“Lookout for the new guy with the short hair.” I heard someone say in the background. It has been a while since I sat at a table, but with a new resolve and vision I was itching for an opportunity.
I fell slightly behind in the chips. I lost a big bluff, having to wait many a minute for a call. I worked a couple of good hands, pushing too hard at the end, and most likely losing some potential for gains. But it created an impression I could use to my advantage later.
I took out a young gentleman with a King-Duece suited; hearts. Why do people bet large on the turn expecting to throw off people looking to make a flush on the river? Then, when I make my own large bet with that flush achieved they don’t believe me. They go all-in and then are upset I didn’t fold on the turn. It’s like the guy whose dog, loose, not on a leash, threatens you. You tell the owner the law says you need to have your dog on a leash, and they claim, spewing their own anger, that it’s not the law.
Hit the final table. My stack was on the light side and it got lighter before only six remained; four to be awarded. Patiently I waited for appropriate hands. Got a competitive stack built up without drawing attention to myself. I went all-in without thinking, just feeling. One caller, an Ace-6 suited against my Ace-7. Another gentleman had folded pocket sixes. I caught a 7. No chop.
The others in the final four wanted to chop the prize money. Two of the final four debated which of them had the largest stack. I suggested we count up and see who had the largest stack. I had the largest stack. I said, “I don’t want to chop.”
I looked at my King-10 and felt really good about it. Thoughts of an all-in struck me. A much smaller stack went all-in before me and I called. One folded. then the last men went all-in himself with a much larger stack. The thought of folding crossed my mind without establishing a beachhead. I would still have a very relevant stack, even if I lost, so I called.
If I remember correctly it was an Ace-Jack of spades, and a 5-6 of spades against my off-suit King-10. I hit the King. Two spades on the flop didn’t pay off.
Heads up. With a dominant stack I folded, even big pots, on my opponents all-ins, which were every four or five hands. I was dealt a very favorable hand and made a large bet, near 3% of total chips; five times the blind. I was called. An Ace-10-and card of no significance came on the flop. I checked. My opponent went all-in. I called.
He showed me his King-10, having paired the 10. I showed him my pocket rockets, my two aces. Another Ace came on the river and I won the largest prize I’ve ever won with four Aces.
It wasn’t until the director was dealing our heads up match that anyone had even asked me my name. It seemed a light bulb turned on at the sound of my moniker. A bit of infamy, I attribute mostly to my religious affiliation heavily despised by a few, has made me known more broadly than most.
So what will I do with my winnings? Well, on this new year I made a new determination. Reading the autobiography of Reverend Moon, he wrote that when he was a child men used to gamble at the mill as part of the New Year’s celebration. He would watch them play, and when things appeared to be breaking up he would join in the game playing three hands, believing he could win one of three hands. He would take his winnings and buy treats for the children. So I made a similar determination and won.
Yes, I will tithe, and then give my poker winnings away. That would include possibly having a bar-B-Q, and using the money to buy very fine meats for my guests; anyone welcome. When we were better off I used to have large bar-B-Q’s for our congregation every year.
So I made the determination. I had a few opportunities before to make a tournament, and felt disappointed I had not followed through. I got to the first for this year and won big. And even though we are in need, I will not be using this money for our own benefit. And that’s that.
If you’d like to help my wife and I, to pursue our dreams in hard times, we would be very appreciative if you would purchase my books, appropriately priced for Kindle. They are also available free with Amazon Prime or Kindle Unlimited. In “Chuck Hammer and the Invisible Squadron; A Vendetta’s Wage” there are four Aces, and they all play poker.
Never apologize for wining.
