Tag Archives: Games of Chance

The Big Columbus Day weekend tourney

Yesterday was the fifth or sixth, maybe even seventh, I forget, annual Columbus Day Poker Tournament here at Sherwood Casino. Congratulations to our main event winner, BJ. Here’s who got into the money…

1st BJ
2nd Chris V
3rd Andy R.
4th John B.

The massive takedown at the final (of two, but still)
The massive takedown at the final (of two, but still)

The final hand went something like this. BJ had Jack Nine and a huge chip lead, Chris V. had King Jack. The flop came down 9 high, and Chris tried to bluff BJ off of it, but BJ was having no part of that and he ended up fading the king to win it. It was an impressive victory for BJ considering that he had to rebuy about a hand or two into the tourney. Against Joe B., BJ had a flush and lost out to a full house. Who knew at the time that he would rebuy and end up taking down something like $760, which was the total winner’s prize.

One problem with tourneys you always get some down on his luck bozo who thinks he can buy in with $80 in nickels.
One problem with tourneys– you always get some down on his luck bozo who thinks he can buy in with $80 in nickels.

I don’t run tourneys too often, and after yesterday I remembered why. It’s pretty high stress with people coming and going. The first tourney went on way too long and was much bigger than I anticipated.  Between grabbing chips for people, rebuys, and actually playing, I had a hard time keeping track of things. At some point the blinds didn’t double when they were supposed to, and then the tourney bogged down into a long slow game that went two hours too long. The next time I do this, I am going to do one tourney, super deep, with no rebuys. Something like 7000 chips to start with 25/25 starting blinds and 30 minute levels with blind like 25/25, 25/50, 50/100, 75/150, 100/200 etc.  Basically a deep stack five or six hour extravaganza. It’s going to be AWESOME!

A little something special to console oneself with after donking out going all in with middle pair because YOU weren't going to be bluffed again, not THIS time!!
A little something special to console yourself with after donking out going all in with middle pair because YOU weren’t going to be bluffed again, not THIS time!!

We played cash after the tourney and that lasted until 2am, which made for a nice ten hour session of poker for me, and a nice three session, twenty hours of poker week, in which I made a nothing to sneeze at $44. It gives me faith knowing that if this jobless thing continues for a little too long, there will always be my sharklike poker skills to get my family through the bleak Boston winter.

Photos courtesy of Andy Rodgerschamos ezra firstgame prior