Mucking through the Madness

I had a stack 3xs the average, I was hitting hands and I had a couple easy targets just waiting to give me even more chips last night in the Mookie.
So why was I also writing an article and messing around with my iTunes?
Why wasn't I 100 percent into it?
Perhaps I knew what was coming.
I knew, deep down, there was probably no way I was going to outlast yet another huge Mookie field. And I was exhausted and also knew that I would have to put in another two hours in order to even make the final table.
I really think I played great last night, and I rarely say that about my tournament play. I made a nice bluff early on when a fourth diamond hit the board and my opponent checked, obviously spooked, so I bet close to the pot, and he folded what I'm sure was a made hand, much better than my K-J.
I was aggressive and made the right reads. That work I've done lately on picking spots has paid off, and I'm feeling better about my tournament game now. I'll always play tight, that's just who I am, but now I've got enough aggression to make it to a final table.
At least, I think.
I'm also growing more and more weary of tournaments. Later in the tournament, I'm the big stack at my table, and a guy in middle position raises. I have 10-10 and shove on him, for two reasons. One, I'm thinking I have a big stack and he might just fold, and two, I'm thinking the odds are that everyone else will fold is pretty high as well. Plus I do have a hand if he calls.
Well, the BB has J-J, and my stack is cut in half.
I don't know. Maybe that's a bad play. I'd love to hear your thoughts. But exactly the kind of shit that befalls me week after week in the Mookie. There's a less than 20 percent chance someone has a higher pair than me, and sure enough, someone has it.
Still, I'm building my stack back, mainly by shoving on weak limpers when it's around to me, and I'm in business when I get K-K for the third time that night. EP raise puts me all in, so I call, and he has J-J.
I won't go on only to say that this is also the third or fourth week in a row that my higher overpair hasn't held up. It's getting old.
If I only played tournaments, I'd hate poker by now, and I don't know if I'll play the Mookie next week. I think the BBT3 is an awesome, awesome thing for us, but it's making the fields in the Mookie a little large, and I don't know if I want to wade through all that when I really just play the Mookie to play against good players and learn some things, not win a seat to a tournament I won't win.
Fortunately there's always the cash tables to keep my poker happy and healthy.
Oh, and Kansas, who plays Friday. This is the greatest time of year, even if it is another tournament.

Lord I was born a rambling man

I have 10 minutes to put together a pretty decent post, and that's probably not gonna happen, so I apologize for the rambling nature of this entry.

I cashed the Mookie last night for the second week in a row. For some reason I'm getting good hands there while the rest of my poker forays has been frustrating at best this week. That is such a fun tournament. Good people, good players, a decent structure and I love the double stack now. It's not so push-monkey that way.

I think I can officially now say I've stepped up my aggression. I probably still play too tight, and I'll always play too tight and hestitate to make a move I know I should at times. But I successfully stole several blinds and antes last night, and that was the difference to me making the final table in good shape. When the action is folded to me, now I"m thinking about stealing rather than just looking at my cards. I can honestly say this is the biggest and best change I've made in my game in the last year.

I still got lots of good cards and had some favorable flops, but I don't know many except Hoy who can make the final table in a blogger MTT without that. I certainly can't. I went out in the first money spot when my flopped top two pair could not hold up against a flush and inside straight draw. I don't think I was ahead by much there though.

OK, I'm pretty sure I'm going to Vegas. It appears Jordan and I will room together at the IP. I"m pretty nervous about this, given that I only know some of you by the Intertubes and I know you all know each other already. But I'm also thinking it will be fun. Right now I'm planning on heading out there Thursday and I'll stay until Sunday morning. We'll see.

I've entered the Sundays with Dr. Pauly contest at Fantasy Sports Live. I love fantasy football and I'm actually pretty decent at it - I've won our tough league three times in the last six years - so this should be fun. All I know is I'm staying the hell away from Drew Brees. Bastard is screwing up my team this year. I just made a deposit and got a $20 bonus. It was pretty easy. You should check it out. Although Miami Don is in my contest and I'm pretty sure he's a balla.