Welcome to How it Unfolded – The real, uncensored week-to-week commentary. Scroll down for historic HIUs.
How it Unfolded – Weeks 1-3
Alright folks, it’s been a minute (or almost a year) since I last did a proper HIU so I think it’s time to get back into the swing of things and pull this group together. I gotta say I’m a little disappointed by the group size this year. We lost some core players like Kooter and Black and we have yet to have a full 18 during the first 3 weeks of play, but as the great Rosstradamus put it to me “we got 18 core guys we don’t need anyone else.” I get it, it’s the holidays, kids have sports, business dinners, travel…but I think we all need to come together for a full 2 tables of cards and remind ourselves what it’s all about. I also haven’t been the best commish to start the year. I’ve had my own busy doings, but I want to extend gratitude to the certain individuals who reach out and make sure we’re doing things right. You know who you are. Above all, I appreciate all 18 of you committing to a 6th (!) season on PLIA!
Three weeks in the leaderboard is starting to make sense and is full of familiar names. Craig B and Whites are atop the leaderboard but it’s still early. I’d like to give acknowledgement to our new player this year, PJRED, for coming out guns blazing. Newbies in this league don’t tend to fare well but he’s already proving to be a cut of Whites’s cloth.The next 2 weeks are going to be pivotal to establish your ground before the long holiday break. It’s time to get locked in. Alright, enough summary time for some thawts and hand analysis.
The ‘Damus No Show
I hate to throw my brother-in-law under the bus here, but it was VERY noticed across the league that Ross was not a participant in Week 3. To his credit, he’s an integral part of this league, always plays, and always wants the best for it. He may have missed a week years ago for a legitimate reason which all are entitled to do, but last night he just said he was tired. I mean I get it, there are plenty of times where I’m shot and don’t feel like staying up grinding til midnight, but ya just gotta power through. We’ve all had our moments where we’re listed as questionable but we find a way. We’re playing for a title here. But to not play because you’re tired? Eh. Hopefully this doesn’t come back to haunt him at the end of the season.
Where’s Black?
I don’t think anyone had Black missing a PLIA season on their bingo card this year but here we are. As a concerned Commish I did perform a welfare check on him and he’s just at the point where he doesn’t want to do tournaments anymore. He wants to focus on cash games where he can come and go as he pleases. No hard feelings from the executive committee. We’re just glad he’s alive and well.
The Whites All In
This hand annoyed me. 2500bb Whites is in middle position with 4bb and shoves with 4 stacks behind who have him covered. Jessco on the button calls, the blinds fold. Whites shows 67, Jessco AK. Whites hits the river 7 to double up and will go on to win the tourney.
I get his play. The 67 shove sometimes gets through but in that position to take out Whites, someone is calling there and at best he’s a 40/60, but usually will at least have 2 live cards. It’s just that when the cards flipped over everyone KNEW Whites was going to win that hand which makes it so painful. He always wins those.
I guess the issue I have with the play is that he has 3 more hands to see before he’s in the bb and in those 3 hands you’re going to be dealt something better than low non-suited connectors. I just feel like there was time to get your money in with something better. Even 4bb in this format isn’t dead. I still remember Mazz winning with 1.5bb with 2 tables left.
PLIA on the Links
Earlier this fall I was lucky enough to get invited to Mike K’s Member Guest along with Ross and 82p. The staff put on a well structured tournament but the four of us were more interested in our side game that went 4 extra holes into the dark. We missed the dinner and awards (we came in 3rd as a team), but we had too much riding on our match. In the end it ended in a draw, but it was at this tournament where I was pulled aside and told to run it back with PLIA 6. It was a great day.
