June Senior Championship: The Runner Stumbles

It's a busy week for us, and not only in terms of a 40-hour-per-week project. Before the project started, we qualified for two monthly championships at National League of Poker. Tuesday night was Senior Night, with 858 players on the guest list.

:03 IN: We have 6-6 in the Big Blind. The flop is Q-5-9. The turn is K -- and since no one's betting, we offer the minimum 30. The table folds, and we win $105.

In fact, that started a run of four pots in a row which nearly doubled our starting chip count.

:09 IN: After that run, we have 10-Q. The flop is 10-J-J, and we call a minimum bet of 40. The turn is J, giving us a full house. When our opponent bets 40 again, we raise to 150 and get called. The river is 4, and we bet 200. The opponent calls -- and has a 10 like we do. We split a $1,170 pot.

:21 IN: We have 9-10. The flop is 2-A-9. We try a bet of 150 and get called. The turn is 3. Everyone checks. The river is another 3. We bet 150 - and win at the showdown with two pair, gaining $810.

:22 IN: The next hand brings us A-3. The flop is 10-7-4. The turn is J; the river is 9. No one's betting, so we toss out 160 - and the table folds. A gain of $310.

We reach the half-hour break at $1,795 -- good enough for 125th place, with 388 still in the running.

:34 IN: Right after the break, we have Q-9 of spades on the button. The flop is 8x-5s-9x. An opponent bets 375, and we call with top pair. The turn is 2 (not a spade). The opponent bets 750, and we call sensing a bluff. The river is 6. He checks. So do we. But it's no bluff - he shows 9-8, and we lose $1,080 in one hand.

:51 IN: With our stack dropping, we go all-in under the gun with A-Q. The flop is 9-10-3 - but the turn is Q! The river is 9, and we "quadruple up" to $1,080.

:52 IN: The next hand finds us in the big blind with a lowly 3-2 of clubs -- but the table folds! "Bless you," we write as we pick up $75.

:58 IN: With blinds rising, we go all in with Q-A and 930 left. We top opponents with A-J and K-J! The board is nice and low: 2-7-7-8-6, giving us a big boost to $3,240.

1:03 IN: We have 9-A in the big blind, ready to defend - but a second walk comes, gaining us $400 in blinds and antes.

That brings us to the second break with $3,240. We're right in the middle of the pack - #71, with 142 left.

1:08 IN: Right after this break, we have Q-3 in the small blind. The flop is 8-2-6. The turn is 5. The river is Q -- and with no one betting, our 300 bet with top pair takes the pot to gain $1,750.

But we lost the next hand with A-Q, when an opponent with pocket Jacks caught a third on the river. A couple more modest losses hurt as well, until....

1:14 IN: We have 7-A with rising blinds and antes. We're forced to call with 805 left. But the flop brings 9-9-5, and an opponent with a 9 winds up with a winning full house.

Final outcome: 83rd place -- a "top ten percent" finish which would earn us a small profit in a casino. That big loss at :34 was the big lesson for us. Calling big bets against our mid-range top pair simply asks for trouble.