My biggest week

I have been feeling really good about my poker since coming back from Vegas and competing with the guys out there; their chat, their bluff raises, their nonsense post-mortems after (seemingly) every hand; how well/badly they played it, how many outs they had, 'what are you calling with that for?!'... Yawn.

It was suddenly like, 'I have as much right to be here as you'; I didn't get shakey anymore when I was putting the chips in when I had a hand (but was quick to point it out (loudly) to the chaps that did, when I spotted it). I think the moment was at the Mandalay Bay, a couple of glasses of crap American white wine to the good, on the Saturday morning.

I much prefer live poker; you can properly chat, flirt, distract, pressure. I hope I won't ever feel intimidated by a man at a poker table again. I actually trash talked a guy last week in a tourny. Not my usual style, I'm a charmer, normally. He started it. He can't have been more than 19-20, chewing gum, ipod earphones in, got moved to our table had no more chips than anyone else, but proceeded to abuse everyone for no reason, aggressive as you like. He got them in on a scary-ish board and chewed his way through the guy next to me's thinking time, finally telling him, 'Come on, man. We've got hands to play', tapping his watch. The guy next to me folded but I had the pleasure of 2 hands later having aforementioned little shit call a re-raise on the flop to me, and my A-10 rivering the nuts.

I realise with hindsight, the all in bet was too obvious (especially being a girl - cos we only bet when we have a hand, right?!); anything up to half of it, I fancy he'd have called, I was hoping he'd want to swing his dick around by knocking a girl out, but, disappointingly he didn't have enough of it. He thought about it enough though and I couldn't help myself while he was mulling it over.

Women, however, are a different prospect all together. I actually don't like playing against them. i) all my USPs go out the window ii) they very rarely chat back (if at all) iii) I find myself folding the best hand to their all-ins (see above) iv) you never REALLY know what they have/if they know what they're doing with them - my mum sees a flop EVERY time when we play for buttons, no matter what I do (and usually hits her 7 or 9). That said, women only tournaments eg EPT, while a bit of a freak show to the onlooking men, are great value to get into and they are, generally, a decent standard, despite what anyone might say/think.

My first all-woman tournament was the EPT London last October. With precisely 1 previous live tournament experience (in the Sportman Casino in Dublin - where I made the final table), I was nearly sick the morning of this one. Looking back, I was so inexperienced, weak and reactive. I'll admit I've only really learnt to (properly) re-raise in the last few months (handy now, though, I don't mind telling you).
Anyway, having had so few cards and all of my genuine hands being outkicked, outdrawn, outplayed, I finally got them in with a set of As; when that got beaten by a straight (played by a girl wearing a comedy promo sash and sparkly cowboy hat who had played I think 4 hands all night - and very slowly, at that), I resolved to find my boyfriend (who thankfully had missed that particular hand, after very sweetly taking the day off work to come and support me) - and then, in turn, find the nearest pub and get smashed on northern ale, then wander to the Vic and watch the pros. In return for going out early (the poker equiavlent of the fat kid clap at Sports Day), I had been given a signed copy of Victoria Coren's book. I loved her before the EPT (debacle). She's hilarious. I'd love to be her mate. Anyway, that (subsequently signed by Neil Channing and Bambos at the Vic) got read cover over the following week too and since the whole EPT experience and then Vegas getting me so in to live tourny poker, I have vowed to play more offline - and try to qualify for another EPT.

PokerStars sent me an email the other week promoting the Ladies Luxury Poker Club at EPT Finals in Monte Carlo; in short an opportunity to qualify for a 3.5k Euro package, including accommodation, travel, buy in, goodies etc.
I tried the freeroll; rubbish. Crap shoot. Nonsense. Then I tried the 5.50 Euro rebuy. Ditto, all in with nothings all over the place, I topped up at the break but never got going.

So, I resolved to try the 22 Euro freeze out.

Proper Poker.

I had to play at work as I couldn't get home in time for the start (is ok, I work in recruitment for the online gaming industry - it's technically working late...). I tried one night, but blew it in one hand when I was sat in 5th and loving life; didn't consider for a mintue my 2 pairs of K-10 could be done by a set of 10s. D'oh.
But Tuesday of this week, I played the most beautifully timed, sensible poker of my life, probably only winning 3 really big hands, but never being all in and enough to qualify for the 215 Euro Sunday final.

There were 40 of us tonight, from literally all over the globe; Vegas, Seoul, France, places in Eastern Europe I have never heard of (and a bloke who clearly can't read and realised about two thirds of the way through he was in the wrong place - expensive trip to the wrong toilets....)

Just never got going, though, don't think I won a pot of more then 1100 Euro all night, had AA twice but barely got paid, let alone full value. Only made 2 ropey calls when I really didn't think they had it, but thankfully only cost me 700 Euro total. Finally, when blinds and antes were making my stack disintegrate in front of my eyes, I got them in with pocket 9s in the small blind. The previous 2 hands, the short stacks had doubled through; felt like the spot (was just nice to see cards that matched, I had forgotten by then what picture carda looked like). Got called by AK in the big blind and of course one of her 6 cards came on the flop. In spite of my shouting '9' or (barrel-scraping) 'clubs' at the screen, I lost the remainder of my chips (to the girl who, incidentally, bubbled in 5th - shouldn't laugh, but I did).

So, I can (and will) still dream - and I will be back trying to qualify this week. I can't help thinking this could be a great opportunity for me (not only to have a lovely few days in Monte Carlo with my boyfriend/poker coach), but also to develop as a poker player (and wear a Pokerstars sticky label on my top).

And maybe meet Vicky Coren and go for bar crawl on the Saturday night.