Tournaments and tilt

I caught my second multi table tournament success this evening. 7th out of 230 in a 5 dollar NL game.

I've played three since reading Cloutier and McEvoys Campionship No Limit and Pot Limit Book. And when I say reading, I mean reading rereading, photocopying, underlining, highlighting and then copying out.

I have no life.

But the last three tournaments have given me the best results of my limited tournament experience - two final tables (6th out of 130, 7th out of 230), and a top 40 finish in a 200 field. Where I didn't listen to the book. KJ is not a hand to go to bat with from early.

Of course, I sat down at a 1/2 limit table with my new found arrogance, and it casually spent my hard earned money from me, with a cheeseeating grin that the whole table could read as money. Chasing a flush on a double paired board? What. Thats beyond arrogance. Thats penetrated right through ignorance, and barely even stopped at stupidity, and finally ground to a halt at some perversely inspired polar opposite of divine genius.

One or two beats at the table, which my arrogance determined would cost me more than they should..."no one at this table could possibly play well enough to crack my pair of queens, all shall bow before them, and know me for the player that I am." 6 9 offsuit, if I remember correctly. Top pair top kicker from my early raised AK going down in flames to the small blinds 10 7 o. How could he not believe a player as obviously good as me couldn't beat his flopped full house.

The beats are not the problem. Its pursuing them with perseverence that is. Hell. Call me Ahab.

Still, a pleasing day over all. I finished up for the day, my earlier solid play at the ring games having paid my tournament fee - which was refunded as a final table perk - and made enough on top to soak up the loss of most of my tournament win.

But more importantly, lesson learned. Theres no such thing as deserves to win.

That and my pre flop fold stats are closer to where I'd like them to be, and despite the problems, what intelligent application of aggression I made at the limit tables paid off. I'm beginning to make an impression on the tighter 1/2 tables - posted 3 out of 4 winning sessions at tables that would've murdered me last week.