Tournament Date: 24 March 2007
Buy-In: $350 + 1 optional rebuy/add-on $150
# of Players: 69
Prize Pool: $30,000

This was my second time playing in this tournament. I was playing well, keeping my head above water, stealing, bluffing at the right time. I wasn't getting any cards so I had to make do with what I had. got my stack up to 40K at one point.

With 2 tables remaining I had about 30K and I made a move with A 10. I raised to 6000 (blinds were 1000/2000/100) and the guy next to me went all in for 10000. I called and he turned over 4 4. I missed and he doubled up. The very next hand I had 5 5 and went all for 20K hoping to steal the blinds. Alp, my horse decides to call with pocket 10's and knocks me out.

Alp ended up chopping the tournament with Mike, Joe Zappia and Manny.

Tournament Date: 13 March 2007
Buy-In: $150 + $50 Re-Buys + $50 Add-On
# of Players: 60
Prize Pool: $17,000 APPROX

Had a pretty good start to this tournament, no rebuys so the tournament only cost me $200 including the add-on. Finished the break with 16K incuding the add-on with was just about average chipstack. I played well in this tournament considering I had no cards for the first few hours. I still managed to steal, bluff and outplay my way to being chip leader with 2 tables to go. Got to the final table with about the average chip stack of about 62K. Then it happened, completely card dead, J2, 62, Q4, you get the picture. After 3 rotations I was down to 32K and made a move with Kc8c and ran into QQ. I was out in 7th. Oh well, at least I got $350 giving me a profit of $150. It's better than a kick in the nuts!

Tournament Date: 08-11 March 2007
Buy-In: $500 + $50
# of Players: 420
Prize Pool: $199,511 CAD


Alp, Me, Jay & Two

This tournament had 3 qualifying days of 140 players per day and the top 14 from each day going through to the final day (Sunday).

A few of my friends and I went to Sarnia for this tournament. Me, Alp, Jay, Two, Amer, Sam, Carl, Dave & Vinnie.

Vinnie and Dave were out within the first half hour.

I wasn't dealt any hands for the first 3 hours and had to be content with stealing a few blinds here and there. The 5K chip stack you are given does not give you any room to manouvre. If you loose a hand you are short stacked and if you don't get any hands you soon become short stacked because of the aggressive blinds. Anyway I don't really want to talk too long about this tournament because for me, nothing really exciting happenned. After about 4 hours I was dealt QQ, the player to my immediate right raised and I went all in. He thought for a few seconds and called. He had AQ. What a great situation for me to be in, he had 3 outs. The flop A A 3, I'm drawing dead!!!!! I can't even hit my Q because he would fill up.

Jay did pretty well in this tournament finishing chip leader on his qualifying day and 10th overall. Click here to read his blog on this event.

Tournament Date: 28 February 2007
Buy-In: $150 + $50 Re-Buys + $50 Add-On
# of Players: 60
Prize Pool: $17,000 APPROX

I started playing this tournament after a long absence from Bennys. I had been either dealing on a Tuesday or playing at the River Room. I always liked playing at Bennys, a lot of familiar faces and Mo, Benny and Stu (the owners) are friends of mine and I like to support my friends.

Played some good poker in this tournament and made it to the final table with a healthy 65K chipstack. The 1st hand on the final table I was dealt Ad Jd in the big blind. Everyone folded to the button who just limped (Pino was on the button and is a fairly weak player). The small blind completed and I decided to steal the blinds and antes (4000/8000/1000) which came to 32K. I went all in and Pino called without a moments hesitation with KQ offsuit. Of course The Q hit straight away and I was left with 19K. KQ offsuit! weak players like Pino think they have hit the lottery when they see 2 picture cards and can't wait to get their money in and they always hit and think they played the hand well.

I stole a couple of blinds and in the process I knocked out a short stack. I was back up to about 46K. I played a rotation and I was down to 20K in chips (blinds were 5000/10000/1000 25K a round). I was dealt KsJs and decided to make a stand, all in. Guess what, Pino called again with A 2 offsuit. As usual when I have the best hand I loose and when they have the best hand I loose. 7th place and $350 consolation prize money.

Tournament Date: 16 February 2007
Buy-In: $350 + 1 optional rebuy/add-on $150
# of Players: 62
Prize Pool: $27,000

This was the inaugural monthly tournament at Topflight, an underground club run by a friend of mine, Carl. Going into this tournament I had a good feeling about it, I thought as long as I played well, I would win.

I got lucky early on in the tournament, which certainly helps. Jay raised 3 times the blind (200/400) in early position with A Q, I called with A K and so did the button and the small blind. The flop came 9 9 10 rainbow. Jay checked and I bet out 3600, The button said 7000, the dealer pointed out that this was a short raise and announced that it was just a call. The small blind and Jay both folded. The turn came a K and I checked. The button went all in for 6800 (I had about 13K in chips plus I still had my rebuy) I thought about all the possible hands he could have and came up with this:

1. He can't have a 9 because he would not have raised on the flop
2. He can't have 10 10 because why would he raise with the 2nd nuts on the flop?
3. He can't have 9 10 because why would he raise with the 3rd nuts on the flop?
4. He may have J J
5. He may have Q Q
6. He may have K K
7. He may have A A

I decided that with hands 4-7 he would have re-raised before the flop so I put him on A 10. I called and he turned over 9 10 offsuit. Shit!
I am drawing very slim now, only 2 cards left in the deck - 2 Kings.
The river comes..... KING! I hit one of my 2 outs and win the pot, knocking my opponent out of the tournament in the process.

I played some steady poker for the rest of the tournament and and I had the displeasure of knocking Jay out of the tournament in 6th place. When we got to 4 handed we made a deal, we all took $5500 and played for the extra $2000. I made it to heads up with Dave and decided to chop up the remaining $2000. Result! I win $6500. Not bad for a nights work.