Monday, February 13, 2006

WSOP 2006

I wanted to qualify for this event this year, having been close on a seat for the last 2 years.
Looking around the various sites I play on, I liked the look of Ladds giving you additional $1500 ebtry to another event other than the main event. I also liked UB, where the first 150 qualifiers are entered into a VIP freeroll to win an additional $25k bankroll and special VIP travel and accomodation (top 3 I believe win this). Also Blue Square - being my main site, doing the usual $198 rebuy with fields of around 40 players - usually giving 2 or 3 seats.
Well I had no success on Ladds, my fault.
Tried a $300 on UB, but fell short of the final table.
Then came a new addition on UB, a $1000 MTT. With around 100 runners, giving 8 seats (approx) . I spotted a $100 feeder to this and decided to give it a bash.
On the same night was the $198 rebuy on BlueSq.
So, I open up both tables, together with a $10 $20 n/l table on BlueSq (to keep me occupied in the early levels of the MTT's)
Well, UB was a bit of a disaster, 5 minutes into the comp, the blinds went up! It was a speed tourney!!! OH Dear, I thought. And I drafted an email to customer support asking for my buy in back as it was never advertised as a speed tourney.( i would send this as soon as I was knocked out).
Well I never sent the email, as I qualified :)
Meanwhile, the cash game on BlueSq was going well and I was up to $4k (without a reload).
The WSOP went okish, with 3 rebuys and an add on - got quite expensive. With 20 left I had KQ on a flop of A Q Q. Turn was a blank - All in and called. River was an Ace, but it didnt matter anyway as the other guy had slow played his Aces - so I was never infront.
Oh well, i thought, always next week as well as the UB one I had qualified for.
Speaking of the UB one, I better check when it is. OMG!!! its at 3am that morning!! (by this time it was 12.30am)
I had been playing since around 8pm and was tired. But decided not to sleep for 2 hours as I would be even more tired. So I decided to keep on the $10 $20 table until the tourney on UB started.
This proved a good move, and I had reached $5.6k but left with $5k as the UB tourney started.
With 170 odd runners, UB produced 13 seats and a bit of money for 14th and 15th.
All went well until around 20 left and I found myself getting short.
I flopped top pair on a J high board from the BB. Check Check it went. Turn was a 5. I was confident I was ahead and check raised to leave myself with 6xBB. Well this didnt go down too well and the guy moved over the top of me. I folded. (So much for my confidence that I was ahead) He showed KK.
Now short stacked, and sitting in 20th place with now 4xBB I had no choice but to go all in on any 2 okish cards. UTG i found A8 suited and in it went. Chip leader flat calls me. Oh dear I think and sure enough he turns over AK.
I am in bad shape, till the 8 hits the flop and it holds.
Then in the BB I see a flop for free and hit top two pair and the turn makes me the nut FH. All in infront of me and I call - double up again.
SB I hit flush and get paid once again!
So from 20th place to 5th and confortable in chips. I decide not to play another hand.
This proved to be a good move and I got my seat!!
Also was 91st person to qualify, so I've made the VIP freeroll aswell.
WSOP 2006 here I come!