I've been on quite a run at the bowling alley, lately. I busted out of the big poker tournament just in time to make it over to Ocean Lanes in Lompoc for the doubles tournament there. I had a partner who showed up just in case I was able to make it. I threw what I believe is my best ever four game series, an 895. My first three games totaled 677, so just short of a 700 series. I've been bowling long enough now that you'd think I'd have done that already, but I still don't. The closest I've come is a 695 in a tournament at Zodos last year. If you take my first, second, and fourth games from the Lompoc tournament, I shot 712, but unfortunately it doesn't count that way.

The next day was the first week of the new Sunday night league. They didn't oil the lanes at all, because most of the people there don't care. It's called the "Sunday Fun League" for a reason. I managed to shoot a 619 there. Since then, I have thrown an 845 (four games), 691 (so close!), and a 660. All told, I've averaged 219 over my last 18 games, which is pretty insane for me. Hopefully, I'll keep up this streak long enough to get a 700 in there before I fall apart again. I'd also like a 279 game (and a 300, of course.) My current high is 268, and I've done that twice.

Maybe next week.

Something to read while stuck in LAX.

Saturday was the Central Coast Poker Championship. The final field ended up being 760 players, with the top 80 getting paid. First place was $50,000. This was only my second big live tournament. Since the first one, I have played in a lot more online tournaments, and have a much better idea what I'm doing.

My seat assignment was table B-3, seat 5. This meant I was going to be sitting there for a long time, as they broke tables from the higher rows first. When we started, the table was extremely tight, but not aggressive. For the first two orbits, there were no preflop raises, but also no showdowns. A bet on the flop or turn usually took the pot. The first preflop raise at the table came (of course) on my big blind, and I don't remember what my hand was, but I had to throw it away.

My first real "decision" to make came when I was dealt AQo on the button, with the blinds 50/100, and it wasn't really a hard one. UTG raised to 300, and the next guy reraised to 600. The reraiser had a big stack (he had doubled up with QQ vs KK earlier). I threw my hand away, and UTG called. The flop was Axx, all clubs, UTG checked, and the reraiser made a big bet at it. The other guy folded, and the winner flipped over his aces. I don't remember if I had the Q♣, but even so, I probably couldn't have called his bet on the flop. Good preflop laydown. A little while later, I get 88 in early position, and raised to 300. I got one caller. The flop was 889, and it went check, check. I bet 300 on the turn, and got called, and 500 on the river and he folded. I wish he had had something, anything, to call me with. Anyway, it was nice getting quads, I just wish it could have happened later in the tournament when the blinds were bigger. Right before the first break, I got dealt KK in early position. I raised to 3x the BB, and everyone was already getting up to take their break, so no one wanted to play with me. That would be the only pocket pair above eights that I'd see all day.

I made a few blind steals here and there when I could, but never really got much in the way of cards. There were only a few critical hands for me in the tournament. With the blinds 100/200, it folded to me and I raised to 600 with K♣Q♣ from the cutoff. The big blind reraised me 1000 more, and I had to throw it away. I was dealt Q♦4♦ in the small blind, and there were four limpers ahead of me. The big blind rarely raised, so I called. I was a bit shortstacked at the time, and I pushed all in on the 8♦x♦x flop. I got called by the nuts (88), and hit the A♦ on the turn. He didn't pair up on the river, and I doubled up. That hand actually crippled him, and he went out a little while later. With the blinds 400/800, I called a minimum raise from the small blind with 88. The raiser was all in, and several other people called as well. I flopped a set, with two diamonds on the board, and immediately pushed all in to drive out the flush draws. Everyone else folded, and I took the pot. I just barely managed to hang around to the point where the blinds were 1000/2000, with 6000 in chips. I looked down at KJo UTG, and pushed in. I got called in two places, by the button and the big blind. The flop was pretty good for me, a 79T rainbow, giving me a double gutshot straight draw. The other two players checked it down, and I hit my beautiful queen on the river. The button had AK, and I never saw the big blind's cards, but I tripled up. That would be the most chips I'd have during the tournament. A little while later, a player busted in 81st place, and I made the money. Two players actually busted on the same hand at that point, and they paid them both.

I pushed in for the rest of my chips (2x BB) UTG with ATo. The button went all in, and the small blind called (for all his chips, the button had us both covered). They turned over KK and KJ. The final board ended up being T9xQx, the small blind took down the pot, and I was out in 71st place. Given the complete lack of good hands I was dealt, I was very happy with that result. I got paid $275 on the $220 entry fee, and played for 7.5 hours. It was a good experience, and convinced me that if I'm ever in a tournament like that and actually manage to get dealt a few good hands, I can probably do pretty well. Overall, lots of fun. I also got a hat.