Hey Poker Fans,
Before I get started, the date for the next game is still to be determined, keep an ear and eye open for the next announced tourney, which, remember, can take place anywhere there's a deck of cards and at least 5 players. Just make sure to keep track of the action.
There may be a World Poker Tour event taking place right now in our very own Nutmeg State, but I doubt the action there was any better than it was at 52 Irving Street on Tuesday. Plus, we had pizza.
Eight players gathered for an 11 AM start time Tuesday, the chips were moving and the first player out (and recipient of the lunch run) was Chris Fallica. Fallica admitted that he never felt his vibe at the table Tuesday…but that's why it's a series of tournaments all leading to the BONANZA later this year. Fallica's stack dwindled, and he made his stand with A-3 of clubs. Vince Masi, sitting immediately to his left, made the insta-call with an A-K, with the king of clubs. The board blanked out, and Chris Fallica left a round of applause.
7-handed play continued for as long as I've seen it at 52 Irving. Fallica left and came back with lunch in this time, and the blinds got up to 30-60 before a big hand in the tournament. Willis raised it up with K-J, J-Mac pushed all-in. Masi called, and Willis, eventually decided to fold.
Flashback to Saturday's tournament: A memorable hand that didn't happen during this around saw D-Rose push under the gun for 300 or so. Carr folded quickly on the bottom, but J-Mac agonized, knowing that the all-in represenfted most of his remaining stack, and eventually folded. Willis looked down at his guilty-pleasure hand (K-10 of hearts), and eventually decided that he doubles enough people up anyways, and folded. In unison, J-Mac and Willis asked to run the board, with J-Mac turning over pocket 9's. The flip, naturally, came 9-10-K, which would've given J-Mac a set, and Willis top 2 pair. D-Rose showed an ace-rag, and would've been drawing near dead. The turn and river would've brought little extra excitement, and J-Mac and Willis shared a few tears together at what would've been.
Now, back to Tuesday. J-Mac flipped over K-10, Vince showed pocket 10's, and J-Mac was drawing to two outs. But the flop came K-J-3, which would've given Willis 2 pair, just like several days prior, and J-Mac more than doubled up after the rest of the board was blanks.
Not long after, Paul Carr pushed the rest of his chips into the middle, and was called by Vince's A-Q. Paul felt relieved to show A-K, especially when the flop and turn revealed nothing but blanks. But Vince hit the 3-outer on the river, and last week's champ went home in 7th.
Scott Randall had been quiet most of the tournament, and reluctantly pushed what was left of his chips out with a Q-J. Elias representative Randy Robles was priced in out of the big blind with J-9. For onlookers like me who didn't entirely pay attention to the board, a 9 on the river was an exciting card, but it gave Randall the straight and kept him on life support.
Meanwhile, Willis (once again writing a recap since there's no NASCAR) had an interesting day. Put to the test many times with all-in re-raises over bets, Willis either made great laydowns…or played horrible poker. Among his laydowns was showing Jacks on a 9-high flop when Vince immediately pushed all in following a bet (Masi later revealed he had A-K with 4 to the flush). Making stands late, doubling his stack through blinds stealing, Willis made another stand with A-4, when Masi called him with (what else?) A-K. Three diamonds came on the flop, and there was no 2-outer to be head, Willis was sent home in 6th.
The two short stacks got involved after this, Scott Randall and Kevin Conlon. Conlon was all in with A-J suited, and Randall was left with little behind, showing A-8 of clubs. A jack flopped, and Randall was all but drawing dead with just 64 chips left.
Those 64 chips waited until the big blind (with blinds already at 50-100), with 2 callers. Masi eventually bet Conlon out of the pot and showed pocket 7's. Randall, looking at his cards for the first time, looked down at the Joe Montana (4-9), and found he had…9 high, finishing in 5th place.
With the price of poker being so high, Randy Robles (who had long since passed the record for most hands played and won by an Elias representative), saw an ace and made a stand against J-Mac. Action folded to J-Mac, who had (once again, what else) A-K suited. Randy's A-2 looked to be dominated, but he had J-Mac's stack covered. But it wouldn't be a 52 Irving event without some drama, the deuce hit on the flop. But, we love us some drama, and when the board paired (5-2-3-3), J-Mac was given additional chop cards. He didn't need those, as the king spiked on the river, leaving Randy short-stacked.
Later, with J-5-2 (all clubs) on the board, Randy bet all in, and Vince made the call. Randy showed ace high, but was already drawing dead with Vince's king-high flush. Randy finished 4th and we had the final 3.
Kevin Conlon made some key double-ups, forced some lay-downs and had stuck around all tournament. Conlon and J-Mac got mixed up in the next battle, which seemed innocent enough. Checked down to the river, Conlon bet all-in after catching his queen on the river, but J-Mac had slow-played his ace on the turns, and Kevin "All-Yins" Conlon burst the money bubble, leaving J-Mac and Vinny Masil to duke it out.
I don't know how long after that play lasted…leaving with an undisclosed illness. But with an A-8-X flop on the board, J-Mac went all-in and was called and covered by Vince, who showed a set of 8's. The turn and river did little to help, and Vince tied J-Mac with his 3rd win in the 52 Irving Poker League.
52 Irving Poker League
Current Poker Batting Averages Thru 4/2
BA H/AB Wins Total Cashes
1) David Rose 1.000 25/25 2 2
2) Jason McCallum .922 59/64 3 6
3) Vince Masi .920 46/50 3 4
4) Scott Randall .844 27/32 0 3
5) Ryan McCrystal .750 15/20 0 1
6) Dennis "Clutch" Renno .722 52/72 2 4
7) Matt Ketaineck .667 30/45 1 3
8) David Bearman .603 35/58 1 2
9) Paul Carr .600 12/20 1 1
10) Brett Edgerton .583 35/60 0 1
11) Matt Willis .532 33/62 0 1
12) Kevin Conlon .474 18/38 0 0
13) Chris Fallica .452 14/31 1 1
14) ELIAS .333 6/18 0 0
15) Nick Loucks .222 6/27 0 0
16) Jeremy Lundblad .166 1/6 0 0
17) Stu Mitchell .143 2/14 0 0
**Poker Bonanza pot stands at $188
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