Today, yesterday now, I had the opportunity to participate in an annual New Years Day tourney.This was the 6th annual and my third. Good times...good times! Started the day meeting up with my bro' Tripjax at a local bar...Wild Ace Pizza and Pub. Had a calzone and several "hazed and infused" drafts. Gooood stuff. Then finished it all off with two shots of Evan Williams Honey Reserve Bourbon, even better stuff. If you are ever in Greer, S.C. Wild Aces is a great spot to hang out. Great food and plenty of options of cold beverages.
Anyway, back to the purpose of the post. After looking back over my tourney play there are two hands that I will remember most. The first one is being dealt as the announcement that the next hand will be "the final table". At this point I have about 15k in chips and I'm the dealer. First to act goes all-in which is about half my stack and I am ready to call, until there is a snap call from the chip leader at the table. As the action folds to me I look down at AK. If I call I put my tournament life at risk. Win the hand I am the chip leader ,or close, going to the final table. Lose the hand and I go short stacked. I FOLD. I show my cards as I fold and get ribbed for it. I proceed to deal and the flop comes A9K...J..K! Wow, what I would do to have that hand back. Well, about 2 hours later and being 1 of 3 remaining in the tourney I am dealt that hand again, AK. Again I have about 15k but in the big blind this time. First to act folds and small blind put out a bet that put me close enough to all-in as you can get. This time, and it being only the second time I get AK in the whole tourney, I go all-in. Of course chip leader calls, by the way, same chip leader as earlier. This time I feel pretty good, look down to see AK suited vs. A 10 off. All goes well until the river, and I exit in third place to a 10. In hindsight I CALL hand 1 and fold hand 2. Do it all over again....I play both hands the same way I did.
Got NO complaints here though. Had a GREAT time! Couldn't ask for a better group of people to hang out and play cards with, and the hosts... they are AWESOME!!! Thanks for opening up your home to us. Cant wait to do it again. Gotta go for now, my bed is calling me...calling me a fool for not being in it. Good night to all and all the best in 2010! -chapel out-
