Sometimes you're just lucky - The Straight Flush Story.

So I played in the monthly tourney event that our local poker club sponsors. I played poorly in the first tourney going out 10th (because I wasn't patient), and I did just a little bit better in the second tourney but the cards never came my way.

After a lot of sitting around and watching other people play, a third tourney started and I was determined to play well. It was a $50 buy-in which was nice and there were 17 players in. I will say that the play at these tourney events is about average to what you would see in $5-$10 online poker and maybe $5-$10 or even $10-$20 at a casino. The play isn't great, but it is relatively consistent.

There are a few good players that understand the game and understand the betting scenarios, etc. This does create a challenge since I am taking my game back and forth from playing loose/aggressive players and calling stations to tight/aggressive players. My dad would have told me that it "builds character"!

So I am hanging in the game in a short stack and my friend Tom goes out on AQ. I decide to move into his seat announcing to the other players at the table that this is my "power seat" and that I have never lost sitting in that seat. Since everyone else at the table was new to the club or never played me at that particular table, I was able to exact some fear into them. It helped when I won the next five hands in a row!

There were two really weak players at the table, and I played them light to keep them in until the final table. One was a calling station, and the other just didn't have enough experience to play well against me. I continued to build my chipstack until we joined the final table.

The final table consisted of some very good players. Don was there at the final table, because he is good. Rubin was there too! He is young and plays position and reaction as much as his hand which I admire and respect, but he can get wild and put himself in bad positions too. Eric was there, and I think he concerned me the most since he has a quiet way of sneaking sizable pots without you giving him any respect for it. He plays tight and can get very aggressive when he has a hand. Randy was there and Jim, John and Phil were there too

The 1st Big Hand

I folded my 7 3 offsuit and watched this hand, but it is definitely worthy of being explained in this blog. Blinds are 300/600 and there are two limpers along with the blinds. The flop is Js/As/Qs! Don bet 1200 and two players folded. Phil sensed some weakness and pushed all-in. Don quickly called and fliped over his Ks/8s showing the nut flush. Phil had A/Q and was hoping for either another Ace or Queen to hit on the river to make his boat.

The river was a 10s giving Don a Royal Flush! Phil was out and I mentioned that it was easier to go out on that hand that holding Aces in your hand (which happened over 14 times during the day to other players including me!)

Let me stop here to mention that our club has a sidepot bet that builds for each santioned tourney. If you hit a straight flush/royal flush - you get the pot! Right now it is almost $400. This unfornately was not a sanctioned tourney, so Don was unable to collect. Let me also mention that I told Don earlier that when I hit my straight flush, I would be second and never see the money. He laughed, I didn't.

My Big Hand

I am dealt 9d/10d in middle position. I am able to limp in with the blinds at 500/1000. There are four players in the hand. Flop comes out Ks/Qd/Jd. I have flopped a straight, and I have a straight flush draw as well as flush draw. SB pushes all-in with 2400 chips. BB raises to 6000 chips. I am next to act and I push All-In with by 9000+ stack. Dealer folds and BB calls.

When the players show their cards, SB shows Ad/Kh. BB shows Kd/Qs. I have the lead in the hand with the straight! Then the turn card is the Queen of clubs!!!! BB hits his full house and I am just about drawing dead. There is only one card in the deck that can help me...the eight of diamonds which would give me a miracle straight flush.

Well by the title of the blog, you had to know that the next card was the eight of diamonds. I hit it, and with it one player was out and the big stack was almost gone. I had complete command of the table and eventually won it all.

The drama of this hand has never been rivalled in my poker playing experience. I am sure that many players get to see something like this, but I am lucky to have benefitted from it.

-m²