Green Shoots

Shazbo being called off at late notice to go on a shoot, meant that I was free for an impromptu visit to the Loose Cannon last night. I managed to win the sit and go we played for £170, which was the first step on the long road to a return to form.

The format was slightly unorthodox - a buy in of £30 gave 3k in chips, and the opportunity was there to rebuy for another 3k in the first 2 levels, although you were not permitted to add-on.

I doubled up first hand against Simy in a nice AA v QQ coup, on a low board, and never really looked back. Two interesting, and crucial hands:

Hand1
John limps for 300 on the button, and I find KK in the SB. Since Sonny has been punishing limpers repeatedly on his BB, I decide to trap him by just making up the SB. Sonny checks :(

Flop arrives J, 9, 7 with a couple of hearts so a dangerous board for me. I decide to check raise all in (desperate for someone to bet). John does my betting for me with a 600 bet and I shove for 3k more. John calls with AJ, and I hold up to win a big pot.

Hand2
Folded to me and I make up the SB to 1200 with J9off and Sonny checks his option in the BB.

Flop arrives Q♥ 8♦ 6♥.

I bet 1.5k, called by Sonny.

Turn is a black 2.

I shove for 6k with my dodgy middle pin draw, as I still have a lot of fold equity, but Sonny has a good draw and makes the call with 4♥5♥, which gives him both straight and flush draws. However, the river blanks out with an Ace giving me the huge pot with Jack high :)

That left me heads up with Simy and a huge advantage in chips. This advantage, plus some heads up aggressive play, enables me to keep accumulating chips and even allows me to regroup after I lost two Simy all ins when 60% favourite. I finally manage to end things, when I shove with AT and get called by A3 and hold up.

So £140 profit for the tournament was most welcome, although I gave back a little over £100 in two hours in the cash game afterwards (mostly on one hand, when I got carried away with top pair against The Baron). At least I played sensibly, and made some good laydowns in the Omaha.

A small profit for the night - but a step in the right direction for sure.

Hopefully I can follow up with a decent showing on Thursday and at Mike’s home game.