Much Better to Be Lucky

Friday night Legion tournament, a most amazing story. I almost did not play, but went at the last minute. My luck has been spotty there with lots of very good players among the 40 or so that show up every week. This was the last week to qualify for points to get into the quarterly freeroll which is a great tournament: 20 players, $800 first prize, and free pizza. I was on the cusp at #19, with 5 points (1-2nd place finish), and only 6 points guaranteeing a seat, so if the wrong players finished high, I was out.

The very first hand set the tone. I like to be a little aggressive early as you only start with 2150 chips, 10/20 blind structure (15 minute rounds), so chipping up early is a good thing as it widens the hands you can play and bulletproofs you from bad beats. Plus, the players tend to play pretty conservatively early so it is easier to get some easy chips. I looked down at KJ suited and put a small raise in, 3 times big blind. Ross, who sometimes deals and has won probably more than anyone calls me from the blind. With a flop of AJ8 he checks and I continuation bet a pot size $200. Ross, playing the player and knowing I like to be aggressive calls. The turn is a blank and I bet another $200. Ross and I eye each other suspiciously and he calls. The river: jack. Ross immediately pushes all-in and I ask, "AJ?". He clams up and I briefly think about it and decide he is slow playing a weak ace and call. He shows his QJ and Wow! Double up first hand!

But, here is where it gets strange (for me). The second hand of the tournament I look down at pocket 8's and with a couple of limpers I decide to raise again (after all, I am the chip leader in the tournament). John, who is an excellent player and is dealing to my immediate right calls. The flop is queen high with 2 small cards and two diamonds and when it is checked to me I continuation bet again pot size. John calls, and as he burns a card I yell out "diamond!", and sure enough there it is: the eight of diamonds. John checks to me and I check behind him...yes it is a little strange to call for a card, get it, make a set, then check but I had my suspicions. The river, unbelievable, the case eight! John bets $300 and I come over the top all in. He insta-calls with his King high flush that he hit on the turn and I table my quad 8's to knock him out (my high hand lasted until the final table when it got beaten by quad 10's). In retrospect I am pretty amazed that both players didn't get away from their hands with a pair on the board, but I could have just as easily gone down in flames on the first hand if he was slowplaying a flopped set. Anyway, have never tripled my chips in two hands before and probably never will again.

Two other lucky hands, one I raised with AJ, was called by AQ, caught the jack on the flop and knocked the player out with my all-in. Second very lucky hand was with A9 on the button, raising 3000 and getting a reraise all-in from AJ in the small blind. He had me covered by $100 and I flopped 2 spades with the ace of spades in my hand. Unbelievably it went runner-runner spades for the nut flush! That just "never" happens to me.

Needless to say I was able to coast to the final table despite being fairly card dead after that, but used my big chip stack to steal a lot of blinds late and ended up chopping 1st & 2nd (I was chip leader by 3000) with an excellent lady player and giving her husband 3rd place...didn't like playing against a "team", plus I offered 1st place points to her, which she needed for the TOC. A very nice win and a prime example of being lucky.