Yes, I am still playing exceptionally well. I have just been a little cold decked once I get to the money in the (180) tournament. Same story as yesterday in that I started off very well and was able to accumulate chips early. Looked for a few situations to gamble late and got my chips in on a couple of big flush draws but apparently my opponents had nothing and folded.

One big hand I had AKos and limped only to be re-raised by the big stack in the middle of the tournament. The flop came down XXX and I checked. The big stack bet out big and I called with nothing. He bet again when a blank hit on the turn with nothing and I called. A King fell on the river giving me the best hand and I took down a very nice pot.

Other than that hand the tourney was pretty run of the mill. Back at it again tomorrow.

Good luck at the tables.

CIII

Another cash again tonight in the $4.40 (180). I am running exceptionally good right now and was able to pick up chips early again tonight. However, once we got to the money I got short stacked and got grinded down pretty good. I ended up all in with pocket sixes vs kings and it was all over.

I went out on the bubble in tenth place but I have now cashed 3 nights in a row with 2 Final Tables in my last 4 tournaments. I can smell that first place coming.

Earlier today I busted out of the $5.50 guaranteed when I lost with my KK vs AK before the break. I got my chips in good again so no big deal.

How do you stay so sober about taking a beat?

As long as I get my money in good and play the hand correctly I can handle the beats. It’s when you don’t play the hand well that really bugs me and causes me to lose sleep. Variance is a part of the game none of us can control so there is no use getting too upset about it. It stings for a few minutes and then you let it go.

CIII

I made another Final Table and went out again on a tough hand in eigth place. What can you do? I got off to an exceptional start in this tournament and was up to 7k in chips before the first break. After that I smooth called and hit my inside straight draw to take down a 6k pot and pretty much cruised into the Final Table with 12k in chips. I went out eighth on the hand below. It was dissappointing seeing him hit the card even though he did have the best hand pre-flop but it is what it is. Again, I am playing exceptionally well and my hands are holding up for the most part so I just have to keep at it. I will be back to the grind tomorrow.

CIII

PokerStars Game #15703152752: Tournament #79469013, $4.00+$0.40 Hold’em No Limit - Level XI (500/1000) - 2008/03/03 - 01:15:04 (ET)
Table ‘79469013 16′ 9-max Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: earthman42 (51817 in chips)
Seat 2: bunny25639 (42142 in chips)
Seat 3: GuerroGuapo (23003 in chips)
Seat 4: socprof87 (34235 in chips)
Seat 5: trukking14 (1224 in chips)
Seat 6: Curtom (9199 in chips)
Seat 7: eazy-kash (20164 in chips)
Seat 8: seabiscuit_7 (24593 in chips)
Seat 9: maxedout57 (63623 in chips)
earthman42: posts the ante 100
bunny25639: posts the ante 100
GuerroGuapo: posts the ante 100
socprof87: posts the ante 100
trukking14: posts the ante 100
Curtom: posts the ante 100
eazy-kash: posts the ante 100
seabiscuit_7: posts the ante 100
maxedout57: posts the ante 100
trukking14: posts small blind 500
Curtom: posts big blind 1000
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Curtom [Jd Jh]
eazy-kash: raises 1000 to 2000
seabiscuit_7: folds
maxedout57: folds
earthman42: folds
bunny25639: folds
GuerroGuapo: folds
socprof87: folds
trukking14: calls 624 and is all-in
Curtom: raises 7099 to 9099 and is all-in
eazy-kash: calls 7099
*** FLOP *** [Js Ts 6s]
*** TURN *** [Js Ts 6s] [As]<===tough catch
*** RIVER *** [Js Ts 6s As] [5h]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Curtom: shows [Jd Jh] (three of a kind, Jacks)
eazy-kash: shows [Ac Ah] (three of a kind, Aces)
eazy-kash collected 15950 from side pot
trukking14: shows [Qh 4h] (high card Ace)
eazy-kash said, “wow”
eazy-kash collected 4272 from main pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 20222 Main pot 4272. Side pot 15950. | Rake 0
Board [Js Ts 6s As 5h]
Seat 1: earthman42 folded before Flop (didn’t bet)
Seat 2: bunny25639 folded before Flop (didn’t bet)
Seat 3: GuerroGuapo folded before Flop (didn’t bet)
Seat 4: socprof87 (button) folded before Flop (didn’t bet)
Seat 5: trukking14 (small blind) showed [Qh 4h] and lost with high card Ace
Seat 6: Curtom (big blind) showed [Jd Jh] and lost with three of a kind, Jacks
Seat 7: eazy-kash showed [Ac Ah] and won (20222) with three of a kind, Aces
Seat 8: seabiscuit_7 folded before Flop (didn’t bet)
Seat 9: maxedout57 folded before Flop (didn’t bet)

I cashed again in the PokerStars $5.50 tournament and then busted out twenty first with pocket Aces. I got off to another slow start but picked up a few hands after the break and got myself back in contention. Once we were in the money I picked up AK and doubled up to 14k against the big stack and was ready to rock and roll again. Below is how my last hand played out. This is the situation you pray for with Aces but it just didn’t work out this time. Tough beat but I got my chips in good and that’s all I can ask for.

PokerStars Game #15678232614: Tournament #79111754, $5.00+$0.50 Hold’em No Limit - Level XI (500/1000) - 2008/03/02 - 03:07:07 (ET)
Table ‘79111754 22′ 9-max Seat #6 is the button
Seat 1: BurritoJimmy (42062 in chips)
Seat 2: daddycool963 (55760 in chips)
Seat 5: Bensinhouse (42445 in chips)
Seat 6: Curtom (10030 in chips)
Seat 7: zman1976 (8460 in chips)
Seat 8: little haw (11287 in chips)
Seat 9: c4542s (23910 in chips)
BurritoJimmy: posts the ante 100
daddycool963: posts the ante 100
Bensinhouse: posts the ante 100
Curtom: posts the ante 100
zman1976: posts the ante 100
little haw: posts the ante 100
c4542s: posts the ante 100
zman1976: posts small blind 500
little haw: posts big blind 1000
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Curtom [Ah Ac]
c4542s: folds
BurritoJimmy: folds
daddycool963: raises 3000 to 4000
Bensinhouse: raises 6000 to 10000
Curtom: calls 9930 and is all-in
zman1976: folds
little haw: folds
daddycool963: calls 6000
*** FLOP *** [5d 2d 8s]
daddycool963: checks
Bensinhouse: bets 10000
daddycool963: raises 10000 to 20000
Bensinhouse: folds
*** TURN *** [5d 2d 8s] [5s]
*** RIVER *** [5d 2d 8s 5s] [Jd]<====Brutal
*** SHOW DOWN ***
daddycool963: shows [4d Ad] (a flush, Ace high)
daddycool963 collected 20140 from side pot
Curtom: shows [Ah Ac] (two pair, Aces and Fives)
daddycool963 collected 31990 from main pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 52130 Main pot 31990. Side pot 20140. | Rake 0
Board [5d 2d 8s 5s Jd]
Seat 1: BurritoJimmy folded before Flop (didn’t bet)
Seat 2: daddycool963 showed [4d Ad] and won (52130) with a flush, Ace high
Seat 5: Bensinhouse folded on the Flop
Seat 6: Curtom (button) showed [Ah Ac] and lost with two pair, Aces and Fives
Seat 7: zman1976 (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 8: little haw (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 9: c4542s folded before Flop (didn’t bet)

I took a beat right before the money when my TT vs A6os didn’t hold up. I was on the button and the small blind folded to my push. I had a little over 5k and the big blind decided to gamble half his stack with Ace Six. Despite being a 3 to 1 favorite pre-flop he hit his ace and off to the rail I go.  The blinds were getting up there since it was after the second break but I am not sure that I would make that kinda call with that hand for half my stack. Just my opinion. That was more than a risky play. It was precisely the kind of poor play you want to see with a hand like TT.

Every now and then players get lucky on you. I really can’t complain. I am running good and making good decisions. The wins will come as they always do. All I have to do is keep making the Final Table.

CIII