EPT Copenhagen
Well, here is the update from day one of the EPT in Copenhagen:
0:00 I’m really excited at the start, but the table draw doesn’t bring great news. No really big names, but I’m bizarrely one of the oldest at a table full of young Scandies.
1:15 An unspectacular start sees me still with 10k; Joe Serok has had a bump down to 4.5k, and raises to 250 on the button. The small blind calls, and I find kings in the big blind. I raise to 800, delighted to be representing the squeeze, and Serok moves all-in.
1:16 Everything now seems to happen in a flash. I call, he turns over AcQd, and just as I am thinking “it’s either 5k or 15k,”…. the dealer deals a flop of QQ10. A body blow sees me down to 5,000.
4:00 I go to the dinner break with Roberto and Andrew Feldman, having built up a little to 7k.
4:01 I raise the second hand after the break with JJ to 800. A young Scandie on the button re-raises to 2,200, but he doesn’t seem to like his hand. I think “this is going in, I just need to try to get him off ace-queen,” so I re-raise to 4.3k. He pushes the rest quickly in, and I call with a massive sigh.
4:02 Wow, he has pocket tens. (This really is the weakness of the new generation, who otherwise play really well; they over extend themselves far too much with marginal hands). “Please hold up, this will be a lovely 15k stack.”
The flop comes queen, eight, five (Ahh, just two more)
Turn queen…..
4:03 River- ten. I get up from the table, just so gutted.
Wow. Three years ago, as I got into tournament poker, I drew up a philosophy of how I would deal with the emotional and financial swings. Days like this, and this run of luck in all-in situations over the last 18 months, have just one upside. They give it the best possible test.
Most of it is easy; I drew up a stricht 5% rule as the safe-keeper of bankroll management, and experiences like today reniforce the importance of that.
After drawing up the list of rules, I realised very quickly that the wonderful game of tournament poker has a very sharp edge, that throws your emotions all over the place. I realised how important it was to be emotionally strong, and make sure you enjoy the game. Bad luck really is not worth worrying about; your only job as a tournament poker player is to keep your temperament in check so that it is healthy on the day that the poker gods do smile on you. This is the day that will define your destiny. The purpose of the other days is just to enjoy the game, and to try to learn as much as you can. Today I played maybe a little too weak amidst all the aggression, and this is the only important thing to think about.
I quickly realised the question that would encapsulate the importance of looking after my emotional well being. That is simply, am I still smiling after the tournament? Well, today tested that more than any other day. After a few minutes of feeling like my heart had been ripped out, thoughts of the game vanish completely. In their place come thoughts of going home, my beautiful girlfriend, and the knowledge that it is just a game.
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February 20th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
Stuart
I have just read this post. I had the pleasure of playing with you in Ireland (i had the 246k stack - 2 to your right for the last hour of day 1).
Your philosophy on the beats is amazing if you can hold to it. I have had a pretty disgusting 3 months, Ireland being the pinacle when I managed to burn 246k (200bb’s) within 40 minutes of day 2, getting my money in bad once (KK into AA).
I have really questioned myslef recently (as i blew up pretty badly personally in Ireland - getting my first ever time penalties (x2) for being a cock in the 500). Made worse by the fact my KK was no good against AK - again!
I havent played live since and tonight I am taking the ‘new me’ to the tables. No more blow ups - no more criticizing the donkeys, hand shakes to people who put me out and as much of a gentlemans attitude as i can muster in the face of adversity when it arises!
Reading your post has only reinforced how the game should be played. You show class at the tables and i hope to be as close to a gentleman as you are!
I look forward to playing with you again in the near future (or not as the case may be ;0) ).
Good luck at the tables
Guy
February 20th, 2009 at 5:25 pm
Hey Guy,
Really good to hear from you mate. I really felt for you in Dublin when I saw you get up early in the second day. Just like if someone busts in the first few minutes of the first day, I knew the only reason could be some kind of sick cold deck. I wouldn’t even call kings against aces getting it in bad, as I just think it’s pretty much unavoiable, even in the mammoth structure which that event had.
It might make you feel better to know that this means you ran into aces twice in quick succession, at the start of the second day and end of the first! I don’t know if you remember the second last pot of the day? You raised to 3,200 from the button, and I made a big over-raise to 16k from the big blind. I had aces then, and was hoping a big over-raise might look more suspicious, so you did well to get away.
I think the fact that you’ve thought about stuff like this, which most people wouldn’t, shows that you’ve got exactly the right atttitude. I got into trouble myself when I first started playing live, for the opposite reason. After my kings held up against Micky Wernick in the GUKPT in Manchester, I celebrated a bit too much. It incurred the wrath of Barry Neville, I just about came out alive, and I’ve learnt my lesson since!
It’s just the toughest game in which to have a good attitude towards losing. In any other sport, losing means that you didn’t play well enough. This is not the case in poker, and it not only can seem so unfair, but it is so sudden.
Hope things go well mate, and look forward to seeing you back at the live tables soon!
February 20th, 2009 at 6:37 pm
Thanks mate!
LOL - at running into AA twice! I was so suspicious about the over raise - i had the mighty 10 8 cc too! I had chipped up 46k in that last hour and was so so tempted to peel and see a flop. If it was 12k i call - but playing into a 32k stack against yours (124k?) with 10 8 felt like i was going to be commited on any kind of pretty flop! - I was happy with my days work too!
I obv wont bore you with the others - but honestly - i could have puked! I have never felt so beaten up by the cards and I’ve taken my fair share in the past! I think my favourite line from the weekend as I walked away was “he deserved it anyway” - i would love to hear the justification!
I look forward to seeing you on the circuit. I dont play all the GUKPT’s due to work commitments - but i get to as many as I can.
GL mate- hope your luck turns around a little too!
Guy
February 21st, 2009 at 3:57 pm
“He deserved it anyway.” Obviously you didn’t, but even if someone did, why do people make these kind of comments. Almost everyone in poker is friendly at the table, but it’s depressing when you get the odd person for whom it’s an ego trip.
Glad to hear about the 108 of clubs. It’s probably lucky I over-raised it, and avoided things getting messy on the 972 two clubs flop!
Looking forward to seeing you back on the circuit soon, hope things go well mate.
February 21st, 2009 at 6:14 pm
Ugh, this is even more ugly in written format than the disheartened text you sent me.
Seems you’re going through a very unlucky spell mate, especially adding in Broadway exit. It can’t go on forever mate, a deep run with no sick beats (unless in your favour) must be on the horizon!
February 22nd, 2009 at 2:28 pm
Hey James,
Cheers mate, hope things are going well. Yeah, I’m going to try and treat this run as a test, and trust it can’t get any worse!
So, what are your plans for this week mate? I’m going to play Broadway tonight and Walsall Friday, and unfortunately that is all I can manage. Planning a night out in Brum Saturday too (as long as we’re not still in!), would be great if you could make that?
See you soon, gl mate