I was in Vegas recently for the tournament at the Bellagio.Tournaments are not my forte but I did manage to enter the $1500 no-limit event and did ok.Sorry Mr.Cooke.....your horse ran out of gas.The tournament seemed to be a huge success and this is great for poker.

During the tournament the live games in the high limit area have their good and bad moments.Overall, I thought the $80-$160 and $100-$200 games were marginally good but sometimes they were just completely unplayable! It was at these times when I wandered around looking for a better game.I watched a pot-limit holdem game with a $25-$50 blind structure for a lap and liked what I saw.

I bought in for $5000 which was an average stack at the table and won a few small pots before this hand came up.I was in the SB holding black jacks.Two players limped in and the action was on me.I considered raising the pot in an attempt to take the pot right there but reconsidered for two reasons.The first is that I wasn't sure it would work.The 2 limpers were loose playing players who both had a lot of chips and were more than willing to gamble.If I raised now, I would build the pot and likely put myself in a tough spot after the flop with the worst position.The second reason I went against raising was that it advertises clearly what my likely holding is.These players were in tune enough to know I should have a big pair and may take a shot at me if an ace flopped.

I checked and the BB, an experienced pot-limit player, also checked.The flop came 4-7-8 offsuit.I considered a bet into the $200 pot but decided to check and see who liked it.The BB lead out for $100 and was called by both limpers.Hmmmmmm.I didn't like what was going on in this hand.The BB was a tricky player with experience.Why was he only betting $100.I thought it could only be for 2 reasons.Either he was trying to "pad the pot" so he could fire a big bet on the turn or he was very weak and was only investing a small amount in hopes of winning the pot now.I was swayed toward believing the first explanation.I thought this player knew that the limpers and me could hold any type of hand and that a weak bet would likely be a waste of money that would yield no real information about his opponents hand.I believed it was a "pad" bet but at the last second I said "....wait a minute Grant.....you have the limpers beat....if the BB bets the turn you can just fold" and so I decided to call the $100 bet.The pot was now at $600.

The turn brought the jack of diamonds! Now I liked my position! I could beat everything except a straight.I decided to check to see if any one of the limpers came to life with this card.The BB surprised me and bet $500! Both limpers folded.At this point in the hand I was very happy.In order for me to be losing, the BB would have had to lead the flop with the nuts or lead with an open ended draw (9,10) that just got home on me.I took a peek at his chips.He had about $2300 left.I had no intention of folding my hand but I wondered how much I could raise and still be called by a losing hand.

My opponent was a strong player with lots of pot-limit experience however he had been losing and mentioned to me that he was stuck 13 grand and was the unluckiest player in the room.If he had 2 pair, I thought a big raise would fold him but I wasn't sure.If he had a set I felt he would go broke with it.I decided to make it $2000 flat making a $1500 raise.He quickly reraised me his last $775.YUKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!! He obviously had the straight but I had to call and hope to fill on the river.I missed and he showed me the 5,6 of clubs.He had flopped the straight.

He was trapping on the flop and I suspected it but wasn't quite sure.What do you think.Should I have moved on the flop and released if I got any sort of action.Let me know what you think.Happy holidays to all!!!

GRANT PITTMAN