Another fifth place finish. I made the final table but did not place in the money...again.

I was also the victim of losing another big hand to an opponent with Quads...again.

I had Ace/King. The flop was 10, 10, 10. The turn was a King. The river was also a King.

I called the bet on the flop. I called the bet on the turn. My opponent called my bet on the river. He had Ace/10 giving him quads. I don't mind this one too much. There was a very good chance he was playing the board. Since I had a King, my full house was better than the board's full house.

I made a straight flush for the first time since I started player poker. I had the ten of diamonds. The board had 9, Jack, Queen, and King of diamonds. I did not bet too hard as I was worried someone had the Ace of diamonds. I did nicely on that hand as someone had the 8 of diamonds.

I made the final table of a Texas Hold 'Em tournament last night but did not place in the money.

I had pocket kings. I raise four times the big blind. I get one caller. The flop was then Ace, Ace, Ace.

I have the second best possible hand. An "Aces over Kings" full house. The only thing that can beat me is if he has the fourth Ace. Since he had called my previous bet I decide to bet 3 times the big blind to see where I am at. I actually want to bet more but I am sure he is going to re-raise.

Sure enough he re-raises and I call.

The same thing happens on the turn. I bet, he re-raises, and I call.

I bet after the river and he re-raises "all in." He could have almost anything with Ace, Ace, Ace, and two low cards on the board. There is a good chance he also has a full house. I don't know what the odds are of him having the fourth Ace but I know I have the best possible full house. There is also no straight flush possiblilities.

I make the call and he has the Ace. Blah. I am crippled and blinded out shortly thereafter. All of my friends (who were already eliminated and in sour moods) said I played that hand all wrong. I don't know though. I flopped the best possible full house. How do you get away from that?

A poker thread! Excellent. I can finally come out of my lurker shell and contribute a little around here.

Is there a good site for poker betting rules? We were a little confused about how long the rounds of betting can go on for (like...do you go around once, or keep going around until everyone has called and no one is raising?)

In Texas Hold 'Em, there is definitely no "ultimate" rules. Even "Casino" rules vary from casino to casino.

If you want to run a strict game, a somewhat popular rule of thumb is to end the betting after it has gone around the table three times.

Here are some photos of my poker set. I am really happy with them. I have to take them to all the house games because all of my friends prefer them to their own chips.

96 hours. I worked four 24 hours shifts in one week.