I was thinking about what happened to me on Sunday and I just wanted to make an official complaint.

I looked back on that day Craig Holmes beat me with great quality play. I sat right next to him for at least an hour and he was making smart moves and well timed aggression. He played a smart tournament and was rightly rewarded for it.

Be that as it may, since I'm not capable of making a mistake and Craig played great. That puts the blame clearly on Russ's shoulders. IF he is going to persist in dealing cards in this manner. I call for his immediate removal. The fact that he still holds a grudge because I cracked his aces and then took him out the very next hand with aces of my own. Has got to stop. If we are not careful this thing could escalate to a feud equal to the Hatfield's and the McCoy's (The Arizona Version).

SO Russ watch your back their are a ton of A.R.M.P.I.T.'s(Ap's Roaming Militia of Pricks In Training) out their and you never know when one is standing behind you. 

Do I sound bitter? I was not sure so I thought I would just ask.

Craig best of luck at the WSOP. May you make smart decisions and the cards fall your way. I will be pulling for you.

Russ this is not over yet and REVENGE WILL BE MINE.

AP

Thanks Reddog,

 I have said it a ton of times before but it all boils down to when they color up to the yellow chips (5,000). You have got to get yourself to that position and then hold on. 70% of the people that are going to be left are now very short stacked. You need to pick your spots very carefully. Either pray for a big hand or look at who on the table will be willing to let their blinds go. Either by tight play or the ability to afford to walk away from them. Their are not going to be many options here so you really have to be looking for them.

Next part is to watch the cut off spots. When they start getting close to the prizes or the Final Table. Most of the people will have never been to a final table at these bigger tournaments so they quite playing and just try to survive. When you see this switch. It is just a free pass to steal their blinds. I have seen people fold pocket Q's pre flop just because they want to make the final table. So watch for it then take advantage of it.

It also would not hurt you to try and play in some of the bigger games here in Tucson. It is no knock on Green Valley but when you are playing in the 8 table tournaments it gives you more practice at all the different levels you need to do well in the bigger tournaments.

So in a nut shell it is very tight early(25-50 up to 100-200). Start going after the blinds when it hits 200-400 not much at first. Pick up the rate as the blinds get bigger all the way to 2000-4000. Then just see above.

I just need to steal enough blinds to keep me in and then have faith in my big hands when they come. Push when I'm in the lead and be willing to walk away from them. When I know they are beat.

By no means am I saying that this is the only way to play. It is just what works for me. That was my 5th Final table at these big tournaments. So it at least works for me.

Hope this helps,

AP

PS. It also helps if you are me, to not have Russ deal the final table. For some reason that little guy just does not like me.

All the chips are mine. I have just been nice enough not to take them yet.

Reddog,

 I use to go through what you are talking about and it drove me to the point of insanity. It drove me so crazy that I had to take a break from playing. I was reading poker books, Talking with friends and really working hard at trying to become a better player. I would then go play, make all of the right moves and then have some idiot suck out on me and take my chips. I would loose my mind and started to even doubt why try to improve. If this is just the way it is going to be.

I finally found piece when I just started to look at the decisions rather then the end result. I can only control what I do. I can not control what cards come out next. I base my nights on the decisions I've made. I have lost tournaments when they where all right and won a couple when their where some stupid ones along the way. To me the outcome of the hand does not mean much.

When I started to look at it this way. I became allot calmer at the tables. I just get up and in my mind know that it is those types of play that allow me to get the better of them 7 out 10 times.

To me a night when I make the right decision and have good reads. THAT IS A GOOD NIGHT. It has nothing to do with where I place. Those are the things that make me a good player not the 1st place.

Just another way to look at it,

AP 

All the chips are mine. I have just been nice enough not to take them yet.