Scott Diamond

I have been playing pretty good lately,just having trouble late in tournaments and I have tried to overcome it by playing back at people and taking a few more risks.

It worked the last two days but when the luck factor hits someone else there is not much you can do.

Friday after work I headed over to the Bike to try and get a satellite in. The $545.00 NL event started at 7:15pm and the only way I would play is if i won a satellite.

I arrived around 3:45 and got into a $120.00 and when there were 3 left we did a save for a buy in. I made a move with 2 hearts on the board,one being an Ace and the son of a gun had flopped a set of Aces.The third heart didn't come and after making a come back from 2 chips I went out third and got my buy in back before entering an $80.00 satellite.

I took a commanding chip lead and please excuse me, but I forgot my opponents name. he is a real nice guy and we went heads up. I know his nickname is "Tank". So Tank if your reading I apologize.

I ended up making a deal with him that got me into the Tournament that evening. I took $445.00 of the $720.00 pot and bought into the tourney for another $100.00.

By level 3 I had 16k in chips and if I had played a few more hands and followed my gut instinct I would of had 50k in chips at the beginning of level 4. However I played proper Poker and it cost me. I was moved to another table and went absolutely card dead. I ended up 24th after 6 hours of play!!! The top 18 were paid,but as I have said before I play to win not to cash.

Saturday they had a $335.00 NL multiple re buy event with 150,000 guarantee. I played 10 minutes when my AA ran into JJ and he flopped a jack after he went all in, after I re raised his initial 125 bet to 400. The blinds were only 25-25...I did not re buy and this was the fastest I had ever left a tournament.

Sunday was the player appreciation event with 10k added to 1st place and a 10k seat to The Legends of Poker in August. 439 brave souls showed up for a shot at 1st place. Top dog got $18,000.00 and change plus the seat.

With only 1500 in chips to start it was going to be a crap shoot. Half the field was gone in 2 hours. I was almost one of them when again my AA lost to AQ leaving me only 350 chips.

I took only about 30 minutes to get my stack to 4k and By the end of level 7 I had 30k in chips. We made the money at 45 players and as we got down into the 30 people range I lost 10k with my QQ to AK when an Axe hit the river.

The blinds were up to 1600 and the antes were 300. I was in the big blind when the cutoff went all in for 3600 chips. The crazy guy on the button called the 3600. Crazy...yes....This guy had some incredible luck all tourney. He was hitting a lot of flops and when on the brink of being gone he hit a 1 outer 3 times to stay alive.

I looked at my cards and saw AK of hearts and pushed my last 15k into the pot. Crazy guy thinks about 2 minutes and looks over at his buddies on the rail and tells them to "Watch This" and calls my raise. Crazy guy turns over 9-7 of diamonds,the first all in turns over AQ and the flop come 10-8-A..I hit top pair with top kicker but crazy guy is now open ended.

Of course the turn was a 6 completing his straight and I went out 21st. I played very well and somewhat aggressive. I called with some hands I never would have before and each won the pot.

I did not make one mistake again and I am very happy with my play and reads lately. Out of the nine tournaments I have played this year i have made 2 final tables and cashed 5 times.

I see good things on the horizon and i am going to continue to take one tournament at a time,one day at a time. Sooner than you think i am going to get a win under my belt!!

I keep telling myself ,if i can win the small buy in tournaments there should be no reason I cannot win a big one. I have tasted victory and it is a great feeling.

I just hope "CRAZY" people do not get deep in tourneys and play like he did. I belive 90% of the players at the end of that event would not had even called the 3600 raise with a 9-7. I also belive they would not of called 14k more against my all in with 9-7.

He did not have a dominant chip stack,he put half of it in against me.

Friday Heavenly Holdem Tournament starts at Commerce and I am going to go play some satellites the next few days. They start Tuesday and run all day.

I want to congratulate 3 good friends who made the top 15 at the 25k Bellagio Event last week. Hai "Tommy" Le , Nam's brother for taking 5th place. I guess I won't be seeing him at my events anymore now that he has a bankroll of about $360,000.00. Bryan Devonshire for taking 10th, his second big score in the month and the Southern Gentleman, Michael Gracz who took a SICK beat from the luck box of the tourney Gus Hansen and finished 11th.

Guys it's am honor to know you for who you are and not what you have accomplished in the Poker Community!!