Weekend in London (Part 2) – Empire Casino

I went out to do some touristy sight seeing between the flat and the Palm Beach Casino in Pall Mall. It looked more upmarket, but they only had one poker table that hardly ever gets used. Undeterred, I came across the Gala nearby, they don’t have poker but recommended the Vic. I explained that I only had jeans and they said that with a collared shirt, that’s fine. Next time, as that is the home of poker, I’ve just never passed the dress code.

And so it was that I popped into the Empire hoping for the same alcohol fuelled action as the night before. Instead, I found the grinders. Sometimes you realise what a great movie Rounders was, and this was one of those moments. I heard that there was a Tourney ready to start, a 20 pound rebuy, so I decided to play a few cash hands in the interim and scored a 100 pound profit in 3 orbits.

I was assured that the Tourney would finish by 6pm or 7pm and as I was meeting for dinner at 8pm I decided to give it a go. First hour of rebuys went well and I picked up a few small pots here and there from the tighter players that hadn’t adjusted from their usual Freezeout style. In fact, whilst they’d all read the books, there was only one playing small ball at the table and doing rather well. I joined in. Approaching the break, I had increased my 1000 starting stack to 2500 when I picked up a great tell. Basically the tournament monitor was next to our table and a few people were glancing at it more approaching the break. Then a limped hand came up and I was in position. We had 5 callers to the flop which came out high, low, low. First position led out and everyone folded. He was one of the monitor gazers and had about 700 left in front, I had bottom pair and called. Turn looked blank and he fired the second barrel, I insta-called and was right. He immediately re-bought. I now had 4000+ and was well above average but still behind the small ball LAG.

After the break, things tightened up, as did I a little and when we lost our dealer (it was self-dealt but this American dealt extremely well), I offered to move one seat to the right and deal. At this stage, I was well ahead and was happy to slow down and cruise into the money only playing premium hands. Dealer was a place to stay in the game but not get carried away through boredom or a desire to get involved. Because I developed a tighter image through dealing, I picked up a few blinds uncontested to inch forward by the next break.

Now the blinds were meaningful to my stack again and I sat in my own seat and we went to self-deal with 22 players remaining out of 67. Not sure how it happened, but I managed to go up and down a bit until there were about 13 left and rather than attack the bubble like a couple of others at our table, I decided to try to cruise into the final table. It was the mistake I made early with online MTTs, taking the foot of the pedal a little too soon. When we got to the bubble, blinds were 1500/3000 and I had 9000 left. We were 5- and 6-handed and one guy on the other table had 2000 in chips. He survived about 4 AIs and before I knew it, I was the short stack.

I had 3500 and UTG+1 when I got KQs, I needed to make a move so pushed AI. Tyrone in the SB was about to put his money in for an easy call when I said “Why would you do that? We’ve been friends all day, mate.” He said “OK” and folded. It’s only later that I thought that this might be collusion, but really there was worse table talk going on and it was intended as a survival tactic, not collusion. The BB duly put in his extra 500 with 74o or something and I was suddenly on 9000 and feeling safer again. Turned out that Tyrone had folded A4o and the A did flop, phew. Bubble popped soon after and I drew Seat 8 at the final table. Seat 7 had a single 500 in chips so I was determined to sit out a few hands. Got dealt KK, so pushed, got a caller and doubled up early. 500 guy exited as did someone else and I was in 6th. Got blinded out almost when I got AA UTG. The others did the right thing and all called me down, I quadrupled up, still short stacked though with 290,000 chips on the table.

One more exit and I was in 5th, then the Button raised and I had 69s with my short stack. He had the second lowest stack and I reckoned that this was my chance to inch up one last position. He had KJ and I was well alive but didn’t hit. 220 pound for 5th and I had a decent score on the other side of the world.

Off to dinner at a contemporary Indian restaurant called Mint Leaf and then some Scottish Bar that opened late until it closed and we got passes downstairs to the nightclub. Left there about 3 or 4am and still needed some more lubrication before my 11am flight back to Sydney. Ah, to be young again. Empire was next door so headed in to find the same alcohol fuelled poker as Friday night. Note: Sydney’s Star City Casino at the weekend is full of grinders that won’t leave their seats for the drunks who won’t wait for hours. London, it’s drunk fish heaven. Anyway, I’d had a few but sensible enough to play TAGgy and score another win. I think another 120 or so, so like a recent post my downswing ended up OK.

A couple of years ago, I’d told my son about how many consecutive winning sessions I’d had. With the wisdom of youth, he replied, that’s easy day, you just keep playing until your up. I thought that I’d got past that stage, but maybe I haven’t. One thing is true though, I never tilted!

One other note: When I went back in the early hours, I sat down and won a pot quickly with a second barrel when my AQs missed the board completely. Maybe I wasn’t as TAGgy as I thought, lol. Anyway, Tyrone was bouncing up and down wanting into the warm water. I asked him if he wanted my seat and he couldn’t believe it. When I was cashing up, Tyrone had accumulated a big stack. As I used to tell my kids – good things happen to good people. If you ever read this Tyrone – you’re one of the good guys!