Hey! I played some poker!

It was probably because I went to the bar right from work that I got home and played the Riverchasers tournament tonight. With an ample supply of beer in my belly providing the fuel I needed to get through the night I turned my eyes to the monitor and hoped for the best.

Early on I dumped some chips to NewinNov. With AJo I raised from EP. Never good when you get 4 callers. To make it worse, the flop was A Q Q. I probably screwed it up right away by not making some kind of continuation bet. I checked and called it down to the river where I folded to the all in bet. I felt bad after that hand knowing I played it very poorly.

Though I lost about 500 or 600 on that hand I was despondent. I had faith I could make it back. A couple of hands later I check my 6 6 from the BB. A flop of A 2 7 didn't have me worried. Nor did the pot size bet from UTG. I recalled a hand BadBlood talked about and called that bet. The 6 on the turn was a pretty sight to behold. I checked and called the bet again. On the river I tried to go the well once to many times as it was checked down.

Back to even I focused on my beer as the bad hands came along and kept me on the sideline. Can't help but notice how there is no chat at this table. I feel like I am playing funeral poker. Blinds come and go and and I tread water. To make it interesting I am beginning to make bets to see if I can control the table. Limp with 2 2 and make a half pot bet on a flop of K Q 6. 3 people fold and I take a small pot. I could get used to this.

With K 10 I make the raise from UTG. Flop is 10 high. Only the BB had called and is suddenly betting out. The flop is uncoordinated and I wonder why he betting out. I call to give me some time to think. The turn is nothing. Again, the BB bets out the pot. Something doesn't seem right. My brain says to watch out for the set but my gut tells me to go all in, that he doesn't have a set. Plus my gut says it wants another beer and we can watch football and drink if we bust out. Of course I listen to my gut and push. I am happy with the fold. My brain reminds me of how I always drink and play poker.

One thing I am trying not to do tonight is play "fancy poker". I don't want to be tricky and slow play everything. I catch two pair from the blinds and start betting out. I have no intention of being sly tonight.

I dump some chips with a re-raise and Q Q from the BB. Of course I run into K K and am back to my starting stack. A A and A K would get some of the chips back. I then twitch a bit when I am dealt Q Q. I raise UTG and get one caller. On a flop with J high, the blinds bet into me. This again? I make a pot size raise and feel leery when I am called. I have just 600 behind and have no choice but to put them in the pot on the turn. I don't have the chance to bet as once again I am bet into. I am surprised to see my opponent has K J. Just like that I am up to 6000 at the first break. Speaking of breaks, this give me time to get another beer.

I play just one hand in the first 15 minutes after the break taking in an OK pot. A Q pays off when a Q hits the turn. A Q pays off again from the BB when 3 others try to limp in.

I continue to fold until I see a flop with AJs from the BB. Flop misses me so I fold. And fold and fold. I am getting bored now. Now I know why I am not a big fan of deep stacks.

Nines get me an uncontested pot. So does Big Slick. At this point I take a glance and notice there are only 10 runners remaining. Sounds good but we started with only 24. Still in the top 50% of the field! Whoo hooo! Then I realize the "small" stack is at 3100 so it will still take a long time to even start the final table.

So much for no fancy play. I go with a min raise with A A from the SB and get the call. I make a small bet on the flop and get raised. I push all in just in case he was willing to chase a flush. He folds instead.

I get rambunctious again and raise with A 7s on a smaller stack. He pushed all in from the BB. I make the call figuring what the heck. Instinct tells me I am ahead. Sure enough, he shows K Q. But the Q on the flop puts me behind. The board fills up with diamonds to give him a flush adding insult to injury.

I drop a nice pot when I raise with A 10 and get called by the short stack with 8 2s. An 8 on the flop is followed by a 2 on the turn and I go on tilt. I call a bet putting me all in on the next hand with A Q. I am up against K K. The Q on the flop is encouraging but that is all she wrote. Done in 9th.

The fresh bottle of beer curse lives on.