multitabling the 9-mans..

Got into two 9 mans tonight, at the same time.

First tourney, someone limped in early position. One other caller, then to me in the big blind. I have AK. I raise it 5x to win the pot now, but the early limper calls. Ok, I've got him on a pair.

I hit my ace on the flop and bet for value. There's also a Jack and and 8. He calls. uh oh. I discount trip jacks and trip aces, but trips 8s are on my radar. He could also have AJ, but I think he raises preflop there (maybe not, maybe he's weak tight - I don't have enough stats to know).

Turn comes a Ten. I'm behind another medium ace now, and KQ. Crap. Check his stats again - he's an inexperienced player. I might still be ahead. I bet again, for value out of position. He calls again.

River is a 6. There's no flush. I'm now ahead of AQ/A9/A7/A5/A4/A3/A2, and pairs that didn't set up. Not much else. Did he limp with ace-rag? Maybe. But I'm out of position and if I check, he'll bet for sure, and I'll have to call. Nope, might as well get it in myself. I'm all in with top pair/top kicker. He calls and I'm sure I'm dead, the blood already starting to rise up my head... My AK flashes, and his hand hits the muck. Whew.

I check the hand history. A5o. Ouch. Bad history lesson, sir - don't call large preflop raises with ace-rag.

My play wasn't much better, though. Ended up 2nd in that tourney.

In the other, I ended up third. I value bet a guy to death with two pair, but he stayed around for the idiot end of a gutshot straight draw and then hit it. Ooooooof. I was down to 2 big blinds, but went all in the next two hands and won them both to get back to even with the 2nd stack. Nice work there. My final hand was a borderline ICM push with A5o (borderline because the big stack was an idiot who was feeling the rush of calling all ins with hands like T5o and knocking people out), but the OTHER player made a weak ICM call with A8o and kicked me to the curb. It's funny how my play is profitable and his play is not, even though his play is easily correct if the cards are face up.