They Came from Out of The Trees
By
The Barracuda
Monday: the official Tournament result sheet notes 2500 entries for the $300 Buyin Limit 7 Card stud tournament. We have applied to the Guinness Book of Records. We are only a 16 Table card room at present so you can imagine how space was at a premium with that many people about. Each table had 20 sets of people, all queued behind each seat, carrying their chips: you played one hand picked up your chips went to the back of the queue and waited until the next 19 hands were played b4 sitting down again. The 42 drink waiters allegedly averaged $517 in tips per hour. The "race off" of the 5's at the end of the 2nd level went into pandemonium when someone misplaced their position in the queue and there was not the correct number of 5's to chip up at table 14. Several fistfights broke out among the waiting players during the 3rd level when kibitzing the players at the table became the prime sport of the waiting throng. Casino Security ("ALL LEAVE CANCELLED" at 11:45 when 721 players in buses from Sydney and the Victorian country areas arrived) added to the masses in the room and for a moment there "I thought she was gunna blow".
But, eventually, due to subtle adjustment of the antes for the 4th level, by quick thinking Tournament Director Danny McDonagh the tournament got itself back on track to finish at about 8:00 p.m. I was just thinking - Did we get the entry money from those 2434 people knocked at early in the tournament or were they all in on a "freeroll"? - LOL
I started in seat 4 on table 1 and (other than the queuing process) didn't move all day. I always see this as a good sign that you are doing well.
Have to put this bit in, Lorraine Noel sitting in seat 8 on our table was getting terrible, unplayable cards. Now just to set the scene Lorraine plays fairly Low Limit Holdem live action but I believe loves 7 Card; we rarely get a game of 7 card during non-tournament times. Lorraine, similarly with all the ladies who play at CROWN, is a delight to play with and a delightful person. But something had upset her and by her standards she "went off". "He's always getting Aces"; "I can't get anything" etc.
WELL did the cards flow for the next 2 hours, victim after victim, I stayed well clear. As they brought a replacement player to the table everyone already present just smiled, "Lorraine's gunna get you buddy and you don't even know it, he he".
The final table included Lorraine and myself (go Barracuda), Stefan Smith who had seriously said to me at 12:15, "I will win this", - Nic Szeremeta of POKER EUROPA fame and OH NO!! Barney Boatman AGAIN!!
Look, it's as simple as this, Martin Comer and Peter Selby totally outplayed everyone at the final table. I admitted to Martin, who is such a wallflower and needs the ego boost, that I thought he played an almost flawless "playing the player not the cards" game.
My story, 2nd in chips at the start: four left, rolled up 3's, Barney, Jack 10 7, called my reraise (should have just smooth called to get huge chip leader Martin in) both virtually all-in on 4th street he finds a 6 on 7th to make the straight.
Well done Barney another top 3 finish but VERY well done to the two "newcomers" Martin and Peter, ah!! skill and experience, I reckon that's all I need to improve my game.
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