ONE STEP BACKWARDS!!

-----"When things are going well, this is the easiest game in the world. But, when things are going badly, I ask myself, 'Do I even know how to play this game?' " - Daniel Negreanu



Thursday night I miss my chance to qualify for the Atlantic City Showdown thru our Weekly WPC tourney. Two seats for the $50 main event were up for grabs and two seats for the $25 super satellite were available. I do okay for the most part there are 200+ gals in the event but go out in the mid 40's on a bone head play. One of those moves where you just keep putting chips into a pot because you think your opponent is bluffing. I very rarely bluff against the girls. It doesnt work on people who will call you with anything. I find that attacking with just tight agressive play and playing fewer hands works a lot better.

Ladies night is also tonight!! 10 PM start which means Iron wont get her beauty sleep. This week there are twice the number as the previous week (the one I won). The prize pool is bigger this week. Winner gets $135 I only got $80 but top 20 positions pay. I manage to do well enough for an 18th place finish and a nominal cash of $5. Thats half my buyin covered for the WPC satellite coming up on Saturday.

Saturday AM I work over-time at Aetna. 5 Hours at $25.74/hour is some cool dough. I head home in time for the 2 PM satellite. $10 + $1 buyin is the most I have spent for a buy in too date. I had done one $10 one prior but $5 went to charity. Compared to entry fees for triathlons and roadraces, $10 is pretty cheap. For some reason I find it easier to write a check for $45 for a triathlon then I do paying $10 for a poker tourney.

I am seated at a table with GODDESS (WPC forum owner) and a few unfamiliar names. There are only 14 entered so we are playing relatively short handed. I observe early on knowing that if I am patient and play good starting hands and raise, I will get callers. I put a beating on a gal when my JJ flops the set and then a boat. I take out one gal and am early table leader. Another aggressive gal (a fellow NYer) Iwanawin(?) gets moved to table after we are down two. On one big hand the short stack calls all- in I call her as I have a fairly decent hand and have plenty of chips, In fact I have about 1/3 of the outstanding chips. The second short stack calls all-in I have her covered and I wannawin calls all in too. I have them all covered but lose to Iwanawin. My chip stack takes a hit, but I still am in above average position as compared to the rest of the table. We lose the other two and it is down to final table...

Now the other table which I peeked in on now and then is much tighter and passive. No one has an advantage on the other. Rachelkat who is an aggressive player may have been in observation mode herself. We are now playing a full handed table of 10. Back to 10 means you need to play better hands and and be patient.... We lose three and I am not involved in any of that. I lose a good sized pot to GODDESS when she hits a set off a low pocket pair and wind up going out in 7th when I again tangle with GODDESS and I believe she lands trip dueces or treys. Complete misread on my part. I was too busy trying to get something going and didnt pay attention to the board. Not sure I would have put her on the hand anyway. There was a lot of showing of cards going on and I was surprised that some of the better players were actually playing some of the hands they were. 7th place means IGH.. I GO HOME actually ISH- I STAY HOME as I am playing at home!!! Top two advance and next three cash and I am semi bubble girl.. Iwannawin goes out right after me in 6th.. Rachelkat wins... I am happy for her as she is a returned to school gal and is studying at Columbia University and could use the overall win to get her to Atlantic City...

Why does it seem that when I am early chip leader I wind up losing but when I win I am usually the comeback queen? Maybe it is the ebb and flow of poker tournies. I'd rather get the goods later on in the tourney when the blinds are higher. I have a lot of confidence in my short game and I also play well short handed. Something to think about. I am now feeling well, like Daniels comments above.

GODDESS Got pocket rockets or bullets or AA (ace-ace) three times in this tourney including two times in a row. Her karma must be really good because of all the things she does for us women poker players. Like my buddy Ed N from the running club who gives selflessly of himself, goddess has done the same for Women and poker. True altruism is rare indeed and I am fortunate to know of several people who are so giving and dont expect anything in return... Thank you Goddess for all you do!!

To be continued with the two steps forward