Went to AC last night to play in the $100+$20 NL tournament at the Taj. I'd been looking forward to it for weeks and felt really good about my game. There were about 159 players and I sat a table that seemed very soft and loose aggressive...perfect, right? Well, it is if you can catch some cards.

I literally played 2 hands through 4 levels! I've never been so cold-decked in a tourney, ever!

Now, before you say I'm too tight, let me tell you that I am tight aggressive, but I certainly know when to find opportunities to open up my starting requirements, shift gears, etc.

The problem was that I couldn't even limp from the BB b/c there was so much raising going on--if I could only get a hand!!

Finally--a hand that looks good. Level I, blinds 25/50. I have just under T5000, which was the starting amount. All fold to the CO who goes all in. Button folds and SB immediately calls. I look down in the BB to see AJs. I muck almost instantly. Damn! (As expected, sb had aces).

In Level 2, I was finally able to limp with 83o in the BB (LOL). Failed to connect on the flop and had to fold to heavy betting.

In level 4, blinds were 150/300 with 50 ante, and I was down to T2500 (yep, i blinded/anted myself down to that). LAGGY player UTG limps, and all fold to the button who also limps. SB folds and I (in the BB) look down to see 44. I push. I figure I gotta make a stand now.

UTG goes into the tank, which makes me think he's got two overs. He calls. Button pushes all in...so, I'm thinking "uh oh". UTG calls and flips up 55. Crap. Button flips up AQo. Whhhhhaaattt?!?!? Sweeeet. What a donk for calling with AQ when I went all in with cobwebs on my chips and already got called by another player.

It was so bad for me that the dealer actually said, "Man, you've only played one hand tonight." I said, "Yeah, and thanks for letting the whole table know." Actually, I DID want the table to know that, as I was planning a blind steal the first chance I got in Level IV (the same orbit that I picked up 44 above).

Anyway, I failed to connect and was out. Button rivered an Ace. He was a spitting image of Stu Ungar, btw.

So, I was really disappointed, but chalked it up to an incredibly bad run of cards. With these types of tourneys (aggressive blind structure/20 min periods), it kills you when that happens.

Anyway, the highlight of the night was seeing Cindy Violette (sp?) walking around the room saying hello to everyone. I wasn't sure it was her until she signed up for the 75/150 game and I saw "CV" up on the board.