Finishing 2nd is painful but..

[pokeraz]

I think I probably played as well as I have every played. 27 entries in a B&M $1000 buy-in winner take all (second gets his entry back). I fought and scratched to get to heads up but I was out chipped 3 to 1. I had layed down two monster hands during the tourney. One of my weaknesses has been not laying down good hands when it is probable that I am beat. In other words, playing my cards instead of my opponents cards. I have been working on it and am improving.

One interesting hand, Tell me if you would have done the same. Blind are 300-600 no ante. I have T11K and bb has around T9K. Folded to me in the sb with 77. I raise to T1800. BB re-raised to T3600. He has been defending his blinds with almost anything like they were his newborn infant. So he could have a wide range of hands. I am quite sure I have him beat and was going to re-raise all-in. But I remembered Fossilman talking about the stop 'n go. I've read about it in super system but never implemented it (thanks 2+2 for teaching me it's value). I decide that I'll just call here and move in after the flop no matter what (unless something crazy shows up). Flop comes 852 rainbow. Perfect! I fire my whole stack in. I am a bit dismayed when he calls very quickly. Turns over AQ. No miracle for him and my 77 holds up. What do you think of this play? I should have won the pot after the flop. I avoided disaster with no AQ but even if I had lost, it was the right play I think. He really should not have called.

Anyway, got it heads up. My opponent is not a real strong player but had been getting hit with the deck. So I though I had a good chance of coming out ahead.

Very first hand I get KJs on the button. Standard raise and he just calls. Flop comes AQT rainbow. Flopped the nut straight. Wooooohoooo. I check with the intention of checkraising all-in. He put me all-in. I am very happy knowing that I am going to be even with him and it will be a nice payday. He turns over T9. Very strong of you to move in all your chips with bottom pair. All was right with the world.

Then....runner,runner TT giving him quads. My goodness.

I am not upset over the beat. I just thought it interesting that even though I did not win, I cannot see how I could have done any better. I was in a zone. Not great cards but well played.

[LetsRock]

Bad beats are much easier to deal with after you've had a pretty successful run of cards and decision making. That was a tough beat to get busted out on, but you played it right, he played it miserably and got really lucky.

This game is really fun when you're on a roll; make your move, it pays - back off and it was a good laydown. It just doesn't hurt so much to lose if you at least had a chance to mix it up a bit.

It's too bad you got killed on that one hand since your opponent was obviously a fool and you probably would have made short work of him, but whaddaya do?

Keep up the good work.