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Here is my story. I hope you like it!

Ace Medunas

Sunday, February 11th, I entered the $300+40 No Limit Hold'em WSOP® Circuit Event at Harrah's Rincon. My college room mate, Mike , and I drove up together and started at the same first table, much to Mike's dismay. The line was deep to sign up, with a record crowd of 646, about 100 more than last year, so the start time was pushed back an hour to 1:00pm. I got more than my money's worth: great poker, a new nickname, and a little extra cash.

At the first table, I'm seated in the #7 seat, Mike's in #8, and the first nemesis is seated in #9. The tables start 11 handed. The table is very friendly. However, seat #9 always seems to find a hand when the limpers come to life. I quickly realize that this guy on my left is going to grind me out of chips, every time I try to see a cheap flop.

He's got more moves than Michael Jackson. I call four limpers with A/7s and #9 put in a raise that represents about 1/4th of my stack, everyone folds and I call. The flop comes J/J/7 (with two clubs), I check, he bets about 1/3 of my stack, and I immediately push all-in. He puts on an act worthy of an Academy Award, trying to convince everyone the pain he feels laying down two Aces in this spot; Mission Accomplished! He shortly thereafter becomes the short stack and eventually gets transferred to another table. Interestingly, he somehow survives to become the Bubble Boy and goes out 64th, one out of the money.

Mike gets eliminated somewhere midstream, but we had parted tables long since. As we get down to around 100 players, a short stack doubles through me when my pocket 8's don't hold up. I am now the short stack at the table. They announce that there will be an hour and a half dinner break at 6:00pm; there is about 10 minutes left to play at the current blind level. My plan is now to pick out a hand, double up or go home. After a couple of garbage hands, a big family pots occurs, that eats up the entire clock. When we return from break I don't have enough chips to make it through the blinds, with antes of 200 and blinds of 800/400; I've only got 1425. I am really lamenting how I could not have gotten all my chips in before break.

Mr. Aggressive, the Table Captain/Chip Leader, puts in a healthy raise from under the gun. I look down to see 7/6 of Diamonds and call all-in, everyone else folds. This Joker turns over 3/3. I spike a 7 on the flop and there is life! I pick up A/Jo in the Small Blind and reraise all-in a player I perceived to be fairly tight. He tables Q/Js and I have him dominated! The guy next to me instantly calls me Horseshoe! Table Captain starts lamenting that I should not even be here. He starts talking about what a ridiculous call with 7/6 was, and he should have won that pot. I sense a head of steam is brewing.

Mr. Aggressive makes an instant call of a short stack with A/7s, and the downward spiral continues. He gets involved in another couple of pots, with no success. The Big Blind rolls around to me and I am expecting him to try to steal it, instead it folds around to the Small Blind who puts in a nice raise. I look down at Q/Jo and push all-in. The small blind mumbles that he can't call with 4/2o and mucks. Life is Good! Two hands, later Mr. Aggressive take his remaining chips and put them into one single tower of chips, about 18 inches high. As I look at the stack, I realize it is almost all black $100 chips; I've got him covered! I now look at my cards and find the Weapons of Mass Destruction, Aces!!! I smooth call, but no other takers. He slams over his T/5s! I gently roll my Aces over and can hardly contain myself. I BUST HIM!!! He blows up like a Roman Candle! I got my $300 worth, now I just need to make it to the money!

I become an instant celebrity at the table, as everyone now refers to me as Horseshoe! I run into one player at the break, in the men's room. He cautions me against taking a dump for fear of the Horseshoe falling out of my ass.

As we approach the Bubble, I realize that I have enough chips to make it to the money, but will not last much longer. A young conservative Asian kid put in a huge raise, 5x, preflop. I look down to see A/K. My first thought is to muck. However, as I count my chips, I realize that I can call and still make to the money if I miss the flop. However, if I hit, I'll be the chip leader on the table. I go for it and spike an Ace on the flop! The kid now leads into me with a bet of over half my remaining chips. I push all-in. I figure him for A/K too, but he does not instantly call. He starts to stress and I realize he does not have an Ace. My raise is for almost all of his remaining chips. I assuredly nod that I have it and he shows pocket Kings as he mucks.

As midnight approaches, I find a way to bust myself trying to steal the blinds with K/9o when the table gets six handed and the small blind wakes up with pocket tens. I was swinging for the fences, the Final Table and $58,000 first place money, instead its 20th place, $940, and another WSOP® adventure.

Ace Medunas



Over 18 Only Kahnawake Gaming Commission