One of the Biggest Mistakes I've Ever Made

I've been in Malta after my cold stay in Warsaw last week at the EPT event. I hope you folks won't mind if I look back at my play - and why it turned out colder than I hoped.

I sure can't say the deck was cold, as I picked up pocket aces five times on Day 1. I'd posted that I would muck aces pre-flop the next time I saw them in a tourney, but I found out that's a bit easier said than done for a couple reasons.

First, I would get a penalty if I did that, which is never very smart in any event. Secondly, let's get real for a second - can anyone muck aces pre-flop!?!

The first hand I got when I sat down? You guessed it: AA. The blinds were $25/$50. Two people limped in front of me, I raised to $150, a guy named Thierry to my left smooth-called, the BB completed the raise and the limpers mucked.

The flop came A♣ 8♦ 4♣. Top set!!! The BB checked, I made it $300, Thierry mucked and the BB called. The turn was 9♣, and the BB checked. I was focused, even on this first hand, and I felt like he wanted to check-raise here, so I checked as well.

Seriously. Can anyone muck aces pre-flop?

The 6♣ came on the river and the BB bet $600 with the four clubs on the board. Just small enough to get me to pay him off, so I call and see his K♣ 5♣ for the turned nut flush.

I should have mucked those damn aces! I lost three of the five hands in which I had pocket aces on Day 1, and the second hand was a bit tougher. What would you have done with this?

It was against the same guy (his name was Michael), this time with the blinds at $100/$200 in the third level. I raised to $450 and he called again from the BB, along with another guy.

The flop came 3♥ 6♥ 9♦ and Michael checked along with the nine seat. I bet $650 and he made it $1,450. I re-raised to $3,500 after the nine seat mucked and then Michael moved all-in.

I didn't like the board at all. I had two black aces and he could have a wide number of hands from the BB: a set, a pair with a flush draw. I had $8,800 in chips left with the pot now a little over $7k.

I decided to wait for a better spot to put my chips in and folded. (He told me later he had had 4♥ 5♥, so I'll never know if I could have held on there or not.)

The hypnotizing steely gaze of Mats Rahmn. He'll make you muck big slick whether you want to or not.

I tangled with Michael again in the next level, and the third time was the charm for me. The blinds were $150/$300 and he made it $800 from early position. I called from the BB with 7-7. The flop came 9-7-2 rainbow and I checked my set this time.

He bet $1,400, I check-raised to $3k, he said, "I'm all-in," and I gave it my best Phil Hellmuth impression with a quick, "I call!!" He showed 6♥ 8♥ for an open-ended straight draw. The board ended up 7-9-2-9-2 and I doubled up to $21,500.

It was the high point for me. I lost two consecutive hands soon after to Mads Andersen with kings and jacks and I dropped down to $8k. I fought all night to try and make something happen but couldn't put anything together. I made it through Day 1 but with only $9,200, well below average.

On Day 2, I made one of the biggest mistakes I've ever made in tournament poker. Blinds were $400/$800 with a $25 ante and the six seat was a little shorter than me. He put his last $7k in.

Then Mats Rahmn looked at everyone's chips at the table and moved all-in for $28k. I looked at my cards: A-K. I hesitated for a while before finally mucking, only to see the six seat turn over A-7o and Mats show A-Qo.

Let me take you through my thought processes to show how I reached my decision to muck big slick:

Still trying to figure out why she mucked a week later.

That's not an extra paragraph break above; that's just a big empty space. What made me decide to muck? I'm still trying to figure that out over a week later! Such poor play on my part. Maybe one of you can give me some good logic as to why I should muck there with a chance to triple up.

I lasted another round, finally putting my last $8,500 in from the BB after the button made it $2,200. I had 10♥ 9♥; he flipped over QQ. The flop came 10♠ 8♠ 3♠, but I couldn't connect any further from there.

When you know you played your best, bouncing from a tournament is easy to get over. When you know you made a big mistake, it eats at you for awhile.

At least I've been back in Malta - much warmer than Poland, although the people in Warsaw were great - and the Chilipoker team has kept me too busy to think about it much.

I've been playing a good bit on www.Chilipoker.com during my downtime, so feel free to stop by.

Cheers!

--Liz Lieu
Pro Poker Player- Poker Diva

More Blogs from Liz Lieu:

• Five Simple Rules to Play My Best
• The Cream Rises to the Top
• A Big Leak Nobody Can Avoid
• Explaining Crossbooking