Poker Player of the Year (part 3!)

So last night we had another tournament. The turn out was only 22 players, but it was a $50 buy-in which would increase the number of points you'd get. However, only the top 4 would get paid.

With 22 players, many of the top 10 ranked players were in this tournament. In particular, the top 3. We always draw for seats and tables, so the 3 of us actually ended up at different tables. Nothing exciting really happened for awhile as we started with 5000 chips and a single 25 chip blind with 30 minute rounds.

I played pretty solid poker and ended up at the final table (of 9 players) along with the current #1 ranked player who was sitting to my left, which meant he had position on me (I would have to act first before he had to make a decision). Most of the players had similar stack sizes and the biggest chip lead sat to my right so I had position on him. He was ranked in the top 20 and is a pretty good player, but is known as a LAG (Loose Aggressive, meaning he's willing to bluff alot and raise alot). There was one "weird" hand at the final table that I recall. I had KT and I raised from MP (Middle Position) to 3BB (Big Blinds). I believe it got folded to the BB (Big Blind) who just calls. The flop is Txx where x is a card that didn't appear to help anyone. The BB bets out a pot sized bet (1000) and I reraise to 3000. He folds and shows me QQ. I was surprised by this (as everyone else at the table). He must have put me on AA, KK, or TT.

Eventually, we play down to the final 3 and I have a slight chip lead (a single 1000 chip actually) and the blinds were 1500/3000. I was also in the BB. The LAG was still in although he lost a bunch of his chips but was #2 in chips. The button calls and the LAG (who is also the SB (Small Blind)) raises to 12000. I look down and see AA. I have to decide whether to just call and hope he'll commit more chips into the pot after the flop and also that he doesn't hit a set or two pair. However, the button is still behind me and AA is stronger against a single player than 2. So I reraise to 30000. The button folds as expected (he can just watch the two big stacks fight it out and he can move up a spot for free). I expected the SB to fold, but he moves all-in and I, of course, call him. He shows A7o (offsuit). He had a gutshot straight draw on the turn, but my AA held up and now I had a huge chip lead. After the 4th hand in heads up, he goes all in, I call him with A9o, he shows Q2o and I win it.

With that win, I got $550 and also 375 points, which makes me the current #1 player with 1325 points, ahead of 2nd place who has 1051 and 3rd place who has 663. With only two months of play time in this year, I'm in a pretty good position to take the crown.