I've played in the Ante Up Intercontinental Poker Series (AIPS) since its inception (see Ante Up Magazine for more information). AIPS is the only tournament series I make an "extra effort" to try to play. Despite that my overall record hasn't been very impressive. I've cashed (2 of 55) playing PLO8 in AIPS I. I didn't cash at all in AIPS II. I cashed (4 of 110) playing 7 card Stud in AIPS III. So as you can see 2 cashes over AIPS I, II and III was pretty unremarkable.
When AIPS IV started I was disappointed when I missed event #1. I managed to cash (10 of 111) in the event #2 Pot Limit Omaha. I then failed to cash in event #3 Stud and #4 Limit Hold'em. I then missed the next 3 events. I figured any hopes a decent showing in the points race were dashed.
Then I played event #8 Limit Omaha 8 or better. I chipped up early and got heads up with GapBand85. I somehow managed to win that event. Next I was gearing up for event #9 Razz. The night of the event I wasn't feeling very well, so I decided not to play. But at the last minute I changed my mind and played anyway. I started to chip up again and I began to have visions of repeating. I ended up heads up against x_TheLaw_x. And after a hard battle I won that one too. Two back to back first places. There was a lot of luck involved but it still felt pretty good.
Now I had a vision of winning a 3rd banana in that season. No one has won 3 bananas in a season since heffmike did it in the very first AIPS series. So along came event #10 Heads Up No Limit Hold'em. I was determined to play well. I ended up finishing tied for 9th (it's a heads up event so not as impressive as it may sound). But at least that was three cashes in a row.
On to event #11 Badugi. I had never played Badugi before, but I had played a lot of low-ball games. It took the first couple of levels before I thought I was sort of getting a feel for the game. I ended up with the chip lead heads up with StephsHubby. This is where my inexperience showed through. I was trying to adjust to short handed play, but I think I over-adjusted. I played too aggressive and did too much snowing. StephsHubby recognized this and just kept calling and taking my chips. I finished second and my third banana eluded me. At least I had 4 cashes in a row, and had crept up into leading the points race for AIPS Player of the Year.
I figured my run of luck was over, but of course I would do my best in the Main Event, event #12 H.O.R.S.E. This was a deep stacked event with a very slow blind structure. I started with 3,000 chips and worked my way up to 6,000. But then through a combination of bad beats and bad play I worked my way down to 532 chips. Then I noticed GapBand85 was in the top 6. The tournament paid 6 places and GapBand85 only need to cash to beat me. So I figured the only way to clinch player of the year was to get myself back in shape to make the final table. I went all in twice in Stud Eight or Better, but I only won half the pot so it didn't change my position much. Then it switch to Hold'em and I doubled up. Soon I was at 1500 in chips and I was feeling very comfortable. (This was about 4 or 5 hours into the tournament. It had a ridiculously slow structure.)
After not too much longer I was back up to 3000 then 6000 chips. Before too much longer I was back in the top 4 in chips. When PottyTrainMe exited in 14th place, I clinched player of the year. So I had only one thing left to concentrate on. Winning my third banana. My stack kept going up and down, and I moved between 4th than 2nd place all night. I finally ended up heads up against StephsHubby after over 9 hours of play. I was bleary eyed and it was 5 AM central time, but I was determined to win the banana. I battled and briefly took the lead in the O8 round, but then I got brutalized in Razz and just couldn't overcome StephsHubby. Then at 7:20 AM on the Poker stars clock StephsHubby pounded the final stake through my heart and my dreams of the elusive 3rd banana were shattered.
However, I was still pretty happy. I finished AIPS with 4 straight cashes, two firsts and two second places. I cashed in 6 of the 8 AIPS IV events I played. Overall a very good year. Looking back I have to believe I was running way above expectation. That gives me 8 cashes over 4 seasons, averaging two per year. That seems pretty reasonable to me. So for now I'll close out the AIPS 4 chapter in my life quite happy. But I'll still be looking to see if I can ever have the elusive 3 banana year.
Scott and Chris of Ante Up Magazine interviewed me for the February 12th podcast. You can hear more incoherent babbling there.
Here's a picture of the two Pokerstars monkeys fighting with the Bananas I won.
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