Starving Crazed Weasels, May

Just 9 people showed up. I was a bit on tilt from the HYD debacle where I played probably the worst game of my life and topped that off by having a pathetic performance...so I was a bit down on myself.

On the bright side, I got in a half dozen or so games of Raw Deal and had fun with them, but the tournament I had a hard time getting set up as we went, while setting up, from 8 to 10 people, then settled in at 9. Meanwhile, I had set up one table, then 2, then condensed it back down to 1...by the time we got settled in I was not into it which was really sad since I had been looking forward to this for weeks.

I bled off a lot of chips playing too loose which is hilarious since usually I play too tight at these because of the nature of the game. And I KNEW I was playing poorly, too. I let myself get pushed off a couple hands where I was sure I was folding the best hand but there were 3 or 4 people behind me. I would have won at least 2 of those.

On the first blind level I got all the way down to 1050 chips. One person limped, I looked down at pocket 9s. If I made a standard raise to 200 I would have 800 left with probably 6-800 in the pot so I would be committed. I was tilting a bit so I shoved. Folded to Kevin who thought for quite a while. Finally he called and I said, "Best I can hope for is a race" though I was at least vaguely hopeful he had something like A/6 suited. Nope, A/10...straight race. I got lucky and my nines held up.

Lost about 500 when I checked from the big blind, flopped a straight flush draw and never hit anything. Raised J/10d planning to go all in, everyone folded. Pete pointed out it was the first uncontested pot of the evening. By that point he had been all-in a couple times, Robin had been all in, I think Kevin and Phillip also...and every all-in at risk had won, including me. I won again when I was pushed all-in in a three way pot, managed to triple up and hit 3300 chips...the highest total I would hit on the night.

Pete raised all in for about 1000. I knew he had a pretty wide range of hands at that point. I had a King and was going to call even with a 6 kicker...but Phillip looked ready to call behind me and Kevin often will call all-ins. I don't want to play for a third of my chips with K/6 so I folded. Would have flopped trips and won a huge pot. Still the right fold since Phillip did call...and had a better hand than me.

Lost a few when I limped from late with pocket 3s. Got blinded a bit.

Picked up A/Ks a few hands later, raised it, 3 callers. Flop of 7/8/9, 2 diamonds...I raised and then saw someone I have 2 tells on was going to push all in, though I was first to act. He was giving off both tells which was weird. He gave off the one he does when he bluffs. But he also gave the one that said he had a strong hand. There were 2 other people to act, one of whom folded, one called mine, and my nemesis raised a further 500. I had 1500 left so it was either all in or fold. And every instinct said call. I am still irritated with myself for folding but I did.

Now, blinds of 1/200 and 1500 left I have an M of 5...desperation time. From middle position it was folded to me, I looked down at pocket 7s. Send in the chips. Again Kevin called, this time with a dry Ace. But he hit the Ace and I was done.

I played poorly all night, getting pushed around and making a couple calls I probably shouldn't have. Oh, well, some days are good, some days suck beginning to end like this one did, starting with the first softball game.