Off to a flyer

Killarney was the location for my first outing in Bruce gear. Always a great spot to play poker, and this weekend was no exception. Numbers were down a little on last year, obviously due to weather (or fear of weather: it was actually quite nice there for most of the weekend).

The main event kicked off on Friday and after a reasonably good start I was knocked back in a few big pots. My aces were busted by Kx (board ran out KT4KK: I folded the river obviously to a shove), then a set was apparently outdrawn (I folded again on the river with 4 to a straight shrinking my set down to third pair effectively).

I continued to struggle on in day 2 until a change of tables saw me picking up aces twice in quick succession to get me up to 45K. Then a very interesting hand against Jimmy McSweeny: he raised on the button (as he does), I repopped (the exact same amount I'd done with the aces), he went again effectively putting me all in if I decided to call and I folded (I was near the bottom of my range). Obviously I know Jimmy's well capable of being totally at it but I didn't have a hand I wanted to play for all my chips at that point. Jimmy showed J3o: fair play, brave move as I snap at least 50% of the time there and when I do he's usually crushed.

Jimmy was involved in my exit: Trevor Dinneen raised in late position, Jimmy flatted on the button, I called from the small blind with a pocket pair and the big blind came along for the ride too. I flopped a set and check raised all in when Trevor cbet and Jimmy flatted. Jimmy was priced in to call with a queen high flush draw and duly hit the river. It was an 80K pot which would have put me in a great spot but alas, it was not to be on this occasion.

I bought in late to the side event. Pretty sick table with eventual runner up Chris Dowling, Big Mick G, Conor Ainsworth, Wes and another good young local lad I played with in TeamCOP. Nothing really happened for me, I don't think I won a single pot, and eventually decided AT on the button was ahead of Dowling's raising range and therefore good enough to reship. He snapped with QJo. I think we all know how well Chris runs: Big Mick certainly does as he said "Good luck Dara, you're gonna need it". Sure enough, Chris flops not one but two queens to send me to the rail.

On Sunday I got up and took advantage of the unusually nice weather to go for a run to and around Muckross. Came back to play the headsup tournament, which attracted 8 runners. I drew Paul Lucey in the first round, but he was indisposed. Paul McIntyre from Liverpool stepped in in his place. Paul had the better of things in the early going and I needed to get lucky when we got it in with his top pair versus my bottom pair and a flush draw. After that I never looked back and advanced to a semi final against Dermot Jacob (Jakey), who had beaten Fintan Gavin. The other semi was contested between Roy Brindley (who had prevailed against Rob Taylor) and Tommy Walsh(who beat Ken Corkery). My semi was a real marathon affair, with Jakey having the better of the early going. He had a 17k to 3k lead at one stage but I clung on and eventually the match swung my way. While it was still in progress, Tommy (who had despatched Roy in just three hands) suggested that if I got through we chop the money equally and I take the trophy (this turned out to be moot: there was no trophy).

Which we duly did and I was delighted to get off to a winning start with Bruce's.

Next up for me is the Deauville EPT which I've satellited into. I'm really looking forward to it and here's hoping the Bruce gear continues to bring me luck!

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