I’m horrible playing heads up in Texas Hold’em and I know it has to do with the fact that I don’t like to bluff as much as most people. The past two nights we’ve (Mom, Dad, Isaac, and I) played a mini-tournament and both times I made it to the final two with a commanding chip leader. I also lost both times. I usually end up bluffing at the wrong times, even though the other player checks to me and never raises when I bet. I get called with shit like bottom pair. Bad play on their part or wrong times to bluff on my part? I realize that it’ll come with more practice and experience, but it’s frustrating. I’ve been playing solid poker and then when it’s down to two, I run and hide.

If you see me at a poker table near you, keep raising. It’s the only way I’m going to improve.

Tonight I decided to play a poker tournament on UB, so I signed up for a $5+.50. UB adds $1,500 to the prize pool to this weekly tournament, which makes for a pretty nice payout. A total of 1522 people entered the tournament, so first place paid almost $2,300!. Not bad for a $5 entry fee if you ask me. I played really tight but agressive poker the whole time and my chip count was above average almost the entire tournament. Shortly after the field was narrowed down to 100 (the pay line), I hit some cards and jumped into the top 10, where I stayed for quite awhile.

When the field got down to around 35 people left I was still at 5th or 6th place in chips when I was in the small blind and looked down at JJ in the hole. The button put in a good sized raise so I decided to just call. After the flop came with a pair of sevens and an ace I made a mistake (perhaps I should have even re-raised before the flop) and checked, allowing the other guy to bluff at the pot by going all-in. Of course I had to call and he turned over a QK unsuited. Sure enough a Q came on the river. If I had bet after the flop he would have had to fold and I would have been in the top 3, but instead I was left fighting for my life. The antes and blinds kept increasing, but I held my ground until I went all-in with AT unsuited and was called by the big blind, holding 57 unsuited! I had him dominated…or so I thought. Sure enough a five and a seven came on the flop and another seven on the turn to give him a full house. An ace came on the river for added insult.

I finished in 22nd place for $45.55. Not too bad. I played great poker, stuck to my strategy, and really limited my mistakes. I think I owe my success to Dave who let me watch his Howard Lederer’s Secrets of No-Limit Hold’em DVD. It really helped me in a few areas and is a great strategy for tournament play.