This is just a short update to let you know how it went. First the good news: I survived day 2, and have to play again in 2 hours, hence the lack of time to detail all the hands.
I started with 29k just below average, and went down to 20k after 30 minutes. But then I flopped a set overset and doubled up to 40k. My table had Johnny Lodden on my left and Shan Deeb on my left. I started opening up a bit more and went all the way to 55k after paying some really good poker, and getting people to fold when I needed it. My fortune didn't last long. After reraising a likely blind stealer ith ATs and getting reppoped all in, and then hitting KK against AA (Shaun Deeb Folded AKo!) I went bag down to 20k or so. Lukily I won a coin flip against Johnny Lodden (AK vs QQ) and finished the job with the help of lady luck, on a 9 high flop he bet and I put him basically all in with TT. Johny flipped AA and I sucked out on the river! Ouch sorry Sir.
So with around 60k now I am feeling good again, and called a bluff from Shaun Deeb in a blind battle (board QcJh8c/ check check/ Turn J/ check Shaun bets I call/ Turn J/ check Shaun bets I call/ he missed his draw.
He got his revenge quickly in another blind battle situation when I limped with T9 and he checked, flop was A97 and I bet big knowing he wouldn't believe the Ace and would make a move if he had nothing. He called. I check called the Q on the turn and thought this is working perfectly, but when I checked the river and he potted things looked more blurry. Was he value betting an Ace? Continuing his bluff knowing my likely hand was a weak pair? Well I took a weak line to make him bluff and he certainly is capable of firing two barrels here, so I called and he showed me a perfectly played A7. NH
Unluckily for him he lost two huge coin flips and exited later on. And I proceded to be card dead for 3 hours. With a low chip stack I had nothing to do but wait. Two hours before the end of the day my chip stack was 36k and the average around 75k!
But the table was really softm I stole 3/4 pots when soft opponents decided to call my raise in order to check fold the flop, andgot to 50k quickly, I then won a decent pot of Jamie Gold with a turned straigt (couldn't quiet value bet it to the max though I'll post this hand in detail later as it's an interesting river decision), a few more small pots, and finished with 110k, making me 22nd stack out of 84 left!
Today my table looks very fine with no chip leaders and only a few shortish big names, so there is room for a good day, I guess I'm about to find out! We will play at least until 36 players are left and everyone still left then will earn at least £27,000 over $55,000!
