OK - I have a strong opinion about girl's only things - anyone who's read my blog for long will remember my rant about that very subject in regard to poker tournaments. I just don't like being shut out of the clubhouse. Want to know how to really put me on tilt? Stick up a "No gurlz" sign on the door.
However... I like to think I can recognize a good deal when I see one, and one relatively good deal is the Ladies Only bracelet race going on over at Full Tilt on Saturdays. I figured the field wouldn't be as massive as the open satelittes and this fine Saturday afternoon bore my figuring out. I joined 91 other "ladies" for a chance at a WSOP $1,500 entry.
I promise you - no long winded analysis this time. I mostly folded as it seemed the deck didn't have anything higher than a seven in it and certainly no pairs. But, somehow I managed to inch my way to the final table. Change100 was looking really good for a long while and I thought she was going to pull it out. But, she got decimated on a call with a set against a flush (we were at the same table by that time) - ouch.
I, on the other hand, scratched and clawed my way pot after pot as my M shrunk like Bobby Bracelet's junk in a Swedish dip (whoa - I think I channeled Pauly there for a sec). I soon was in any two and push mode - which I did with as much edge I could squeeze out of my cards. Eventually I was able to win some good pots landing me - lo and behold - at the final table.
My stack was never really a contender - I was in need of at least tripling up to be able to go after the big stacks. From the smal blind in one hand I pushed with A-something suited and was called by the big blind who had pocket eights. Her hand held up and the chip leader said "Maudi (sic) that's what you get for going all in all the time." And the winner of the hand said "She owed me some chips." WTF?? - I was steamed - real steamed.
I wasn't done yet, however. Again I went after the blinds with any hand that had potential while, in the mean time, folks were getting knocked out. Snotty person #2 got knocked out before me and I did my own little catty happy dance. We got down to four and the coals were cold. I wasn't going to be able to get a fire going for my stack unless I could double through several times. Finally, with a face-rag suited, I pushed and was called. I got no help and was out.
I watched the rest of the tourney - pulling hard for my neighbor on the right. I wanted her to take down her opponent and it looked there for a while she was going to be able to do it, but the tide turned and she came in second.
I'm happy with how I played. I got to the final table without the benefit of stellar cards. I was making reads and following through on my conclusions based on those reads with a lot of success. I did not play passively. Having watched the heads up at the finish there, I would have loved to have gone up against either of them myself. They both played very passive - making it obvious whenever either one had a hand. They played like girls.
It was a treat to have Change100 and Chaderama rooting me on from the rail - thanks guys! Maybe I'll give it another try next week. Oops. Maybe not. Forgot - next Saturday's m'birthday. Uh-huh.
