More Poker Blah Blah

OK you might be bored with all the poker, and yes, I have been playing a lot lately. But if you don't judge me, I won't judge you. Besides Friday afternoon, I played Friday night and Saturday. Friday night's game was pretty laid back. There were about 20 of us, and I went out in sixth. I should've just folded everything until I got into the money...the top three...but decided to make a push with pocket 6's. Aiya. Middle pairs. That's how I always end up losing. Saturday was a charity poker game I had a link to on this blog. It was extremely disorganized. Not only did we have to pay $40 to play, but then we had to pay $10 for parking and at least $5 for drinks...and when I say $5 for drinks...I mean water. Anything with any flavor in it would cost you at least $6. The invitation said the game was going to start at 4:30 pm, but it didn't start until at least an hour later. It also said registration started at 4, but when my friends and I got there at 4:05, they wouldn't even let us inside! We had to hang out outside until about 4:30. Once inside, some people got their table assignments, some didn't. When I finally got mine, I was happy to know that my friends were at different tables. This meant possibly all of us meeting up at the final table. But when they called players to their tables, they tried to put me at a different table. At first I was fine with it because my friends weren't at the table they tried to put me in. But then another person showed up, and they kicked me off that table and tried to put me at a table with my friend, Carrie. When I complained, they tried to put me at Patrick's table. When I said no, I ended up waiting another half an hour, and then ended up playing at the last table. The time for the blinds weren't kept very well, and at one point, they wanted to jump blinds sporadically amongst different tables...meaning some tables didn't have to jump blinds and some did! How is that a fair contest? I complained, and they decided to keep the blinds the same, but just to cut the time, so instead of every 15 minutes, the blinds went up every 8 minutes. This was shootout style...so I had to knock out every single player at my table to get to the final table. I played tight at first, watching everyone play. Here's how I characterized everyone:

#1 seat: Wayne. short, pudgy Asian guy. Told me before we started playing that he plays three or four times a week, both online and in-person. He plays super tightly...got blinded down. I was concerned about him before I started playing, but then he turned out to not be a threat.

#2 seat: Pretty Asian girl with big round eyes. She and I chatted briefly before the game about how disorganized the tourney was. Smoker. She riffles her chips pretty well. I had an eye out for her, especially after she cripples me with a full house, and then makes another full house the very next hand. An experienced player with luck on her side! Danger!

#3 seat: Short Caucasian guy. His move: all-in. He moved all-in quite frequently, and he even marveled at how much respect he was getting for his all-ins.

#4 seat: Tall, muscular Asian guy who's girlfriend is sitting at the next table next to Patrick. He's playing a lot of pots. Likes to see action. Likes to take chances unless you make it expensive for him, then he usually backs down if he doesn't have the goods.

I'm in the 5th seat.

#6 seat: Tiny, mousy, Asian girl. Very quiet. Takes a long time to think and act. Usually limps in pre-flop, but aggressive post-flop. First time she shows her hand, she had nothing against someone who had a pair of Jacks. So, the next time I get a hand, I cripple her easily.

#7 seat: Bony Asian guy. Plays very tight, but aggressively. Whenever he hits, he bets out. When he doesn't hit, he usually checks it down or folds.

#6 is the first to leave. Ever since I cripple her, she couldn't make a move, and eventually got blinded down until she went all-in with hardly any chips. I believe I knocked her out.

Can't remember if #1 or #4 left next, but they left one after the other.

When it's just four of us: #7, #2, #3, and me...#7, #2, & #3 calls. I look down at 5h-4h. I check. Flop comes down Ah-?h-4?. #2 goes all-in. #3 folds. I call because it's not that much more, and #7 calls. Turn is maybe a King? Not a heart. I check...wanting to check it down...but #7 goes all-in. At this point, I'm the chip leader. I have a pair, and a flush draw so I call. We flip, and #7 is holding J-4. So he's got a pair of 4's. I'm angry that he went all-in on a dry side pot with 4's, and a jack kicker. But he's saying he's got the better hand. I don't know the odds, but on the river, I make my flush and knock both of them out.

Last hand at this table is between #3 Caucasian male and me. I see K?-4?, and I put him all-in since I have everyone's chips at the table. He calls, and he turns over J-2. I make two pair, and I win my table.

At the final table, there are six of us. Among my friends, only Patrick and I make it. I go out in fourth, making a straight, while another player made a flush. When it's just down to Patrick and another player, I convince the 2nd place winner to take the WPT package since Patrick works there. The other player agrees. Patrick wins 1st anyway, but he also wins free Direct TV for a year! I win a Go Productions Party package. Good times. Very good times.