How Did I Ever Get This Lucky?

On Thursday April 12 I played the Lucky Bridge tournament. There were only 48 players as many were playing satellites for the Wildhorse poker round-up. I took third place for a profit (after tip) of $168 so that's not bad. My luck in this tournament was better than I've ever seen it.

My first 2 hands were K-K and A-K and they both held up. I folded my third hand (K-Q) to a raise. My 4th hand was 8-8. The blinds were 25-50 and I called a 200 raise out of position. The flop was J-5-5 rainbow. The original raiser bet 300 and I called with two pair. The turn was a 3 or something & he checked. I bet 1,000 having determined that my two pair was good when he checked the turn. After a brief hesitation he called, which I didn't like at all. However, the river brought my 2-outer with an 8. He shoved all-in. Even though I honestly thought he may have been slow playing J-J I called to find he had 9-9 and had been WAY ahead of me the entire way until the river. This was truly lucky.

My two super lucky hands came at the final table. I had K-7 suited in clubs on the button and there were about 4 limpers. Another K was accidently mucked face up before I called so it was probably a bad call except for the flush possibility. The flop was Q-7-4 giving me 2nd pair. I was second short stack so when everyone checked to me I shoved. Everyone folded except crazy Ali (who was in the big blind) who looked at me and said "I know just what you are doing" and called me with Q-6. I was so crushed, but then I hit another 7 on the turn. Good grief. Staying alive is fun! Ali just shook his head.

The best hand was when George raised to 4,000. I looked down at Q-Q and had only 14,000 remaining so I shoved all-in. Dustin went over the top and I knew immediately that he had K-K or A-A. Ali also went all-in for 14,000 and George folded A-10 face up. Ali also had A-10 and Dustin did indeed have K-K. I hit my 2-outer queen on the turn and took Ali out and left Dustin with 3,000 chips. Ouch! These chips enabled me to take 3rd place. (Also, when I did go all-in on my last hand I had A-7 and got called by the monster chip leader who was perfectly correct to call me with any 2 cards (8-6) and she hit a pair and I didn't.)

I honestly don't think I have ever been as lucky in any tournament as I was in this one.