7/13/06 $2,500 Short handed NL

Ok, so this tournament was pretty frustrating as well. I really need to get focused and play up to my potential like I was earlier in the WSOP. I did have a rather unfortunate table draw, with Evelyn Ng to my left and Mr. Mark Seif to my right, but that should be no excuse to not play my best. Especially since I have an excellent track record against both of them. A hand came up fairly early where a few people limped in the pot, I check the SB and the BB checks as well. I had 3,4 and the flop came A, 2c, 5c. Checks around. Turn came the 8c everyone checks to the cutoff who makes it 100 (blinds were at 25/25) and I make it 300. Folds back to him and he calls. Turn came the Qh and I throw a pink chip in (500) and he gives a big sigh and goes all-in for 1,400 more, which put me all-in. I think for a while, and decide he must have turned the nuts - God knows why he didn't bet the flop though - and 1/3 of my stack was gone right off the bat. A couple more hands passed where I raised preflop, got called, made an obligatory continuation bet and they raised, forcing me to fold my crap hand, etc. etc. etc. Then, I made a fairly big mistake when I decided to raise 150 UTG with AJ and a 1,000 stack. As some of you might have guessed, there were two callers, then the SB made it 850 and now I have to fold, rather than just limp re-raising all-in (blinds at 25/50 now obviously). Shortly thereafter UTG makes it 150 and I weakly flat call in the SB with ATs and a 900 stack. Flop came QQJ and I was just going to check fold, but then he only bet 200. I immediately thought this guy was betting weak to either take the pot with a weak pair, a suited connector, or an AK. So I quickly shoved all-in for only 500 more and he thought for what must have been two minutes, then finally called and flipped over AJ. I was shocked he took that long, I thought he was thinking about calling with his AK. Anyway, no help and the fish is out by level two, unfortunately, even though I was trying to play tight poker till the antes kicked in, lol.