I was playing in my weekly 20k tourney last night. It's filled with skilled players (some semi-pro), and a smattering of newer players. Last night was the largest field ever, 75 entries. Not bad for a weekly bar tourney.
We get to the final table (9-handed), and it pays top 8. I'm by no means a huge stack, but there are several shorter stacks on the bubble. I start my karma generating efforts by advocating the remaining players all pitch in the cover the bubble's buyin. We all agree to pay the bubble. It happens to be a good friend that busts first, so I feel good about getting him something for his 5-hour grind.
As the field withers down, I get heads up with the guy who's been steamrolling the field, and spent most of the tournament with a massive chip lead. This player and I know each other very well. He's a great guy, and he's loud and spirited at the table. He was one of the guys who worked tirelessly in the efforts to legalize poker in WI. Ultimately his efforts fell short, but he's certainly an ambassador for poker in WI. He certainly feels like he's a better poker player than I am, and he might be right (slight edge). He's definitely got me beat in the degen category.
Now, Mr. Poker ambassador has 700k, and I'm sitting on 1.2m. Nearly a 2-to-1 advantage. Blinds are at 20/40k. It's now past midnight, and I need to wake up at 5am for work... He knows this. I suggest an equity chop 50/50 to account for the fact I wouldn't mind sleeping, and that he's a solid heads up player. He says he wants the win, and won't chop, unless I give him the win and an extra $5... He cites my need to sleep time as why he's leveraging the extra $5. In principle, I was having a hard time offering up a 50/50 chop, and there's no way I'm giving him the win, and more money... Screw sleep!
I tell him (jokingly) "I have 1.2 million in chips, EFF you! Let's play". The rail and TD all chime in and wish ME luck, as a jab at the other guy for refusing a super fair chop and countering with what appeared to most as a quasi-insulting counter offer. Again, this is all done in fun, as we are all on good terms with each other.
Three hands later, I have QJ (in the BB) and raise to 3x after he limps. He calls. Flop comes QQJ (gin). I bet 125k, he calls quickly... Turn is a brick, I "give up" and check (I know my maniac agro opponent), This guys perception is that I rarely double barrel without solid holdings, so i took a stab at the flop, but once he called, I gave up.. He senses weakness and bets out for 125k, and I call. River is is another brick K, I check, and maniac bets 175, thus pot committing hismself, I shove, he calls with Qx. I win. $300 extra for the win vs chopping.
Not sure I can drink enough RedBull today...
Here's my stack at 750k.
We get to the final table (9-handed), and it pays top 8. I'm by no means a huge stack, but there are several shorter stacks on the bubble. I start my karma generating efforts by advocating the remaining players all pitch in the cover the bubble's buyin. We all agree to pay the bubble. It happens to be a good friend that busts first, so I feel good about getting him something for his 5-hour grind.
As the field withers down, I get heads up with the guy who's been steamrolling the field, and spent most of the tournament with a massive chip lead. This player and I know each other very well. He's a great guy, and he's loud and spirited at the table. He was one of the guys who worked tirelessly in the efforts to legalize poker in WI. Ultimately his efforts fell short, but he's certainly an ambassador for poker in WI. He certainly feels like he's a better poker player than I am, and he might be right (slight edge). He's definitely got me beat in the degen category.
Now, Mr. Poker ambassador has 700k, and I'm sitting on 1.2m. Nearly a 2-to-1 advantage. Blinds are at 20/40k. It's now past midnight, and I need to wake up at 5am for work... He knows this. I suggest an equity chop 50/50 to account for the fact I wouldn't mind sleeping, and that he's a solid heads up player. He says he wants the win, and won't chop, unless I give him the win and an extra $5... He cites my need to sleep time as why he's leveraging the extra $5. In principle, I was having a hard time offering up a 50/50 chop, and there's no way I'm giving him the win, and more money... Screw sleep!
I tell him (jokingly) "I have 1.2 million in chips, EFF you! Let's play". The rail and TD all chime in and wish ME luck, as a jab at the other guy for refusing a super fair chop and countering with what appeared to most as a quasi-insulting counter offer. Again, this is all done in fun, as we are all on good terms with each other.
Three hands later, I have QJ (in the BB) and raise to 3x after he limps. He calls. Flop comes QQJ (gin). I bet 125k, he calls quickly... Turn is a brick, I "give up" and check (I know my maniac agro opponent), This guys perception is that I rarely double barrel without solid holdings, so i took a stab at the flop, but once he called, I gave up.. He senses weakness and bets out for 125k, and I call. River is is another brick K, I check, and maniac bets 175, thus pot committing hismself, I shove, he calls with Qx. I win. $300 extra for the win vs chopping.
Not sure I can drink enough RedBull today...
Here's my stack at 750k.
