Jason Wins!

Our final two got it all-in preflop in a classic race situation with Sam holding Kh-10c to Jason's pocket eights. The board ran out As-8h-4s-Kh-10c to give Jason a set, the pot, and first prize.

Congratulations Jason!

A Rare Flop.

Sam raised to 4K from the small blind and Jason called. The flop came K-7-3 all diamonds and Jason checked. Sam moved all-in, Jason did a diamond check, then folded.

Jason Doubles. Don't Worry Sam, It Was the Right Call

Jason moved all-in from the small blind for his last 9.5K and Sam called with Ad7s. Jason held Kh10d. The flop hit Jason in the face, coming 10h-5h-3h. Sam picked up a double gutted straight draw with the 4d on the turn, but the 8c on the river sent the pot Jason's way and doubled him up.

Jason Takes One

Sam completed the small blind and Jason raised to 4K total, leaving only 6K or so behind. The flop came Kd-Qc-5s, Jason moved all-in, and Sam folded.

Oh Yeah

Blinds Up 500/1K

Chippies!

Sam - 35K
Jason - 12K

Jason Doubles, Baconator Bubbles

Kevin moved all-in for 7.8K and Jason called for his last 6.5K out of the small blind. Jason showed A-7 while Kevin held K-9. The board ran out Ac-9d-5d-Js-4s and Jason doubled up, leaving Kevin with 1.3K

The next hand Sam put Kevin all-in with Qs-7c while Kevin preferred to wait until the river to turn over his cards.

The flop came As-4s-2s and the Ks left Kevin needing 3s5s and only 3s5s to win and double up. He turned over a black 3 first, but it was the 3c. His other card was a meaningless Kc and Kevin was eliminated in 3rd place.

Steph--Kevin says he is on his way home as you read.

Baconator Bored

Kevin's been trying his darndest to double up from 5.4K, but he either picks up unplayable hands or gets no action on his all-ins.

Ok, I Spoke too Soon

Jason moved all-in from the small blind for around 9.5K and Sam folded, showing A-9.

We really are gonna be here all night.

Just My Opinion

But Sam is doing an excellent job consistenly raising the button, keeping pressure on the two shorter stacks.

Blinds Up

400/800

Blergh

This here blogger thinks there is WAY too much limping and checking going on here. Let's pick up the pace kids!

Big Hand, Big Laydown

Sam raised to 2.4K on the button and Kevin "The Baconator" R reraised to 6.4K total, leaving 7.2K behind. Sam counted down her chips and then moved all-in for 11.6K more on top of Kevin's raise.

Kevin thought for a couple of minutes before he decided he was dominated and folded what he claimed was pocket deuces. Same showed pocket tens and raked the pot.

Blinds Up!

300/600

Baseball--Its America's Game

Which is why we are watching the all-Asia final of the World Baseball Classic. The remaining three players are amusing themselves by making fun of the names of the various players. Because our inner five year-olds have taken control and when we hear a player's name that sounds quite a bit like "Bung Hole Lee", we can't help but laugh.

Chick Takes Control

Sam has been building her stack, picking up a nice pot when she turned a full house and Kevin was forced to fold.

Chippies!

Kevin R - 20K
Sam - 13.3K
Jason - 9.5K

Sam Doubles Again, Tim Eliminated

Tim and Kevin limped in from the cutoff and button respectively. Jason completed his small blind and Samantha raised 1.6K on top. Tim quickly re-raised all-in, everyone else folded, and Sam quickly called with her pocket kings. Tim had Ah10d.

The board ran out 3h-2h-2d-9c-9h and Sam eliminated Tim in 5th place.

She wasn't done though. The very next hand she knocked Mad Man out for his remaining chips. We're now on the money bubble.

Jason Doubles Up

Jason minraised to 800 from under the gun and Kevin "Mad Man" M reraised to 2K total. It folded around to Jason and he moved all-in for 2.4K more. Kevin called only to discover his KcQc was way behind Jason's AhAd.

Jason had a sweat on his hands when the flop came 9c-3c-3d, but the As on the turn gave him a boat and left Kevin drawing dead. Kevin was left with only 700 chips.

Play Resumes

After a quick break, play has resumed with blinds at 200/400. Five players remain and the payouts are as follows:

1 - $140
2 - $60

Another Doozie

Samantha moved all-in for her last 1,950, Kevin "Mad Man" M called, and then Tim moved all-in for 2.75K more. Kevin thought for a while, concluded he was pot-commited and called with his pocket sevens. Sam held QsJc and both of them were crushed by Tim's AsAc.

Then the board ran out:

Qc-10s-8d....Qh-Ks.

Sam made trip queens to take the main pot while Tim's aces held for the side. Kevin M is the big loser on the hand, while Tim only took a 200 chip hit after Sam's triple up.

Congrats Cats!!!

Nice win kids, now let's keep going and take the whole thing.

Let's Be Honest

We're all more interested in the final minutes of the very close UK-Creighton game to really care about poker at the moments....

More Gems From the Mad Man

On his last fold:

"I'm getting too conservative. I could've gone runner runner for a straight"

Chippies!

Kevin "The Baconator" R - 19.6K
Kevin "Mad Man" M - 8.6K
Tim "TPFKATMW" - 6.4K
Jason - 5.3K
Sam - 2.75K

A Family Fight

I missed some of the action because I was transcribing that bananas hand, but on a flop of 10d-10h-7c Kevin "Mad Man" M and Randy AKA Human Vessel for the Spirit of Jebediah Maudsley moved all-in for 750 over Kevin's bet. Mad Man called with 9d8s for an open-ended straight draw and Randy held 10c9s for trip tens. Randy was able to fade the turn when it came Ah, but the Jh on the river gave Kevin his straight and knocked Randy/Jebediah out in 6th place.

A Big Ole Hand

I missed some of this, but here is the best I can piece together:

The blinds were up to 100/200 and Rachel was all-in for her last 200 chips. Joe, Meredith and Kevin R were all in the pot. The flop came 10s-6d-4d and Kevin led out for 700. Joe moved all-in for 1,000 more, and Meredith thought before calling with around 4.5K behind. Kevin then moved all-in and Meredith decided she was pot committed and called. Here is who held what:

Rachel - Qc-10c for top pair, queen kicker
Meredith - Jd9d for flush draw
Joe D - Ac10h for top pair, top kicker
Kevin R - Ad10d for top pair, top kicker, and the nut flush draw.

The turn was the 8h, giving Meredith some straight draw outs as well, but the river came 5d to give Kevin the pot and eliminate three players in the process.

Mo Fo Joe

Rachel moved all-in for her last 1,225 and Joe D called with his last 1,025. Rachel was clearly unhappy to turn her hand over and meekly revealed her 10c6c. She was live against Joe's AdKh. The board got progressively scarier for Joe as it ran out Jc-5d-4s-3d, but the As on the river gave him top pair and the pot, leaving Rachel with only 200 chips.

Poultergeist Strikes Again

Blinds have been 75/150 for a while.

Tim "TPFKATMW" and Kevin "The Baconator" R limped in late position, Jason completed the small blind, and Randy raised to 475 more. Tim called and the two saw a flop of Qd-6d-5c. Randy bet 475 and Tim quickly moved all-in for nearly 5,000 more. Randy only had about 3K and thought for a minute before folding 4-7 offsuit faceup.

Perhaps Randy has been possessed by some sort of distant and deceased relative of everyone's favorite Mad Man, Kevin M. For all we know, Kevin had a great-great-great uncle Jebediah Maudsley who befuddled poker players in the Wild West with his intriguing card-playing style....

King Kevin

On a K-J-5 flop of all hearts Meredith bet 600 and everyone else folded except Kevin "Mad Man" M in the big blind. The turn was the 3c and, after a strange outburst from Randy (whom we can only guess folded pocket threes), Kevin checked, Meredith bet 800, and Kevin called. The river was the 7h and both players checked.

"I check, you flusher," said Meredith.

Turned out Kevin didn't have a flush, but he did hold Kc10c for top pair, which turned out to be good enough. After a quick heart check, Meredith mucked her hand and Kevin scooped the pot.

Rachel Doubles Up

Rachel moved in from under the gun for her last 750 and Kevin "Mad Man" M elected to call with his pocket sixes. Rachel held Ad-8h and managed to flop both an ace and an eight to take the pot and double up to 1.6K or so.

Blinds Finally Up...

...to 50/100

Kevin M at His Finest:

"I really get upset when I don't get to see a flop."

Randy Possessed By Demon with a Penchant for Bluffing

Kevin M, Tim, and Meredith all limped in and Randy raised to 275 total. All three players called and the quartet saw a flop of As-10d-8h. It checked to Randy and he bet 275. Tim was the only one who opted to call. The turn was the 8d and Tim check-called another bet of 275 from Randy. The board double-paired with the 10c on the river and both players checked.

"I'm playing the board," Randy said as he turned up his Qd-5d. Qd5d!!! Didn't see that one coming....

Tim turned up 7-9 for an open-ended straight draw that didn't get there and the two players split the pot.

Ladies' Night

With the blinds at 25/50 (Tim forgot to restart the clock so players are getting an extra long second level), Sam raised to 250 total from middle position and Meredith called from the button.

The flop came Kh-7h-8h and Sam quickly bet out 400. Meredith called. Both players checked the Jc on the turn. The river was the Ad and Sam checked again. Meredith fired 875 and Sam thought a moment before calling.

"Good call," said Meredith. "I have a seven."

Sam showed A-10 for a rivered pair of aces, which was good enough to take the pot.

Cable Guy!

Tim might very well have a panic attack as the ESPN just cut out during the UK game. If I had the technical capability to give you an audio feed of Tim's running commentary of the game I would, because it is pretty entertaining.

Seating and Chippies

Seat 1 - Kevin "The Baconator" R - 6.5K
Seat 2 - Jason - 3.5K
Seat 3 - Randy - 5.075K
Seat 4 - Rachel - 1.425K
Seat 5 - Sam - 5.05K
Seat 6 - Joe D - 1.55K
Seat 7 - Kevin "Mad Man" M. - 3.45K
Seat 8 - Tim "TPFKATMW" - 6.15K
Seat 9 - Meredith - 9.6K

Ok Now We're at Final Table

Tootie moved all-in on a J-9-X flop for his last 1,300 and Jason made the no-brainer call with pocket nines for middle set. Tootie's QJ needed runner runner, which didn't come so he is our final table bubble boy today.

This is the second set Jason has flopped so far. He was involved in the big hand early on where Kevin "Mad Man" M made kings full Jason held deuces full of eights and made an incredible laydown that saved him from going broke.

Final Table Time Kids

20 Minutes Later...

Patrick "Shipwreck" K is our first elimination of the evening. After losing a good chunk of his stack to Kevin's kings full, he got the rest of it in preflop with pocket sixes vesus Meredith's AQ. She spiked a queen and he was eliminated in 11th.

Typically it would be final table time, but with the small field, everyone has agreed to play down to nine players before combining.

Blinds Up

25/50

High Hand

Kevin "Mad Man" M has already claimed a big potand the high hand when his kings full of eights bested Patrick "Shipwreck" K's trip eights.

Tootie commented on Kevin's early rush by saying, "that is the only good thing about Kevin getting chips early is that he'll give 'em back even faster."

A Cozy Lil Poker Tournament

We've only got an 11-person field this evening. I'm guessing several people decided the UK was more important than the MNS this week.

Cards are in the air and the blinds are at 25/25.