“THE game was no limit Texas Hold’em. The atmosphere at the Dandenong Workers Club was at fever pitch with almost 100 registrations for the Australian Poker League’s first night of competition in Dandenong.
We started with 1000 in free chips and my strategy was simple.
Play slow and watch the competition fall around me.
When I folded my first hand, the plan was working perfectly but, only two hands into the competition, disaster struck.
I was dealt A-A (two aces), known as American Airlines, the best possible starting hand.
After some heavy betting around the table, I was eventually beaten by someone holding a lousy two-pair of a 5 and a 9.
My chip pile had evaporated, from 1000 to 125 in two hands.
Everyone was sensing I was under pressure – this was getting serious… it was time to put on my best poker face, so out came my baseball cap.
My new shadowy look must have confused the other players on the table, I’m told this game is 80 per cent skill and only 20 per cent luck, either way I wasn’t ready to go home.
After nervously watching the action for a few hands, I was dealt K-K.
After my A-A fiasco, I slowly played my K-K and bluffed my opponents into believing my hand was not strong.
The flop cards were dealt, a K-Q-5 and it looked like my poker gods were smiling.
With the two kings I already held, plus the king dealt on the flop, I was holding a strong hand with my triple kings.
When the player to my immediate right declared ‘all-in’, I quickly called the bet and pushed my mini-mountain of chips into the middle of the table.
My opponent flipped over Q-Q – I couldn’t believe my eyes and my luck.
My triple kings easily beat the triple queens.
I proudly showed K-K and with much delight, had sent someone home.
After a hot streak of hands, including a full house, my chip stack soon resembled a metropolitan skyline and I’d made it to the final 10.
As the tournament neared the end the blind bets were increased to 2000/4000 which quickly felled a couple of my skyscrapers and I struggled to pick up any playable hands.
I decided to bluff after being dealt a J-10, but an opponent decided to re-raise my bet.
With only 5000 left in chips, I was pot committed – I had to risk everything and go all in.
Win or lose, this was going to be an expensive hand.
My opponent showed Q-K, I had a 40 per cent chance of winning.
When J-4-6 was dealt on the flop, I was in front with a pair of jacks.
The turn card was a 2, no help to my opponent because he needed a queen or king to win.
With only an 18 per cent chance of being dealt a winning card my heart rate had slowed, saving me from an impending cardiac-arrest.
But to my peril, a king was dealt on the river and the crowd erupted in applause.
My pair of jacks had lost to a pair of kings.
I was out in fifth place and felt like a pigeon.
But I think I know a winning secret – next time I’ll remember my reflective sunglasses.”
Results:
1st – Vadim Tabakman – Berwick
2nd – Michael Cole – Cranbourne
3rd – Adam Copp – Doveton
APL competition is played at the Dandenong Workers Club on Monday nights, the Dandenong Club on Thursday nights and the Dingley International on Sunday nights.
Registration begins at 6pm and play commences at 7pm.
All events are free and trophies and prizes are awarded to winners every week.
Check www.australianpokerleague.com.au for more details – or simply join in at one (or all) of the free weekly events.
