Kissing your sister

Well, the Last Gasp 2007 tour didn't exactly get off to a rousing start, but it could have been worse.

I finished a 3 1/2-hour session of 2-5 pot-limit hold 'em down $5, which was better than it seems after being stuck $300 in my first 10 minutes of play. I got stacked right off the bat when someone flopped a set on my overpair. I still had an opportunity to play well and get away from it, but I didn't.

I rebought and began a slow climb back to even. One interesting hand that I won, but I probably misplayed, perhaps badly:

Playing 7-handed, everyone limps and I come along on the button with 76d. Flop is gin, Q54 with two diamonds. A bad player in the big blind leads into the $35 pot for $10. I am prepared to raise him through the roof, but everyone folds to the cutoff, the tightest player in the game, who raises it to $30.

I'm obviously not going anywhere, but what should I do? Based on the cutoff's previous play and this small raise, he could easily have a set. Of course, I am not in bad shape at all against a set, but I would prefer not to make a big raise and put all my money in as a (small) dog against a hand that will definitely call me.

I cold-call $30, and the big blind comes along. I make my hand on the turn, Kd. I'm waiting for them both to check to me, but the tight player shocks me and leads out for $40.

What is going on? Did he raise on the flop with the nut flush draw? I think calling is the right play here. I don't think I can make a better hand fold or a worse hand call if I raise (maybe a non-nut flush will fold since I have a tight image, but I doubt it). I call, big blind folds.

The board pairs with the Qs on the river. The tight player thinks, then checks. I still feel like I could be beat here. He could have the nut flush and have checked thinking I might have filled up after calling him twice.

I wuss out and check. He reluctantly says, "Queens and ..." and I cut him off and show my flush.

So it turns out he was way weaker than I thought and I may have given a hand like 88, 99 or TT with a diamond a chance to outdraw me. But he didn't.

Might make an appearance at an old game I used to play in Dallas on Thursday. Will definitely play my regular home game Friday, looking forward to our big $400 tournament on Sunday.

Going to keep fighting the good fight.