Sunday, June 24, 2007

Burldog44 makes it Four

Burldog44 made it number four this week. He was the best of the thirty-one combatants entered in this week’s Holdem Affair. I’m sorry that I didn’t get to play this week or even see any of the action.

Looking over the final standings I see some names that I haven’t seen in awhile. I see Jewelcard made another final table. Fatscotsman was back as was nicnac16.

Your final five included burldog44, gjones, Hazy Cat, slick63, and stevob19.

I hope to see you all next week.

Peace

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Big Lar8 for the first time


Big Lar8, that perennial final table combatant, finally broke through and posted his first Holdem Affair victory. It took some masterful play to do it. Jennifear had been dominating the final table with a massive chip lead but Big Lar8 took her on and succeeded not only in stopping her aggressive play but actually knocked her out. He made quick work of the last two after that. It was fun to watch as he plotted his strategy and executed the denouement.

As is my present style, here is my story, written during the heat of battle. Oh, and the picture is the Library in Ephesus.

- - - - - - - - - - -

It’s another Saturday night and it is time for the Holdem Affair. I wonder what excitement awaits us for the evening. Is one of the old timers going to shine tonight or is it the night for a new comer to rise to the top? I finished second last week. I’ll do well just to make the final table in this event. There are some very gifted players each week at these tables. I’ll not even try to name them because I am sure to leave someone out. And anyway, the list would be too long. The clock is ticking – 33 players entered with 5 minutes to go. The password entry system is great. It saves a lot of scrambling from Marti and the crew at UB. I’m glad they were finally able to get it up and running.

Okay, we have thirty-five tonight. About average for this field. So we will be paying five again. I’ve got Tai pan, Hooter Hanna, Burldog, Lytr and mdg at my table. This is going to be tough.

I just doubled up off WhoHasMyLytr when we both caught the ace but I had a queen kicker. That puts me in second place – 15 minutes into the event. Not what I would consider very significant but hey, it’s a start.

Thirty minutes in and HurQueRock is our chip leader. I’m in fifth place.

My table just got moved. HurQueRock is on my left and Papoorboy across from me.

Well, we come now to the first hour break. We are down to twenty-three with HurQueRock still our chip leader. Jennifear had held that honor for awhile this first hour but has fallen to second place. Here is your leader board:
HurQueRock = 6055
Jennifear = 5925
Tai pan = 4195
WhoHasMyLytr = 3510
Pro Loser = 3005
Sunbob = 2975
Burldog44 = 2680
Annieboom = 2285
Big lar8 = 2230
Papoorboy = 2215

Down to 19 pretty quickly. 1 hour 15 minutes into the night. Jennifear just got transferred to my table. We are full again and this is going to be hot. Oh my, Jenn has a stack.


Can you say “Card dead”? – I’m getting blinded down with nothing even speculative to play. This is getting to be painful.




I am now 13th out of 13. All or nothing time with the blinds 100/200 and only 2025 in chips. 7 3 off on the button – yech.

Q4s. . . 62s,. . . Q4o. . . JJ – yes. In the big blind. All-in. Well, Jennifear pushed her KQo and flopped a queen. I’m done in 13th place. I could have predicted that.

We are down to 11 – dealing hand by hand.

Here we go – final table time. Agro was our bubble victim.

Here you go:
Jennifear = 10715
Thunder3 = 9680
Big lar8 = 6660
HurQueRock = 5165
Annieboom = 4695
Pro Loser = 4380
Tai pan = 4100
Mdg2003 = 3100
Hazy Cat = 2050
RiverRats1 = 1955


RiverRats1 was the first to go. Jennifear nailed him with two pair. Of course she had pocket aces so I guess that can be expected.

Hand 8 - HurQueRock just bit the dust.

Hand 18 and Jennifear took out Tai pan when her AKo flopped two more kings. Jennifear owns this table right now with twice as many chips as Big Lar8 in second place.

Hand 24 and Hazy Cat pushes his last into the middle. Pro Loser takes him down with the call. We are down to six and paying five. Just in time for the break. When we come back the blinds will be 200/400.

This is getting good. No one wants to die. Jennifear is pushing but someone is pushing back often enough to keep things stable. Looks like it will take the blind escalation to force the action.

Blinds are 300/600 now.

Hand 65 – Big Lar8 just caught Jennifear with his pocket aces and has taken the lead.

Hand – 68 – Wow, annieboom just pushed back from the big blind and got caught. We are down to five and in the money.

Thunder3 is our leader now. Jenn has fallen to third place and hasn’t the power anymore.

Hand 75 and Jennifear is gone. She pushed hard on an ace/king flop with her Ks 7c. But big lar8 held an ace and took her down.

Mdg2003 is down to his last , all in with Q5o and it wasn’t good enough to beat Pro Loser.

Hand 97 – Pro Loser just hit a set of sixes and we have a three horse race.

Hand 100 – not anymore – Pro Loser pushed his second pair and lar8 had top pair.

Hand 109 – Pro Loser just ran into the pocket aces of big lar8 and we are heads up. Larry has double of thunder.

Hand 111 and we are done. Big Lar8 has taken on all challengers and prevailed for his first Holdem Affair victory. Excellent final table. Big Lar8 took on Jennifear when she was the chip leader and succeeded in turning the tide. That was the winning formula tonight.

Peace.

Sunday, June 10, 2007

WhoHasMyLytr was the Master


WhoHasMyLytr was the master of the final table tonight. An excellent demonstration of big stack poker. I had my chance in the heads up match but I wasn’t a match for Lytr.

I’ll be writing as I go, again so here is my running commentary. I hope people are able to enjoy this format. It seems to be the only way for now.

BTW, the new picture is of the love of my life and myself in Mykonos. We just got back from 12 days in Turkey and Greece. We had a wonderful time. I'm sure I'll be posting more pictures in the coming weeks.



- - - - - - -

Well, it’s been way too long for me but I am back in a Holdem Affair. It’s good to be back with my friends. Let’s see how it goes tonight.

Okay, we are starting 37 tonight. That’s a good number, actually dead on the average size for a Holdem Affair. But what a shark tank at my table. Oh well. Off we go.

First hour break and we are down to 23. I’m in 19th place. Typical. MagikCowboy is our chip leader. KBAhottie is close behind with WhoHasMyLytr in third.

One hour and thirty minutes and we are down to 17. I’m in 8th place now. KBAhottie is a massive chip leader – 13315. Mellow Yellow is second with 4665.

We are down to 13 now – I’m in 11th place.. Not one of my best nights but hey, at least I’m still in the action.

We are on the bubble now and I’m in 8th place.

Final table time and here are your leaders:
KBAhottie = 16865
Xgames4me = 10855
Azale = 5120
WhoHasMyLytr = 4595
Mellow Yellow = 4120
Agro = 3745
FortuituousEd = 3125
Houn = 3080
Sunbob = 2750
Jayzion = 1245

Pocket queens the very first hand and I doubled up off Azale. I’m in a very distant third place now.

We have lost Houn and Agro by the second break. Down to eight and paying five.

I just took out mellow yellow.

Xgames is all-in – and so is Azale. They are gone. WhoHasMyLytr is our leader now.

We are in the money now. WhoHasMyLytr has over half the chips and is dominating the table now. I can’t do much about it right now.

Hottie just doubled up off Lytr and it is a horse race again.

Lytr just caught a flush and busted Jayzion.

Ed is all-in against Lytr and Hottie. Lytr took the pot and we are down to three.

Wow, Lytr just hit quads and took out hottie. Can you believe it - I'm heads up.

I was heads up against WhoHasMyLytr and it was a great match. I was dominated to start with but managed to take the lead. Then I lost it back to Lytr. The final hand I was all-in with pocket sevens only to see Lytr show pocket tens. The ten on the turn was the end for me.

Great game Lytr. That was fun. And saying that I play like Jennifear is a great compliment.

I hope to see you all next week.

Peace.