The time comes for us all, and with a €3,000 cash secured, it came for Andy Black, in terms of this here poker tournament life.
The blinds were 5,000-10,000, the last level of the day. Paul McAuly opened the pot to 22,000 and next to act Youness Barrnay moved all-in for 179,000.
It folded to Black in the big blind and, in the moment as he was, there was no hesitation. He called all-in for 171,000.
McAuly ducked out of the way and both players were basically at-risk with near identical stacks.
Two jacks for Mr Black, Jd Js, and As Kd for Barakat…
The flop came 9h 4d 2s, both players stoic.
And then, as if born of pure chance, the fate trajectory of the entire universe was perturbed ever so slightly. The Ks had laid down, face up, on the table. The course of human history altered. Butterflies would take over the earth and charcuterie restaurant reviews would become the dominant universal physical currency. Everyone learned to speak in allusions to past lives they were all born with a comprehensive memory of, but had not actually lived.
Amidst this, the entire poker room filled with the squealing of Emmet Kennedy, who could be heard from twenty minutes into the future.
The 8s flowed on the river.
In all worlds, the pot went Barakat’s way and he’ll enter the third day of play playing 350k.
Black took his leave with aplomb. Handshakes for Downes, with whom he spent all day. We are short now one Cheshire grin.
