today was the east coast poker championships 800 NL event. we started with 107 players. there are 4000 starting chips with a pretty gradual structure, but 30 minute levels. 30 minute levels might be OK for a $300 buyin tournament, but for an $800 it seems like we should get a little more play.

my starting table was tough; in fact i think it was the toughest starting table i’ve ever had at a TS event (not counting the $10,000 buyin american poker championships). there were a couple online pros comparing notes on how often they’ve been on the pokerstars tournament leader board, and a couple other guys with a proven ability to go deep in tournaments. despite the stuff competition i felt sharp and ready to play.

in level 2 nothing much has happened yet when i pick up AK in early position and raise it up. the guy on my left, a fairly competent player, calls. everyone else folds. the flop is QJT rainbow. i have the nuts. i decide to start building a pot, and bet out for about 1/2 the pot. he calls. that’s OK, but i was hoping for a raise. the turn is a blank. i bet out again, and this time he raises me all in. i call. he shows AK also, and we split the $8000 pot.

during the 50/100 level i’ve got A5 in the big blind and it’s folded to the button, who raises to 300. i don’t know much about this guy yet, but i decide to call. the flop is 722 and i check. he bets 300 and i don’t get a sense that he’s strong, and i check-raise to 700 (probably should have made it 800 or 900) and he calls. oops. there’s no possible draw out there, so i’m probably beat at this point. we both check the rag turn and after another blank on the river i check again. he bets 300 into the 2000 pot, but i can’t beat anything (can’t even tie anything except A4 or A6), and i fold (maybe a mistake).

a while later with blinds 50/100, i look down at TT in early position and raise it up to 400. a short stack on my left makes it 1400 more to go, all in. i’m still figuring the pot odds but my gut says i may have to call, when a guy on my right with a biggish stack calls before it gets back to me. OK, i’m done. i fold the tens face up. the short stack shows AK and the big stack shows KK. the flop is AKx, so my tens would be a distant third if i’d played.

after the break i’m down to 2150 with blinds at 75/150. i find AQ in late position and raise it up to 500. i’m feeling a little short and i wouldn’t mind going with this hand. a mostly clueless guy 2 to my left (a recent and welcome addition to this table) calls. i don’t remember the exact details, but i slow-play a Q high flop and convince him to commit himself to doubling me up with his JJ.

now i’m back up above 4,000 and have a little breathing room again. i don’t really get a chance to breathe much though, as a few hands later john the “boston strangler” raises it up from late position. i’m in the blind and look down to see KK. i repop him for 1000 more, and he moves in. he’s got me covered, but i’m way too committed to even think about folding kings, and i call quickly. he shows QQ, so i’m a 4:1 favorite. sweet! until the flop shows a Q and just like that i’m out. brutal. if i’d won that pot i’d be above average in chips, but instead i’m on my way out the door.

i’m off to get some sleep before tomorrow’s 1000 NL championship event. i’m guessing we’ll have 150 players with top prize around $50k.