Jon Bryan

Well, to cut a long story short, I made the final table at the Grosvenor Casino £10 Pot Limit Texas Hold Em freezout in Plymouth http://www.grosvenor-casinos.co.uk/bluesq_php/contentportal/ecms/returnpage.php?pagename=PlymouthCasinoDetail.htm

But....

I didn't win any money :(

There were 40 entrants and so £400 was up for grabs for the top few. Dave lasted to about 14th, but was eventually eaten up as the blinds increased. I made some raises to try and steal the blinds, and was unlucky on two occasions. My Ace-4 was called all in by Jack-Ten and a ten saved him, but the hand that did real damage was when everyone folded to me on the button and I raised the pot - 1200 for the blind and 3000 more. I had Jd 9d and after much thought, the big blind called. We both had about 8000 chips at the start of the hand. The flop comes 9 high with rags and no draws and so I bet all in for around 3600 and I get called. I get left with 300 chips and I turn over my top pair. She had King Queen offsuit. A this point, one of six cards can win it for her and give her Kings or Queens to beat my nines, but a ten on the turn and a Jack on the river gives her a straight and I can't believe it. She has hit two running cards to take down a big pot approaching 17,000.

Two people are then knocked out in one hand on the other table and I am in the fnal with 7 other players, but with very little chance and only 300 chips (I had started with 3000 some 4 hours earlier).

The draw for the final table puts me in the big blind and I'm all in before the cards are dealt. I get Ah Kh and triple up - only to be all in next hand as the blinds are 800-1600. My ace-6 hits a six but the big blind hits a seven and I'm out.

Overall, I'm pleased with how I played over the four hours. I had made the most of 66 when the flop came QQ6 and I laid down some big hands (top pair of Jacks being one), but it was confirmed later that I was behind with them. I even threw AK offsuit before the flop when the chip leader raised under the gun and I didn't fancy the possibility of being knocked out. A disciplined fold - or was I just being to conservative?

Anyway, Storm (above) had wished me luck earlier while Kay practiced once more with her new camera.

Off to France on Friday :-D

Bon chance tout le monde!!