Bubble Boy Minus One

Well, it was Wednesday night last night so what does that mean....

MOOOOOOKKKKK

Another final table and another suckout..

I had a work deal so I almost didn't make it. I made it with 3 minutes to go; but I did not get back to the computer for about 5 minutes. Let's just say that I got back right at the right time. I had lost one set of blinds so people obviously knew that I was gone... or did they.

I am in the Big Blind and BobRespert is in the SB and it is folded to him... Hmmm.. I guess that didn't know that I was gone. I did only miss 9 hands so it makes sense that they did not notice. Anyway, I have K5 of diamonds. Let's test out the waters to see if they do think that I'm gone (although it is fairly obvious that they don't). I raise it to 100 and I get called.

Flop comes 4h2d3d. Wow... couldn't really have asked for a better flop. I bet 150 into the 200 pot and get called again. OK.. Now I might need to hit my hand before I fire another bullet. Turn card is a nice 6d. I'm still betting here; but only bet 1/2 pot of 250. The intention here is to keep betting; but make it look more like a probing type bet. This time I get raised to 750. Obviously, there are only a few things that I'm afraid of such the nut flush.. straight flush or maybe a set with a redraw to a boat; but my old saying is to "never fear the monster" so I just call and hope that he will push the river. The River card comes 2h which of course alarms me to the possible boat. Bob does push in his remaining 635 which does have me covered; but I'm obviously not folding now. He shows a straight with T5 and I double up. Nice!!!

Nothing happens for a long time and I finally get Pocket Aces and a short stacked ScurvyDog pushes with QQ. I, of course, call. BTW, Scurvy had just had his QQ cracked by a lower pair a few hands earlier and got AA in BB but nobody challenged him. He says... "One of those nights". Well, a bar karmic move by me... before I call, I say... "one of those nights" and call with my AA. Q on the flop sealed my fate and Scurvy is back in business.

51 Players started this player shortened tourney as many are on their way to Vegas. I wish them all well. I pretty much hung around the top 10 for most of the tourney; but as we approached the final table, I went totally card dead. We make it to the final table and I believe I am in 6th or 7th. I, again, resign myself to play pretty tight as I would like to make the money one of these times. 6 people paid.

Well, we get to the bubble and I that I can think is don't bubble again. There were only a couple of us that were in danger as my chips leaked, and leaked as I folded and folded. It got to the point where I had to try and steal blinds and luckily, I was successful every time.

Well, finally the Bubble burst and I was not the victim. This time in was pushmonkey72 when his KK lost to AK on an interesting JAQ flop.. No T or K and he was out. A collective sigh or relief from myself and NumbersGame.

I continue to fold and finally get AJo UTG and take down the blinds.. Next AK. This time meanhappyguy puts in a typical Blind Steal as he has been raising a bunch as the chip leader... including going all in 7 times in a row. The 7th one was the unfortunately one for PushMonkey. Anyway, drmindbendr calls from the SB. Now, I started the hand with 4824 and the blinds were 250/500 with antes of 50 so I don't have too much time. I breifly thought a stop and go; but that doesn't work very well from the BB some time so I push my AK. Meanhappy calls it a squeeze play (which I guess it was kind of) and folded. Truthfully, I was hoping for another fold as AK has been my Achilles heal late in tournaments. Well, he called and turned over A7 of hearts so I'm hoping that I am good shape.

An awful flop of 3c9h9s giving him some outs to a chop and sure enough the 3h comes on the turn now giving some flush outs. I was of course wishing for the chop; but it never came as the ugly 7 showed up its head and I am out on the Bubble Minus One.

This is obviously better than bubbling; but wow, that is two tournaments in a row that I final tabled and the cards were against me. What can you do... That's poker.

Congrats to doogman77 playing in his first Mook and taking it down.

I did play a few SNGs going a disappointing 1 for 4 only garnering 1 3rd place finish. Again, the bad beats were a plenty. (not just on final hands seen below)

1. 5th - Just short stacked and pushed with A7 only to get called by AK and AT... Ooops
2. 7th - AK lost to K8 on a K68 flop
3. 3rd - QTs lost to J7o on a river J
4. 5th - No cards ... finally pushing K4 into AQ... Ooops..

That drops my SNG ROI to a paltry 5.99%. You think I would learn by now not to mention that things are going pretty well. Well, now I can say that they are not and maybe I will have some reverse fortune.

I'm trying to get FTP bankroll to $400 to start playing $10 or $11 turbos. I can't remember which. I have a ways to go.

Have a good day!!!!