How I won the $4,000 Guarantee yesterday

It's funny when you look back and think about how on God's Earth did you win a huge tournament. Well, after winning the $4,000 Guarantee yesterday; it is all that has been on my mind. You see, I'm just an average player who donks all her chips, most of the time. I thought only good players win those tournaments, you know the type, the aggressive player who bluffs you off your Big Blind ALL the time. The player who always looks like they have AA in their hand the way they play.

Well, I won it. Now let me tell you how.

I break the win up into two scenarios. The online play at the table (1) and what goes on your head while you play(2).

Both are equally important.

I always raised my good hands and never limped in. If I didn't have the best hand on the flop and there were players raising, I folded unless it was cheap to see the turn card.

I played position mostly. If I was after the Dealer, I played a few looser hands like A7.

Many times, I had premium hands like 99, 77, 33 22. I remember folding great cards because the player infront of me raised all-in. I always wondered if they had KK or AK or even AA etc. I wasn't willing to take the risk. I even folded AQ many times. I raised with AQ and didn't pursue a numbered flop when a player raised all-in. I decided that I was sick of losing and that if anyone was going all-in pre flop, then it would be me with my money in first.

I wanted to stay in as long as I could this time. Play tight and conservative. I wasn't going to get aggressive (what I usually do) get called and lose everything. I hate getting pushed around in a poker game, I usually get angry and tilt all that's left. Not this time. Stay calm, if the chips run out before I get good cards, then so shall it be.

The whole time in my mind, I said to myself, even when there were 200 players left. I said "I can win this, I can win this". Just a small voice in my brain would quietly and calmly whisper those words. I said the same when I won the $100 Australian freeroll without thinking it would actually come true. And it did.

I made sure that I typed positive things in my chat screen. I remember almost writing that I was a donk and that I would probably donk out. I erased it before I sent it. Again, a small voice calmly told me to think positive. This is key. What you truly self believe about yourself is what you usually get.

So the game progressed and I sent a call out to the Railbirds to come rail me if they wished. Well lots came as I headed for the final table. Every single one of them was extremely positive, giving me tips on how to play and what to watch for. I must say that I had so many people urging me to win, that I felt guilty at one point. I was afraid to lose infront of everyone ! I was afraid to be THAT DONK.

So I played good hands only and most of them held up. I mean real good hands. But not once did I have AA. Not in the whole game that went for 5 hours. I think I had KK once. Lots of JJ, AK (almost 4 times in a row, raising heavily), QQ, 10 10, suited AJ AQ.

I raised QK or KJ if I had position. Oh and I bluffed out my opponents in the blinds when I was sure they would fold. I usually had a whole lot more chips than them.

So everything went smoothly it seemed. I kept watching the rankings screen and saying well I'd be happy with $18 if I made it to 27th place. I kept moving the screen up as I got closer to the chip leaders. I was at 11,000 chips and the chip leaders had 75,000. Time to move up,said the voice. I wish, I replied.

The Railbirds told me to hang in there for the final table as the payout was much higher. Ok I replied. No problem. I laughed.

Eventually there was 6 players left. Oh good dollars I thought, but I kept winning because the Railbirds kept urging me on. Solidly without fail, "Go Diva, do it Diva, U can Do It, play tight". Then someone said go all-in ! I think it was Regulator0. Huh all-in? Was he talking to me, to put all my chips in?? Serious??? So I got KQ I think, went all-in and cleaned up the scraps that were left on the table and went home a winner.

I think I'm still in shock. It may take a while to get over. How did someone like me win something so unobtainable?

Second place, now I can understand how I could do that. But win? Only dreams are made of that.

Thanks to all the Railbirds who supported me and kept the positive thinking going. It really works.

Thanks to vixenx78 for introducing me to Railbirds a few weeks ago. She has been my buddy and messages me all the time. We always rail each others games and I always have an extra screen open watching her play. Hugs.

It''s awesome being a Railbird. Thank you.