I played in a poker tournament tonight. Its a weekly 55 dollar buy in game held on monday evenings at a local sports bar ( Sharkys ).

It was the 4th time I’ve bought for the tournament. Two finishes where unremarkable, however I’d made it to the final table the game before last, only to be pushed out on the bubble (which is the spot before payout begins, in this case it was the 7th spot)

The evening started pretty slow, I wasn’t able to pick up any chips while the blinds where still low and I bled away about 60% of the stack I started with.

I was somehow able to stay alive until moving to the final two tables where I caught a decent hand (I dont remember what it is at this point) and was able to doubled my stack up to about 4500. Which actually, was still a pretty small amount when those to the left and right of me were sitting with 10k, 20k + in chips.

The two hands that finally pushed me over the top and gave me a good run were hands pushed “All in” preflop. I sat on JQ suited with two more to act, with the blinds at 500, 1000. I decided to push and hoped everyone would fold. I had little money and needed to make a move. It turned bad for me quickly when the big blind called my all in with KQ. I was dominated for sure, I needed to hit a J and avoid the rest of the face cards! Somehow I was able to do just that and I pulled out a win when the J hit on the flop.

After a few more hands and after I had lost about 3k in the blinds and bad flops I was sitting with 9 10 with one more person to act. I believe I had roughly 6k in front of me and the blinds where 600, 1200. I pushed again pre flop hoping that the blinds and the one limper would fold, but AGAIN things turned bad after the small blind played his acting game and called after a several minute self debate. I was hoping he would flip over a small pocker pair which would give me two live cards. Instead I was greeted with two red Aces. I was behind and bad! The dealer burnt out the first card and slowly turned over the first - An 8, o.k not to bad I thought, then a 7 came…. NICE! I had picked up the open ended, then the third card BOOM a 6!!! I Had sucked out and pulled the nut straight, 6 7 8 9 10.

I couldn’t believe it… on the FLOP I had pulled out of last place and flopped a monster hand. The turn however scared me and gave Mr. Aces his outs. A 7 came on the turn. If a 7 or an Ace came on the river I was toast since either would give him a full house. Someone I dodged another bullet and a 5 greeted me on the river. I was ESTATIC and did the single clap of the hands, then realizing my excess of emotion quickly cooled down and returned to my seat (I had somehow found myself in a standing position through the course of the hand)

With a smile and a handshake for the man I had sucked out on I continued the game. The next several hands found were un eventfull until I hit a run of cards, AQ, QQ and a few others that put me far ahead of the remaining players (we had arrived at the final table at this point). I enjoyed a reasonable easy run until it was down to 3 players left.

I got bluffed out of a big pot when I had raised 5k with A10 in the small blind and the button called me with J8, the flop came 4K10 and I checked my 10’s, the button pushed for about 15k and while I still had about 30 in front of me I decided he must have hit his K on the flop and foolded. After showing my A10 he showed his J8 and I was a little bit upset to say the least.

He had bet big and I should have realized he was trying to push me out, but I took the cautious road and moved on. (incidently I took him out 3 hands later when he called another of my 5k dollar raises) I was on the big blind and he had just completed, with no other players. I had about 40k in front of me and bet out 5k with 410. He called and the flop came 479, he bet all in and I thought about it for a moment and then called, he flipped over 24, I flipped 4 10 and took the hand down.

From there it was heads up with about 80K chips in my stack and about 15k in the other players. We battled back and fourth for a bit before he pushed with JQ and I called with KQ. My King held up and the game was over.

I had out lasted 44 players, eliminating most of the final table and bought home the win. It was really a nice feeling. Its also nice to know that I’ve made it to the final table now Twice out of my 4 games.

Next week I’ll have the bounty on my head (the extra 5 from each buy in goes into a seperate pot that goes to the player that takes me out of the game) However if I am able to pull another win out that pot would go into the 1st place prize amount. When a bounty is at a table though the dynamics change a bit, people are gunning for him and that extra pot (normally about 200 bucks!) We will see how I do with that extra pressue. If I can combine the luck, good calls, and good pushes I had tonight, into the right combination next monday it would make for a sweet little winning streak.