FIRST OUT

Someone has to be the first out in every tournament, and if you play enough times sooner of later it's going to be you. But you when you put in that $6 for pizza, going home at 9:40 is the last thing on your mind.

Sometimes you get poor starting hands or don't get any action when you do, and your stack is simply whittled away until you are forced to go all in with a mediocre hand and you're done. Other times you get to much action, and to many "second best" hands and the elimination is a bit more painful. You may even be dominating the hand, make a strong all in move and someone sucks out a 2 outer on the river and you never knew what hit you, that's the worst of all.

There is only so much you can control, if you make a move that you have conviction in, and you make a read that you believe in, sometimes it will work out and sometimes you'll be driving home at 10:30 all annoyed because the Stern show is playing the same part of the show you had on during the drive to poker.

Some people go home, put some food in the microwave, turn on Leno, get a good night's sleep, and never think twice about...other people go home, kick the dog, throw their keys, pace, put on Letterman, pace, toss, turn, curse, text, get out of bed, email, drink water, put on VH1, toss, turn, pee, text. Everyone handles it differently. Me, I was never a big Leno fan.

A few posts ago we talked about skill vs luck, and although we all agree there is some level of skill to No Limit Poker, on any single occasion, any player can lose to any player, and go home early. Was I unlucky to run into trip 5's (for the second time in a week by the way) last night and commit all my chips with top pair? Maybe...or was I just less skilled by making the wrong read and the wrong bet? I don't think we'll ever know..but to steal a line from the best No Limit Hold 'Em tournament player of all time, "I guess if luck wasn't involved I'd finish 2nd every time".

Oh yea, by the way Chacko won the event.