Hi All.. Im here to write a story  so please if you cannot stare at a screen for a lengthy time then take a 5 minute interval or wear some prescriptive glasses. Everyone that follows me on this knows that I won the Competition to go to Aspers Casino in Stratford to play in their Christmas cracker tournament. Very excited for this as it is a casino I had never been in but had heard alot about it. Well the journey down was fast as my friend was driving whilst I got some well deserved rest lol. Basically slept the full journey so I thought I was only travelling for 5 minutes :D. In actual fact it was 8 hours lol.

When I arrived I checked into my hotel, got a shower and headed to the casino to register. Within 10 minutes I was at my seat and ready to play. My first big hand was about 10 hands in. I picked up AK on the button. There was a raise from early position so I just flat it. Alot of people may disagree with this but the reason I do it is 1 im under repping my hand and 2 I have position. Anyway there is 4 people to the flop including myself. Flop comes 7 10 Q. The original raiser puts in a bet and 1 calls 1 folds then I call.. It is now 3 to the turn which just so happens to be the J to give me the nuts. Now the original raiser checks the next player puts in a bet. I then raise on the button only to be surprised that the original aggressor shuvs ALL IN. The other player then snap folds n I snap call :D He turns over 89 for lower straight, Drawing dead. Things looked to be getting off to a great start as I was chip leader in the room with about 54k from an original 25k stack

I remained just playing my normal game not really needing to get agressive as the blinds where still low. I ended up going into the break with roughly 50k which at that time was quite a bit over average. I got myself a drink (alcoholic) and a cigarette then when back and sat down at my seat.

Blinds where 200/400 (50) I pick up A♥ J♥ middle position. I raise to 900 and get several calls pot is roughly about 4k. Dealer then goes to the flop which is K♣ Q♣ 3♥ I bet just over half pot 2.1k and get 1 call with the other 2 players folding (pot now 8.2k) turn is 10♥  giving me the nuts so i continue again and bet 4.5k making the pot 12.7k the player that is left in the pot has 15k behind and shuvs all in to my delight I snap call n he says im drawing but I have a pair and turns over 8♣ 3♣ I put in the extra 10.5k pot is around 39k the river kills me as its the 9♣  giving the villian the flush. He says to me I know i played that bad and shouldnt have been in the hand but I only played it because someone beat me with it for a big pot in a cash game. My stack is now at 35k not a big deal but the next hand makes it that way. I have K J with multiple calls behind me I decide just to flat and see a flop. It come AQ7. Everyone checks around the turn brings the 10. Boom i have the nuts I lead out for 1.5k think the pot is around 3k so roughly half pot 1 person calls and several fold. When the last person to act raises it to 5k. I take my time making it look like i have a big decision when in actual fact im doing nothing but thinking how much do I raise lol. I come to the decision that 11k sounds about right which gets an instant fold from 1. The other guy instantly shuvs for everything he has and practically everything I have.. I snap call n he shows a set of 7s the board then pairs to give him a full house and leaves me with 550 chips. Next hand blinds are going upto 300/600 (50) sigh.

Very next hand I look down at A♠ the prettiest card in the deck without any hesitation the last of my chips are going in turns out I have AA there is a massive pot brewing between the other players but im only playing for the side pot at this time. Flop comes down K Q 4 1 player puts in a huge bet n everyone folds he turns over KQ and I do not improve. 

I got it in with the best hand on 3 occassions but just did not turn out the way i had hoped it too. All in all though I had a great weekend full of poker and alcohol. Met some new people and also went to Winter Wonderland which was the christmas themed shows at Hyde Park in London. I seen the London eye, Big Ben and also went to Chelsea for the day as well.

I would like to thank @RankingHero for an amazing weekend and all the people who voted for me to make it possible. Sorry the post has taken a while to arrive but with Christmas and New Year I have been rather busy. Some photos attached that where taken on the trip...@Ina RKH @Elena RKH  @Rémi RKH @Nicolas Levi @william  @Annie RKH