For the 3rd weekend in a row I went up to AC (from VA, near DC) and played at the Tropicana. I arrived about 1pm, put my name on the list for 4/8, sat down at an open seat at the 2/4 table, bought in for $80 and 30 minutes later was almost down to the felt. UGH. I had QQ beaten when an A flopped on an all diamond flop, and I called to the river with a diamond draw. Then had AA cracked by JJ flopping a set. Had a couple other difficult hands, then came back with a nice flush (played K8s UTG, a bit out of position but perhaps I was on tilt more than I thought) to get to 1/2 my buy-in.

By then a seat was open at 4/8. I sat down, bought in for $180 (including the 40-ish chips I had from the 2/4 table), and I played from 2pm to 1am. The first couple hours I had a bad run again and went down to perhaps $60 in chips. Then I started my come-back. I wound up finishing with $350. Not a bad comeback considering the table was VERY tough. Only two fish to speak of and they were both gone by 7pm; everyone else was decent to VERY solid.

I played quite well, I think. First off I have really tightened up my game. I used to play hands like 76o in a raised pot, 44 for 3 bets, etc. This table was too tight-aggressive to really even limp with medium/small suited connectors (some of my fav hands), though, so I stayed away from those cards for the most part. I also got a bit lucky, for instance calling an UTG raise from a solid player with As/Ks and flopping 9s/Js/Qs to crack his aces. But then again everyone gets lucky once in awhile, right?

I went to bed about 1 and woke up at 5:30 and by 6am was back at the 4/8 game. This time I bought in for $160 and had a much easier time of it. This is the game where the guy just to my right kept rebuying every 30-40 minutes, then calling to the river with trash like A4o, or raising with bottom pair no kicker. LAG doesn't start to describe this guy. Everyone else at the table was feasting on him. Funniest part was when two friends, very loud obnoxious jerks (which was pretty obviously an act designed to get into people's heads), came to the table. They didn't know what they were in for. Just 3 hands after sitting down, LOJ #2 raised from EP, and was immediately 3-bet by Mr. Maniac. Of course he capped and flop came J86r. EP bet and was raised again, so check-called to the river. LOJ #2 was VERY upset when Maniac turned over Jd/6d for 2 pair. LOJ showed KK. Needless to say the LOJs didn't last too long. Besides, their antics didn't have much effect on most of the experienced players...but I wasn't sure I was mentally capable of dealing with them so I left, just one orbit after they sat down, to eat breakfast and call my gf. I cashed out for $320.

When I got back the line for the $100+20 tournament had formed, so I stood in it for about 30 minutes to register. Then about 10:30 I sat back down at the same 4/8 table, buying in for $160 again; this time in a different seat. After almost an hour I cashed out for $225. Would love to have stayed but the tourney was starting.

I wanna brag a bit, as I feel I played pretty well. This was only the 2nd multi-table tournament I'd ever been in. The other one was also at the Trop 2 weeks ago. I busted out of that one badly, calling most of my stack off on an all-in bet on the river with just pocket 9's. Not a good call, but I was VERY short on sleep, hungry, just not capable of making good decisions. This time around I started off more or less the same way as I played the last time, rather tight-passive. Then about 1/2 way through the 2nd round, it was like a switch flipped and I started being MUCH more aggressive. I opened for 1000 (~T5000-ish) with just Q7s in LP, and stole the blinds. A few hands later UTG I raised 1000 again with 99, got called by the SB, he checked the flop so I pushed all-in. Didn't get called, though I could tell he was considering it so I have a feeling I pushed him off a bigger pair. Toward the end of the 3rd round, just before the first break, our table was broken and I went to another table with close to 9000 in chips. Not bad for my 2nd time.

I started off well. One hand I raised to 2000 (~T11000) on the button with K8o, BB (~T8000) seemed a tough player, looked at his cards, then called. He checked in the dark, flop came 955, so I pushed. He stared me down for a good minute or so before finally mucking. I didn't show, but after mucking I looked at him and told him I had it. I could tell it bugged him because he was still muttering about it 3 hands later. At one point I got a bit lucky, hitting 2 pair on the river with AQ to push my stack to ~T20000. I made it through the 2nd break with my stack at about that level. Then came the difficult hands.

With ~T17000 I called a short stack's (~T4000) all-in bet when I held TT. He had AQ, but on the flop came an Q. Then a few hands later I'm on the button with Ad/Qd. Player in MP raises to 2000. She's got ~T4200 left. Folded to me so I decide to test her, raising 2000 more. Next thing I know, SB (~T10000) comes over the top of both of us all-in. MP player folds and I stare the guy down for probably 30 seconds before mucking. I hated that, but I"m pretty sure he had something else he wouldn't have come over both of us.

I didn't get a hand again until I was UTG and I got TT. Antes/Blinds were 100/1000-2000. I pushed (~T8000) and though nobody called and I captured the blinds and antes, I don't think I played it right. I should have bet 4000, in case someone wanted to come over the top of me, so I could double through. I showed my cards. Very next hand in the BB I got A8o. One MP caller. SB completes. I check. This was one of two mistakes I made this hand, and it cost my whole stack. The other is that I decided before the flop that if an A came on the flop I would push again. Flop comes AKJr. SB reaches momentarily like he wants to bet, then stops. (this should have been a tell but I didn't read it very well...my hand-reading skills had been poor the whole weekend) He checks to me so I push. MP folds, and SB calls immediately, turning over QT, having flopped the nut straight. He had me covered in a big way so I was done.

In a way I feel better about going out this way. I was aggressive, yet VERY judicious when I used that aggression. I kept up the pressure until someone could show me a better hand. When they did it cost me my stack. But I wouldn't do it any other way. I also feel good because I played VERY tight, folding hands preflop I'd never fold in a limit game. I didn't get impatient and I think that was key.

All in all, it was a successful trip. I arrived with $390 in my pocket and left with $670, after the $120 tourney buy-in. Expenses only totalled $85, so I made about $190. If I factor out the tournament in terms of hours and entry fee, in the 4/8 game I made ~$13/hr. I have just started keeping detailed records, but that is right about my usual hourly rate.