Final League Tourney

The second season of our league ended last night. It wasn't a bad season. The timing of the season wasn't really the best for me. I coach a fall sport, and the league started up right in the heart of my season. So, I joined not really expecting too much. All I knew was I was required to play in at least 4 of the regular season league tourneys to qualify for the end of the season Championship Tourney.

I barely squeaked my 4 tourneys in. Everyone else was playing all the time so they were able to accumulate a pretty hefty point advantage. Each player's starting stack for the final tourney was based on the points earned during the regular season. We had such a wide range of starting stacks. I don't have the exact numbers but I know some of the larger stacks started with around 16,000 and the smallers were around the 7,000 mark. Pretty brutal if you were a short stack...which I was.

I started with 7,600 in chips. Definitely enough to play with early...but I was going to need to build up some chips quick to be able to compete at the higher blind levels. I didn't really move up at some record setting pace, but I was able to steadily chip up here and there. After three levels (20 minutes each...rough I know) I had my 7,600 up to 10,300. I chipped it up a little from there then I was able to claim my first casualty of the night. It was a total luck box flop, but I did manage to get him to commit his stack when he was drawing dead!

I was in the BB with a K7 off-suit. I check my option. The board came out 7 7 K. Ha! There were 4 or 5 limpers in the pot, and I was first to act. I went ahead and lead at the pot for about 70% of its size. I was able to pick up one caller. I'll admit it. I did a little hollywooding and checked the turn, I was hoping to get a bet from my opponent. He didn't let me down. He bet close to the pot...which was about 30% of his remaining stack. I waited a second...acting it up...and shove in over the top. He called and of course was holding a 7 as well.

After that hand I was up to about 26,000. Nice.

To make a long story a little shorter-
I was pretty pleased with my play. It was nice to get back into the flow again since I haven't been playing as much. I made some really good lay downs, and some pretty good reads. I am glad to say that I made the final table. It was a little weird though. The top 6 got paid...all the same amount, and 7th got about 50% what the other places got.. In a way it was like we were playing a super satellite and only the top 6 move on. None of the big stacks wanted to get involved with anyone cause they knew they could cruise to the top 6 while others were a little on the shorter side. Well, once we got down to 8 players we decided to chop it even across the board.

All in all, it was a pretty good night. Played some decent poker, and walked away with more money than I showed up with. Can't complain.