Sometimes the cards are just stacked against you...

And tonight, they seemed to be that way. At the weekly poker tournament at friend's house, I played pretty well. Lost two hands where I bet heavy on three of a kind only to loose to a full house and a straight - both times to the same guy who's known for bluffing. I think I called the two hands he really made.

After a re-buy about an hour into the night, I managed to make it to the final table and got into a heads-up match around 12:30. An hour later, we're both still at it going back and forth with the winner taking home $150, the looser taking home $20. After several all-ins, most of which worked, some didn't, we're at almost even. I've got Ace 9, and the flop is a 9 high bunch of trash. I've got the best hand out, short of her having a pocket pair. Based on the way she's betting the hand, she doesn't have it. I go all in, she calls. She's Ace 4 - she has nothing on the board but Ace high. I've got it, and the chip lead...

Until she draws two fours.

To quote the dealer - a shock wave came out of that second four as it flipped over.