Running better but not great

My results of playing over the weekend weren't much to brag about. Stunk in the freerolls. Looked lousy in the Lucky Dollar. And I won a single SnG.

I was drunk when I did it. Ok, not really drunk but it was a session of poker after coming home from 6 hours at a bar. I think that is a sign.

I did play a multi on Sunday. There was one hand that kinds pissed me off. I hadn't made any real traction in this game but I had a chance. I needed to make the final table to cash. I was sitting with about 2200 when I posted the big blind and got 7 5. Got to see a free flop, thank the heavens. Flop came 4 6 10. I bet out 350 and got called in two places. Turn was a Q. I bet out 400 more. The first guy calls but the second on raises. Hmmm...I call the other 400 as well. I have pot odds to do so. But the other guy now pushes all in. WTF? He is immediately called by the other guy. Huh? I have to fold as I am only on a draw. River is an 8. That would have been my straight. The pusher shows his slow played K K. He lost to Q 4 suited and two pair. Ugh!

I was pissed. If the guy doesn't raise, then the other one doesn't push. And he didn't have to push. Well, I can see why he would. He could have tried to keep me in at the end. Anyways, it set me off. I would have been over 6000 and had a great chance to make that final table. Instead I was soon out in 64th. All the while I couldn't forget about that one hand that could have propelled me upwards. I may have blown it on a bluff later but at least I would have had the opportunity.

After that, I was done and walked away. With some trepidation I played again Monday night. Hopped on a SnG and had the deck hit me silly. Got Q Q followed by J J and then 10 10. Only the 10s cashed for me. On the jacks and queens, someone pushed all in on me on the flopped king. I would chip back up just to bet out on a nice pocket pair and have to fold to the over card. One time I did call when the board went runner runner to fill the flush. I thought my two pair was good and wouldn't have expected the guy in the cut off to be playing 10 6 suited.

But that is what a lot of these knuckleheads were doing. Playing the suited, the connecters and the one gappers like crazy. Once I noted this, I calmed down my play a bit and adjusted to my own level of aggressiveness. Well, I had no choice as I had only 265 chips left.

I doubled up with my 10 10. I bluffed another good pot on the blinds by just betting on a crap flop. I got 5 5 and it help up on A J. Before I knew it, I was back in the game with over 2300. With about 5 left, I now had a chance to play again.

And I did.

I stole more blinds. I avoided the chip leader. I used my notes on the last goofball against him. I slow played some aces to take the chip lead. Things got interesting when we got down to 3. First, the short stack just wouldn't die. He went all in on a number of ace rag hands and always hit the rag. He went from 800 back to over 4000.

As that happened, I was taking apart the chip leader. He begun to raise every hand, no matter what. Unless I had something, I didn't play unless I had the blinds. Then I defended my blinds. I would call him on the flop as well. Then I used a nice play I picked up on the WPT. I was calling the blinds and then raising him on the river. It worked like a charm. I did this to him 3 straight times. You would think he would notice, but nope. That popped me up nicely.

The former short stack had recovered enough to later take out the former chip leader. It would only take me about 10 hands to finish the little guy off. His problem was that he folded too many hands heads up. He got blinded down. Finally, my A K took out his 7 7 and the big comeback was complete.

I plan to play some multis this week to get in shape for the WPBT WSOP $1500 event. It may be unlikely that I will win this tourney considering how I have been playing lately. But when I play well, I know I have a chance. Hopefully I can get my game going by Sunday.