Put a Bad Beat On Hunger Charity Poker Tournament 8/21/11

As all of you may or may not know, I love giving back to charity. I donate a lot of food and health and beauty products to the Food Banks, etc. When I came across this poker tournament at Borgata, I knew I had to play. It was a Deep Stack Turbo Event Rebuy. You start with 25k in chips, blind levels are 15 minutes for the first 12 rounds, then 25 minutes after that. You can also re buy (buy back in if you bust out) during the first 8 rounds. I was really excited to play this event since I haven't played a tourney in a few months and it was for a good cause. My poker coach came and played as well.

We decided to buy in late to avoid many of the crazies that would donk off their chips and just re-buy in. We both manage our bankrolls well and we both decided if we busted out we would not buy back in. We could play cash or another tournament that night if we had wanted to. I got seated in the back of the poker room in the tournament area and sat at a nice table. Everyone said hello when I sat down. I got median hands and decided not to play them at first, I wanted to get a read on the table. Bad choice to do when you are 8 levels in, and the blinds go up pretty fast. Looking back, should have probably bought in a level or two earlier, but that's nor here nor there.

There was tons of action at my table and early on I made some bad laydowns. In the big blind, I got ace four off. I check. Flop is ace rag rag. No straight or flush draws, but my ace is still weak with about 3-4 limpers in the pot behind me, we all check around. King hits the turn. Check to me, I check, guy in late position bets and got called. Damn. Is he betting his king, or did he check his big ace on the flop, then representing a king. since it was my third hand in, and the guy didn't play any of the previous hands, I laid it down. Would have one. He and the other guy both had a king. But I felt weak. Oh well.

Next hand in the small, I got jack 4 off. I limp, guy in BB checks. Now, this is an action table...every hand had action. Raise, re-raise, etc. Flop is jack four rag. I hit two pair. No straight or flush draw. So I decide to bet out....let me get raised. I felt strong here. I bet out, BB thought for awhile, then folded. Damn. So did everyone else...oh well, still won a pot!

Wasn't getting many good hands and watched my stack dwindle. Once in awhile, I'd win a small pot, but with blinds and antes, I was still adding a lot to my diminishing stack. When I sat down, I only had about 22k (they blinded us out) so I was already short stacked at my table. I think at best I got up to about a little over 30k. I got down to about 11k or 12k, and I shoved all in with an ace. Blinds were coming my way, and I figured any pair, two big cards or any ace I have to shove....well, I look down at an ace and shove. Got called with 8 5 off. Wow. Well, I hit my nine on the flop and doubled up. A few hands later, I'm in the BB with I can't remember, and it's me and SB (lot of chips). He checks, and I hit a piece of the board, not a big piece, but a piece. I shove, he folds. So I gained some blinds and antes there.

Blinds are 2k-4k and 400 or 500 ante. I have about 20 or 22k in front of me, so I have about 5 big blinds left. Figure I'm in the same spot as before and I'm behind the button with Ace Jack suited and decide to shove. The other girl at my table calls (also short stacked). She had pocket 8s. Board blanks for me and I'm out. meanwhile, almost EVERY other flop had an ace. Figures the one time I need one, they are nowhere to be found.

All in all, had a good time. The food bank and brought in some cheese and crackers and fruit for us to nibble on, so that was nice of them. I didn't stick around to see the ending or anything, but I saw on the blog that nobody from my table, or anyone I knew cashed or had their pic posted. I grabbed a bite at the buffet, played Let it Ride and the Hangover slot. I lost $40 there at that slot, but it's deceiving...I didn't feel like I lost it...I had a blast playing it! Played War as well (by the money wheel) and won back some money, then we headed home in the storms in Monmouth County.