I was thrilled to be invited to participate in the 5/16/09 PokerListings.com Run-Good Challenge Poker Tournament, a private invitational event for poker media types, on Poker Stars.   We started out with 25 of the most ornery poker players you’ll find anywhere.  I don’t think these players were drinking enough! 

My early strategy was to play pretty much like I would any sit n go tournament.  If you’ve read my sit n go strategy then you know that means pretty conservative in the early rounds and then gradually becoming more aggressive as the game progresses.  This tournament only paid first place – an entry into a $1500.00 buy-in tournament at the World Series of Poker.   My goal was to play tight-aggressive and be sure I made the final table.  At that point I knew I’d have to take my chances and be very aggressive to give myself an opportunity to take down the prize.  Sounds good so far. This is where these ornery characters come in.  They weren’t going easy on a drunk blonde chick.  I had to work for my seat at the final table!

The problem was they kept trying to take my chips and I got beat up on a little just before we made it to 9 players.  After making the final table I found myself short stacked, moreso than I would have liked.  I sure wanted to have more chips than this when I got to the final table.  I knew this would force me to pick a spot and try to pick up the blinds or double up.  My chance came when I looked down at AK of hearts.  I pushed all in and got called by one player (sap-player) who turns over AA – yikes!  The flop offered no help and so I busted out in 8th place.

Here is the field of players with links to their blogs or bio page.  I’ll update links as I get more info on the other players.

• Rakewell1  Blog
• TNSpaceman Blog
• asphnxma
• Real Texan
• sap-player
• Benjo_DiMeo  Blog
• Chops here
• DrunkBlonde  (Your Hero)
• travismiller
• Guinness
• Blue123
• AlCantHang  Blog
• S.t.B
• whojedi
• RiverDan72
• Change1OO  Blog
• ZClub
• TarHeel1641
• KidDynamite4
• mooninjune
• Up4Poker
• DrPauly  Blog
• CarmenSinCity
• LFISBRTL
• IndomacK   Matt Showell

At the end of the day Rakewell1 won the tournament – congrats!  It was a tough tourney with lots of ups and downs.  The chips swings were wild.  I’m hoping they’ll invite me back to the next tournament on Saturday 5/23/09.  I’d like to get to know this group of people better.  Ok, I’d like to have another chance at that WSOP seat too!

See the write up on this poker tournament at PokerListings.com