Mookie time, BBT event... 5 already?

OK, so I still have the mojo working early in these tournaments...

Level 2, Blinds 20/40. I open limp 65s UTG. Cutoff raises to 120, Button coldcalls, blinds fold, I close the action and call...
Flop 973r. A well disguised double gutter. I check, cutoff checks, button pots it to 315, I peel, cutoff folds.
Turn 4, completing the rainbow. I can still turn the nutz every now and again.
I check, Burt_Cohen bets 455, I think and raise to 1100, he calls?
River 8h, I go ahead and shove, he calls with 98s (lucky for me I have no overpair there), and I get an early double up again.

This would be the highlight of the night, however. The rest of it was a learning experience.

Lesson 1: Do not try to tell a story when the villain already knows the ending.

Blinds 30/60, I have 6400 in chips and cover the table.
Breeze81 raises from MP to 150, I flat on the button with A3o, blinds fold.
Flop K22r. Breeze leads for 200, I think and raise to 600, he calls.
Turn K, he checks, I get this idea in my head I can rep a boat and knock him off of QQ-TT by checking behind and bet/raising the river, so I check.
River A, so I have a reasonable amount of showdown value, but not much.
Breeze leads for 775 after thinking it over, a third of his remaining stack.
I ignore the huge red flag of VALUETOWN on the horizon, stick with the plan and shove.... right into AK.

Lesson 2: There are people you can bluff on the river. Waffles is not one of them.

Blind v blind at 25/50, he raises to 150, I defend with 76.
Flop JT9, check check. Turn 4, check check, River T, he checks, I bet 450 into the 600 pot as a value bluff, he thinks, says he'll pay me off, and calls with A9.

It's actually a very standard call, but there are a lot of people who will fold in that spot.

After that, end up in another blind v blind spot where I raise 33, get shoved on for 10BB, call and don't get there vs. 99... so I'm really short now, until I double through with AK>AQ, and I limp to the first break with 2600 in chips..

I end up running well right after the break and get my stack back to 6500 without showing down a hand, then get moved, have to bet/fold a couple of pots, start spewing again, and then finally make rotterdammer1's night in two BvB spots.

Lesson 3: Get a read on unknowns before playing them heads up.

Blinds 100/200 I have 3800 in the small blind and cover.
I just got moved to the table an orbit ago. I don't know jack about half these guys.
Folds around, I raise KhQh to 600, rotterdammer1 calls.
Flop J96r, I check with the intention of getting it in with the gutterball, two overs, and the thought that the flop could not have hit rotterdammer1 hard.
He bets 800, I shove, he calls with... 9h7h.... damn.

I don't get there and am down to 175 chips.

As it is, I thought I had more equity there, but I'm a 37-63 dog as played, so I have to get a LOT of folds to make it worthwhile. He usually won't fold after putting in a third of his stack - plus, I forgot to check that he was from the Netherlands... Euros never fold a pair, right? :-)

I actually figured he would roll over a J or better nine if he called, but whatever, it's poker, that'll happen.

I do manage to win three straight all ins to chip back up to 2500... and I openshove into rotterdammer1 BvB again at 150/300/25 with AJs.. he calls with 33 and flops a set to get up to 14K, and I'm done in 42nd of 105.

You know, if I'm actually serious about making points runs in this thing, both monthly and for the series, I need to learn how to farm into the top 25% a little better.

There's racing for wins and racing for points, to borrow a NASCAR term. I better learn the difference quick. I have the win I need. What I need to focus on are strong finishes.

Going 48/27/1/33/42 doesn't help out that much in the grand scheme of things.

At least I goofed around on a 1/2 HORSE table with ScottMc, nzgreen, and NYRambler for an hour and pulled 25BB from the game.... I'm pretty sure I sucked all the mobneys out from the other half of the table... they were... ok players.

So, time to mellow out for a few days, enjoy an old man 36th birthday over the weekend, and get back on the hamster wheel Sunday.

Later!