We had a full house for the first time in weeks, and kicked off at 20:39 with JJ mightily relieved that Bea was absent, as was Dave, who had difficulties settling her in time to make the start of the game.
In what proved to be a dreadful night for IJ, he hit 3Ks and called JJ's £8.50 raise after the river. Sneaky JJ had hit a full house, also with trip Ks & IJ was lucky to survive.....
.....But not for very long, as the scenario re-occured shortly afterwards, with IJ hitting trips 9s, only to be mullered by James' A9 full house. IJ had a sense of dread as he called James' £5 raise, only to get hit twice by lightening.
Jude was nearly out & went all in with AQ, which Barry called with KQ. He hit 4 diamonds, but the lack of the fifth, helped Jude double up and get right back in the game.
IJ finally hit his full house, going all in with AJ and getting tripled up by James & Barry.
Jude continued her comeback, going all in with Ks which tripped up, only to be recklessly called by Shaz with 89, a pair and a straight draw. Jude doubled up again.
Charlie finally knocked IJ out after IJ went all in when his Q10 hit a Q. Charlie called with QJ, which held up. IJ out (10th).
JJ proved that it wasn't just Bea that puts him off his game, chucking his cards, only to realise that he was the big blind. While this happens often to Dean without disturbing the rest of the game, JJ couldn't remember his cards, but refused to hand over his blind without retrieving his hand from the middle. After a lot of pointless discussion, Lee (ever the patient adjudicator) somehow resolved the matter and convinced JJ he had found his hand, which JJ accepted and then immediately folded. Bring back Bea - someone needs to be slobbered over....
In a move that had to be learnt from Paul, the master of the early exit, James looked at the clock and went all in with 4s. Sharon called with 9s but Lee went all in with A6, hitting an Ace on the first card and knocking James out (9th). Bad news for James, but worse news for the rest of us as Baz started going on and on about how he would have won with A8.
Charlie continued to amass chips, calling JJ's all in with Qs in his hand, which held up against JJ's Js, and knocked him out (8th). But guess what? This time Sharon would have won with AK.
The next major hand turned Charlie into a monster chip leader. Lee went all in with AJ, as did Mark with AQ. Charlie called them both with 7s, and hit a full house, which took out both Lee (7th) and Mark (6th). This ignited a dispute between Baz and Lee as to whether Charlie's move was a good call or not. Baz contributed the insightful 'It was with hindsight'.
The nasty tone of the game continued, when Shaz knocked Dan out (5th) after her 6s tripped up, beating his J10, pair of Js. As the river sealed Dan's fate Sharon showed that she can always find the right words for the occasion, exclaiming "Serves you fucking right!" Dan sheepishly left the table.
Charlie took another scalp, calling Jude's all in with K4, which held up against her Q3. Jude out (4th).
With Baz, Shaz & Chas all in the money spots, the remaining players predicted a crap shoot, which was fairly accurate, but there were some entertaining moments.
Shaz put in a large raise after the turn, when her miserable 78 became a straight draw. Charlie called, despite having a pathetic 78 himself. Turns out, they both hit the straight & split the pot, but Sharon couldn't believe that Charlie called when he had so little in his hand.
Continuing her usual aggressive play, Sharon went all in with AQ, despite the flop giving her nothing. Charlie called and again he had the same hand, AQ, splitting the pot, and once again confounding Sharon as to why on earth he called? Can anyone knock this man off a pot?
Bluffer Barry got bored of not being involved in any action and went all in with K2, after he hit a 2. Sharon called with J9, but K2 held up, doubling the Bluffer up.
Baz won the race to heads up, when his 10s became a full house, beating Shaz's K9, which had hit a K. Shaz was out (3rd) and heads up, or the clash of the iphones, arrived at 22:56.
Baz started off behind but fought valiantly, doubling up after his Q10 hit a Q and overcame Charlie's 9s.
He went all in again with Q4 and Charlie called with KQ. Baz hit a full house and doubled up, but Charlie tried to take his chips back, claiming that he thought he'd hit a Q and split the pot. Luckily we were on to him.
Charlie spent the next few hands complaining that he didn't know what was going on, he was so confused about the split pot that wasn't. But in the end, it was Baz's confusion which ended the game.
In a hand that began uneventfully, Charlie had A2 and raised 2 piles of red. Baz felt lucky and called with 108, which proved a fortuitous punt as he hit top pair on the turn. Charlie, who had not hit anything, raised another 2 pile of red and Barry called. He immediately regretted it, saying that he had meant to go all in but the word 'call' had slipped out. JJ helpfully said 'Let's hope he doesn't hit anything.'
This turned out to be a vain hope, as the river brought an Ace, and when Baz finally remembered to go all in, Charlie's hand was made.
Charlie won at 23:18.
Baz's mistaken call, cost him the game. 'I can't believe I said the wrong thing' he kept repeating, despite claiming that he wouldn't be kicking himself later on.
Well done Charlie & hard luck Barry - let's hope that you don't lose the title by 5 points or less....
Game 2 – 6 players - (1st Dan, 2nd JJ, 3rd Lee)
Play started for the second game at 23:23, with 6 players but only 5 tenners. It turned out the Youngs had both claimed Sharon's 3rd place winnings.
The game was a trying one for Barry, with the other players constantly checking whether he meant to say 'check' each time he did.
The pressure eventually showing, he raised £5 with 4 clubs on the table. Lee re-raised £5 and Baz laid it down, admitting that although he had trips and could have hit a full house, it was not worth another fiver.
IJ finished off an abysmal night of poker, going all in with AK, only to be called by Dan with QJ, which had already hit a Q. IJ out (6th) - first out in both games. Dreadful.
Charlie, followed, going all in with A3, which hit a 3. Dan called after his A6 hit a 6. Dan eventually hit 2 pair and knocked Charlie out (5th).
------------------------------------
Dan continues:
From memory:
I knocked out Baz when he went all in with A9 versus my A10 which held up. Baz out (4th)
I knocked out Lee (although JJ really did the hard work for me) with an over card that hit – Queen I think. He was holding rags with less than a small blind and was small blind. Lee out (3rd)
Heads up didn’t last too long. JJ was massively short stacked but doubled up (about 3 big blinds worth) when I went all in holding a raggy Ace and he held AK which hit a few more Kings if I remember correctly. The hope though was short lived as I knocked JJ out when flop came 359. He had 56 and went all in, I had 89 and called. It held up and it was game over at a respectable 12.48.
So well done Dan - seems like you knocked everysingle player out yourself, & earned a well deserved victory.
For anyone who cares (and I seriously doubt anyone will), Dan adds:
"My first payout since 20th Feb for a second game and first win since 6th Feb. Hoodoo over!"
2008 Poker Rankings Table:
Barry enters August top of our table, a position he has clung onto since May, despite carelessly forfeiting games like this week. His second place moves him a further 2 points ahead of Lee.Dan's second game result after a couple of weeks off, sends a strong signal to JJ that he is not to be ignored in the title race. He moves into third place, at even points with JJ.
Sharon gains a point, to share 8th spot with Dean, while Charlie's first game result moves him ahead of Vic.
Conversation topics of the week:
Despite Dean's absence, there was lots of tv chat, with serious issues raised such as "When's the 3rd series of Dexter starting?" Charlie helpfully informed us that he is not looking forward to the 4th series of Prison Break.
Mark seemed to prefer playing labryinthe on the iphone than poker. His performance was certainly better at it.
Are the non-kosher M&Ms really any different from the kosher ones?
JJ went to see Mama Mia & loved it (Gaylord).
As did James (bender).
JJ came out singing the tunes, but then he also liked KungFu Panda.
Suggestions were given for a CD of our top 10 poker tunes.
These lined up as follows:
10. The theme tune to Button Moon
9. Anything from 'South Park: The Movie'.
8. Some cheesy 80s shit from Sharon & Jude's favourite 80s mix.
7. Paint it Black - as found on many of our old mobile tones.
6. The theme tune from the A Team.
5. The Ace of Spades.
4. Another one Bites the Dust.
3. The theme tune from Prisoner Cell Block H (as sung by Baz & Dave)
2. Just the 2 of us.
1. Raise me up - how could it be any other???
Congratulations of the week:
To Scott & Dalia Haber on their 10th Anniversary on Saturday, 9th August.
News, videos & Jokes of the week:
Thanks to Baz for news of how absent minded some frummers can be:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7540112.stm
This one is a bit sickly:
http://videos.komando.com/2008/06/26/christian-the-lion/
& thanks to Dave, for this contribution while on holiday in Italy:
This is a story about a popular young Rabbi who, on Sabbath Eve, announces to his congregation that he will not renew his contract. He explains that he must move on to a larger congregation that will pay him more.
There is a hush. No one wants him to leave.
Sol Epstein, who owns a couple of Toyota and Lexus dealerships in the city stands up and proclaims 'If the Rabbi stays, I will provide him with a new Lexus every year and his wife with a Toyota Sienna to transport their children!'
The congregation sighs in appreciation, and applauds.
Sam Goldstein, a successful entrepreneur and investor, stands and says: 'If the Rabbi will stay on here, I'll personally double his salary, and also establish a foundation to guarantee the college education of all his children!!'
More sighs and loud applause.
Sadie Goldfarb, age 88, stands and announces with a smile,
'If the Rabbi stays, I will give him sex!'
There is total silence. The Rabbi, blushing, asks her:
'Mrs. Goldfarb, whatever possessed you to say that?'
Sadie's 90 year old husband Jacob is now trying to hide, holding his forehead with the palm of his hand and shaking his head from side to side while his wife replies:
'Well, I just asked my husband how we could help, and he said, 'Fuck the Rabbi!''.
and finally, thanks to Dave for this one too:
that's all folks!
ij
