Finally, the Fall 2006 Edition

We had a disappointing turnout for Hold’em – 18. Still, it was good for a $450 total payout, 28 points for first place, and four Shooting Stars chips for Hank, Tim, Pablo, and Sean. On a flop of K, 4, 7 Sean got his money in with a pair of kings, but Scott hit runner-runner straight and drew first blood on a Star. Two shooting went head-to-head next when Hank put Tim all-in, and Tim announced “I have to call we’re racing” and flipped over 8s. Hank had jacks, and collected Tim’s chip. Pablo was the next falling star when he was cold-decked with wired kings against Phil’s aces. Finally, Hank went in as a short stack at the final table with AT and was called by Jim’s enormous stack and his pair stood up.

Shelly was first out and got the Herradura shot when she went all-in with a king high flush against chip leader and habitual better Jim, who held the nut flush. Jason “I Only Play Hold’em” came fresh from the Canadian WPT event and bubbled. Brandon went out fifth. Scott donked off much of his stack when he called Bearded Mike’s AI with aces holding KQ, and finished only with a pair of kings. A few hands later he went AI with 6s and was insta-called by jacks and finished fourth in only his second appearance of the year.

Phil made a cute-raise with 98 from the button and Jim called, and the flop came KJ6. Jim checked, Phil moved all-in, and Jim insta-called with a set of sixes. At the start of heads-up, Bearded Mike had a 3-to-2 chip lead which quickly turned. Jim bluffed BM off of a set with a pair of 9s and took the chip lead. After another seesaw, Jim moved in on a king high flop with two spades, and Bearded Mike called with QJ of spades and missed. In the final hand both players limped and the flop came 234 with two diamonds. Bet, raise, AI, call – Jim held 62 for a pair and a gut-shot, and Bearded Mike held 34 for two pair, which held up.

After knocking Pablo out, Phil caught up in points to tie him for fourth. Jim’s second-place moved him up to fifth. Brando’s cash puts him at sixth on the year, and Baklava and Sean are tied for the last spot. Bearded Mike’s win moved him up to third, and Hank and Tim held on to their first and second-place spots.





Next tournament is next Sunday – deuce-to-seven triple draw.