Playing Well, but Still Losing

Last night at the legion was a night of playing well, but still losing. I played very tight, opening few pots and at my top about 3x starting chips. Late in the tournament I commented to the dealer, Carl, that I had not gotten aces to be cracked yet. The next hand he dealt I got QJ suited in middle position. Made a min raise to 1200 with my 5000 stack and blinds at 300/600. An argument could be made here for just open shoving, but thought the min raise did not pot commit me and did show strength. I had been opening for 2.5 times the BB as my new standard open. Anyway, the player to my immediate left who was extremely active, playing every hand very aggressively and had the biggest stack at the table, says, "How much do you have, I put you all in". The dealer reminded him that the entire table needed to act before me, so he goes all in. Everyone folds to me and I respond, "Do you know what I say when someone says I am putting you all in?" "I fold". He tables pocket aces. Definitely had the hand to crack them, but oh well.

The aggressive player ended up going out before the final table, overplaying his hands and getting unlucky. Another big stack overplayed his hands, raising big with A10 offsuit, calling an all in who had AK suited. I missed my big opportunity when the same AK player raised all-in on the button with AK, being insta called by the small blind with AK, and me folding the winner 66 in the BB. I will basically never call in this situation unless severely short stacked, which I was technically, but could not dream that I was in that good a situation. Figured either every face card was out there or bigger pair.

My next to last hand was limp UTG with 99 for 2000 and push on the flop with my last 500. You might ask, why not just push with the 0ther 500? My strategy was to induce more limpers as I am never getting my big stack BB to fold, and it is very scary to see that, as someone remarked. I wanted a volume pot or someone else coming over the top with their big cards to isolate me. I really like this play and will do it again in similar situations. I see short stacks give up all the time and shove when they don't need to. I could have folded if I hated the flop and still played another hand. Anyway, everyone folded to the BB who checked. The flop was queen high, I shoved, he called for $500 more with his 4/10 and missed his 10: double up!

My last hand, down to 3000 with blinds at 1/2000 and I am UTG with AK suited. The BB is the second shortest stack at the final table with 8 players remaining, 6 places paid, having me covered by only 1000. I decide to raise here all in, wanting the BB to call. This was a mistake as my earlier strategy would have been better, but still would have been a loser. I get called by a good player (won a seat online to WSOP main event) with j/10 suited, and then the other short stack somewhat oddly reraised all in with q/2 offsuit!!!!!! Call with j10 and the flop is 8/9/j rainbow. Dang. Turn, ace!!!! Hope!!!! River? 10 for the gutshot straight for the the shortstack and 2 pair for the other guy.

Clearly, if I had done a "stop and go" instead of shoving the BB would have checked on the flop and I would have shoved then with a call by the big stack with top pair. He may have folded with his gutshot and then the 2 pair would have won. In any case it is bad luck for me and good luck for the other guy. The lesson here: Don't let yourself get short stacked.