Saturday, January 07, 2006

Blonde Poker Bash


I almost didn't go to the first ever Blonde Poker Bash at the Broadway Casino in Birmingham as I had been sick for the previous 2 days but I wrapped up in a warm coat and scarf and brought my new silver rabbit card protector with me for luck!

I'd been to the Broadway a couple of times before and new that the Blonde Forum members who hadn't been there before would be instantly impressed. It was my first visit since Dik9 had left and his absence was clearly felt. I'd like to thank him for getting this event off the ground but it was a great shame that he was unable to attend. I read on another thread that I was one of his picks at 33/1 - I think he meant to lay in my condition!

Made a great first impression when I almost burned Tightend's hand off with a cigarette as he was handing my name badge to me in the presence of Tikay aka Grandad (Tony Kendall). Just before the comp started I also saw a pic of Aces (Simon Trumper) in Poker Europe for winning a 30 euro tourney in Paris - I got a vision of him winning again and that instantly made him favourite in my book to win.

I started on table 11 seat 4, 9 people on the table with Red Dog (Tom McCready) in position 9. The only 2 other people I noted where some kid with a WPT Bellagio cap showing off with chip trix and Rookie9 who I'd seen talking to Gambler21 so I gathered he might have a few moves - when you see the name "Rookie" you gotta watch out!

The table was quite tight, I don't thing Red Dog won a hand for over 4 orbits until he stole some blinds. He had to undo his "$$$" imprinted yellow tie. The WPT kid was playing confidently and there were one or two Gus Hansen wannabe's trying to lose their cips. It was a double chance, and the WPT kid was the only player that took the option for the add on at the start. That's normally an optimal decision and a tip off that he thought he was the best player at the table - that's all you need sometimes. I decided to blend in and be non threatening instead since the table was tight anyway - 2,500 chips were ample.

Our table was one of the first to be broken up and I got moved to a more mature table. The first hand that I get at my new table is AA and I eliminate MalcM, melting his snowmen. I now take my add-on option and reach the break with 8,000 chips. After the break I lose about 2k of it to Ace2mouth trying to steal a pot.


With the blinds increasing every 20 minutes, we were already at 600/1,200. Paresh moves all in and I find JJ in the small blind, after a dwell I pass. Mel Lofthouse can't believe I passed, while Paresh says he had JJ too. He moves all in the next hand too and then again utg with K7s which he shows after every one folds - I'm now regretting my earlier fold lol. In early position I find TT and move all in for 4700 with the blinds still at 600/1200. Folded round to Paresh who dwells and then folds, the table chip leader NoflopsHomer calls the 4100 from the small blind with 66, BB folds. I'm busted by 666

Felt a bit sorry for the WPT kid who just missed out on the money and NoFlopsHomer who ended up as the bubble boy. I don't think anyone that has ever knocked me out of a live comp has gone on to win unless it was heads up! - remember that! Nevertheless, it was great to watch ActionJack (Paul Jackson) and Simon Trumper still in the comp and I congratulated Aces on a great comeback during a short break. Didn't wanna jinx him so I didn't tell him about my vision about him winning it lol

Meanwhile, The Edge (Simon Nowab) was trying to play h/u drunk but still drinking out of a bottle of Bollinger and someone was chatting up El Blondie (Dave Colclough)'s wife unaware of who she was! With the main comp down to 8 players, I entered the last blonde STT. Royal Flush (James Dempsey) wanted to play but wasn't on the list, but in true Blonde spirit we all agreed to let one more fish play and so we started with 11 players and 1,000 chips each.

Sitting in seat 4, the first and second player to get knocked out where in seat 1 and seat 2 respectively. IFM in seat 3 had other plans though and didn't want to follow the trend. I almost literally folded my way to the money level on chips with Royal Fish but IFM with about 80% of the chips. IFM then busted the fish and first hand h/u I was all in blind, losing and finishing runner-up. A well deserved win for IFM.

Who became Blonde Champ? - Aces of course!