MR NOVEMBER

Today was interesting. I didn't have a movie to watch so I figured I would play some cash games. What I wound up doing was playing a handful of low buy-in satellites and a HORSE event. I joined a freeroll based on my Silver Star status at PokerStars. There were just under 500 runners and the top 150 got entry into another freeroll this Saturday for Platinum Star players. In that event there will be 300 entries available for the freerole final in which WPT seats are available. Why not? It was actually a very exciting finish for me because it was a turbo and I was getting drained by inactivity. It finally got to where I couldn't survive the next round of blinds so I began stalling every time it was my turn to act. With 155 players remaining, it went hand-for-hand so the stall card was taken away. I folded in first position and with $750 in chips and blinds at 300/600 I was looking at bubbling out if I didn't win one of my blind hands. Just then the tourney ended and I got my prize. Whew. I guess it was even worse for five other players.

Next I played an $8 Rebuy for a shot at a EPT Monte Carlo qualifier. After rebuys, I was $40 invested and there were three tickets available. I got to the final table and assured myself I would not be Reckless Dude and that I would get the ticket. The ticket was worth $800 and fourth place paid $24 and fifth paid $20, a drastic falloff which wouldn't even cover my expense. I was amusing myself by chanting "this is my destiny" like the woman who was runner-up at the Ladies Night event last week on the World Poker Tour. In the past I have shouted "vindication!" and "I can dodge bullets, baby!" at my computer for my own amusement and I am happy to add this new mantra to my repetoire.

So get this, three times at the FT, I was at risk and after reminding the gods that "this is my destiny," look at what happened:
I got all-in with J9s against a smaller stack who had A9. I flopped a jack. There were even three clubs on the flop and I avoided his flush draw. Then I played a hand with 77 v 55 and he flopped a set. I checked the turn and called the river and lost a ton of money but didn't go broke. I don't think I used the line on that hand. So then I was on the short stack and blinds were huge so I pushed all in from the button with T7. I said to myself "if anybody calls, I'm in bad shape." Of course the small blind had QQ. I stood up and shouted "this is my destiny!" and flopped a ten. The river was a seven and destiny was fulfilled.

Down to four players, I got all in against that same player with 99 against his AK. If I lost, I would still be in but I would be crippled. It's a race and this is my destiny. Ouch, the flop is K87. Turn ten. River jack. This is my destiny, baby! Boy, it must have sucked to be that guy.

I was feeling good so I invested $75 in a one-table PLO game. I am horrible at that game but the winner got two nice tickets and I thought I might get lucky. Two players busted on the first hand. I outlasted one other guy but then I got over committed with a marginal hand and I was gone. Not my destiny.

The other MTT I played was a $22 HORSE event. I have been playing some good HORSE lately, especially Razz. I got heads-up with a nice fellow with a miniscule bankroll. We were nearly dead even in chips and I talked him into chopping with me. I was still at the final table of the rebuy event and I just didn't want to play HORSE heads up at the same time. He was amenable and he sat out so that I could win and send him $54. We each cashed $233.50.