Bodoggy

Played quite a bit of poker on Saturday. Mainly freerolls, but also a nice overlay at Bodog for only $8. It was a $7500 guarantee. When I first saw it, only 200 were registered with 20 minutes to go. Heck, this is the reason why I opened an account at Bodog. I had to play this one. 336 start. Top 36 will get paid with first place a nice $1875.

I make it to the final table which means I am catching a nice return on my investment. At least $127. Whoo hoo!
Chip up nicely with the Hiltons. I raise it up from UTG. Loose guy in the middle pushes all in with 8 8. I don't mind as his chips come my way.

6 6 gets me a bit more with a raggy flop. 9 9 gets me some blinds. Table is on the tight side right now. I try to steal some blinds with any ace but one guy finally cracks back. With 7 left, I am sitting at 3rd with 46k. Tournament leader has 142k, second at 60k. It is anyones game at this point. The tourney leader is the only one I am concerned about. I played with him at an earlier table and he knew what he was doing. That would help me later on.

In the big blind I have K Q. Any little raise I will call. TL jacks it up from UTG. I know he has me beat. He shows A Q. He shows all his hands which has been great. Next hand, I have A J in the small blind and call the loose guy who pushed. His K 10 gets nowhere while I fill a wheel. I am now at 67k with only 5 of us left. That means at least $450 for me.

I try to knock a guy out on my left who is short stacked but can't fill the open ended straight. Damn. I get those chips back with a pair of 3s. I play a A 8 suited aggressively but get called by the short stack with A 9 suited. Two hearts hit the board- good for me- but his 9 is out there. No hearts come but an 8 hits the river to rub it in. He moves ahead of me. Shit.

Next I get 8 8 in the SB and raise it up. He pushes. Having played with him at a couple others tables, I am comfortable knowing he has just high cards. Sure enough, K 10 and I double up. I then give it back to him with 9 9 against his A K. K on the flop does it.

I am sitting at the bottom now with 54k. The two knuckleheads at the table just won't lose. They keep catching cards just as they are about to go out. With blinds at 6000/12000, there is little room to move about for me.

Then they come. 10 10 in the small blind. The tourney leaded raises to 35k. I have to push. He thinks and calls showing A J off. No help and suddenly I am in the lead with 133k.

We finally get to 4 when two good players battle. One is short stacked and in the BB. Q J takes down A 6 with a rivered Q. This puts me at $600, my highest won dollar amount in a tourney.

I would really give up my lead defending blinds, trying to steal others. Messy. Had to buckle down and play some good poker. I get A J suited on the button. Knucklehead raises. I push all in. He shows K 10. People are loving their K 10 today. I move back into contention.

I knock out the pain in the arse on my left with A 9 hearts. He pushed with K Q off. 9 on the flop was all I needed. Up to winning $800!!! Sitting at 189k and in the lead as well.

The only player I was concerned about begins to beat us both silly. Aggressive raises and re-raises, we can't do anything to stop him. He is also catching some damn good hands. However, he just can't knock either of us out. I push back on a A 4 but run into A K. 4 on the flop gives me a double up though. I give it back with A 7 against A J. Damn.

I think I am going to hit 2nd when the others do battle. A 3 goes up against A K. He hits his 3 on the flop but the K comes on the river. So close.

Well, this story doesn't end on a high note. I was done in 3rd. With A 10 I raised it all in. Ran into the Hilton Sisters. Flop comes good K J 10, so there is some hope that his set gets me a straight. But it doesn't come along and I am done. Win $832.49 to be exact. My best so far. Can't complain about that $8 investment.

Hopefully this is an omen for my Vegas trip. Less than a week out now. Can't wait to meet some good people and play poker.