VEGAS FRIDAY

Tom and I played the nooner at Venetian for $105. Neither of us got to the payout, so we both joined the cash games. I got to the bubble, but got all in with TT v A9 only for him to catch two of each of his cards to knock me out. Tom lost a little bit in the rings and I managed to make $57 before the 8P tournament began. It cost $125 with a $50 rebuy. I was the only player at my table not to rebuy right away. I figured it gave me a little gamble room to try something risky and if it pays off then I could just use my rebuy as an add-on, but if I bust out then I can still get back in.

I used my $2500 and began building up past $3k. With my tight table image, I tried to steal the blinds from late position with 43s only to find two callers. The flop brought K32 and I checked, opening up an avenue for the button to make a bet. Since the small blind called, I called as well with my small pair. The turn was the ace of spades and I noticed the button give a little "oh God" shake of the head. It checked to me and with a signifigant amount of dead money to be won, I moved all in. I was betting the scare card, but I still had the flush draw, gutshot, and pair to fall back on, so it wasn't as risky as it may seem. Everyone folded and I showed the 43.

On the next orbit, it folded to my button and I looked down at pocket tens. I know the big blind was still stinging from laying down his kings, so I made an unusually large bet as if trying to bully the blinds into folding. He came back all in and I was delighted to play my pair. I figured he could be moving with a wide range of hands there, but to my dismay he showed AQd to make it a race. I had him on the ropes but he caught a queen on the river to double up. I nearly had knocked him out, but once the queen hit, he began monologuing about how I've got a target on me since I showed the bluff. I reminded him that I got exactly what I wanted - for him to overcommit with a drawing hand. I was hoping to get all the money in preflop, so I was fine, I just got beat. That put me on a short stack and with Tom already out, I just tried to double up by pushing with K7. I was called by AK and eliminated. I didn't rebuy, opting instead to go back to the Rio to enjoy conversation and scotch with Tom.