Poker Final

Tonight was the poker final. For the final, your starting chips are composed based on your performances over the year, so a better performance results in a higher starting chip count. I'd finished the regular season in a narrow second place, so started with an above average chip count but a little behind chip leader.

There were only seven of us, not the expected eight (one couldn't make it), and the dynamic is much more interesting with (a) different starting chip counts, meaning people are playing in different ways and (b) the notion that you have to try and win. You can't go out in second place and improve your overall standings, as you may try and just hold on in a regular monthly game to finish one or two places higher and outlast other players.

This was the reason why I ended up going out fairly early - or first, as it's otherwise known. I was chip leader and lost a good chunk on a cracking hand (pocket 10s and flopping a 10 first up, which lost to pocket Js and a J on the turn). My downfall was on an AQ hand with a decent pre-flop raise. The flop of 10 A 8 set me nicely but I didn't do anything on it - an A on the turn really commited me, and a couple of raises back and forth (three As with Q kicker? Going for that!) had me nearly all in and the only bit I was holding back was because my opponent was all in! Ended up losing to a full house, and went out after an all-in on the next hand - to three aces again!

It was still the right decision to push on that hand - I wanted to win, and taking out another player and to grab a huge lead early on would have been really valuable. So I don't regret the decision, but I'm not best pleased about the result!