Team Poker

Now when I said before that I'm a better tournament player than a cash game player, I guess there's some truth to that.

Team King Jack Call
I joined the first ever team poker event last night at the usual place and it was packed with the 7 tables of the best players I've played with ever. I was teamed up with Rini, Mogs, Jerry, Yoko and Namesh (sorry bro, I don't know how to spell your name). Dondi and Ostrac couldn't make it but Yoko and Namesh did just fine as replacements.

We didn't win.
Our first mistake was to let Rini join the heads up tournament while the rest joined the multi-table tournament. Rini is one of the best players I know and not just because he's my friend but because the guy's pretty damn good. The team could've done better with him there in the multi-table. Our second mistake was that we didn't have a strategy before the tournament started. We were playing by ourselves and hoping that each one would do well.

Heads up
Rini was beaten by Rosh. Quads versus a full boat. The heads up took probably an hour before it ended. I don't know the details because I was busy with my tournament. His second game was against Alexi (I really don't know how to spell the names of the people I play with). He was beaten there too. He was out of the competition after that.

Multi-table
All 5 of us were at different tables and we really didn't have a chance to play as a team. Only a few teams had that chance and unfortunately we had to get by on our own.
Mogs was the first to go. There were still about 7 or 6 tables when he busted out. It was all right because he did pretty well in keeping the other teammates informed about what's going on with the rest of the tournament.
Yoko and Namesh followed but I'm not sure in which order but there were still around 4 tables around that time. It was up to me and Jerry. He busted out when there were only around 16 players left. And there I was. Alone in a team event. Our best chance to win the event was if I'd win the tournament. But I was short stacked. With the antes, I was just waiting for the monster hand or the blinds to reach me. Fortunately, each time I was under the gun or big blinds, I'd have decent cards which held up. So I reached the final table.

Final table
It was composed of players from 7 teams and it was pretty even. I was still short stacked and it even reached the point where I'd just have enough money for the ante. That's the lowest I got, 1000 units of chips when the ante was at 500 per player. I still didn't bust out then. My chip count went up to around 20000. Then there's this hand I couldn't forget. I got pocket Jacks. the big blind was about 1600. I raised to 5000 which was all right because I still had around 10000 left. The big blind raised all in and I was covered. I threw away my Jacks. I showed my cards but the raiser mucked his. I never knew what he had but I still feel that it's a good lay down. I don't regret it because the raiser busted out before me.
My last hand was AJ hearts. The big blind just called me to have a chance of eliminating me. he had 97 off suit with his 9 a heart. Flop came with a 7 of hearts and another heart and a rag. I had over cards with a nut flush draw. He had pair 7's. Turn came a Jack. I had a better pair with the same nut flush draw. The river gave a 7. It could've given me the chance I needed to stay in the game and win. Too bad. I would still have done the same thing but I'm hoping that next time, I'd have a teammate on the same table playing.