It was a smaller, but no less enthusiastic than usual crowd of 15 players who gathered around two tables to enjoy the fairly sadistic game known as Omaha Hi-Low Eight or Better. (Also known as Omaha/8).
This tournament director has to admit, his fixed limit structure was the most perfect of his career - with the evening drawing to an excellent close at just before 1130pm, four and a half hours - just right!
The first to fall, just after the break, was Tony G., only 1 of 3 remaining Pepper St. players who still have perfect attendance in 2009. Barbara N. and Marc F. are the other two.
Players busted quickly thereafter, and a final table was drawn by 10pm.
Yours truly bubbled out in fifth place.
The prize pool was $450 of which Dave G. collected $54 for finishing fourth.
Incidentally, on his final hand Dave G. had mucked his cards and conceded the pot before realizing that he had a high straight and the pot should have been split. The other players were amicable to a long and difficult reconstruction of the pot, but Dave G. graciously (and correctly) relinquished the hand, having mucked his cards and released the chips. It is a house rule - once cards are mucked, they are dead. (The TD can intervene and reconstruct only in rare circumstances).
It was awhile longer then before the third place finisher, Dog, collected his $81 prize.
But truth be told, Bobby B. had enjoyed what is known as a prohibitive chip lead for the entire final table, and even more so in the final three and heads up. His timing was perfect all night, as he managed to get his chips in good most of the time, and even when he didn't he only sustained small losses.
In the end it was just too much for Gabor V. to overcome. After declining a chop, he ran his broadway straight into Bobby B.'s flopped boat and that was the end. Gabor pocketed $112 while Bobby B. took home $202 and the trophy!
Next month, Saturday, August 22 at 7pm - back to No Limit Texas Hold-Em! We're going to try something a bit different - $30 entry, NO rebuys or add-ons. Hopefully no one will bust before the break - but if there is room I will do everything I can to have a cash game table set up for early bust outs who still want a poker fix.
Thanks to everyone for coming out, and I'm glad more and more of you are paying attention!
