Weekend, Azz Home Game and Circus Freezeout

I haven't had much of a chance to post on here as have been ridiculously busy over the past few days. On domestic front, we had Katrina's family here for the weekend and went out Friday night for her sister Lindsey's birthday in town for an Italian (Sabatini's I think). Thumbs up for the pizzas and the steaks, but I don't think that Mr and Mrs Jones would send out too many recommendations for the fish or chicken dishes!

Azz Home Game

Saturday involved getting beaten (just) in a 11 a side cup match, then an evening of poker round Azz's house. The first game can be summed up as follows:

• Carl tries to bluff Brennan who snap calls with 7Q on K72 board - 'I have nuts versus your range Carl' - rebuy Mr Richardson
• Carl gets all in versus Brennan again with jack high - rebuy Mr RichardsonCarl raises with KQ and can't get away from my squeeze shove - AA rock Holmes - rebuy Mr Richardson
• Another rebuy Mr Richardson
• One more rebuy Mr Richardson

Chips go back and forth as the alcohol and peanut consuming clan tries to outplay each other, and Brennan's monster chip stack is dwindled to a short stack by the end of rebuys as he runs in to a couple of monsters and getting himself pot committed with trash.

Carl is the first casualty after rebuys, as he calls my raise with 88 and flops 389. After slow playing the flop, he gleefully calls my check raise, only to find me holding 99 for the nuts, and his one out doesn't come. With 3 paid and 5 players left, a 3 way all in pre flop sees me and Briggs - the only 2 not involved - looking good for a cash finish. Gav's QQ is facing a flip versus Azz's AK, with luckbox Brennan needing a miracle to stay alive with 55. Flop of TAQ gives Azz hope then takes it away in 2 cards, with Brennan all but dead. But wait..... The miracle could still be on for as Azz picks up more outs with a K turn - and yes - it happens when the J comes on the river for a 3 way split. Grim for me and Briggs.

Brennan grinds back in to the money, after I vanish in 4th after being chip monster on the bubble. Gav raised early, Briggs took ages before calling from SB so I presume my big overshove from BB will just pick up the pot after Gav folds without any further incident. I wasn't counting on Briggs putting me on a bluff though and calling me with AQ. My KK still looks in great shape, especially as Gav tells us he's folded an ace, but not to be as the flop brings 2 aces and I'm back to short stack poker. No luck as my SB shove runs in to Gav's JJ on BB and I'm doomed. In true Ad King style, I take the poker beat very well and run off to the front room to play guitar hero rather than watch the rest of the action - although I know Briggs won (again) by beating Gav heads up.

Second Omaha game was a bit of a drunken blur, but I do know that I was out 2nd after I slow played my turned full house to sucker Carl in with his flush draw, only for him to hit his nut out on the river and obviously call my 'bluff' shove with a better full house. I think Azz won this game, but again by this time I was playing guitar hero in the front room with Brennan - which is near on impossible after 8 cans of stella, but even more so when the blue button is knackered Good evening entertainment though as always....

Sunday Evening

Sunday would normally have been a recovery day, however me and K had been invited to a (Canadian) thanksgiving dinner at our friends house. Steve and Kathleen put on a mint roast dinner for 6 and after putting their son Oliver to bed we got down to the serious business - playing Risk. For anyone that's not played this board game before I'd thoroughly recommend it, it's basically an excuse to pretend to be Napoleon / Roman Emperor / George Bush by invading the world and killing off your mates after making (and breaking) alliances. After being crushed in the last game by the Hass / Hass axis of evil, the Holmes / Jones alliance of the free reigned supreme and I took home the glory of 1st place. They'll be after revenge again soon I'm sure.

Poker

On poker front - I nearly shipped 2nd casino tournament 2 attempts when got knocked out in 4th of the Circus £30 game last night after heading there with Azz and cameo Cuswao. Rich threw his chips away at 12 when he sensibly realised that the game would be going on very very late, and that his work the next morning couldn't take a sleep deprived team leader. I'm sure they could of, but he does insist on telling me he's good at his job....

Anyway, me and Azz short stack our way to the final table, getting lucky and picking spots, before finally losing 'races' - Azz's K7 UTG shove losing to a dubious KT call from the SB to finsih 7th, then my KT losing when short stacked to a SB shover with AQ. £70 profit for the night for me, but don't think I'll ever play another midweek / weekend small stakes game as I didn't get home until 4:30 am and therefore slept through til 1:30 today, missing my online morning grind too.

Online has actually been going pretty well this month, and I'm about £700 up so far before rakeback. Long may this good form continue....