Manchester or Bust

[GR1ZZL3R]

@Shoryureppa Busy catching up on all I've missed last few days, so will be starting up again in a day or so, going to play all the Nano events as well so don't want to get burned out🤣

[Bhoywonder70]

Took 4 weeks but we got a glasgow package in Saturday...plus €200 in tickets left..wooo

[JeppeL]

Nice one @Bhoywonder70, love to hear how the members here get in on our live tourneys :)
 

[GR1ZZL3R]

It's been a while since my last update, basically because it's been fairly slow on the Manchester trail, however very busy overall, so I'll try to keep things in chronological sequence along with some random thoughts. Bear with me, this story has a happy ending, or maybe a happy start, perspectives can change quickly.

The Manchester quest was put on the sidelines while I concentrated on the UOS, with all the highs and lows of tournament play. I busted one tourney when virtually assured of a final table, due to lack of concentration thinking there were 9 seats available when it was only 6 (LOW), made the final table on the last night after 10 1/2 hours of play (HIGH), realised there was no money left in the kitty for players under their community names (LOW), busted with a pair of twos (LOW) but made an overall profit of 28e (BIG HIGH) and actually got on the leaderboard (HIGH) but not high enough to cash (LOW). It certainly made a change from hopping in and out of cash games, but I need a lot more work on my stamina and concentration (LOW).

Then came the mini Bounty series which I intended to fully play, but crashed out of the first one in brutal fashion and gave up in disgust. It's bad I know, but I sometimes give up too easily. More staying power needed.

Then of course there was the World Cup, along with Team Collector missions, and I missed one of the first teams, I think it was Uruguay, by forgetting to play a Bounty tourney till very late and going all in too often just to try and win a bounty. Not a good start, going from bad to worse by missing Brazil, Argentina and Germany, so my collection wasn't looking too heavy with favourites. I had a free bet from somewhere so backed Belgium for a top three, so England losing in the third place playoff was slightly compensated for by collecting that, and who cares who comes third anyway, (unless you've got money on it) Great WC, I enjoyed reading the community comps based round it even though I didn't enter any, I'm too focused on the Premier League and don't think I know enough about International football, but if the Champions League one starts I'll give it a go. I also watched all 7 series of Game of Thrones inbetween the matches and now understand what all the fuss is about, I enjoyed it tremendously, but weren't there some shocks, all factions coming together nicely for what could be a tremendous finale.

There was the Wimbledon comp as well, which I started but didn't finish, (there seems to be an underlying theme here), but the WC and Wimbledon were interrupted by a holiday where I had no Internet or wi-fi for long periods, so I feel that's some sort of excuse, but a big shout to the guys running those comps, they must have tremendous patience and good will, terrific efforts from all involved.

There was, and still is, an unusually good Summer for us, so I've spent a great deal of time outdoors, beach holiday, BBQs, long Summer walks etc, so haven't been playing a great deal, anyway time and tickets wait for no man so had to get back to grinding with expiry dates looming. No major issues involved, just steady away and building up my stash, which currently stands at 3x25, 11x4 and 3x1, 122 euros worth from my initial 18.30 original buy ins. All well and good, 2x25 expiring this weekend so plan to play them pretty soon, but then here comes the kicker. It turns out I've won a UO package in the Team Collector missions raffle, shock and awe , disbelief, elation all rolled into one, and I posted a thread questioning what had happened, but it's been confirmed by pm and now poses a serious set of questions. I'll leave it for now while I let it sink in, and sink a beer or two, (maybe three)  but I do have a bit of a dilemma, nothing serious but deserving some thought, so happy grinding everyone, beer number two just been poured. 👍❤️

 

 

[MetalWolf]

Wow nice one on the UO win mate! Well deserved in my opinion congrats. 

[GR1ZZL3R]

Thanks @MetalWolf, I've got a long way to go to catch the likes of you and others, but "one step at a time" Next update Weds or Thurs.:happy:

[GR1ZZL3R]

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

Not really the worst, it's just that I was getting a touch frustrated. My cash game was not at its best, evidenced by a Double Trouble Freeroll ticket popping up, something I haven't needed for a while, so I registered then promptly forgot about it until Wednesday morning 😠 However, another followed the next week, and this time I managed 37th and the balance shot up again.

So, back to the tickets. I had 3x25, two of which were running out of date, so i had to get a move on, playing one each last Thursday and Friday, more on which to follow.*

This left the rest of my small value tickets, so I decided to play them through and see where this left me, but the cash run bad had flipped over into the tourney run bad and slowly but surely they dwindled away. I came close a few times in the 4s but my flipping was shot to pieces, and out of ten all ins, seven with the best starter, the nearest I got was two third places, so near and yet so far. This left one 4euro ticket to try and up my stack and it was almost as frustrating as the rest.   

The run bad continues.

Trying a different tactic, just a min raise hoping for a shove, but no takers.

Min raised this as well, this time got a shove but chickened out.................... .......................and of course would have collected.:sad:

Min raise again, again no bites.

 Again no one bit on the min raise.

 At last a bit of a breakthrough in my favour after bet call, bet call, bet call, but he still wouldn't shove.

And at last I made it.:inlove:

This still left me with a decent stash as earlier events had met with some success.

* The previous Thursday night I played using the first 25, and it was immediately noticeable that players weren't anywhere near as reckless as at the lower two tiers, even the first few levels were raise, fold or raise, three bet and fold, no-one wanting to be too low for the inevitable push-fold to follow. It was far tighter and went on much longer than any of the previous games, 1hr 28mins, and only 83 hands, longer blind levels and a big jump in ticket prizes accounting for some of this I suppose, and I steadily chipped up all the way to the end.

I didn't take screen shots on this one, there wasn't anything out of the ordinary, and by the time I'd done a lap of honour round the neighbourhood I'd forgotten all about the hand replayer, but from what I remember I was only all in 3 or 4 times and never the short stack, of course results can colour the memory, but I thought it was all straightforward and no big fuss.:Rofl:

I don't usually want to push my luck when I'm ahead, and there only being one ticket on offer in the next leg I waited till the night after for my next attempt. This was played at a much faster pace, more 3 betting, more pots being played, though still not the recklessness from the lower buy ins. This is where I feel I have to make an apology, but what can you do. His KK had just been cracked so he was left extremely low, and I just had to take advantage.

Sorry @MetalWolf what can you do. Anyway it only helped a bit as I couldn't quite see it through. This one took only 1hr 7mins but 117 hands, so the pace was very different

 

So as it stands I have 1x100 and 3x25, with all the dates having at least 6 weeks on them. so no immediate hurry, and I'm waiting to see where and when the next UO is before deciding my next moves. Good luck everyone. G.

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                               

[triceraatopp]

Wow @GR1ZZL3R! I havent had time to be active here lately so this was a very happy read to come back to :D Congratz on doing so well in your Manchester challenge, and ofc to the UO package :D You deserve it!!

[MetalWolf]

Yeah I had a bit of a nightmare the other night overall! Supposed to building up tickets towards the next UOS but with the summer holidays and little one being off it's just hard to get much time to grind. I have promised myself I will stream as much as the next UOS as I can so that's a big challenge in the back of my mind at the moment. Plus I still have a hotel booked in Brighton and no UK tour package as of yet! I best get a move on!

I had to skip Bucharest unfortunately but hopefully we'll both be at the next UO and Manchester!

[GR1ZZL3R]

Life's Like A Box Of Chocolates.

Thanks @triceraatopp @MetalWolf I'm not so sure about the deserving but I'll take it and still try to "earn" one the proper way. Looking forward to twitching and meeting you and all the rest sometime soon (I just wouldn't dare book a room before I got a ticket :wow:) Best of luck in everyone's endeavours and run good.😃

[GR1ZZL3R]

What a difference a day makes.

Absolutely nothing to report on the Manchester front, it's taking a back seat while playing the Monthly Missions, Moving On Up and prepping for the next UOS. My tickets still have six weeks on them, so they'll be put on one side till early September. 

There is news on another front however. On the Monthly Missions I'm a bit lax on the tournament front, not really taking them seriously, if I don't get a good start I tend to blow up and donk my stack off, but this blog and the UOS is teaching me patience. Yesterday was not a good advert for that, read "post some sick hands", where I crashed and burned the first hand chasing a straight flush that I knew was never going to come, but I always start with the best of intentions so regged for another this morning. It was a steady start which kept me interested so I knuckled down for the long haul.

Steady away with A9 coming good.

 

I floated up and down around the bubble,12 paid, but a nice double up saw me safely through it and a decent enough stack.

Onto the final table but I was getting low in chips and had to take a stand. Just called, but on the flop I shoved withe Ace and it looked all over with his 3 ladies, but a nice turn and river helped me out. A9 again to the rescue.

Ready to shove but both folded.

This time did pot it but again they both folded.

You have to ride your luck in these shoving matches and this time A9 was no help to my opponent, and again a nice turn and river.

The next one wasn't a great starting hand, but reasonable so I called on the button and they checked. A min bet on the flop, I had the draw to the straight so called, and a 1/2 pot bet on the turn, so called again. The river came good again, they shoved, no flush or pair and I had the nut straight so called.

 

No great victory in the scheme of things but my first tourney takedown on Unibet, and from out on the first hand yesterday to winning the final hand today made it seem all the better. 

Looking forward to (many) more of the same.:Smile:

 

 

[GR1ZZL3R]

It's now over two months since my last update, but basically that's because there's not been a lot to report. I've played the odd qualifier here and there and my ticket collection stands at 4x25e and 15x4e, 160e worth of tickets from the initial investment of 18.30e, and with the demise of the exchanger it's time to get back to playing. 

The winning of a package to Dublin was a massive surprise and huge bonus but the unwelcome side effect was the demotivation of this challenge. However, this was my first challenge and it will be so nice if I could win a package by playing rather than getting lucky, so the motivation has returned and I've set my schedule out, hoping to go through the tickets before Dublin, just over two weeks away. I'm starting this afternoon and will keep playing until the tickets have gone or Manchester is achieved. Best of luck to everyone else trying to qualify, I'll see some of you soon and hope to see more in Manchester.👍😃

[GR1ZZL3R]

Played the first this afternoon and was mad at myself for losing out in 3rd place when we all had fairly level stacks. Onto the 2nd and time to take a stand.

First hand after the break and an all in.

I thought about it for a while as the bb had been away all this time and it was their first hand played.

They made the call.

Back on the Manchester trail.:Smile:

 

[Bing__]

GL @GR1ZZL3R and that's awesome news about Dublin!:rockon:

[GR1ZZL3R]

The adventure continues.

Steady progress made then the first hand after the break, an instant shove so I stalled a little bit then called and another caller came along.

Turned out nice again.

 

[MetalWolf]

Unfortunately it is turning into a bit of a **** end of the year for me and Manchester looks in doubt now due to family problems etc. I wish you all the best there if I don't make it. Are you defo going to Dublin?

[GR1ZZL3R]

@MetalWolf Hotel registered, train and ferry tickets booked for Dublin, getting more nervous by the day. Sorry to hear you might not make Manchester, I'm still trying to qualify, hope things come good but familly first.👍

[MetalWolf]

@GR1ZZL3R Nice one mate. Don’t be nervous. Embrace it. It’s the biggest live event I’ll have ever played but for me it’s all about the experience. The banter, the fun, the exploration of a new place. Poker is all second to that and with that attitude I feel pressure is off to play my best knowing I’ll enjoy it whatever happens. If I get unlucky or I’m just not good enough then ah well whatever I’ve still had a great time. 

All my hotel etc is already booked for Manchester. Maybe I’ll just try come up for the Sunday community game or something in a worst case scenario. But yeah, family first. Hoping I can travel more next year for Unibet events and I’ve stil gotta make @Charl_xoxox a queens rules champion!

[GR1ZZL3R]

@MetalWolf Poker, what's poker. I have absolutely ZERO expectations in that department and the experience was the whole point of the excercise. Having never played live I joined my local casino 6 months ago but then decided to try and qualify for one of these events instead, but now I'm dreading looking like a complete "newbie" and the wolves licking their lips in anticipation of the kill. If I get dealt AA the first hand I'll do a Rimmer in Red Dwarf when confronted by his test paper, faint dead away, get timed out and start again on my second hand. 🤣

 Seriously, should I do a practice session or just dive in at the deep end, my original idea. I'm torn between the two but still favouring diving straight in, I just want it to start NOW! 

Hope to see you and @Charl_xoxox sometime (how's the coaching going) and everyone else soon, back to the tables for now.👍

[GR1ZZL3R]

Today's little adventure was a bit too tight for comfort. I got a lucky double up pushing A8 into A9 and flopping an 8 and then lucky again when behind the others.

 

That left me just in front as the other two tried to ko each other. 

:Smile:

[GR1ZZL3R]

A bit of luck never goes amiss. 

Again not looking good but my luck seems to be holding a little better this week.

 

And a recurring theme seems to be action on the first hand after the break.

I made up my mind if there was no overcard on the flop this was the make or break hand, all the way or out.

I didn't like the King but I had to go with it.

 

I can't say I'd given him any reason previously to suggest I was bluffing, so I'm not too sure what he was thinking, he had to believe he was behind and only an Ace would be good.

Anyway he blew his stack soon after, surprising because he'd been quite snug up to that point, the other small stack was gone pretty quick, and I was quite happy to sit back as the other two had both been very active and it was only a matter of time before one caught the other.:Rofl:

Time to start on the 25's. :Thumbsup:

 

[GR1ZZL3R]

Decided to play an evening one for a change, steady away and only on real hand of note.

These two had been swapping stacks all the game, both very aggressive, to my left had just lost a bit of a cooler.

 

I suspected he would call any two to a shove and I wasn't disappointed.

 

Next hand and another ticket gained.

  

:Thumbsup:

 

 

[MetalWolf]

---

@GR1ZZL3R wrote:

@MetalWolf Poker, what's poker. I have absolutely ZERO expectations in that department and the experience was the whole point of the excercise. Having never played live I joined my local casino 6 months ago but then decided to try and qualify for one of these events instead, but now I'm dreading looking like a complete "newbie" and the wolves licking their lips in anticipation of the kill. If I get dealt AA the first hand I'll do a Rimmer in Red Dwarf when confronted by his test paper, faint dead away, get timed out and start again on my second hand. 🤣

 Seriously, should I do a practice session or just dive in at the deep end, my original idea. I'm torn between the two but still favouring diving straight in, I just want it to start NOW! 

Hope to see you and @Charl_xoxox sometime (how's the coaching going) and everyone else soon, back to the tables for now.👍

---

Haha I’m sure it won’t be that bad. I’m in the same situation with Charl in some ways. Before I enter her into Queens Rules I am debating wether to arrange some live experience for her. She is pretty terrified about the idea though lol it depends on your personality and how you think you will handle yourself in that situation but I personally think Charl won’t be able to keep a straight face, drop chips everywhere and act out of turn pretty much every hand so I’m favouring putting her in a live game first lol

It can be daunting but few bits of advice. Just make sure when you sit at that table you are understood everytime you decide to do something and you’ll be fine. Speak clearly and announce your move before moving chips. Also make sure you are clear on any grey area rules like having to show hands at showdown or walking off the table in the middle of a hand i.e Wait til it’s your turn to pass before getting up or even giving indication you’re going to get up or you can be seen to be acting out of turn. Not everyone Is as friendly at the poker table as most people on this forum and you don’t want to open yourself up for angles or criticism that affects your mental game. 

Coaching Is slow going but I’m happy enough with what we manage in the time we get to do it. Looking forward to meeting you and good luck!

[GR1ZZL3R]

Thanks @MetalWolf I've decided Dublin is my baptism of fire, so no previous practice, still getting more nervous by the day though. I've been reading about playing live so if you see someone curled up in a ball, not talking, hiding behind sunglasses and hoodie with earphones in and playing Warcraft on a tablet, that'll be me! (not). 🤣 Good luck with the coaching, tell @Charl_xoxox I feel a side bet coming up, but I'll rail her when I'm out.👍

[Bing__]

@GR1ZZL3R Actually it's pretty easy the first time not to make an error (folding out of turn, mucking your cards before the hands over etc.) because you are concentrating so hard on everything. It's actually after 3 or 4 times that you're more likely to error 🤣 but I couldn't think of a more awesome way to start your live poker career than with a €1k tourny.