Sunday, November 20, 2005

Froth Caps the Holdem Affair

Froth and Msrinny battled all night and it was down to those two at the final table. But it was Froth’s night to shine and shine he did. His first Holdem Affair win is in the books.

The early going in the final table was very one sided with the big stacks gobbling up the little stacks. All except Dime04. He started in 10th place and, with some marvelous play, succeeded in building that stack into the money. He finished in fourth place but at one point held the chip lead at the money table. Awesome play Dime.

The first hour, and actually this whole tournament, was marked by very aggressive play from the very first hand. We had lost 20 players by the first hour break and still had 27 left in the running. That is very unusual for this event. Msrinny02 and Froth were forcing the action with Jewelcard presiding over his table. The first hour saw this on the leaderboard:
  1. msrinny02 = 11685

  2. Froth = 9870

  3. Jewelcard = 4130

  4. MdnghtSn49 = 3330

  5. nicnac16 = 3140

  6. SusieQue = 3130

  7. Sengar = 3115

  8. marti = 2630

  9. Jennifear = 2580

  10. Dime04 = 2300

The second hour is really when this tournament begins for most of the players and it was no different this week. It took 50 minutes to bust out the next seventeen players so we could seat the final table. MdnghtSn49, SusieQue, and nicnac16 were victims during this phase. Jennifear, Txmom22, Tai pan, I pass gas and inxsdude were gainers. I finally made it back to the final table after a two month break. Msrinny02 and Froth continued to go after each other during this time and Froth was getting the best of it when we went to the final table. Here are your survivors when we got down to ten.
  1. Froth = 23700

  2. msrinny02 = 12965

  3. Jennifear = 6950

  4. Txmom22 = 5840

  5. I pass gas = 4020

  6. inxsdude = 3740

  7. Tai pan = 3725

  8. Jewelcard = 3575

  9. Sunbob = 3240

  10. Dime04 = 2745

I think the big story of the final table was Dime04. He sat down with the shortest stack and this final table was eating up the short stacks. But Dime04 was the exception. He built his stack as the rest of us “shorties” fell and recorded his first money finish in a Holdem Affair. Simply awesome Dime.

Jewelcard was the first guppy to be gobbled up by the sharks when his QQ ran into msrinny02 with AA. It was a credit to all of us guppies that it was hand 20 before the first one fell. Tough luck Jewelcard.

I was totally card dead at the final table. At one point I almost went all-in from the big blind with 72o just because it was all I was getting. Needless to say, I was getting desperate. Finally on hand 32, I was in the small blind holding Ad 5d. The first ace I had seen in my hand. Dime called on the button so I went all-in with my last 590 chips. Jennifear went all-in behind me to force out Dime and she showed me Ks Qc. Hey, I’m ahead. This might be okay. The flop came Tc Ts 8d and I was still ahead. The turn showed Jc and I’m still looking good. But the river 9h gave Jennifear the straight and I was out in 9th place.

Jennifear lasted four more hands before her pocket tens ran into Dime with Ad Qd. The flop came low and by the river gave Dime the wheel straight. Jennifear was gone in 8th place.

The very next hand found Tai pan with red Queens and he re-raised Froth for all his chips. Froth was quick to make the call and showed pocket Aces. Tai pan joined me in the observers chat room.

Oops, I haven’t mentioned Dime04. By now he was in 3rd place with 12935 chips.

Hand 43 and it was time for inxsdude to make a stand holding Ac 9c. His last 1415 went in and msrinny02 made the call holding Ad Th. The board missed them both and inxsdude was gone in 6th place.

We were down to the money table and Dime04 was in third place and getting paid for the very first time. He had climbed from 2700 chips to 13000 chips. On hand 65 he took a big pot (21895) from Froth when he caught Froth holding pocket Jacks to his pair of ladies. That gave Dime the chips lead over Froth and msrinny. Froth went on a bit of a rush and edged back into the lead by the 72nd hand.

It was all Froth and Dime through the 80’s with Froth getting the best of it and pulling away.

Hand 86 and I pass gas is in 5th place but is looking at As Kh. All-in to open for 4145 and msrinny decided to make the call with her pocket sevens. The flop came Ah 4c 5d and stinky was looking good. The turn brought a 3d and the river the 6c. msrinny had hit her straight. Wow, tough luck I pass gas.

Hand 96 was a big hand for Dime. He limped with pocket kings and msrinny joined him from the big blind. The flop came 3d 8s 4c. Dime raised to 5600 and msrinny chose to call. The turn was 7c and msrinny checked to Dime. Okay msrinny, I have you covered. Do you want to play for it all? Yep, said msrinny, and turned over 8h 6s. Top pair and a gut shot draw. It didn’t look good for msrinny. But miracles do happen in poker and the 5h on the river doubled up msrinny and dealt a huge blow to Dime’s future in the tournament.

On the very next hand msrinny took a 13200 chip pot away from Froth and with it the chip lead. Has the tide turned?

Okay, hand 101 and it is time for Dime04 to make his stand. Msrinny was the one to call – again. Dime only held Jd 4d and msrinny had Ah Ts. No luck for the Dime and he had to settle for 4th place money.

For the next 17 hands it was pretty much msrinny and Froth pounding on each other. Txmom caught a couple of blinds but basically had to lay low and pick her time. Hand 118 was the chosen hand. Msrinny opened for 4575 and Txmom smooth called. The flop came Qh Tc 2s. Txmom was holding pocket fives and hoped that flop had missed msrinny as she went all-in for her last 1055 chips. Txmom was right, the flop had missed msrinny. Msrinny held Ac Kc but still made the call. A gut shot draw and two over cards. Only ten outs but msrinny was the dominant stack and the call was less than 10% of her stack. It was the right play – the Jd came around the turn and gave msrinny her straight. We were now heads up and that gave msrinny a huge advantage 53630 to 16870 over Froth.

They sparred until hand 130 when Froth raised to 3850 and msrinny re-raised to 11800. Okay lets dance was the response and all the chips were in the middle. Froth showed Qc 8c. Wow, gutsy. Msrinny held Ac Jh. The flop came 5d 7s 6c and now Froth had a draw. The turn decided it, though, giving Froth a queen. Msrinny was still a big leader but Froth was getting stronger.

Three hands later and they were all-in again after the flop came up Qd 6h 9h. This time Froth had a hand, As Qh. But msrinny had the draw with Jd Tc. No help this time for msrinny and now Froth has the upper position.

Hand 144 saw the end. When the flop came 5h Th 7c, msrinny forced the play into the middle. Holding Ts 3c, she had top pair. Froth held Kd Tc and also had top pair but a much better kicker. That king was the difference.

Great game to everyone. Congratulations to Froth and to Msrinny02 for their fine play.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you and…..

Peace.

Sunbob

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