AARGH

I only got to play one big event this Sunday - the Full Tilt $200. I busted out just before the first hour was up so I joined a $69 to use up the rest of the time. I have not been getting paid in tourneys lately, and I was avowed to play my very best game. My biggest weak spot, as I will point out in my next post, is bubble play. I tend to get over-aggressive and over-commit to marginal hands. So today, I worked on building a stack which would enable me to slow down at the bubble and wait for good spots. I was able to do exactly that. There were 255 runners with 27 getting paid. I had an above average stack when it got down to 99 or so, and I played smart and patient with the occasional steal to keep my stack intact. As players busted, I got to below average, but just barely. Then with 37 remaining, I got AK and got to open raise from late position into bigger stacks. It's not a bad spot, since there is the increased liklihood my bet will be seen as a steal attempt and a bigger stack might choose to push back. Whatever happens, I've got to go with the hand, even if it's for all my chips. I got called by the button, then the big blind went all in. He had me covered, but I called anyways, figuring the absolute worst I am is 50/50 against an underpair. The button folded and I went heads-up against 88. I caught a K on the flop but with an 8 to take me out. That totally sucks, but I feel I played my A game, which is good. I don't think folding in that spot is a good option since I really want to win more than I want to sneak into the money. This time it turned into yet another bubble finish, but next time it could turn into a double up en route to the final table.