Won Razz Poker Tourney-only a $24 buy-in

Won $500 for the night...

Started at the $5-$10 cash game. One player kept raising me heads up when I had the lead on 3rd, so it was capped all the time, and on 4th, and it was capped again, and then slowed down and just called when I was still ahead on 5th. But, he hit two perfect cards to beat me not just the first time but also the second time.

Called me an idiot...which was funny.

The third time he did it, he lost and right away left the game.

The table broke-up, and I went to another table...and I lost against a player who was calling my raises with a K, Q, and J...I lost every time, when he caught up and won on the river.

It was very mean going...I was down -$170.

I entered the $24 Razz event...92 players...This was a much better structure than the $10 buy-in event, as you have more chips and more time.

I only had to get lucky once, since the players were making mistakes. When it got down to the final table I had 30% of the total chips. When it was down to 3 players, I was in the lead. And, then the player to my left kept calling my raises with a Q and J--and would win by catching better cards. It was funny because when I was stealing, he folded, and when I had a good low he was calling with picture cards and beating me.

Soon I was in 3rd place...finally I started to win back the chips and I knocked out the other player.

Heads-up I had a 60/40 lead, but lost 2 big pots, and was now down 25/75. This player kept lucking out against me...hey, it happens.

I started to come back a little. And,then this player made a mistake when on 5th, he had an 8 low draw against my 9 made hand. He is of the mistaken belief that he was ahead--he was not, as I showed in my book. So, when he re-raised me, I raised again..this time he just called. Even though he improved to a 10 low, there was so much money in the pot, he called on the river and lost.

I had retaken the lead--albeit a slight one.

On the last hand, I slow-played a hand on 5th, when I was re-raised and just called --even though I knew I had the lead. On 6th street, I check raised..and was called. On the river my 6-5 low became a wheel...game over! Game took longer than I thought.

Earlier tonight in the cash game, I got criticized for re-raising on 4th or 5th street to try to narrow the number of players from either 3 or 4 players...again, this is the correct play since it increases your chance of winning substantially by being heads-up.

Of course, it does backfire when the player in the lead doesn't raise to force out the other player. Oh well...