I couldn’t help but laugh at the ending to my previous article concerning getting some big hands in the $5,000 NL. Having being dealt around ten pairs of Q-Q and over in the limit - this NL would prove to be a totally different story.

With over 450 players starting - it was going to be a long hard slog. I therefore decided to make the most of my chips by playing almost every hand for the first level. The outcome was that I still had close to my starting of 5,000. Then just before the limits increased - a rare mistake almost cost me a chance to win a fair size pot. Instead - I actually doubled up. Having limped blind UTG before the cards had been dealt - I bet the minimum 50 chips on a flop of T-T-4. The player to my left (who had increased his stack to almost 15,000 - courtesy of winning almost every hand), flat called. The turn came a Jack. I looked at my hand for the first time to find 8-9 for an open ended straight draw. I checked and our chip leader bet 400. I thought it was about time he lost a hand, and so I called. However, by mistake, I threw into the pot a 500 chip along with three 100 chips.

It obviously counted as a raise. How my opponent must have loved that mistake? Holden a set of Tens, he now re-raises a further 1600. Had I took a few seconds longer, I would have mucked my hand. However, even I go chasing every blue moon. I called the bet. I made the straight on the river and got called when I moved all-in. The rare mistake was profitable this time. A couple of hands later, I had another victim when I turned a straight. This was unusual for me - almost at treble chips within the first level.

What followed for the next nine hours was really unique. In my many years of playing tournaments - I would doubt if I ever went so long without a playable hand or situation. The funny thing was, there was a fan on the rails that applauded when I won a pot. He waited and waited, and waited…..still no need for him to take his hands out of his pockets. Then suddenly…..I’m on the big blind with Q-4. One by one….the players begin to muck. Finally, it comes to the small blind. He pauses….he ponders…and then mucks. Yeehaw! Finally won one! Quick as a flash, the hands were out of those pockets and applauding my great play. It’s good to see such skill being appreciated by fans. Seriously though, I think the fan felt more frustration than I did! I eventually busted out with less than ninety to go.

The next two events on my list are the shootouts - I look forward to these as they don’t require too much work.

Until next time - play well get lucky and remember to look at the chip values before calling a bet!

Peter “The Poet” Costa