Third game of the year got off to a brisk start with JJ paying no respect to Barry and calling his large raise. Unfortunately for JJ, Baz hits his first trip 3s of the night.
Barry saw more early action, delighting Sharon when he called her raise with pocket Aces. He regretted his call as she hit the nut flush and cleaned up.
Last year's champion couldn't find his old form and become the evening's first casualty, after going all in holding a monster 4 5. Lee eagerly called holding pocket 8s & hit a full house, to banish JJ to the sofa and the North London Derby.
Barry hit his 2nd trip 3s of the night and got paid by Jude who hit 2 pair.
Barry then hits trips again but gets deservedly mullered by Sharon's straight flush - well worthy of my first blog photograph.
Barry clawed his way back, when Vic & Charlie hit Kings against his pocket Aces, sending Vic out 9th.
Dan demonstrated his 20/20 vision by not seeing IJ's chips and insisting that the dealing has been mucked up (this is a most unusual occurrence in our game.)
IJ's 75p all in raise was met with laughs of derision from Dave - which turns into total humiliation when IJ hits trip Kings, but Dave hits nut flush on the river, sending IJ out 8th.
Charlie, slowly decimated in a succession of hands, hangs on until eventually his pocket 6s succumb to Baz's AQ, which hits a Q. Charles 7th out.
Lee acquires a monster pile of chips after knocking both Dave (6th) & Jude out (5th) with trip 7s.
Dave (now out) then laughs again, this time at Baz's misfortune after he thinks he has Dan sewn up with full house 9s over Aces - until he realises that Dan has Aces over 9s. Damn that last 9....
Dan maximised his home team advantage, and while the others withered in the tropical heat of his house, he knocked out Lee (4th) with a straight despite having earlier been down to his last chips.
But Sharon, quietly acclimatising to the glare of the 46 spotlights in Dan & Gaby's lounge, knocked Barry out (3rd) and then beat Dan heads up, who's pocket Kings were not enough to beat her straight.
Congrats Sharon, first win of 2008, secured in the third game of the year...
Game 2 – 9 players - (1st Vic (that is not a typo), 2nd IJ, 3rd Dave)
Second game got off to a flying start when JJ raised £2.50 before the flop, holding QQ.
Vic folded declaring "You won't believe what I'm folding."
The first 2 cards of the flop were QQ, followed by a K, and JJ controls his excitement as he has hit 4Qs, on the first flop.
Dan with A8 spades, was drawn in by the 2 spades on the flop and called JJ's raise. Luckily for Dan, a further spade never arrived and he folds when JJ goes all in.
Vic had folded pocket Js and was correct - no one could believe he laid it down, however prescient.
JJ thought his luck was back when he got pocket rockets and re-raised Dan's £3 raise. He didn't have long to enjoy his AA or bask in his 4Q glory, as Dan had hit trip 7s, leaving JJ with 3 chips.
He exits shortly after, first out in both games - a miserable night for the ex-champion.
IJ knocked Dan out (8th) & then Barry (7th).
Dean and Dave go all in, both with pocket Js & inevitably split the pot. However, it was agreed by all that had one of them won it by an amazing fluke, Dave would definitely take it the best...
Vic knocked Lee out (6th) and then IJ knocked Charlie out (5th).
IJ's 99 then held up against Dave's A9, who was left decimated and with little chance of winning - although more chance than there is of the Bank of England raising interest rates tomorrow, Dean helpfully pointed out. (correctly as it turned out)
Dean exited next (4th) followed by Dave (3rd) leaving IJ and Vic to play heads up with a lot more at stake than usual.
Despite going in ahead, IJ soon fell behind and then for what seemed like an eternity, (especially for dealer Dan) the chips moved backwards & forwards, with neither player successfully landing the killer blow.
Eventually, at 2.45am, Vic prevailed, to his & Dan's relief (who was getting up in 3 hours).
Well done Vic for a hard fought victory, breaking your 2 year run without a win.
Maybe 2008 is going to be your poker year ....
2008 Poker Rankings table:
Congrats Sharon on topping the table & becoming our first female to reach the No 1 spot.
Surely, Vic has also reached his highest ever position in 3 years of playing.
Early days, of course, so we won't read too much into the table for now...
Congratulations for this week:
Have to go to Vic, but let me now if anyone else is due any.
Contributions of the Week:
Thanks to last year's blogger for this gem - anyone who can demonstrate that they can beat it at poker next week gets a prize...
Can you draw a six while your foot's rotating? it's still fascinatinglyweird. While sitting at your desk, lift your right foot off the floorand make clockwise circles. Now, while doing this, draw the number "6"in the air with your right hand. Your foot will change direction andthere's nothing you can do about it.
Weird News Stories of the Week:
Thanks to JJ for these two:
http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30200-1300101,00.html?f=rss
http://uk.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUKL0910395120080109
not sure which one of you marrieds is most likely to experience that second story, but perhaps we can discuss next week...
Until then, that is all for my first ever blog, all feedback welcome & abuse expected,
ilan
