OK – so I started this blog to keep track of the poker games I’m involved in, but I haven’t posted to it in almost 5 months. What a waste!! Totally not what I intended for this blog. I’m going to try and fix that and start putting up a quick post every time I play. Anyways – this last week I went over to Aliante Poker Room to check out the new tournaments they’re offering. Very cool tournaments in my opinion. The tournament I went to play is a $45 buy-in for 4500 in chips. For a $5 Staff appreciation add-on you get an additional 2000 chips for 6500 total. Plus, you can re-buy anytime in the first hour for $20 and get another $4000 in chips.
So I get over to Aliante Station, meet up with Kurt & Elena, only to find out we’re the only 3 signed up for the tournament!! Wow. I know they’ve just started up these tournaments, but I was hoping for more people to be there! By the time 7:00 got there, we only had 10 people signed up, but we decided to play anyway. I really try to support this poker room as much as I can – I’m hoping to see more and more people there.
As we start out, Jodi is dealing which always makes me nervous. The joke with Jodi is that she deals bad beats to everybody. Lately though, Jodi has actually been dealing some pretty decent hands to me. As we get going, I hit a few really good hands in a row. Ended up getting myself up to around 11,000 in chips in the first level (up from 6500 since I hadn’t re-bought yet).
I was feeling pretty good after level one, but I cooled off pretty quick. I tried making a couple of moves in a couple of different spots, but was constantly finding myself second best. During this first hour I think the table saw pocket aces get shown about 5 different times. It was crazy. One of the times I had pocket kings, but luckily the board scared the guy holding Aces from betting throughout the hand. Could have lost a lot on that hand. Of course if I hadn’t been too scared myself, I could have probably bet him off his hand.
By the time we got to the third level, I was back down to around the starting chip count. Then came the hand that pretty much ruined me for the rest of the tournament. Nick was dealing at this point and I looked down at AcKc. Blinds are 100/200 and I’ve got about 6000 in chips. I’m UTG and decide to raise to 600. Guy to my immediate left calls and everyone folds to the small blind who also calls. Big blind (Elena) folds and we go to the flop 3 way with 2000 in the pot. Monster flop of Qc10c8c hits giving me the nut flush and a royal flush draw. After the small blind checks, my first instinct is to slow play and check also, but I think the correct play is to actually bet out. With the pot at 2000, I decide to lead out with a bet of 1000. I’m just hoping to get someone to call. To my surprise, the guy to my left raises me up to 3000. Small blind folds and I look over at what the guy has left behind. He has another 1200 in chips so I raise him all in. He calls and flips over pocket 10’s, giving him a set against my monster. Turn comes 3h which is perfect for me. Then the river comes……….3d – giving him the full house and kicking my butt all over the place. Wow. All I could do was laugh. Only about 1200 in chips left but I still have the rebuy.
Anyways – I lasted a while longer, but ended up going out 7th. Really not a good showing, but I had a great time. Kurt went out 4th and Elena lasted until the final 3 where they decided to chop the prize since it was getting late. I’m really hoping to see a lot more people start to show up to these tournaments at Aliante Station. The buy-in is not too bad and the Aliante Poker room has the best staff anywhere. I love playing there. You should make it over ASAP!!