Better late than never!

Just getting around to posting last weeks game. Good crowd and lots of action. His bold style of play didn't help him last week as Dustin was the first to be eliminated. Ish was soon to follow and a new comer to TNP, Ben, didn't fair much better. Justin B knew what the cards were for tonight and played well. After he was knocked out Giordan soon left the game as well. I did ok and was next to be beaten. Chris was out next and that left the final 4. The game went on for at least an hour and a half with Bobby, Lisa, Devin and Deb all trying to gain the upper hand. And it was in the order that they were placed. The heads up between Devin & Deb didn't last long and Devin could have won his first TNP but didn't trust his pocket 3s. Hmm, he'll go all in on pocket 2s but not 3s? At any rate, Deb won the night taking my 2 bounty points and extending her lead. Here's the night by the numbers:

11. Dustin 1
10. Ish 2
9. Ben 3
8. Justin B 4
7. Giordan 5
6. Jeff 6
5. Chris 7
4. Bobby 8
3. Lisa 9
2. Devin 11
1. Deb 15 (Including Jeff's 2 bounty points)

So, until tomorrow night may all your cards be live and your pots be monsters!

Hold'em 101

Before the flop, the last person who can raise is the big blind. Not the dealer, not the small blind but the big blind. If any player before the big blind fails to raise then the flop is turned over without further raises. You can't wait until everyone checks then decide to raise before the flop. Players, in turn, starting with the first player to the left of the big blind, can raise pre-flop.

It was a dark and stormy night.....

Which kept a lot of people home, but that meant those few intrepid die hards who did venture out met a storm not only on the outside but also at the poker table. Poor Paul, after exiting first last week, made a repeat performance this week. While not playing any more, Justin W's influence still permeates TNP, this time in the person of Devin. Going all in on pocket 2s, he was eliminated next. The shock of the night came when lightning struck Deb and she left the table. To her credit, however, she did bring ice cream for us all to enjoy. Thanks Deb! Chris was ousted next followed by a very disgruntled Bobby. It seems Ish called Bobby's all in, worth more than $2,000, on nothing but a draw on the river. Ish hit and took out Bobby leaving the heads up between me and Ish. We played for a short time before, on guess what, a 6-3 as my hole cards, turned up nothing short of a full house. Thanks Mark for the inspiration that makes us all keep these otherwise unassuming cards. The win, $35 bucks and 19 points are most appreciated! Since we finished so early, a second game broke out with a $2 buy in and Dustin arriving after his shift at work. Devin, the new pocket 2s standard bearer, won the second game. Here's the tempest by the numbers.

7. Paul 2
6. Devin 4
5. Deb 6
4. Chris 8
3. Bobby 10
2. Ish 14
1. Jeff 19 (Including 1 bonus point for retaining my bounty point)

Deb and I talked about her last game coming up soon. We decided that rather than play poker on that night we'll just have food and reminisce about poker from the past. Neither she nor I can possibly get through a game without the water works just flooding us out.

Clash of the Titans!

Like the mythological behemoths of ancient lore, the heads up came down to two old, wait, make that seasoned veterans of TNP. But before we get to the end, let us start at the beginning. Paul was first to fall victim to what would prove to be a night of big hands. His were sizable but he was always bested by someone else. Next out was Bobby followed soon thereafter by last weeks winner, Dustin. Ish left the game next with Chris making the final 5. Devin left next and then Killian who won Dustin's bounty point. That left the two longest playing elders of TNP, me and Deb. When the heads up started we were about as close to parity in chips as we could be but as in the days of old I was able to prevail when the card gods smiled down on me. The night by the numbers:

9. Paul 1
8. Bobby 2
7. Dustin 3
6. Ish 4
5. Chris 5
4. Devin 6
3. Killian 8 (Including Dustin's bounty)
2. Deb 10 (Including one bonus point for quad 2s)
1. Jeff 11

So I took the $12 pot and the win for the night. Next week is brown bag night so bring something to eat, $5 and be ready for double points. Until then, may all your cards be live and your pots be monsters!

SHOCKER!

Another even dozen available for play last night and the result was a shocker! Paul however didn't fare as well this week as he did last week and was eliminated first. A late arriving Ish had fewer chips to start with and was quick to follow Paul's lead. Giordan left next followed by an already celebrating my birthday Devin. Killian exited next followed by Justin B. I was next to leave the table and Markus, who did very well after being absent for so long was ousted soon after me. Bobby, who had a tremendous chip lead when we joined the feature table, had the cards turn on him horribly and he was defeated next. Chris who amazingly turned his less than $500 in chips quickly into thousands was finally whittled down. Deb made the top 2 this week but by the time it came down to her & Dustin her odds were astronomically slim for Dustin had played very aggressively and had about an 8 to 1 chip lead. These young players are watching all the poker shows and are emulating their counterparts in the pros. Congratulations Dustin on your first win at TNP. Here's the breakdown.

TABLE 1
Jeff
Deb
Markus
Ish
Paul
Chris

FEATURE TABLE
Giordan
Devin
Killian
Justin B.
Bobby
Dustin

12. Paul 1
11. Ish 2
10. Giordan 3
9. Devin 4
8. Killian 5
7. Justin B. 6
6. Jeff 7
5. Markus 8
4. Bobby 9
3. Chris 10
2. Deb 12
1. Dustin 15 (Including my bonus point)

Great game with unexpected results. Until next week may all your cards be live and your pots be monsters!