6/216

I slept so late after my long night of poker that I didn't get online until 1110A. I was going to unregister from the EPT Monte Carlo qualifier and save the $800 to put towards a preliminary World Series seat next year. For some reason I had it in my mind that the qualifier began at noon but in reality it had begun at 1030A and I had missed the first forty minutes. This very much sucked. I never got my footing and started playing too aggressively trying to build my stack all at once. I actually busted somebody but then somebody got a straight against my two pair and I paid him off. I lingered but never really recovered. A disappointing use of an $800 ticket.

I also played the stage two freeroll with 300 seats available. Six of the nine players at the table were sitting out. I figured if I could get some chips then I could sit out too and fold my way to a ticket. I got all my money in with KK but got busted by QQ when he hit the flop.

So far it was a horrible Saturday. Then I saw a $300 short-handed event starting at Full Tilt so I got in there. I made it to the final table of six but was the first one out. The railbirds were calling me Hoyt Corkins because I was either folding or going all in. Early at the FT, I got AQ and put in a raise. I was basically a short stack, bunched in with two other players. Each rung up the payout ladder now was good for at least a grand with $16k for the winner. Given that it was a short-handed game and I've got a modest stack, I think AQ is a fine hand to push with. I just raised to $9k but I was reraised to $30k which put me to the decision. I paused but I knew I was going to push. I wanted to give that false tell like I'm "thinking" with a monster hand before raising. The railbirds were saying "watch, I'll bet you he goes all in." I obliged. This put the decision to the other guy who had an even shorter stack than me.

I figured he most likely had some kind of underpair and it was a race situation. Whenever it is a race, you benefit by being the aggressor because there are times the opponent will back down. I figured if he had AK he would have just gone all in with it. By merely reraising, he was giving himself an out if the action got intense. I wanted to give him the chance to lay down but after going into the tank for awhile, he came out calling. He caught a seven on the flop and I missed besides, knocking me down to $7500.

I was UTG for the next hand so I was going all in with anything. I happened upon AKc which was more than enough. The same guy called with KTd and he hit his ten to bust me. I expect to lose a pivotal race but that's a shame that I lost such a favorable matchup at the end. I got paid $2722 severance.