Sunday, December 28, 2008

Played another home game at my sister's on the 26th. We started with eleven and got down to nine in a hurry but after that it turned into a real hard slog. I eventually got knocked out on the bubble by the wife. She opened under the gun and I reraised all in with an A-J off. She had a much bigger stack than me at the time and didn't delay calling me with a K-Q suited and hit the King on the flop before going on to win beating my nephew heads up. Surely the most interesting hand of the night came when the blinds where only 25-50. I raised from 3rd position to 175 holding AA. Mike sitting on my left flat called. Sean was next to play and raised to 600 and was flat called by James(my nephew). Aileen and Liam both folded before Mag (the wife) folded her pocket pair 33. I didn't fancy facing this many hands after the flop so I made it 2175. Mike folded his pocket pair 99 and rightly so. Sean called me and James folded his pocket 44. Flop comes 9-9-10 turn q and river 6. I got another 2500 out of Sean, the queen slowed it down before Sean showed his Kings. Five pocket pairs in one hand and Mike would have hit quad nines if he had played but that's why you put in the big reraise.

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Home Game

You just couldn't gown up in our house without learning how to play cards. It was handed down from generation to generation with my grandfather frequently playing with me before I went to school in the morning. The only thing that has changed is the game. 45 was the game of choice for past generations but my siblings have taken to poker and more specifically Texas Hold'em. The result is that we can hold a house game with a full table of ten inviting my brother, two sisters, nephew and cousins. It is nice to change it around a bit and our game on Friday was made up seven family and two friends (not too adventuress). We played 20 minute blinds and a starting stack og 13,000. Two pair was a death sentance on the night with some well consealed hands breaking them all night. The game went lively with my brother taking first, Kelly second and I got my money back for third. Its small stakes and great way to pass the night. As it finished early we played a limit cash game for an hour and a half afterwards seven handed as two had to leave. Why Limit? It's family and friends it keeps it from getting serious and we don't want to break anyone. I lost a bit but Maggie (the wife) was the "big" winner so it stayed in the family. As christmass is peak house game time of year I expect we will play a few more over the next few weeks.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

In The Begining

I'm small time maybe I'm dead money but I play poker for FUN. I don't have a bankroll I've never played in the W.S.O.P. I've never even played in the Irish Open and I don't fell any need to do so. If it happens it happens. I play in the "local" pub and make the odd trip to Limerick to play at http://www.fitzpatrickscasino.com/main.htm. A couple of times each year I might try something a little bigger or if I'm away from home I might find somewhere new but thats it. So I'm going to write a bit about my poker journey's and you are welcome to read my tales.