So, I made the dinner break and am now trying to eat takeout PF Changs as fast as I can... while I blog... good times. FYI, their new Caramel Mango Chicken is absolutely fantastic...
Anyway, I went into the round knowing that something had to happen - either the poker gods needed to smile on me or I needed to work some magic... but time was running short as antes start after dinner and $24K can easily become $18K and once antes kick in, I'm not getting very far on $18K.
I started with pocket tens early in the round... the same tens that I flopped a set on and then lost to a straight in the first round. Bet those suckers real big and everyone folded – phew, didn’t want to play them.
Then, for an hour, nothing. I just gave up antes and played tight. I'm finally down to $22K or so with an hour left and get 5 - 6 suited. Now, normally I wouldn't want to play, but I had ok position (A couple from the button), the raise was almost a min raise (To $650), and I needed to make something happen. So I call, the flop comes, and I completely miss it - $650 gone. Next hand, pocket sixes - call a $750 raise - three over cards on the flop so I fold. Next round, big blind has left his seat and there's only a small blind - but $300 in the pot for big blind. Everyone folds to me and with me being one off the button and there not being a big blind, I decide I am going to bet my 4 - 6 of diamonds and either steal the blind or play a fun hand with position. Turns out it was neither, small blind reraised me and I had to fold.
Somewhere in there I lost my big blind again to the euro kid, who is simply raising everyone. According to the guy next to me, the guy three-bet fifteen times in the first 5 hours. Anyway, he gets into it with the guy who showed up late and loses big... a couple times. On tilt, he finally gives away the last of his chips to that same guy who showed up late - that guy (Late comer) now has a monster stack and the euro donkey is gone.
We're now 40 minutes from dinner, I'm at $21K, and I simply can't get anything to go right. I find A - 7 suited when I'm one off the button, so I raise on position. Flop comes something awful and I have to fold to a big bet. I'm now just hemorrhaging chips left and right - I've turned into King Midas' antithesis.
With about 20 minutes left in the level, I'm about to start cursing the poker gods... I just lost my big blind, had nothing in the small and am low on chips - now under $21K. Anyway, I've rolled my eyes to the sky and am about to let leash a flurry of obscenities sure to land me in the poker gods' doghouse for complaining that I only get aces or garbage (Why not AK, or AQ? Haven’t seen those yet)… when I realize I'm on the button. Well, don't want to curse the poker gods on the button, that's good position! So I hold off for one more hand...
The (Now) big stack raises to $750. The guy who chases and bets everything (Beat my red aces on hand 3), raises to $2,200, and I look down. Aces. Really? Again? Third time before dinner? Now... do I raise or call? If I raise, I'm sure this guy will call and I'll get more in the pot... if I call, then maybe the original raiser calls and there's more money in the pot that way without me giving away that I have a monster. But with two people, there's a much greater chance of my aces getting cracked - hmmm... what to do?
So I smooth call and the original raiser (Big stack) calls. Flop comes Q spades, 4 Spades, and I think the 2 of diamonds. Big stack checks, chaser checks, and I bet $3,500 on a ~$6,800 pot... at this point in time, I just want my $7K, that will put me back up near $30K heading into dinner - perfect.
But not really... he raises to like $11,000 (Dumped a couple orange ones out there). The chaser folds and with about $17K left I've got a choice - do I fold and lick my wounds, or put all my chips on aces? I mean, what could he have? Trip queens? A spade draw? I don't want to see either, I just wanted my $7K. But I realize I have to push and he calls the extra $6K or so with 5 - 8 of spades. He has a spade draw with 2 cards to come.
My heart is racing so fast now... but wait! I have the ace of spades. So barring anything crazy with runner runner 5, 8, I win if the next two cards are spades or if neither of the next two cards are spades... but one spade out of the next two cards and I'm done. The turn - King of hearts... my spade draw is done. The river? I don't remember, but it wasn't a spade!!!
$43,500 at dinner...
Thank you poker gods, you’re the best.
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