Play started at 20:36 without the Borehamwood boys, who were delayed by going for what they call a 'burger'. Barry certainly seemed to have enjoyed it, as he arrived smiling, wearing his Liverpool FC top (I assume they didn't swap shirts after their burger?). He re-assured us that his grin was due to the continued pleasure derived from Arsenal's Champions League exit at the hands of Liverpool on Wednesday night. We all chuckled at JJ/Arsenal's expense and then got on with playing.
In a monster early hand with JJ, Dan re-raised JJ's £3, only to be re-raised £6 back. Dan thought for a long while and eventually laid it down, leaving us in ignorance of JJ's hand. Charlie helpfully pointed out that "They could both have pocket Qs". This seemed unlikely, given that there was a Q on the board.
Charlie then applied the same Wenger like insight to his poker play, calling JJ's £7.50 raise, only to see his top pair of Queen with an Ace kicker crushed by JJ's 2 pair. Charlie exited shortly after, going all in with deuces. Baz & Sharon called, with Sharon folding when Barry raised after the flop. Sharon cursed when the cards were flipped, revealing Baz's pocket 7s, as she had pocket Js. Baz hit an extra 7, providing relief to Sharon and an early trip to the lounge for Charlie (10th).
IJ was out next, going all in with 8s, only to run into Baz's Js. Barry hit his first full house of the evening, and IJ went out (9th).
Sharon followed, going all in with AQ, only to be called by Barry, with his pocket 7s again. He hit another full house, on the flop this time, and knocked Shaz out (8th).
By now both Borehamwood Boys, energized by their Burger fest had large stacks of chips and the remaining players needed to pick up a gear. Dan went all in with AA, and was delighted to get called by Lee, AK, and Jude with A10. A king arrived on the flop but no further help for the others meant Dan tripled up.
Lee then fell victim to JJ, who had his own pocket rockets. Lee out (7th).
Mark, who's only contribution to the evening up until this point was to restrict his flatulence to smoking breaks, went all in with J9, called by Dave who had AJ and hit an Ace. Mark out (6th).
Dan tripled up again at the non-Borehamwood players expense: he went all in with AK, up against Jude with A3 and Dave with 9s. A king on the river rewarded Jude, but more so for Dan, who had the better kicker.
Dave then knocked Jude out (5th) after he called her Q3 all in with AQ, with nothing hitting.
In a crucial move for JJ, he knocked Dan out, (4th) to reach the last 3. This guaranteed him at least a point from the game, moving him ahead of his protector Vic in the table, for the first time this year. The remaining players considered getting Vic round for the 2nd game, to put JJ back in his place...
Dave went out (3rd) after he went all in with 910 hearts. Baz called with pocket 5s, and hit his 3rd full house of the night, setting up a Borehamwood version of the Arsenal - Liverpool clash.
Heads up began at 22:19, the earliest all year, with reputations at stake for both players. For JJ, the chance to finally kick start his year and escape from Vic's handlebasket. For Baz, the need to maintain his 100% heads up record and extend his lead at the top of the table.
It was 'end to end' poker (???) for a full 20 mins. A pattern kicked in early: Baz aggressively raised virtually every hand, pummelling a disorientated JJ into submission. JJ, who seemed to have forgotten how to play heads up, having not done it for so long, appeared to resign himself to a beating, going all in with 52. Baz called with QK, and seemed on course for his 9th win of the year, hitting a King on the flop, only to have victory cruelly snatched from him by the river which gave JJ trip 5s.
Baz kept his rhythm and returned swiftly to his bullying, even more determined to destroy the Gooner. He got a call to his all in, with his AK well ahead of JJ's K2. Once again the flop delivered a King and once again, JJ escaped, hitting a 2 on the river, gifting him 2 pair.
The whole process, Barry bullying followed by JJ making a bizarre call was repeated for a third time, causing the rest of us to question whether we were stuck in one of those Star Trek episodes where things keep repeating themselves. This time JJ called with 49 and Baz wasn't so confident with his A3. Sure enough, JJ hit a 4 on the river to hang on by his fingernails.
The tide turned and JJ overtook Baz, calling his all in A8 with AQ. He didn't need any help from the river this time, but it gave him a Q anyway.
Barry, decimated, held on for 2 further hands, until at 22:38, in the final hand, his K3 was beaten by JJ's AJ, which hit an Ace.
Well done JJ and thanks - no one would deny the large amount of luck that guided you to your 2nd win of the year, and shattered Baz's 100% heads up record, but it was hugely entertaining to watch.
Game 2 – 9 players - (1st Lee, 2nd JJ, 3rd Mark)
The earliest 2nd game start of 2008 at 10:50, produced a much better turn out than the shambles of last week. This week, the addition of Paul gave us 9 players, and a new quiz: predict what time he will go out.
Dan was our first casualty of the evening, going all in with Jacks only to be out rivered by JJ, whose AK hit a King. Dan out (9th).
Lee knocked Charlie out (8th) and IJ out (7th) in one hand, when he hit a straight with AQ, destroying IJ's trip 6s and Charlie's sod all, which turned into a useless pair of 7s.
Baz departed next when his pocket 4s ran into Dave's A10, which hit an Ace. Baz out (6th). Paul was out next, barely 4 hands after he arrived, going all in with K3, only to be called by JJ who had AJ and then hit a J. Paul out (5th) at 0:10, which was nearest to Dave's prediction of 12.20.
Dave was out (4th) when he kept calling JJ's raises with his 89, only for JJ to reveal trip 5s.
It looked a lot like JJ's luck had returned in a big way, when he knocked Mark out (3rd), calling his all in Q2 with 56, and hitting a 6.
JJ entered his 2nd heads up of the night (and only 4th of the year!) at 0:22, about even stacks against Lee.
Wiley Lee, was not going to allow another Borehamwood double, and took 6 minutes to destroy the River Rat. In the crucial heads up hand, Lee hit a flush on the flop and calmly checked it, until JJ caught a straight on the turn. He then raised it and JJ took the bait, and pushed in a massive re-raise, which Lee re-raised all in. JJ called and then cried.
At 0:28, the final hand saw Lee re-raise with A9, and then call JJ's all in with KJ. In a fitting finale to a dramatic night of poker, the river dealt the final (& unnecessary) blow to JJ, giving Lee a 9 and victory.
Well done Lee and well done all, for a thoroughly entertaining night of poker action, all over by half 12.
2008 Poker Rankings Table:
No change for the top 3 spots, but Lee's 2nd game victory narrows the gap between him and Baz to just 5 points, with Dan stuck in third place, ten points adrift of Lee.The big story of the night was all about JJ. After 14 weeks of languishing behind Vic, his first and second place have propelled him straight into 6th place, with 4th in one game's reach. He has more work to do to be seriously considered a contender for this year's title, but sources from among this year's big 3 warn not to count him out.
Unlike his beloved Arsenal, his season is far from over yet...
Conversation topics:
There was some debate about whether 'Manny' has entered the English language, as recognosed by the Websters Dictionary. Well, I'm afraid neither Websters Online nor the Oxford English has an entry for it. For those of you wondering what it means (and not present on Wednesday) according to Sharon, it is a common term to refer to a male nanny.
Lee was sporting a radical hair cut which he had done at a specialist hair salon 'the Ginger Group.' This led to concerned enquiries about whether there is something he is not telling us:
"Are you a ginger down below?" and "Do your collar and cuffs not match?"
Lots of chat about children's cartoons from when we were kids (and Barry was at Uni). Debate centred around what was the first line to follow 'Hong Kong Phooey' in the theme tune?
Turns out it was:
"Hong Kong Phooey, number one super guy."
http://www.culttelly.co.uk/lyrics/hkp.html
So Dan was closest with 'Number one superstar'- but no cigar.
Was Captain Caveman a cartoon bollock with a club?
You decide...
Finally, there were horrified faces around the table at the revelation that Dan had drunk his own piss, for a £10 bet with Mark, while on holiday in Ianapa. Dan maintained that he is proud of it and there is nothing wrong with drinking your own piss. Lee was convinced that it can't be good for you.
I'm not sure who's right, but it seems Dan is not alone: there is an altnerative medicine called 'Urine Therapy' and guess what it involves?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urine_therapy
Jokes/Sites of the week
Lee's proud of this one, which we shall dedicate to JJ:
Another beauty from Lee:
"Marks Pants found in outback!"
That's all for this week folks!
ij
