Cooler at the $500 NLHE

I was off to a nice start with 10-15 blinds after winning a decent-sized pot with JJ when I called an early position raise of 50 behind another caller with pocket fours. The flop came down T84 rainbow and the raiser bet just 50. The caller, a belligerent-looking kid wearing a Party Poker ski cap, raised the minimum to 100. I just called because I knew if I raised it would be obvious that I had a monster. The preflop raiser called the mini-raise as well and a Qh hit the turn (the second heart). The preflop raiser checked and the kid angrily bet 150. I raised to 400 and the preflop raiser moved in for 915 total after thinking for twenty seconds. The kid folded and I went into the tank. I didn't like the situation but ultimately I didn't have enough information to make an absurd laydown and I called. As I suspected he had pocket tens for a higher set and I was crippled. A few hands later I tried AJ and this time my opponent merely had quads. Kwickfish's demise came with AsKs against a berzerko player who pushed in on a AcTcxc all club flop with pocket tens.

3 Putts, Joshua Turner, and Mike Carlson were all still in with about 50 left when we left the casino. A win from Carlson, a top three finish from Turner, or a final table from 3 Putts would give them the lead in the all-around race. There are several players with a chance to overtake me with a strong result in the Championship. I believe I am going to need to make the Championship final table, and that quest begins tomorrow.

Play of the day: Paul in control of the foosball with his front line, Reid defending. Paul passes from the far side guy to the middle guy, fakes a shot, passes back to the far side guy, then back to the middle guy, and pounds one into the corner of the goal. This all happened in about one second.