OK! OK! I'll Play!

Watched the movie "I Robot" with family last night. It was entertaining and overall a pretty good movie. Pretty typical man builds computer, computer tries to take over man, man beats computer movie but with a thought provoking twist. Well worth the rental.

Afterwards I'm checking email and surfing a little when I get an IM from Jsaw telling be about a $1 buy in tourney at Ultimate Bet getting ready to start. I said no, no money in UB right now. Then I get "it is only 250 points to enter" (He knows I have that). I said no, then I couldn't play the $5 I wanted to play. Jsaw is one of those sneaky persistent people. Nothing for about a minute and I get..."It's a $1000 guarantee" in the IM box. Still sticking to my guns I say no. A little bit later I get this link from a recent Scott Fischman article in card player. He talks about online tourneys and

Playing a few online tournaments per day can provide you years of experience in a short span of time. I believe this is part of the reason that so many young players have been very successful on the live tournament scene lately. The Internet is a tool that is available for the growth and improvement of your poker game. I have used it as a strategy to improve my game, and have found myself possessing a great feel for the technical aspects of poker tournaments.

OK! OK! I'm in. (Alright, I'll admit it. Doesn't take much to get me to play. Hell, it was free!)

Start with T1500 in chips and after the first hour of 1 played hand I am at T965. So I have successfully practice folding all cards that equal to 9!

Almost looking forward to my first playable hand getting cracked and crawling into bed, the second hour begins and for 48 minutes I continue to practice folding. I get one BB special and amazingly I am at T965 with about 12 minutes to go in second hour. I look down to see JJ and go all in and double up. With about 150 players left Jsaw surmises that T7500 gets me in the money. I've played toooo long not to try now even though the cards are crap. 9 minutes till break I look down to see AKo. I go all in from LP and get called by BB's 88. Spike a K and now sitting at T5020 with about 138 left. Close enough to taste that $1.51 now!

3 minutes left till break and EP minimum raises, I look down and see the rockets! Folded to me in CO and I push BB and EP call with AK and AJs and I triple up. T15500 and the next hand I call a minimum raise with ATs and flop two pair, push and get called by AJ, turn a full house and at second break I am in 4th with T25000!

What a wild rush in the span of about 12 minutes! Top 80 pay out and 97 left. WOOT! Jsaw gets a bad beat when his flopped trips get run down by flush but is at T6500 at break. Beginning of third hour back to what I was doing best...folding. Jsaw gets QQ in BB and pushes, only to see other player with AA and is out in 95th. He brings up my table and starts sweating me. Its nice to have someone there to ask about a hand and get support...thanks! I build to T31000 but that’s as high as I get.

I end up going out with AA in the CO. Folded to me and I limp trying to get it to pay. SB completes and BB raises. I call as does SB. 9 high flop, BB bets and I go all in, SB folds and BB calls and flips 99. I get no help and out 32nd for $4.01. I don't feel bad about how I played it, would have been all in no matter what with the board being all rags, he may have folded 99 if I had pushed pre-flop but who knows.

I counted about 5 hands I misplayed that all ended up winners. So I have some more practicing to do. I now have $4 to do so.

Enjoy the games today. Being I have no favorite in this fight, I am hoping for Steelers and Falcons. What could be a better Super Bowl story line: "The Rookie" vs. "The Best Show on Turf"

See You at the Tables!