Totally My Fault

I woke up Sunday at the crack of 2pm and decided I wanted to play some poker. I fired up the Poker Stars client to check out the final bit of WSOP ME satellites. I found it odd that the only one left was the $650 25 seat guarantee, expecting a last-ditch cheaper version to attract the masses.

Not having that much in my account, and not being able to add enough to top it off to that, I maxed out my depost and decided to play in the the $215 step 4 satellite to the $650.

10-player SnG, top 3 get seats, 4th gets $50. Not a bad payout structure (although the $50 is pretty useless after dropping $215 to play).

I came in 4th.

I played far too loose to start, doubled up when needed, and fell into the same trap as the other 3 on the payout bubble. I tightened up.

The 4-handed fun started with the chips being fairly evenly spread, except the chipleader who had around 3k more than 2nd place (who was me at around 4k). Nobody was willing to play. I didn't take advantage of this, and I should have. At one point I had the lead after a couple no-contest raises and the chipleader losing half his stack to the shorty. I still didn't push anyone around. I lost half my stack to the shorty when my middle pair didn't hold to his AQ thanks to the river Q. I built back up easily enough, and then stopped again. The one stab I did take saw the leader check-raise me on the flop, forcing me to fold. No way I couldn't believe a check-raise on a table that tight.

In the end, I went down on some standard hand (KK < AJ naturally), and took my measley $50 and went home. I SHOULD have had the $650 seat and the shot at the ME. Instead, I played like a pussy and deserved what I got.

Which pretty much sums up my play over the past few months. Disinterested, non-strategic, and purely ABC. It's a rut I need to break out of if I want to keep enjoying this little game we play.