Ladies Tournaments: Terrible Yet Tempting

Saturday I woke up early to drive down to Harrah's Rincon for the WSOP Circuit Ladies Event.. $125 buy in. I was running late, as usual, however, this time my apartment was inside out because my carpet was cleaned the evening before.. I was anxious because I wasn't feeling too well and knew there was a 2.5 hour drive a head..

Ladies tournaments are not my favorite.. I feel like I'm going to do really well.. and I have cashed in a good number of these events. The thing is.. the play is not great early on and a lot of opportunities open up to get unlucky. Also, women are chatty.. and I don't tend to get a long with a lot of other women and I'm certainly not all that chatty at the poker table. I like to play against men because I feel like I can manipulate and read them better. Well.. I'm feeling good about my skills these days so I'm pretty excited to play..

We arrive down in Rincon with an extra hour. I wasn't actually late.. So I register and relax with my turkey sandwich before going in.. Once seated I observe a relaxed and passive table. The usual ladies chat at the table with the dealer.. There are 170 total players in the tournament and it seems the majority of my table is either from San Diego or even more local to the casino.. which seems to be in the middle of no where to me.

Early on I'm taking small pots.. then just when I realize I need a bathroom break I look down and see 1 A... next card around.. AA.. I stay and bet out 400 in early position.  I am reraised to 1000 right away by one of the only semi-aggressive players at the table. It folds around to me and decide to put her all in for her last 3K. She says "what the hell?" and calls. The cards are on their backs to reveal that I'm dominating her pocket 10s. The flop brings all low cards and she taps the table in an early "good hand".  The turn shows what my negative head was warning me about.. a 10. The river nothing. She beats me. I'm left with about 2500 of the original starting stack of 6K. I know I'm done. I've fought a short stack before but this will be trouble. These women are unpredictably terrible. If only I used the restroom and never peaked at my 1st hole card......

I survive a few blind steals with my short stack.. and then I look down at pocket 8s.  I'm all in 1 off the button.. it folds to the big blind. A former short stack who had just doubled up when she joined out table. She looks down and thinks for a bit.. and says "favorite hand". That's bad news.. they always call and they suck out with the worst hand every time. She calls off half her stack.. and shows A-9 suited.  Figures. One of the worst A-x starting hands.. but it's suited!! And I'm feelin lucky with my favorite hand! Can't you just hear it?? The flop comes out all blanks.. and she taps the table. She's rooting for me. Then the 9 hits the turn and she says "You're still good".. um. thanks but that gives you a higher pair.. remember.. favorite hand? River is a blank and I'm out. 2 hours 45 mins.

I walk out defeated and repeating over and over to myself... "I hate ladies tournaments... hate them"

"Do you want to go to the beach?"

"Yes"

Off to La Jolla for the rest of the day...