I hope everyone had a good Easter weekend. I enjoyed a few days in northern Michigan with my family. On two of those days I played in $5 tournaments with my brother and his friends. Each of the two tournaments had 7 players total. I had never finished in the money with these kids so I was itching to win some of my money back. Not only did I finally finish in the money, but I did it in both tournaments.

I didn’t get much for cards in either of the tournaments. With the style of play and the blind structure, I was able to fold probably 90% of the time pre-flop…maybe even more. In fact, I never held AA or KK. Not once! The only real notable hand of the first tournament was when I limped in with pocket sevens UTG. A few others limped as well and the flop was J7X. The big blind bet out 100 and I raised 300. It got back to him and he thought about it for a bit and pushed. I quickly called. He had flopped top two, but the jack didn’t come, so I doubled up.

Shortly after I caught a few hands and took down pots without a showdown. I can’t even remember how we ended heads up, but we traded the chip lead several times with some all-ins. We decided to split pay $20-$15, so it’s not like we were playing for a whole lot. I found AK and doubled the blind. Why I didn’t raise more I don’t know. He called and the flop came jack high. He bet into me and my head told me he had top pair. I raised anyways and he pushed. It was getting late and some friends were waiting for me to finish so we could go to the bar. I called and lost to top pair (J-3).

On Saturday I found big slick and raised pre-flop, only getting one caller. The flop was queen high and the player bet into me with a minimum bet. I called with a back door flush draw to the nuts and two overs. The turn brought one of my suit and I called his minimum bet again. The river hit my flush and I bet 100 when it was checked to me, wanting a call. He called and just shook his head. I laughed inside knowing I was getting the correct odds to call down.

I didn’t get many hands for quite some time. Then when we were down to 6 players I found As7s in the big blind. This hand looked like a monster since I had been dealt 7 high hands way too often! There were two all-in bets in front of me already. I think I already had 80 in with my blind and it was 210 to call. I said what the hell. The first player turned over AQ and the other AK, both unsuited. I was in a bit of trouble.

The flop….Ts9s8s! I flopped the nut flush and could only lose if the Js and Qs came runner runner since the Ks was held by the player with big slick. the turn was the Jc and the river brought me a straight flush when the 6s fell. That’s 4 straight flushes (3 royals) I’ve hit in the last week. Crazy!

We eventually made it down to three players and decided to pay out $20-$10-$5. I had already made my buy-in back so now I could just go for first. My brother was one of the other two and from what I’ve seen he likes to steal. I decided to use my super tight image to my advantage here. I found AdQd in the big blind. Isaac raised and the small blind called. I pushed my stack in and they both folded. The dealer threw out the flop for shits and grins. An ace was there. Isaac said he folded pocket twos and the other player folded like A5. He would have flopped two pair.

A couple of times I figured Isaac was on a steal so I re-raised him with K high after the flop, getting him to fold. Then came the hand that took me out. I had AJo. The other player, who rarely raises pre-flop raised pre-flop. I called it. The flop was KJX. I had middle pair top kicker. Earlier in the tournament this player had limped in with AK two or three times, so I was fairly sure he didn’t have AK. When he bet on the flop I said out loud, “He never raises pre-flop.” I called anyways. The turn was a blank and I called him again. The whole time I was trying to replay in my head what he could possibly have. My gut was telling me KK. The river was another jack. I had hit the card I was calling down for.

I was first to act and as I started counting out chips I saw him doing the same out of the corner of my eye. My brain was screaming KK! I put in a nice bet and he quickly went all-in. He has KK. I knew it. I hadn’t seen him make a bluff the whole time and this would have to be a huge bluff. As I called I said, “You have kings don’t you?” Sure enough, he flipped over the cowboys and I was out in third.

I made the correct read but still lost. I just couldn’t get myself to fold. Had we not paid 3 places I would have easily folded on the flop, but I thought I’d gamble. I was drawing dead, unless two aces came on the turn and river. I knew exactly what he had, yet I still made the wrong play.

With that said, I’m starting to feel a lot better about my no-limit and tournament play. I’m starting to analyze the players more and replay previous action on the hands. Reading through my Card Player issues has really helped my game. After finishing two issues earlier in the week I’m now on the October 22nd, 2004 issue. Yeah…I’m just a few months behind on my reading.