9 SNG $1. + .20 End 1st 117 hands

Yeah I made a 1st!!!! It sure didn't feel like it was going to be this way early on and I was going on a bit of tilt wondering why I'm playing this and not winning!!! 1st hand I'd have loved to played. I was on the BTN w/10d Jd. UTG+1 limped in, MP1 called, MP2 raised to 60, HJ re-raised to 285, CO folded, the 285 raise was my clue to fold, action folded to UTG+1 who called, MP1 & MP2 folded. That could have been the end of this hand for my feelings about it. Flop 9d 3s Qd. Oh my, if I was still in I'd have an open-ended STRAIGHT FLUSH draw. How fast I could go broke drawing on that!!! :-) Turn 5d. I'd have had a flush. River Kd. BINGO!!!! Oh well, someday that will happen when I'm in a position to be in on the action!! That wasn't what was getting to me in this session. Hand 2 a player hit Quad Q's on the Flop of Qc Qd Qs. Phew, how often do cards fall this way?

Hand 8. My 1st chance to get in on the action. I'm SB w/pocket 10's (10s 10c). Seven players left, blinds 20/40. Action folds to the HJ who limps in w/40, CO folds, I raise to 3 BB (120), BB folds and HJ calls. Flop 9d 5c 6h. Not a bad flop for my 10's.  I bet 140 into the 420 pot, HJ calls. River Kc. Darn. I decide to just check this one as does the HJ. River Ad. Double Darn!! I check and the HJ does too. HJ shows Ac 8c, havng paired his Ace on the River. I'm surprised he didn't make some kind of bet on the River. I could have bet on the Turn and maybe that would have got him off his Ace, but I didn't want to risk my chips at this early point in the session. I'm down to 1200 chips. A couple of hands later w/pocket 6's and a flop of Q 3 10, I'm down to 960 chips. Next hand I go from bad to worse!!

Hand 16. I'm SB w/Kd Jh. HJ, CO, & I limp in w/50, BB checks. Flop Js 3c 8d. I have top pair w/a K kicker. I bet 100 into the 200 pot, BB folds, HJ & CO call. Turn 8h. Pairs the board. I check, HJ bets 150 into the 500 pot, CO folds and I decide to call. River 7d. I have top two pair, but HJ did bet on the Turn. I check and the HJ bets 300 into the 800 pot. Phooey. I reluctantly call because I'm afraid he has an 8. HJ shows Ad 8s. I'm down to 360 chips. Aren't I a great poker player??????

Hand 44. I've managed to get up to 865 chips. I'm BTN w/10s 4c. Still seven players, blinds are 50/100. Action folds to me and I go all-in hoping to pick up the blinds. SB calls me and BB folds. SB shows Kh 3c, one overcard. Flop 5s 5c 10h. I pair my 10. Turn 9s. River 3s. Phew, my paired 10 held. I now have 1830 chips and am back in the game!

Hand 68. We make the bubble. Big stack has 7135 chips, 2nd high 2500, 3rd (me) 2080, and short stack 1545. Except for the big stack we're all pretty close.

Hand 80 broke the bubble. Big stack had 8120 chips, 2nd 2620, and short stack (me) 2360.

By hand 96 it's looking bleak for me again as I'm down to 1000 chips.

Hand 97. I'm SB w/Kh Js, blinds are 120/240. After I post the SB I only have 880 chips left. The BTN open raises 3 BB (720) and I decide to raise all-in. If I get lucky I win, if not, I come in 3rd. BB folds and BTN calls. SB shows pocket 5's (5h 5d). I have two over cards. Flop 10c 9d 8c. I now have an open-ended straight draw. Turn Ac. River Jc. I get lucky and pair my J and have 2240 chips.

Hand 99. I have a nice win. I'm BB w/Kh 6h. BTN folds, SB limps in w/240, I check. Flop Ks Qd 6s. I flop top and bottom pair. SB bets all-in w/3000 chips. Hmm, I wonder what they have, but I decide to call, particularly since they limped in pre-flop and it seems unlikely they have pocket K's or Q's. They could have pocket 6's. SB shows Kd 10s. I'm in pretty good shape at the moment. Turn 9c. River Kc. I win and have 4480 chips to the big stacks 8020. Short stack has 760. They go out next hand and I'm HU w/5240 chips to the big stacks 8260.

Hand 107. I get lucky here. I'm SB w/Kh 4h and open raise 3 BB (720), BB calls. Flop Jc Ah 7h. I have a nut flush draw. BB bets 1/2 the 1440 pot and I decide to call. Turn 6c. BB surprises me w/a check, but that is fine with me as I have nothing so far and love a free shot at the nut flush. River Qh. I hit my flush!!! BB bets 720 into the 2880 pot.and I raise to 1680. BB calls showing Js 2h, having paired his J on the flop. I'm now big stack w/8600 chips to 4900.

Hand 117. I'm SB w/Jh 8s and 10,400 chips. I open raise 2 BB (600) and BB calls. Flop 7d 7c 8d. I pair my 8. Not sure how good that is. BB checks and I bet 1/2 the 1200 pot and BB calls. Turn 3c. BB checks and I bet 1/2 the 2400 pot and BB raises all-in w/1750 chips. Hmm, does he have me beat? I call. BB shows 3d 9d having paired his 3 on the Turn; my paired 8's are still best. River 5c. It's over and I win!!