The drought is over!

I broke through and made the money again! I really focused back on playing smart poker and not going overboard with the top pairs any more. I probably laid down to some bluffs, but in the end, the results speak for themselves. I won the thing!

It started:
Seat 1: BD Mack (8,590)
Seat 7: OhCaptain (4,910)

He seemed to be a fairly agressive player, but also seemed to fear the trap. I got caught slow playing a couple of times. This really paid off in the end.

We got as low as:
Seat 1: BD Mack (10,750)
Seat 7: OhCaptain (2,750)

I really got the sense that BD was getting cocky. I had been playing very week. I was letting him really push me around until...

BD Mack posts the small blind of 120
OhCaptain posts the big blind of 240
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***Dealt to OhCaptain [Ks 9s]
BD Mack calls 120OhCaptain checks
*** FLOP *** [4s Ts 9c]
OhCaptain checks
BD Mack bets 480
OhCaptain raises to 2,510, and is all in
BD Mack calls 2,030
OhCaptain shows [Ks 9s]
BD Mack shows [8c 7d]
*** TURN *** [4s Ts 9c] [Tc]
*** RIVER *** [4s Ts 9c Tc] [Th]
OhCaptain shows a full house, Tens full of Nines
BD Mack shows three of a kind, Tens
OhCaptain wins the pot (5,500) with a full house, Tens full of Nines
*** SUMMARY ***Total pot 5,500 Rake 0Board: [4s Ts 9c Tc Th]
Seat 1: BD Mack (small blind) showed [8c 7d] and lost with three of a kind, Tens
Seat 7: OhCaptain (big blind) showed [Ks 9s] and won (5,500) with a full house, Tens full of Nines

I never once tried push him with a second pair or draw. I gave a bunch back by betting the next flop. It was a 1440 pot sized bet. I had nothing and he went all in, but I wasn't going to call K high for all my chips.

I went back to just playing small ball with him. He really seemed to be getting bored with this tourny...right where I wanted him.

Seat 1: BD Mack (7,020)
Seat 7: OhCaptain (6,480)
OhCaptain posts the small blind of 150
BD Mack posts the big blind of 300
The button is in seat #7
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to OhCaptain [Ts As]
OhCaptain calls 150
BD Mack raises to 900
OhCaptain raises to 2,700
BD Mack raises to 7,020, and is all in
OhCaptain calls 3,780, and is all in
BD Mack shows [Jh Qh]
OhCaptain shows [Ts As]
Uncalled bet of 540 returned to BD Mack
*** FLOP *** [8s 7c Qc]
*** TURN *** [8s 7c Qc] [Ac]
*** RIVER *** [8s 7c Qc Ac] [5d]
BD Mack shows a pair of Queens
OhCaptain shows a pair of Aces
OhCaptain wins the pot (12,960) with a pair of Aces
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 12,960 Rake 0Board: [8s 7c Qc Ac 5d]
Seat 1: BD Mack (big blind) showed [Jh Qh] and lost with a pair of Queens
Seat 7: OhCaptain (small blind) showed [Ts As] and won (12,960) with a pair of Aces

I really believed he was getting bored and frustratoed. We started almost even and he had had me on the ropes. I think this part of my game has really matured. I didn't get impatient. Took two more hands, but I did finish him off. Strange hand too...

Board: [Jh Td Th 9h 3h]
Seat 1: BD Mack (big blind) showed [Ks 8c] and lost with a pair of Tens
Seat 7: OhCaptain (small blind) showed [Kc 8h] and won (2,160) with a flush, Jack high

The monkey is gone and I feel better now. I lost quite a bit this weekend moving up and then just donking off a couple tournys. Patients, patients, patients.