GRAND PRIX

I played the Sunday 6PM EST $100 tourney for which I had a free entry. I played very well except for one hand.

There were 146 entrants and a top prize of $4500, with money to made thru 10th place. I played very conservatively and made slow gains. I was in the top 15 when there were 36 players remaining, and I got 77 on the button. There was a raise from a well-heeled opponent, and everyone folded but me. The flop came 223 with two hearts. I bet, he raised, I called.

Calling was a possible mistake, but my true mistake came on the next card. It was the A of hearts. With a big bet I could represent either the aces, or the flush, or even the straight. An all-in bet would likely have given me the pot and a huge stack. I played like a weaksuck and bet only half of my money. My thinking was that I could represent flush while hoping he'd call, but he saw through my ruse and called.

The river was another ace. An all-in bet from me now was fairly useless, so I checked. He bet enough to make it an all-in decision for me, and I opted to fold. I told him I had 77 and he told me he had JJ. He said he knew I didn't have it when I didn't go all-in.

He played the hand like a champ, and I played like a scrub. I was left with so little that I had to hope to double up several times. I never got anything the rest of the way and was forced to make a stand with A2, but lost to AT, finishing 30 of 146.