Fallsview warm-up

Today, January 7, is the day before the big poker tournament starts here at Fallsview, Niagara Falls, Canada.

There will be three events, maximum field of 300 players in each, with entry fees of $1,000, $2,500 and $5,000.

Daniel Korbel and I arrived hoping to qualify (or worse case, buy an entry) for the first event - the $1,000 buy-in, only to find this event has been sold out for a couple of weeks. Jeesh, I was here a few weeks ago - I coulda shoulda bought several entries.

Now entrepreneurial types are going around selling entries at around $1,400 and rumour is the price will go as high as $1,600 by game time. (noon January 08)

I have been vascillating about whether or not to pay the premium - Dan thinks I would be crazy. I agree, but I kinda want to anyway.

Especially as it was a good day at the tables.

Started off real bad. I entered a $5/$5 cash game and bought in for $400 and lost ALL OF IT on the very first hand I played. I had KK on the button and raised pre flop to $25, and was called by the big blind.

The flop was 853 rainbow, and some money hit the pot with no raises. Turn was an Ace, and after a bet and a raise, all the money eventually went in the middle (I was sure from the betting action the guy did not have an Ace). I was right, but I was drawing dead. He had called the raise with 4-2 suited, and was now holding a straight. Hard to read !

So sheepishly I set off to buy some chips to continue playing. The cashier's cage was really busy so I sat down at a blackjack table and exchanged $1,100 for chips. They were just starting a new shoe so I figured, my poker table is holding my spot, I'll just play a few hands.

Within half a shoe I got back comfortably more than my $400, and was feeling much better about things. I went back to the poker table, where the locals were salivating at my return. The guy who took me for $400 (Stewart his name is - we befriended later) moved into the spot on my left as soon as he could - which I took as a strong desire to part me from my money personally. (In hold 'em poker, it often happens that you will win or lose most of your money to the person on your right)

I was somewhat random for a while till my game settled down - in fact I was down a couple of hundred more before I went on a bit of a heater, and won $1,000 for that session, which is pretty good with a $400 buy in. I am not sure I got everyone's respect - they're a tough crowd here, but I did get some of their money - which in poker, is mostly what matters. So net plus $600 at cash poker.

Then Dan and I finally got called to a side table to play a Satellite Sit 'n Go, to try and qualify for the highest level Satellites tomorrow. Basically, we began with ten players, each paying a $350 fee. The top three players win an entry to yet another Satellite - the winners of which win entries into the very expensive events.

I qualified comfortably (was blessed with some good cards and made some good decisions). Dan and I were seated apart - he at Seat One to the left of the dealer and me at Seat 9 - around the other side. He was almost card dead and did well to hang in till 6th. The blinds move up so quickly in these satellites that luck is a big factor.

Unfortunately it was my hand that busted him - the last thing either of us wanted - but it was a multi way pot with Dan and another guy all in. Dan was very much alive in the hand as he began with 87 suited and the flop was 65X. I had begun with QQ and the other guy with 99.

I dodged nines and fours as the board played out and my hand held up, and Dan was gone and I was solid for the rest of the event.

So tomorrow I will use the ticket I won to try and parlay it into an entry to the bigger events.

Stewart, my new buddy, left our table to play a Stage 3 satellite. He came third, and won a free entry to the $2,500 event which starts Sunday I think.

If we don't get into the $1,000 event (which seems likely) we will probably try to do this again. Two entries are better than one!