Playoffs set for intense BSOP finale
Way back in May 2016 there were ten optimistic characters of which some were more concerned with their up an coming trip to Vegas other than the season at hand. Some fourteen games later we see who has kept their eye on the prize as the leader board makes it's way into two groups.
Rounding out a stellar year sees Alex take out the minor premiership with top points going into the cut off. A bee's dick behind him Tate stands only 5 points adrift with every intention of spoiling the fairytale season had by Alex where he recorded 3 wins and his lowest finish was 5th. Quite a remarkable feat when you consider everyone knows everyone's game oh too well. As the inspirational leader/mentor Arnold Schwarzenegger once said "If it bleeds we can kill it...", well Alex showed no such sign of weakness. Take in to account that this is the first year the top 6 were within 100 points of the leader at the split it would appear the level of play is pretty evenly spread.
Chris takes his rightful place in the top group hoping to stir a few pots and upset the balance of things. He is definitely within striking distance and a solid result in the next game could see a 3-way charge to the line for the top 2 tickets. Besides it just wouldn't be right to let them have the group all to themselves. Go gettem' Dark Horse!
Ben's shock inclusion into pool B will stir up things for the bottom dwellers. When I say shock I mean no one wanted the latest winner included in group B. I dare say no one from pool A wanted him either so this makes him a bit of a poker asylum seeker. Solution: send him to Christmas Island for the next 2 games! His latest win will set him up for the title of favourite in pool B for top honours. I'm sure Dave (who likened him to a type of icecream on viber) or Higgo will be offering odds so you might be tempted by the side wager.
In summary the stage is set. It has been a season of lessons learnt from previous ones. Alex has protected himself from losing on countback by enjoying the most victories during the year. Tate has made sure he wont be gifting away another trip by locking in a whole month of annual leave early enough. Some say he has pictures of his boss caught in a Lonsdale Street strip club in a lewd position in a safety deposit box somewhere. Not sure how he got those photos but I suspect an inside job. Last lesson learnt was my own. I swore blue that I would not take a bye for my last game but this year as it would happen, genius took the last 2 games as byes. What a tool! I can only go one worse from here.
No confirmation yet on who will be making the annual pilgrimage to the mecca of our chosen faith. As most of us look to the life commitments and responsibilities both work and family that we will skilfully set aside to make it happen there is an underlying current that a majority will go. If not to enjoy those two glorious weeks in the sun, increasing our individual marble scores and wax the small fortunes we have amassed to take with. But more for the ability to say "yeah, yeah that's right" when one of these fuckers recounts a story to the group that did not attend and inflict a FOMO scar.
Best of luck to all for these last 2 games. There will be 3 grinners and 7 pissed off bad sports but that pain is only temporary. For as the final 3 go into battle on the greatest poker stage on the planet we all rally under one banner and daydream of just one of them having a run like the king himself, David Stubbs from Austria. I must say I even crack a wide cheeky grin thinking (and knowing) that one of these fine days, one of us will be on that final table representing. Which reminds me, I must stop thinking about this kind of stuff while attending funerals...
It has been fun thus far but I get a feeling the "fun" is only just beginning.
