No - not a rebuy tourney this time - just a cheap-o one... however, some interesting hands (at least to me).

One of the first hands that I got involved in was already at level 4. I had played a few before it - but really hadn't hit anything special. So the blinds are 50/100 and I've got 1100 at the start.

I'm UTG with pocket sevens and limp in. It is called twice to the button, who is a big stack. He raises to 400 and the blinds fold to me. Looking at it - I think its pretty much a race and I'd like to double up or take the pot - so I push. Only the big stack calls, he's got AQ. He doesn't catch and I'm up to 2500 or so.

Next significant hand is right before the 1st break. I'm on the cutoff and there's 2 limpers to me. I pick up A6s and limp as well, only to see the button raise to 400. Both limpers call however, so I decide to as well.

The flop is A34 with 2 clubs (not my suit) and the two limpers check. I decide to be aggressive and bet out for 500. Everyone - and I mean all 3 of them - flat call.

Hmmm. Now on the turn - the board pairs the 4 and they check to me again. There's 3750 in the pot and I've got 1400 left in my stack. I'm not really a threat to any of the three players' stacks - the lowest having me covered by 1400 or so.

I got to thinking though: if any of them had a good ace - it is likely, in my opinion, that they would've raised on the flop to my bet - or even straight out bet. So - if they had a decent hand - it was likely a set, or two pair. However, with my willingness to bet on the flop - unless they flopped the straight (unlikely with the raise preflop) - they probably should be more aggressive even with a good two pair.

So this left me with hands that a) were middle pairs b) aces that were low kickers (but not A4 or A3) and c) hands that missed - but could be drawing to an inside/outside straight or a flush.

In other words - I pretty much talked myself into pushing - because I felt anyone who could beat me - would have already raised or flat out bet on the flop. I pushed - and they all folded. One hand later and we hit the first break. I was at 5160 which was good for 115th chip position out of 418 left.

GAHHHHHH!

PokerStars Game #5553278053: Tournament #27707436, $2.00+$0.20 Hold'em No Limit - Level XIII (1000/2000) - 2006/07/14 - 01:12:14 (ET)
Table '27707436 26' 9-max Seat #5 is the button
Seat 1: wizard6969 (119716 in chips)
Seat 2: CJ's DAD (39179 in chips)
Seat 3: BULLCRAPBOY (21675 in chips)
Seat 4: mongo37 (12370 in chips)
Seat 5: buzz saw31 (89414 in chips)
Seat 7: kippykat (25816 in chips)
Seat 8: Starstealer (15933 in chips)
Seat 9: crushmastac (14762 in chips)
wizard6969: posts the ante 100
CJ's DAD: posts the ante 100
BULLCRAPBOY: posts the ante 100
mongo37: posts the ante 100
buzz saw31: posts the ante 100
kippykat: posts the ante 100
Starstealer: posts the ante 100
crushmastac: posts the ante 100
kippykat: posts small blind 1000
Starstealer: posts big blind 2000
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Starstealer [Kc Ks]
buzz saw31 said, "nh"
crushmastac: calls 2000
wizard6969: folds
CJ's DAD: raises 4000 to 6000
BULLCRAPBOY: raises 15575 to 21575 and is all-in
mongo37: folds
buzz saw31: folds
kippykat: folds
Starstealer: calls 13833 and is all-in
crushmastac: folds
CJ's DAD: calls 15575
*** FLOP *** [Ac 2h Td]
*** TURN *** [Ac 2h Td]
*** RIVER *** [Ac 2h Td Th]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
CJ's DAD: shows [Kd Jd] (a straight, Ten to Ace)
BULLCRAPBOY: shows [6c Jc] (a pair of Tens)
crushmastac said, "lol"
CJ's DAD collected 11484 from side pot
Starstealer: shows [Kc Ks] (two pair, Kings and Tens)
Starstealer said, "gah!"
CJ's DAD collected 51299 from main pot
CJ's DAD said, "ouch"
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 62783 Main pot 51299. Side pot 11484. | Rake 0
Board [Ac 2h Td Th Qc]
Seat 1: wizard6969 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: CJ's DAD showed [Kd Jd] and won (62783) with a straight, Ten to Ace
Seat 3: BULLCRAPBOY showed [6c Jc] and lost with a pair of Tens
Seat 4: mongo37 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: buzz saw31 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: kippykat (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 8: Starstealer (big blind) showed [Kc Ks] and lost with two pair, Kings and Tens
Seat 9: crushmastac folded before Flop

Well, if it wasn't for that last hand, things were going pretty well for me. The above netted me a 39th place finish - which is one of the better ones I've had recently. I'm spoiled by rebuy tournaments that have huge prize pools. Of course, I've never made the money in a rebuy tournament before the 2nd break... which is the nice thing about the cheap-o tournaments.

Until next time though.