Been a long, lonelylonelylonelylonelylonely time...

No posts for awhile, I was off on my cruise with the family. Didn't want to announce that thought - might as well just put up a sign saying "rob me".

A bit of poker on the cruise. I found out they were holding a tournament, so I went to check it out. $100 buy in - 49 players max. The tourney was broken into 7 tables of 7 satellite tourneys, and then the winner at each table would meet for a final table. First prize was a cruise for 2.

Sounded pretty good to me. I have a ton of experience in one table sit n goes, and a pretty decent shot to win at least my satellite. I signed up.

When I got there, I learned the details. 1000 starting chips, blinds start at 25-50 and double every 10 minutes. Turbo is too mild a term for the speed of this tourney. Super Turbo is probably more accurate.

Oh, and there are rebuys too. $50 gets you 1000 chips any time you fall to 500 chips or fewer. After the end of the third level, everyone can add-on 1000 more for another $50, and then we're off to the races with whatever we have.

Not much poker in this poker tourney. More like a shove fest. The winner was going to have to get lucky.

I had a strong indication of the lucky player of the table on the very first hand. Ace-King. Raised it up to 200 (4x), and was going to get it all in if I hit. No sense messing around with 20 blinds. I had one caller from the small blind.

I hit. Ace-Ace-Five flop. Beautiful. I bet 200 again, a small bet meant to look weak, hoping I would get shoved over. The caller called again. Turn came a second five, and I was now 100% sure I was chopping. I pushed all in and got a call from ace-seven. We split up the big blind's 50 chips for my profit.

No more hands for me - I folded and watched the players. The guy I chopped with seemed bad, limping and calling a lot, but then he woke up and started raising/raising/raising. He never got to showdown, so I couldn't figure out what he was doing.

Halfway through level 3, I was deciding whether to buy back in or not. I had one 500 chip in my stack. I leaning toward NOT buying back in, but right then the second player busted out, and I really felt like there was only one good player left at the table. I paid for the rebuy, and again for the add-on.

Limper to me in the blind with 33. I raise all in, get a fold. Limper to me on the button with AK. Raise all in, get a fold.

The other good player shoves. I have Ace-jack and call, and have his weaker ace dominated. I am second in chips now.

I'm thinking of shoving my button with ace-deuce suited. I'm counting out my chip stack and muttering to myself. Lucky guy says excitedly "did you say you were all in?" A bit too excitedly. I fold and he shoves, then shows pocket jacks. "That's the fifth big pair I've had tonight! Aces three times, Kings, and now jacks". Lucky guy indeed.

Three players left. I fold, lucky guy gets down to the breaking point, and he shoves into the big blind, who calls. The blind calls and flips over king queen asking "you got an ace". Lucky guys says "I dunno, I haven't looked yet". We all look together - deuce-four offsuit. Oooofa. Doesn't look good for him, but he catches a runner-runner one card, deuce high flush to stay alive. Big stack is crippled and goes out one hand later. Heads up.

The blinds go up one more time. 800-1600, and I've got 3500 chips. 2 blinds. Lucky guy shoves into me, I've got ten-six of diamonds. Not great, but suited and barely-connected. And ten high might beat some connectors. I call.

He shows a weak ace. My cards are live, but he hits and ace and I go down in second place. Gave it my best shot.