Tournament cash

Decided to check out the Monday $200 NLHE tourney at the casino yesterday. They started them in September and I hadn't entered one yet. The structure is definitely not the best, but besides driving out of state, you cant find a bigger tourney. Ended up being 162 players. I was expecting 50-60 and playing 4-6 hours if I made a final table. I left at 8:30, placing 7th and winning $1418. I'll take it. I was actually thrilled to just cash, considering they paid 18 spots, and at around 40 players left, I had 6-7 BB's left. Went on a little run, won 3 hands, getting lucky on only 1 of them, and made it into the money. On the lucky hand, I had KQ against A8, and rivered a K. Whew. That was the only all-in hand I got lucky on all day. I played some TIGHT poker and made a few good laydowns.

Early on, the older guy on my right was down to around 1900 and kept shoving. I was just waiting to bust him. I finally get JJ. He shoves for around 2000 (blinds were like 100-200 at the time). I had about 7000 chips, and with only 1 player behind me, I made the mistake of JUST CALLING. Guy behind me decides to call HALF his stack. Flop is QQx. I check. Player behind me shoves. I have to fold. He called half his stack with Q10 suited. Nice hand sir. I was steaming for a bit, but managed to maintain. I ended up getting it back fairly quickly. Oh, and the first all-in guy had 99.

I don't think I won a hand at the final table. Couldn't catch any cards. I managed to wait out a few other players and bumped up in the money. First place paid $7000+. Woulda been a nice payday.

Anyway, the players were really soft in the tourney I played yesterday. I hope they are that soft all the time. I guess they have to be, I mean HipHop has cashed in like 4 of them, so if he can do it, ANYONE can.  :) Tight, solid, ABC tourney play is the way to go.

Ran into Karl Tsu, L'il Fag (hadn't seen him in a couple years), Mike Kennedy, and John Davis, whom I also hadn't seen in a couple years, yet he oddly still had one of my business cards in his wallet. Must be saving it for a rainy day. I guess LF is a doc at the Cleveland Clinic and has a kid on the way.