Upson Downs - Mr. Rico in WWdN #16

Don't ask me about the title. I just like the assonance.

Lil Rico placed 18th in a field of 91 last night in the weekly Wil Wheaton invitational, ten slots out of any money (9th place would be taken by Iggy, who I shared a table with before getting busted out).

While money is always highly desirable, I thought I played better - and in fact, had a better time - than last week when I snuck into 8th place. One reason was the cards I was getting which, in the early part of the tournament, were ridiculous, to quote my favorite 21-year-old. I even pulled quad 9s at one point, although they were wasted on a relatively small pot.

In Hand #3 I busted out Sir Waffles. But I'll let him tell it. I'm the "he" he refers to...

I went out second in the WWDN. Thanks to Weak for going out first! I misplayed my hand HORRIBLY. I basically turn a set of sevens, check, because I assume he is going to bet, then when he makes the straight on the river. I have a feeling I am totally beat. Instead of calling his 120 bet I raise him, and then when he pushes all in, I call. umm.. Ya. Way to go Sir. I was kind of thinking he had two pair but no, he rivered the straight.

Which goes to show that in poker you have your good nights and your bad nights. Waffles won the whole shebang in WWdN #14.

A few hands later I busted out a player, "Villainiss"," when his/her 10s didn't hold up against my pocket Kings. And by Hand #16 I'd have 4190 in chips. Then my luck she went quiet, and I spent more time exchanging good-natured barbs with two players I've enjoyed going up against over the last few tournaments, dsheep - who accused me of unnatural acts midway through the game - and the always dangerous wwonka, who was in the money again last night, taking 3rd place this time. I finished slightly ahead of my archnemesis, dsheep, who placed 23rd. I think honor is not going to be satisfied until I can take out both the wonk and the sheep, preferably at a final table.

It was also kind of fun to see wonka get one of the Up For Poker crew crazy when he paired an Ace at the river to beat U4P's pocket Qs. U4P had a slight meltdown, still babbling away about it several hands later, and a few hands down the road would surrender the rest of his stack to wonka.

As I said, I got to sit at the table with Iggy, admiring his stack going up-and-down like a feral yo-yo. Iggy would go all-in on a hand and lose most of his stack. On the next hand he'd go all-in again, recovering it and more. And so it went. Iggy was apparently shielding me with some of his luck, as immediately after getting moved to another table, I'd meet That Night's Doom, this time at the subhuman hands of The SubHuman, who would place 6th for the night.

Hand #170, Lil Rico with a respectable 3635 in chips. We're at 200/400 blinds with a $25 ante. I pull a Ac Js. We get four limpers - including me, because I'm in middle position and I've gone down too many times with AJ off-suit. But maybe a mistake in retrospect.

The flop is 8c 3d Jc, giving me high pair as well as an Ace kicker. The SubHuman, who has about double my chips, bets out 1500, scaring off the the other caller. It only makes sense to re-raise with my hand, so I go over-the-top at Mr. Sub and all-in. He calls my 1710 raise, and I'm relieved to see that he's got nothing except a pair of 3s and a club draw, holding the 2 and 3 of clubs(!!!).

"I'm going to double up," I think for about three seconds, because then another 3 shows on the turn, giving ol' Subbie a set, and knocking me out of the running.

What did I say? "In poker you have your good nights and your bad nights." And sometimes you're going to get beat out no matter how you play. Can't fault the Subhuman. He had my stack covered, and you don't get to the final table without some gambling. But I had some fun, and all in all, it was still a good night.