The Lost Highway & Breaking Broncs
I was told that to get back to the highway I just needed to go back the way I came. Uh-huh. Well, it was after dark and I was unsure of the way back the way I came... so I fell back on sense memory and headed in the direction I was familiar with, east toward the closed off exit into town. I figured I'd run into detour signs which would direct me to the highway south to home.
I would have lost my remaining $1.25 had I bet it on that assumption. As I neared the closed exit, I spied nary a detour sign. I had a block or two to engage in a bit of game theory analysis of my situation which went something like this:
Choice A: I continue on to the I-35 North ramp, go North until I can turn around and head South; non-risk factor: I know there will be a ramp to I-35 north in a few short blocks; risk factor: having to go north to go south adds time to the trek home which means definately not arriving home in time for tourney start.
Choice B: Turn south at the next light and cut over east at next major intersection to I-35 south ramp; non-risk factor: I cut the delay down and get home in time for tourney start; risk-factor: I don't know that I will be able to cut over at a major intersection to an I-35 South ramp which could result in major delay and being considerably late for tourney start....
While each choice was making its case for my selection, I saw several cars making the turn south at the next light - and saw none going on strait ahead. I abandoned the debate and, like a lemming sailing off a cliff, I followed those cars south. I concluded they had to know something I didn't - which was the way to I-35 south.
So, figuring that the major intersection and/or the sign saying "TO I35 SOUTH" would present themselves shortly, I congratulated myself for taking this route. I crested a hill and saw ahead a blinking yellow light. The car in front of me confirmed I was on the right course when I saw the left turn signal ignite - "Yup, he knows the way to the highway..." But, when we got to the intersection, which wasn't major, the car pulled into the parking lot of the bar on the corner. I saw no sign directing me to the highway.
After passing the bar I was suddenly in back-road, where-the-hell-am-I, two-lane, rutted-road darkness. Now, I figured that, had I remained on that road south, I would have eventually arrived home - in a couple of days. But now was not the time to take the scenic route. And besides, that road had all the look of the dark road that portends the untimely end of the couple heading out for some back-seat recreation in Halloween XXXIV.
I turned around and headed back to the blinking yellow light non-major intersection without signs telling me where the highway was. I turned right (east) and lo and behold - there was the highway. I love Oklahoma.
Finally on my way, I calculated that, at current speed, the tournament would be 10 minutes into it by the time I logged on. I could cut that down by driving like a speed demon and getting the hell out of dodge. Non-risk factor: uh, hmmmm; risk factor: speeding ticket, wreck, speeding ticket... resulting in major delay...
I pulled my bug into the fast lane and got the hell out of dodge. Damned if I was going to get blinded down and lose any edge I could hope to have in the tourney.... plus I had to pee.
And, of course, traffic was heavier than one might expect for a Sunday evening. But I successfully negotiated my way around and by semis, pickups, SUVs and sedans; snuck by the highway patrol ticketing someone else on the side of the road, heh heh, arrived home, peed, and logged in about 4 minutes into the tourney.
The rodeo was in full swing with folks being bucked and thrown by the wild broncos named Omaha/8, Stud/8,and Razz. Hold-em was like taking a sunset ride on your favorite pony, familiar and rewarding. Occasionally the monkey on the dog rode through when someone would discover their made full house was a bust - cruelly educated to the fact that only TWO from their hand could be used, not THREE.
What happened over the next hour or so is a blur... Full Tilt has yet to make hand/tournament histories available so I can really only comment on well, nothing in particular. I played tight and shortstacked in the early rounds. I honestly only sorta remember one critical hand which I think was in a Stud/8 round. My opponent had a flush draw showing and I had hand building - I think I had 2 pair, but honestly I don't remember. At any rate, I stayed in not quite buying what he was selling, but preparing myself for the bust.
My opponent raised at one point - hard sell, I still wasn't buying. It turned out, sure enough, he had bluffed the flush and I got the entire pot. That propelled me momentarily to 5th in chips. From then on I protected my stack by playing extremely tight. When we were down to the money bubble, I folded an entire Razz round. I lost a big chunk of my stack, though, when I took a hand too far (don't remember which round, but probably hold-em), and squeaked into the money, but chip weak. Two hands later I was out. Again, I don't recall the specifics (have to work on this short-term memory problem...), but I know I'd played the hand badly which cost me any further participation in the tournament.
I was pleased I did as well as I did - I certainly didn't expect that good of a finish. I credit the bit of homework I did prior to going in... and the lack of homework others did prior to going in - lol. It was fun and served to eliminate a large part of the intimidation factor of those games. I've started to play the micro limits of Omaha, Stud and Razz tables at Full Tilt... I think a new trend is on the build.
I'm looking forward to returning to familiar territory, though, with the NL tourney on the 30th. I'll see ya'll there, provided I don't get lost on the highway somewhere.....
