The Density of Lead

Last night was an attempt at futility. With the effort we put forth playing this game we love, frustration and aggravation often jumps to the forefront of your game and thus causes a drop in focus. This happen last night in the Mookies.

I chipped up early by taking some small pots with random hands that are of no consequence for the most part. Not because they were unimportant but because I didn’t get paid off for the good ones. I had High pocket pairs numerous times in the first hour and only got paid when I came over the top of dnasty after he tried a position steal. My tight image was respected so I should have become more involved to disguise my big hands. Anyway, one of my bigger hands early was calling Jordan’s UTG raise with pocket 4s. I had a good stack and knew he could be raising with any combination of hands. The flop came 9 high and I checked knowing he would make a continuation bet. When it came, I made the decision that I needed to find his hand so I raised 3 times his bet. He eventually folded and my chip stack grew some more. A short time later I raised from middle position with 6s and the BB pushed. He had a short stack and I was getting about 2.5 -1 to call so I did. My hand held up and I move into the top ten, maybe the top 5.

At the first break I’m sitting in a great spot and ready to continue. This is about the spot where the wheels start to come off. I don’t play a hand for about 4 orbits when I get KJ in middle position. I’m at around 3400 chips and I make it 360 to go. A late position player goes all-in over the top and I have to lay it down. I little late the button raises my blind and I call just to show I will call steal attempts. My thinking was that I have a chip stack and I felt I could out play my opponent after the flop. Stupid idea and I give away more chips. A few hands later I get pocket 4s in the SB and call an early position raise. The flop is 10 high and my opponent bets the pot. I know he hasn’t hit the flop so I re-raise with my fours. I was right, he didn’t the flop. He had pocket jacks and I’m going home.

I wasn’t that upset with the play except that I could have easily thrown the hand away. I felt he was making a continuation bet with AK or AQ. His bet didn’t allow me the opportunity to find information without committing my self to the pot. Well played. The real problem was the chips I leaked earlier in the tournament. If I don’t drop 1000 chips or so during the last couple of orbits, then I can make the raise and dump my hand when the pressure comes. I would have been a short stack but still could have made a move. I didn’t look at chip conservation. I was only looking at accumulation.

The 2nd chance event was a lot of fun and saw me get knocked out on the bubble. I got very lucky with a short stack and then got lucky on the next hand to knock out two players. I was also unlucky when my AQ lost to Sur’s QJ but that really doesn’t matter. My big mistake here was the same as the previous game. I came over the top of Surf. And he pushed. This time I laid it down but I was in big trouble. I stole a blind but never recovered and got knocked out with an unremarkable hand. I did have some goodness in that I repeatedly punished the SB to my right who kept trying to limp into the pot. I think I pushed him 4 or 5 times in a row, for the limp.

Overall it was a fun night at the Mookie and I really enjoyed playing with my blogging brethren.