Scott Diamond

I just played probably my worst tournament ever last night at the Bicycle Casinos Winning of the Green $545.00 NL event,

I was seated with a couple of very good players when I finally arrived. The traffic yesterday here in LA for some reason was bumper to bumper on every freeway because of accidents. It took me almost 2 hours to get to the Bike from my house and when I arrived at 4:23pm,the tournament had already been running 8 minutes. I was frustrated and I was not the only one late but I hate feeling rushed and last night I walked in frustrated. Allen Le,Jim Pittman, Paramjit Gil and a very aggressive player in seat 8 were at my table. Eventually 126 players showed up for a chance at the 23,000 first place prize.

I wasn't getting any cards again. This was the third tournament I have been absolutely card dead. I tried to generate some pots but ended up losing on the river to a bigger full house and a flush another time. I was down to 1400 chips after starting with 2500 and I had back to back pocket 9s and moved all in both times pre-flop with them. I only picked up the blinds both times and after being blinded back down to 1500 chips, I again have 99 and raise to 300 chips when the blinds were still only 200-100. I got called from the aggressive guy in seat 8 who just had busted Allen out with a hand he should not have gone up against Allen with. He turned a flush against Allens KQ when King high was on the board. Seat 8 played 3-5 diamonds for a 300 raise.

Seat 8 calls me and the flop is a J-4-2 rainbow. I go all in and he calls me. Now if he would have had a Jack I do not think he would of checked in front of me. I was right he had 7-4 spades and he turned a 4 to give him trips and I was done for the evening in the tournament.

I went over to the 200 NL cash game and sat down at a full table. I ordered some dinner and about 30 minutes into the game I went on a mini rush. QQ and hit a set for 125.00 profit,AA for another 85.00 profit and finally AA again against this older guy who plays all the time there and loves to bully. I raised 35.00 pre flop and he bumped it to 100.00 I just called his raise. I was not quite sure what he had but I wanted to see a flop with AA against him. The flop came out 4H-AS-2S. I checked he bet 150.00 so I called and he looked at his cards then he looked at me with a fake look of puzzlement on his face.

The turn was the 10H and he again led out with 150.00 as he asked me how much I had left.I told him 185.00 so he didn't put me all in, I still had 40.00 left. The river was the KS putting a flush out there and now I am thinking this is what he might have chased. He announced all in and as I put my last 40.00 in the pot I asked him if he had hit his flush. He said "NO" he had an ace with a baby kicker sarcastically and he turned over AK. I turned over my AA and he went into a rage telling me I am the worst player in the Casino. How could I slow roll AA and some other things for at least 2 minutes. For the next 20 minutes he told anyone and everyone about how I slowed rolled him.

So with a nice profit again this week from a cash game, I went back into the tournament area where the satellites were going strong and bought into a $120.00 satellite.
It came down to three of us after I went on a mad rush and was now the chip leader. We agreed to save the buy in of 120.00 each making the prize pool $960.00. I went heads up with this guy who I always see there and I apologize for not remembering his name because he is a very nice guy.We chopped it at $480.00 a piece and I watched some of the final table of my donk event before heading home.

There are super satellites today at $260.00 buy in for the Main Event this Saturday. I am not sure if I am going to play or not. The main event is a 2 day ordeal and I work this weekend. I do not see that many players entering because the $1500.00 buy in this week only had 37 players. I expect about 110-120 people.

There is one amazing hand I have to tell you about that happened at my table last night. My good friend Jim Pittman was down to about 1000 chips when 4 people in front of him went all in at the table. Jim said "I feel Lucky tonite with this hand" and called. Jim 88 seat 6 AA seat 7 AK seat 9 JJ and seat 3 10-9 Diamonds. The flop 8-8-3...Jim flops quads and rakes in a pot of over 4k. It was a very exciting hand,several people playing came over to check the table out when everyone stood up pre=flop. Kenna James who was at another table even came over to see what was going on.

It gave Jim momentum and he went to the final 2 tables after taking a tough beat with about 20 people left. He had AQ on a flop of AA-4-turn was 10 and river was a 7. His opponent had A-10 for a full house and Jim at the time had 80k in chips. He then busted out with 10-10 vs KQ. Another fine showing by Jim who won an earlier event this month at the Bike.

Jan Fisher wrote a great article in Poker Player Newspaper about the Charity Event and I would like to thank her. Jan and Linda are TWO of the nicest people on the face of the earth and it's an absolute honor to know them!!!!!

The tournament scene here in LA dies down a bit until April 10th when the Stars and Stripes series begins at the Bike. These are small buy in events and no POY (player of the year points) are given out during this series. however I look for big fields because of the buy ins.

I hope everyone the best in the coming days and weeks and please be safe out here. take care.....