Poker on the 14th - Justin Time

Poker this week brought 19 donkeys to the farm. The points list is heating up and people are jockeying to get their discount for the Big Tournament on August 11th. Remember, the buy-in will be $4 + your position on the points list, to a max of $25. One tournament is needed to qualify get on the list, and therefore qualify for the event. Only one tournament is scheduled between now and the 11th.

The players for this week included: Justin, David, Brad, Joe, Armando, Jim, Jeff, Rico, Stuart, Todd, Mike Baaaa, Clara, Stacey, Toby, Henry, Arnie, Kitty, Scott, and Jesse.

Things got underway without a hitch (a few technical difficulties were encountered (operator error on my part)) and we chose a random person to have a bounty on their head. I wrote a little VB script to choose a person randomly, it chose me. Last time it was Armando. With all this, we actually started only 3 minutes after the schedule.

There were several rebuys before the break. Jesse hadn’t been out since he took some bad beats a few months ago. He has stayed on the mountain since. He made a return to the felt, but Jesse was the first to rebuy. He had four tough beats/races and didn’t come out ahead in any of them.

Jesse had 99 and got it all in when Joe called with AKo. When a K was the first card off the flop everyone gasped. There was no help for Jesse and he was busted. He could rebuy, however, he said Uncle and decided to call it quits and stop the bludgeoning. This has happened before to several other players, sometimes it’s just not your night and it’s better to take a break and try again. “Gambling is more fun when you set limits.” He was out in 19th.

Today, I received an email from Jesse as follows:

Subject: Ain't no mountain high enough

Last four all-in
confrontations:

AQ vs. A4 – lose
TT vs. 77 – lose
JJ vs AQ –
lose
99 vs. AK – lose

Live poker is rigged.

Will Jesse return to the mountain? Time will tell.

By the break, we had lost one, had 12 rebuys, and all but two of the 18 remaining players added on.

Play resumed and we had another casualty. Scott (who felt it wasn’t his night and didn’t add-on) got AK all-in with Joe’s AA, The K on the flop gave Scott some outs, but without anymore help, Scott was gone in 18th.

Arnie returned to the felt and it was good to see him. He went all in with TT and Kitty called with AQ. No help for Kitty and she was out in 17th.

Arnie must have picked up bad karma from knocking Kitty out because he ran his KK into Jeff’s AA. No help for Arnie and he was out in 16th.

Henry, A9 and Toby, AK got it all in. The flop brought AQQ and the turn a 9, the river a 5. Once the board paired and the common Ace pairied, the kicker was brought into it and pairing the 9 for Henry meant nothing. I have had this happen to me many time and it sucks. Henry was out in 15th.

Joe and Toby mixed it up just like Arnie and Jeff. This time the better hand lost. Joe had KK and Toby AA. The first card off was a K (again for Joe) and Toby was out in 14th.

(Think of the kiddy tune, neener, neener… neener) and then read this with the same melody: “Brad sucked out on Stacey.” QQ vs. TT. T on the turn. Stacey is out in 13th. Stacey gave Brad some good natured shit all night. That’s my girl.

Clara and Rico mixed it up, Rico’s AA held against Clara’s 88. Clara was out in 12th and went down for some “Girlie Chat” with Stacey.

Jeff knocked Mike Baaaaaa out with A2. Mike had QJ and an A on the river sealed it. Mike Baa was out in 11th and we were at the final table.

The final table was as follows:

Todd was shorty and was the first one eliminated when he couldn’t get his 77 past Brad’s AT. Brad hit a T on the turn and Todd was out in 10th.

Stuart was Brad’s next victim. Stuart made his move with AT and Brad had KK. No help for Stuart and Brad was really gaining in chips. Stuart was out in 9th.

Rico was getting milked and and was the new short stack, With the blinds fast approaching, Rico mad a wise move and tried to take the pot. Rico had the Mookie, T8. Justin had AQd and decided to call the small over. Justin got an A on the flop and Rico got an insulting 8 on the turn. Rico was out in 8th.

Jeff was now the small stack and took a stab from the BB with 34s. Justin called with A8 and an A on the flop sealed it for Jeff. He ended the tourney in 7th. Not a bad showing for Jeff – 2 final tables and a win, in 6 games.

By this time I had bled down to 26K and was in a real bad spot chip wise. I found KK and called Joe’s all in. Everyone else folded and Joe showed A9d. The flop brought a K, but also 2 diamonds. The turn another diamond and the board didn’t pair so I was the bubble in 6th. Joe got the bounty! Tough beat to be the bubble.

Joe would strike again against Armando and take him out in 5th, Armando made a move with T9s and Joe found AQo. Joe it a straight on the river and Armanado was out.

Down to four.

Joe and Justin would tangle with AT vs AK, respectively. The K on the turn sealed the deal. Joe was out in 4th.

Bradand Justin got it all in and Brad’s A2 didn’t hold up against Justin’s 66. Brad out in 3rd.

At this point Justin had like an 8 to 1 chip lead over David. If you noticed. David hadn’t taken out anyone the whole tourney. He won pots and avoided being knocked out by not playing but maybe one or two all in moments. Pretty stealthy.

Justin wrapped it up with A3 vs Davis’s A2. This is like a huge percentage tie hand, but a 3 on the flop and the turn sealed the deal.

Thanks for all those that brought food and stuff. We always appreciate it.

We will have another game on August 4th. Look for the evite.

Check out the points list here.

The Perfect Weekend

Things that were awesome this weekend. The follwoing are not in order of importance, they are all very, very awesome...

1. My daughter drove our car for the first time twice today - She is 14 and going to driving school this summer. I had her take the wheel in a deserted area and she did great. She cornered pretty good while coasting, and evenput her foot on the gas. She signaled when she turned and even parked in a spot. Pretty good for her first time out! My little girl is growing up.

2. Today is National Ice Cream Day - We (the family) went to get Carvel at the Schlotskys at 620 and 183.

3. My daughter is playing beginner softball at the church. I bought her a glove and she and I had a catch under the street light at 10:30PM tonight. It was the first time she ever wore a mit. This leads me to the next item...

4. A friend of mine whom has recently become a regular poker player has been saying he has something for me and kept forgetting to bring it. I didn't know what it could be? I was floored, shocked, and absolutely amazed when he reached into a bag and sprung it on me. He gave me this...

A baseball signed by... MICKEY MANTLE. I am in awe. I just can't get over what a nice gesture this was. Thanks a million, Jeff!!!

5. I managed to bubble in our 19 person tourney. That sucked, but I played solid and patiently. I am looking forward to going deep in Vegas Tourney's - and mayb even the Big-O. I have now secured the point list. I will post a full report in a day or so.

6. Our friends Henry and Carol are booked for Vegas, bringing our total to 10 confirmed and 2-4 maybe's. Rocky and Melissa are maybe's and so are my Dad and Bro.

7. went to the Dr. for what I thought might be the early onsight of bronchitis. I got a steroid shot and a Z-pack. The steriod shot is an anti-inflamitory, and I feel great. I think that is a sign I have some creaks and growns at my age that I have been "dealing with". Also, my BP was 124/78. Pretty good for a fat bastard.

8. I think my neice is coming out for a week in August (no conflict with Vegas). This is great for al of us, especially my daughter (they are 6 months apart). We will be going to Schlitterbaum for sure that week.

Hope your weekend was as good as mine!!! If not, this will surely cheer you up. Please watch to the end and then reread number 1 above.

Trunk Monkey Compilation

Lucky, Lucky, Lucky 7/7/07

Well this post is short, but leads to some long content on the results link.

I have the update from the last three tournaments. Congrats to:

• Armando and Jeff on their first place chop of the 6/30 - 22 person tournament.
• Stacey and Rico on their first place chop of the 7/3 - 12 person tournament.
• Joe for taking town the 6 person mini-turbo on 7/3.

Nice job to all of you. The next tourney will be 7/14/07 - look for the evite.

BIG-O Tournament

I played at the Big-O and it was wild. I played tight during the 5 rounds of rebuys. I managed to only rebuy 2 times with the second a push for equity. At the end of the frst break, I had a mere 25K. The blinds were 600/1200, so I had an M of 13 - 14.

I managed to get AA on the first hand after the break and took down the pot of the blinds and a couple limpers. A couple hands later I had 22 on the button and flopped a set, I jammed because there were two clubs on board and took the pot uncontested. I was up to about 39K.

I made a good call against Henry when I had 9T on the BB and flopped topped pair, we checked to the river and he bet 8K into a 15K pot. I didn't put him on more than a value/steal bet so I called and my flopped TP held.

Later, I made a big laydown when I raised in 4th postion with AQo. It folded to Phillip who went all in. I put him on KK and needed 5:2 pot odds to call, but they weren't there so I folded. He showed AA and I would have been crushed.

I managed to knock out both Mellissa and Clara - I flopped a straight against Mellissa and checked, she went all in, I called and it held up. Carol joined our table with about 21K. I found QQ on the first hand she played and I pushed. She called with KJo (not a bad call - considering her stack and the blinds were 3K/6K). She hit the JJ3 flop and my Q's were cracked. With Clara I had AQs, she jammed with AQs and I jammed to isolate. She showed A9 or A6, can't remember, and my Q was good.

At this point I had about 72K with the average riht around 57K. The blinds were 3K/6K, so my M was 8. Not too bad. I was button, Carol was SB, and Michael was BB. I limped on the button with JTc. Carol called the 3K and Michael checked. The flop came Jh5h7c. I hit TP. Carol checked and Michael pushed for about 77K. I thought he might be on a draw or weak hand. I called for my whole stack. Michael showed J7 for two pair. I was done.

STUPID MOVE - I should have either raised 3x on the button, or folded preflop. After the flop, I should have folded. Why risk my stack for TP shitty kicker?

Overall I played well, just one BIG mistake. Maybe Michael will write it up on his blog.

I left pretty pissed at myself. I was going 52 in a 40 and got pulled over across the 183 and the tracks from Armando's on Crystal Falls. I was real lucky to get a warning. With this in the mix, I will consider myself ahead for the night. 40MPH on that road is bullshit. Oh well.