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The turn brought a repeat 5 which was the worst card in the deck for me. I had been counterfeited for my two pair and I still had no low. I decided that because he was hesitant about calling me on the flop, I figured he might fold the turn, so I bet. He thought for what seemed like an eternity. He looked me over and over and finally folded. He later told me he folded AKxx.  

My stack size had grown to about average thanks to the last hand, and I was sitting pretty, until the following hand came up against Mel Judah. He raised under the gun and was called by the button. I had 7s8hThJs double suited in the big blind. Normally I wouldn’t play a hand like this, but because I thought I knew what Mel had, I knew I could get him off his hand, if he didn’t hit the flop. The board came 8s9s9c, I couldn’t dream of a better flop for my hand. I had the full wrap to make the straight, I could make a straight flush and also a flush. I put Mel on aces and so I thought I could win if any of my 17 outs for the straight came or 9 outs for the flush came. My hand was so draw heavy, I bet out into Mel. I did want Mel to fold and for me to win the pot right there but because I was such a favorite to win the hand if my draw hit, I also didn’t mind if he called. He ended up raising me, this confirmed my belief that he had aces so I just called and the button folded. The turn brought a blank 3 and I checked and he bet, and I called. The turn brought a beautiful blank Q, completing my straight. I deliberated and decided to bet into him, rather than check raise him. He let out a growl and called me. I could have sworn on my life that I had him beat. I turned over my hand and was ready to rake in one of the biggest pots of the night, when, he rolled over his hand for AA89! He flopped the full house! I was right that he had aces but not in my wildest dreams could I put him on 89. I was so crushed after that hand I sunk into my chair and wondered where it all went wrong. I later decided that there was no other way I could have played the hand, and it was just unlucky. 

I continued to win a few pots by simply raising in position with average hands and continuation betting the board. This built my stack up to just under average. My next biggest hand was again against Mel Judah. This time I had AA8K in the big blind when it was 6 handed. Mel raised from second to speak and everyone folded around to me who three bet. Mel called and the board came Kj4 with two diamonds and one club, I bet and Mel called, the turn came an 8 of clubs and I bet and Mel instant called me. I was very nervous about the river because there were so many draws out there. The river came a beautiful 4 of spades which meant if Mel had kings and jacks he was now counterfeited and if he had clubs or diamonds he missed. I bet and Mel disgustingly threw his hand in the muck. Mel later claimed to have A2T9 with diamonds and clubs. If this is true than I was very lucky that he missed all his draws and I was able to take down a huge pot.

Just before the final table was drawn I won another massive pot with A2J7 with nut spades. Under the gun called and I called. The big blind went all-in for a little bit more. The flop came 639 with 3 spades. The under the gun position checked and I bet, he instant called me. This call is not so bad as the one he made on the turn when the Q came. I would have thought that it was obvious that I had the nut flush because I was betting into the empty side-pot and he must surely know that I know that he has a high spade flush. Anyway, he paid me off on the river too and I scooped. He was very angry with himself for calling me the whole way with KKQx with spades. This pot broke the big blind player and we re-drew for final table. With a few blind steals, continuation bets and two massive pots I arrived at the final table with a monster stack.

In the final episode of this 3-part series, I explain how I played, to go from final table to the winner.