Hot on the heels of my first ever tournament cash last month, and in line with my main poker goal for the year of putting in more volume, among the many things I planned to do while attending the 888poker LIVE Glasgow festival was to actually play in one of the tournaments. New experiences at the poker tables are fun to have and write about, plus there’s always that distinct possibility that I might make it into the money and earn another flag for my HendonMob page. 🙂 Alas, that second tournament cash will have to wait, as I found myself back at my laptop a lot sooner than I had hoped. Without further ado, here’s the (unfortunately all too short) story of the first 888poker LIVE tournament I’ve ever played in.
Holding my registration slip alongside Grosvenor Poker Live Events specialist Dena Hassan and 888poker LIVE events manager Joaquin Vidales
1. Tournament Notes and Numbers
The tournament I decided to hop into was the £180+20 Turbo Dash. Players started with 50,000 in chips and blind levels at 200/500 with a 500 big blind ante. It was a turbo, so the blinds went up every 20 minutes. The tournament carried a £15,000 guarantee and offered six levels (i.e., three hours) of late registration.
A total of 69 entries and 17 re-entries generated a prize pool of £14,710 so there was an ever-so-slight overlay. The top 10 finishers would make it into the money with a mincash being worth £590 and top prize being £3,660.
Unfortunately, just squeaking into the beginning of Level 4 didn’t pay anything.
2. Very Friendly, Super Professional Dealers
While I sadly wasn’t at the tables for long, I did manage to have the pleasure of being dealt to by a couple of wonderful dealers. The dealer at my first table, an Irishman named Daniel, was plenty friendly and chatty. I was in seat 1, which lent itself to us being able to converse quite a bit in between hands. He didn’t miss a beat though as far as announcing and monitoring all the table action.
After about 30 minutes, I got moved to a different table. I unfortunately didn’t catch the dealer’s name, but a situation arose within a couple hands where his expertise shone through. In a nutshell, a player accidentally put out too many chips trying to call a bet. A few of us at the table thought the action would be ruled a call, but the dealer quickly explained — in great depth and detail — why it mathematically had to be a raise. Everyone instantly accepted his explanation and action at the table continued forthwith.
Bottom line: the dealing staff from Main Event Travel are top notch, and that was something I’ve seen be pretty universally agreed-upon by everyone in attendance.
3. I’m Apparently a 3-2 Offsuit Magnet
I’m primarily a mixed game poker player, so my Texas Hold’em mathematical knowledge might be a little rusty, but I’m pretty certain that getting dealt 3-2 offsuit is statistically just as likely as many other (superior) two-card combinations. Yet, somehow I was dealt that lovely “dirty diaper” hand no fewer than five separate times over the course of my 3+ levels of poker play. I started keeping close track after the third time it happened.
The sixth time it happened, it was actually 3-2 suited (hearts). I once again dutifully folded only to watch the dealer flop A-5-4 rainbow. 🤦♂️ I’m pretty sure the picture below was captured at precisely that moment.
(Semi-serious) Note to self: Always play 3-2 suited in Texas Hold’em!
4. Everyone Loves a Chopped Pot
Midway through Level 1, I managed to chop a pot holding AJ offsuit on 9A94Q board. When we reached showdown, my one remaining opponent also revealed that he had AJ offsuit. I’m pretty sure the picture below was captured at precisely that moment.
We laughed and suddenly table chatter came alive, with seemingly everyone chiming in their two cents about chopped pots: “that’s how you ladder up”, “at least you two guys chipped up a bit from the blinds and ante in there”, “that’s how you stay alive in tournaments”, and on and on.
Image credit: Gema Cristobal
5. There’s No Right Way to Play Pocket Jacks Tens
About one hour into the tournament, I finally got dealt a premium hand. With blinds at 300/600 and 600 BB ante and having about 47K in chips in the big blind, I look down to see pocket tens. A min-raise to 1200 and two callers later, the action got back to me. I 3-bet to 5200… and all three players called. Sigh.
After a Queen high flop with two diamonds, I checked as the first player to act. Then everyone else did, too. Sigh.
The turn was the Jack of diamonds. I made it 8500 to go. Two players folded, and the last remaining player paused for a moment before moving all in for over 40K. I fold. Sigh. Have I mentioned that I’m primarily a mixed game player?
I’m pretty sure the picture below was captured about 10 seconds after that happened.
Image credit: Gema Cristobal
6. There IS a Right Way to Play Pocket Tens
With just over 30K remaining in my stack (context: I had managed to win one pot and chop one pot during my approximately 66 minutes in the tournament) and blinds at 500/1000 with a 1000 BB ante, I look down under the gun to see AJ offsuit again. I immediately hatched a plan.
I limped in, expecting to be raised. The player two to my left obliged, making it 3500. He was called in two spots. Perfect!
I moved all-in and got a fold from the original raiser. The next player folded, too. The last player asked for a count and then called, with pocket tens. HIS pocket tens held up.
Poker lesson: The right way to play pocket tens is… to make sure you win your flips with them? 🤷♂️
Conclusion
As I type these words, the £180+20 Turbo Dash has just reached the final table. I’ll likely be back in my hotel room and possibly asleep before a winner is crowned.
The picture below was taken at the start of the tournament. I was smiling. And as I click Publish on this article, I’m still smiling.
Because I play poker for fun. Because I got to play in a poker tournament tonight. Because I got to play in an 888poker LIVE tournament for the first time. Because I got to put in a whole additional hour of volume at the poker table. Because I got to spend the last couple hours laughing to myself and shaking my head while writing about the game I love.
And because, thankfully, I’m a mixed game player.
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