Busted

I'm OUT.

Kaput.

12:30 a.m. when my luck ran out.

Still and all, I'm pretty happy with myself that I got this far. have to admit, I put more pressure on myself than I should have, if at all. had the "Defending Champion" crap get to my head. boy oh boy, did it affect how I played.

didn't help that I put myself in low stack position early, with a bonehead mistake. had 9/J, and the flop came out a straight draw. I had raised pre-flop, and somehow I got it in my head that only one other guy had called my raise and it was heads up. when 4th came out Q and I got my straight, I raised and one guy folded. I was already thinking that the pot was mine, so I threw my cards to the muck pile.to my consternation (at myself), there was one other guy who was in the pot. By then, my cards were dead, and so was the other raise I put in on the turn.

Was fuming at myself at that point, and put my anger to good use, channeling all my psychic energy at my pocket cards. Which sensing my anger, decided to cooperate and gave me a couple of good deals including pocket rockets, and a Q/K clubs which resulted in a royal flush. Too bad the pot was small when I got the RF. Now have to wait another 100,000 deals to get my royal flush.

A few deals after we had cut down to 19, I had 2/7 at the BB with the blinds 200/400. I know, I know...throw em away every time. But at BB, with only one guy calling and the small lind folding, I saw the flop, which came out 7-8-K. Ok now, I've got a pair, so i've at least got to bet and see if the other guy (Ray) had anything. So I pitched in 800 hoping to represent the K, which he thought about a long time before he called.

Turn came with a 2, and I was thinking "Hallelujah! My trash turned into gold!!!" I was thinking, if he called with a pair King, I have him beat with a two pair. I threw out another 800, which he again thought about at length, but called, probably thinking that it didn't help either of us and I was just bluffing at the pot.

Looking back, I see that my mistake wasn't going all in with the two pair on the turn. I tried to get cute and not scare him away when I knew I had him beat. Damn damn damn...

Again I'm being taught by the game not to get cute.

River comes with an 8, pairing the one that came out on the flop. Now I'm thinking, shit...if he had the pair Kings, the two eights on the board just gave him two pair, beating what I made on the turn. 1,200 and change in chips, with the blinds about to go up to 300/600. Do I take my chances now with something, or wait for the blinds to eat me up? If I waited for the next round of blinds and it hits me with nothing, that would only leave me with 300 after hitting SB and BB. All-in now and hope to scare him away.

That all-in with 1,200 wasn't enough to scare him away with hime already invested 2,00, and little did I know that he made trip 8s. I tried to get cute again by asking him before he showed if he had the K, to which Ray replied "no, but I have the 8."

Damn, damn, damn...don't get cute Denis. Ever.

Really shoud have gone all-in on the turn.

Did I do the right thing? Let me know. Leave a comment.

35 Minutes to Go, and Counting...

Registration started at 8:30, and already there are more than 20 signed up. Actually were already 10 guys here, apart from the FAPA boys, at 8. Nice to see players raring to go.

On the downside, Eric of the Solar crew came down with something, and according to Chum, looks like none of them will make it. Neither will Ken of the Tamarind Road gang.

Kix's Tournament Director is all spun up and ready to go. Impressive I must say. thank God though it doesn't come with a fat lady calling out the commentary like on the WPT.

Had my cup of coffe on the way, so I'm wide awake and ready to roll. Hope it came with a shot of Mojo.

4 Hours to Go, and Counting...

4:30 p.m., Saturday the 11th. 4 hours to go to what Nick G is calling "the Bel-Air Classic."

The barbecue that'll be served tonight is now cooking on my grill, and the incomparable aroma of manang's special recipe is wafting through our house. I guarantee it, after you've tasted this bbq, everything else pales in comparison.

I've just gone through Nick G's blog, and thanks for the birthday greeting buddy. You've put so much in since last time. Seeing all your posts is making my blog feel like the short stack 1/10th heads up. Even after all the online clients I've tried, which I promise to review in the coming weeks, and all the games I've played the past few weeks, I still haven't to add much meat to this blog.

About these past weeks...Kix has created a monster!!! Yes, I'm talking about Nik. Not Nick G, who was already a monster when we met him, but our very own Nik T(no C, just the K) from FAPA. Ever since he paid his tuition fee to the Kix school of Poker, he's been damn near unbeatable. I'm talking coming back from 70 bucks in chips to split the pot with Kix in Thursday night's tournament at Joel's, winning the 14-handed game at Pobs', to moneying in all the other sessions in between. Man, the way he's betting, you never know what he has. Be afraid. be very afraid. I know I am.

Tonight's tourney is actually the second we've hosted. Had to take a long break before putting together this one as Pobs Hansen was over in the US of A trying his luck at the Atlantic City. The first was a mild success, with all thirty seats filled, though a few were autofolded for a good amount of time with some players coming in late.

This evening, we'll have a whopping 40 seats, which, if you think about it, is the biggest Hold 'Em tourney this country has ever seen! (echoes seen...seen...seen...)

Ok, it doesn't sound as epic as I'd want it to. And the Stateside tourneys would laugh at this figure, but hey, we gotta start somewhere. Until PAGCOR or somebody else gets their act together, this is as good as it gets boys.

I'm glad the FAPA crew decided that we can participate tonight. As of the last planning pow-wow, the inclination was to sit this one out. that would have been a wast. Really, we're not making money out of this, and the only satisfaction we get is playing against a diverse crew.

Yep, tonight is gonna be a whopping good time. Nick's Alabang Crew, Ken's Tamarind Road gang, the boys and gal over at Solar Sports, the Pinoy Rounders, and a whole bunch of other afficionados. Gonna be mondo fun.

Too bad Ian's not here. How are the tables over at Macau's new Sands bud?

5:30. 3 hours to go and counting...