Not this year

Had a good weekend in London playing in the Full Tilt Horse series final, with the winner earning a seat in the final event of the WSOP - and for a long while I thought it might be me !

I really enjoyed the game but of course it helps if the cards are being kind. The starting stack was 10,000 and one hour blinds (later on they were half hour with antes). I played very tight for a level and a half until my QQ held up against AQ to get me to 15k.

Not much later I got the action I wanted with AA because an opponent (unfortunately Fenners of PL) held KK and by the lunch break I reckon I was chip leader with around 34k. At this stage I started getting maximum respect from the table so a series of minimum raises with A rag kept bringing the blinds my way.

I remember flopping two pair a couple of times, once with 10 2 from the SB which I didn't bet into enough (the BB had top pair with A kicker so he flat called 1k each time) and then with 34os from the BB which I probably bet into too much when reraising all-in to a bet of 3k, to be met with a fold. Not long after another QQ beat JJ and I peaked at 64k (out of 290k).

Then the cards were less kind. Just before the second break a third QQ lost to AK, and not long after with 10 7 from the SB I flopped top pair but lost to a flush (admittedly on the turn). Anyway, I made the final table of nine with about 30k but went out in 7th when my 44 was beaten by the chipleader's K9d (K on the flop). Fenners said later that he had seen some of her cards and she was pushing with a lot less than that so I'm claiming I was unlucky !

Punters Lounge was represented by four of the nine players on the final table and it was a bit disappointing we finished 7th, 6th, 5th and 4th ! - but it was good to share the day and evening with friends.