"Today" - Smashing Pumpkins

Hey I got around to doing a blogger event again, go me! Its been a long long time, but on a whim I signed up for the Hoy last night.

I always have felt like an outsider in these things because everyone knows each other except me. I was introduced to this poker loving bunch for Joe AKA Unimpressed, and I started off pretty good last year by winning a HOY and finishing 2nd in a Mookie in the same week. So I wasn't "unknown" but then again I wouldn't say I was well-known either. Slowly I stopped playing the tourneys as I got disenchanted with the state of poker (heck I havent even played at the casino since end of December!)

Fast-forward to last night:

I was determined to play in the Hoy so I started off by donking out of a 8+.25 token tourney. Then I joined a 12 SnG while waiting for the Hoy to start. Things started to get hectic when the SnG was finishing up and the Hoy was starting. Ended up finishing the Sng in 2nd, and then I got serious about the Hoy.

Good thing too, because I got into a raising war with someone on the first hand I played where I had hit a set of 8 on the flops to bust A-A. Not too much later I bust A-K with A-A. I've realized its a lot easier to play poker when you get cards, I'd like that to continue.

I feel I played this tourney pretty good. Got a huge chip lead early and laid back a bit, stealing blinds against people who I had an inkling they might fold. Folding to any raise where I had a questionable hand out of position. I was doing well. Then the ineviatable first mistake.

I have 8-8 in late position, Envy raises to 3x-Pot size bet (can't remember exactly) from EP. I just call this raise but in my head I'm thinking I should pop it back.
Flop: 4-4-9

Not too bad flop for me, I figure other than high pairs I should be good here. She bets between 3/4ths and pot size, and I pop it back. She comes over the top of me all-in. I just get this fishy feeling that she doesn't have as good of a hand as shes repping. So I call. Go ahead blame me for both good and bad instincts. She turns over J-9o. So I was right in a sense that she didnt have that great of a hand, but just good enough to beat mine.

So my stack is caught in half and I'm more determined then ever to not donk out of this tournament. I got moved and raised the next 3 hands, grabbing just the blinds. But I got back up to 6300. I kept this up the rest of the tourney and went to the final table in 6th place out of 6.
After 2 awesome sneak-ness with A-A (I spanked both the chip leaders at the time) to double up. I made my 2nd and deadliest mistake.

I have A-Qo in Middle postion. I am currently sitting 4th out of 4 with 29k in chips. I do a pot-size raise as I have been thoughout the tourney (at this time I believe it was a raise to 5100) and the big huge chip leader just smooth calls. This is VERY fishy to me as 90% of the time its either a fold or re-raise to my raises. Flop is 3 cards under 10 with 2 hearts. Now even though I have a fishy feeling about the smooth call. I go ahead and make a pot-sized bet. Chip leader re-raises me to almost all-in. I think for a bit then let it go. I crippled my stack to 15k. Few hands later I push with A-7 and get called by A-Q and my tourney is over.

But for 3 and 1/2 hours of work I netted $193, not too shabby I must say!