The Final Day

So, woke up after three hours sleep for day three. Had another good breakfast. However, I was tired. I felt shattered. Not a kind of tiredness where you could simply go back to sleep mind - but rather a general grogginess at the back of my thoughts. But, the reality was that I wasn't getting anymore sleep and it was simply time to get on with the biggest day of my relatively short poker career (can I call it a career?).

I did a fair bit of walking around between the hotel and cardroom during the lead up to a 2pm kickoff; interspersed with some chatting in the lobby. I was really nervous - though I was doing my best not to show it. I eventually settled in the cardroom about 15 mins before kick - off and headed to the back to sit down and get my head straight. Mick McClosky wandered over with notepad and pen in tow and started asking a few questions; I obliged him with details of my miracolous recovery during day two.

I was starting back to a stack of 152, 000. Blinds would be 4,000 / 8,000 for about 35 mins. That left me quite comfortable. I was given the added benefit of the table with 8 - a definate advantage. My seating draw was also extremely beneficial. I had two short stacks to my left - Eoghan Lyons and Niall; followed by Stewart Dobbins who was probably a bit too tight (Paddy Tobin had noted this to me). Marq then followed. He was the big threat at the table - but was far enough away for me to try and stay out of his way. Eugene Hanratty, Paddy Tobin and Rounders then made up the three players to my right. Eoghan and Niall were dangerous players but, as they were shortstacks, I couldn't really complain.

Things moved fast early on without me being involved. Marq doubled Niall up before knocking Eoghan and Aidan out when he found QQ vs Eoghan's open push onto his blind with J9, and called Aidan's re - raise all in with 66 with AK - finding an A on the flop (Rounders was an idiot for changing out of the Rugby jersey!!). As the room began to fill up with punters for the 200 game - a crowd began to gather around the two tables. I won't lie - it was a nice buzz to be at the final two tables of a big event. This is where I wanted to be.

The real good news was that I had begun much better than I had finished the previous day. I was able to pick on Stewart's blinds six handed, and was getting the better of Paddy in the blind on blind confronations following Aidan's demise. Niall was causing me no end of trouble however. I would raise his blind if folded to me - he would push all - in. I would then limp if folded to me - he would push all - in. I was hoping for a hand to profit from this but it never arrived that afternoon. I eventually was forced to fold my rags everytime it got around to me. I wasn't happy about it but I was getting thoroughly outplayed by the the poet - as he warbled away to his walkman. Overall, I was holding my position despite being pretty card - dead. It was really stressful however, as every time you got involved in a pot your stack was at risk. The table was playing in such a way that there were very few flops being taken - raises were getting through or getting snapped off; and when a player got shortstacked they would automatically up their aggression levels and start open - pushing at every opportunity.

I made one very clever play on Marq. We were 13 handed with blinds at 5,000 / 10,000 when Olllie Boyce was all - in and called at the other table (he would exit on the hand). Marq had raised UTG to 30,000. I was on the button with about 130,000 chips total. I had 75o but quickly decided that this was a good time to make a play - and also that Marq didn't need a monster to raise. I wondered aloud about what was going on at the other table before repopping Marq All - In. He knew something was up, but after he began deliberations I figured he would eventually find a fold. After sweating me for a couple of minutes he mucked.

Bad Patch

We were now down to eleven. I was surviving but, with blinds at 5,000 / 10,000 my deviating stack of 130,000 - 150,000 was beginning to come under some pressure. This was ok if I could keep ducking and diving away from serious confrontation but, alas, in the space of one round of the table I was suddenly on 95,000 and in need of a hand. What happened? I lost a round of blinds - then Stewart found a hand to play back at my steal attempt. Two hands later I find AJ on the cutoff. This was a very good hand six handed and much better than some of the rubbish I had been stealing with so I raised Eugene's blind to 30,000. Upsettingly, he repopped me to 85,000. Balls. Now, up to this point I hadn't picked on Eugene much. He was playing a good game and had put in some nice resteals to build his stack - coupled with a double up against Paddy when he edged a race with AJ vs 1010 on the river. The table had been playing fairly aggressively pre - flop and I reckoned that he didn't need a big pair or Ace to play back at me. I gave myself time to think and studied a bit. Something told me that Eugene was happy with his hand and would get it in. Something told me I was beat. After three or four minutes I found a fold - Eugene showed me AQ. Well. I was now in trouble.

Paddy somehow made an emotional come - back from the dead to chip leader at the table after outflopping Marq when forced in blind immediately after losing the coinflip to Eugene (Marq made an excellent raise with K4 imo). He was playing a really brave and aggressive game and wasn't afraid to get his chips in the middle. I managed to hang in there for a while - but was now having to open push to steal blinds. And then - ladyluck delivered me the boots one more time. Paddy made it 45,000 UTG with the blinds now at 6,000 / 12,000 and I took my time and deliberated with the rockets before pushing back over the top for 101,000. Paddy was forced to make the call with 88 and we flipped over - me once again getting my stack in the middle with a massive statistical edge. I couldn't watch as the gallery converged on our table and quickly moved off to the side of the room - listening to Luke announcing the board from the background. I had no clue what was on that board except that I knew I had held up to be back in the tournament and in great shape to hit the final table. I let out a couple of roars and sat back down knowing that I had enough infront of me to get over one more obstacle. The final table was set 30 minutes later when Niall copped a bad beat against Eugene to exit in 11th - his QQ getting dogged by A9 with an A on the turn. And soon after Stewart was forced to stick his last few chips in with 2 - 4 and lost to Marq's Q7.

The Final Table

At the start of the day I had told myself that the key objective was to make the Final Table. If I could get that far anything might happen. Moreover, making the final table of a big tournament would be a big achievment in of itself. I had got there with 199,000 chips - which put me in fifth place as we sat back down. The majority of chips had been on the other table and Mick and Paul were in good shape. Eugene was the big chip leader though - and Connor Doyle had lost a lot of ground after taking some sick beats during the course of the afternoon. At the break we spoke out in the car park. He still seemed confident and motivated and I really thought that I wouldn't be able to get past him if we both got down to the last two or three.

It's a wierd thing, but I always manage to finish a few places above what my chip placing at the start of final tables would dictate. Fifth place represented a payout of 10,000. That would have amounted to my biggest tournament payout ever (infact, 8th place would have surpassed the previous high). In short, the stakes were high and every rung up the ladder would mean something to me.
I lost a round of blinds, got a steal through and then came back over the top of a Liam Barker raise to put me in a comfortable situation with about 240,000 chips. Then the madness started. In the space of 15 minutes Paul Higgins had stacked Connor on an absolutely sick flop when they were both in the blinds (A,6,K - Paul A6 // Connor K6). A few hands later Paul vaulted to over 1.1 million when Eugene stacked himself with TPTK on a board with completed straight and flush possibillities. Paul had actually made a straight flush and had played it well - betting on the flop and turn - but Eugene had moved all in far too quick for my liking.

30 mins later Paddy went out in a very funny hand. He was badly short stacked with blinds at 6,000 / 12,000 and pushed all - in when folded to him on the button. Brendan "the Badger" McKenna called instantly with JJ and Paddy bemoaned that Marq had his outs as he mucked 22 face - up!! Paddy had 23 and was gone despite false hope in the form of a 569 flop. About an hour later and Marq was gone when he open pushed with K9 into Mick who made a call with AQ and held up despite Marq getting a lot of outs on the turn. Marq had an outstanding tournament, is a real gentleman and was very unlucky to be card - dead on the last day.

We were now down to five and I had locked up 10,000. I had lost ground though. I was card - dead and had being subconciously avoiding getting involved as the carnage ensued. We were playing shorthanded at an aggressive table and I was just getting blinded away. To top everything else, I was tired and hungry and not focusing well. Mick McClosky inadvertantly got me back in it by insisting on a break at the end of the 8,000 / 16,000. He also showed his experience by suggesting that we avail of the restaurant in the Hotel as opposed to the catered slop that had been churned out to the players over the weekend. This eatery was nice. Really nice. The five remaining players along with Luke, Mike, Tom, Marq and Lilly (dealer from the Fitz) enjoyed a tasty and satisfying dinner at the expense of Green Joker Poker.

Wow. What a feeling it was eating a 30 EUR fillet steak and sipping a glass of decent wine in the knowledge that I was 10,000 EUR richer. My oh my, did it feel good. I was exhausted and burnt out, but I was filled with a real sense of achievment. I would be going back to 158,000 chips at the 10,000 / 20,000 level. I was very short and would need to start gambling my way back into contention. However, as dinner wore on I made a decision. I would go back up there and go for it. I would start pushing and look for a double up. I had nothing to lose and everything to gain and if it didn't work out, so what? I had already done myself proud and far exceeded any expectations I had coming back on day two.

Getting Stuck In

So we go back. First hand, Mick makes it 40,000 UTG. I find KQ. Brilliant - "I'm all in". Mick deliberates and eventually folds after I promise to show. He grimaces when I flip over, meaning he passed an Ace. I fold UTG next hand. On my blind there is a call and I push to take the pot down. Few hands later Mick again opens the pot with a raise and I push all in with A10. There is another dwell up before he passes. I then push UTG with 87 to take his blind, confidence now soaring. Mick has been hurt by these exchanges, and when Brendan open - pushes for 245,000 chips with KQ Mick announces that he is "making a stand" with 99. The flop misses before a K appears on the turn to raucous cheers from the local support. Mick is left with 90,000 and moves in the next hand. I look down at 77, immediately decide I crush the range of a tilted shortstack and push over the top. Mick shows an Ace and announces that he hasn't looked at the other one. It is a 4 and, despite a hairy flop and turn that brings some sick counterfeiting possibillities, my hand holds up to leave us with four.

I know have over 400,000 chips (wtf?) and am looking in good shape. There is some sparring and almost no flops before I find QQ on the button. The previous hand I had limped before folding to a minimum raise from Brendan on the BB that came after much mock pleading from me for the table "to play some poker". Liam has folded, and Brendan and I are still joking about the previous hand. MMmmm...I decide that this is the perfect time to get tricky so I limp on the button. Now, I am fully aware that open limping on the button is generally an awful play. Three handed it is just diabolical. To be honest, I don't think that I had limped into a pot more than two or three times over the last two days of the tournament. However, given the situation it just felt like the right thing to do with my big pair.

Brendan giggled (well about as much as a man of his build and demeanour can giggle) before limping also. Paul took a peek before shaking his head, and noting that we wouldn't be seeing any flops for cheap. He then repopped to 90,000. Funny what goes through the head at times like that. I was going all in on QQ. No question. I paused and played with my cards and looked at Paul, and then his stack - just like I had all weekend when pondering a decision. Then I announced I was all - in and moved the tank to the centre of the table. When he stopped and studied, I just knew that I was ahead. I leaned back in my chair and we just stared down for a few minutes. Eventually, I noted to Paul that he "had lovely eyes". It cracked the tension a bit, maybe made me look a bit nervous - I dunno. A couple of seconds later Paul made the call and sighed when I showed the ladies. He flipped AQ. Again I couldn't watch and walked around the cardroom. I had managed to put my tournament on the line as a big favourite on more time. But I had held up every time thus far and knew that I would inevitably get done at some point - why not now when it mattered the most? Somehow though, I dodged an Ace and won the pot.

Now, admittedly I did celebrate wildly after this hand and my behaviour after my big hands has been justly criticised by Tony and Marq on Boards. All I can say is that I never mean't my celebrations to goad my opponents or Lord it up in anyway. I was on a rollercoaster of adrenaline and emotion over the last two days and was playing under significant fatigue and stress. When you get your chips in the middle pre - flop, ahead or behind, the game no longer becomes a mental excercise or a game of skill. Your work is done. You cannot control it from there on. You can only hope that it works out. You simply become a supporter of yourself and your hand and, like it is when you are actively watching any sport, you desperately want a particular outcome. It is a massive relief when it arrives. A mixture of joy, anger and excitement. I need to work on this aspect of my game and reign in my emotions in such situations - and ultimately avoid the outpours of emotion.

The Finish Line

The tournament really did have an amazing structure and was run in a highly thoughtful and professional manner by Mike and Luke. They were clearly concerned about avoiding any resemblence to a crapshoot or any restrictions on good play. They offered the blinds to be maintained at 10,000 / 20,000 for another hour. Eventhough it was to the advantage of the two shorter stacks, I readily agreed. We were here to play the best poker possible after all.

Paul just couldn't recover from our collision. He doubled Liam up after losing a coinflip with 55 to A10, doubled Brendan up and then exited when he ran A5 into Liam's AJ on an A high flop. I owe my tournament to Paul in a way, as he was unfortunate to double me through three times during the last two days when he ran monsters into my mega - monsters. Watch out for him though guys - he is a really good player and I have a feeling that he will improve substantially as he moves more into live events.

That left three players. On my left I had Brendan. He was being roared on by the bystanders and was clearly having fun - so much so that he seemed to have little care risking his chips on draws or marginal hands. At Dinner, he had noted on the subject of pot odds that he "don't bother with them". Interesting. Then on my right I had an experienced pro in Liam Barker, a good player who had been around the block a few times. It was clear to me that of the three of us he was the most skilled and capable player. Moreover, it was also obvious to me that he would have a much better abillity to change gears. As we began to get involved in heads up he was taking control, stealing a few pots to get within striking distance. The split of money was 19k // 25k // 49k. That was a lot to gamble on. Three handed is tough, starting requirements drop to a level where they almost become non - existent - and chip counts can quickly swing back and forth. As we neared the break (which would signal the start of the 15,000 / 30,000 level) I quietly suggested that we might talk some business.

Negotiations

When we went on break I was determined not to play another hand. I was ahead on chips and wanted to push through an agreement now - when I could get the best of it. We had got to a point where the figures were really significant and I didn't fancy gambling when I knew that I had no experience of finishing an event of this magnitude. Liam disappeared off, so I quickly pulled Brendan aside and put forward my idea:

Everyone take second place prize money, look after the dealers and split the balance proportionally using our respective chip counts as a guide.

Brendan instantly agreed. I then put it to Liam. However, it quickly became clear that he was not his own boss on this one. Apparantly Peter Roche had a significant percentage of Liam and wanted to consider his options carefully. While Liam and Peter procrastinated, a few of the locals were circling Brendan and telling him that he was giving up too much to the shortstack if he accepted my deal. They were suggesting that he should push for less, or just play it out. This was bad. To top it off, I found Marq, Reggie and Dappergent in the hotel telling me that Liam definately wouldn't deal. Fcuk this shit. I went back in more determined than ever to wrap it up.

It was certainty that Liam and Peter were split over playing on or taking my generous (considering Liam's stack - size) proposal. The longer they stalled, the closer Brendan was coming to letting his pride take over. He was irritated that the two pros were dragging their feet and, egged on by the locals, it wouldn't take much more for him to just lose it and storm in with intentions of blowing away the table. I had put myself in a bad position as I had clearly displayed the fact that I didn't want to play on - the lads would know this if we went back. Eventually though, we shook hands and it was over. I had made more than a year's salary in one weekend.

Formalities

I've never opened a bottle of champagne before. Never had the need. The bar I worked in while in college didn't have customers that bought champagne, and I don't come from a family that buys such luxuries. I wasn't prepared for a proper presentation with pictures, handshakes et all. As such, I must have looked something like a rabbit in headlights. Mike didn't want us pushing blind for the title so I was declared the winner and, to be perfectly honest, I didn't think it fair on Brendan and Liam that I was singled out. We were all equal on the day as far as I was concerned.

After that was over I had a few pints with Mick in the bar and stepped into a 2/5 NL cashgame where I dropped 500 after being on the end of a horrendous slowroll from Niall. It was so bad that I would normally want to upturn the table after such an occurance. But this one time I didn't mind. After all, I had just won 30,000 EUR.