Another long Live-Tourney report
 

I had just started to walk through the doors that led to my local casino's poker room, when I ran into a friend of mine who was just leaving. In talking, he mentioned that they were not having a tournament that night, and that the single 10/20 game was full (and no one was leaving for a while). The casino is an hour drive for this guy, so I told him I had heard about a local bar that held a tourney every Tuesday night. I knew nothing more about the tourney, but we decided to run down there and see what was happening.

We pulled up to the bar at 19:00, and inquired about the tourney. It started at 19:30, and was a $20 buy-in (for T-500), no rebuy event. The bar did not take any rake, so the entire entry fee would be paid out.

Hmmmmm. Sounds pretty good to me.

A quick count found 62 people total in the bar. My friend and I scanned the faces, and could not recognize a single customer from the boat! we were smacking our lips to get into this tourney.

Let me try to describe the scene:
There are five "poker tables" set up in the room. Each poker table consists of 2 3'x3' square-top tables pulled together and covered with a sheet. 10 folding metal chairs surround each table. Half of the people in the bar look like they have been here all day, celebrating the upcoming tourney. There is a table off to the side holding (presumably) 48 Solo cups. Inside each Solo cup is T-500. On the bottom of the Solo cup is a number (1-5).

The TD gets up on the stage. He announces that there are 48 entrants. He gives a general break-down of the rules, points out each table number, and instructs everyone to get a cup of chips from the table. The number on the bottom of the cup is your table number...pick your own seat (Don't bother looking for a chair with padding...the returning players have them already). He also gave the payout structure:

1st = $384
2nd = $291
3rd = $192
4th = $93

48 Entrants, The tourney structure

Blinds start at 5-10 NL. Levels are 30 minutes. Blinds escalate as follows: 5-10, 10-20, 25-50, 50-100, 100-200, 200-400, 300-600, 400-800, 500-1000, 600-1200, 700-1400, Etc...

My first table, I have 1 really drunk guy who raises every hand. He bought a few pots, then showed down 9-2s for a pair of 9's (and won!). The drunk guy has no idea what he's doing, but he's having fun and building a chip stack. I played 1 notable hand here:

Hero - UTG (T-1600)
MP2 (T-250)
CO (T-700)
Drunk Guy - Button (T-3000)

Blinds are 50-100. I am dealt A-Ko. I Raise to T-300, MP2 calls all-in, CO & Button both come along. Flop comes down J-x-x r. I lead out for T-500. Folded to Button (Drunk Guy), who calls. Turn comes rag. I push my remaining T-800. Button calls, shows 3-5o (No pair, no draw) and says..."See...I'm not scared. I got BALLS!" All-in guy shows Q-Jo for top pair, the rest of the pot is mine (Nut Nuthin).


Combining tables...20 Left

I finished off Drunk Guy when I made a set, and that left us 20 people at 3 tables. My table High-Carded for the move-to tables.

Blinds still 50-100, I have T-4500 and pick up As 9s on my first hand at the new table. I open for T-300 from MP1 (hoping to pick up the blinds), and get called in 4 places! I made some comment like "Gee, I just wanted the 150 out there." Flop comes 9h 2s 4s. I lead out T-1500 and pick up the pot. I showed Top pair with a flush draw.

Blinds 200-400

I go through the blinds and then pick up A-A on the button. 5 limpers to me (T-4500), I push. I get called by UTG (T-1800) who shows Q-Q. No help for him, and he's gone.

No more memorable hands, but we eventually combine to the final table

Final Table

We get down to 5 players left. My buddy is still in, and he's the BB. I'm the short stack with (T-3500). My buddy has T-5000. Blinds are 300-600. I open from UTG+1 for all of my chips. Folded to BB. He says "I know you. I know I should call you here." He thinks a while and calls. He shows K-Qo, I show T-Jo. Flop comes K-Q-x. Turn is x. River is 9! My buddy is showing signs of distress! LOL!

Heads-up, Final Hand

We had been playing heads-up for about 8 or 9 hands. Very aggressive on both sides. I had T-11000 before posting the T-500 SB. Opponent had T-13000 before posting the T-1000 BB. I raise all-in with K-9o. He calls with J-9o. I said with a smile: "You're dominated."

Flop comes J-x-x. Turn and river are blanks. Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee I lose.

All-in-all, this was a great tourney.

--Casey