Table One Sucks

Inevitably, I get a seating assignment at table one of a tournament. The table that never breaks. All other tables break to make their way to the final table. I prefer not to start at this table, but work my to it by helping to eliminate other players and cause the table I'm at to break up and spread out to the remaining tables of the tournament. C'est la vie. Last night I was seated at table one, and throughout the tournament, as other tables broke up and filled our empty seats from our eliminated players, it just seemed harder and harder to maintain the seat I was occupying. Larger and larger stacks would appear in the empty seats around us from time to time and I had to mix in reads on new players whilst remember how some of the other long lasting players at this table play. This takes a lot more mental effort than I normally like to use. So I tightened up my play, grinded and stole blinds to reach the top twenty. Luck ran out and skill was unable to be used as a higher set than mine took over half of my stack. I had fun raising his bets and watching his smooth calls, thinking he had another two pair hand. Little did I know the jack on the turn gave him a higher set than mine. With only a few rounds of blinds and antes left in front of me, it's desperation time. I fold a number of mediocre hands, looking for the one that will bring in the most chips. Finally one comes along, two high suited cards, I push from under the gun, two callers and I triple up when my flush is made on the river. It's still not enough though, and a couple of rounds later I am out in twentieth place. The only good thing is that I never had to change my seat the entire tournament. If you can call that a good thing. Still, I'm amused.