The BASH - I poker....

When last you read, I was headed off to play in the poker game.

As we left The Pub, it suddenly dawned on me that I had not made any plans to actually get my drunken ass to the game. This might be a problem I thought. No worries! I was surrounded by a crew that knew where they were going, and Riggstad had the “Man Truck™” I was gold! Six of us piled into that thing and off we went.

Once at the top secret location, I started looking for my baby. I ran into a few friends just outside the front door as I was trying to work my way into the club. As if right on cue, Peb’s was just starting to head down the steps towards me. WHAT A HUG ! Anywho… Peb’s took me inside to see the set-up, get a drink and meet Big Dave, who was the fine gentleman that delivered her safely back into my arms. (Sir, I thank you once again from the bottom of my heart!) The set-up was pretty straight forward, with the tables set up in typical fashion and a control center for the buy-in and T/D area. There was a little time left before the game would start, so we had an impromptu cocktail hour. Everyone mingled around and new faces started to appear. This was the moment that I got to have another of my highlights of the weekend, my Kat hug! ;)

A little later on I see a head poking out around a small crowd of Bloggers, and it’s looking my way. As is always the case, it was great to see Astin once again. Knowing that VinNay made the trek down with Kat and Astin, it was time to seek him out. We found each other near the back tables and said our hello’s. But we also had a small bit of business to take care of. Two shots of Rum were raised and consumed, in the names of lost childhood friends. I haven’t come to terms as of yet with the loss of my friend, but that moment helped get the process started. If you have not read VinNay’s story about his loss, I highly recommend you do so HERE. It’s so beautifully written, about something that is terribly painful to express. My many thanks Vin, for helping me get on my way to dealing with my own loss.

The tables were drawn and I went to sit down. At first, I’d drawn Dawn Summers to my immediate left. Perticelli to hers, (?), Spaceman, (?), (?), The Rooster and then DonKaaa on my immediate right. With the players I knew at the table, I just knew I’d at least be having some fun. At the last moment, T/D Dave made an announcement that all the #10 players would be heading out to a different table. Our table lost DonKaaa and we were down to 9, with The Rooster now on my right.

The format for this game was outstanding! How good you ask? Suffice it to say that I actually played 4 hands total and still managed to make it to the 2 hr. and 20 minutes mark! That’s getting value for your buy-in and then some. Now mind you, it wasn’t actual poker value for me personally, but still there’s value in time at the table with good friends and new friends just the same. Making the game even better for me despite the deck giving me frostbite at the touch of the cards, was the table just behind my seated position. It was packed with all-star Donkament power and considering the re-buy format, you can maybe imagine the fun that was had there. You can read about their actual exploits along the way, over at their little corners of the interwebbie. Let me just say once again however, this was also one of those times where writing it just won’t translate the fun and emotion of actually living it. What a hoot!

So in the game, there were certain signs that it just might be a long night for me. Not long as in go deep, just loooooong! Of course I start by drawing the BB. Meh! Then I am dealt the 4-8 off for the first 5 hands. Consecutively! Sixth and seventh hands? “The Bammer” natch. In fact, I held the 9-3 off a near record 9 times in the first hour alone. That first hour made me honestly want to revert back to the old euchre day’s. No Ace, no face and no trump just kept running through my head. After casually folding through at least 3 orbits, I picked up a hand in my BB. There were two players interested and one was The Rooster. He’d played 85% of the hands so far and had accumulated a few chips along the way. With the raise and his call now in the pot, I figured this was as good a time as any to get some chips out there for myself. I made a pot sized raise. The initial raiser mucked instantly and the action was back on Rooster. After a short thought process and some chip shuffling, Rooster mucked his cards and said, “Your Aces are good Bam.” So I tabled the girly Hammer, 2-7 of Diamonds. I believe Rooster called it the Canadian Hammer at that time. Still just the same, I was trying to let the table know that I was ready to play.

The problem with that message is simple, if you don’t get anything to trap them with they’ll run all over you until you do. And that was where I was at, a brutally cold deck and some aggressive players in a re-buy. Not the best of situations. The only other hand I think I won, was played almost exactly like the Hammer hand against Rooster. The only difference was, this time it was one better than “The Bammer,” as a bet with a 9-4 off took the pot and pushed it my way. I won one other hand while holding my first pocket pair, (6-6) and hitting a set on the flop. A check-call on the flop and a check-raise on the turn, and my opponent lost interest in the hand. I decided to flash my set to the players at the table and tossed them face up at the muck. I think maybe only pert actually saw the hand, as the pot was pushed my way over the mucked cards. The cards were scooped and thrown face down into the pile. An opportunity wasted there for sure!

So it all comes down to one hand. I look down and see the same junk I’ve been getting and it’s folded around to me. I throw out my first actual lead off raise in two hours and it folds around to Spaceman in the BB. He makes a pretty quick call and we see a flop of J-J-x. After his check, I figured him for A-K, A-Q or a move based on the plays I’d made so far. My initial reaction was to check back and watch for danger on the turn. My gut said, push and take the pot. (stooopid gut!) I glanced at the board one more time before looking up and announcing all-in. Spaceman once again insta-called and I figured he had at least an over pair and I was screwed. Nope! J-9 off for the set, and I’m toast. So there you have it in a nutshell! My game was no cards, make two plays and win, catch finally and no one notices and make a play and lose. Weeeeeeeeee!

My Peb’s final tabled and finished in 7th. or 8th. I believe. At least there’s one NLHE player in the family! But you guy’s already knew that right? ;) She was the last TuckFard standing, (shouldn't that be sitting?) and I couldn't be more proud of her. She had Presto let her down while in push or fold mode.

I’ve got about ½ of the Pub Olympics and BASH information down on paper as of now, if I can get it all organized and making any sense at all, we’ll take a look at those events tomorrow.

Here's a couple more Pics to tide you over 'till then. When Falstaff and I say cheers, we mean it!

Here's a pre-dance shot of two white guy's about to tear up the floor.


My sincerest thanks for dropping by….