I'M ALL IN
Poker. Specifically, No Limit Texas Hold'em.
I road tripped to Boston this weekend to play in a 31 player tournament, mostly consisting of current Harvard students and alumni of Haverford.
I won.
After over sleeping (due to excessive intoxication on Friday night), 9 hours of travel by car, and 8 hours of playing poker, I knocked out the last opponent with A-J off vs his K-J off not long after 2 am Sunday morning. I was so tired I nearly cried. I was so tense. Nathanial was an excellent opponent and I look forward to sparring with him across a poker table again soon. I had actually offered him the draw when it came down to this last two of us, and he had accepted, but the crowd (specifically Austin) had not liked that at all. So we played on. After 12 or maybe 15 hands all folded pre-flop, we finally both hit drawing hands, and the rest is history.
Now, this poses an interesting dilemma. I have now either taken first (twice) or third (once) in all the no limit tournaments that I have played in, and next month there is a very large charity game in Bethesda. Top prize is $15K, in the form of a Visa or Amex gift card, or a seat at the 2005 WSOP. Cash prizes go down to 10th place, and then there are some non-cash prizes. 10th place doubles their $500 (tax deductible) donation. So the question is, can I justify risking that much money? I took home $125 as the first place in Boston, though sans tolls, gas, and food, my take home was $80. Minus the original buy in of $10, that leaves $70. Ignoring my trip to AC and all of my ups and downs at the weekly limit games that I play in, I feel that if I can turn this $70 into $210 - $280 in 4 weeks that I should probably sign up for the tournament. If not, I should take the risk with that amount of cash. I'm also going to sell shares in my winnings to those who think I have a shot. $20 wouldn't be much to lose if I don't place in the top ten, but if I do it would the return would be at least %100. Who wants to be an official sponsor of Team Lunnderdome Poker?
I road tripped to Boston this weekend to play in a 31 player tournament, mostly consisting of current Harvard students and alumni of Haverford.
I won.
After over sleeping (due to excessive intoxication on Friday night), 9 hours of travel by car, and 8 hours of playing poker, I knocked out the last opponent with A-J off vs his K-J off not long after 2 am Sunday morning. I was so tired I nearly cried. I was so tense. Nathanial was an excellent opponent and I look forward to sparring with him across a poker table again soon. I had actually offered him the draw when it came down to this last two of us, and he had accepted, but the crowd (specifically Austin) had not liked that at all. So we played on. After 12 or maybe 15 hands all folded pre-flop, we finally both hit drawing hands, and the rest is history.
Now, this poses an interesting dilemma. I have now either taken first (twice) or third (once) in all the no limit tournaments that I have played in, and next month there is a very large charity game in Bethesda. Top prize is $15K, in the form of a Visa or Amex gift card, or a seat at the 2005 WSOP. Cash prizes go down to 10th place, and then there are some non-cash prizes. 10th place doubles their $500 (tax deductible) donation. So the question is, can I justify risking that much money? I took home $125 as the first place in Boston, though sans tolls, gas, and food, my take home was $80. Minus the original buy in of $10, that leaves $70. Ignoring my trip to AC and all of my ups and downs at the weekly limit games that I play in, I feel that if I can turn this $70 into $210 - $280 in 4 weeks that I should probably sign up for the tournament. If not, I should take the risk with that amount of cash. I'm also going to sell shares in my winnings to those who think I have a shot. $20 wouldn't be much to lose if I don't place in the top ten, but if I do it would the return would be at least %100. Who wants to be an official sponsor of Team Lunnderdome Poker?