Nick is a cash game player, content creator and part of 888poker’s Stream Team. Each week he shares his thoughts and experiences as a player dedicated to the daily grind. This week, a deep run in Reading leaves him hungry for more...
After largely unsuccessful (and tilting) trips to both Manchester and Leeds, I had managed to regain a faint sense of optimism about travelling to my old stomping ground, Reading, this past weekend. There’s nothing quite like familiar territory to bring about a feel-good factor, and, as I wrote last week, I was feeling confident that I’d at least take something from the trip, even if it was just a walk down memory lane. As it turned out, I was very close to getting all I came for.
Arriving the night before my planned Day 1 flight in the £560 Main Event has become something of a ritual for UKPL events. I like to get acclimated and settle into my surroundings as I think it provides the best platform for performing at my best at the tables. Heading into Day 1B, I was fresh and raring to go, mostly because I was excited about a new bit of vlogging gear I’d recently purchased to document the week.
When it comes to live events, it’s not always a given that I’ll get footage worthy of appearing on my YouTube channel, since no one wants to watch a pitiful display with a premature end. Regardless, I’ll always record every event on the off chance that a miracle occurs and I make a deep run, and this was no exception. Check the channel soon to see for yourself.
The early bird catches the… fish?
I find that registering early in the day presents a few advantages. Firstly, as a predominantly cash game player, I’m comfortable playing deep-stacked poker; you have more big blinds the earlier you register, and it makes no sense to waste any edge I might have by turning up later in the day. It’s also better for any vlog I make to have as much action as possible, so being prompt is a sensible decision for that reason too. Add in the fact that regs generally don’t like to turn up on time - so there’s likely to be a higher volume of recreational players in the early stages - and there are more than enough reasons to get me to the tables on the early side.
Things started well, but it wasn’t long until I was moved to a much, much worse table than my first. I was accompanied by four of the tour's top crushers - namely Callum Gordon, Glen Gaines, Calogero Morreale and Matt Davenport - and although they were largely seated to my right, it was certainly not the ideal scenario. Still, I plugged away, battling it out in some very interesting hands, and was headed toward the end of the day in very healthy shape. With only 13 left and 11 qualifying for Day 2 and making the money, I found myself in a spot that I was thoroughly unprepared for.
At last, a shot at glory
With around 50bbs on the button, and the small blind and big blind having 25bb and 12bb respectively, I looked down at 
. I figured that both players would have to call extremely tight with the bubble approaching, and I launched my stack into the middle.
Unfortunately the small blind called with 
and held, and although I’d made Day 2 and cashed for the first time in ages, I couldn’t help but feel a tad disappointed not to be in better shape.
It did mean, however, that I had the next day off to walk around my old university campus and reminisce. I was surprised to see that, in over a decade, not a brick seemed to be out of place. Everything was just how I’d left it.
The same went for my stack when I returned to play Day 2, and I knew it was time to put it to good use and ladder-up in the payouts. I began the day on the feature table with 51 players remaining, but was unable to accumulate chips in the way I’d have liked. I got a few shoves through here and there, but I spent most of the day with half the average stack and clinging on for dear life. I picked my spots carefully and kept myself afloat, while others were busting all around me. Eventually I found myself on the final two tables, with a shot at glory.
Getting it in good
With 15 players left, I was back on the feature table with one of the shorter stacks in the room. A few more players took their leave, and with 11 players left I found a spot for my last 9bbs with 
versus an open. I moved all-in, and was called swiftly by the initial raiser’s 
. Great shape, but the ten-high board had other ideas, and it was gg for me. 11th place for £2,000 is by far my best performance in any of these events, but once you get so close, the pain is even more acute.
I was actually only all-in and at risk once in the entire tournament, and that was for my bust-out hand. Unfortunately we couldn’t hold when it mattered, but on reflection this is without doubt a step in the right direction. If you’d offered it to me before the event, I’d have snapped your hand off, but it’s hard not to want more. But there’s one more shot this year at 888LIVE Coventry, and another chance at that elusive final table.
For now, it’s close, but no cigar.
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