Finally a cash at the Legion

Playing very card dead last night I was amazed to come in 4th for a $124 win.  The whole night I had only 3 pairs, 4's, 8's, and A's.  I shoved all three times due to my stack size and everyone folded.  Guess there is some benefit to playing tight.

Had one upsetting event early on that sort of put me on tilt.  I raised in early position with AK suited to 150, was reraised by a short stack all in for $675, and another player called the reraise.  I called and we saw the flop which was probably 8 high.  Check. Check.  Turn another medium card, check. check.  River a 10, check, he bets 300 into the dry pot.  I fold my AK face up and he shows.....QJ, no pair!!!  Nice bet, idiot!  The all in player shows....AK to take the pot.  I was really steamed and commented, "nice bluff into a dry pot, sir".  Cost me over $900.  Anyway I mentally put a target on the guy and missed my opportunity a couple of hands later when he min raised and I folded 10/6 on the button.  The flop?  6/6/10.  He committed a lot of chips into a multiway pot on that hand and eventually won without a showdown.  Crap!

Anyway, getting to the final table by a series of close wins (A/5 suited shove called by 9/9, hit flush on river) and bluffs my target ended up knocking me out.  Isn't that the way it always is?  You miss an opportunity and it bites you.  Anyway, my last hand I was in the small blind with 10/8 suited and I limped in, he reraised the 2000 BB to 4000 and I called.  The flop was jack high with 2 diamonds, a great flop for me in position to bet first.  I shoved and he called with A/J.  I failed to hit either a backdoor straight or the flush and went out in 4th place.  This goes back to my quiz about made hands vs. strong draws.  According to my calculator, I was 40% to win after the flop.  Given the fact that there was only $40 difference in 3rd & 4th place money and with him eliminated I would have been chip leader and clearly a better player than the 2nd chip leader I think it was worth the gamble.