ARTHUR'S SEAT

Went for a walk round Arthur's seat today. Started off beautiful sunshine, then deteriorated into a pretty intense hail storm, and then finished off with a generous rinsing of good old fashioned rain. Don't you just love this time of year?



FRIDAY'S POKER

I was floating about with the shortstacks trying to squeeze through the final table. The 50 starters were down to 11, just one more and it was final table time.
I got big slick, pushed all in, 2 callers, Ace held up and I'm there with a respectable 20K. Still short, but pretty mid - table.

I promptly gave away half of my stack firing at top pair, suspect I was bluffed off but, none the less still in.
I'm now in a pretty grim situation, blinds are 2 and 1 k per round, I'm down to about 9. There's been two early casualties so we've got 7 players left. Top 4 get the prizes (starting at £120) though there is a £25 saver for the rest of us from 5th to 7th.
Anyway, I'm in the big blind for 2k and I'm just trying to work out if I can fold my way into 4th place. 9K gives me 3 rounds of blinds and with 2 other short stacks it's a marginal decision. Anyway I'm happy to see the 2 chip leaders fold as does everyone else all the way round to the small blind. He's got about 15k and much to my disgust pushes all in, I look down at k 9 hearts hardly a power house, but I'm hoping I've got 2 live cards so I call. He turns over Ace Three off suit, so I'm behind but, a king on the flop gives me a perfectly timed double up and I'm back in.
As is so often the case, the whole night is decided on one marginal hand. After that I got AK twice and managed to get max out them and casualties to boot until we're down to 4. The former chip leader has lost prob 80% of his chips. He calls my raise from the button. I end up putting him out with my pair of aces..and then there were three.
Then the guy who is the most aggressive player out of the three of us calls my raise from the button. I'm trying to be creative with my J5 off, flop comes up with a J 5 - bingo!!
I put in a modest 4 k continuation bet which he calls, turn comes up something harmless looking, theres no flush draws or straight draws, I'm confident I'm ahead so delighted to see he calls my 8k bet as well. Ace comes up on the river. I'm not too fussed about that, so I check hoping to induce the bet "I'm all in" . Beauty, I call he's got 2 pair too but lower
So thats us heads up and I'm chip leader.
Other guy says You win, I've got to get going, I'll take £400 and you take the rest I'm happy with that and it's 2 wins out of the last 2 - unbelievable. What a week.