PeeGee's Big Adventure, Part 10: The end

With 8325 chips and blinds at 250/500 (50 ante), I started the day with just over 16 big blinds. I had already heard a dealer's "Seat open!" cry from another section of the room on the very first hand, so at least I knew I would not be the first one out on Day 2A.

On the seventh hand, I was down to 7225, without having played a hand, and was one off the button. Action folded to me. I had A-3 offsuit, and only three people to get past (button and the blinds).

With 14 big blinds left, this is clearly a shove situation. I can't either limp-fold or raise-fold, so might as well maximize what fold equity I have by getting it all in. Most hands that call will have me beat with a pocket pair or a bigger ace, though I'll be ahead of a few (like suited K-Q, maybe). But since there are only three players left to act, a large percentage of the time none of those three will have a hand strong enough to call a raise of that size, and I'll win the blinds and antes (1200 chips), which would be a 17% boost to my stack. What's more, with essentially no experience against me, opponents would just have to guess what my shoving range might be. In terms of tournament strategy, I have no doubt that getting it all in was the right move. Trying to wait for a more perfect spot would be costly; every orbit that I folded through would bleed another 1200 chips from my stack.

Button folded. Small blind folded. Big blind thought a bit, then pulled out what he smilingly called his "all-in glasses," and called.

Those little blue lights were actually a series of LEDs that flashed and danced all around the frames. Very cute, actually. Silly, but cute. (That's Giuseppe Zarbo from France, by the way, our table's big stack, starting the day with 151K.)

He had 6-6.

Flop was 5-5-4. Turn 3. A deuce would give me a straight, but him a higher one. I needed an ace for a higher pair or another 3 for a full house.

River: 4.

Dang. I should have had the Mighty Deuce-Four instead of a stupid ace!

And that was that. Game over, thanks for playing, buh-bye.

I'm disappointed, of course, but not crushed. I was entirely aware that something exactly like this was far and away the most likely outcome of the day, and I was psychologically prepared for the probability of a very early exit. I needed to get lucky to make a couple of doubles-ups before I could settle back and really play poker, and it just wasn't, as they say, in the cards. I've forgiven myself for Thursday's mistakes, and today I did correctly the one and only thing I had to do to give myself the best chance for advancing, and it just didn't work out. I'm OK with that.

The whole experience, from beginning to end, was a kick and a half. I'm thrilled that I had the opportunity. I am grateful beyond words to Daniel Cates for his generous gift, even though I couldn't capitalize on it.

I have also been overwhelmed and deeply humbled by all of the kind and supportive things my friends and readers have had to say as this played out. Even those few who, for whatever reason, habitually make negative comments on my blog posts turned around and were nice about this experience. I can't possibly thank you all enough for making me feel like such a superstar for a few days.

You know what's even stronger right now than any feeling of remorse or disappointment? The wish that I could do it all again. Not so much because I'd want to do things differently--though there is some of that--but because it was the coolest experience I've had in a long time. Put me back in line for another ride on that roller coaster ASAP, please!

But for now, back to the grindstone.

Images below courtesy of Wolynski.

Addendum:

PokerNews noted the hand here.