The stage was set... LAPPIN the Ironman versus the Gold, Silver and Bronze men of the previous day's freerolls. Victory would mean a cool $5K and the chance to take on three Full Tilt pros heads-up for an additional 100K.

Three Europeans and one American. Three men and one woman. Two profitable players and two donators. I was drawn in the semi-final versus a charming German lady by the screen-name Sandrakiller. She was funny and amiable, happy to have a bit of banter in the chat-box. The contest lasted 30 minutes. I was on the ropes from the start. Hand #2: I had 10J on a 10-9-8-7-6 board. She had JQ. I lost the minimum but a nonetheless significant 500 chips. We tussled for the next 15 minutes, my chip-stack hovering between 600 and 1050. I was paralysed by my lack of chips, unable to make as many plays as I would like. My chance came when, with 950 chips, I re-raised all-in with 88 and held versus AJ. "Now I can get aggressive and run her over", I thought.

Two hands later, with the blinds 40/80, she limped into my BB and with K10, I shoved. BOOOOOM! She flipped up QQ and they held. She trapped me good. The next 10 hands saw us both play aggressively with the button. With 150 chips out there to steal, I shoved mine 3 hands in a row. Each time, I had legitimate holdings. Ace-9, pocket 5s and then A8. The third time, she tanked. She scribbled A3 into the chatbox and I was praying for a call. I got my wish as she flipped up the A3 of spades. The flop was a mixed blessing - all babies but 2 spades. There would be no chop. Either she would miss and I would take a commanding chip-lead or she would catch and I would be on the rail. Unfortunately it was the latter as the 8 of spades came on the river. GG me!

 


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