EWP - THIS CLOSE!

First of all...TOP ’O THE MORNIN’ TO YA!

Second, it’s been a while since I’ve posted a blog, so why not.

Finally had a decent day at EWP yesterday. It’s got to be the shirt. I’ve only worn my SWT Fightin’ Donkeys shirt 4 times playing poker. After yesterday it’s now 2 wins, and 2 seconds. Not sure why I don’t wear it more often.

Several Key hands:

1 - Good Laydown. Folded JJ against and all-in and a call, and it turned out to be AK vs QQ. AK ended up with a straight.

2 - Great Call. I was the small blind, and TAN to my left was the big blind. It folded around to Robert, who held the button. He raised to $1500 (blinds were 200/400). I thought, and called, figuring it was a position raise. TAN  called too, so 3 to the flop. Flop comes 2 5 8 rainbow. I check. TAN checks. Robert bets 1500. I re-raise to 5000 total. TAN calls. Robert folds. Turn is a K. I check. TAN checks. River is a Q. I check. TAN goes "All-In" for $5400 more. DAMN IT. I figured I was ahead after the flop, but I may have let him catch up on the turn or the river. I mean I have 66, and there are 3 overs. The turn brought a second diamond, so maybe he missed his flush draw. I thought for a while. A call would mean I’d only have about $5k left. I decide to call, and he says "Good call" and mucks his cards and walks away! WEEEEEEEEEE. He said he missed his flush draw. This hand gave me about $28k or so. It was right before the break, so I was almost double the starting stack by then.

3 - Bluff works. I look down at 3/4 off, and I’m the button. There are 5 limpers, so I limp in hoping to hit and take a big pot somehow. Flop comes A K 10. 1 player in late position takes a stab with a $1500 bet. There’s about $2400 in there. I re-raise it up to $5k all day, and everyone folds. I showed my 34 off and said "there’s my bluff for the day".

4 - 9’s are runnin’. Been dealt 99 several times today. I look down at 99 UTG with the blinds at 400/800 and raise it up to $2000. Garrett calls. Everyone else folds. Flop comes 2 5 8. I push all-in, and Garrett says "I have to call". We BOTH table 99! There was a runner-runner chance of him flushing it up with spades, but it bricks out and we chop it. We would both be dealt 99 several times after that hand as well.

5 - 99’s are STILL running. I look down at 99 again. We’re down to 12 I believe. I limp, and Grizz raises it up to $2000 if I recall (blinds still 400/800) so I call. Flop is 8 9 Q. Grizz bets $3k or so. I say "9’s are still runnin’...I’m all in". Grizz looks at me and laughs. I was really hoping he’d think I was bluffing. He thinks for a while and calls. I have $44k at the time, and he had almost $50k. He tables KQ. It bricks out for him, and I’m up to almost $100k.

6 - Unlucky Fold. We’re down to about 7 players I believe. I look down at A 10. I’ve been dealt this frickin’ hand 10+ times today, along with 99 probably 6 times. I limp in early position. Someone goes all-in (Short stack), and I plan on calling until Action Dan (Chip leader at the time) re-raises all-in. I fold, and get up to go get another drink. Dan shows 44 against I believe it was KQ or something. I don’t recall because my mind shut down after a flop of: A 10 10! I can’t frickin’ believe it. turn is a rag, and the river is another A. SON OF A BITCH. That would’ve been sweet, because I just know that Dan would’ve pushed after a flop if I would’ve checked. It took me a while to get over that one. I mucked a few in a row just to settle down.

7 - Almost won it here...It’s down to me and Action Dan heads up. He came into heads up play with a 2-1 chip lead. We decided to chop the 120/50 prize pool 90/80 and play out for the win, with Dan getting the $90. I figure it’s a deal for me. I guaranteed myself an extra $30, and still had the chance at a win. Sure enough, I was able totake the chip lead after about a half hour of play. I was now about a 3/2 chip leader, when I look down at A4. Dan’s been raising every pot, so this time he raises, and I push him all in. He just about folds, and then says "Oh well, let’s gamble" and flips over 6 9 off. I’VE GOT HIM! Not a huge favorite, but a favorite none the less. Damn it, he spikes a 9, and now he’s a dominant chip leader over me.

8 - It’s over. I look down at J 10 and push all-in with my last $40k. Dan’s got $250k+ so he calls and shows A4. I hit my 10 on the flop, but he rivers the A, and it’s over.

So close, yet so far. I did pick up some valuable info on Dan during that session, because I was able to get him to show a lot of his hands. I picked up a few betting patterns that will help in the future.

The shirt did it again though. That makes it 2 wins, and 2 seconds when I wear this shirt. I need to start wearing it more often.