Heading to the IP

I will be heading to the IP this weekend and this week. I am looking for a repeat of the success that we all had last time around a couple of months ago. We went to Biloxi last weekend to play in the weekend Tournaments and play some cash games. Bill "Shady" Phillips was my partner in crime on this roadtrip. We literally "Flipped a Coin" to decide whether we played at the IP or the Beau. The tourney at the IP was a $175.00+$25.00, and the one at the Beau was a $100.00+$20.00. We headed for the beau, and it was a good decision as there were more people and a bigger prize pool.

I just finished reading a poker article from Jim Woods called "No limit tourney self-destruction". Oh did it hurt to read that thing as that is exactly what I felt I did last Saturday. We are down to 3 tables and there are 25 people left. I have a nice chip stack, I am playing well and I have a good, solid table image.

Until "I lit the fuse"...

I made a call after going in the tank for several minutes. Antes were at 75 and the blinds were
600/1200. I am in the SB and there are 4 limpers to me. I limp, but the BB ships it all in with another 3200.

Everyone folds back around to me. I have 10-8o.

10 x 75 = 750
6 x 1200= 7200
another 3200
the pots is at 11,150

It cost me another 3200 to call to win 11,150...so I have my pot odds over 3 to 1. I call and he shows pocket 5's. Now, I really like my situation with 2 overs as I am in a coin flip.

I get nothing and started to tilt a bit because I was second guessing myself. I try to steal the blinds on the very next hand from the button and this time the BB ships it in and has me covered...I tilt...brain freezes...I panic and call like a rookie with a week ace. The BB has pocket Q's...I have "Self Destruction" tattooed on my Forehead...It was ugly...I am embarrassed to even type this ;-).

So, it takes "shady" about 3 hours to talk me down from the ledge. I gather my wits and head to the cash games at the IP. I buy in for $200.00 in a 1-2 NL game and cash out with $850.00. I pick up a cool $650.00 to ease my pain for the ride home.

I hope the magic of the IP continues this weekend and week.

"I know what you're thinking but don't give up on me just yet. just wait until i've told my whole story. and keep you're eyes open. nothing is as it seems."

Val Kilmer's character Danny Parker in the movie "The Salton Sea"