My Biggest Comeback to Date

I have always loved stories of the underdog coming from behind to take the gold. The whole David and Goliath thing intrigues me and gives me a natural affinity for those of us who have to work just a little bit harder to win.

The other day, someone posted a story about his biggest comeback to date. I felt I would do the same, because I enjoyed his tale so much.

Some of you know that I am now playing NLHE sit-n-go's at Stars full-time. My start date was 6/21/03 and I have now played hundreds of these one table tournaments. Stud has always been my "A" game, but I have found a niche in this NLHE format. Until we move to Arizona, and back into the proximity of B&M's, I will most likely continue.

Since I have had a pretty good record with these SNG's, I keep playing them, moving up levels as I feel I am ready. I started with the $5.00+.50 and moved up within a week or so to the $10.00+1.00. My most recent jump was the $20.00+2.00. I have now consistently beaten these games, to the extent that I get relaxed and make stupid moves. Then I have to go back to the drawing board and work on my game.

Today was one of those days when I would swear there is a full moon out (night or day, lol). The maniacs were in full procession, going all-in on the first hand with 74o and the like. I expect this in the lower buy-in tourneys, but it always takes me by surprise when it happens at the higher levels. It usually happens about once a week. Today was the day.

I entered my fourth SNG. The day had been incredibly crazy, with all-in's happening almost every hand. I had one win and two losses under my belt. So that means I was up about $50 for the day.

My strategy for wild play has always been just to sit back and wait for the craziest of the maniacs to knock each other out. This usually works out well for me, but then I get to the point where I have to pray that something good comes along.

By hand 58, I was down to 395 chips and there were four of us left. The blinds were 75/150. I got my first AK of the tourney, and shoved all-in. Naturally, I was called, by AQ, and doubled through.

Hand 59 brought another AK. All-in, call, double through again to 1880. First sigh of relief.

There was never really any going back after that point. I managed to collect a pot here and there, to stay above 2000 and the increasing blinds. A pair of eights brought me close to 3000. The two chip leaders were almost tied at about 4500 chips at any given time.

By hand 80, one of the previous chip leads had been bled down to about 2000 chips, and I was the second lead with 3000. The far and away chip lead was now nearing 7000 chips.

Hand 89 brought me pocket kings. The pot had already been raised before it got to me, but I went all-in, and the passive previous chip leader chickened out, along with the rest of the table. The current chip lead claimed he had AQo, but that I had instilled the fear of God into him, and he couldn't call, lol.

Due to sheer stupidity, the passive player was now down to about 1000 chips and the chip dog. Even the former chip dog at four players had him more than doubled. Now he was the target, the appointed bubble boy. The chip lead had about 8000 chips.

In hand 108 I got to go up against the chip lead. I had AQ, he had AJ. Why he called my all-in on the Axx flop is beyond me. Maybe he honestly thought he was in the lead, but anyone who has played with me long enough should know they are truly trailing here. At the very best, he could have me tied. Why risk half his stack? Sure enough, he gave me half his chips, and now I was up to 5000 and the lead.

Just a couple of hands later, the passive, former leader was bumped out, and we were in the money. Now the guy who'd just given me half his stack was once again chip lead. He had 5800 to my 4800. I started narrowing the gap, and overtook his lead by hand 117. He made a comeback again when he knocked out the 3rd man, who had AQ, with his pocket kings. By hand 137 we were almost exactly even with 6700 apiece.

I let him take a few blinds, while setting little traps for him and getting the bigger pots. By hand 149, I was up to 9500 while he was down to 4000. He had put up with my tricks for a while, so decided to set a trap himself and slowplay pocket kings. When I flopped top pair, top kicker, I thought I had the hand wrapped up. I bet big enough to put him all-in if he called, which he did promptly. I knew as soon as he called that I'd been had. But when you slowplay, you so often get burned, as another eight came on the turn, giving me three of a kind.

From 395 chips to 13500 and the win, all within the span of 30 minutes. My best comeback to date, and a great tourney.

Hope you enjoyed!