As The Coin Bounces...

We had only 24 players this week for our Saturday night home game.

- I got off to a quick start, thanks to this hand - (50/100) 6 handed.
I'm Mid and limped with 87h. The SB (a new guy) raised to 250. I called, along with three others. Flop was 5c 4s 3c. SB bets 300. BB (Dawn) calls. This bet seemed small to me. I'm not sure if he's just a min bettor or he whiffed with AK. So I raised to 1000 with only two overs and a gutshot. Unfortunately, I forgot there was still one more player to act. The Button (DP) went into deep thought. He stared me down, and called. The SB and BB also called. Wonderful.

Turn: [5c 4s 3c] 6d - Wow, the perfect card. SB & BB check. I started to count some chips to bet, when I realized that I've got 3500 left. So I go All-In. The Button instantly went over the top for 2900 more. SB & BB fold. Button asked if we are chopping. I said maybe, and show my hand. He rolled his eyes, and show 74o. The River was a brick, I scooped a huge pot.

- After this, things kept cruising along. The player on my direct right was a newer player. He raised a lot preflop, but only bet the Flop when he hit. So I started to take advantage of this.

- At the first break, I had 20900 chips. I decided to not take the AddOn, and save $10. I feel that 50 BB at the 200/400 level is good enough.

- When we went to two tables, I had 26000. I just knocked out a short stack with AA in the BB. I raised, and a limper shoved with 44.

- (400/800) Full table. It folded to me in the SB. I raised to 2100 with K7. The BB was a new player, and this was the first hand I played against him. He called. Flop was K89. I bet 3100. He thought for a bit, and went All-In for 3600 more. I called, and he showed AJh. He missed his three-outer.

- Things were going smoothly until this hand. (800/1600) 6-handed. I raised UTG to 4100 with 66. If folded to the BB (K-Tina) who went All-In for 10400 more. I think for a bit. Since I'm getting almost 2 to 1 (4100 + 4100 + 800 +10400), I decide to call. She has AT, and wins the race. I've got around 25k left.

- 2nd Break, and I've got 24500. We are still have 11 players left.

- Shortly after the break, (1000/2000) 5-handed. UTG went All-In for 8k. It folded to me in the BB, and I call with A9o. He turned over JTo. I knock-out another player, and we are at the Final Table. I've got 33500, and in 2nd place behind K-Tina.

- Next level (1500/3000), we are 7-handed. One player (Jamie) limped. The Button (RR Dave) shoved All-In for 15k. I'm the BB with 55, and I decide to isolate All-In. Limper folded, and the Button has AQd. He hits his A, and I lose the race. I've got 22500 left.

- Next level (2000/4000), we are 6-handed. a Mid player (K-Tina) pushed All-In for 15k. It folded to me in the BB. I looked at KQc, and called the extra 11k. She had A4o. She ended up hitting two pair, and won the race. I've got around 10k left.

- Very next hand, it folded to me in the SB, and I looked at J8o. Since I've only got 2-3 BB left, I went All-In. The BB (Doc) called, and showed ATh. I hit my J on the Turn, but he Rivered the A, and I'm out in 6th place.

Last year, I won a Saturday night tournament by going 6/6 in coin flips, including 4 at the Final Table. This week made up for it. I usually try to avoid coin flips until we have to start flipping. But, most of them were unavoidable this week.

If I could undo one of them, it would be the 66 vs AT before the break. Even though I was getting good odds, and I had enough chip to gamble, I could have saved the chips for a future battle. But winning that flip would have given me over 50k, which is more than a quarter of the chips in play with ten players left. As it turned out, K-Tina ended up winning the tourney.