Here is yet another one of my all-too-short stories about a poorly structured circus, otherwise known as a WSOP $1,500 NL event.

As usual, I showed up to find a table full of players I'd never seen before in my life, with the exception of the late-arriving Tony Cousineau. And as usual, the new guys kicked my ass. =)

After making two big calls against a bluff with second pair, I was up to about $4,300 during the first level ($25/$50).

Then I did something that you're absolutely not allowed to do early in an event with a structure this poor ... I lost a coin flip. I got it in pre-flop with A♠ K♣ against a player who had 9♥ 9♦ for a pot of almost $5k.

The board bricked out, and I was left with less than $2k chips from the original $3k starting stack.

Then during the $50/$100 level, a player made a *peculiar* play against me.

I had the 8♦ 8♣ in the small blind. A player raised to $300 in early position, and I reraised to $1,050 with only $625 behind ... trying to make my hand look even stronger than it was. He thought for a moment and just called with about $2,500 behind.

On a flop of K♦ 7♥ 5♠, I obviously stuck my remaining $625 into the $2,200 pot, fully expecting to get called. My opponent thought for about a minute and folded! Even if he had a hand like A♣ Q♠, he was getting the correct price to try to hit six outs on the turn or river.

Stout: Absolutely can't lose a coin flip early in these events.

Soon after, I lost a big pot to the same player who had beat me in the A♠ K♣ versus 9♥ 9♦ flip earlier. With blinds still at $50/$100, he limped UTG, and I limped from UTG+1 with the A♥ Q♥.

Since the limper was a fairly weak player, I would usually raise here and try to go heads-up with him. I decided to mix it up and limp behind because he had limped UTG and it was the type of table where no one was likely to raise behind me without a big hand ... not to mention I hate A-Q for numerous reasons.

Two players limped behind, the small blind folded and the big blind checked. Five of us saw the flop of A♣ A♦ J♠. We checked around (... damn ...), and the turn card was the T♦.

Surprisingly, the small blind led out for $300. Then the UTG limper made it $800 to go.

Blah ... one of those spots in poker that just sucks. I'm not sure that I have the best hand anymore, but I'm also not sure that I can find a fold. I've underrepresented my hand, both pre-flop and post-flop, which makes it hard for me to believe anyone realizes what they're up against.

At the same time, there are multiple possible draws on the board, but a raise will only get called (or shoved on) by a better hand.

I reluctantly call the $800, and the big blind folds. The river is the 5♦ and UTG bets $800 again. I make the crying call, and he shows ... I swear ... the 8♦ 2♦!!!

Tony Cousineau turned to me and said, "I was just about to say that at least you know he doesn't have a flush because he couldn't have raised with one to come into all those people with a flush draw!"

Tony Cousineau: At least you know he doesn't have a flush ...

I made top set with Q♦ Q♠ shortly after and got paid a little, but couldn't keep the chips for long. With the blinds at $100/$200, the cut-off made it $600 to go.

I decided to put him all-in for $3,150 total with K♦ Q♣, hoping that he was on a blind steal or would fold a weak ace or small pair, and I'd pick up the $900 in the pot.

I misread my opponent in this case and he called with Q♥ Q♦. I bricked a gut-shot and a flush draw, and doubled him up.

I was left with just $1,175 going to $100/$200 ($25). I moved in a couple of times without getting called, then picked up K♥ K♦ and tripled up against A♥ K♣ and A♣ Q♣ after getting all-in pre-flop.

An orbit later, a short stack moved in from middle position for slightly less than $2k on my big blind. I woke up with J♣ J♦, and it held against his A♠ 7♦.

Then I made exactly the same mistake as I had earlier - I lost a big flip with A-K. You'd think I would've learned my lesson the first time and gotten there this time! With the blinds at $150/$300 ($25), I limped UTG with A♥ K♠ and a stack of just under $5k.

This stack can be tricky ... it puts me in a tough spot if I make a standard raise, get called and miss the flop.

A pre-flop raise of $800 and continuation bet of $1,200-$1,600 would commit nearly half of my stack to the pot. But if I just shove that much under the gun, I'm almost never going to get called by a weaker hand like A-Q.

Two players limped behind, and the small blind completed. The big blind raised $2,300 on top, and I obviously moved in. He had T♠ T♦, and I was eliminated after whiffing the board completely.

--Matt Stout

"All In At 420"

More 2008 WSOP Blogs from Matt Stout:

• WSOP Event 29: $3,000 No-Limit Hold'em Part 1
• WSOP Event 27: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em
• WSOP Event 23: $2,000 No-Limit Hold'em
• WSOP Event 17: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em Shootout