The Yanok Poker-Palooza

The poker weekend with the Yanok's has now come and gone. Recall on Friday the December qualifiers were held there, to allow everyone to beef up their starting chip stacks which they would hold on Saturday's BIG GAME. Respective finishes throughout the year determined the size of your starting stack. I didn't cash in either game, but did "point-up" in one of them. I watched a lot of sick beats through the night. But the most treacherous part of the evening was actually the hill into their development! I did manage to get up it, but halfway up, was forced to stop and drop the truck into 4-wheel drive. Not a move I recommend on that hill. But I managed to get up. Then, I opted to drop off Teresa and Cole and drive back down to the lower level and park. I figured a slippery walk in the wee hours would be a safer "bet" than careening down the hill and plowing into some random house. That was likely the smartest thing I did all night. The cards just didn't really stack up very well for me. I had a few decent starting hands, that just never panned out. AK's and AQ's a few times which failed to connect. Too many people calling. There was a LOT of calling station action. Even by some people that don't even know it.

Anyway, we survived the drive home, after failing to cash, so we were out $120 total, $60 each. Ehhh... We arose the following day, and got ready and headed back to the Yanok's for the High Noon Year Ender! Chip stacks ranged from $1,400-ish to just under $200... I was in the 750 range and content. I was able to chip up to as high as $1,500 and felt pretty good about things, but then the cards dried up and I simply blinded away, and finally took a shot with Ace high from late position, and got spanked by my wife, with a much bigger Ace. She held AcJc and hit the nut flush. I only paired my measly 6, and my tournament life was over.

Then things got HAIRY! Not long after the group was down to the final four, the ones who were getting paid. Frank had managed to wrestle the chips to his side of the table thanks in part to a Hail Mary Play when he was down to his last $400 and called all in with a pair of 7's. Three other players were in it too! When they all flipped up, there were 4 pocket pairs! 77, 88, 99, and QQ!!! Frank boated by the river and Quadrupled up and a few rounds later found himself with a monster stack of chips. Scott Eddy had been chipped away for a while too, having started the final table with a monster stack too, but he was still surviving. Jerry and Teresa were also to be found, still struggling to survive. I watched as chips moved from person to person for quite awhile, and fortunes gained and lost by each of them. Jerry was the first casualty. Teresa battled her way back and played quite well, and hit some great hands to boot. She and Scott managed to wrestle away the chip lead from Frank. One key hand was between Teresa and he in which Teresa held AQos, to his A6. He hit a 6 on the flop, but Lady Luck dealt a fatal blow giving Big Red a much needed Queen on the River. Soon after Frank hit the rail, finishing in 3rd. Teresa and Scott played on for a bit, but not excessively until they got into a race situation that ended with Scott on top and with all the chips. Scott remarkably had started the day at the shallow end of the chip pool, with just over $200 chips in play, but had managed to outlast and chip up through the day to the eventual win. For his efforts he took down over $400, and Big Red happily settled for over $200 for the day. Not bad for a freeroll huh! So, she continues her winning ways and supports my poker habit. And you know what I'm just friggin' FINE with that!

Big Thanks to the Yanok's for hosting a fantastic time and we look forward to next year! Congratulations to Scott on the come from behind victory!

Also, one last note, I am considering CHANGING the day of the NDPT End-of-the Year Extravaganza to the 27th of December instead of the 20th, since there appear to be a lot of conflicts for that day. Please let me know your plans and if this works better for any of you that are planning to play in this $50 buy-in event.

Regards,

cheer_dad