One game to report on from the weekend, but I think it is well worth the discussion. 

I played a 30-person, $100 buy-in tournament on Saturday afternoon.  And I didn't cash.  But I still think it is worth discussing.  The reason is, without any spectacular cards, I still managed to bubble out (one away from the money).  That means I did outplay 23 other people, since they payed top 6.  And to give you an idea of what I didn't have the whole day, my highest hand throughout the entire tournament was a flush (ONE), and other than that one, the highest was 2 pair.  So in 6 and a half hours of play, I did not once have three of a kind, a straight, or any other flushes.  And in the flush I did have, I flopped it, bet, and everyone folded.

So the point here is that I played 6 and a half hours of poker, and came within spitting distance of the money, without one premium hand all day long.  I had pocket Aces once, raised preflop and everyone folded.  I had that one flush, bet and everyone folded.  I had pocket Kings three times. 

I guess it all boils down to this:  I PLAYED my way to the bubble without any premium hands.  And when I finally moved all in at the end with A-K suited, I was called by A-A, and the Aces held up.  So even when I got knocked out, it wasn't by anyone outplaying me.  I had to move with my chip stack and the solid cards I had, and ran into pocket Aces. 

There are several points to be made here, so I'll outline them for you:

1.  You don't have to have premium cards to play well.

2.  Your abilility to play what you are dealt is far more important than what you are specifically dealt. 

3.  You can reach the money without getting Aces and flopping flushes all the time.

4.  And lastly, and most IMPORTANT, I know what the hell I'm talking about in these blogs.

OK, that's it from my town.   Enjoy your week, and tune in tomorrow for the final chapter in the life of Stu Ungar.  And then on Saturday, for the final tribute on the 20th anniversary of his death.