After a flurry of last minute additions and cancellations, the final number was 21 players, three tables of seven, sitting down for another super fun evening of Texas No-Limit Hold-em.
Our 2009 player of the year Marc F. was the first out, exemplifying the slogan "go big or go home" by blasting through his buy-in and re-buy before the first break!
It was after the break that the next bodies fell, slowly at first and then rapidly as the final table approached.
Noah P. nursed a painfully short stack in, up and over more chip heavy players in masterful fashion before finally succumbing to the bubble. His choice for DVD prize, the movie that everyone knows should have been best picture instead of "Shakespeare in Love" - the stirring and unforgettable "Saving Private Ryan."
Dog D. played very well all night long and had a good amount of ammo, but in the end took a couple bad beats and claimed a fifth place cash of $75 plus an extra $25 or so in bounties.
Palmdale resident Allen Q., having just returned from an exhausting weeklong shoot in Colorado, proved that tight was right and maneuvered his bad ass rock like self to fourth place and $100.
Legendary poker savant Mike P. continued with his wacky strategy of sensible play for 2010, locking up third place and just over $150.
It looked like it was going to be an epic battle between Jeff M. and Gabor V. heads-up, as the two had fairly equal monster stacks, especially after Jeff M. put on a clinic of power poker and won a half a dozen pots or so in a row by pulling the trigger without fear.
But the clash was cut short when Jeff was crippled by a gut shot straight hitting the river after all the chips were in. With Jeff down to a fraction of a nub, the players agreed to call it a night - Jeff was a class act and seemed please to collect his $200+ prize along with bounties. Gabor V. pocketed over $300 and took home the trophy!
Actually, he didn't take it home. He forgot it. But it's in the garage waiting for him when he comes back next time.
Speaking of next time, I know the sign said the 17th, but it turns out I have to schedule our next tournament for the 24th instead. Hope you can make it. If not, there will likely be a cash game on an earlier Friday in the month.
Huge thanks once again to Marc F. for staying to help deal and shuffle, and to fellow class-act Dan I. for doing the same. Thank you also to my brother Dr. Dave for helping with the clean up so I could sleep in.
All in all a great night - can't wait for the next one!
PS.
Two rule notes. Based on situations last night.
1. Remember, when players are heads up, you are allowed to expose your hand to get a read.
You are not allowed to intentionally expose your hand in a multi-way pot.
However, it's good to remember that under no circumstance, even in a multi-way pot, does an intentional hand exposure kill a hand. There will be a penalty in the case of a multi-way pot, likely the offender will have to sit out one hand or even a full orbit depending on the severity of the act and the outcome, but his hand is live.
Only when cards are clearly thrown towards the muck is the hand dead.
We had an unfortunate collision of circumstance last night where one player thought the other had mucked, when all he had done was expose for a reaction. I had to make a final ruling, which was not pleasant because both players had acted honorably and both felt bad, but it was correct.
2.
A lot of people were asking about table consolidation. Here are the guidelines I go by.
17 Players or less - 2 tables. We redraw for the final table at 9 players.
18 players or more - 3 tables. We break the green table and go to 2 tables at 14, we redraw for the final table at 9 players.
Tables will always be balanced with no more than a difference of 1 player between each.
