I think readers will enjoy a break from all this theory with a story. This one does NOT have a happy ending. It is about that very high rush followed by a quick crash - a bad beat. It happened to me while playing in a $30 buy-in count down tourney (they count the chips after four 15-minute rounds and pay top three by chip count). I was just getting cushy by doubling my starting chip stack and get dealt pocket snowmen 88. I am late position so I wait to see if I will call or raise...and I hear two short stacks go All In and a prior chip leader call those. Is this a battle against three I should avoid or a big opportunity?
In a normal tournament I would fold but this is only 4 rounds and now I can really build my chip stack with just one little 8 from the board, so I call also. The flop comes out J 6 J so I am hoping the remaining player (the All-Ins just waiting) hits that 6...he checks, I bet 200 he calls. Then the turn gets my heart pumping...you guessed it, the 8 comes out and I have a Full House. I know I can beat a Jack and pocket 6s and most likely have the best hand right now (only pocket Jacks can beat me and he's hesitating calls so he doesn't have that)...so I flick an All In hoping he thinks I am isolating to the two All-In short stacks. He thinks, he groans, he gets ready to push, and then he folds - dang! The remaining three of us turn our cards over and the only threat is pocket Kings and I am inside celebrating a triple up...until the river King is dealt and I get beat by a better Full House Kings over Jacks. Although I get to keep the side pot and break even, I could have coasted to the final table if not for that river King.
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