Silver City 09/09/06

Monday night at Big Johnsons I was told about this poker league they have at Silver City sponsored by 102.1 the Edge radio station. It works like this, they play 5 tables of 10 and the winner of the table moves on to the final tourney. There are 6 weeks to a "season" so the final tourney will consist of 30 players. First prize of the final is a trip for 2 to Vegas, hotel and a $1500 buy in to a WSOP event. This is week 5 so I had two chances to make it to the final. The blind structure is very quick and you only start out with T1000 in chips so I figured due to my style of play, I won't last very long. First hand I get AQo and limp under the gun, eventually someone raises to T400 and I fold preflop. Later on the button I get A9s and call a 2x the blind raise. Flop is K64 two spades and my opponent bets half the pot and I call. Turn and river are blanks which we both check. I figure he paired something, but he had A7o and I take down the pot. My cards are doing well for me, I get AKs UTG and raise, get one caller, the board misses me completely, I bet again and my opponent folds. I end up winning every showdown that I was involved in and make my way to 3 handed. I am in the small blind, button calls, I decide to call with 94s and big blind checks. Flop is 994 and I check, unfortunately everyone checks around. Turn is a 5 and I check again, but this time the button moves all in. I see big blind wanting to call so I mess with my chips and call. BB thinks for a minute and says "If it was any card other than a 5 I would have called". Button turns over A6o??? and I take him to the felt. Heads up lasts for awhile and we are swapping our chips back and forth. It gets difficult because there are T10,000 chips in play and the blinds are 500-1000 soon to go up to 1000-2000 with a 500 ante!!! That would mean HALF the chips in play would be on the table each hand. In the small blind I get AKo and push all in and am immediately called with 33. Get my K on the turn but end up with 4 clubs and his 3 of clubs gives him the flush. Two hands later I raise and he pushes all in, I call with A4 and he turns up 44. I hope for my 3 outer and catch it on the turn and I win my table.

Now only 29 people stand between me and a trip to Vegas and a $1500 buy in to the WSOP.