Pendleton Roundup

The Fall Pendleton Poker Roundup brings a lot of professional players into town. The cash games are pretty wild, with a lot of big bucks floating around. My first tournament was the opening day, last Wednesday. My friend Bob and I got their early enough for me to lose $200 in a 4/8 omaha game prior to the noon start. I had a chance to get back in the cash games soon enough with a horrible table draw. I was two seats to the right of a Las Vegas pro who knocked me out of the horse tournament last year when she flopped an open ender and I flopped two pair. I knew there would be precious little blind stealing going on in my position, especially after she doubled up through the dumbest player at the table (two pair all in vs a 4 card straight on the board...duh).

So, the start of my finish was a steal attempt from the cutoff with J/4 of spades. She calls from the small blind. The flop is jack high with one spade. She checks and I continuation bet 1,000. She check raises to 2,000. Rut Row. I call to see the turn, planning to fold to a bet or check behind if my hand does not improve. The turn is the king of spades giving me a sneaky backdoor flush draw. She bets big, 5000 into my 7000 stack. After some deliberation I decide that this hand is pretty much for my tournament life. If I hit my spade I double up with the bonus of taking her back to near starting chip stack and curbing some of her aggression. If I miss, well, I will still have a chip and a chair. I of course miss and a few hands later after 2 all ins I get my pocket 7's snapped by KJ suited. My misery of the day continues with more losses in the cash games. Bad day of poker, but that said a bad day of poker beats most good days doing other stuff.

Saturday I play most of the day earning $224, just enough for my buyin on the Sunday tournament. I play fairly well, take a hit just before the 1st break and end up getting knocked out on the first hand after the break. I am in the small blind and complete to 200 with 9/10 offsuit with the button limping. The big blind checks behind. The flop is 8/J/x with 2 of a suit, giving me the openender.I lead out with 600, which is a pot size bet, and the big blind calls, the button....short stacked, folds. The turn is my dream card, queen giving me the straight. I lead out with 2000 and the BB shoves all in, having me covered. I beat him into the pot with my cards face up showing the nuts. He shows Q/8 offsuit for two pair. The river? Obvious, queen for the full house. I felt like someone sucked all the air out of the room and kicked me in the gut, or a little lower.

Next up....Omaha tournament on Wednesday.