ABC...

A-Always
B-Be
C-Closing

All I see is Alec Baldwin in "Glengarry Glen Ross" berate the sales staff in the film with Pacino, Kevin Spacey, and Jack Lemmon.


(Not work safe, due to language)

I am not closing the deal the way I should, but I am getting chances to close. I guess that's a positive. Got 4th in our league tourney for December, then a 3rd in Irish Jim's year end game, and then a 2nd last night at Irish Jim's. 3 events, 3 cashes, but still, not the brass ring.

I'm seeing the ball pretty well, but just can't seem to dodge being unlucky at the end. For example:

League event: My last hand, I am down to my last 5K or so, 4-handed with KJ off in the BB, raises, I shove, he's priced in, and calls with 9-6 off. He made a move, got picked off, but hit 2 pair on the flop. I made top pair, but didn't improve.

Irish Jim's part 1: 3-handed, limped pot with me in BB with 8-6. I check.
Flop: K-8-6 rainbow.

SB checks, I shove (5K or so), Irish Jim calls. Open the hands, he has KQ, I have 2 pair. Fade the turn, river is a Q. Busted.

Irish Jim's part 2: Heads up. I have 77 in BB, SB raises 3K on top of the 2400. I shove, he calls. He has QJ suited. Flop misses us both, turn another brick. Q on the river.

So, I am finding myself in good shape, and getting unlucky. I need to also point out that I have gotten help when needed too, and that's a part of why I have made the nice runs of late. I've hit cards when trailing (although I haven't trailed much), plus I have gotten nice value out of big hands as well, like making quad 9's and getting doubled up. This was sick.

9 handed at Irish Jim's year end game. Starting stacks of 8K. I have 99 in level 2 (blinds 25-50). I raise it to 200 as there was 1 early limper. Player next to me pops it to 500. I flat call, all others drop out.

Flop: 4-7-9, rainbow.

I check, re-raiser bets out 400. I call

Turn: 9

Check, check

River: 10

I bet 1500, he raises to 3000. I shove, he ponders and calls. He had 10-10 in the hole. As I said, sick.

I was happy to get max value there, and felt I did a good job of disguising the hand. Still, that was early, and not late, when "closing" matters most.

Will have a hard time finding a game over the next few weeks, as work will be its usual state of chaos. Have to play it by ear, but it appears that I have sat at my last table for calendar 2008--too bad because I want to keep swinging at the pitches. Seeing the ball well always feels good.

If any thing comes up between now and the new year, I'll drop in, but if not, Happy Holidays to you and yours. Be safe, and may pocket aces fill your stockings!

~M