$11 buy in tourney on Pokerstars

There are 2520 players. It pays the top 360. Top prize is $4924.

A couple notable hands:
#1) So I have Q 10 (suited hearts) in the small blind. The guy under the gun (right after the big blind) raises it to 1500. The blinds are at 300/600. The player right after him automatically calls. It goes around and comes back to me. I'm getting 3 to 1 on my money and decide to call. The flop comes 3 A(diamonds) J(hearts). The raiser bets 3000. One guy folds, I call. The turn brings the K of hearts. I check raise him all in. He automatically calls. He also has Q 10, but diamonds. I'm on a free-roll. The river brings that A of hearts. I make the ROYAL FLUSH and start dancing. AWESOME!

#2) I have 3 3 in the small blind with 20,000 in chips. The blinds are at 600/1200. Some idiot goes all in with A 4 offsuit. He has about 5000 in chips. I don't blame him for going all in, I know I just wouldn't do it. I call and he hits his 4 on the river. Always on the river, I was pretty pissed. That crippled me for awhile until I made a stupid play of my own and went all in with A 5 (suited clubs). I get two callers, they had A K and A J. Suprise , Suprise , I hit my 5 on the river and triple up. Sometimes it pays to play like a donkey.

#3) This is the hand that sent me downhill. A guy in late position raises. I am thinking that he is stealing the blind. I have K 10 (suited spades). I am in the big blind, so I call. The flop comes K 9 7 rainbow. I check, player bets. I just call. The turn brings a J. I check, he bets big, I push him all in, thinking that he was weak. He thinks for awhile and that is when I know I am dead. He thinks that I either have two pair or a straight. I am hoping that he folds. I'm seriously praying to God that he folds and I'm not even religious. He ends up calling me with K 7. He raised pre-flop with that crap and flopped two pair. I had about 180,000 in chips and he had 130,000 in chips. I was probably in 10th place out of 60 at the time.

I end up busting out in 53rd place. Not bad but I am very disappointed. I make a $50 profit. So damn close to 4K that this is crappy. Anyway-another poker tournament awaits.

Lesson for the day: If you sense weakness, push back with a big raise, which is what I should have done. I also could have folded my K 10 spades because I was out of position. I think that when deciding to call a raise, look at your oppenent's chip stack. If it is a large chip stack, be cautious when calling.

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