1st of 19!!

That's what I placed in a Texas Hold'em Poker Tourney last night! Jason's coworkers hold one every other weekend. He's been going without me. Little did I know the fun I was missing out on! I multiplied my entry fee 10x, and you better bet I'm setting a little of that aside to go back to poker and of course, Bingo with Gram.

It was quite funny. I went into it going to play the "I'm not sure how to play, I'm just a dumb female" card. I was PMS'ing and not feeling very social. They kept asking if I'd played before. Well I hadn't played any poker of that caliber before. I could hardly call having my Uncle take $5 from me on a couple occasions serious poker. I just kept raking in the chips and people looked shocked. You may be asking "What are your skills?" I'm not big into mathematics or odds for that matter, I just read the people. I took a few gambles now and then and came up on the lucky side. It was my night. My first time there. My first time playing poker on that scale, with some completely random strangers (and a few acquaintances too.) Also the first time a woman had walked out of there as the first place winner too! I was so excited I couldn't sleep when I got home after midnight.

I was surprised that I could keep my cool through bluffs and loaded hands. The very last hand though, between myself and the hostesses' Dad, had me reeling with excitement in my seat and grinning like a bozo I'm sure. I had more chips than him on the table. We already knew we were big winners and were pretty much passing the same chips back and forth. So on the turn I had a straight, really small cards too. I watched as he grimaced in his chair, writhing somewhat uncomfortably. So I went all in. We showed our cards. I already had the straight. He needed one more card to get a straight and his numbers were higher so he'd beat me if he got it. The river card went in my favor! I didn't even bother raking in the chips. I shook his hand. The cold, hard cash was laid out on the table and we both scooped up our earnings and scraped the chips into a tub.

I hope this is the start to a prosperous 2006! I am quite positive that 18 other people are probably thinking "Beginner's luck," but that is just my motivation to prove them terribly wrong next time!