From the Concord to Citywest

Hear me now my fellow poker addicts, for what I say is true. After spending three weeks in Europe rubbing shoulders with some of the best in the game, I came away with the sense of feeling how lucky we all are. Lucky because regardless of whether it's just a nine player sit-n-go in a pub in west Cork or whether it's the mighty PaddyPowerPoker.com Irish Open with almost 700 runners at the marvelous Citywest Hotel in Dublin, poker is being played with such a great integrity, such fine sportsmanship, and with such a splendid touch of class that enables me to proudly report that our great game is stronger than ever and is inevitably here to stay.

My first stop on this trip was Austria. It was there at the Concord Casino and Card Room that the PartyPoker.com European Challenge II was being held. It started off with an East vs. West team event which was an absolute blast and was enjoyed by all who took part.

My exit from this event was as a result of my old buddy Roland De Wolfe or "Captain Luckbox" as many like to call him. I had 7-7 and Roland had A-9. I avoided the flop, dodged the turn but was unfortunately sunk on the river by Lord Luckbox himself. Ah well whatcha gonna do! He is a grand lad and I'm happy to call him a friend.

Anyway, the West went on to win it and all westerners, as a result of Bjoern Kaersten received €750 a man. Which basically covered each player's bar tab for the week. (Not!)

Next came the Austrian Open. Its splendid structure, accompanied by the fact that it was a televised event ensured that it was represented by players from all over the world. I must have pissed somebody off somewhere as my timing was absolutely miserable, when I flopped a set my opponent had a bigger set, when I had T-T the man from uncle had J-J, when I ordered a double Vodka I was given only a single. How is a man supposed to work under such conditions? Ah sure… if we can't laugh then we are destined to cry. Where's a tissue when I need one.

Anyway here's how I went out of this one. After spending about three hours at the TV table, we were then moved off to the side. I had 9,000 in chips and after ducking more blows than Wayne McCullogh in a title fight I still felt that I could get things going. The average stack was about 18,000 and with no action around to the cut-off, player A makes it 700 to go (blinds at 150-300) player B, who was on the button and was fairly tight, raises it to 2,000, and I'm in the small blind and look down and see Q-Q, hmm so, what should I do?

Well there's a good chance that player A has nothing due to him being in the cut-off and that player B should also be aware of this and might only need A-Q or A-J or maybe even a mid-pair for him to raise. So with my arse puckered up tighter than a gasket in a garden hose I'm confident I am a head so I reraise it to 5,000 which only leaves me 4,000 behind. This is my hand here folks and there's absolutely no way I'm getting away from it now.

The big blind (who has been reckless to say the least) ponders for a while and announces "call". Call!!?? What in the hell is this fella up to? He has to know that I'm pot committed and that if he has A-A or K-K then surely he should reraise and not price in the other two lads especially player B on the button as it would only cost him another 3,000 to play. You see if he has A-A or K-K he is only a 6/4 favorite against two random hands, so better to take A-A or K-K up against only one hand (me) and stand less chance of being out drawn. So the more I think about the way he's playing the hand the less I can give him credit for either K-K or A-A. So I figure my hand has to be good. Now it's back around to player A and reluctantly he folds. Then player B on the button took about three minutes before he folded. So this told me they had to have big cards which was good for me as there was a chance of cards in common and less chance of an over card hitting.

I told myself that regardless of the flop, I'm moving in. Here it comes Ace in the window along with 7-2. So as planned I move in for my last 4,000 and only after about 30 seconds I hear…"call". I ask him, "do you have an Ace" and he says "No. I have three of them" He slows rolls me and as it turns out the cut-off had K-J suited and the button had A-K. What a crazy hand that was and I am gone.

I ended up doing the commentary with the very talented Mike Carlson and "Mad" Marty Wilson for the next three days which was an absolute blast. It was very exciting doing the final table as Dave "Devilfish" Ulliott was there along with a couple young, up and coming stars. Peter Gelencser eventually out lasted Devilfish and the rest at the final table capturing his first major tournament. The young man hails from Budapest, Hungary and was deserving of the victory as he seemed to want it that bit more. Congratulations Peter.

I'll leave you with this, a final note; I will let you know how my trip to Ireland went in my next blog. Until then, play well and remember there's no shame in folding.

Ciaran O'Leary

Shuffle Up and Deal Folks

The European Poker Challenge, the Austrian Open, the Irish Open, and the Party Poker Poker Nations Cup are all just around the corner.

Vienna, Austria is to be the first stop. It's my first trip to Austria and I'm very excited about it. Party Poker has invited me to come over and take part in the European Poker Challenge. It's a format that is set up with East taking on the West, which I'm told consists of the top thirty players from each. A couple of days after that I am playing in the Austrian Open, which will also surely draw many of the top players in Europe.

Party Poker does such a wonderful job with all the events in which they sponsor. They continue to set the bar very high and all I talk too seem to agree. I tip my hat to all of the staff there and to Neil and Warren in particular. The thing is with so many great tournaments nowadays that a player no longer needs to leave their country if they don't want to. So it's a credit to Party Poker and the Concord club for putting on such great events and continuing to entice players from other countries to travel.

I'm ready to put on a strong showing and hopefully will be able to get the job done. Fingers crossed. However if for some unfortunate reason that I am ousted from the tourney early (God forbid) then there's a good chance that I'll be found wiping my tears away, inside in the commentary booth giving my opinion. I had an opportunity to do some in Ireland at the Irish Poker Championship in January and that went very well.

After Austria I then head for the auld sod, the mother land, the old country. Yep I'm going home. I will spend about four days in Cork with my mum (bless her). She is sure to fatten me up with some good old fashion cooking, yummy, beef stew, mac and cheese, like only she can do. Yes friends, my stomach is growling at the mere thought of it and though it's a noise that causes my cat to hiss at me I can't help i. There's just no denying, that there is something oh so special with mothers home cooking. Slurrrp. Anyway, food aside, I really intend to just relax and catch up. She is such a wonderful lady. I'm very lucky!

Hopefully some of that luck will then rub off, as I head for the big smoke on the 19th… 'Ireland's capital' that's right, it's up to Dublin to do battle in the Paddy Power Poker Irish Poker Open. I'll be making the three hour journey from Cork on the train. It's such a pleasant and scenic route and it's not uncommon to experience all four seasons during this very short train ride.

The only shaky thing right now though is the US dollar. So I'm cutting coupons, raiding the young lad's money boxes (again!) and I'm down to using just two squares on the toilet paper. At this stage I could wipe the nose of a butterfly with out doing it any harm. But that's a story for another day.

I'll leave you with this, A final note, It's important to remember each time you sit at the poker table that you don't have to win every hand you're dealt, but merely the hands you play. You choose the hands you play. Choose wisely Indiana!

Ciaran

WSOP Sucker Punch

It's a long and lonely walk to the rail just after you get knocked out of a poker tournament. Over a thousand hands whip through your head in a matter of seconds, while at the same time you're trying to figure it out and make sense of what just happened.

"Why me?", "C'mon-now… not again!", and possible even "I wonder if Riverdance is taking on any new people.

"For goodness sake man, snap out of it. OK, your right, breathe just breathe. Where's a brown paper bag when I need one?"

Now imagine what the pain is like after you get knocked out of the main event at the World Series of Poker - that's pain for you.

Such pain is equal to that of an Irish man witnessing his beloved football team sent packing from the quarter finals in the World Cup by the Italians (Thanks a lot Schillaci!). It's the type of pain that only a Cork man must endure every time his great County has to face Kerry in the battle for supremacy in the Irish Gaelic football championships. (Gooch, are you sure you won't play for Cork as there's some great talent there?)

It's a pain which mirrors that of a groom, not long after he discovers that his short-sighted bride is soon to have laser surgery done on her eyes.

It's frustrating, I know. So many scenarios. Look but don't touch… touch but don't taste …OK, have a taste but don't swallow. It's enough to drive a man to drink (but if only it would drive him home) how cruel the great game of poker can be.

You know your name is on the list but they won't let you in. Here's an idea folks…knock louder.

You know in your heart of hearts that there's room enough for you to play in the big league. You know you belong with the elite, yet for some reason that big title seems to elude you.

Its little consolation my friends knowing that you played well and that you were able to get your money in with the best of it but once again have your tournament cut short by an inferior player who made a bad play but got lucky.

Boy that was good. Ahhh… how we poker players enjoy a good whine.

Lads and ladies, all jokes aside, I believe it's like this. There's only ever going to be a few people that are truly happy with the final out-come of a tournament, it's as simple as that.

The bad beats and often unbelievable stories that you may hear in and around the poker rooms and across the globe will always be a part of the game. Just remember this - you're not alone.

Keep in mind too though you're only ever a loser when you start making excuses.

I'll leave you with this, a final note.

I'm excited that the World Series of Poker is just around the corner. This is the year folks, I can feel it. Another bracelet sure would be great. Remember friends - knock louder!