It had been the event I had been waiting for all year. The house had been booked last year, so I was counting down the days! I had planned the play the tag team event with Danny Strange, jokers wild on Thursday and the final day 1g for the Goliath main event.
I got to the casino and I railed the guys until registration opened for the tag team event! I was the player given the gold band, so I sat down first. Starting stack was 12k, and after opening with AQ, the board run out a 4 card straight (not great for AQ). We lost 3k in that pot but I wasn’t too worried as the blinds were still 25/50, so much play still.
I picked up 64 off in the big blind and was able to check. The flop come 253 all rainbow….nuts, how do we play this one …..CHECK! The two remaining players are betting into me, so I just smooth call! Turn was a J, I’m not worried again, so I check, one player bets, the other folds and I just flat. River K, I then lead out and the remaining player calls. I table the nuts and he quickly folds!
I get the stack back up to just over starting stack but just when I begin to get my momentum we are moved to another table so they can balance the tables! I hand over the reigns to Danny and unfortunately we can’t improve. So we head out of the casino to play some home games.
Now we’re talking!! I taught the gang ‘payme’ and we played some knock! Great small card games that fill the gaps! At the end of the break my other half is crowned both the payme and knock champion!!
I then returned the next day to play Jokers Wild. Unfortunately I was not able to register online which meant I had to join the queue! I was 128 on the alternates list and before I could get in our friends bust out so we scrapped the tournament and played some home games. It was really frustrating as the dealers were in place before the break but the floor couldn’t balance the tables quick enough!
Friday was the big one, the main event! I’d elected to play the Friday as I knew getting back into the tournament would be impossible so it would be more like a freeze out! I had some huge hands to start with – I picked up AA whilst the blinds were still 100/200! I 3-bet pre to 1600 and got two callers, the flop came KK8, two hearts. I check, player 2 checks and original raiser bets, not to much so I just flat and other player folds. Turn is the J of hearts, I check and remaining player checks, river is 4 of hearts. Once again I check and other player checks behind, he tables 10 10 and my Aces were good!
A few hands later I have JJ in the BB, I 3-bet and get a call from the original raiser who had been super aggressive all day. Flop is J64!! I check, he bets, I flat. Turn 8, I check, he checks. River 6…..I lead out, he tanks for 3/4 mins and eventually calls with QQ! Maybe I missed some value on the turn, but I’m happy to take any pot.
I then complain that I have had two many good hands, that was my fate sealed! I busted on level 9, with 88 against A7!
I spent the rest of Goliath playing small cards and railing Danny!!
Overall, I enjoyed the weekend, but would buy into the tournaments early in future to avoid the disappointment of being an alternate!
