The 17th Ambro Tournament has passed and we have another new champion. What a week it had been prior to the start of this tournament. There were many people backing out due to a number of reasons. Luckily I had my waiting list. Whats this....the former champion Nunzio and his "Italian Crew" had all backed out too. Was Nunzio too scared to defend his title? Did he think his run was over? Well, only he can answer that and he will have to show up to my next one and put on a good showing to gain some respect back. Anyway, onto the tournament.

    After all the phone calls and e-mails, we were only one person short. Instead of 36 players, we had 35 players. We started at 7:03PM. Former champ, Mike S. had a very quick night. He was busted out at 7:45PM. Scott A., aka "Dead Money" who made a side bet with my brother and I on who will last longer, was eliminated at 7:59PM (32nd place). He needs a few top finishes just to break even from my tournaments. Whip, who is the all time leader in titles, final tables, and Top 3 finishes lasted about 90 minutes. He placed 29th(8:30PM) and disappeared into the night....literally!

    The tournament was moving along very well as we got down to 21 players (3 tables) by 9:11PM. Former champion, Harry (Ambro 15), was eliminated at 9:44PM (17th place). Next to go, which made me a little richer was Tony A. (16th place- 10:19PM). He wanted to be the 2nd "3 Time Champion". That, I do not see happening for a long time. I will reach my third title before he gets to his. Oh wait, maybe I should concentrate on winning one of my tournaments. Next to go and finally crack the Top 30 was George T. (15th place-10:20PM) He has had too many EARLY exits the past couple of tournaments. Ambro 14 Champ, Matt S. made a return to the Ambro Tournaments and put on a strong show, but it ended at 13th place.(10:54PM)

    I was short stacked the entire tournament and I think I was over 5000 in chips only once when I won the first hand of the night. Other than that, I was scratching and clawing. I finished 12th place(10:58PM) and couldn't believe I lasted that long with the crap cards I was getting dealt. One hand I could even double up. I go all in preflop and get a caller. I flop a straight to his 2 pair and runner runner comes so a straight is on board-split pot. Thats the kind of night it was for me. Anyway, I will win one of my tournaments in the 2006 Season....mark my word!!!! 2005 Player of the Year and runner up to Ambro 16(4/01/06), George L. was playing good poker all night long. He was on his way to making another final table. It soon came to an end when he placed 11th losing in the same hand I was in.(10:58PM). Please forgive me for not having actual hands...I am writing this on Thursday 05/18/06, so hand recollection is off. I know there were some crazy hands going on all night! Next out at 11:27PM was Hank. Now, we just need to lose one more person to get to what everyone vies for....the FINAL TABLE. Well, at 11:28PM, we don't lose 1 person, we lose 2 people. Carter places 9th and Andrew, who made his debut last tournament and made the final table places 8th and will not get credit for a final table appearance.

    This final table had a few former Ambro Champions, a first time player, the only woman in the tournament and some past players. They were:

 

Amont - Ambro 11 Champion*  Literally signed up for this tournament as I was about to start

    *As quoted by Nick - "Paper Champion"

-Read Ambro11 article on http://www.officepools101.com/Ambro/Ambro11.htm to see why.

 

Angela - 3rd final table. Eliminated many players including 4 time Champion, Whip.

 

Dino - 5th final table appearance and Former Champion(Ambro 5)

 

John - First time playing at my tournaments and a last minute entry.

 

Nick - 7th final table appearance and Former Champion (Ambro 10). Whip has the most final table appearances 8.

 

Paul - 2nd straight final table appearance. That is impressive.

 

Tim - First final table for Tim. After some early exits in previous tournaments, Tim has finally made a final table. Good job Tim!

 

    First to leave the final table was Dino. Earlier on when it was down to 2 tables, he was all in with a pair of 2's. He was up against AK and was packing it in. To his surprise, he won that hand and then caught some fire. He was the one who eliminated Carter(9th) and Andrew(8th) when they were both all in and Dino had pocket Aces. Well, what hand does Dino go all in on again...2's...and what is he up against....AK. Well, the flop comes with rags. The turn is a rag. Dino is about to double up again, but the river brings an Ace and he is done(7th place-12:38AM). Next to go is Paul, who has now made 2 final tables in a row. (6th place-12:57AM). Coming in 5th place was Tim, who was very happy to make his first final table.(1:30AM). Our only female of the tournament was next to go(4th place-1:48AM) Good job Angela! Next out was Nick(3rd place-2:05AM). He was the short stack of the final 3 players and with the antes and blinds getting higher and higher, he had to make a move. Nick was due for a strong performance as he has had some early exits the past couple of tournaments. Nick has told me he is hungry for the next tournament. Well, he is going to have to wait til September for that!

    So, we are now heads up between former champ Amont and newcomer John P. Both players seemed very tired after a long night of poker. Amont, was our 35th entry who signed up at 7:02PM...1 minute before we started. John P. had a slight chip lead going into heads up. They went back and forth for about 20 minutes before going all in preflop on anything. John lost an all in hand and thought he was eliminated, but Amont told him he had more chips than him. So, we played on for a few more hands. John regained the chip lead and finally takes the title at 2:33AM. He had K9 vs. Amont's A6 of diamonds. Flop came with 2 diamonds, but John had paired the board. Congrats to John P. for taking Ambro 17.

    Below is the place everyone finished. Also, as tradition, included with this e-mail is a picture of the winning hand and of the winner.  Don't forget, if I have 4 tournaments this year, then whoever is the Player of The Year will get a free entry into the first tournament of 2007. I plan on having 2 more, so be ready in September. Until then, see you all at the casinos!

 

  - Mike