There’s something particularly humiliating about bouncing out on the bubble, especially when you know you could have post-and-folded into the money. I was one of two or three short stacks in this morning’s freeroll with 21 players left, which was a shame, since I had been one of two or three large stacks when there were 113 players left. Anyway, I had about 2xBB left and decided to limp in with QTo UTG. ?! Flop missed me and I folded. Wow, that was stupid. Next hand I post the BB and with T$5 left I call a raise from the SB with 55. First he makes a higher pair, then he makes a higher flush, and I’m out in 21st. Frustrating.

So here’s something that I need to figure out: I may have missed out on an opportunity to make even more money early on in the tournament. I flopped a boat, nines full of jacks, with J9. I bet the minimum and got called. Next card is another Jack. I bet half the pot and got called. River’s a rag, and this time I bet a third of the pot and got called. He had the other nine and I swept the pot, leaving him with about 35-40% of his starting chips. So the question is, at what point am I supposed to realize that this guy is with me to the showdown and push?