How did I get lucky? Well, I was playing a 5/10 live game (No Limit Texas Hold’em), when the game started to die. My $1000 starting stack grew to about $7000, and we ended up 3-handed. Two guys both had about $3k, when I picked up KK UTG. I raised it, and saw a re-raise and another re-raise ahead of me. I kind of knew one of them had Aces, thought about it, but decided to push none the less. I can’t fold KK pre-flop in a cash game. I just can’t. To my surprise, both players called and when the cards were flipped over, I kind of got it. Both players had pocket Aces.

The flop came J4T, not looking good. The turn was way better, an off-suit Q, giving me a straight draw, giving me an extra two outs (now I didn’t want a King, I wanted a 9).

Well, you guessed it. I hit the nine on the river, scooping the $9k+ pot.

Sick beat, but hey, I can’t fold KK pre-flop in a cash game.

I’m investing part of that money into a try-out-buy-in for the EPT, and hope to do as good as Belgian semi-pro Jonathan Abdellatif, who cashed in his first EPT (this year’s Deauville). Fingers crossed!