9s) - I limp in and see a flop. JcQc4. He checks and then calls my 8k bet. Turn 5d. This time he check raises me. I call. Turn 6h. He puts a big bet in , I believe he has a missed flush, but I fold. Im now 266-352 behind and being outplayed.
Hand 9 (Ah,3d) - I call his raise, we end up splitting pot as he has A4
Hand 10 (9d,5h) - Missed flop and fold.
Hand 11 (7s, 4c) - He folds.
Hand 12 (Ad,Jh) - I decide its time for the limp with good hand. I limp, he raises to 32k. I reraise to 88k, which to my suprise he calls. Flop (2d,Kh,Kc). He checks flop, I decide to push all in. He thinks, but folds. Im 350-267 in front.
Hand 13 (As,8h) - I see flop ,but he bets out and takes it.
Hand 14 (2h,4d) - Nothing doing here.
Hand 15 (Th,9h) - He folds
Hand 16 (Kc,Jh) - I raise, he folds.
Hand 17 (Kh,Qh) - I call his raise, he bets out on Ace high flop, I fold.
Hand 18 (8h,8d) - I raise x3. He calls. Flop 933, I bet out he folds.
Hand 19 (Ad,Kc) - a nice run of cards here, he raises, I reraise, he folds. 371-246
Hand 20 (5s,4s) - He raises, I fold.
Hand 21 (9h,5h) - Miss flop completely.
Hand 22 (Kh,5s) - I fold to a raise.
Hand 23 (8s,8c) - He folds
Hand 24 (Ac,2s) - I raise, he folds.
Hand 25 (Jd,9s) - I missed straight draw.
Hand 26 (Jc,4d) - I get caught bluffing and he takes 50k pot.
Hand 27 (Tc,6c) - I call a raise and lose to A8. I am now behind 299-318
Hand 28 (Ks,4s) - I have to fold, not really happy way this is turning out, but still every chance.
Blinds 6000/12000 Antes 1500
Hand 29 (Kc,6c) - I missed flop, but bet out, he folds.
Hand 30 (Jh,6s) - I fold to a raise.
Hand 31 (Qd,3h) - I fold to a raise.
Hand 32 (Js,Td) - He folds to my raise.
Hand 33 (9c,3d) - Nothing for me here.
Hand 34 (4h,6s) - Or again. Now way behind 263-354.
Hand 35 (Ts, 2s) - I check his limp. Flop 4d,Kd,Ad. I attempt a steal, bet 12000, he calls. Turn 4h. I will have another go 24000, he calls again. River 5h. Only chance to win is bet again. Complete bluff 60000. He folds. Sighs of relief on my part.
Hand 36 (Ah,Qs) - Back in front, I raise, he folds.
Hand 37 (Ac,Kd) - I reraise, he folds.
Hand 38 (Qh,Td) - I raise to keep pressure on, he folds.
Hand 39 (Qh,7c) - I take a breath and fold to a raise 354-264.
Hand 40 (Ah,Tc) - I raise, he moves all in. He has never made this move before, I think he just wants me out of there. It has been a tough heads up, I have had to make big bluffs to stay in it. I think I am in front I make the call.

He turns over Jc,9h. Board - 7c,Qs,4c,5s,Td. I win the game.

I was not overthrilled by my heads up play in this one, I felt I struggled, however, I played a solid game, including getting chips at an important time on the bubble.
This win would give me confidence. So much so that I won the tournament a couple of days later.

ClintonO