Lydias

I have allowed myself to be convinced to play for points. On the one hand, that means I need to play seriously more often. On the other hand, that means I can spend less time goofing around since I actually take it serious when there are points on the line. If I am not playing for points I don't care where I finish, only how I play. But when I play for points...well, it is my intention to be one of the points leaders. Because, while I may not be one of the top players in terms of number of tournaments win, I do think I am good enough to be one of the most consistent. John and Chris might be more consistent...and John wins more...but almost everyone else has a sadly high number of flameouts.

Tonight we had an interesting table. I always like having John at my table, we get in a lot of good natured razzing. Todd sometimes is fun, other times annoying. Gary is pretty much always is annoying. The way he trash talks everybody is ridiculous. He has no concept of hand values, how to hide what he has, etc. He might as well play with his hand face-up. Justin I have only seen a couple times, and...and...and this is embarrassing, but I don;t remember who the 5th guy at our table was.

I was still somewhat on tilt from the big tournament nonsense but a good group gets me out of it. So does playing properly. I folded or raised most of the night. And it worked. I raised K/Q Hearts, one caller, flop was all small, another raise took down the pot. Raised A/10, they all folded. Picked up a few pots here and there. Trips got me more chips. Won several small pots, no big ones, managed to double up with these small pots. Negreaneau small ball. Very few memorable hands.

One I checked from the big blind with A/7. I actually played the hand weakly, everyone had limped in, I should have raised pre-flop. Anyway, flop came Jack, Jack 7. I had 2 pair, top kicker. I figured if anyone called they had to have the the Jack. Justin almost called, I showed the 7. He laughed, said he had that. And an Ace kicker. Sometimes being first to act is a benefit. I could make that raise, but not that call.

Blinds were pretty well up by the time we got to the final table. I raised a couple hands and everyone folded. I was stealing blinds, making up chips.

Then something horrendous happened. One girl wanted to go so she started raising and calling with anything. Suddenly it was dangerous to raise too awfully much. After all, A/10 looks great pre-flop, but if you bump it and know any 2 cards will call...which she would...and the flop comes all low and she comes out raising, you might be in trouble.

So I limped in a few times, lost some chips. Gary got crazy and made a raise from the small blind...but only to twice the blind. Since 2 people had already called, I had pot odds with a garbage hand, K/2. I called planning on bluffing. Flop came K/Q/rag. I raised. Maniac called. Gary disgustedly folded. Turn was a blank. I checked. She raised. I almost folded...then remembered how she had been playing and reraised all in. She called. She flipped up...bottom pair, a pair of 5s I think. I flipped up my K/2. Gary went ballistic. He could not believe I could raise 4 times the blinds with "just" top pair. But I had his raise read as weak, I had her read for dead money at the time. Now I was not sure if she was really dead money...she had SOMETHING every time she called or raised (except two hands previously when she called her father in law with a 5 high on a straight and flush possibility board.) But it was always a vulnerable hand...something like...say...a pair of kings. So it was a loose raise and all-in...but I had her read as being behind. When she called, I had second thoughts...but the Kings were good and I had almost a triple up with the money Larry and Gary had put in the pot.

Then I went weak. I called a couple hands I should not have, limped instead of raising, basically just changed my style. Bad, weak play.

After a while I figured out what I was doing and picked up A/10 under the gun5 handed. That is a pretty strong hand. I bumped to 2400, 4 times the blinds. And John hesitated, hesitated, hesitated, and then came over the top all in. She insta-called he all in.

I respect John's game enough to credit him for having a seriously good hand. I almost laid down the hand. But there was too much money in it and my hand was too good. I called. He flipped up A/2 Spades and she flipped up...pocket 4s. Both John and I had her covered. When an Ace rolled off on the flop we were looking good to take her out (and, sadly, John as well...). But she turned a 4 to take the larger pot and the river was a 10, giving me 2 pair to take John out.

Ironically, the 4 was because he burned an extra card. I almost said something but since it would benefit me I did not. He burned while waiting, then when reminded everyone was all-in, he burned a second card. I am okay with that. It was costly...but okay.

Well, soon enough I doubled up Larry when I called one more blind of his when he went all in and I had J/8. He hit a pair, I did not. Gave up more chips trying to get rid of the maniac girl...she is not always a maniac, she just was while trying to bust out.

Finally I gave up two huge chunks on big pots, one of which I got rivered and one of which I flopped straight, flush, and straight flush draws so called raises but never improved. That was a hand I think I misplayed. I thought Gary would lay his down if I re-raised all in but could not bring myself to go all in on a draw.

Oh, well, I finished 2nd and more importantly, got off tilt and had some fun.