Jake D wins poker tourney.

Jake D · January 30, 2006, 08:20:03 AM

Well, it was an amazing day for me. I play in a weekly house game, but I've never entered a Texas Hold 'Em tournament. Saturday I did. There were 58 players in all and I felt really intimidated.

I remember thinking that I just wanted to make it past the first table. I did and there were some really big stacks at the second table they moved me too. I hung around long enough to make it to the final table and felt like I had accomplished everything I wanted to accomplish for my first poker tournament.

I was, by far, the shortest stack at the main table, which had ten players. I was down to probably $8,000 in chips. I tightened up and played only the best hands. I survived the huge blinds by bluffing all in a couple times (the blinds started at $1000-$2000). Of the 10 players at the final table, I went all in against 7 of them and took all 7 of them out.

Eventually, it was down to me and one other guy. Fairly even chip counts. There was a gallery of about 40 people left watching around the table. I could hear them whispering and when one of us would move all in I could hear the excitment in the crowd. "Oh, this is it! What does he have?"

The last hand I barely remember. I had just won an all in and they guy only had probably $20K left. The blinds were up to $4000 - $8000. I had an Ace/Queen off-suit. The flop was a pair of threes and a two. The other guy said, "I go all in." I put my head back and laughed. Should I call it? I didn't think he had the three because he raised me pre-flop. He had only been raising with face cards or better. I called it. I don't remember what came up on the turn card or the river. Next thing I know he is standing up saying, "You got it. Good game." And shaking my hand. Everyone surronded me, shaking my hand and patting me on the back. As I walked out with my winnings, people were lined up to congratulate me. It was surreal and an absolute blast. I had won a tournament with an Ace high.

I took all my friends and my girl out for drinks and the whole night I just stood there, staring straight ahead grinning. I was exhausted (I played for 7 hours straight) and mentally drained, but it was one of the coolest days I've had since I can remember.

Just thought I would share.

Stephen072774 · January 30, 2006, 09:33:04 AM

Dang thats one heck of an accomplishment... You've got a story for the grandkids

RVertigo · January 30, 2006, 11:14:27 AM

That rules... Another "Internet Buddy" of mine plays tourneys... I watched him play down in Commerce... He's pretty good.

What was the buy-in and how much did you walk away with?

Jake D · January 30, 2006, 11:52:28 AM

Quote from: RVertigo on January 30, 2006, 11:14:27 AM
That rules... Another "Internet Buddy" of mine plays tourneys... I watched him play down in Commerce... He's pretty good.

What was the buy-in and how much did you walk away with?

The buy in was 100 and I walked away with a healthy sum of money. Not enough to need to report it on my taxes though. But enough where I was expected to pay for a lot of beer that night.

I was playing pretty good. I've only played that good once before, so I picked the right time to get my head out of my butt.

RVertigo · January 30, 2006, 12:49:10 PM

I'd love to be able to do that... But, I tend to play with my head in my ass most of the time.

Alphamazing · January 30, 2006, 03:21:45 PM

Quote from: RVertigo on January 30, 2006, 12:49:10 PM
I'd love to be able to do that... But, I tend to play with my head in my ass most of the time.

Now that's hot.

calamari · January 30, 2006, 03:34:53 PM

i don't know how to play cards of any type, so congratulations on whatever this is.

jake42 · January 30, 2006, 05:15:28 PM

I can't even play go fish with my 4 year old. But I'll school you on fight night 2.

Jake

Jake D · January 31, 2006, 08:32:42 AM

Quote from: jake42 on January 30, 2006, 05:15:28 PM
I can't even play go fish with my 4 year old. But I'll school you on fight night 2.

Jake

Hey, jake42, can you create your own fighters on fight night 2? I was thinking of creating fighters that look like every one of my friends and having a boxing tournament with all of them.

jake42 · January 31, 2006, 04:44:44 PM

you have a pretty decent face editor on that one. You can get close enough that people would be able to recognize it as themselves. Not as good as THUG where you can take a picture of your face and load it onto your character.

Jake

pantablo · February 01, 2006, 10:38:14 AM

Jake, thats awesome! congratulations. I'm totally addicted to watching celebrity poker on tv. how did Texas hold'em get so popular?!

Must have been a hard to describe feeling. Kudo's!

Badger · February 01, 2006, 01:00:16 PM

Quote from: pantablo on February 01, 2006, 10:38:14 AM
how did Texas hold'em get so popular?!

I'm sure it has to do with the lipstick cameras they put in the tables...otherwise the commentary would go like this:

Announcer 1:
"He's betting. He might have something good...or he might be bluffing."
Announcer 2:
"Maybe we can pick up a tell."
Announcer 1:
"I doubt it...he's a real pro."
[pause]
Announcer 2:
"His opponent folds...so we'll never know."
Announcer 1:
"Well played."
Announcer 2:
"Yeah...well played. That sure was an exciting one."

Jake D · February 01, 2006, 01:14:34 PM

Quote from: pantablo on February 01, 2006, 10:38:14 AM
Jake, thats awesome! congratulations. I'm totally addicted to watching celebrity poker on tv. how did Texas hold'em get so popular?!

Must have been a hard to describe feeling. Kudo's!

It is impossible to describe. The pressure and the release.

It looks like I'm going to play in a tourney at the end of this month and if I win that I'll be able to buy into the WSOP for $1500, which is cheap. Real cheap for the WSOP.

I get butterflies in my bread basket just thinking about going to vegas.

News:

Jake D wins poker tourney.