Weekend results

Saturday, we hosted the 1st Annual Big O Tournament of Champions. We had a few last minute cancellations so we were left with 14 of the 20 qualifying players for the tournament. Most players paid full amount to start with 40k in chips. (Avg to start was about 38K)

I was dealt AA first hand of the tournament, but didn't get any action. That was pretty much par for the course for the first couple of levels. The table was on the tighter side, so I was able to make plays at a lot of pots. However, when I did have a monster I rarely got paid off.

We lost our first player, Steve, early in the 2nd level (30 minute blinds). I didn't see the hand as he was at the other table, but it had something to do with another player calling all the way down and then his all-in on the river will a pair of 3's. Steve will probably have his hand and the exact details of the way the hand played out on his blog.

It would be another 6 levels before we would lose another player. Having deep stacks and longer blinds will do that. I was over average pretty much the first 10 levels. I never doubled my starting stack, but was always above average.

Right before we made it to the final table, I lost almost half of my stack with AsQc on a flop of Qs 9s 4s. I thought I was way ahead and ended up checkraising all-in on the turn only to find out I was up against Ks 5s. No spade on the river and for the first time in tournament, I was below average.

At the final table, I was probably 6th or 7th in chips (out of 10 players). I lost a large pot when I limped in MP with Jc Ts. The blinds were 2k/4k and I had about 53K in chips with average stack about 58K. Five players saw a flop of Js 6h 2h, both blinds checked and I bet 12K. One player (Justin) folded while another (Michael) went all-in for 33k more. It folded back to me and I went into the tank. Now with 77k in the pot, I was getting almost 2.5-1 to call. I ended up folding thinking I am only a slight favorite over a flush draw and a huge favorite to a bluff. If he had a set, bigger J or bigger J with a flush draw I was drawing very thin. Michael was nice enough to show me Kh Jh. (Side note, I should have never been in that pot to begin with, especially limping in)

From that point on, I was in push or fold mode. We lost a few players and I hung in there. I doubled up a few times, but with the blinds moving up, that didn't get me out of push/fold mode. I made it down to the final 4 and called off the rest of my chips with Ad 9d against Toby who had Qs Qc. He flopped a set and I flopped a flush draw, but the board paired on the turn I was done.

Shortly after that, Toby knocked out Justin and got heads up with Rocky. Rocky had started at my table and was down to the felt very early in the tournament. He made a great run to get heads up. Both were very even in chips, with Rocky having a slight lead. About 10 hands into heads up play, Rocky went all-in and Toby called with A2. Rocky had KQ and the A high held up and Toby became the 2005 Big O Tournament of Champions winner.

Toby won $100, the Pokerstars chipset, and the beloved Big O TOC I bracelet.










Rocky finished 2nd and won $60 and a Full Tilt hat.













Justin finished 3rd and won $37 and a Cardplayer subscription.










I finished 4th and won a Cardplayer subscription.











Tommy finished 5th and won a Full Tilt hat.










Henry finished 6th and won a Cardplayer subscription.










Anna finished 7th and won a Full Tilt t-shirt.












The tournament was long, a little over 6 hours, but I think it went well and was a lot of fun.

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On Sunday, I played more on Empire with the intent of blowing through the remaining money I had on there or running it up to $50 and cashing out (as that is the minimum you can cash out). I played a $11 SNG and lost and was down to $13 and went to the $50NL cash table. I played for about an hour and left the table with $52. I am now done with playing on Empire ! In the end I got Pokeroffice for free, but it took longer than I wanted as I hate playing on Empire.