Sorry I'm late.

So, on the very last night of the Winter Season, I decided to show up and bring my A-game. 12 weeks after the start of the season, I played the best I've ever done and accomplished not just one, but multiple goals for this week.

When I walked into the Bounty Tournament last night, my only goal was to win the week. This means that I would be the points leader for this week, earning the most points in any events in this single week. When I looked at the weekly points leader board on Tuesday, Dave Lee was in first. I was determined to knock him out and win the week. (Sorry, Dave!) Since I had already reached my main goal of qualifying, I felt the need to see if I could achieve my next goal. After sitting down and checking the points leader board after Tuesday, however, left me seeing red.

HOW did Will Yeung get 392 points?! and Sean was ahead of me?! HOW did this happen?! Will became my target. Will was the player to BEAT. I HAD to knock him out.

Well, it was a fluke error. When Trevor had entered in the points for Tuesday, the computer decided it was going to auto-complete his points. So, it was Sean in first with me in second, with Dave in third. I had my sights set on Will, but I had a new target: Sean.

I did the calculations, and I needed 50 points more than Sean in order to win the week. If Sean got 5 points, I needed 55. And so on and so forth.

I began the tournament at a decent table. Dave, Will Yeung (my two "rivals"), Mike (last week's player of the week), Tony, Steve (a newer player to the league, but has played in All Star Trivia-- another of Trevor's leagues), Will, and myself. I started out the night mainly folding hands, since most of the ones I got weren't even worth calling the big blind for. In one hand, Mike raised to 100, Tony then raised to 200, and then a re-raise to 300. And then, in that hand, Mike took out Tony. It was a bad beat, but at the same time I couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope.


The table I was at was now short handed. There was a lot of raising action happening mainly between Mike, Dave, and Will. Steve was in on the action as well. I played a major hand, and lost about 1500 to Dave who managed to flop two pair. I was bummed, and bit stressed as I thought my dream had gone out the window. I tightened up on my playing, and I was particular about which hands I called or raised with. I won a hand with two pair. It was a small hand, but it was insurance against getting blinded out early.


Umair, who had come into the tournament late, was seated at our table. I like Umair, he's a solid player and a really nice guy. I feel blessed to have met so many wonderful people at the SPO. Everyone at my table I consider friends.

There was some serious action with lots of raising, and some calls of "All in." I called, and when people raised and I knew I was beat, I folded. The one hand I wish I had kept was my Ace/2 of spades. Had I stayed in that hand, I would have won over 1,000 in chips with a nut flush. I was severely upset with myself. But, I got over it, determined to make it longer in the tournament.


At 8pm, the players had a break. Trevor went around and gave add-ons to players who requested one using their SPO stamps (earned for every ten dollars spent on food and drinks at the hosting restaurant). I had the opportunity to add more chips to my stack, which was AWESOME because I only had 1,000 left. The blinds after the break were 400/200, so after two big blinds I would be out of chips. But that add-on saved my tournament life.


After the break, there were 6 of us at our table: Mike, Umair, Steve, Will, Will Yeung, Dave, and myself. Umair went all-in with Ace/King, and won a pot off of Mike. I won a pot off of Umair with King/Queen of spades, and the flop gave me a queen. I placed a bet of 500, and won the pot. I was so happy to finally win a hand that I bounced and clapped in my seat and said "I won! Yay!" Dave enthusiastically said "Wassup wassup!" So I said "Wassup wassup!" also.


The next hand was definitely action-packed. Steve moved all-in, and Dave called him. While attempting to flip his cards over, Steve accidentally mucked-- but being a gentleman, and in the interest of fairness, Dave allowed him to remain in the hand and allow him to play. Steve had King/9 off suit, and Dave had 7/3 of hearts. Dave won with a flush, so the result would have been the same. Steve was knocked out. When asked about that hand, Dave said, "I felt like the flush was gonna hit."


After that, there were four players: me, Dave, Will Yeung, and Mike.

Trevor moved us to different tables, and I was moved to table 1-- the Oval. Oy. The table of doom. Normally, the players who play at this table are good. They're scary good.

Sean, my "rival" for the points leader board, was at my new table. On my first hand, Sean moved all in-- and I called him with King/Jack of diamonds. The board missed both of us. I beat Sean, who had a Queen with my King. Goal 1 of the night achieved: Sean was knocked out!


At the table, I was playing with Trevor, his wife Erika (I call her Mama Erika-- she takes care of me), Mo, Kirk, Joel, and Arlen (it might be Arlin. I'm not positive.) Arlen had a huge chip stack, along with everyone else at the table. Comparatively, I was ridiculously short stacked. Trevor and Erika were the only two in the next hand, and Erika won. They're so cute and funny. They definitely are a great couple, and I hope one day when I get married I have as great a relationship as they do.


After some hands and some all-ins, I realize I'm doing horribly. I've done nothing but bleed chips all night. It's frustrating to not hit any cards at all. It's really freaking annoying to have to muck every single hand because the cards I have been dealt are unplayable. They're far apart, and usually off suited, which is frustrating. The only hand I had in 20 minutes was Ace/9 off suit-- and luckily I won that hand.


Jordan came to deal! He's amazing. He deals at Tulalip, and is a friend of the league. He makes watching the game so much fun. It's like dinner and a show! And the way he says "Rrraise!!!" always makes me giggle. It's so funny! We discussed my possible career change to professional dealing, and he said I was probably better off staying with my retail career. His advice: "Stay at your job. Don't be a dealer. It might make you dislike the game, or at least get you a bit jaded." So, I'm sticking with retail.


After more players bust out, there are only two tables left. Alexa is moved to the Oval, and she has a HUGE amount of chips. She is definitely a player to be wary of. She's good at poker, and right now has the chip lead. Alexa moves all in, and Trevor and Arlen call. Trevor wins the pot, but Alexa has him covered so she's still in. After a few hands, Arlen moves all-in and Erika calls with poket 8s. Erika gets knocked out. I'm bummed. I love sitting at a table with her. She's definitely a role model for me. She's gorgeous and funny and nice and so sweet.


After more time and no cards, I became increasingly frustrated. I've had nothing but stupid cards. They're all off suit, all far apart, and I've had ZERO aces. As opposed to everybody else, who's had at least one (or in Arlin's case, 2.) I had no idea how on earth I was going to beat Sean in points. Absolutely no freaking idea. I'm getting more and more nervous and stressed and upset. I know that I achieved my main goals, but I'm still upset. I need to place 4th in order to overtake Sean in the weekly points race. The Bounty division feels nearly impossible to do well in. It's relatively tedious.


And after all that emotion, I get dealt Ace/Jack! And I flop two pair, Ace/Jack! And I won a hand! FINALLY!

A debate springs up about Alexa and her gold chip (worth 5,000). Something about her needing change, and needing smaller chips of 1,000 each instead of one 5,000. Arlen has become the large stack, and Alexa REFUSED to give up her chip. But, Jordan took it away and awarded her change. Oh, dear. I had the feeling that a riot was ready to break out. (Jordan has comments about the gold chip argument-- he may bless the blog with those comments! Thanks, Jordan!)



I MADE IT TO THE FINAL TABLE! Now if only I can place 4th or better...



The Final Table is: Neal, Kirk, Joel, Umair, Trevor, Will Yeung, Arlen, Mike, and myself. Instead of chatting with Erika, I put in my earphones, blast my music, and focus. Mike is the first player to bust, earning 9th place. Arlen moves all-in, and Umair busts her. Arlen earns 8th place. Will Yeung moves all-in and busts, earning 7th place.

And with all this happening, I keep saying to myself, "You're almost there. Hold on. Just a little bit longer."

With no hands and the smallest chip stack at the table, I decide to hang back and let the other players knock each other out. Trevor moves all in, and is knocked out, earning 6th place. He remains at the table to monitor the game, and records the points for the players. He's a great tournament director.

Joel moves all in-- he gets knocked out, earning 5th place.

Kirk moves all-in with pocket Kings, and I call him after much debate in my head with pocket 6s. Unfortunately, I flop a full house-- Queen, Queen, 6. I win the hand, but I'm still the short stack/underdog, so Kirk retains a bit of his chip stack, but doubles me up to 6,000.


Kirk moves all in again, but this time Umair does the damage-- Kirk earns 4th place.

I suddenly realized I am in THIRD PLACE. Which put me in the lead for the weekly points leader board. HOLY COW. I MADE IT!!!! I MADE IT!!!!

The hand before my big blind, which would be all of my chips at 6,000, I move all in with Ace/8 off suit. It's a good hand to move all-in with. Unfortunately, nothing hits-- I'm knocked out, earning THIRD PLACE.



MOTHER EFFING THIRD PLACE!!!!!!



I stick around to watch the end of the game-- Neal knocks out Umair. Umair places 2nd, and Neal wins the tournament. I stick around and help clean up the chips and cards, and Trevor tallies the points.


I WON THE WEEK!!!!!


I achieved all of my goals this week. Every single one of them. So, I'm no longer allowed to doubt people who tell me I can do anything I want. People have believed in me, and I never have. I'm now more confident in my abilities. I know that if I set a goal, work hard, and stick to it, I can do it. I can literally do anything I put my mind to. It kind of sucks it took me this long to figure it out, but at least I did.

I have more confidence in myself. Not just with my poker playing, although my confidence with that has definitely improved. I've gone from playing small cash games at my best friends' Ashley and Chad's house, to winning the weekly points lead at the Seattle Poker Open. Chad, my sensei, is proud. Trevor is proud. But more importantly, I'm proud.

I'm proud of myself.  don't know if I've ever said that before. But it feels good.

 Weekly Points Leader board