Hendon Mob League: Game 2

The Hendon Mob League Game 2 just finished at Stan's Poker and I managed to place in the money (9/70) after a major slice of luck midway through the tournament.

A lot of hype surrounding the event, on both the Hendon Mob Forum and Betfair Forum, as an unknown player (Dubai_Mill) was backed from 66/1 into 33/1 joint favourite with the Hendon Mob professionals. I was drawn on his table.

To the poker. The first pot I contested involved Dubai_Mill. He raised just over 3xBB in mid position. I think about reraising with JJ from the button but instead take it easy and see a flop. BB calls too. Flop is ten high, 2-flush. BB bets the min, Dubai_Mill calls and I go to raise the pot but I make a mistake on the Prima software and it only puts in a single raise - argh! The turn is a King and and have to fold when Dubai_Mill raises big.

I got dealt JJ quite a few times. Doubled up after raising early with JJ, big blind reraises me all in. I call and my Jacks hold up against his TT.

Soon, I get dealt KK in the small blind and before the UTG player has even acted I am worrying about AA being out there. What are the odds of that? About 24/1 (10 handed; 6 handed it is 44/1).

Everybody folds to the button who raises the pot. I contemplate calling to see if an ace flops, but with the big blind likely to call if I call, I decide I'd rather be heads up or win the pot right there - hence I reraised all-in.

Of course, the button calls and turns over AA!

For once though, Damatrix gets lucky and hits a flush. Poor "meds" finished 48th.

My next victim is LaidBackRuby, who was left short stacked after our JJ vs TT encounter. He raises 5xBB all-in in early position with 66. I sense he is desperate and re-reraise with yet another JJ in mid position to drive out the blinds. My Jacks hold up once again.

Battle of the blinds next. I raise with A2s in the small blind and the short-stack in the BB reraises all-in. I forced myself to call even though I was pretty sure I had the worst of it but getting about 3/1, I decided to gamble. An Ace on the flop means I beat Yethmate's 33.

Incredibly, the bookies favourite, Dubai_Mill blew his massive stack (second chip leader) in a couple of hands to finish just 15th.

After that the cards dried up, had a chance to put Ross Boatman all-in and try and get his $100 bounty. After limping in with 88 in early position, Ross raises to about 5xBB. Back to me and it's either re-raise all in or fold. Best case scenario and I am probably a slight favourite but I have a feeling he has a bigger pair and so I fold since I was trying to win the tourney.

Next time I might call, since the buy in for the tourney is $25+$2.5, the bounty $100 plus 5 extra league points - it's probably worth calling if you are reasonably uncertain he has a bigger pair.

Ross Boatman was knocked out a few hands later in 12th position beating fellow mobsters Ram Vaswani (34) and Joe Beevers (54).

With no playable hands, I was pretty pleased to make the final table (even though as the short stack - hey, I am used to that!) and rob and extra place to finish 9th. Just wished I was dealt Aces at least once in the tourney.

Well done to Belly-Buster and Commieboy, first and second respectively.


Hendon Mob League Game 2 Results.