Me and G-Dub

"There's an old saying in Tennessee - I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee - that says, fool me once, shame on - shame on you. Fool me - you can't get fooled again." ~ Bush

That about sums up how I felt last night. A work buddy is in town and we went with another co-worker to the Bike last night for a tournament. Surprisingly only 16 people showed and most of those 16 were pretty weak. I was doing well and when they condensed it down to the "final table" of 9, I was third in chips. This new guy at the table had been busting people at the other table with J4 offsuit against Aces and stuff like that so he more or less lucked into his chips. The other big stack was at my original table and he had skill. Deja Vu time, I pick up QQ in the small blind, new guy enters the pot, 2nd in chips raises, I like a dumbass move in with my Qs, new guy folds, 2nd in chips calls, KK vs QQ, I'm out. Just like that. Possibly the weakest field I'll ever see and I'm out. I stayed and watched because of my co-workers and they both did well. Neither finished in the money but one came close and gave the others a run for their money. I never explained my demise in the CSPC but it was extremely similar to this hand, small blind QQ, new guy raises, cutoff reraises, I move in, instant call, AA vs QQ, I lose half my stack and then things went south from there. So the moral of all of this. Don't overplay Queens. Or any hand for that matter. Why risk so many chips for such a relatively small pot AND why risk so much so early. I guess I was over eager to acquire chips but even a rookie knows better. Aside fplayinginng queens wrong, my game is stronger than ever. I feel some great things coming on and can't wait to get back on the felt. One last thing about playing the queens hands, both times I was in Seat #1 at Table #1. Yuck.

~80 of 419

Not sure I'm up to describing all the great and magical hands that got me there or how I could have gone further. Maybe later this week or next. I will give a quick rundown of the pros I saw in the event, bold will indicate still in post my bust. (for the mentally challenged, that means not bolded names busted before me...)
PHIL LAAK
Kenna James
Jennifer Tilly
DAVID "THE DAGRON" PHAM
Amir Vahedi
Jeff Madsen
Marsha Waggoner (Kenna James' wife)
Mimi Tran
Nam Le
TUAN LE
TONY MA
Joe Sebok
There were several others that I either can't remember now or don't know their name but recognize their face from TV. (By the way they would be in lower case...)

On My Way

So I was able to acquire the necessary chips to enter the $2500 California State Poker Championship Main Event. It took three trips to the Commerce to do it, although, two of the trips the satellites stopped early for that nights event. All-in-all I bet that if I would have spent a full day there I could have qualified in one, but it doesn't matter since the end result is the same. There was one satellite that was pretty much the make or break point of my hopes of getting in. I had done a last long earlier in the day for one $100 Tournament chip against two other players, I won and was up to 1600 in tournament chips. The make or break table I entered a last long with the same guy from earlier (actually I've played against him several times before and always beat him in the last long) along with one other guy. Then this third guy wants to play me one-on-one for last long, both last longs for $100T. I end up Rockin' the Casbah on this table and chop with one of the guys for $500T and then I took the last longs. I played one more satellite and went to the cashier to get my entrance, and of all seats I get Seat #1 Table #1. Guess I don't have to worry about getting moved. The tournament starts Saturday the 23rd of September at 1:00pm. If you read this before then please send a little mojo my way and little bit of good luck, it will be a tough field and I will probably need some. Thanks. Updates on Monday!!!