It seems like it always comes down to a race

I played in the WSOP Circuit Prelim event yesterday in St Louis. I was hoping for a big turnout as Friday's tourney had over 600 people. Unfortunately, that didn't happen as only a little over 200 came out to play.

40 minute levels starting with 160 BBs. I'll keep this pretty brief. Per normal, I played my normal nitty game towards the beginning. I was able to chip up and actually won a nice pot when somebody bluffed their missed flush draw. So at the first break I was well over chip average as I had taken my 8K stack to 15K.

The next 3 levels kept me at status quo. I picked up about 2K more chips and by the second break I was at 19K at still over chip average.

Ok, if you don't like bad beat stories, stop here. Just kidding. This isn't really a bad beat. One of the big chip leaders was moved to our table. He probably had 50K. I'm not sure; but he had a lot. Not surprisingly, he was raising most pots. This particular hand, he was on the button and I was on Big Blind. It is folded to the chip leader and what does he do? He FOLDS??? SB also folds and look at my cards to find Pocket Kings. Bad Beat? Not really; but when you aren't getting cards, it feels like it. This also happened with AJs suited a bit earlier in the tourney.

A little while later against same guy with blinds 600 and 1200 with an ante, I raise from UTG with AK and raise to 2,000 and only the big stack calls from SB. The flop comes T7Qr. He checks and I ended up pushing my remaining 10K. He insta calls. Uh Oh. What does he have? He turns over T7o? What? Strange call from big blind. Turn was a blank and the river was the beautiful Jack for a rivered straight. Amazing, this usually happens against me not to me. Big stack lost a race with AK vs JJ and he was out a few hands later. Poker... you gotta love it.

We are almost at dinner break. About 15 minutes until dinner break. From EP, I look at QQ (not suited). With blinds at 800 and 1600 with 100 ante, I raise to 4200. 3 to my left insta pushes for about 11K more. This guy has been very tight and has showdowned Pocket Kings in similar situations. I was well below average at this point. I had him covered; but just by a little bit. Short Story. I called. He had AK.

It seems like it always comes down to a race. Ace on the flop sealed my fate and I was crippled. I shoved A6s suited a couple of hands later and was called by 77. I lost and was out of the tourney around 70th.

It was definitely fun; but at the same time disappointing.

Have a nice day.