Okie Wins @ Pokie*

*in Star Trek Actor's Tournament

My friend of many names, but best known as Maudie at the gaming tables, took it all in last night's Wil Wheaton Weekly tournament, picking up a nice chunk of change for her stake, to boot.

But of course, none of us play for money.

ricoM finished in what's becoming his usual spot - somewhere in the top third of the field but far out of the money - 31st out of 98 last night. I did fairly well at what was dubbed the TV table, as Wil was there, during the beginning of the tournament. My most notable hand being pocket Aces while on the button and having the table's short stack - jmikec - going all in with some style and verve with the blogger's hand: 7 2 off-suit. If the Poker Gods had been smiling jmikec would have won with a set or full house or some other improbable combo, but happily for me sanity reigned and I took the pot.

I ran out of steam after Hour 1, watching my chips steadily dissipate and at some point losing the mantra that I apparently need tattooed on my forehead that, "you don't win tournaments without gambling at times." But, like a turtle I gradually pulled myself deeper and deeper into an illusory protective shell, fold after fold, blind after blind nipping away at the stack until - with only $640 left - I raised $400 with an off-suit A 5 and was called (naturally) by a big stack in the big blind, maigrey. Another 5 hit the flop, pairing me up, but maigrey shoved off my all in, which cost her all of $215 more and showed an off-suit 7 3, which may be some sort of pseudo hammer. It played out like a Hammer. With three spades on the board, maigrey needed only one more to make a flush, which came on the river, an Ace of spades, which incidentally gave me two pair just to rub the insult in.

But my luck, I already knew she had fled to Oklahoma to settle on someone else's shoulder who was willing to gamble her chips. So, I stayed at the table until the Hour 2 break to cheer Maudie on, admire her play and a couple of heart-stopping all-ins, and gave her my blessing and the designation of Honorary New Hamsterite before going to bed.

I want the full play-by-play of the final table, Maudie! Congrats again!