Back in the saddle at Dino's

So last night I head over after a 5-week absence from the bar poker game, just hoping to not get busted out early. Nice to actually have a semblence of a social life after working goofy hours for a month. 30 runners to start, and a bunch of newbies that I will have to get some reads off of quick.

Luckily for me, I get Sharon and Harry at my first table, and directly to my left. Calling-Station Andy and a newbie on my right...this is alright for me. I take a few small pots pretty early by playing pretty aggressive poker - Harry catches me on one bluff attempt, but other than that it was easy to chip up.

Took a big pot from Sharon when my pockets nines hit a set on the flop, and she called all the way down to the river with pocket queens. A few hands later, Andy gets perhaps the easiest knockout in history, as newbie overbets the pot all-in on a board showing 10-J-J-J - Andy insta-calls with J-rag, and shortly after that we break up to go to another table.

(100/200 level) I sit down at a table with (left to right) Mike, Scott, Adam, and Fred. 1st orbit while in the BB I see all other players limp in - I look at A-Q and bump it up to 1200 to go - Mike is the only person who calls (goes all-in for less), Scott folds but thinks I'm raising with shit, and Adam and Fred dutifully fold. I spike a Q on the flop, dodge 4 outs so Mike's A-10 doesn't make his straight, and we get a huge boost to our stack.

I take a huge pot off of Fred with K-3 in the BB after hitting a 3 on the river to with my King (Fred had K-Q, or something like that, with 2 deuces on board), which made Fred's Ks and 2's no good. I then decide to donate chips to both Donald and Fritz by making pot-odds based calls of all-ins - prices dictate one calls when getting 5 or 6 to 1 on your money, but just didn't go my way.

Big hand happens shortly before we go down to 1 table: Scott pushes in with his last 2500 or so, Bridget insta-calls, and I have Fritz left to act...and I have pocket 7's. I think about this for a minute, fold them face up on the table, and Scott has the best hand (pocket deuces) going in. Both Bridget and Fritz have A-J - an ace on the turn means they split the pot, but a big "OH FUKK!" comes from me after seeing a 7 on the river...could have 3 knockouts, but oh well.

Take a couple of small pots at the start of final table, then double up Fritz when his K-8 outflops my K-Q. Shortly afterwards, I take out Nicole when my A-K holds up against her A-J. Fritz and Harry go out shortly afterwards after Jim takes both players out, and we're down to 6.

Trading chips for a couple of orbits, and when the levels were 500/1000, Andy tries to put his whole 1025 in the BB - I tell him if it's folded around to me in the SB, I'll call his all-in in the dark - as players fold around and the giggling starts, I call and reveal...7-3 off to Andy's Q-10. I hit a 3 on the flop, all low cards on turn and river, and we're down to 5.

Big hand of the tournament happens shortly afterwards. Donald goes all-in for his last 1500, and Bridget and I (Kd-7h) in the blinds complete. Cautious checking on flop and turn, and I have a straight flush draw after the turn - I made a 2000 bet, and was quickly called. After the river, another heart came up, Bridget bet enough to put me all-in. Unfortunately, after processing the information I made the incorrect decision to lay down my hand, as she turned over a 5 of hearts - dammitalltohell! Hey, good bet by her - and turnabout from prior weeks is fair play.

I went out in 4th shortly afterwards to Jim's A-K when my K-J didn't get any help, but for the first week back I'll take it.