5 of 6 final tables...finally a win/tournament etiquette.

The SFBA Poker Meetup game last night, I went in with a heavy heart and the effects of a lousy week. Michele had a horrible car accident last week that thankfully only left her bruised and sore. Considering the condition of her car, she is lucky to be alive. I canceled a few games and just took my mind off playing for awhile. So coming into last night's game I was just happy to be playing and knowing my sweetheart was doing well.

Anyway on to the game...it was a $25 buy-in with 1 re-buy. I am proud to say I did not have to choose that option. The game had 27 players--three tables of 9 players each. I started at a great table. I had B (young and impressionable) to my right, R solid player (extremely hot), A (Maniac), J (Also a little bit of a maniac), and Z (Solid-Kid Poker)

I was being very tight and aggressive early on and would only raise and not call when in a hand. If I ever did call it was because I was in a blind and had a decent starting hand. Out of position I would've folded unless I had a premium hand.

I go over the key hands later.

Table/Tourney Etiquette:
So K comes to the table and I think it may very well be the first hand he's involved in after the table change. K makes a raise, Y goes all in, B calls and then K calls. So the flop comes and K checks with the intent of checking it all the way down until the end as tournament etiquette governs. B goes all in after the flop and K is less than happy. After the hand Y ends up winning the hand and he is tripled up. So K proceeds to rag on B... all while B is clueless to what he did "wrong". In reality, B didn't really do anything incorrect, but he didn't understand that what he did was lessen the odds of knocking Y out. B repeats this breach of etiquette again later...I will explain in the Key Hands section.

All in all I agree with K but B is young and is kind of inexperienced. He takes forever to act, is always missing his deal or shuffle thanks to him counting chips...like he doesn't know what to do when he actually wins them. A large stack seems like a new phenomenon to him. lol...The arguing continues as K tells B to read a book, and they take verbal jabs at each other for the next few hands.

Anyway , I was relieved to be moved to another table soon after that exchange.

Key Hands:

Hand #1 (early in tourney):
In BB I have 5-4 off. There's 2 limpers and I check. Flop comes K-8-4. Checks to me I bet the pot. I get 2 calls. The turn is another 4. I bet 1/2 the pot. Andre folds his likely A-x and Jason calls with what I assume is the same. River comes another King. I check and J bets another pot-sized bet so I call and he shows a busted flush and I show my boat. He goes a little tilty as I take down a monster pot.

Hand#2 (Final 2 tables--18 players):
I am in 2nd to last position and I get pocket nines. I raise and last button folds the SB (Brian) calls my raise. Everyone goes away. So it's heads up with Super-Agressive B. I watch him and not the board when the flop comes 8-Q-K...I see a flinch of fear. I put him on low pair. I bet the pot he raises. I call. We check the Turn another King. After the river a 6 or something. I am a little apprehensive after Br bets 4K about 1/2 the pot. I call and he says good call. He shows me pocket fours. I take down a huge pot. He is extremely quiet and I think really pissed. I read him perfectly. He's a very good player and very aggressive so I am feeling great about my read and my call...My table image was so dialed in.

Hand #3 (Final Table)
We're down to the final 6. Bubble time. G is short stacked and in the SB. All fold to him and he goes all in. I have him covered by about 5K. I call with pocket eights, he has A-J. Flop, turn and river do not bring him either..I actually get another eight for trips. And G is the "bubble-boy".

Hand #4 (Final 4 players--chip stacks in order: B, L, Me, S)
On the button, S goes all-in. I have pocket eights again so I call. B calls. I say "I check dark"...B has a blank stare. Flop comes 4-9-J, I check, brad checks. Turn is an eight,....giving me trips. Because of etiquette I check. B checks. The river is a 10. I checl and Brad bets $5000. I say I have to call and he shows me a Q to make his straight. Oh well so much for etiquette. I think B's donkey ways he would've called any bet on the turn anyway so I figure i might have saved a little.

Hand #5 (Final 3 players--B, Me, L)
I go all-in with J-7 off. Brad calls with A-6 suited. Flop brings me a Jack and it holds up so I double through B again.

Hand #6 (Final 3 players--B, Me, L)
I am in SB. L, on the button goes all-in, I call with pocket Kings. B surprisingly folds and Luke shows Q-5 suited. My cowboys hold up and it's heads up time.

Hand #7 (1st heads up hand)
B has me covered about 4 to 1 in chips and I get pocket sevens on the button. I go all-in he calls with 10-4 off. I get another 7 on the flop and he is drawing dead. I double up. The tide is turning.

Hand #8 (Final hand)
After I win a few more hands I now have B covered. On the Button I have A-7. I go all-in. B calls with 6-7 suited. The flop comes 3-6-7...oops I lost right? Well no,... running Queens give me the better 2 pair with my Ace kicker. Counterfeit time!!! I win. B is inconsolable.

More later.