Multi-Table Fun (Jinx Be Damned)

Rolling along now. Whew.

I finally managed to get some time to register for the Empire Poker $500 Daily FreeRoll, and was looking forward to my first multi-table effort. It was fun, though short lived. I ended up finishing 191 out of 250 when I flopped a pair of Aces (with King kicker), and my only opponent check-called the flop and turn, and then busted me out on the river when he showed his pocket Aces to make a set. Fitting, perhaps. Boo.

Then, excited about the multi-table action, I found my way to the mulit-table SNG tab, and figured I'd give a 2-table $10+1 a try. I played solid, avoided big confrontations, and managed to still be alive at the 1-hour point, with 2240 in chips and 8 players total remaining. Then I entered a hand with Axs, to see a flop of AA6. I quickly called someone's all-in bet... he showed a 6... and I caught the unneccessary yet always welcome case Ace on the river to take me to over 4k in chips. Best Empire/Party hand yet.

Now, with 5 players left (this tourney paid to top 4), I'm beginning to feel a little nervous. I have plenty of chips to probably sit back and at least make 4th place ($20), but I seem to have bad luck on the bubble. Then, holding ATo, the short stack pushes all in and it gets folded around to me. Here we go... he doesn't have that many chips, and 99% of the people I know would tell me that I should call, but I fear the possible beat that could take me from ~3800 chips down to ~3000, and double up the short-stack putting me at a much greater risk of not placing in the money. I call. He shows a glorious 53o, and I win like ATo is supposed to in that situation, putting me in the money and ~4600 in chips.

I end up busting the 4th place finisher, steal a bunch of blinds, and rack up the chip lead with 9000+ chips (about double what the others have). Down to 2 players, with about even stacks and increasing blinds, I get suckered into calling what I think is a "post-oak bluff" on a flop that gave me an open-ended straight draw... the turn is no help and I call another small bet... the river is no help, and my opponent goes all in. I can't call, and quickly realize that heads-up I should have raised his flop bet or folded. Now I'm facing a call in which I am easily beat for all my chips, or a fold which will leave me crippled.

I opt for crippled and alive, and fold it down. I'm not sure of the particulars, but I ended up waiting a few hands and pushing all in with a decent heads-up hand in the necessary effort to double up, but it was not to be. 2nd place, a $60 prize, $49 profit, and look at that goal get closer. Nice.