Poker League Week 15 - 1 week to go

I'll start today by telling you about a really good audio post. Thanks to Bodie25 for sharing this with me. Over at PokerRoad.com, Barry Greenstein post a very touching ramble about his good friend Chip Reese. Also, Gus Hanson wrote a very touching post on his blog to Chip as well. I really encourage you to go check them out.

Going into last nights edition of poker league, I was second in points, but there was still quite a group of us bunched up at the top. In leagues past, I've really let that mess with my head. I think last night, I was really helped by reading an article by Eric "Rizen" Lynch in a recent poker magazine (not sure which one right now). In the article, he describes coming in second at the WSOP in an event that he had never played live before in a game he's got very limited experience at. He tells the story about how at some points in the tournament, it's not so much being better at the game, but better at playing a tournament. The cards, the game and to some extent, the people don't matter. What you must strive for is being a better tournament player.

The last 4 weeks, I've really be working on this. Before last night, I had made the final table 3 consecutive weeks, finishing first once. I've really worked hard at making the right decision for the situation I'm in. Not the cards, or this bet or that, but what is the best decision at this moment in this tournament.

Last night I had a blast watching Bodie25 play like an utter maniac. He was raising everything, and firing 3 bullets at pots with absolutely nothing. It was truly fun to watch. I could also tell that for the first time in a long time, he was having fun at the felt. We were sitting at the same table for a while, but I'm not playing a pot with a maniac that early in the tournament without backup...like cards. Ultimately, you know he's bluffing, but do you really think 6 high is good? I'll call with your money.

I stayed tight aggressive all night. Folding for most of the night, seeing a few flops here and there. Even hit a couple. Just getting by and not running out of chips.

I doubled through a guy when my AK connected with A rags. I got called by A4, which was the only rag NOT in the flop...whew! Figured I was done for there.

This got me to about 5500 in chips when the blinds are 100/200. I'm sitting pretty...until...I lost my friggin' marbles.

I'm on the button. It folds to the cut-off, who limps. I look down to find A2♥ so I limp. The LB raises another 600 to bring it to 800. The BB calls, the CO calls, dear God, I'm getting some pot odds (Mistake 1, how many aces do you think are already in play?)...so I call. Flop comes AKK. One heart. The LB immediately pushes all in. My first reaction (someone please shoot me)...he's got QQ. Why...I don't know...that was just my first reaction. So now I start thinking through everything. I basically think all through and think I must be way behind (Duh!), but I can't get this QQ thing out of my head. He's only in for 1500, so I add up the pot. I'm getting great odds to call, if he's got QQ (What's with this QQ shit anyways). Even if he has an ace, I could chop the pot (dear God, I'm hoping to chop the pot if I call). So let's score this...Gut says "Call! He's got QQ." Logic and reason, "What the hell did you call the preflop raise for?" As any good donkey does, I call. Of course he turns over AK. I'm drawing dead to another FREAKIN Aces! There weren't many of those left. So I just handed over half my stack, cause, for one moment I lost my mind.

Well, I stewed and steamed about this for a while. I never really recovered. I also never really saw a hand after that anyways. The closest I came to a hand was KJo from UTG at a full table. Sure...let's mix it up with that!

But one thing was happening around me...people were busting out like crazy! There were three people left from the top 5 point leaders when it was down to two people. And then BAM! The both bust. We had another snow storm yesterday, about 5 inches of snow, so attendance was light. Points didn't start until 9 people were left. But heck, there are 12 people. I might be able to fold my way to the points.

This point structure stuff becomes important this time of year. If I make the points, I'll be in first place going into the final week. If I can go deep, I can pull away now since no one else in the top 5 has a chance. I buckle down and keep track of the census. Remember, if I bubble, I get nothing. If I place 9th, I move into sole possession of first place.

Bam, boom, bam! People start dropping like flies! And I didn't need to wait as long as I thought. It seems like it just took a couple of minutes and all of a sudden, they merge the two tables. We are down to 8! I in! I'm guaranteed first place now!

Bodie25 is still there too. He's still playing it loose and moving his chips around. I'm getting 62 or Q3 or J4 pretty much every hand. And raising is very common now. Luckily for me, anyone raises and I'm all in. Poker gods don't grace me with an amazing comeback this week. I get to the button. It folds to me. I look down at Q♠7♠, this is serviceable, so I push them in. Get called almost instantly by the LB. He's got the monster K9o. He gets his two pair and I go home.

Congrats to Bodie25, he lasted longer than me. I'll be glad to pay him off his soup. It wouldn't be fun to win it every week...or would it????