VEGAS TUESDAY

I got all duded up in my new silk shirt for today's $320 Wynn tournament as it represented my last chance to make any money on this trip. I played great but busted out in the second level. Here's how it happened:

My first significant pot was when I called with QT from late position into a multiway pot. The flop brought a queen with two diamonds and two rags. There was a bet right before me and I called. I thought the call was marginal since I am sure to be outkicked if he has a queen, but I had position on him and I couldn't be sure he wasn't betting the diamonds, so I paid $300 to find out. The turn was the ace of diamonds and he checked to me. I made a smallish bet of $400 as if I was looking for a call. He did call but I put him on KQ at that point. The river was a blank and he checked to me. I could have given up as it was early in the event to try to run a bluff through, but with him checking twice to me, I thought I could swipe this pot with my inferior hand.

I went right into one of my favorite false tells - I grabbed all my chips as if I couldn't wait to get them all in the middle, then I paused, studied the flop a bit and finally made a 'call me' bet of $800. He mucked and disgustedly showed his KK. Whew. It's nice when it works. I have consistently shown the bad habit of bluffing into people who have already shown strength. That only works when they were bluffing themselves which is not always so. The real trick is to use superior position to bluff people who have shown weakness. August 2006 - lesson learned. It took awhile but I think I've got it now.

I went right back into fold mode so I couldn't get myself into a gambling situation. All my playable hands seemed to arrive UTG and I limped with each one of them per my plan. I got AK three times, TT once, and 77 once. The sevens saw a multiway flop but didn't connect. I called a late position raise with the tens but folded to a KJx flop. With slick, the first time, I took a multiway flop but didn't connect; the second time I laid it down when I was raised and reraised. The third time, I was called twice then the pot was bumped to $800. This put $1250 dead money in the middle and his rather large raise suggested a less than premium hand. I liked the spot so I pushed all in. I didn't mind if he called and I got a race with a little better than 2:1 odds, but I figured it was more likely he would fold to the old limp/all in from UTG move. He did call and to my surprise he showed AQ which put me in about the best spot I could be in. Unfortunately for me, he hit his queen and I was down to $275.

I was in the big blind on the next hand and I got it all in with 82c against two players. I hit my flush which got me up to $825. Our table broke so I avoided the small blind for a moment. I sat at a full table in fourth position. I was running the numbers in my head and I decided that I could go an orbit without pushing but I would have to go with any hand that was folded around to me once the blinds passed.

I folded the first hand which was 42, but from third position I decided to go with the next hand which was T8s. If I need to double up to survive, I would rather try to double $825 than $675 and this is a great hand to gamble with. I just needed to avoid an overpair, but I've got a hand to bust it even if it does appear. It did appear - I got called by AA and although I flopped a gutshot, it didn't connect. So, in the end, I am disappointed my AK didn't double me up, but I am supremely satisfied with my play. If I can play like that always then the final tables will come. I suppose one could question moving in with the T8s, but my back was against the wall and I didn't have much room to wait for a better spot.