So last night was poker night at the local casino – Maxims in Reading. Texas Hold’Em tournament, £40 buy-in, starting stack 12,000 (with add-ons) with blinds of 50/100.

My usual tactic, which has served me so well in the past, of folding until the first break was going quite well. Indeed I actually won a pretty decent hand, my only winning hand of the session, which also happened to be the last hand of the session. This got me up to about 20,000 chips.

Then the disaster. 10 minutes after the break I got dealt my first pocket pair, 99. A couple of people made small raises and the guy to my right made a 2,500 raise. I decide to represent strength and stick in a 5,000 raise, which was called. Flop comes 9 10 3. W00t, trips. Guy to my right makes a 5,000 raise and then I go all in for about 15,000 which the other guy calls.

Cards get turned face up, I have three 9′s; the other guy has three 10′s. Turn and river are no help so I exit in about 30th place.

Oh well, it’s all good fun. Next time I fold until the final table.