DUBLIN BELLYBUSTERS

I just came 6th in the $18K Guarantee for just over $1K. I held a massive chip-lead with 11 players remaining but lost a huge flip versus the guy in 2nd place. If my AQ beats his 55, I would have been out of sight with over 40% of the chips in play. As it turned out, I got to the final table 4th in chips and was 3rd of 6 remaining when the weirdest hand changed the balance of the table.

Three of my opponents got it all-in and a fourth commit about a third of his stack pre-flop before folding. If the big-stack's AK wins, then two players would be eliminated. However, the short-stack's KQ somehow emerges victorious as he almost quintuples up with the third player taking the side-pot from the big-stack. In the blink of an eye, I went from 3rd of 6 (and looking like 3rd of 4) to 6th of 6. Two hands later, I picked up 88 in the SB. The button made it 8K and I shoved my remaining 55K. He insta-called with Kings and rightly held.

I am hugely disappointed at the outcome as, with 11 left, I believed that a top3 finish was inevitable. However, I am simultaneously buoyed by the result, happy to have made a final table and optimistic for the days ahead. Victory would have instantly erased the misery of the past 4 days but the 6th place finish gives me my first positive day this week. I'm not back in the black yet but at least I'm finally going in the right direction.