I just had the wildest of rides in an online poker tournament. We were down to about the last 50 (with the top 27 getting paid), and I was about 30th with 10K chips. The blinds had escalated to the point where everybody was in push-or-fold mode, and someone called my all-in with a worse hand, which of course then beat me, leaving me with a grand total of 5 chips. I then proceeded to win a lengthy series of all-ins, two of which were literally forced by the blinds passing by, and most of which were pretty much 'any two cards', until I miraculously found I had a reasonable stack once again. After some more play I reached a high of about 17K, before the inevitable finally happened. I finished 20th in the end (which sadly didn't pay any more that 27th). But for a brief moment I had visions of winning the whole thing.
Thanks Tex. I only cashed a very little. But that scarcely mattered. The entertainment value in mounting such a Lazarus-like comeback was pretty high.
I swear on all that is holy that the following is true (even have the online poker results sites to back it up): About 2 1/2-3 years ago, I was playing in the FT $65k Guaranteed tournament. With ~150 left, I was down to T-100. Quadrupled up a few times, then a few double ups and I found myself close to the bubble. I was a big douche and started using the clock before they started playing hand for hand. Made the bubble and kept douching it up, with the result being a 6th place finish and my biggest cash to that point: ~$3k. A couple of weeks later, I was playing the Sunday Mulligan. Almost the same thing: I was down to less than the SB, got lucky a few times, then clocked it through the bubble. Kept using the clock until I HAD to start playing. Ended up with a 9th place and ~$4k. I then decided that using the clock to watch players drop off was a p*ssy strategy and quit doing it. Should've been less concerned with others perception of me and kept using the clock, as I went out on or near the bubble in several big tournaments after that. Had I used the clock, I would have cruised ITM. Playing BJ three weekends ago, I watched a ploppy buy in for $400 and start playing $25/hand. He got down to one chip and went on an absolute heater. He was up over $10k when I left. He had drawn quite a crowd, so there may be someone here who saw it as well. Man, his hands were trembling as he shoved out bets of $500-$1000 (and positively shaking like a leaf when he doubled a big bet, though I watched him pass on a couple of doubling opps because his original bet was apparently already over his comfort level). After a big win, he was stuffing checks in his pocket like a mad man. The whole room was watching and cheering him on. The critters made several calls during his run, but they let him keep playing. He was really a nice guy and VERY generous to the dealers (he had tipped them over a grand before I left). I asked someone the next day how he finished and she said he left about 30 minutes after me and didn't give much - if any - back. A Chip and a Chair!
