But close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades

Big congrats to Gracie for winning the first satellite last night. She played damn good and deserved to win. Well done!

I cannot be totally disappointed with how I did last night. I felt my game was on last night. At times I was in the zone making some good calls and what may have been good laydowns. Twice I folded Q Q when my bet on a flop with an overcard was re-raised. Other times I made a call with 10 10 and an overcard on the board to take down some good pots.

Those 10s were pretty damn good to me last night. I used them to re-raise F-Train on more than one occasion. They treated me very well. Except once. And then my outlook and survival looked bleak. I was doing good until my 10 10 ran into A K. I remember watching this happen to Iggy early on and was surprised by the play that was made. Then Iggy pushed after a raise and the call came very quickly. Instantaneously quick and Ig's A Qs was up against 10s. I was shocked that someone would call that fast with just pocket 10s.

I didn't make the call quickly like that but had to think about it. I was sure I was not up against an overpair. My reasoning for calling was he had A rag and I just had to avoid an A. Well it didn't happen and I went from being in the top 5 to the bottom quickly. It also didn't help that I didn't play a hand or steal for the next 45 minutes. Totally. Card. Dead.

I was quite frustrated that I just about made a move with A 3o. But stayed patient. I got back on the horse with a steal when I finally got something to play. The steals helped not only in getting some chips but in getting some confidence back. I was dead last when we got down to 20 people.

Then got I lucky with my 8 8 holding up. That gave me the boost I needed. I then got luckier when I just completed from the SB with K 7. I called EasyCure's flop bet when I had an OESD. A beautiful 5 on the turn filled my straight. My thought was how to maximize the play. To push or slow play. I figure pushing would look like an overpair play and that he had more than on e pair. He showed two pair and was crippled. Sorry Easy. Though it seems otherwise, I am not out to get you.

Suddenly after that rush, I went from being in last to 2nd. From just over 2000 to 33,000. Those 10s came back to help me again when I re-raised a steal attempt. I was sitting pretty going into the final table.

Our chip leader, the Poker Gnome, was killing the final table. He was a one man wrecking crew, continually raising and pulling some sick beats. I was somewhat content to let him do the work. But I didn't want him to pull away. I was keeping one eye on his stack to make sure when I got heads up with him that I wasn't at that big of a disadvantage.

Maybe I was thinking too far ahead. We got down to 3. Gracie had let the Gnome do the work as well, but she was just behind me. She took a lead when I tried a steal with Q J but she re-raised me. Next hand, I intended to get those chips backs.

My initial reaction when I saw my cards was a sign. K K. My eyes lit up and I smiled a bit. But then I had a bad thought. It was the kind of hand that you can dump a bunch of chips with. Little did I know that thought was right. I re-raised Gracie's bet. I was shocked to see her push there. Easy call for me as I felt I had the best hand. I have no problem getting all in with K K here. If I am against aces, so be it. I was surprised to see she had 5 5. I was sad to see a 5 hit the flop.

I was done.

That's poker.

I live by the mantra that I cannot be unhappy if I get a bad beat. They happen. The only control you have is to make the right move. Get you chips in when you have the best hand. I did. It just wasn't to be. It hurts to play all those hours and go out on a suckout. Next time, maybe the odds will hold up and I win the hand.

That is the best thing. There is a next time.