Damn you, Pocket Jacks!

Played the Hardware Bar tournament again last Friday. The prize was doubled-$500-and it was easily the largest crowd I'd seen. Me and someone else at my table were dealing hands before the tourney started and I was flopping sets and full houses, making flushes. It was unreal. I finally had to stop because I was afraid my luck would run out before we started playing.

It did, and it didn't- I was getting some good cards. I played aggressive (at one point I was heads-up and my opponent said "Just take it" as I was reaching to raise him again) and bought some pots, then won at least one. It was all a blur, after a bit.

Which was my undoing. I was dealt pocket jacks, hit a pair of fives on the flop and called an all-in bet without thinking. My opponent had AK offsuit and made his two pair on the turn. I was done in half an hour. I stumbled around aimlessly for a bit, then left in total defeat.

In one way, it wasn't a bad call, because I was ahead, although minimally so. On the other hand, I should have thought "He's got a set or a full house" and folded right away. Ah well, live and learn.

On the good side, I played a limit game and a sit-n-go tourney simultaneously at PokerStars.com and did well in both. I placed third in the tourney and won about 2500 chips and finished up around 50% in the ring game.

I think I'm ready to play for money, in limit games, at least. I rarely finish down and I'm pretty disciplined. Not saying I'd never lose, but I think I can break even over the long haul.