RESULTS: Poker Stars World Blogger Championship

Around 2247 poker bloggers joined this morning’s tournament. Yes, it’s this morning. It started 4am. I had to adjust my father’s day activities and sacrifice lack of sleep today in the office.

I was very excited for this event. Last year, I joined the first PokerStars World Blogger Championship. But I busted out early in the game. And I think, no one else I know joined. But this year, some of my friends also joined: Nickg, Cardinal, the Duke and Miguel.

Around 12 midnight, I was exchanging messages with Miguel on how excited we were for this tournament. It’s technically a freeroll but better prizes. I don’t really mind the ipod nano or the jacket. Oh, I’d love to get some bounty, too! Then we gave it a couple of hours’ rest.

I set my alarm. I was too excited, I can’t go back to sleep. I know I play freerolls during the wee hours, But not on a Monday morning when I’ve got work. And it’s hard to play an A-game on those ungodly hours. Nah, I’ve got to put my self together and make my momma proud!

Game time: Miguel and I were chatting in our ym on the side. He was in another table full of people indicating a “sit out” status. In another window, I was chatting with Cardinal and he told me he was seated at the same table with the Duke. Then after a few hands, we discovered that Nickg was also in another table. For some time, we actually invaded Nickg’s table with our chit chat there.

I feel like it’s team Philippines in here. My table is open in one window and I open several other windows to view their table. The Duke got a good stack very early in the game. His aggression worked to his advantage and busted out several players. Unfortunately, Cardinal was one of his victims. As far as I remember, they both hit trips. It was a matter of higher kicker and the 2nd card plays. Then after a few more rounds, The Duke and Miguel also busted out.

We found our selves chatting in Nickg’s table, with only the two of us still in the game. During that time, my stack was less than a thousand = super low stack. I even reached having less than 500. Nickg’s around the average stack. Though there were several fluctuations, he managed to keep an OK stack. When our friends were planning to play an SNG, Nickg was saying he’d be out of the game soon. And seeing my poverty-stricken chips, “Oh, my! I am hanging by a hair strand here!”

I remember my first hand, pocket 3’s. I folded it. I remember this is still an internet freeroll. And I was first to act. True enough, someone made an all in for the first hand in my table. I don’t want to waste my chips by calling the blinds on the first to act position then folding to someone who went all in behind me. It’s a big field out there, every chip counts. I had several pockets and monster cards. I was folding A-J, K-J and the likes when there’s a raise-reraise-all in with a full table. I try to limp but I was ready to fold good cards if I don’t hit the flop. Or my two basic options; fold or push all in. I can’t believe how tight I was playing at some point. There was a time I felt so sorry for playing that way, but I know in the long run I still made the right decision. I was on the big blinds, someone raised double. The others called. When it was my turn, I looked at my cards and saw a J-7 off. I checked their chip stack and mine as well. I’ve got the smallest stack. It’s either I fold or go all in. I can’t scare them with my all in since I’ve got the tiniest stack in the table. If I call, I don’t have a good position. FOLD! Then flop comes 7-J-7… Arrrggghhh!!!

After sometime struggling, Nickg messaged me that he just got busted. He finished 762nd place. I’m the only one left from Team Philippines (or so we know). Since I didn’t really crossed path with those players with bounty, I’m focused to getting at least that pokerstars jacket or ipod. The WSOP main event seat would be a dream come true. But im gonna need a hell lot of miracles to get any of those with my present chip stack. I was able to catch a few more. People actually fold when I go all in. Yeah, I show them monsters and rockets when no one calls my all in. I know it’s risky. It’s a strategy I need to pull just to survive a little longer given my minuscule ammo. I got the image I wanted. The entire time I raise or make a re-raise of all in, they fold. Even the biggest stack who can afford, would fold to me. Nice! There was a time someone called my all in and it doubled me up. For the longest time, I was at that table where my image was good (worked for me).

Then as a normal tournament procedure, I was transferred to another table. I really wasn’t getting cards either. The blind were 800/1600 plus antes, I only have 6k in chips against several big stacks in our table. I’m in mid position, the one before me raised double. I was holding pocket 9’s, I can’t just call because it will hurt my stack to just waste that much chips. I was trying to put him in a hand. I think it’s an Ace something… I must push him out with the rest of the players; the pot is good enough for me. Simply calling wouldn’t signify I’ve got a good hand. So, I pushed all in and leave the problem to him. All the rest of the players folded. And when it was his turn, he took a while. As planned, I leave the thinking to him either to call my all in with a chance to double me up or fold and hand me the chips he raised with. By the time he took, I know he’s not on rockets, kings or queens. Then he called and flipped over A-K off. Board comes trash, all low cards and giving me a set either. So far, so good. Then the turn is another brick. Alright, I just have to get through this one and I know I can make it further to this tournament with those chips in the middle. As if it was scripted with a slow motion effect… ACE ON THE RIVER! …

That was just plainly disgusting…

I was stunned.

I know I shrieked, but it seems more like a bad dream.

Then I heard my mobile, Nickg texted me. He saw the whole thing. I almost cried on his shoulders upon reading the message. Not because I’m a sore loser, I would have shaken that guy’s hand if we were face to face. It is because my dreams of winning a poker stars jacket or ipod nano was shattered in a blink of an eye . . . *sniff-sniff*

with an Ace on the river….

LoL

I busted 183rd out of 2247 players around the world. Not bad!Good game Nickg, Duke, Miguel and Cardinal! See you again next year guys! Maybe we can do this in another freeroll sometime.