SinkSter loves poker – part 2
By Sinkster
On October 18th I was on my way to Portugal with my boyfriend. We were going to make a nice long weekend out of it. The hotel was booked via EVEREST from Saturday until Monday and we decided to go two days early. So the first two nights we stayed at a hotel which we booked ourselves. We prepared for the tournament, but also enjoyed the weather of course. In this hotel we met, quite by accident, a couple from the Netherlands. The guy had also won a seat in EPEC. We sat together talking tactics and live to the moment of our big performance.
On Friday night we had a welcome party. Saturday, October 20th we checked into the other hotel. It was a really luxurious hotel, all in the spirit of the EPEC. We had to register for the tournament and got a strap around the wrist, a t-shirt of EVEREST POKER and a few other gadgets.
What a nice place it was! Everyone was getting to know each other, people from Holland, Germany, Italy etc. And of course we were exchanging experiences too. At 16.00 the tournament would begin.
Once arrived at the Casino the tension was getting higher. The tournament would last for two days, starting with 200 players and the payouts would start from the 36th place and up.
The tournament began quite difficult for me. I didn’t get very playable hands, but as it was just starting I had some time to make myself at ease. It was very nice sitting at a table with people of all nationalities, although it was strange to notice that some Italians could not even speak English, but heck, that made me feel more secure about myself.
Finally, there was a nice hand, A 10 clubs, and another two clubs on the flop, I already had a lot in the pot and there are three other players left, perhaps a gamble, but I’m going for it. ALL IN, of course I hoped them to fold, or me hitting the flush.
O no, they were both going along … and then I hit my 5th card of clubs, the NUT-FLUSH. That felt so good!!
With new courage, I went on steadily, but just before dinner I lost a big hand by calling a small all-in. I lost my hand and pffff…. I was beat. I was already playing for hours and now back to square one, I had a headache, felt sick and some other misery too.
After a sandwich, a massage and some pep talk I went on. I could only think about going all-in with the next mediocre hand and if I was beat, then I could go back to the hotel… It took some time before I got my hand, but then I double and got a mega boost! No more headaches or other pains, my goal was now to stay in the game ‘til next day.
It wasn’t easy, all I got was really bad cards all the time, but I was still there. It was almost 01:00 at night, everyone was feeling tired, so we decided to finish this day when the last 36 players were left. Getting to the next day, would also mean winning some money then!
I tried to remain seated as long as I could. And finally the redeeming words and the redeeming cheer! We made it!! What a performance, people everywhere, congratulating each other and there was also the press. My 2nd live tournament and come this far … pfff I felt so tired all of a sudden. So I tried to sleep.
The next day I felt a lot less courageous, I’m there, but with very few chips. I could only pay the big and small blind once. I was hoping to sit behind the blinds and having some time to wait for a good hand.
And I got lucky, because a lot of the other players had the same problem. They decided to decrease the blind one step and I was on the button too.
What a fight, I doubled, doubled again and now I really was back in the game. But the blinds increase really fast, I must double again. The next hand I get is A10…. Unfortunately, I was called by two other players. Now I was running against KK and 1010. But the flop gives me an A… The audience is going crazy. I play cool, but inside me the nerves are almost unstoppable. I await the turn and the river… The turn a K…. oefff, that hurts. Now is it really over! 29th … a beautiful performance, but it could have been better. I had just doubled and could still be in the game… Deep disappointment!! After two days of playing poker so intensely, it suddenly is a very deep hole. Now I could only watch and no longer participate.
What an experience, I will never forget! At this moment we do not yet have information about the edition of 2009. But when we do, we’ll publish it on Love2Poker.net. And one thing is for sure: I’ll be back!
