8 Chip and A Chair

Everybody who's ever played poker knows the expression, 'A chip and a chair.' Which comes from the story of Jack "Treetop" Strauss and the most unbelievable World Series of Poker comeback.

Well I have never had just one chip and cameback, and this story has nothing on that story, but this is the least amount of chips I ever had, and still made a comeback to finish In the Money.


I was playing a Multi Entry Super Turbo Satellite to the BLT. About a third of the way into it, I'm doing pretty good. I have about 500 in chips, which is enough to almost comfortably wait for a great hand. I get dealt 99. I'm Under the Gun Plus Two, and normally this is an easy fold for me. The blinds are at 25/50. I had played several of these tournaments already that night, and they had really dragged out. So I thought I'd play this hand, and try to steal some blinds.
Well, I took a bit of time to come to that decision. I don't know if my clock running down made it seem like I was indecisive over a weak hand or what, but I eventually shoved All In. I get one call. A guy two seats to my left. While the other players are deciding whether to fold or not, I'm trying to figure out what he has, or what I want him to have. My first thought is, 'Please have something stupid like Q9 or K9.' Then I decide that that is highly unlikely, so I settle on hoping to see 88 or 77.
I turn over 99. He turns over A9. Pretty much a dream call. 88 or 77 would have been a little better, but what the heck. I start chanting my go to mantra in this situation, 'C'mon best hand. C'mon best h- What the f***!?! Holy s***! Jeez. Gotta be an Ace. Just has to be a freakin' Ace. Three outer. Jeez, what the f***.'
The flop was 3A3, and the Queen and Jack that came next, were no help to me. I was drawing to a one outer, if I was so lucky that no one had folded a Nine. Of course, he can hit a 3 outer on me, but there's no justice for me to one outer him. I pretty much write it off as I am out of this tournament. I have 8 chips left.



Next hand. Under the Gun Plus One. Nine Nine. Imagine that. Ha ha. Instant shove. No thoughts about it. Then I chuckle to myself as I think, 'Well this is the bastard hand that got me into this.'
One caller. Small Blind limps and Big Blind checks. 2 3 Queen flops. Everybody checks it down. 4 on the turn. Same thing. 6 on the river. Once again checked down. Small Blind shows Jack Nine off. BB shows A8o. I show 99. The limper shows T7o. I win the main pot. I now have 32 chips.



Next hand. I'm Big Blind. I am forced All In. I have Q3h. One caller. Small Blind limps. 74A flop. The caller bets out, Small Blind folds. I show Q3h, caller shows A5h. I'm destroyed. It's over. He already has paired his Ace. Once again I mentally check myself out of this tournament. Turn 5, river 2. The chips come to me. I do a double take, and realize I runner runnered the wheel. Holy Crap. I'm still in this. I now have 96 chips.