The Crew - Hammering the Final Table

Had a friend get in town from Vancover who wanted to go out last night, so I suggested some live poker action (one day Kat is going to join us). Got joined by a couple other guys who I have known since highschool and a buddy who I know through work. I spend about 10 minutes making sure that they don't string bet or min raise with too few chips which would show inexperience. The poker room isn't legal so anyone searching it out has played a few hands prior to the event.

Well the results were fantastic with only top 3 spots getting paid we took down all the cash! I did feed some chips to my buddies when my hammer hand (more on that in a moment) gave me a huge chip lead with 4 of us left. Also my other buddies who busted out managed to kick ass in the cash game and won more money than if they won the tournament. One action junkie at that table rebought for $200 on 5 occasions before we left! Hard to lose 5 buyins playing 1/2 live but he would call all ins with 2nd pair small kicker hoping to hit 2 pair on the river.

So we are at the final table with 5 people left and the blinds are 500/1000. I am in the SB with 72o which gives me the tingles since the BB is very tight / weak. He was still alive because he survived with QQ vs. KK when he caught a Q on the river. It folds around to me and I raise 3x BB which was normal for me (I was also playing tight and had not shown a weak hand yet to the table). He calls so I put him on two paint cards or a weak suited Ax. Flop is 9d 5d 2h giving me bottom pair and even more confidence to push what is probably a small edge. I bet 3k again and he calls. Now I figure he has the flush draw and the turn is a 8h. Now with two flush draws out there I believe now is the time to end the hand or put the pressure on, so I push. Even if he has a 5 or an 8 I don't think he can call this raise. He thinks for about two minutes and says "Easy come, easy go!" and calls. He turns over QJd for the inside straight draw and flush draw. River is a 9c and I take down a player and a huge pot with bottom pair.

Have to love it when the hammer doesn't get sucked out on and it helps you get all your buddies into the cash!