YOU ARE BETTER THAN ME

After my 14th place finish in PLO on Monday night, Tuesday night its time for Superman to shine in the $340 NLH terminator. Not long ago, he opened an account at FullRig, since than he fall in love with those KO tournaments. Somehow I know he wanted to play in that KO tourney at Crown, but wouldn't like to fork out $340 entry fees. So I staked 1/2 of his buy-in. I will get 1/2 of his winnings capped to $3k. This is his maiden live tournament. I would be surprised if he survived the first break. One thing stood out in my mind, he will have a jaw breaking experiance.

Since each bountys worth $100, I told him to work on the bountys. If he managed to win 3 of those, then he will be free-rolling. We went there in the same car, and I first thought it will be short. Somehow he survived the first few levels, with 1 KO in the pocket. The starting bank was $15k, he lost a $6k pot with AK, flop A 3 4. He bet all the way and at the end lost to a runner runner 2 pair. The guy had 6 7, called with GS all the way and hits lightning.

He came over and chat with me every hour, and he said the table was full of fishes. He managed to triple up with AA. With blinds 75/150. After several limpers, he raised to $1500 with AA. Got several callers. Flop 669 rainbow, and he lead out for $3k. Some Crown PRO re-raised shove all-in with 5 5, and talked a lot about his poker theory, put him on AK or so. Superman called and AA held up. He then managed to bust several mushroom and collected their bounty. At the first break, his stack reached alomost $75k.

After the break, things were all the same. Maybe the way he dressed, the table tought he is a big fish. He dressed like a nerd, has his usual bowl cut from his local $5 brabershop and you looked at him from a distance, hes a bit like "GobbleBoy" Jimmy Fickke. He got all the action he need when he had a monster. People try to bully him all the way, at the end Superman just need to falt call all the way and shove the river. At the break, his stack reached over $100k with 5 KO.

Half of the field had gone, with a massive chip lead, Superman didn't change gear at all. His stack yoyoing up and down but collected an extra bounty on the way. I stood there like an idiot and watched him from a fare distance. After 8 hours, finally he made into the money. I didn't watch him play much but saw him raking up a lot of pots. He played very aggressive, but under control. Another 2 hours past, he reached the final table with about $400k stack, 3rd in chips.

At the final table, everyone was playing tight except him. He raised everytime when folded to him in late position and picked up a lot of blinds. No one played back at him and kept on folding. He played like Gus Hansen on TV, steam rolling the final table. Now with Blinds 20k/40k, 5 players reamining, this hand came up. Superman had A 10 off in SB. Folded to mushroom in middle shoved all-in with 88 for $100k+. Superman made the call. BB folded 8 9 off. Flop A x x, but turn the 1 outer 8. He lost to trips. In the very next hand Superman on button dealt Q 10 off. All folded to him and he pop to $100k. BB called and had him covered. Both still had $400k+ in chips. Flop 2 5 7 rainbow. BB lead out for $75k, Superman mini raised to $150k, BB called. Turn the miricle 10. This time BB shoved all-in and Superman snapped call with Q 10. BB showed 5 6. River J, Superman won a monster pot. He soon took another 2 bounty, both with KJ vs QJ. Both times KJ held up, now total 9 KO.

Close to 8am in the morning and we were HU. Both players had similar stack, and they both agreed to chop. So each get $7500 and left about $700 in the middle for the winner. If short handed poker is his specialty, then HU poker would definately be his achilles heal. All I can say he sucks in HU. After like 10 hands, he lost more than 1/2 of his stack. In the final hand, his 22 lost to AK all-in preflop and he finished 2nd place.

CONGRATULATION to you. Very good effort! Now you are OFFICIALLY better than me in NLH. Now you can brag all you want unless I manage to take down 1st place in some big tournys. I stood there for more than 13 hours, barracking for you and its totally worth it. I have learnt a lot. I learnt that image is very important. A special combo of Tony G 's $5 haircut along with Gobbleboy's nerdy outfit will give your opponents a FISHY image. Thats how you find the donkeys, re-raising you with 10 J when you had KK. Everytime you push with the good, they will put you on AK. Everytime you shove, they will call you with 6 7 due to POT ODDS. Now you have the BRAGGING RIGHTS and you can give me all the shits you want, coz you deserved it!