I had a good time tonight and didn't win a single penny. I hadn't expected to be playing a tourney this eve, but when I logged on to catch up on some reading - I was over at Iggy's and he reminded us of Wil's West Coast Warmup this eve. So I fired up Poker Stars and registered. I joined the fray with 87 others.
I gulped when my table popped up and there was CJ across the table from me. The poker demons were conspiring in their devilish ways, I'm sure.... Mr. Speaker joined us at table three and we were all immediately entertained by the affable aussie Mr. Garthmeister - who was having a damn good time throughout the tourney.
I kept my seat warm and folded. A lot. A whole lot. Many, many hands did I fold. The few good hands I did play, I bled away chips - AK AJ AT AQ - all fell flatter than a pancake. A couple of those my chips slid across the table to CJ. I have to admit to being a little gun-shy - lol.
I was down to 500 chips when I was beamed over to Wil's table. Todd, Sktch and Alan were also there. I continued to fold - I was on a monumental stretch of karappy cards. With the blinds at 25/50 and down to 430 in chips I was dealt A3 off in MP. I thought about making a stand, but passed. It wasn't the time.
The very next hand I was dealt A4 off. I thought perhaps some little poker imp was nudging me, so I took the hint. It was folded around to me and I pushed. Wil sez "sneak sneak sneak" and folds as does the remainder of the table.
And then I received my first pocket pair of the evening - QQ on the next deal. I raised to 150 - I thought about pushing, but I wanted more than the blinds. Plus, I thought perhaps I could induce someone to try to take the pot from me. It was folded behind me to Alan who, shortstacked, pushed. I called and my girls held up over his pocket 99. I felt good about how I chose to play that hand given the circumstances, but it always makes my heart stop, just the same.
Matty joined the table - right between me and Wil. I entered another run of karappy cards - but I was patient. However, this is an aspect of tournament play where my lack of experience has me wondering if I wasn't being too tight. I figure there were missed steal opportunities in there, but I just thought the risk was too high to attempt it given my stack size. I couldn't afford to bleed off chips.
Eventually, Mr. Speaker joined the party at our table. The banter was making the agony of bad cards a little less painful. With the blinds now at 50/100 I was to the point of needing to make some moves. So, I started aiming for some steals - and had success.
Then I returned to folding for a day or two and then received a couple of handsome cowboys to grace my palms. The chip-leader raised it up and it was folded to me and I pushed. I got insurance on the flop when a king landed. Goshdarnit, it feels good to survive all-ins... heady stuff.
Somewhere in there we lost Joe when his pair of queens lost to a straight and gained Joanne. I continued my new hobby of folding, enjoying the table talk, even making a wise laydown that had I not done so, would have probably put me out of the tourney. And then Butch and Sundance returned. This hand still has me scratching my head - I raised it up and was called.
The flop came 2s 8s Ad. I do not like that Ace, but I just can't show weakness here - I'm out of position and need to gain control of the hand. So, I bet out 500, hoping to take the pot right there. He calls - calls, no raise.
The turn is a blank - my gut was telling me my kings were good, even though my head was fearing that ace. I pushed my remaining chips in. He went into the tank. Then called. I was shocked when he flipped over queens. The river brought another blank and the pot came my way.
Now, during this monumental hand, this is what was being discussed:
Daddy said, "hey wil, since this is your tourney, can you pause it? Daddy needs to poop a bit."
Wil Wheaton said, "DING!"
Wil Wheaton said, "lol"
Wil Wheaton said, "i don't have access to taht button, man"
Wil Wheaton said, "ask otis"
ToddCommish said, "i went during the break"
Daddy said, "<--- misused his break time."
Wil Wheaton said, "wow"
ToddCommish said, "what's that smell?"
shogusumi said, "!"
That hand was a turning point in the game for me. I climbed the ladder up to the heady heights amongst the chipleaders for a while. I was beamed away from that table, then beamed to another and rejoined Wil for a while - the affable Mr. Garthmeister was there as well. I lasted to two remaining tables. Then my cards went arctic again. I went out at #12 on AK-sooted against K-Q off - a queen hit and I was gone.
But I had a great time. These tourney's are turning into a great exercise for me - this was a great idea of Wil's. I get to hone my tournament play and have a great time with pals at the same time. Congratulations to bloggers Mourn (2nd), Skitchorama (4th) and Chad (9th) for a fine final table showing.
A big thanks to Wil for putting these together. Hope I get a chance to buy ya' a beer in Vegas, kiddo!
