Friday - Phase 1 - Poker is Played

Where to begin....

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Friday morning began innocently enough. I had to run some last second errands, but other than that, had no real responsibilities until around 2pm when I had to pick up the brothers McGrupp at G-Vegas International Airport. I had been in touch with G-Rob who had confirmed that the CantHangCrew was in town and ready to go drinking. It was past noon afterall.

I got to the airport a bit early and began my own festivities with a Bloody Mary. I was going to chill there for a while until the bartender said "That'll be $7." Those prices would have made any New Yorker feel at home. So I downed my 1 drink and waited for a bit just walking the terminal. I was notified by phone that the crew who had already began drinking at Chief's (Wings and Firewater) would be moving to Otis' house for some afernoon poker.

I got the McGrupps back to the house to unload their belongings wherein I was bestowed one of Dr. Pauly's manuscripts. Seriously, I was honored. I already had a Pauly painting for cracking AA with the Hiltons last year, this new collectible will be treasured equally. I figure that once Pauly completes his ascension into Superstar Status, these items will earn me a fortune on eBay when I'm ready to retire.

Derek, Pauly, Mrs_Blood, and myself then made the short trek to Otis' house. We arrived to find Otis taking care of some pre-party prep work and a NL ring game already in action in the dining room. Deal me in. I gave Mrs_Blood a buy-in too so she could play. G-Rob was already in the midst of building a stack. Other players included Marty, Eva and Al, and Dr. Jeff. It soon became apparent that the G-Vegas home game AllStars were on top of their game.

A most unfortunate hand for Mrs_Blood came about 30 minutes into the game. Facing an early position $3 raise, Mrs_Blood flat called from mid-position. I looked down to see two red Kings and re-raised to $12. It folded all around back to Mrs_Blood and she called. I don't really enjoy playing the Mrs. for cash. I'm either just winning back my own money or giving the other players ammo with which to ridicule me. Oh well, such is life. The flop came TTJ with two hearts. Acting first, Mrs_Blood bet out $15. Who the hell taught her to bet out like that on a scary board. Did she realize that I was re-raising pre-flop with a monster? A monster that obviously didn't have a T in in? Pauly came over to peek at my hand and simply muttered "Raise or fold, dude."

I thought more about the hand and put Mrs_Blood on AJ and pushed. She insta-called and I feared the worst. The table got a decent chuckle when she showed two black Kings. Sadly, with the two hearts on board, I was on a free roll. G-Rob dealt the turn - another heart. When he peeked at the river card, I knew I hit the flush based on the expression on his face. You could tell he was rooting for Mrs_Blood to stay alive. The table erupted as I relived my runner-runner flush suckout with Kings that I inflicted on April back in June at the Aladdin Classic. Brutal. Live poker is rigged.

By the end of the ring game, only G-Rob, Dr. Jeff, and myself had any chips. G-Rob up $140, BadBlood up $160, G-Vegas takes down St. Louis with a 2nd round TKO. It was pretty bloody. G-Rob poured salt in the wound after Marty busted out asking him ever so sarcastically "How's that St. Louis home game now?"

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We regrouped back at casaBlood to prep for the G-Vegas is Doomed tourney. I had wanted to start by 7pm so we could get downtown and destroy the local establishments before it got too late. We were just waiting for some out of town arrivals.

Slowly, but surely, they all came. It was a blogger convention Southern Style. Austin April and Heather, Gamecock, CJ and Lefty, Otis and the St. Loo Crew, G-Rob, the CantHangs, local home game legends The Mark and The Axeman, Pauly and Derek, Dr. Jeff and the Bloods were waiting on what I thought were to be only two more arrivals. Iggy and Daddy had been driving all day from Ohio and pulled in at about 7:20. Nice timing. We were ready to go. Or were we. G-Rob made an announcement that he ordered a stripper to show up. I said "Sweet!" Mrs_Blood gave me the look. Luckily for me, the stripper was Maudie making a surprise appearance in G-Vegas. I made room in the tourney for one more seat and we were off and running by 7:30.

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My tourney performance blew chunks like a certain McGrupp would later in the weekend. It was that same McGrupp that took me out of my own tourney in 17th place when his AJ dominated my suited QJ. No flush, no queen and I was done. I seem to do worse in any tourney I'm trying to run at the same time. Yeah, I'm making excuses.

When we finally reseated the final table of 10, I began rearrainging chairs to accomodate everyone. I lifted one of my new steel folding chairs over the table in an attempt to relocate it on the other side. Unfortunately it came crashing down on Maudie's head. She didn't even flinch. She took that chair shot like the Undertaker in his prime. Apparently she was unaffected mentally too since she managed a 3rd place finish.

Otis took the title down, over Pauly in 2nd. The Gamecock rounded out the money finishers in 4th. I won't mention that this was the first time Otis has cashed at my house, but G-Rob may end up pointing that out in his report.

With the tourney over, Otis made the group decision to reconvene at G-Vegas' best dive bar, the Bait Shack.

More on that later.