pechanga

played the $235 at pechanga last night. doubled early with AA vs. AK (he went all in on the turn with no pair and no draw!!). then a couple of coolers knocked me down to a short stack.

i called the big blind in an unopened pot with 9s6s on the button. flop was 9c6c4d. the blinds checked to me so i bet 3/4 pot. the small blind called. the turn was a 3. he checked, so i bet 3/4 pot. he check raised 500 more chips. i could / should have dumped it right there -- this was an older gentleman that would not check raise with 1 pair. i called. on the river, he led out for 1000 chips. i really didn't want to call, but i did with top 2 pair. i said, "You have 2-5 or 5-7, don't you?" and then i called like an idiot. he showed 5-7 for the straight.

about 5 minutes later i raised one limper in the cutoff with As9s. she called. flop was Ad9h4d. i kinda liked that flop. she bet 500 chips, i raised to 1200. she called. ok, she has something. i thought she probably had something in the range of AJ or A10. i didn't think she'd limp in early position with AQ or AK, but i'm hoping that's exactly what she has. and i put her on being a very straightforward player not likely to lead out with a diamond draw. the turn brought the 5d, putting three diamonds on board. she lead out for 1000. i called. she only had 1000 chips left. the river was a blank and she checked, i could put her in for 1000, but i would have only had 2100 left if i did, so i checked behind on the river. the people at the table couldn't believe i checked behind when i showed down A9 for top 2 pair. she of course had pocket 9s for a flopped set. i can't believe she didn't shove on the river.

i hung around somehow now a short stack after a couple of brutal hands. i later came over the top of a limper and a raiser finally picking up AsKs. the guy who raised said "you're way ahead, but i call." he showed 8c9c. no help on the flop to either of us, but it came runner runner clubs to knock me out. that guy was putting almost his whole tourney on 8c9c as he only had 1000 chips left after calling my all in. that's poker!

almost immediately i got a seat in a single table satellite for today's $1080 tourney. $110 buy in. i hung around and picked up some chips when i bluffed a guy in a blind vs blind hand. i held 3h4h and hit absolutely nothing on the board. i bet enough to put him all in on the river and he dumped it. with 4 players left, i raised on the button with KhJh. a very aggressive player and the chip leader re-raised all in from the big blind. i called instantly. he held Jd9d. i flopped a K to double up. a few hands later that same aggro player open shoved. we were close to even in chips. i held A-10 offsuit. i thought about it and folded face up. he couldn't believe i folded the hand! he held AA and had been trying to get me to call with his table talk. i smelled something there and it was good instincts to fold it. i ended up heads up with a tight player and about a 2:1 chip lead. we played for about 10 minutes with no real change in chip stacks. we agreed to chop with me getting the seat and i gave him $300 cash. i also won the last longer bet that three of us did. we each put in $20 at the beginning and the last man standing got the $60.

i am looking forward to playing some good poker later today in the $1000. the guarantee is $300,000, so i'm guessing first prize is in the neighborhood of $85,000. strippers and blow are on me if i win!