Moral Victories

Moral Victory last night even though the money was not large. Started play in the $65 buy in limit tournament and it looked like another mediocre performance when no starting hands showed up and I did not have the table image or chips to bluff. We started with 45 players and were down to 18 and I ended up raising all in w/ J,9 off under the gun for only 275 of a $300 raise. This is my favorite non-playable hand. I usually like suited, but hey this was as good as it gets when you are about to be blinded out of the tournament. I was called in two spots and hit a miracle J on the turn against an AK, and Q,10. Bingo right in the center. Back in business. I then started bluffing the table as people tightened up to make the final table and went to the final table with a little below average chip stack. I made it down to 5 handed playing 500-1000 with only 4000+ in chips. I raised UTG with AK, got three bet and a cold call of the three bets from late position. I capped it as I was now pot committed if I was going to call and took the flop. A,4,5 rainbow, perfect. I bet out got raised then three bet by late position and I capped it. Turn was a Q, I only had 200 left so I put it and got called by both players. Huge pot, needed to win it. A river 9 did nothing to change the outcome. That was the case A on the flop as all three of us had an A. The guy giving all the action had A,Q ouch, the other had A,7. I had them both crushed on the flop, but alas I still lost. Crap. I had this one in the bag, and had visions of the win with that pot. Out 5th for a measly $215 payday and profit of only $150. I have not cashed in this tourn. in a while so I took it as a moral victory. Just was expecting more.

I then went up to my new spot to play after the tourn. at Parkers. As I have said before the Hideaway is now dead. They actually had a 10/20 game, so I jumped right in. Played pretty well, got a couple of decent starting hands, but did not run particularly well. I was working on starting hand selection so I did a lot of watching. Because the tourn. went so long I only go to play for about 2 1/2 hours, and booked a rather small win of $120, or 2.4 big bets and hour. Not bad, not great. Since I took a rather large loss the last time I played, as you can read below, I viewed this also as a small moral victory. O well hope to actually play this weekend a stay on the comeback trail. Total for day +$270.

On a side note, Tommy from Seattle was in third after the first day at the Borgatta, and was in 11th place after day 2. He made the money, but finished a disappointing 24th. Too bad, I am anxious to hear the details of what happened. I sure they will be gorey. Good luck, SJ