We used to play alot of free poker in bar leagues and at one point was playing in three different leagues. The main point of playing is to accumulate points to make it into a monthly or bi-monthly tournament. These tournaments are where the real prizes, some time cash or trips are. You are also playing against a larger field depending on how popular the place you played to get there. Oh yeah and for fun!

Since I got hurt we haven’t played, so it has been over two months. I’ve played online in sit and gos of a similar size to the bar leagues and have had mixed results. Mostly placing out of the money. Last Fri we decide to give a new place a try and see some of our old friends. It was one of those nights where it seems everything is aligned just right, focused, catching cards, got a good read on the other players. In the first game I had a good start, got doubled up when my two pair which I thought might be beat but wasn’t sure filled up on the river and my all in got called. This gave me some room to put on some pressure and increase my chip lead into the table up.

My new table was pretty wild and I hadn’t played with any of them before, so I slowed down and tried to pick up some tells or reads on how they play. This must have given me a tight image so when I raised I rarely got called and my continuation bets usually elicited a fold. I had a decent chip stack and when we moved to the final table I was sitting maybe 3rd or 4th in chips with several short stacks.

At the final table I had three really tough players and I didn’t get much to play with and was doing my best to bide my time as the short stacks got all in and all out. When we were down to four I was in the small blind with J7os not a great hand so I just limped. I had a very aggressive player to my left and I wanted to see a cheap flop with my rags and hope to catch. I did but it was mid pair with a K on the board. I think I was tired of giving up my blinds and I went ahead and pushed with it. His rageddy King took it. Fourth having been out of it for two months, not bad at all. I wasn’t very happy with my final table play though, if I had put in a raise and he came over the top I probably had enough chips to lay it down and wait for the next hand where I would be in position. It’s all about position.

The second game was a different mix of players. I don’t remember alot of specific hands but I was running good and early on I was putting in some big raises and getting called, seeing my hands hold up for the most part and had a nice stack. I had the player that took me out a couple of positions to my right and I was really trying to get a read on him. Between us we had a new player that we were both helping out, this is a blind etc … Beginners luck and she was a decent stack. I did get some flack from helping too much on a couple of hands where we had a player all in and the right thing with no side pot was to all check it down and get them out so we can all move up. I did suggest on one hand that if she was going to be she should bet a little more to put her opponent all in since it was only a bit more. He won but was annoyed so I quit helping. I had taken him out pretty early the first game and I think he was gunning for me which is cool I had a healthy stack and was running good.

I was dealing and had JTd the gunner raised about 3x the blind after it was folded to him, then folded to me. I had a drawing hand and put him on at least a pair or two big cards. He had been aggressive for aggressions sake the first game so I wondered … it was only a small portion of my stack and if I can hit I can get him all in. So I just called, started to deal and he throws his cards in … not how I wanted to win that hand but you need to pay attention. Sorry man.

Down to almost nothing he pushed. I had some small pair or connectors, something like that and caught. Final table.

We had mostly small stacks and just me and 1 other that had any chips. I may have even been the chip leader, it was pretty close, my kind of table. Those can be difficult though as it it is just push and pray and with a little luck you can double, triple etc up pretty quick. The other big stack had had a few too many and was dividing his chips out making big raises with rags. Patience, patience, I picked up AKos UTG or BB and he put in a big bet since I now had him covered I called hoping to hit. A KJ9 flop got him all in with AJos. A T7 on the turn and river and I was huge. I pretty much rode that to the win. What a night!

Having not played in two months I got enough point to make it in the top 80 ( it was 71 or 72) for the month but at least enough to get ion as an alt even if I don’t play again this month. Sweet! I haven’t had alot of luck in the monthly my best was 10th so it is back online and poker academy until then….

Posted: 06|26|06 at 12:16 pm. Filed under: Freebies, Poker.

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