I am a Poker Queen! Well, perhaps not queen, but at least lesser nobility!

I went with T to a Texas Hole 'Em Poker tournament. Believe it or not...I made the final table. I had wanted to do well because T is a regular player and quite good at what she does. T is thoughtful and strategic in her play, not given to emotional or rash plays. Tonight, I thought about all those hours of Celebrity Poker I watched and all the advice Phil gave and played as he would have advised. I went out in 10th place, on a play that really was my best option given that I was short stacked. In the whole tournament, I only made two stupid plays: the first against T's sister S who always has my number and the second where I tried to take out a short stack person with okay-but-not-great cards. Still, I was quite pleased with how I played.

At the first table (we were shuffled around as players dropped out to keep the tables even), fours were coming up right and left. So, when I got a pocket pair of fours, I decided to go for broke. Another woman called me, and I sweated through the flop, turn, and river cards. Another four came up and my trips held! I took out a relatively strong player with a hand I probably should not have played, Queen/Five. He had pocket kings, but as the common cards were revealed, I ended up with trip queens. All in all, I rather enjoyed myself during that tournament.

Because S and I had made the final table and were still there close to the time the second tournament would begin, we decided to stay for it. I started well again, especially smart play with pocket aces, but I really felt weird. It is hard to describe exactly how I was feeling except to say that I was a bit shaky and dizzy and distant. I foolishly played every round thereafter and quickly lost all my chips. However, I was a bit relieved to be done.

T was all for giving up and leaving once S and I were out of the tournament, because she was more concerned about me being up late and around smoke than her own chance to earn points in the tournament by making it to at least the 20th player still left. I encouraged her to remain and sure enough she made the final table.

So, there I was...playing poker in a seedy, underbelly bar...having the time of my life!

You know, I've written many times how I just don't feel as if I belong to the human race because most of the time I cannot seem to fit in...I always seem to be just a step behind. Unless I have a role to play, such as a teacher or song leader, I just plain stink at being in public. However, I realized tonight that if I would like to have more social encounters (when I am not feeling so fatigued and ill--whenever that might be), I should find more game outings. I enjoyed having a common activity that was the focus of the evening and yet allowed for light banter. None of the awkwardness that usually haunts my every step, my ever word, while with others was present.