Pondo Poker IV: A New Hope
Just like any good film series, part 4 is were things have to heat up to keep the audience interested. Star Wars Episode IV started the franchise, Rocky IV introduced Ivan Drago, Superman IV was errr, Jaws IV : The Revenge proved that.....Karate Kid IV introduced a whole new Karate Kid....ok, ok, so there are not many good examples of a fourth part.....but this one was going to be EPIC.
Our players turned up sporadically to start with due to other duties taking priority, but eventually everyone was ready to poker.
Pondo had hired in a pizza chef for tonight's break and the pizza oven was all ready blazing away when the first cards were dealt.
The first hand of the night saw everyone at the table in for the flop apart from Andy. Big Dave and Rosh were late to arrive so their hands were folded. With 8(h), 5(c) and 5(h). Vern's bet of 250 was raised by James to 500 clearing the table down to just these two for the turn. A 3(h) saw Vern raise 1,000 and James fold. Vern claimed the first hand win and 2 league points.
A mere splatter of hands later and a river boat of 4,4,7,8,4 (rainbow), Bestie presented the table with a 1,000 raise. Only Andy was happy to call, Pondo had not really taken much notice of this hand for the report as it only got interesting on the river. Cards turned by Andy revealed hehad pocket 7's and had matched a beauty full house 7's and 4's, Bestie turned his horrendous 4, 3 off suit which in any normal circumstances would be a horrible starter but had managed to find 3 other 4's to join with and created the best hand of the night for sure, Quad fours. (4,4,4,4,8)
Again, with a board showing J,4,2,J,10 Rosh and Bestie turned thier cards to show that pocket pairs were not strong tonight. Rosh with his pocket 8's were trumped by Bestie's AJ giving him the trips.
The blinds had hardly any time to increase before our first all in of the night. A board showing 5(d), 8(s), 5(s) and Ace (c) saw a raise of 1k by Bestie followed by an All-In from Andy (claiming the league points). A call from Bestie had both players reveal their cards for a show down. Andy had paired the Ace on the turn, but Bestie had found a couple of friends for his 5. The Jack on the river did nothing for Andy and our first player to cash in his bounceback token. Bestie looking strong with a hefty chip stack and the cards falling his way.
Our next all in came from Rosh, with a flop of 4(s) J(c) and 2(c). This was called by Andy fighting to get back in the game. Cards turned revealing Rosh's Jack and Queen of clubs looking strong, and then Andy turned his pocket Cowboys (KK). The turn of a 2 but not a club reduced Rosh's out's slightly, but still in with a fighting chance. Finally an Ace of hearts on the river claimed the Cowboys victorious and Rosh cashed in his token.
Vern and James had a couple of clashes early in the evening. A flop of 10,6,2 saw a raise from Vern only to be met with an all in from James. Had a rivalry been formed by these two players?
Vern pushed in a massive 1500 raise pre-flop to be called by Bestie and raised all in by Pondo, Vern called but Bestie was bested. Cards were turned and Vern's poket 9's were faced with Pondo's pocket 10s. 5,5,A on the flop, 2 on turn and 3 on the river matched neither pockets to make them stronger and the 10's prevailed.
New comer Big Dave had been pretty quiet at the table, taking a couple of hits but nothing major. He was looking for his confidence building big win. Pondo claimed a nice straight with 6, 7 in hand and a board of 6,8,9,10,J. Dave turned his cards unhappy that his Q,6 had only a pair of 6's! Dave, was surprised to find out he had won with the straight to the Queen.
Just before the break we had an almighty hand. An 800 raise from Bestie was called by Andy, Big Dave and Pondo and chips all in for Vern forming a side pot. The flop gave us J,9,6 (rainbow) and Big Dave pushed 500 into the pot, the bet was called by Andy, Bestie and Pondo. A King on the turn saw Big Dave check, Andy bet 1500 and then calls all round. The river of dreams produced a 4 and a 3k bet from Andy was called by Pondo and Big Dave for the remainder of his chips, Bestie decided enough was enough and folded. Cards turned Big Dave had a Jack in his hand pairing the one on the board, Pondo turned King, 9 suited making two pair, Andy turned his Q and 10 completing his straight to the King and claiming a big pot to finish the first half. Vern had 3, 5 off suit which was nearly as bad as Besties card reveal. Bestie had been hoping for league points all the way with his 7, 2 off suit victory...may be next time Bestie!
Mario, the pizza chef had turned up and was preparing the stone baked pizza's. With all the trimmings and even vegan cheese for those who cannot tolerate the good stuff. Big Dave had eaten a pie on his way to the poker tourney so decided not to partake, which meant 18 pizzas to be shared and consumed by 6 players. This was not a hard task as Andy was always ready to grab an extra slice and James consumed his own calzone style variation. Absolute hat's off to Mario for cooking up a pizza fiesta, shame his brother Luigi couldn't make it. Vern did comment that Mario looked very similar to my dad, but he is Welsh so it couldn't have been him!
Back to the cards and now we were at the business end. All bounceback tokens cashed in and points awarded for retention to Pondo, James and Bestie.
James was the first to act putting 1k into the mix pre-flop to be called by Vern, Bestie and Rosh. The flop with a 5(h), 6(h) and K(s) flop saw a 1k raise from Vern, a call from Rosh, call from James and a fold from Bestie. The 8(h) on the turn gave Vern the confidence he needed to push all in with the first princess of the night entering the fold. This was too rich for the rest of the players and folds all round.
It was at this point that the first committee point of the evening was raised. Andy, who finished 2nd in the last tourney, had brought Tunnocks Tea Cakes as he thought this was a rule. "First place provides the food, and second place provides dessert". We all discussed this at the table and it was agreed unnanimously, from this date forward, who ever shalt finish in second place provides Tunnocks Tea Cakes. James had also been busy baking and had provided a cake with more blueberries than cake, it was good too. This poker night is turning more into a culinary delight rather than a game of cards!
Back to the game, and with a rainbow flow of K,6,9 James started proceedings with a check, Bestie raised to 600, Pondo folded, Big Dave called, Rosh folded, Andy called, James folded. A 5 of clubs on the turn and checkes all round. A Queen of Clubs on the river and Bestie shoved 800 in, Big Dave called with all his chips, Andy shoved a shiny 5k into the pot and Bestie called. Big Dave had paired the King with one in his pocket, Bestie had paired both the Queen and the 6 in his pockets with the board, however, Andy had completed his Ace high club flush to take the pot, and Big Dave's princess. Big Dave's debut came to an end in 7th place claiming 2 pity points.
A pause in proceedings again as James raised a second point for discussion. This would need a wider buy in and would therefore be decided after the game with the Whatsapp Group. It was proposed that the 3 points awarded for winning with 7,2 off suit should be higher. At least 5 points. This has gone to AGM and will be decided later.
Rosh was next to push in all his chips and a princess, it was too rich for James, however Bestie is always happy to call. Both players turned thier cards. Bestie held A8 suited and Rosh had pocket 9s. With an Ace, 2 and Jack on the board, Rosh needed a 9 to stay in the game. Unfortunately, with a 5 on the turn and a Q on the river, Rosh departed the game in 6th place and Bestie claimed a princess.
With blinds now at 500-1000 it was costly to be in the hands. Pondo was pressured to putting all his chips in the pot with a 10, 2, 5 flop only to be called by Vern. Two 6's on the turn and river gave both players two pairs, but Vern's Jacks trumped Pondo's 5s and Pondo out in 5th. Time for the bubble.
Andy sang "We're in the money" and then realised we weren't another player had to fall
Q, J,9 on the board had James raise 3k, Bestie called (obvioulsy) and Andy folded. An Ace on the turn, and James pushed all in 5.5k, fearlessly, Bestie called. James straight to the Ace trumped Bestie's 9's (he was looking for a king for the straight).
Vern shoved all in pre flop - all folded
Next was Bestie's all in preflop called by Andy whose Q and 2 (spades) clashed with Besties A,9 off. A river boat of 6,4,5,5,A saw Besties Ace trump the queen for a 2 pair hand.
Vern shoved all in pre-flop - all folded
Bestie shoved all in again for 6k to be called only by James. Pocket 5's for James versus J9clubs for Bestie, could the pocket prevail? 8, 7,7 on the flop, 2 on the turn and King of hearts on the river. The 5's held, princess passed to James and Bestie out on the bubble.
Andy sang "we're in the money", this time it was right!
A preflop raise of 9k from James was raised to a 13k all in from Vern, James called. Again, these two clashed. James' AQ (h) could not hold against Vern's 8A clubs with an 8 on the flop pairing. This sent James into a little full tilt
The very next hand saw James call Andy's 8k raise. The board showing A,8,6,7,6 saw Andy's AQ trump James' KQ off. Sadly James passed over Jasmine to Andy (who had not got a clue on any of the Disney Princesses) and claim his 3rd place victory.
Heads up was not the slow burn fold, fold,fold fiasco that has been before, this was all out war. Split pots, flushes, and one of the best wins of the night! With a board a A4K and blinds at a staggering 3000, 6000 Andy pushed all in. After massive deliberation and blind eating time, Vern reluctantly folded. Andy cheered and revealed his 7, 2 off suit win! another 3 points for Andy. (points are final in this game and will be changed going forward)
The final hand of the night with Vern not being able to cover the big blind saw Andy's 10's claim victory. Vern out in 2nd place and Andy claimed victorious. Looks like Mrs Andy's pie is on the menu with Tunnocks for dessert from Vern.
Great game all, great food, great banter.
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