As usually happens in the summer, people are busy and have plans that don't include their monthly poker game; so it was only 14 players that sat down for a return to No Limit Texas Hold-Em.
This was the first ever freeze-out at Pepper Street, meaning the first tournament with no rebuys or add-ons! A friendly reminder was given at the start of the tournament of this fact, and not surprisingly, every one tightened up substantially. So much so that it was a good two hours, well after the first break, before we lost our first player; the always gracious and often high finishing Bill K.
Once the got the ball rolling, more players fell by the wayside including yours truly who ran his AQ straight into Marc F.'s AK.
The bubble approached, and for at least the second time this year, Pepper Street resident Michael K. found himself taking home a fantastic consolation prize. A DVD of that Bill Murray classic, Meatballs! Incidentally, Mike's propensity to final table, bubble and cash frequently has put him near the top of the standings for Player of the Year.
Speaking of Player of the Year, the top candidate currently is Marc F., who put some distance between himself and everybody else last night by taking it down! Barbara N. was our third place finisher and pocketed $84, plus a bounty or two.
Mike P. was unable to bring down Marc F. despite starting with a substantial lead and being well ahead more than once with all the chips in the middle pre-flop. As Harrington says, heads-up play is typically brutish and short - and this was borne out last night. Still, Mike walked away with $126, plus at least $20 in bounty chips!
Marc F. got the trophy, $210 in prize money AND $30 in bounty chips!
A big thanks to Dan I. who stayed to help shuffle and deal.
I think last night's structure was pretty near perfect, with the last hand finishing at just before 1130 pm. Our next tournament, at the moment scheduled for September 26, will have a similar structure - with the caveat that there will be ONE optional rebuy (if felted before the break) OR an add-on (if rebuy isn't used.) This will be, I think a good compromise, between past complicated and taxing rebuy structures and last nights experimental freeze-out.
As I said, the current date is 9/26, but it could still change until the evite is sent out, which should be some time next week.
