Live Session #42 (Saved By The Empire...Again)

It is now Sunday afternoon but I'm still in bed as I didn't get back from town until 6AM this morning. It all started at The Fox with their 7PM freezeout for £38. I was actually doing really well in this and going great guns when we were down to three tables BUT crashed out after I lost two big hands close together. The first was when my all-in with 44 in late position was called by the big blind's AK (he hit the King on the river) and the second was when I went all-in on a flush draw but was called by someone holding AQ on a K 2 8 board! Needless to say, my hand didn't improve.

I think I've now learnt my lesson regarding these MTTs and I've told myself that I must just keep away from them as much as possible and play in the poker game where I have the sharper edge. Furthermore, there are still far too many players in these small buy-in freezeouts who just take the game far too seriously and I'm just beginning to dislike the atmosphere a tad. A lot of these small-time players really should get themselves to The Empire for a wake-up call and play some real poker for a change!! In future I must now keep reminding myself to go straight to The Empire and just to avoid The Fox Club altogether!

Anyway, after the donk-out at The Fox it was, indeed, onto The Empire for some £1/£2 cash games. I decided to buy-in for £360 and was seated at the central table with fairly average opponents but no real tricky players. It turned out to be a very good-natured table with plenty of banter, laughing, talking and joking. Once again with the players just having that more liberal attitude to money compared to so many of the stuffy old farts who play the freezeouts at The Fox, it just proves that The Empire is often a much more jolly, relaxing and enjoyable place to play in. Anyway, I digress...

Overall, this was just one of those sessions where I ground out a steady profit by playing solid, ABC poker. I didn't really need to get tricky and I just folded a massive percentage of my hands preflop. I avoided tricky spots and attacked where I saw weakness - but usually when I had the cards to back me up. I pushed my good hands for value and did just the one all-in against a very short stack. In all, it was a pleasant and comfortable session where I didn't really feel threatened by any tricky players - and I ended the evening at about 5AM with a £500 stack and a £140 profit at The Empire but a £100 profit on the night.

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The Empire - THE Number One Poker Venue!!