The Tilting Call

10 out of 60 in the bar tourney final. I had a big pot early on with blinds at $100/200 (I had around $8,000), I raised it to $700 to go with AQs, one caller to my right. Flop came ATx, he checks, I bet $1400 and he calls, J on turn he bets $2500, I move all-in for another $3500, he calls and flips up JJ. He has me covered, and it looks like I'm going home early when the K hits the river for my straight. He goes crazy, but what was he thinking calling the flop there?

Middle Eastern guy moves to our table with $25,000 in chips (he busted his entire table almost). He limps, I get AQo and raise it to $1600 to go (blinds are $200/400), he calls. Flop comes AKT rainbow, he checks, I bet $2500, he raises me another $5,000. I sat and contemplated maybe 45 seconds and end up mucking. Later, he's called by various all-in's or whatever and shows that he'll raise with second pair, a whole host of hands, so I may have been ahead. Just don't know there...

I make it to a dozen players at two tables. Two solid players to my right, plus a lady miracle worker to my left and a couple of wise guys across from me. I make a significant blunder checking with A7o in the bb with three limpers. Flop comes A66 and everyone checks, 7 comes on the turn and sb bets $3,000 (blinds are $500/1000). I raise $5,000 (not sure why exactly), it folds to him and he says, "Six is no good? I'm all-in. I only have another $9,000 or so and have to throw my whole body into the much with my cards to lay it down (he shows Q6). I'm down to $9,000 and then blinds move to $1,000/2,000. I muck my bb then move all-in with marginal cards in sb, with bb folding. I then move all-in from the button and the sb calls me with some marginal hand and my big A holds up (I can't remember exactly). I'm up to $20,000 and it folds to me again and I look at JJ. Now I think this is a mistake, but I move all-in. I say this because I think I should have simply raised it up to $9,000 or $10,000 to go. The button (same guy) sits for a minute, says, "Well, that side game is going and I could play in that," and he calls with A3s. Everyone folds, and flop comes 225 with one diamond, then one of his aces hits on the turn. I think I could have moved on the flop and gotten him to fold, but who knows. He made a poor call unless he had me on a blind steal, which I hadn't done all night (or hadn't shown). Only top three were paid, so I wasn't too disappointed. All in all I think I played well except for the A7o bb, which I think I should have raised the limpers on (either getting everyone to fold or at least getting the sb out with Q6). I also showed some solid patience when I was short-stacked, which I'm a big believer in. I don't believe in getting blinded out, but I also don't believe in playing haphazardly, even when I'm down to 4x bb. I'd rather pick my spots, which either means betting into weakness (the first time I moved all-in) or betting while ahead.