Weekly Poker Roundup

Comcast has really been sucking this week, but what are you gonna do when faced with a monopoly? I played in three poker tournaments this week. I seem to have reached a plateau where I can't seem to bust through into the final 3 spots. I'm only going to talk about one hand in detail this week, since it was the worst call I've made in quite a while and I want there to be a record of my stupidity.

I was playing Tuesday night at Startime in Roswell. It was about the 3rd or 4th hand. I had a 97o that I had limped in with. The flop had a 9, 10, 8. It was checked around. 4th street was garbage. A guy named Michael sitting across from me raised 2000. The big blind was only 200 at this point. I knew I should have folded. You've got to respect that kind of raise, especially three hands into the tournament. I even stopped and thought about it for a while. I have no idea what made me call that bet. Part of my brain was screaming the whole time "Don't call that bet!" while I was pushing two black chips into the pot.

Fifth street brought a 7, giving me two pair. The trap was sprung. I pushed in my remaining chips and got called immediately. Michael showed QJ. He flopped the straight. I finished dead last in the tournament out of sheer stupidity. Bleh.

The next night at Sidelines in Alpharetta I finished in 4th place. I went all in with A6 after the flop had a 6. Got called with KQ and there was also a Q in the flop. There was one amazing hand I had that night. I had pocket cowboys. The flop was a king, an ace, and a 10. Two people pushed in ahead of me. I thought about it and decided I just couldn't get away from that. I called. First guy had a straight already and the second guy had a flush already. Fourth street was garbage. Fifth street brought the Ace to give me my full house. That knocked one guy out and severely crippled the other.

Tonight at Startime I finished 5th. Nine people were on the final table and I started next to last in chips. I went all in with A6 after the flop showed a 6. I got called by Sarah who beat me last week, plus a new guy named Mike. Sarah pushed in after the Turn and Mike folded. She turned up pocket Kings and no help came on the river. Busted out in 5th place by the same chick who busted me out last Thursday in 5th place.

So for the last 6 tournaments I've finished 10th, 5th, 5th, Last, 4th, 5th. Not too shabby but by no means good enough to satisfy me. I feel like I'm ready to win one if I can just stop making some mistakes during the game. I haven't been able to put together an entire tournament that I feel good about the moves I've made yet. I think if I could eliminate some of the bone headed moves I could sit down at the final table and have a lot more chips, which would mean I wouldn't have to push in with A6s like I did tonight when I was down to only 2 or 3 rounds of blinds in chips.