IPO blog part 3 – table trauma

Yep, this is log over due, What can I say? I have been recovering! But now in my new sober state I am able to talk about my main event experience.

After arriving late to the table (my fault) I am greeted by a few quiet people and two sweet guys who bothered to say hi and accept my apology for my tardiness. Seat four is occupied by a man in a Sunderland football shirt – nylon at the tables? Ugh. Lowering the tone! But I then found out that these players in the football shirts have bounties on their heads and if you knock them out you get to keep the shirt – er,… I’ll take the cash thanks!

With my 10,000 chip starting stack I was feeling chip confident but otherwise uncomfortable. No handbag hooks (when will they learn) and a rather cramped room with no aircon didn’t make for the best surroundings but anyway, on with the game. About 10 hands in I had had nothing worth playing, I had also had jack 3 off suit twice, this hand later in the day became known as Jack Sh*t on account of the fact that it was dealt to me 9 times! I had no idea what to do with it. As the room got hotter and hotter I struggled to find my groove and when they opened the doors next to us to let some air down the rush of cold air straight up my back managed to being back all of the flu like symptoms I had been battling during the week. Anadin extra was not enough for me! Shivering and sweating I folded most of my hands, finally managing to win with ace king about 90 minutes in. ‘Is that your first pot?’ asked the friendly man at seat 7. ‘Yep, bout time huh?’ I replied through gritted teeth. The next hand was predictable jack 3 off suit again and I started to feel faint. Luckily I had spotted that Kojak was sat behind me at another table. As my head slumped over the table and room started to spin I called his name. He was busy so I asked the dealer for assistance. A member of staff offered to help me out of the room so I would lean on him. ‘You could lean on a chair?’ offered the man at seat 7. ‘erm…chairs don’t really walk…’ I managed to mumble back. As I sat outside getting some fresh air, the only thing I could think to say to Kojak was ‘I am not getting any cards!’, ‘Ok but how do you feel? Do you want to just quit and sit it out now?’ he replied. Defiant, I found my strength and said ‘No! I want to play, lets go back in’.

Back at the table with 37 minutes til the break I managed to trip aces and finally win another hand but by this point I was fairly short stacked. I figured I’d hand on in there. Lulu appeared and offered me a drink and the man in seat number 10 told her he’d like a coke. I must admit that I did take some pleasure in telling him that she was there for our team and not any one else. At this point Mr nylon footie shirt removed his sunglasses and agitatedly asked which team that might be. I told him we were more group hugs than sponsored pros and the look of disgust on his face was priceless! I continued to catch him giving me Vicky Pollard style ‘evils’ until dinner time was called.