The countdown is on....

and other things..

1--June league tourney. Event 1 of season 4, and I come home 13th. I thought I played ok, made a couple of fairly decent reads (once with an 8h in the hole, and 4 hearts on board, and another where my paired 2 was good enough with 2 kings on board), but I stepped into a bear trap, courtesy of one of the new league members, and I deserved it.

Blinds 150-300, 25 ante, I'm in BB with KJoff. No raises to me, so I check to take the cheap flop. I am sitting a=on about 2600 or so when the hand began (before posting my blinds and ante). Flop comes 5s-Kd-6c. Good flop for my hand, so I decide to try and trap. I check and it checks around to the button who bets 600. I'm thinking he is trying to pick it up, or even semi-bluff with A-6, or A-5, or nothing. He limped pre-flop, so my read is weak, I have the lead, time to go.

All in.

Snap call.

Oops.

He rolls over 5-5 for a flopped set, and I am drawing to kings and jacks, none of which appear, and I am done.

It didn't dawn on me until Monday, that if I shove pre-flop, I might have taken the pot, and lived on. The 55 might have called (I never asked him afterwards), but would he want to risk doubling me up (he had a big lead at our table) on 5-5? I misplayed that hand, by not getting it in preflop. If I get called, I get called, but with 2 live overcards, I am sitting right at a 50-50 for my tournament life. Misplays suck, especially when you realize how badly you played a hand. Ugh.

Poker is on hold, although I may scare a game up Sunday--the holiday weekend may have some folks out of town, and therefore, harder to round up the troops, but that's ok. Las Vegas beckons in less than 2 weeks.

It will be 7 days on Fremont Street with Mrs. Chipstack. Playing poker at The Fitz, Binion's, Golden Nugget, Planet Hollywood, Venetian, Santa Fe Station. Obviously, I can not wait.

Hopefully, I'll also get a peek at the WSOP main event--they will be down to 9 tables going to 1 while I am there, so hopefully there are a few name pros still battling for the World Championship. We'll see. I also have to run by Trump's new place and pick up a dollar toke for my nephew.

Lots to do, and the time is drawing near.

Good luck and good cards,

~M