Brighton Hand Histories
You might think that the seafront in Brighton would be a grand spot for a casino. I had such thoughts as I strolled up but they were swiftly dashed; given its location, the Grosvenor in Brighton is one of the grimmest I've experienced. The entrance is situated on the seafront but once you’re in and have climbed the four flights of stairs you could be anywhere. No windows, just a big tired box of a room.
The main event was hard work. Horribly card dead for the five hour duration I was bluffing my arse off just to stand still. The gist of my demise was running second best hands into near nut ones, not a thrilling script so I'll spare you the details.
I had a better run in the one hour clock 250 freeze-out and here are some of the more interesting hands.
We started with 8k and a couple of hours in I dropped to 2k after getting stuck to a flush. I suspect it was a raised pot, but I could be wrong. I bet 600 with Kc-9c when I flopped the flush. The caller led for 800 when the a six paired on the turn, I min raised, he min re-raised, I called.
He had a big stack, I had 5k left and he led for 3k when the Ac hit the river. I eventually, reluctantly called and lost to quad 6's. The guy wasn't a maniac and I probably should have passed on the turn and definitely should have folded on the river, as I really couldn’t see him making those bets with just a queen high flush.
Now's the fun part, 150/300, UTG raised and holding A-9 I was getting ready to muck when I heard the raiser comment that he was blind. I took him at his word and was rewarded with a double-up against a 4-5 off.
Up to 3.5k I pushed all-in with 9-9 after two limpers and the big stack generously called with 10-3s. No shockers and I was back.
J-J held off 8-8 on a 9,7,7 flop for a third double-up and soon I was up to 25k. It wasn’t all plain sailing though, as some young buck had been moved to my left with a big stack and I was struggling to get much past him.
Fortunately he soon got moved and with him out of the way I raised the new BB with J-6 from my SB. I led out for 800 on the 3,6,10 flop, he called. A good-looking jack appeared on the turn, I bet 1200, he raised 3000, I pushed and he eventually called for his last 8k with A-J.
Up to 45k and Ian Fraser joined us, chipped up. This guy is relentlessly aggressive and bullies as much with his east end verbal as he does with his cards. Whatever the outcome, dirt was gonna fly.
On his first hand he raised to 3000 UTG and I called with 7h-9h in the BB. Drooling, I checked the 3h,5h,6 flop, he overbet the pot, 20k to go. I mopped my chin and immediately pushed, got plenty of lip, but he did pass and we were both even with about 70k each. I probably should mention that this was four tables out and average for the final was 100k...
Of course we clashed again and I really don't think I played it well but here goes, a calling station am I, see what you think;
Ian raised and I called with 7-7 in the BB. I check-called 7k on the 4,5,10 flop and 15k when a jack hit the turn. A horrible queen fell on the river, I checked again and probably now having enough of it Ian checked as well, revealing an A-Q to scoop.
Clearly a raise on the flop or the turn was in order, but with big stacks and poor position against an aggressive opponent I guess I just feared the re-raise. My bad.
Twenty eight of us came back the following day and despite having dropped to 35k I felt good about my chances. Unfortunately, five minutes in I called a raise with K-Qs from the BB, checked the K,Q,7 flop and did my money against A-J when a 10 hit fourth street.

The Tourist
Back on the road again and I've just arrived in Brighton. Alas, due to the everlasting rain we've been experiencing I've had to leave my Speedo's tucked up at home...probably a good thing.
I'm stopping at the quirky Pelirocco Hotel, in their 'Sputnik Room'; no.1 son would love it, the whole room is decked out like the inside of a space capsule, complete with a silver duvet set. Reasonably priced with free wifi and plenty of character it makes an agreeable change from the usual blandness that is present at the majority of hotels.
As mentioned, I'm fresh off a break and hit last weeks local GBPT festival full of beans. Whilst I didn't final in any of the four events I went deep-ish in two and was pretty happy with how I played.
There were one or two marginal situations along the way where caution might have appeared a better move, but I can live with it and feel sure that I'm gonna get chips and go deep in some of the upcoming festivals.
I got off to a fair start in the £500 main event, but doubling up short to middling stacks by running underpairs into Q-Q, K-K and A-A really isn't the best way to go about winning an event.
I had to smile when I doubled up one of the looser local Greek(?) players, Dasoss(?), the portly Danny DeVito look-alike:
He had 15k, I had 30k and everyone passed around to us in the blinds. He min raised, 1k with 1k. I had 6-6 and, just about controlling the urge to just re-raise him there, I called.
He bet 3k on the 3,4,10 flop and I put him in. He flipped up K-K and doubled up.
'Julian', he sighed, 'You know me, how can you play that!'
'Because I know you is how!' I replied.
How we chuckled.
It made a very nice change not having to travel and with 7pm starts, it meant that even with an early exit the evening wasn't a complete right off.

For Ralph
I've been enjoying a couple weeks off, in fine weather, during which a box-type structure has slowly gone up in the wasteland that was the bottom corner of our garden.
We've been here for nearly two years now and when we arrived one of the first things we did was to fell a large conifer that obliterated the view. Once gone we discovered three smaller oaks, half a mini and about five tons of oily soil.
When I’d eventually cleared it I was left with a stump about 18” in diameter and without enough room to get a stump grinder in and around the old conservatory, it was a case of gradually hacking and sawing bits off until at last, it stood only 6" above ground level.

A deck was the only solution to finally getting it covered, the design and build of which almost felt like proper work and the whole experience really was most satisfying. All that remains is some planting in the raised beds and then, weather permitting, an alfresco summer awaits, hic.

A busy four week stint kicked off this week, starting at the local Gala where, for like the first time ever, they’ve got themselves a festival together. It’s been fun so far, but four days by the seaside in Brighton next week is what I'm really looking forward too.
Oh, and if anyone knows why the lawn feed I administered last week appears to have killed off most of our lawn I'd be most grateful...