No Chirp

Last night was poker night. Sunday is the day I look to forward on a weekly basis but, every third Tuesday is what I count down to every month, for it is Poker Night. See, I’m in this genius league, a fantasy league set up some what like a fantasy sports league/real poker league. We have a monthly tournament, in which points are given for where you place as well as some cash. And at the end of the year, the top 8 in points get to play in a Championship Game. The winner gets a nice sum of cash, a beautiful trophy their wives will never allow to on public display, and shit talked on them for a year. It’s the Bad Beats crew.

So last night was our game for the month, and I went there in bad shape. In 17th place out of 21 with only four events left. It was time to get some points or face a second year in a row without an appearance at the Championship. And in all honesty, I’ve played pretty well this year. I’ve earned, and deservingly so, a reputation for having mini-meltdowns. Basically, there was always one or two hands I’d totally over play and screw myself. This year I haven’t really done that. After each tourney I felt I played well, just either got out played or didn’t get the right cards. Last night I got off to a decent start. For the first 45 minutes or so I was pretty quiet. Finally I began to pick up a few hands, nothing big though, but I started getting a stack. I’m not sure when or how but that stack grew to what was probably the second biggest stack. And then it happened. Porqchop beautifully played a hand, while I was totally bluffing at a hand I had no right being in. He slow played, and nearly earned an Oscar for his Heath Ledger like performance, quads that he got on the flop. I thought I was done for.

This was followed up soon after by another stupid call, this time against a guy we have given the endearing nicknames of Bradasow and Devil Down, in which I doubled him up. But since I had such a good size stack at this time, it didn’t cripple me. Soon we were down to the final eight and I was still in good position. Now I’m starting to think about that if I don’t get stupid, I can actually take some money home. And just a few bucks and some nice points is all I’m thinking about. A little cash for Vegas, and maybe a chance to play at the big kids table at the end. And well, as much as I believe poker isn’t true gambling that it is indeed at the very least somewhat a skill game I also know you aren’t winning a tournament without some form of luck. And I got lucky. I thought the one called Bradasow was bluffing, and since I had a decent (at best) hand with plenty of outs, I called a raise. The river came giving me a nut straight, and he went all in, I called and some how my nemesis was beaten. That took the field down to five, and I was in fantastic shape. I don’t recall the rest of the hands only I took out James, a participant in the 2006 World Series of Poker, in a hand where my pocket jacks went up against his ace-jack. I also got lucky with knocking out the third place finisher, I was in a blind and had to call his all-in with an two over cards and a gut shot straight draw. Hit the straight on the river and it was down to two.

Fred and I have played in some free games at a local bar, as well as many lunch games at my place when I had week days off. Normally he scares the hell out of me, he insists he only plays premium hands but it’s complete bull. I had him out chipped like 4:1, he made a raise pre-flop which I called. I hit top pair with a king kicker, and he had a flush draw so he went all-in. I called and my pair hit, making me the winner for the night. Did I play well? I think so. Did I get lucky? No question. Maybe it was karma, maybe it was the fact that I nearly didn’t even play since my niece and nephew got into town last night. And if they had a flight that came in before 10:30 I probably wouldn’t have played, so I probably have to spend some of the money on them.

One other highlight was aRoyal Flush I’ve which is the second seen in person, that’s just too cool.