Poker luck and Dania Jai-Alai
So, the reverse jinx holds.
I posted below about a long streak without the nut flush. At the Dania Jai-Alai tournament Wednesday, in the first hour, I got: Aces twice, Kings twice and a flop of J-8-7 while holding 10-9.
And, amazing, every time the cards held up. So I doubled up a couple of times, and had everyone at my table covered more than twice. Not a position, I'm used to being in. So then I misplayed a flop of Q-7-2 while holding queens -- I bet out, rather than let someone fire at it, costing me a chance to keep building.
Long story short, best tournament finish every for me, 15th out of more than 300. Considering I'm probably only in the middle in terms of skill, looks like an aberration. Thank you, poker gods.
But enough about me. Once again, Dania proved to hopping, and the expanded late hours now make for less pressure to rush a tournament to end a midnight. And I'd like to link to what I said earlier: Dan Le Batard should move his show to Dania, and take over the fronton.
The winner: Michael Pons, pictured with Hoch.
NICK SORTAL began playing 3-card "gut" and "Indian poker" on high school band trips, moved on to "night baseball" and "pass the trash" during a Dr. Pepper-infused midnight game in the 1980s at the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, and now play in a regular neighborhood Hold 'Em game in Plantation. I have been given the assignment of writing about the gambling life in South Florida casinos for the Sun-Sentinel...which means sitting around watching poker on TV now counts as research.
