Just missed the perfect cribbage day!!!!!

Friday, February 12th. Reno, NV. ACC Tournament of Champions morning. I hadn't been to Reno in 7 years (my oldest turns 6 in April). My tournament begins by dealing Dennis Ulberg back-to-back-to-back pat 12 hands, and he beats me by a handful of points. But I play the game well, and a few games later I've won 3 of 4 with a skunk. The cards keep coming, and through 14 games I've won 11 and have 23 points. It's the last few games for a significant chunk of change. Next up, Roger Grandgeorge of Iowa, who gumbles all the way through a much-needed skunk. I'm at 26/12 with one game to go. The cards keep hitting, and I pull out the last game for a a 28/13 +202 scorecard. I turn in my card, and I'm told "2nd best, not bad". I hear through the qualifying grapevine that Roger Wilson of Colorado has a 29 card, but I'm off to lunch pleased that I've just made a very nice chunk of change.

As we're waiting for the results to be posted there are conflicting reports. I run into Roger, who tells us he made a mistake, and only had 27 points. He thinks I'm the #1 qualifier. Wayne Steinmetz thinks I'm the #3 qualifier. The results are posted and I did it. High qualifier in the 494 player TOC!!

With 494 players, 124 qualify for the playoffs. As #1 qualifer I make $1,150 in Q money, paying for the weekend by noon on Friday! I've also got a bye in the first RD and I'm in the final 64. On to the playoffs, with nothing to lose.

In the first round, Sue Edwards of Colorado is playing Lewis Killion of Atasacadero, CA. Sue is an outstanding player who has made runs in big tournaments before, but she can't find any cards, and Lewis eventually pulls out a 3-2 victory and will be my opponent in 2nd rd.

The cards keep coming, and I'm still playing really well, and I win the match 3-1 to make it to the dinner break and the final 32!

The Rd of 32 brings Gary Pinkley of Washington, and a great match. He wins the cut for deal (don't get me started, given I was high qualifier) and takes the first game, I win the second game, he takes the third and I take the 4th game. I'm starring at losing the match because I lost the cut for deal!!! The 5th game goes back-and-fourth, but eventually I get lucky on 4th street and am 10 holes out as pone while Gary needs 5 pegs (I think) as dealer. I'm dealt 8-7-6-6, which is what I need, but not a good pegging hand. I lead the 7 and he 15s it. I pair the 8 for 23 and he plays a card for a go. He's 2 out and I'm holding 6-6. I lead the 6, and he doesn't have a 9 or a 6, and I win the match in the dead hole! On to the round of 16.

Wow, I thought I'd lost that one. Everything's gravy from here. In the TOC they play down to the final 4 on Friday night, and play the rest on Saturday after the main qualifying, so I'm only 2 matches away from the perfect cribbage day. I'm trying to stay in the moment, but I can't help but think about it.

My next opponent is Gary Weidner (sp?) of Oregon. I'm not familiar with him, but half way through the first game he doesn't appear to be playing board position that I can tell, and it's a comfortable 3-0 victory and a spot in the final 8. Just one match to go and I've done everything I can possibly do on one of the biggest cribbage days of the year.

Sitting next to me are Dan Taylor and Mike Burns of Minnesota. They're playing their match and Burns comes through with the win. I've played Burns before, in the Swiss tournament at the Grand National. I won that match 3-1, but I know he's a good player, probably the best player I've played to this point. He's won the TOC before, and isn't shy about pointing that out! :-)

The match begins and I've got some of the best players in the Midwest kibitzing - Gerald Gruber, Lyle Lund, Richard Frost & company. The cards keep coming, and I win the first game comfortably. In the second game I fall consierably behind, and I'm dealt 1-2-2-3-5-Q way out of position. I chuck the 5-Q with little to lose and catch an ace. Another 16 hand later I'm back in position. The game works it's way to 4th street, and I'm up 110-96 with Mike dealing. This is the hand of the game, and perhaps the match. If I can just get an 8 hand and say a peg, I'm in good position to take a commanding 2-0 lead toward completing the perfect cribbage day.

But after all the good cards and breaks all day, this hand is the beginning of the end. I'm dealt 4-6-8-9-J-J. I hold 6-9-J-J, and I've only got a few cuts that get me that 8 I'm looking for. (6-6-6-9-9-9-10-10-10-10-J-J) So I've got a 30% shot, give or take. The cut comes a 3. Turns out Mike's hold 1-2-3-Q, and that's all she wrote with my 8-4 toss in the crib.

It's tied 1-1, but that hand is a huge swing in momentum. The very next hand Mike holds 8-8-7-7 and bangs a 6. From there he can't miss, outcarding me the rest of the way in a relatively comfortable 3-1 win. At ~10pm I'm knocked out of the TOC in 5th-8th place, 14 hours after the day began. I add on another $1,200 for the quarterfinal loss for a total of $2,350 in the TOC.

I'm more than tickled with my day, but can't help but wonder what might have been with a different cut on that last hand of the second game. The cribbage gods are fickle. So very close, yet just not enough!

Mike would go on to lose to Richard Frost in the semi-finals, and "Frosty" went on to beat Gerald Hahn to win the TOC. A popular victory for a well-deserving winner.