Big Win Tonight - The Mookie

Got to play in my second Mookie tournament tonight and played some excellent poker. Very early in the match I called an all in of 6-6 with my Cowboys. They held up and I doubled up and was the chip leader pretty much right from the start.

With this initial cushion of chips, I was able to be patient and selectively decide when I would get involved in a hand. The cards I got tonight were interesting: either total crap or premium hands. I did not waste a lot of chips staying in hands, hoping to hit a set. It was either fold or raise.

I believe that I made some good decisions in NOT calling a few times when I wanted to. I decided to be as patient as I could and then strike. The blinds were not rapidly rising, so this strategy paid off.

I got that lucky break you need to win a tourney when, with only three players left and having a smallish stack, I am all in with K-10 of clubs. But oops -- TexasKaty has Q-Q. I catch a King on the flop to not only stay alive, but to pull slightly ahead of TexasKaty for the lead.

A few minutes later, I call Joanne1111's all in (pocket 9's) with my Big Slick. I complete the straight on the turn and have a 60K to 29K lead over TexasKaty going into heads up play. I think that I am going to get her when I get Cowboys and decide to (I never learn) slow play them. The flop brings a Queen and a Jack, and I am hoping she has either one and goes all in. She checks the flop (as do I) and the turn, so I decide to raise. She doesn't bite.

Final hand -- I flop a straight and call her all in. Her two pair are good, but not good enough.

So ... winning The Mookie in my second attempt is pretty thrilling. I can't wait to give it a go next week. Nothing like playing against great competition to stir the old competitive juices.

For a blow by blow report of the tournament, go to http://mookie99.bigopokerroom.com/ .