Not Quite Midnight, All The Madness

So instead of the midnight Taj tournament, I managed to get out of the house a little after 7PM which allowed me to sit for the 10PM version of the same at the A.C. Hilton. Surprisingly, there were only 31 runners that ponied up the $40+10 pittance to receive 300 BB in their starting stacks, and 15 minute levels.

Initial table was predictably crazy. Every hand was raised pre-flop, and every pre-flop raise saw 2-4 callers. Table image meant absolutely nothing, so one of my biggest guns needed to stay holstered. The antes kicked in at level 3, and my stack started its downward spiral. I got my blinds paid in the last 2 hands of level 6 (500/1000/100) and was down to T8500 when the table broke and I went right back into the blinds for 600/1200/200. Sigh. However, inexplicably, there were 4 limpers and got to see a free flop with 64o. Flop is 642, two clubs. SB bet out 2000, so I just pushed all-in. No reason to get fancy and I more than doubled. Very next hand, MP raises to 5000 and I find AK. Reraise 10K more and drag another nice pot.

I gave some back the next time the BB came around. UTG min raises, I call with QJ, and flop an OESD that doesn't get there. Actually, I only called a very small bet on the flop and folded to the shove on the turn. But, I managed to double back up at (3000/6000/1000) when I actually found AA on the button. Timely. At this point we are playing 5 handed, the other table with 6 left, and the chip leader has decided to channel Scott Fischmann, raising with any two and hitting miracle flops. At last, the final table bubble breaks and we redraw for seats. I draw the cutoff and have about T20000 left, and we have a couple more hands at the current level before going to 5000/10000/1000. 6 antes later I'm all-in blind for 3K over my BB. All fold to the SB who calls with 77, but my 83o spikes an 8 on the flop and I'm alive.

We have a few eliminations and are down to 8 when there are 3 short stacks all in. Now, I only have about 4 BB left (a little under T40000) and find AKs. The winner of this hand will make me the short stack, and potential bubble boy, so I reraise for the rest of my chips, mostly so the chip leader to my left has slightly worse odds to call, which he elects not to do. A turned K gives me the pot and players 8, 7, and 6 are all out. We are now in the money.

I get into a blind battle where I checked a SB limp with T5o. I bet out the flop, having caught top pair, but get check min-raised. That play 5 handed just oozes strength, and I eventually lay it down. He showed me KT. Good fold. Finally with 4 left, I run the suited JackAce into a suited AK and IGH 4th for $149.

For me, I'm ecstatic. You see, if you had actually been reading this drivel, you would know that I know my game is ridiculously awful. However, since I have started actively reading as many bloggers as possible on a daily basis, and documenting my (however lame) play and results, I seem to have seen some increased success. At least more consistently. So, keep on writing, I'll keep on reading. Maybe some day, I can consider myself a fair player.