Playing Well at Legion

The Friday tournament started out very good for me.  I raised 4 limpers from the button with AQ suited and fired a continuation bet on the flop of J/J/3 and everyone folded.  It is very good to win the first hand dealt in a tournament as you are now immune to getting knocked out for a few hands.  It can really open your game up.  I did play tight however, entering only a few hands and then only with a raise.  During the night I only lost a couple of hands that I voluntarily entered, and only 2 that I had raised preflop, folding to all in reraises where I was behind (they showed their pocket pairs, both 10/10).  All in all I was very satisfied with my play, not getting out of line, playing fairly aggressively and making good decisions.

On the final table we were down to 4 players, two with big stacks and John and I with 8,000 each.  John pushed all-in with A/10 suited and I insta-called with my AK offsuit.  Bad news however as one of the two big stacks, Nick, called with KK.  John & I were drawing very thin, but he picked up the 4 flush on the turn for lots more outs.  The river was a brick and John & I chopped 3rd & 4th place for $149.00 each.  I was fairly happy with the outcome, but would have meant another $30 for me if John & I had been heads up.  The heart of the game is just getting it in with the best hands as Mike and I talked about before the tournament.  You also have to get lucky at critical times like when I raised from the button with A/9 and ran into 9/9, but got 4 hearts on board and lucky enough to have the 9 of hearts.

Leaving Monday morning for Las Vegas until Thursday.  One quick funny story about it.  I stopped by the bank, located in the Seaside Safeway to get some cash for the trip yesterday.  My wife came in to buy something and there was a long line for the tellers.  She finished and came up to me just as the teller was working on my withdraw.  I had a couple of fairly large checks to deposit and asked to just cash them plus another $800 from checking.  She saw the withdrawl slip and was mildly shocked that I was getting that much (the $800).   Her "walkaround money" would not buy you into a 2/4 game.  When the teller said, "I have to get more $100's" she said, "How much are you getting?".  I said, "You should just leave and browse around".  She insisted on staying and was amazed to see the teller counting out $2500.  I had to explain to her about the buy in's for tournaments ($120), the minimum buy ins for cash games, $100-400, and the fact that this was "only" $600 per day.  Also, I have been fairly good at coming home with at least as much as I went to Vegas with, or only taking a small hit.  Also, there is no way you want to visit a cash machine in Vegas as they take up to 10% on debit or visa transactions.  LOL.

Last comment.  It really sucks that the major poker websites have been charged with money laundering, bank fraud, etc.  Not sure if I can get my money back on the two sites I play on.  The games are still live however, played this morning and won, doubling up my buy in.