I was playing in a small SnG poker online tournament the other night, and I usually play really tight early online poker game. I’ll fold anything except the top four hands regardless of position in the first blind level, 1.) to get a feel for the tightness or looseness of the table, and 2.) the blinds aren’t worth as much early as they are later, but the chips you lose earlier are more important than the chips you lose later. But the other night I made an exception to my rule. I was dealt QJ of spades. I was in the small blind and had noticed that the big blind hadn’t raised one pot the whole session over 3 orbits. I get 5 limpers ahead of me and decide to take a chance and see a flop with a decent hand early (this is something according to sit-n-go math is a big no-no). But, I took an opportunity to gamble. So the flop comes. QQ2, with the two of spades. Okay, so I’m sitting on trip queens, and the limpers had been fairly loose. I checked expecting one of them to bet for me and sure enough, they did, and a reraise happened, and I smooth called. Three players now, and the A of spades hit the board. Now I’m one to the second nut flush barring the King. Still sitting on trips. If someone is sitting on an A, then they just hit. Probably Aces up since it’s unlikely they’re playing AQ as I have one of the Qs. So the only hand I’m worried about here is the QK or AQ, both of which would give my opponents a better hand. But with 9 outs to the flush, and trip queens, it’s almost impossible to lay down this hand, e ven at the casino online . Next round of betting, we get another raiser, another caller, and again, I smooth call since I’m almost but not totally sure I have this hand. Well the river comes a Q. That’s right quads ladies. This put my heart at rest and I decided to again check. Of course our Mr. aggro loose lagtard shoves half stack with his now revealed Ace. And of course I reshove over the top after tanking for a while (for dramatic effect). And he calls, as does our other calling station. That’s two down and I’m sitting on cruise control for the rest of the game. So even if you have your own rules for your play, everyonce in a while you’ll be faced with a situation where it’s judgment over the rule. Sometimes it can pay off, and when it doesn’t you put yourself in a place to lose little money.