Haven't been playing much this month, but a couple of friend's have the week off and we took a day trip to AC. Caesar's has a 3PM MTT and Bally's had a 6PM so we figured we could play one and then run to the next one if we got knocked out since they are right next door.

$80+$15 buy-in and didn't realize until after I had entered that it was a shoot-out. 8 tables with 80 people and the winner of each table advances to the final table and gets paid.

Tough table, about 2 or 3 at the table that I would give a lot of respect too. 2 or 3 that weren't good at all. Everyone else was ok. Late in the 2nd hour with 4 people left we are the last table still going so everyone is watching. The last person that I feared was short stacked and I ended up taking him out and have a pretty large chip lead over the remaining 2. They are not 2 of the better players, but not the worst either. Table atmosphere was great except for 1 person who went out fairly early. The female at the table got lucky hitting a straight on the river for big pots in 2 prior hands which was probably the only reason she stuck around. I had figured out that she liked to limp in with many hands, but if she checked you could run her off the pot. I was running over her with hands like 93 and J4 when it was 3 handed. The blinds were really high and I was stealing enough pots and staying out of there way when 1 of them showed strength. She ended up finishing 3rd when the other player knocked her out.

Heads-up I was able to muscle him around for a little while until I was up 3 to 1 in stack size and he made a move. I looked down at pocket 6's and it was an easy call. He turns over Q7 offsuit and hits his 7 on the river to double up. Very next hand I act 1st and moved all-in to take back control of the stacks and game. He thinks a long time and calls. I'm pretty sure he has me, I have garbage, Q2 suited, but it is heads up and I think I have at least 2 live cards. He had pocket 4's though and I'm in trouble. Q on the flop!!! BUT he hits running hearts to double through on the river for the 2nd consecutive hand. We had gathered a decent sized crowd and they were consoling me as if someone had died after the 2nd hand.

WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE AS 1st TO ACT IN THAT SITUATION?

To add insult to injury I get back a $500 chip. Not even enough to cover the ante and get dealt pocket J's. Win that one and get K5 suited with just enough chips to cover the ante. He paired on the river to eliminate me. I did win the consolation tournament though to win free entry to another $80+$15. Can't believe I got rivered heads-up 2 hands in a row. I was already mentally at that final table.

Funniest moment is at the cosolation table, an older woman (60's??) who couldn't get the bet structures right and said that she was a beginner, turned and stared down a 30'ish year old man after and all-in bet.