NPP#1 for 2008 – Aqualung Wins

The kickoff to the 2008 season was a success (nine players) and a failure (not one new face). But with the new format – there is always hope.

10 minutes: (I didn’t get the hand - sorry) Beerhog put a hurt on Farrell early to take the chip lead.

21 min: I (Faldo) got a short-stacked Nahanni (9th) all-in with her (AJ) against my (T9) with a [9] on the flop. No help came – and the lady responsible for our great statistics sheet to keep the standings update easily – was the first victim of 2008.

33 minutes: The short-stacked Farrell (8th) makes a stand with (KJ) and runs right into Aqua’s (AQ), with a [Q] on the flop and the river no less.

43 min: A short stacked Rownder (7th) goes all in with (A8) and an [A] on the flop. But I am holding (AT) and one of our 2007 co-champs is out.

52 min: Beerhog (6th) decides to chip up or go out right before the break and comes at the current chip leader, me, with (AJ). I have (AQs) and decide to gamble with him and I win.

55 min: What can go wrong before the break? I have a nice chip lead and I my better hands are holding up. Isn’t everything just peachy? Uh, no – not for long.

Boother and I hook up in a BB vs Button special. It folds around to me and I raise to steal the blinds. Boother decides to call. The flop is [KQ5]. Boother checks and I throw a small raise in, hoping for a fold, but he calls. Darn, he must have some of that flop.

The turn is another [5]. Let me check my hole cards again. Yep, the (6h 5h) is smiling back at me (or thinking back - laughing at me?). Anyway, I got to value bet here and do, and Boother calls again! Hmmm. Did he hit two pair on the flop or is he pressing a straight draw?

No matter. The river is a beautiful [6]. I runner-runner a full house. Only three hands can beat me and I have a chance to get a dangerous player out before the break. I go all-in and Boother calls with (KK).

Ok, I over-bet at the end and my read was wrong as usual, but that is just cruel to runner-runner a big loser. But that’s poker (and poor play) and my original read of things being peachy was wrong too!

The break:
Boother 4330
Matchy 4050
Aqualung 2330
Mikeniks (Faldo) 1850
Sev4TSev 1040

68 min: Sev4TSev (5th) goes all-in with (KQ) and runs into Matchy’s (77) and no help arrives.

72 thru 78 min: A nice battle ensues between Boother and Aqualung. They trade the chip lead as first Aqua wins it with (66) and then Boother wins it back with…you guessed it (66).

But Aqualung finally holds to the chip lead as his (A9) defeats Boother’s (Q9) when a flop comes [239].

80 min: Matchy gets crippled as his (99) got hit with a [J] on the flop when Boother went all-in holding (AJ).

82 min: I (Faldo) have re-built my stack and try unsuccessfully to eliminate the short-stacked Matchy a couple of times - for much needed ammo. For example, his (97) survived my (AJ) by hitting a [9] on the river.

85 min: It just was not going to be my night as I (4th) am eliminated as I get all-in – hitting two pair on the turn, but Boother already had hit trips on the flop.

90 min: Aqualung has a huge chip lead at this point, but things get a little closer to as his two pair on the flop get run down by Boother’s all-in with (AT), hit the straight on the river. We could have a ball-game now.

But instead it ends quickly with a rare three-way all-in!
Matchy (AA)
Boother (KQ)
Aqualung (A6)

The shortest stack has the best hand, the middle guy has the most outs and the chip leader is dominated. But folks, this is Poker Stars.

Flop [66J] and blanks of [8] [4] follow. Congratulations Aqualung!

1st – Aqualung
2nd – Boother
3rd – Matchy
4th – Mikeniks (Faldo)
5th – Sev4TSev
6th – Beerhog
7th – Rownder
8th – Farrell
9th - Nahanni