Three Dumbest Things I did in Tournaments - Chris

Poker is game of mistakes. Who ever makes the most will lose in the long run. Everyone makes mistakes, but I made 2 that were totally stupid and one that I don't really regret.

1) Yes I am a moron. We were in the NLTH at the $15 $25 blind level. I had been blinded out of my red chips and was the small blind. I put up a green chip for the small blind. Nobody had raised when it had got to me, I like my hand, but it was a drawing hand and I wanted to see the flop. I am so used to automatically putting out another chip to complete my bet, that without thinking I placed another green chip on top of the one already in front of me. The dealer announces my RAISE and I almost said "no - I meant to call", but I knew it was too late - no one folded and I flopped crap and had to fold.

2) The tournament is down to two tables. I have a paif of eights in the hole and it is folded to me. Only the forced bet left to act after me. I "complete" the bet to I think $200 from his forced bet and he calls. He had a King showing. I draw crap and he gets a Queen. Now in a structured limit game the bet on fifth street is twice as much as 3rd and 4th. If I don't improve on 5th, I will have to fold to his bet. I get an eight, and have trips, best off all he can't see my other two eights. He didn't improve, but has the best board and bets $400 into me. I have to raise, but unfortunately I have to use green chips, or at least for some reason chose to. I pick up a stack of greens ($25) and hold them in my hands so I can make sure I count off the right amount, unfortunately I am so nervous, mainly because I am afraid he might actually call. I know I am a big favorite, but I need the money and would be happy with what is in there now.

My hands start shaking as I carefully count the chips. I know that everyone must notice and remembered in the & HI LOW last year I had the same problem, when I guy mentioned, "you must have a monster." It occurs to me that this might be to my advantage so I don't try and stop the shaking. Everyone is laughing at this point and I put out $800 to raise. He says, "Man is that a tell or what - I was going to call, I really was, but there is no way I am going to call you with your hands shaking like that." Everyone laughs as he mucks his cards. I mention that this is my first high only stud tournament and that I finished eigth from the bottom the day before and that I was just doing the best I could. A guy came up to me and told me to just put my chips in stacks of the bet and push them in. I did this for a while, but I started to get so many that this became a problem. For some reason I don't think I had the same shaking problem again.

3) Ok, this was the absolute dumbest thing I did. Second to last table and I am the forced bet. Nobody raises me. I am so used to everyone raising that I MUCK MY CARDS. Someone had just called my bring in and he gets the pot. I felt stupid, but I just explained again that I was doing my best and was nervous.

Chris