At the end of Friday, two promotion directors asked what I was doing this weekend.

Both times I said, "Uhhh..."

Almost like Monty Hall (er, Howie Mandel), they like to trick you. If you say you have no plans, you can get roped into doing a remote or promotion (like being the Easter Bunny, which I still plan to write about).

On the other hand, if you say you're busy, they'll say too bad, we had these extra tickets to Staind.

But then I remembered that everyone was off for Memorial Day weekend, so no promotions to run, just ones to enjoy. And though I didn't get paid for Monday, I was happy for the break.

One offered me $1200 tickets to the UFC, including a limo bus trip to Los Angeles. These were the same tickets I gave away on the morning show, and they had extras. Not really caring about the UFC (nor riding a bus filled with listeners), I thought I could perhaps use the trip to visit grubette, but it would only be for a couple hours.

The other asked me if I was planning to see X-Men: The Last Stand. He gave me a flier good for two tickets to X-Men for this weekend at The Palms. These are tickets that we're sponsoring, so I believe we're contributing to the opening weekend tally. The X-Men premiere that we did Thursday at midnight ended up being on six screens. We also had a jeweler create a custom-made X-Men charm that we gave away. With this many screens and promotions, Fox must be insuring they shatter the Memorial Day weekend box office. Or getting nervous that they won't.

I passed by The Palms on the way home and debated popping in to catch the movie, but realized I had a $5 free slotplay on Sunday, so I saved the slotplay and movie for then (result: won $6 in slots, thought X-Men was too convoluted with a ridiculous score).

Plus, I've been playing FullTilt a lot lately and needed a few more days of 100 points for the Bronze Iron Man tournament.

Logged in to find Party had dropped $40 into my account. I just had to play 400 raked hands to be able to cash it out. Tried popping into blackjack, but it wouldn't take the $40.

Put it all in NL and won $20. Closed the table, went to blackjack, and lost it in four $5 hands.

Returned to NL and lost $7.

With $33, I entered three $10+1 tourneys: a 5-table SnG, a multi capped at 250 (all 250 played), and a multi capped at 2500 (1011 played).

This is the first time I've played Party's new tourneys and modified starting chips and blind structure. I like this quite a bit in multis because a bad beat or two doesn't knock you out completely. I like it less in SnGs because they take so darn long.

Went out of the SnG in the second table at 17th. KK vs. AQ. This beat didn't hurt too much because I would've also made the preflop all-in call if I had AQ.

I lasted to 75th in the big multi for $23.25, making a $12.25 profit (or a $23.25 profit, considering the whole thing's a freeroll anyway). I raised with AQ and was called by two people. Flop gave a Q, which I check-raised all-in. One called with Q-10 and gut-turned a straight.

I was just above half-average stack, so this beat also didn't hurt much. I had to double-up just to be average.

I then concentrated on the 250 tourney. I flirted with being big stack at the table and tournament a few times, but when we headed to the final two tables I lost my lead.

People were playing ultra-tight. Me included, though when I checked the stats I was at 23 percent of flops seen (high for me).

A min-raise was usually enough to get people to fold, and I sometimes raised from the Button, sometimes one behind the Button, and then I'd sometimes fold on the Button when first to act. By being inconsistent, I was hoping the blinds took notice and didn't think I was stealing. It worked, and they gave me pots uncontested when it counted -- that is, when the blinds/ante were huge.

I had Aces twice. Once was right at the bubble. I raised 5x the blind, one person called, and the flop was an ugly 6-7-8. I pushed here and the guy folded. Another guy started chatting how I didn't have anything and was bullying the table. He turned his direction to anyone who raised preflop. I ignored him but wanted to get his chips, and I finally had a chance when he raised small and I immediately pushed with AQ. I covered him 3x and was above average plus in the money, so even if he won I wouldn't be crippled too much. He called instantly with Q10. A Queen flopped and fortunately no bad beat. Players thanked me for knocking him out.

The other time I had Aces was at the final two tables. I min-raised UTG+1 hoping to lure someone into re-raising, but everyone folded. I didn't show.

The very next hand I had KQs, which I folded. Generally I raise with this hand, especially UTG, but it was back-to-back with the previous hand, and I thought someone might play back at me the second time with an Ace or a pair. I wanted to keep my tight image.

One difficult fold was a limped flop of 2-3-10. I had J-10 and bet 1.5x the pot. Another player min-raised. I called. The turn was a 3. I checked and he bet slightly under pot. I typed "nh" and then I lied and said I had K-10 before folding, hoping that he'd show. He didn't.

The player was not in the blinds, so I didn't put him on 2-3. He could've had 22 or 33 or an overpair. The amount of the turn bet was suspicious, seeming to want more from me. An all-in there would almost be an easier call. But I didn't care for my kicker. Then again, I would also have folded if I had A-10. But with that, I probably would've raised preflop, and if the play went the same way, I would've put him on a pair.

At the final table, I clicked to make a deal, more out of a desire to see this new Party feature. Only two others selected the option, presumably the two low stacks. I was medium-stacked, but with blinds (and antes, another thing I wasn't expecting in this new version of Party) as high as they were, anything could happen.

I had three suckout hands.

One was within the first hour with AJs. Limped to me in the blinds, and I decided to limp along. The flop gave me a Jack plus two of my suit. I bet out, someone raised all-in (another 3x), and I called. He had pocket Aces, I rivered a flush. Had he raised preflop...

Another suckout was midway during the tournament. I was BB with 9-2 and saw a free flop of 9-9-x (two s). Many limpers, and I bet 2x the pot hoping to just take it.

All fold except the guy on the Button, who calls. I put him on a pocket pair in the 55-88 range. Something about his play, but I didn't put him on a flush draw.

The turn is Q. I push and he goes into the tank. The longer he takes, the more I think I'm good. I don't think he has a flush, what could he be thinking about? Just as I think he has a 9, he calls.

He shows K9 and suddenly the chips come my way. The river flashed a 2 and I sucked out.

My third lucky hand came at the final two tables with KK early. I raise 3x the blinds + ante, and get two callers. One of the callers is the big stack.

The flop is A-J-Q (rainbow).

I check, the big stack bets under pot, the other guy folds, and I push fast. The quickness was key, I thought. If I took too long to decide, he may think it a bluff. (If the other guy had called, I would've folded... his smooth call would've raised a red flag for something like K-10.)

I put big stack on a medium Ace, like A-10. Or maybe KQ.

I'm hoping to represent AK, AQ, or a set. If he called, I'd be dead and out in 7th for $100, which I felt was respectable for a few hours of play.

But he's a good player, he should fold.

He called and showed AJ. (If I were in his position, I would've folded... it isn't worth that many chips when a preflop raiser check-raises the flop on that board.)

The turn is x, the river is a King!

I double-up and become second in stack size.

Play continues normally for 15 minutes, then suddenly the chip leader goes on a tear. He knocks out three people within five minutes.

And we're now heads-up.

Heads-up is my favorite, though I rarely get the chance to play.

He outchipped me 4 to 1.

I didn't go crazy and make all-in moves. But I did mix up preflop raising (most of the time), calling (a few times), and folding (just once). He tended to give up the flop too many times, and I was able to slowly chip away. If he bet into the flop, I figured he connected with it, and it was an easy fold.

I felt I had a feel for his play after about five minutes. He was pretty straightforward up until the final hand.

Meanwhile, I still had "yes" clicked to make a deal. And I kept it clicked even when we became evenly stacked, and then when I moved ahead. If he had wanted a deal, I would've offered to chop 1st and 2nd evenly.

The final was 6-7-8 and me with 6-7, which I min-raised with.

Never wanting the possibility of it checking through, I bet big on the flop. He raises, and I reraise, and he pushes for a few more chips. The turn is an 8, the river's x, and he had 4-6.

This typo-riddled screen pops up...




And I was stunned that I won! This is the first time I've won a tournament since the Gold Coast "Beat the Pros" live tournament a few months ago (chopped nine or so ways), and over a year and a half ago since I won an online tourney.

And boy howdy does it feel good. I didn't think I made any real moves until it was heads-up, and I was helped immensely when he knocked out three players to get us there.

But no real bad beats and three lucky suckouts... if only that were the case every time. I always think you need to be lucky at least twice during a tournament in order to win.

With this $675 win and the other multi win, my Party account racked up to $698 without making any deposits.

Locked in a cashout of $500, then popped into Party blackjack, ran the remaining amount up to $400, then lost it all on $15 hands (when you start losing, boy do you start losing), minus the $40 I couldn't cashout. I took that $40 into NL and played maybe 30 raked hands before losing it.

The rest of the weekend wasn't so happy. If it weren't for the Party win, I'd probably be feeling like quitting poker entirely rather than just the month of June.

Today is my final day of poker for awhile. I still need 6 more hours of the 50 required to qualify for the $300,000 freeroll next weekend. Not sure I'll be able to do it, but I'll try. I can always sleep in the car, eh?