Flawed Decisions

Sometimes, you just make the wrong decisions.  Playing in an online qualifier for a year's free VIP membership (let's you play more cash games), we were down to 15 players, and I am in 7th place with 10 players moving to finals when I pick up pocket jacks on the button.  With several limpers, including the massive chip leader, I just call.  The big blind then min-raises, a short stack shoves, the big stack shoves and it is around to me, sandwiched between the original out of position raiser.  It looks like an easy fold to me.  With the 3 players all in, I see the blind with pocket 5's, the first shover with A/7, and the big stack with A/10.  The flop is small and the 5's end up winning, tripling up.  Opportunity missed.

A few hands later I have pocket 9's.  With several bigger stacks playing I limp.  The flop is A/Q/x, and action is checked to me.  I check behind.  The turn is a 4, but puts two clubs out.  When it is checked to me I shove.  The big stack calls with a flush draw and hits it on the river.  Player down.

 I really feel that I misplayed both hands, with the worse play on the last one.  With a preflop shove I probably win, or at least a raise with a shove on the flop.  At the very least, just a small bet on the turn and fold against the big bet when the flush hits.

A small comment on this type of tournament.  It is usually smarter to play for a seat than to try to "win" as the top 10 all earn the same.  This however can backfire when you throw away the best probable hand preflop.  Sometimes better to get knocked out early rather than play timidly.