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This is as patient as I've EVER been.  It's an hour into play and I've only had two small pair and I'm  calm & attentive.  It's St. Patrick's Day and I'm not wearing a stitch of green-  good thing I'm not in the least bit superstitious, even about apricots!  (Marines & Apricots don't mix, no kidding, ask later.) 
 
T-Bone is stepping out of his comfort zone a bit tonight, looking more aggressive than usual.  He's "raise 'n take it" every third hand and seems to be enjoying it.  Tuffy's folding more than usual; Bob's not played a hand in four circuits around the table; and Denny's getting his usual ass-kicking with what seems like second best every other hand.  Donny's playing more aggressive pre-flop and then folding when re-raised. Wonder if he was sitting at the bar before the game!!?

My first interesting hand: Sitting on Big Blind with pocket Kings, and rather than lose with 'em, like last week, I raise a healthy three x the pot and get a smooth-call from Donny, sitting on my left.  I'm guessing he's a Suited Ace, like A9 or AT, otherwise, I think he raises me.  If he hits the Ace on the flop I can just check fold.  The flop's A, K, Brick, and I'm thinking hold on here-  if I check, so will he, thinking he's got me in a trap- but I'll miss a bet, and we can't have that!  I decide to act strong instead of weak, and bet into him.  He's usually hyper-aggressive with top pair, and I'm hoping he raises me big. I bet the pot and he raises, like I thought he would and I act surprized like I wasn't expecting a raise.  I ask him if he hit his Ace and when he doesn't say anything, I just call.

The turn is a trey, I check and he's now certain he's got me. He bet half his chips and I figure he's got to have Aces Up.  He's pot committed- I raise him the rest of his chips expecting a certain insta-call.  After ten seconds, he slides his cards under the muck.  Nice Pot.

I pick up a few hands here and there and an hour later, and a couple players fewer, I pick up an A7 suited.  I make it 800 and T-Bone calls in the Big Blind. This guy has been killing everyone at the table with A4 for weeks, somehow drawing the river every time.  His two pair have been putting guys out left & right and I think if I play it right I can eat his lunch tonight. The flop is A82 and I bet a tiny 500 hoping he comes along. Out of nowhere comes the All-in bet.  Wow, I was NOT expecting that.  I have him covered- but it'll leave me with less than a thousand chips & crippled.  He knows that I have him on an Ace.  I've folded in disgust a hundred times to this guy knowing he has the Ace.  My immediate instinct- he's got me outkicked with AK, or even worse, He's playing his usual Ace rag and hit Aces & Deuces. 

Thinking back to earlier in the game, I know he was bluffing a lot of those pots.  This guy is unable to lay down an Ace and he knows we know this.  He's either on another bluff, or he's a weak Ace-  I call.  He hates to show his cards first when he is unsure of his hand and this, in and of itself, tells me I've got him.  He lays down K8... middle pair.  My A7 holds up without a sweat card.  I'm nearly doubled up & chip leader.

After a longer than usual game, Tuffy and I are heads up.  He won last week, so he's the bounty. Earlier, Tuffy hit Quad Kings for what's certainly gonna hold up as high hand. If he wins, he claims the the Win, The Bounty, & High-hand, for the Tri-fecta!

First hand heads up I wake up with AQ to Tuffy raising 2000 out of the small blind.  He wants to set the tone.  I decide to get aggressive and put him on a big decision, I announce a 5000 re-raise before he's placed his bet.  After a counting his chips, (I think he's stalling but who knows!?) and a few seconds to think, he folds.  We trade back and forth a few hands, and I'm getting the upper hand most of it.  After a good fifteen minutes, I catch an Ace Ten suited and Tuffy rasies me all-in with a few thousand chips. I call and he's the weaker Ace.  Neither of us pair the board and it's over.  He had to make a move and I called, simple as that.

It's been a long game, and thinking back over the hands, it was a well-played game.  Lots & lots of very close hands.  Tuffy's hand against Donny with the Quad K's was the best played hand of the night, with Tuffy taking Donny out for a Monster pot relatively early.  I RETAKE the League lead by a few points and deny Tuffy the coveted Tri-fecta, Back-to-Back wins, and the Top Spot.  Cannot wait for next week!