ArcticBlast1 Wins NPP #10

Ten players made it to the table in spite of two regulars I knew would not make it; Aqualung and Tigercub.

10 min: We started on two tables and all the fireworks were on the other one! Sev4TSev, McGuiness (9th) and Boother (10th) went all-in, and the Airplane had the biggest full house.

Welcome to the final table.

32 min: Sev4TSev was on a mission. Duder (8th) goes all-in with AA after a harmless looking flop of [639], but Sev4TSev has pocket (33).

37 min: Soon after Rownder’s (7th) (99) runs into Sev4TSev’s (JJ). He is destroying the field all by himself!

45 min: The onslaught continues as Sev4TSev goes all-in on a flop of [TJ8]. Beerhog (6th) thinks for a very long time and decides his (AA) is good and calls. De Plane shows his (Q9) for a flopped straight! What is going on here? The man has 5 scalps on his belt already!

51 min: A late arrival to the game and short-stacked Nahanni (5th) takes a stand and runs into Matchy’s trip kings.

55 min: A still short-stacked Matchy (4th) makes his stand with a flush draw, but it doesn’t get there and ArticBlast’s pair close out the Match Game.

Break:
Sev4TSev 7650
ArticBlast 5210
Mikeniks-Faldo 2140

Now my run of cards begins! I take the chip lead about ten minutes into the second session and look like I might just steamroll thru.

80 min: The now shorter stacked, but not short stacked Sev4TSev (3rd) has hit a dry run of tickets and makes his stand with probably the only hand he has seen since the break (TT). But I am holding (QQ) and the early dragon is slain.

Heads up, I have a 9000 to 6000 lead and build it slowly. This is going to be a 40 minute heads up battle. Not my strong suit.

90 min: I get my waterloo moment as I have to try and end the match. I have (Ah Th) with a flop of [4h 5c 7h] and decide that it missed ArticBlast. I make the massive raise and get re-raised all-in. Another great read by me (my trademark – not!). I feel I am pot committed. Besides, if he is taking a stab at the flush, he is in a bad way. If he has a pair, I have over-cards. If he has the straight, I still got outs. He has (74) for two pair and my flush doesn’t get there.

That got us close to even, but I still have a slight lead. But that is about to change.

94 min: I get a piece of the flop with (Q7) and a flop of [7A8]. We bet and call. A [Q] on the turn and I think I got him. How much do I bet here? He could have a straight draw or A-rag and kill me with a river pair. I really think I have him beat at this point.

I make a good size bet hoping for the fold, but will call an all-in. He calls.

The river of an [A] was not the card I wanted to see at all. I check and Artic moves all-in.

Maybe my reading ability improved from 4 minutes ago because I know he has an (A). I will still have 3000 chips left after this fold and can fight on – so I do. I tell Arctic I had Q7 and he graciously shows his (AK)! Nice hand and a good play all the way around.

I went from leading 11-4 to losing 12-3 in 4 minutes! I hate this game!

What time are we playing Saturday? 7pm at Matchy’s. I’m in!

110 min: I hit a flush to get back to close to even, but lose a couple must calls and fall back to a 11 – 4 dog again.

120 min: I (2nd) go all-in with (Jd Td) and Artic calls with (Js 6s) and hits the spade flush to end it. Congratulations ArticBlast on his first win of this year – and I guess his first full win. He was already in the Walk of Fame from a split – tourney win with DavetheDog last year, however. But this will move him up the ladder.

1st – ArcticBlast 12 pts
2nd – Mikeniks-Faldo 43 pts
3rd – Sev4TSev 34 pts
4th – Matchy 23 pts
5th – Nahanni 13 pts
6th – Beerhog 26 pts
7th – Rownder 18 pts
8th – Duder 16 pts
9th – McGuiness 18 pts
10th – Boother 10 pts
Aqualung 34 pts
Tigercub 13 pts