Hard Rock part deaux...Chopped the Sunday Nooner at the Beau

Just got back from the coast last night, and I have some time to sit down and put together a good blog. Julie and I really enjoyed ourselves on the little weekend getaway. We tied the bikes on the bike rack of the Jeep and and just went. We just wanted to spend some quality time together, and it was right on time. We checked into the hotel right when we got there, and we decided to hit the beach with the bikes. We rode thru some of the new real estate developments that are popping up in Biloxi, and got to see some nice homes. It is real refreshing to see people flocking back to Biloxi. Julie and I both said numerous times over the weekend, "I could live here"(Never Know??). When we got to the beach, the weather was kind of over cast, but there were still lots of people on the beach. Big Crowds with numerous Volleyball games with some chucking football/baseball/Frisbees in the surf. The tide was coming in, so it made these huge pools where the kids were skimboarding. We walked thru the pools, and enjoyed looking for stuff in the sand from the storm. Good stuff

I already told you'll what happened with the jackpot, and here are some other tidbits:
--When we thought we were going to win, the Poker Room Manager gave we a hard time for not having my Social Security Card and warning me with some suspicious look. "You are responsible for your SS# being yours and you must pay taxes"...Hey Lady...this ain't my first rodeo. I have received numerous 10-99's from Gambling/Poker Tourney Wins in my lifetime. Chill...alright
--Again...when we thought we won...I asked her for a comp to the buffet for me and my wife...NOPE...no can do. "How many hours have you played?"...about 2..."You must play 4 hrs". You got to be kidding me...oh well...the rules are the rules...I guess.
--Even after the screw up was discovered and she told me the bad news, "Can you at least give us a comp to the buffet for the hassle"...NOPE...no can do AAARRRGGGGGG...another Nurse Ratchet ;-)

Overall, I blame myself for immediately not stopping and looking at he rules myself. After all the screw-ups I have seen in pokerrooms/casinos...I should have known better. Julie talked me into not playing anymore that night as my mind was just not there. As always, she is thinking clearly and knows that now is not the time for me to go to the cash tables at the Beau. She is my rock and biggest supporter. I look to all my friends for coaching/feedback (You know who you are), but Julie is my psychologist. She is my mind coach. I took the rest of the night off from poker, and we just relaxed and enjoyed the rest of the night.

Nooner at the Beau on Sunday. 80 something players. $130.00 buy-in. We started with $4500.00 in chips. I get in line a little late and and chatting with several regulars Maria...Doc...and then we see that she just opened a new table and we all realize the we will all be at the same table. I started to get some cards early and started to chip up quickly. Then I got a guy stack off to me with Ks7d on a board of AsAc7s8d2c when I had AdKc ????? (Donkfish Hand #2). The next few hands were all of us trying to figure out what the guy was thinking? At that point I just ran over the table playing my brand of poker stealing hands at will and chipping up. I was feeling good...had a great read on table and just would not let up. When we were down to 4 tables I was the chip leader and was moved to another table to even them all out to 9. I am in the one seat, and Will S. aka "Monkey Boy" was in the 9 seat. I came out firing just as I had before and started to raise from the SB. I win a nice pot. Now is where I made the one mistake where I raise from the button with Ks2s, and I got called from the BB and we see. Flop comes out 10sJhQd. He knuckles to me, and I make a pot size bet. He jams with what amounts to a min raise of my bet and I call. He tables big slick for the nuts, and I table my hand with a chance for a push or the back door flush draw...table bricks. Very small hit to my stack

Next hand is the Donkfish/Banana Head hand of the tournament. The blinds are at 200-400. I raise from the cutoff to 1400 with KsQd. Banana in the BB calls. Flop comes out Qh7s8d. Banana bets out ...I raise...and he says all in and stumbles putting his chips in. I call...banana tables 7d6s ??? Yea people...that is the types of plays they were making . Calling a 3x raise with 76o. The turn comes the 5s, and I yell out, "Don't you do it...NO"...4c. I double him up to 11k. From there we get in a discussion and I know refer to him as donkfish.

He tries to rationalize this to me by referencing my raise on the button with K-2. I am the chip leader buddy...of course I am going to raise in position. Worst...I got Monkey Boy also saying he could see why the guy called a 3x raise with 7-6o from the BB with "My image of bullying the table and raising with nothing". Now this surprised me. The same guy winds up busting MB out after they moved us to other tables. Later on...When Banana Head is eliminated from the tournament, I gave him my card and told him to be sure to read my blog as he would be highlighted as the "King Donkfish Banana" of the tournament...Sir...if you reading this...well played...Keep it up.

3rd donkfish move I witnessed...10 minutes into the tourney with the blinds at 25-50. I am on the button and I fold. SB raises to 250...BB Jams with well over 4000 in chips. SB calls with Big Slick...BB tables A-10off????? ...table bricks and another 5 minute discussion ensues on what was this guy thinking.

I played really well down the line with 2 tables left. Went to coloring up and collecting all the 100 chips with over 40k. Got a guy to stack off to me when I held Aces. Won a huge hand when the chip leader doubled me up when I held KsKd, and he called with AJo. This was a strange hand indeed also. I am all in pre-flop when the dealer starts tp deal the board. Brick-Brick-Brick...Brick...Burn Card...There is a "face up" 10c. WTF???? They tell me that they have to burn that card also...I start to think bad thoughts and say..."NO...DON'T YOU DARE DO THIS TO ME!!! NO!!!!!" ...BRICK..Schweeeeet.

Made it to the final table with an average stack, but felt comfortable. I got Pocket Aces again (twice in the tournament) and pocket 10's back to back to chip up. We got down to six players and negotiated a chop where the chip leader got $1250.00 and we all got $1000.00.

Feels good to be a small win streak...Peace

"Some people feel like they don't deserve love. They walk away quietly into empty spaces, trying to close the gaps of the past" Emile Hirch as Chris McCandless in the movie "Into the Wild"