Monday, August 11, 2008

A Normandie Run

Since Friday night ended up a no-go, Jordan and I decided to spend Sunday night down at the Normandie for their 8:15 PM No Limit Game. Buy-In was $20+10, with multiple re-buys, and add-ons at the break.

The tournament starts you with 700 tournament chips. 58 total players bought in, with 287 total re-buys, and 123 total add-ons, for a pot of about $5200, of which $2000 went to the winner. The top 9 places were paid. You can follow the play-by-play by clicking the "follow me on twitter" link on www.pablosplace.com. After I went out, and at each break, I did a pretty good job of keeping the information posted during real time. But now, here's the re-cap.

Jordan and I began seated at the same table, the first time that’s happened since we began playing tournament poker. Jordan started out well early with pocket Aces. He was able to take a good sized pot early from the guy directly to his right. After that, he went through a cold run of cards. I was being whittled down as well, and made a call of 100 with 400 total remaining, holding 7d-6d. Three players took the flop of 8d-4d-2, and Jordan was first to act. He bet 200, and the next guy called. I raised all in for my last 300, and Jordan came over the top with a raise, causing the other guy to fold his hand. Jordan turned over K-8, and was ahead. But the Kd came on the turn giving me a flush. Jordan’s two pair didn’t get better on the river and I tripled up.

I then tripled my stack again when I got my money in on a flop of J-8-6 with pocket 7’s. I called an all-in bet who had me covered, and he said “you got me” and flipped pocket 5’s. The turn of 7 made me a set, and the river bricked out for a nice triple again.

Then the mighty Seven Deuce roared triumphant for me. I made a pre-flop raise with 7-2 os, and got two callers. When the board hit A-9-2, action was checked to me by the small blind, and I moved all in immediately. The button folded, and the small blind called, turning A-9 for top two pair. I was in trouble when the turn bricked, but there is always the river, which produced the miracle two out 2, and gave me a winning set. Seven Deuce baby!!

I then caught a sick run of cards with K’s twice, A-Q twice, and Q’s once, and was able to get my stack to around 17k at the break.

Jordan, on the other hand got real healthy playing tight for a long time, but making I think the best play of anyone. Three players took a flop of J-8-6, and all three checked. First to act, Jordan bet 1000 when the 4 hit the turn. It was called by the next player, and the third guy raised. Jordan re-raised all in, and it was called by both guy. The first guy flipped Q-J for top pair, and the last guy flipped pocket 4’s for a made set. But Jordan tossed over pocket 8’s for his top set, and was dominating. Only a four would lose the pot for him, and the J fell on the river, giving his boat better then the trips or the other boat, and Jordan moved up to around 14k.

After the break, I took a couple more pots, as action broke to 5 tables. I made a min-raise to 800 and got two callers with A-10. The flop came 10-4-4. The small blind checked to me, and I led out with 1500. The button folded and the small blind called. The turn was a 9, and the small blind checked. I instantly moved all in, and the small button thought a few seconds before calling and flipping A-4. I was near dead. The river didn’t matter and I had to count out a little more than 13k more, and was left with about 1500. I as able to double once and get to a little over 3500, and got all my chips in with pocket K’s. But I got 4 other callers, and they didn’t hold up when an Ace spiked the turn. A-8 ended up taking the pot, and I went out in 34th.

Jordan made a very deep run, eliminating a lot of the shorter stacks at his tables. Finally, with action down to 15 players, and Jordan sitting on a stack of about 40k, things turned ugly. After a pre-flop raise by Jordan, the guy (a real loose player) moved all in for his last 30k, and Jordan called him. The guy had A-7 of clubs, and Jordan had K-7 of hearts. He was way behind until the flop came and put him ahead with K-Q-Q. The turn was a J, giving the other guy some more outs, but the river did him in with an Ace on the river. Jordan was crippled. Shortly after, he got it all in again with Qs-Js, and got two callers. One had A-J, and the other pocket 10’s. With only 3 outs, he was hurting, and the pocket 10’s ended up holding up. Jordan went out in 15th, a brilliant run.

It was a lot of fun, and I was proud of my run, despite the fact that I got killed by A-4. I’m hoping that everyone can come this Friday. I’m looking forward to playing. Cheers, P

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