Friday, 29th March 2024 09:17
Home / Uncategorized / Nick Wealthall: Running hot live
ps_news_thn.jpg

by Nick Wealthall, UKIPT Tour Host

So two live tournaments this year and I have one win (did I mention that?) and now a 9th. Which is the definition of running hot. I should probably quit for the year claiming the most awesome ROI in tourney history.

Played the GUKPT Coventry this weekend – courtesy of Stars; I looked on it as a UKIPT raid on their territory! It was my first event on the tour and the structure is similar to the UKIPT. You get plenty of chips and an hour clock which is pretty cool. As an aside I don’t think I’d recommend playing a live tournament seriously (for fun is a different story) with less than an hour clock. You’re probably still only getting 30 hands per hour – in this
case per level – which really isn’t huge.

I ended up having a really weird tournament. I was below the average after two hours and never at any point got back to the average until busting two days later in 9th. Which just goes to show that in a tournament although plan A is to accumulate chips and aim for the top three positions you really have to focus on stacks and blinds and not worry about the tourney overall.

Having said that, being short for that long is bizarre and stressful. All day 2 I was waiting for a hand that would double up or bust me and it never came. I must have been all in close to 15 times and was never called (sometimes I wanted it sometimes not!) so effectively survived almost entirely on antes and blinds. Obviously I was pretty lucky to survive, however it was good practice and a reminder never to quit on a tournament.

The final table was fun and decent practice of a final of a big live event. Although the miracles I wanted didn’t come, 9th and just under 3k was a good result.

I also have to mention the tourney contained one of the funnier hands I’ve played recently. On day 1 I was ground down to just under 10 bbs. On the button with tight blinds I’d decided I was shoving if it was folded to me with any two. That’s what happened and I pretended to look at my cards before pushing. Small blind folds and the big blind announces: “I’m calling you with 8s or better, A-K or A-Q” (did I mention he was tight?). He looks down and instantly calls!

So I have to turn over my two random cards against a guy who is only calling me with big hands. He flips up 9-9 and I turn over A-K suited! A king on the flop and I double up. How does that happen? Dunno I found it pretty funny – apologies to the big blind who almost certainly didn’t!

nick_wealthall_ukipt_coventry.jpg

This masterclass I gave at UKIPT Coventry did not include that A-K suited play!

Study Poker with Pokerstars Learn, practice with the PokerStars app