Theedouble*d Scores a Tourney Win at Northville Downs!

I will let him tell the story, since he did so entertainingly:

“First I played Thursday night in a $35 dollar qualifier for a Sunday Deep Stack tournament seat. They gave out six $200 seats and 7th place got $101. I managed to dodge the bubble and got the $101. I paid the $99 and bought the seat for Sunday. (- $134)

I then entered the Friday afternoon qualifier for $35. (- $169...This isn't sounding so good. I could of nearly just bought into this thing.) This was a much smaller tourney than the night one and they only gave out 1 $225 seat for Sunday and 2nd place got $196.

Again I ducked the bubble and scored the $196. What the heck...I already bought my seat right? (+$27 That's more like it...Now I have my seat for free and have some pocket change. At least I am back in the black.)

Sunday at 2:00pm came and I began to see cards for the real tourney. Wow! Were they bad! Not playing was just the best I could do. First break came and found me sitting a little below my initial 10K in chips.

I looked for my friend who is a much better player than I am, and he was gone. I had just looked over at him 5 minutes before break. Now his seat had no chips in front of it. Bummer. How can I hope to last if I can't get a card and even he can't get by the break monster? {Ed. Note: Only on-line has a break monster]

Cards flew again and they were just as bad. The new dealer was no help at all. I was able to knock a few small ones off and 2nd break found me around 11K and very frustrated. "Patience", I said. But I really just wanted to kill something. It was a very good thing this tourney had a high patience factor in the structure or I'd of been dead meat.

I thought for sure that another new dealer and this long into the game, I must surely catch some cards. I was wrong. Ten minutes from 3rd break and I had about 8K. Then came the magic. They replaced my dealer to give him a break early. My frustration had been mounting as the new guy sat down.

The first cards he dealt me were 22 and I was on the button. Now I had seen plenty of 2's but never together in the same hand. I had a guy in middle position throw a healthy raise out and I lost it. I AM NOT LAYING DOWN ANOTHER HAND!, I thought to myself. I justified my silliness by thinking, if he is on a steal and I raise he will let me have it. So I re-raised him. He was ticked. He went all in.

Did I mention that I was not gonna lay down another hand? I called. He had AJ of hearts. I thought I might lay that down if someone reraised me. Guess he was frustrated too. He had about $800 more chips than me and if he hit I was going home. Flop came Kh 9H 5c. GREAT! Now he had the flush draw to go with it. Turn and river hit air. My 22 held! I had chips! [Ed. Note: The essence of tourney poker – you have to win these coin flips!]

Next hand I catch As3s. Did I mention I have chips. I limp and the small blind bumps it up. Duh. I call. Flop comes A 3 J rainbow. Small blind with bigger stack than me goes all in. I announce that I have to call as I shove all my chips in again. His A Q can't catch up and I double again. Third break came and I was a force.

For the rest of the night I got nothing but love. Pocket pairs galore and strong aces. The last 3 dealers I had loved me as much as the first 3 had despised me. I hit nearly every time I went to flop. When I missed - I just laid down. No bluffing needed.

1st place promised $4,029. I was eyeing the prize. I went to final table as chip leader. 2 guys went out and then we were 8, We all pitched in $42 bucks for the guy going out on the bubble, ( -$15 I am back in the red again...LOL) so he could have his buy in back and then we were 7. 2 more guys went down and with 5 guys left some one suggested a chip count chop. I was holding 35% of the chips and was dominant leader. I said "How much will that give me?" When they said $3621, I said, "DO IT!" [twss]

We all know how precarious a position chip leader is at a final table. If I said no, I would of played for about $400 more dollars and stood to get $2500 for second. Can you say, "No brainer"?

Some tips for my 3 favorite dealers and I am out the door in the black with $3,546. Want to know what the first 3 dealers got? LOL”

Theedouble*d

Congratulations to the DD! Another NPP playyaaa! Twss.