The Weekly Wheaties Report - Short Form

I skipped last week's WWdN Invitational, as I muttered, "Apres moi le deluge," and wet-vacc'd the basement in what became a near weeklong marathon of mopping. In any case, I was back with many of the regulars in last night's tournament... and quickly returned to my "top third placement" status, finishing in 26th place in another smallish field of 68.

I'm becoming increasingly convinced I do much better the less I'm moved; although I've yet to figure out why that is. Obviously in real-world games, the longer you play against the same people the easier it becomes - or at least should become - to get a read on other players, as well as establishing your own table image. Apparently there's something similar holding true for online games. All I know is the less I'm moved, the more I win.

An uncommunicative Troublecat was at my first table of the night, and I wondered whether we were going to get in a repeat playoff right at tournament start. But the Cat's cards weren't having much of a night, and he would go out early in 55th without our tangling very much. Other players from Games Past included darval, denials, and Jaxia.

Around 9:00 I was moved, with $1965 in chips - having gone up to as much as $3k in the past half-hour, and down to as little as $1100. Our Host went down just around this time, when his pair of Jacks were blown out by a pair of Kings. At 9:15, with $1215 left, and with a pair of 9s, I made a minimum raise with one caller ahead, and one behind me. A rainbow Flop of 7 4 3 hit, and, even recognizing the danger that someone was playing a connected 6 5, I went All-in with my remaining $615 when darval - who had been moved with me - raised to $400. Happily, he was playing an AJ, neither of which hit and I was back to $2730 in chips.

The next hand I'd get Big Slick, call denials $200 raise, and with a 2 3 4 Flop would call denials $300 bet. The Turn was an Ace, pairing me, and with only a 5 to worry about, I raised on denials $400 bet. He folded, I showed... and he had the termerity to call me a "chaser." :-)

23skidoo would show at the rail at this point, taunting me to save my chips for him. Fate apparently listened, as I was almost immediately moved to his table as he finished typing.

At this point, CJ would show again why he's nicknamed "luckbox," cracking 23's Aces with a soooted Big Slick that immediately turned into a flush at the Flop. 23skidoo finished in 36th place. I asked to be moved - anywhere - but the Tournament Director apparently wasn't listening.

The rest is donking away of the chips. I had too many hands in too short a time which were always second-best when I played them out or had to be folded in the face of a hard bet. With $1066 left and feeling the need to make a move, I went all-in with a sooted A 9, getting called by the original raiser - saintjack - who had a pair of 10s. The 10s held, and I was gone...

... until next week.