Sunday, May 29, 2005

Who says Noble is bad?

I may be the only one who enjoys playing at Noble Poker. Yeah, there are some shortcomings at the site, but for a little player like me, it works out well. It is a nice aquarium with all kinds of fish swimming around. One thing I do not like at Noble are their tournaments. For the most part, they are all rebuys. I hate rebuy tournaments. So for some crazy reason I played a SnG for a ticket to the $10,000 guaranteed freezeout on Sunday afternoon. Don't know exactly why as I would be out watching the Indianapolis 500 at a bar drinking beer like they were closing the brewery tomorrow. Needless to say, I was primed up to play some drunen poker.

Nothing good happens for the first hour. I barely survive to the money. But for a $5 investment, I will come out at least with $100 when I finally make it to the money. Only 147 started and 20 made the money. I was happy to just limp off the bubble and cash in. This is where the action starts.

Catch A J on the cutoff. With blinds 750/1500, I raise to 5k. SB bumps it up to 10k. Hmm...BB folds. I push all in. I am thinking he has a weak ace at best. He takes some time and folds. WTF? He had great odds to call. I can't believe he thought I would fold the hand when I popped in 60% of my chips.

Soon I would catch K Q in the big blind. It folds around to the small blind and I am waiting for him to steal. He raises it the min and I quickly call to show I have something. The flop come A K 6. He bets 4k. I push confident this pot is mine. He folds. I then knock a small stack out on the next hand with Q J. A push on him with his Q 7. Not bad. But I get greedy with my 3 3 on the next hand and push on another small stack. He has A 6 and hits the A on the river. Doesn't matter as he probably would have pushed anyways.

I am sitting with 25k and 138 left-hey, I have been drinking and I lost track of time. Now I am sitting at the final table and watching the monkeys push in left and right (more on that later). Looks like I have at least $400 if I bust out now. I am sitting in 4th. Unfortunately the tournament leader is on my left with 90k.

I give a min raise UTG with A 9 cuz the table is tight. The BB is on the short stack and I call his 1k raise. His K 3 is not up to the task and he is gone. I take out another when I raise it up with K 10 to 10k (blinds are now 1500/3000). SB pushes all in for 18k total. I have the odds to call and do. He shows 9 9. A 10 on the flop seals the deal for me. Now there are 4 of us.

I chip up on 3 3. I raise it to 10k. SB, the new leader, calls me. Flop comes A 2 5. He checks and folds on my push. Next hand I get A 9 and re-raise a small stack. He folds and I am barely the new leader.

That was short lived as 3 3 didn't pay off this time around losing to A J suited. J on the flop did the trick. Next hand I push with 8 8. A little tiltish but it worked. Stacks are pretty even and I once again have a small lead on this table of 4.

Blinds move to 2k/4k. That 3 3 come again. I raise it to 12k and they all fold. This is pretty much what is happening. Trading blinds back and forth, with no one getting an edge. Then in a quick move, A Q loses to K Q with a K on the flop. A Q is pissed but he is out. Next, the Hilton Sistes pay a visit to me. I smooth call it. The BB pushes with A 6 and gets no help. I am now heads up playing for 3k.

Early on, I fold a pair of Js with an A on the board. I get pushed around for a bit and then overplay 7 7 by pushing preflop. I may have been better served trying to play it out a bit. Because I then play rather crappily for a bit, getting pushed around. Nothing is working for me. Every time I raise, I catch nothing on the flop. When I do, such as an 8 6 limp that flops me two pair, he folds to my little bet.

Soon I would go out when I over play my pair of 5s. I push when a 10 hits the turn. He thinks and calls with J 10. I am done, finishing in 2nd. But I collect 2 large for my efforts. Yes, $2000 for finishing second. Whoooooooooo!!!!!!! Not bad for a $5 buy in.

I think I should be checking about playing in Event #2 at the WSOP. Feels like a freeroll right now.

5 comments:

The Bracelet said...

Damn fine job, my man.

See you IN the WSOP???

Irritable Male Syndrome said...

Congrats!

First beer is on you! =)

April said...

Awesome!

Easycure said...

We need more bloggers in the tourney. Join us.

Joe Speaker said...

Very nice. Congrats.

Glad to know Noble doesn't suck for at least one person!