Sunday, April 16, 2006

Hazy Cat Took Control

Hazy Cat took control of an excellent money table tonight to post his first Holdem Affair victory. It was a great final table and the final five was a war. For most of the time the stacks were pretty evenly matched. The stalemate wasn’t broken until the blinds put everyone in a short stack situation. Then Hazy Cat found another gear and started to push the others. That was the deciding factor, a well timed change of pace did the trick. That and an amazing final hand. Spideytwo played exceptionally well tonight and almost prevailed. ThreesRWild struggled with a short stack through most of the money table to post his third place finish. Fastbk65 was fourth and deadmanshand completed the five.

Thirty-seven sat down for this week’s Holdem Affair. Thirty-seven friends who know my game far better than I would like them to. But, hey – that’s the Holdem Affair. We are here to have fun but no one ever forgets that it is good poker as well. We were down to 28 when the first hour break rolled around. I was gone already but the hostess with the mostess was on a roll. Marti had failed to keep “evil Marti” under control and was leading the pack. Here is your first hour leader board.
  1. Marti = 4505

  2. Sengar = 3780

  3. ThisBods4U = 3380

  4. ThreesRWild = 3070

  5. deadmanshand = 2875

  6. DebiMac = 2765

  7. Maronie47 = 2730

  8. Rocknfish = 2655

  9. burldog44 = 2565

  10. Mellow Yellow = 2540

There was a bounty on Marti this week, after last week’s win. Most of that was even donated by Marti herself. It looked like she may even get to keep that bounty and be the first to win back to back Holdem Affair events. But just before the final table seated, Hazy Cat sent Marti to the rail in 11th place. Your final table looked like this:
  1. Hazy Cat = 11110

  2. burldog44 = 9580

  3. spideytwo = 9535

  4. ThreesRWild = 6590

  5. sugar luck = 5135

  6. fstbk65 = 4420

  7. deadmanshand = 4405

  8. Maronie47 = 3435

  9. DebiMac = 1140

  10. Hemi Henry = 150

Henry was the big blind the very first hand and everyone folded to actually double him up to 300 chips. That bought him a few antes and as a result we found ourselves on hand 3 - DebiMac reraised ThreesRWild all-in for her 1090 chips holding Ah Js. Nice hand Deb but TRW had big slick – As Kc and made the call. The Ks on the flop was all ThreesRWild needed to send Deb to the rail in 10th place.

Hemi Henry made it to hand five before the antes forced him all-in holding just Qc 3d. Spideytwo held AKo this time and Henry was gone in 9th place.

By hand 25 the antes were 50 and the blinds 200/400. With only 1280 left burldog was feeling the pressure to act. Five folds to the dog on the button and he pushed holding Kd 6d. A very reasonable play with position. When Hazy Cat called and turned over 9c 7h it looked like a brilliant play. The flop came Ks 2s 7c and it looked great for the dog in this cat and dog fight. Each had flopped a pair but the Kings held the high ground. The 5h on the turn meant nothing but the river washed in the 9h giving the Hazy Cat two pair and sent Burldog44 to the pound.

By hand 36 ThreesRWild had taken the chip lead and Hazy Cat had actually fallen to a close fourth place. Maronie and spideytwo filled in the middle. Sugar Luck was feeling short and when the big blind took him down to 3500 chips he saw the flop along with Hazy and deadmanshand. 2s Jd 9h – Hmmmmm. Sugar was holding Jc 7s and check raised Hazy Cat all-in on the flop. Oops. Hazy turned over Qs Jh. Some nights that happens. Some nights you get the big blind special and some nights you get the big blind shaft. Sugar Luck had to settle for 7th place and Hazy Cat was back in the chip lead.

For the next 25 hands the battle was on. All six were throwing heavy weight punches and the lead was being passed around as well. Then hand 61 and Hazy Cat raised pre-flop to 3400. Maronie pushed all 3730 in response. Hazy Cat had to call for just the 330 more. Hazy held Kh Qh and Maronie Ac Ts. The race was on. The flop came Jh 8h 5h. Hazy flopped a flush. Maronie was drawing dead and gone in 6th place and again Hazy Cat regained his lost chip lead. Gotta love those haymakers.

For the next 25 hands it was anybody’s match to win or lose. Spideytwo actually took over the chip lead and fstbk65 pulled up right behind him in second place. The blinds were now 600/1200 and everyone was forced to act. Even Spidey in the lead only had 12 big blinds. It was action time. And action we saw, on hand 86. Folded to deadmanshand on the button and he simply called to see the cheap flop come 7c 7s 2d. Two checks to Deadmanshand and he pushed the rest of his stack into the middle holding Ad Tc. Definitely the right play. At least one I would make. But this wasn’t the time to be bold. The Big Blind Special pulled into Spidey’s station and he turned over 4c 7h. He had flopped trips. Deadmanshand had to settle for 5th place money. And now Spideytwo was a dominant chip leader.

For the next 40 hands they just spared. The blinds and antes were 150/800/1600 and they just traded steals. But I’m going to argue that this is where Hazy Cat won the tournament. The lead changed back and forth between all four of them and actually by hand 130 Spideytwo had 17205, fstbk65 = 15890, Hazy Cat = 12420, and ThreesRWild 9985. The blinds escaladed to 1000/2000 with a 200 ante. By hand 153, Hazy Cat had won 8 pots, Spideytwo had actually won nine and TRW and fastbk only two and three. Spideytwo and Hazy Cat were pulling away.

Hand 153 saw Spideytwo make a move and push all-in UTG. Fastbk65 was down to only 3410 and he called with Ad 8c. But Spidey had As Ts. The flop brought an ace but no miracle eight for fastbk and he was out in 4th place.

Hand 159, spideytwo called ThreesRWild going all-in for his last 8280. TRW held pocket sevens and was the race favorite against Spidey holding Qh Th. But the flop brought the Qs and that was all it took to set the heads up match. ThreesRWild was forced to settle for third place.

Spidey took a 10,000 chip pot the very first hand, giving Spideytwo a 2:1 chip lead. But Hazy Cat fought back winning 13 of the next 15 hands, including a wild final hand.

Hazy now had 44000 chips and Spideytwo 11000. Both saw the cheap flop come Jh Jc Js. Hmmmm – does either have the case Jack? Both checked to see the turn Qs. Spideytwo threw out a feeler bet of 2400. Hazy just called. The river was the Kh. Spideytwo held Ts 9h and had just filled his straight. Ok, what to do? What can beat him? AT? No, he would have raised pre-flop. Qx? Maybe, but he would have bet on the turn. Kx? Possible – but again, wouldn’t he have raised pre-flop? The Jd? Probably the least likely card for Hazy to hold. It looked good for a play and Spideytwo chose to push it all into the middle. Hazy Cat called and proudly turned over 4d Jd. Yep, Hazy Cat had flopped quads to win this week’s Holdem Affair.

Way to go all of you. What a great final table.

Peace,

Sunbob

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