Bloggers / Dave Allan / 15 December 2008 /

Dominic Kay, who made the final table of the WSOPE in 2007, recently had another decent live tournament cash at the Luton Christmas Cracker Festival though it was a tournament he very nearly didn't play in....

I travelled down to Luton on Thursday to catch up with a few mates, have a few beers and rail a few people actually 'rich' enough to play poker. Having gone pretty much busto recently I knew any tournament over £50 was out of my bankroll for the time being. So although I was aware of a £250/£250 nicely structured two-day event, I wasn't planning on getting involved.

As I arrived in 'sunny' Luton I received a tip via text from a particularly shrewd friend of mine. Apparently there was a horse that would be good value if going off around the 4/1 mark. Therefore, I stuck on a reasonable bet from my online account and set off to the casino. Once inside my resolve not to play started to crumble. What if I back the horse for a bit more than usual and play if it wins?

A quick visit to the local books, via Subway for sustenance and the pub for Dutch courage saw me with a very large wager on a nag I knew absolutely nothing about. I'd dragged along two mates, one of whom was 'brave' enough to put the same amount on as me. We watched it storm home then ran (well, slowly jogged) back to the casino.

The tournament started slowly for myself and I stumbled along playing rather erratically. After one 3-barrel bluff failed to work I decided to de-tilt at the bar. The few beers must have worked as before long, with the rebuy added, I was winning pot after pot. Now I had a stack, I wouldn't lose it right?

I should have lost it, as I plodded on with rather less skill than I'd have liked and even started moaning about being card dead. Always a sign of a great player!

Luckily I dished out a suck-out to one unfortunate player who made a good call with A10 v my low stacked shove with A7 suited. A pair of 7s sent me into Day 2 with a shortish but playable stack.

The hangover the next day was harsh but totally deserved. When the chance came along early to flip for a double up I thought "Yay lets do it" My two lucky eskimo's holding up against another A10. Another flip was won with AQ suited v jacks and I started to believe I was golden and now had the stack to really push my luck. I was 3 betting galore with air and my opening range was now huge. I was liking it and on the final table.

On the final table I won a huge pot with the ladies holding up v jacks and AQ. After I flopped a set, knocking out another to leave four left, I knew I'd be getting a nice payday. At three-handed we did a chop that I would have rejected if I was more flush.

So 5.7k later (minus many swops) meant a nice score for someone who wasn't ever, ever....ever playing that event. It's a nice little ending to a tough year in poker for me, but hopefully a change in luck and in how I'm playing. The light bulb has come on in my brain finally. Hope it doesn't turn off.

Related Readings

18 year-old girl stuns poker world with £1 million win - Betfair Poker
Squeeze Plays - WSOPE
Hammer time for Annette Obrestad v Dominic Kay - WSOPE
3rd day of the WSOPE - James Keys
Dom's Poker News - Dominic Kay's Blog

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