DUBLIN BELLYBUSTERS

I just spent the last 9 hours outlasting 10652 players in The Full Tilt '$200K Double Deuce'. Sadly though, 10661 players had entered. 9th place and $2200 was nothing to sneeze at for a $22 investment but with 1st getting a whopping $32K, I can't help but feel a little sad. This sadness is compounded when I contemplate my exit hand. I had KK in mid position and the BB woke up with AA. Needless to say it all went in pre-flop and after no miracles, I was promptly shown the door. I started the Final Table with 2.5 million chips and was sitting 6 of 9. A top 5 finish would have made for my biggest score to date.

On a positive note, I can be proud of the fact that I probably played the most resilient game of poker of my life. I coasted to the money, always in the top 100 or so. I got into the top 10 with 1000 left after hitting a set. I briefly took the chiplead with 700 left. I lost a big flip soon after and fell out of the top 10. For the next two hours, I picked up zero premium hands. I somehow remained in the top 50 until there were 120 players left. I folded relentlessly, stole occasionally and was fortuitous with my only playable hand (My AQ beat KK,JJ and 1010). With 50 left, I won a huge flip with 66 vs A10. I enjoyed a mini-cardrush, loosened up and raised/c-betted to bring my stack well over the 1 million mark. With 1.5 million and 40 left, I lost a huge flip for a 1.8 million pot (AK losing to 1010). I went back into tight-mode. Two orbits later and I was down to 450K. I shoved light BvB and from the button to get back to 600K. I then made a squeeze play with KQ to get up above a million.

Card-deadedness forced me to be inactive for several orbits. With just 650K and sitting 19 of 21, I took a calculated risk to reraise the chipleader's CO raise with 75 suited. I had fold equity and was confident that he was opening ATC from that position. He folded and I was up to 900K. I remained around the 1 million mark until there were 11 left (I was 10 of 11). Inexplicably, my A7 button shove with blinds 30K/60K was called by the SB's Q10. My hand held and, for the first time, I had over 2 million. 15 minutes later, it was final table time. Six of the remaining players were donators so I liked my chances. My plan was to lay low until 6-handed but the deck coolered me as I was never getting away from those bastard cowboys!

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