Blind Squirrel AND Blind Nut

We had a great time at the benefit poker tournament yesterday. Five tables were filled so the number was right around 40 people. There were a number of rebuys and quite a few add-ons. All in all it was a great success in raising some money for the Parzych family. By my unscientific calculation, I think they came away with close to 2K. Agreat big 'thank you' and 'well done' to all who came and participated.

What's that? How did I do? As you probably guessed by the title of this thread, I stumbled my way to sweet victory. It was a tale of three tourneys. I absolutely owned the first stage (up to the first break). I finished the first 3 levels with 11K (started with 3k). As others were adding on at the break (add-on was 5k in chips), I counted stacks and noticed that others were only evening themselves up with me. But then I remembered why we were there, so I put down the extra $30 for the add-on though I didn't feel I needed it.

After the break I ran ice cold. By about the end of the 5th level, I think I could officially classify myself as a shortstack. I then proceeded to put on a clinic on short stack play (he said modestly). I nursed that stack for the next hour. Even so, I was quite certain there was virtually no chance of making it to the money (top 8). Yet I nursed and nursed. Shoved a couple times to take blinds while I still had a little fold equity. Then when I didn't, I showed the patience of Job. I painfully avoided making my stand with sucker hands.

At last I could wait no longer. After folding A2 with 4 hands before the BB put me all-in, I put my last chip (5K) in with A5 (4k-8k blinds). Four people to the flop and I hit my 5. Unfortunately, the pair of 5s wasn't good enough...until....FIVE ON THE RIVER!!!! Slightly more than Quadruple up and I'm still breathing....deeply. I stay patient a little while longer and decide to make another all-in move with KJ (the one sucker hand to which I'm susceptible). I get called by...KQ. Jack on the flop, jack on the river for good measure. By this time I'm up to second in chips with about 6 people left. I actually knock one or two people out.

We then get down to four players. We play a couple hands when someone finally mentions a chop. We learn that there is 1230 in the kitty. It is determined that we go with the suggestion (might have been mine) of donating 100 extra each to the family, taking 200 each, and playing it out for the last 30 (which came my way...as noted above). But that is really anscillary. The real success was the money raised. I'm very happy with the chop situation, as I suspect more extra money was donated with the chop than there would have been if we played it out. Chalk one up for the Blind Squirrel

Shortly thereafter I came across riggstad and some others who were gathering for a cash game. I was sorely tempted to join in seeing some of the players involved, but I was a little fried from grinding out that shortstack for so long. So I wished him luck and went to decompress at Champs for the Saturday night game there. I proved to be sage in refusing to play for real, because I was out in about 15 minutes calling off my stack with a flopped top pair of queens against my opponents pocket Aces.

Not feeling fully decompressed, I played in a 'points only' sit and go. Nine people at the table. First hand I decided to play it blind. Limp and raise in front of me, so I reraise. one caller. Flop comes Jack high and he checks to me. I bet pot and he reluctantly lets go. I check to see what I had and it was the all powerful hammer. I then proceeded to play about 75-80% of the rest of the SNG completely blind. Yes, the Blind Nut won.

So ended a fun day.