ATLARGE 2001 - Trip Report Part 2 - Chris

I went all in several times and caught the card I needed to stay alive on the river.

At an earlier table - I went all in with a high pair. As was my practice durin the tournament I would turn over my hole cards after going all in and encourage my opponent to do the same so the audience could enjoy the excitement as they cheered on my demise. I went all in in fifth street and said to three hearts showing "if you really have the flush - you have me beat". He had made the flush in five cards - I had almost no prayer - until I hit a club on sixth street and heard the audience say, "well you could pull another club - and yours would be higher." The river card was dealt down, I peeled the card back to see and saw a black jack, then the lovely club I needed just below the "J", and everyone groaned as I turned it over to save my ass for another fight. Such as the second to final table...

I sat with 4, 5, 6 of clubs - a straight flush draw with LIVE flush and straight cards. It was around the $300 - $600 level and I needed to start stealing some antes. I hadn't been real agressive stealing the antes, so I was hoping the only decent upcard behind me left to act, an ACE, would let me go without a fight. I was almost sure the forced bet would fold. I brought it in for $300.00 - He raises - I call and we have I guess about $2K in the pot. Fourth street comes with bricks for both. My opponent bets $300 and I call - I need this hand. Boom I get a 7 on fifth street giving me 8 outs, but no club. I was thinking flush the whole time, but I had only backdoor potential now for that. The bet is doubled on 6th Street - he bets $600.00 and I raise all in, he calls of course. At this point people realize I could be dead here and a few onlookers grow closer as I turn up my whole cards. "Ace's Up I hear them say", a phrase I learned to love and loath in AC, I heard them say about his hand. We are dealt another card face down - he turns over his - nothing - he has aces up. TK, the tournament director looks on and says about me, "he needs a three or an eight - three or eight." I am afraid to look - I really had had hopes of making it to the final table by this time, I slammed the card up and everyone, except Kevin, was groaning again when I pulled the 8...

Dennis and I made it - I went to his table and was relieved to finally be in the money. We didn't do too bad for two guys that had never been in a 7 HI only tournament before. I pointed out to Dennis that at least one of us would be at least 7th. I did the best I could going almost in with J 6 J and a single ace raised to put me almost all in. I had him beat, as he had no pair, but he pulled what he needed and knocked be down to about $100 bucks. That put me all in for the next hand and I was given about another grand to fight with. With antes at $200 and a forced bet of $300 I couldn't last long. I chose to go all in with J high and got TWO callers. One was our own Dennis who needed almost nothing to beat me and did. I finish 6th and Dennis was one card away from 2nd Place, and finished third - someone drew to two pair to beat his three kings with a full house. I was knocked out of the Tournament by good old Dennis, but at least I had had crap cards.

UNLIKE THE TIME I HELD "AA". I was in no limit hold'em with Kevin at the table. I am down to about $350 and it is early in the tournament, but the blinds were about to increase, I was thinking I needed to make some money. Of the 169 different starting hands I was lucky enough to get what I wanted - AA. No one is in the pot yet - the blinds were $10 -$15 I think. I bet $75 trying to get it to one other player - or get the blinds as a secondary goal. Kevin calls me and I felt a little bad, as I wouldn't want to knock him out of the tournament - especially that early. The flop comes Q 7 suited plus another card. I bet $75 again. Kevin raises me - I end up going all in at the flop. I figure Kevin might have the AX suited he would need for a flush draw. Maybe he had AQ which is a raising hand in limit hold'em on that flop. Boy am I wrong as Kevin turns over his crappy 77 hole cards that were a 7 1/2 to 1 dog to make trips. I finish like 78th out of 86 and my dreams are dashed to be voted best overall player.

The odds were about 1800 to 1 that I would be knocked out by the two people I rode with.

But hey, that is why it is called gambling.