Guinness and Poker Blogger Tourney

The first hand set the tone for the entire tournament, when I was dealt KJo in late position, called an EP raise, and was driven out of the pot on the turn, when a104I9 bet 400. If a104I9 ever reads this, or if anyone knows who this person is, ask them what they had, because I'm very curious. It was the first hand, I had top pair, but nobody wants to go out of this tournament on the first hand. That would warrant relentless ridiculing until the next blogger tourney. Thanks, but no thanks. As a result of my pansy nature, I was down to t1100 before our table had already filled up.

Shortly after this hand, our table filled with two people I'd rather not see; Hdouble, and Badblood. Fortunately, they were both on my right. Unfortunately, I had to ruin that edge I had over hdouble by reminding him that I was the one that crippled him in the Monty Memorial, when I held AK to his AQ. He was not pleased, and as a result, took it upon himself to exact revenge by raising me all in when I was in the BB. Every single time. You'd think this would've made me pissed, but this tournament was all about fun, so all I could do is laugh. Of course, I laughed even more when I outlasted him.

From the first hand, until I went out in 67th place, I was completely card dead. The highest pocket pair I saw were 4's, not exaclty something I can play aggressively with a raise and a reraise before me. I saw a few AQ's and AJ's, but nothing better. Even if I hit a flop with those hands and bet out, I got no action. That, my friends, is what we call respect. Don't argue, because that's what I'm going to believe even if you tell me that my opponents were trying to win with The Hammer.

On that topic, how many people did you count trying to play The Hammer? I counted 132. In that respect, this tournament was of the Bizarro variety. I'd gladly play with you shmucks every day, though, because it's a rootin'-tootin' barn burning good time.
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Party Poker Tournaments
I haven't played a party SNG for awhile, quite possibly before they started the 3-table tournaments, so I thought I'd fire one of those up today. In my first attempt, I took 2nd. Maldito Rio! Compared to Stars, though, the whole tournament process on Party seems to be so slow. It probably isn't any different, time-wise, but the levels just drag on. Also, chips mean so much more on Party, and a T500 swing is a huge deal until late in the tournament. If I have the time, I'll throw more money into these. I didn't like that, to find out the lobby for a particular tourney, you have to find the tourney number, and locate it on the main lobby screen. This is much more of a process than on Stars, where all you have to do is click the "view lobby" button in the bottom right corner of the tourney screen. Of course, I could just keep the lobby open when I register, but that just clutters up the bottom of my screen.

At the same time I was playing in a 3 tabler, I noticed that there was $5 multi-table tournament starting at about 4pm. Playing one of these tournaments is painfully slow, but two simultaneously, and it made me want to stab my ear with a q-tip. It was bad.

I'm not going to recount hand histories, because the first couple hours were nothing exciting. It was after the two and a half hour mark, when I had to start pushing, and ended up stealing 5 times in a row. I'd worked my stack up to a little under average, which was about T8000, hoping that all the pushing would make people start calling me with crap. After the 5th push, I picked up KK's on the button. A few people limped before me(UTG/UTG+1), and with the blinds at 300/600, a push here was a no brainer. Both blinds folded, UTG, who was about equal with me, paused a bit and finally called. Much to my surprise, UTG+1 also called. I was pleased to see UTG turn over 9's, and UTG+1 turn over AKs, thinking that I was going to triple up. I can understand UTG trying to make a move because he was shortstacked, but how can you call two all-ins with AKs when you're not shortstacked, and have no money invested? Obviously I'm not that much of a gamber. An ace hit the river, and I was knocked out in 200th place, feeling like I'd been punched in the gut. Ooof.

I can't ask for much more in a situation like that, but getting knocked out never gets easier, does it?