Well its been a while since I have played live poker so therefore, its been a while since I have posted a hand or anything on this blog. However, over the next month I will be in the full swing of things so I will be posting much more often. I played in the event #2 of the binions poker classic. We started with 5000 in chips and the blinds at 25-50. There was significantly less play in this tournament but this is not necessarily a bad thing for me as I am probably 5x better at push/fold poker than most players. Todays tournament had 188 people. 20 places paid out and first prize was just shy of 10000.
I went in playing super laggy as I had been in previous tournaments. I raised a ton of pots the first few levels and didn’t write down most pots. I dropped to about 4500 or so dinking around by the end of the first level.
We went to level 2 (50-100). I won a small pot when I called a raise to 250 with position with 88. The small blind called as well. The flop came J77 and the raiser c-bet 325 and I called and the blind folded. The turn came a K and he checked and I bet out 550 and he folded. I then lost a pretty big pot. I raised from the hijack with 55 to 250 and the guy in the cutoff minraised to 500. I called and the flop came J93. I checked and he checked behind. The turn came a Q and I bet out 625 and he thought a really long time before he called. The river came a 3 and I checked and he bet 800. I thought for a while and looked at him and I think that I am almost 100% positive that he has AK here. He looked so nervous and scared of being called. I ended up calling and he says “nice call” and taps the table and shows. . .10-10. I thought he was bluffing because he thought he was bluffing but he really had the best hand. WTF here. Oh well I guess I didn’t play the hand well. Anyways, I dropped to 2200 or so before I was able to get lucky on a double. The guy UTG limped and I raised to 250 in MP with 53hh. He was the only caller. The flop came J92 with 2 hearts. He checked and I bet out 325 and he raised it to 1125. This is such a bad spot because if I fold I only leave myself with 1600 and I only have the flush outs if I end up going with this hand. I eventually decided to just gamble and throw it all in here. He called with AJ and I hit my heart on the turn and doubled to 5000 or so.
The blinds went to level 3 (100-200). I raised with 73o and got one caller. I c-bet an A high flop and got raised and folded. I raised with A3o and got only one caller and the flop came Q high and he lead out and I folded. A guy in MP limped and I raised to 475 with A8o. Another guy flatted behind me and the raiser called. The flop came K83 and The limper checked, I c-bet 550, the caller behind called, and the limper folded. The turn came a J and I checked and folded to his bet of 1000. I was back down to 3000 or so after this series of hands. I raised from the cutoff to 475 with ATo and the guy in the BB pushed all in for about 2500 total. I decided to call and he showed AJss and I was able to hit my 10 on the flop and win that significant pot (getting lucky 2 times in one tournament. . .sick). Shortly after this, we went on the first break and I had 5450. . .a little more than a starting stack.
We came back and played level 4 (150-300 25). I raised a limper to 700 with 94o and he was the only caller. My c-bet on AT8 was good and I won the pot. I raised and stole a few of pots with little resistance after this and was able to chip up to 7500 or so. I raised with K3o in MP and both blinds called. The flop came 876 and they both checked and I figured this was a great spot for a c-bet so I bet out 825 but one of the callers raised me to 3000 and I folded. I was finally dealt my first real hand when I found QQ UTG. I thought for sure Id get action for as much as id been raising but everyone folded. Bummer. I decided to fold for a while and wait for a hand, figuring my image was loose enough for now.
The blinds went up to level 5 (200-400 50) and I was around 6500. First hand of the level, I found a beautiful QQ in EP again and made it 950. It folded to the BB and he was the only caller. The flop came a fun looking AK2 and he checked and I checked behind. The turn came an 8 and he lead out and I folded. I dropped to 5000 or and the bust out hand came. I had been playing tightly (or tighter at least) so I figured I needed to try to steal some blinds at least. I was in MP and everyone had folded and I raised it to 950 with Q7o. The BB was the only caller and we saw a flop of 532. He checked and I c-bet out 1100 and he called. I didn’t really have a good range on his hand but figured he could have a weak A that hit that flop or a smaller over pair like 66-99 and was seeing if an A or K was coming on the turn. The turn came a Q, giving me high pair on board. He checked again and I bet 1500 (leaving myself with only 1900 behind). He instaput me all in and I know im probably beat badly here but because the Q is such a sneaky card for me to have here, he could be doing it with a hand that has a pair that is beat so I have to call. I did call and he showed me 33 for a set and I was drawing dead. Oh well that was a weird way to go out but I think I didn’t really misplay the hand that poorly. Maybe I should just shove pre there or something but whatever. There are plenty of tournaments left so hopefully I am able to do better next time.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Tourney: Caesars Palace April 23rd $340 2009 2009 WSOP Circuit Event Caesars Palace Las Vegas Event #18 recap
This tournament left me with a shorter leash than the Venetian tournaments. The levels were a little longer (45 minutes) but we only started with 6000 in tournament chips as opposed to the 12000 at the Venetian. There were almost 400 people in this even so it really made it worth it. However, I just couldn’t get anything going and didn’t last too long.
The first level, I raised a lot of pots and didn’t really have too much success. I teetered around 5000-5500 for the most part of the level. I was in the BB with several limpers with J8 and the flop came 888. I checked and bet the turn and couldn’t get any action. I won another smaller pot when I raised in LP with KQo and blinds called. The flop came KT5 and he checked and I bet out and he called. I checked behind on the 4 turn and bet out on the river when it came a Q and he folded. I lost some pots when when I raised with A5, K8, and QT and got one caller and didnt hit the flop and my c-bet was either called or raised and I shut it down. I lost another pot when I raised on the cutoff with 98ss and the SB was the only caller. The flop came JJ9 and he checked and I c-bet 250 and he called. The turn and river came AK and he showed KT for a rivered pair of kings that were good.
I was down to 4900 or so and we went to level 2, 50-100. It folded to me on the button and I made it 250 with K7hh. The BB called and the flop came 762 all spades. He lead out for 250 and I raised him to 800 and he folded. I raised one limper with K9o and he called. The flop came AQ5 and he check/folded to my c-bet and I was back to my starting 6k or so. However, this was as high as I would get as a rash of reraises caught up with me. It all started when I raised it in EP to 250 with AQo. A guy behind me called and a guy behind him reraised. I folded and the 2 got all in with AA vs KK. After this I raised it to 250 with ATo, AThh, Q9o, and A7o in all kinds of positions and folded when I got reraised each time that I raised. I don’t know if they always had hands (they seemed like not good enough players to raise me without hands) but maybe they were coming over the top of me with air. Who knows. . .I think that by folding every time it was the right move. I found ATo again and raised to 250 in MP and got 2 callers I checked down a board of KQ464 and one guy had 55 which crushed me. It folded to me in the SB and I raised to 250 with 65o and the BB called. The flop came T53 and I bet out 300 and he called. The turn came a J and we both checked. The river came another 3 and I checked and he bet out and I folded and he showed a 3. I just couldn’t BUY (literally) a pot and I was down to 3300 and we took our first break.
We came back to level 3 (100-200) and I decided my image was already LAGgy enough (plus I didn’t have the chips to lagtard it up) so I went into ultra tight mode, planning on folding through level 3 until we got the antes in level 4 to start push stealing. I folded for a couple orbits and found 99 in the hijack with a limper. I raised it to 525 and everyone folded. A little later, I found 22 in MP and made it 475 (I know that im playing tight but im not not opening with a pair here). A guy in LP called, the SB called, and the BB pushed all in for around 2500. I thought about calling but I folded mostly for fear of the guys behind me. One of the guys behind called and the pusher had AK and the caller had KQ. A call here would have technically been the right play as I would have been in a coin flip but I would have lost the race so hindsight is 20/20. We were almost to level 4 (2 mins away or so) when I was UTG +2 and found AQss. I pushed my final 2600 chips in the pot (as I don’t see how I can just raise and fold here) and it folded to the BB and he thought for about 30 seconds and said “god I hate calling here” and then called and showed AK (sick fkn slowroll dude). I didn’t catch and was eliminated not very far into the tournament.
The first level, I raised a lot of pots and didn’t really have too much success. I teetered around 5000-5500 for the most part of the level. I was in the BB with several limpers with J8 and the flop came 888. I checked and bet the turn and couldn’t get any action. I won another smaller pot when I raised in LP with KQo and blinds called. The flop came KT5 and he checked and I bet out and he called. I checked behind on the 4 turn and bet out on the river when it came a Q and he folded. I lost some pots when when I raised with A5, K8, and QT and got one caller and didnt hit the flop and my c-bet was either called or raised and I shut it down. I lost another pot when I raised on the cutoff with 98ss and the SB was the only caller. The flop came JJ9 and he checked and I c-bet 250 and he called. The turn and river came AK and he showed KT for a rivered pair of kings that were good.
I was down to 4900 or so and we went to level 2, 50-100. It folded to me on the button and I made it 250 with K7hh. The BB called and the flop came 762 all spades. He lead out for 250 and I raised him to 800 and he folded. I raised one limper with K9o and he called. The flop came AQ5 and he check/folded to my c-bet and I was back to my starting 6k or so. However, this was as high as I would get as a rash of reraises caught up with me. It all started when I raised it in EP to 250 with AQo. A guy behind me called and a guy behind him reraised. I folded and the 2 got all in with AA vs KK. After this I raised it to 250 with ATo, AThh, Q9o, and A7o in all kinds of positions and folded when I got reraised each time that I raised. I don’t know if they always had hands (they seemed like not good enough players to raise me without hands) but maybe they were coming over the top of me with air. Who knows. . .I think that by folding every time it was the right move. I found ATo again and raised to 250 in MP and got 2 callers I checked down a board of KQ464 and one guy had 55 which crushed me. It folded to me in the SB and I raised to 250 with 65o and the BB called. The flop came T53 and I bet out 300 and he called. The turn came a J and we both checked. The river came another 3 and I checked and he bet out and I folded and he showed a 3. I just couldn’t BUY (literally) a pot and I was down to 3300 and we took our first break.
We came back to level 3 (100-200) and I decided my image was already LAGgy enough (plus I didn’t have the chips to lagtard it up) so I went into ultra tight mode, planning on folding through level 3 until we got the antes in level 4 to start push stealing. I folded for a couple orbits and found 99 in the hijack with a limper. I raised it to 525 and everyone folded. A little later, I found 22 in MP and made it 475 (I know that im playing tight but im not not opening with a pair here). A guy in LP called, the SB called, and the BB pushed all in for around 2500. I thought about calling but I folded mostly for fear of the guys behind me. One of the guys behind called and the pusher had AK and the caller had KQ. A call here would have technically been the right play as I would have been in a coin flip but I would have lost the race so hindsight is 20/20. We were almost to level 4 (2 mins away or so) when I was UTG +2 and found AQss. I pushed my final 2600 chips in the pot (as I don’t see how I can just raise and fold here) and it folded to the BB and he thought for about 30 seconds and said “god I hate calling here” and then called and showed AK (sick fkn slowroll dude). I didn’t catch and was eliminated not very far into the tournament.
Tourney: Venetian April 21th $340 2009 Venetian Deepstack Extravaganza II Event #22 recap
Todays tournament had 291 entrants and first prize was over 25k. I went in to the tournament with the same strategy as previous tournaments. However, I arrived at the table and it was completely bonkers so I really had to lay off the gas pedal. I still tried to raise a lot but not with less than premium hands and not as often.
In the first level, I didn’t really play that many pots. I raised with Q4o and got 3 callers. The flop came QT2 and I bet out and got 2 callers. The turn came a J and I check/folded. I raised with A4hh from EP and got 2 callers. The flop came KT7 and I c-bet and got raised and folded.
I was down to 11400 and we moved to level 2 (50-100). I raised to 250 with KTo from MP and folded to a reraise. I raised with A9dd UTG to 250 and a lady minraised me to 500. I called and folded on a T86 flop and was down to 10300. I raised to 250 with K2ss in MP and got 3 callers. I folded on a flop that missed me and was down to 9850. I raised with A8hh from LP and folded to a reraise. I was in the SB and completed with Q7 with 3 other players. The flop came Q97 and I bet out 500 and got one caller. The turn came a 3 and I bet out 1000 and the caller folded and showed J8.
I was at 10200 and we went to level 3 (100-200). I raised in EP to 475 with KJo and got called by a LP and a blind. The flop came QT9 and the blind checked and I bet out 550 and they both folded. Next hand, I raised with 77 and got 2 callers and the flop came JTT. I c-bet out 550 and they both folded and I was up to 12300. I raised in EP with 475 to 44 and got one caller behind. The flop came 532 and I c-bet and he folded. It folded to me in the SB and I found TT and made it 475 and the BB called. The flop came 754 and I bet out and he folded. I was up to 13k or so after this. I found 98ss UTG and made it 475 and got 2 callers. The flop came 433 and I check/folded. I was down to 12.5k or so and we took a break soon after, with me having 12475 on the first break.
We came back and played level 4 (100-200 25). I raised a limper with KQo to 525 and everyone folded. Then a streak of 3 goofy hands happened. I was playing pretty tight and I finally decided to raise with 42o to 525 in MP. The guy on the button reraised and I folded and he showed AA. I raised in EP with 89ss and a guy in MP reraised me and I folded and he showed KK. I raised with 64o in LP and the guy in the BB reraised me and I folded and he showed AA This meant that 3 straight times I chose to raise, I got reraised and the guy had AA 2 times and KK once. Kind of sick.
I was down to 9800 or so after this series and the blinds went up to 200-400 25 (level 5). First hand of 200-400, I raised to 950 in EP with T8hh. One of the blinds called and the flop came J54. He checked, I c-bet 1100 and he folded. Next hand I raised in EP with T7o and took the blinds. A couple of hands later, I raised with J8o in LP and won the blinds. I was up to around 14k or so when I got moved to a new table. I sat down and look to my right and who do I see but none other than Marc Karam (2.3 million in career earnings, 2 WPT FTs, 2nd in EPT grand final 2 years ago) and 2 to his right is none other than Jean “Prince” Gaspard (just under 800k in career winnings, won an event at Bellagio Five Diamond 5 days prior, had just busted out of 25k event at bellagio the day before). I sit at the new table and look to get my aggressive image going. I raised the first pot I sat down in MP to 950 with K3o and Jean Gaspard reraised me from the button and I folded. 2 hands later, I raised to 950 UTG +1 with 97dd and Jean Gaspard reraised me again from LP and I folded. I should know better than to go effing around at a table with these pros (ha). A little later, I made it 950 to go in MP with AJo and got called in one spot. The flop came AQ7 and my c-bet of 1100 was good. I found AQss UTG and got 1 caller from MP. The flop came 853 and I bet out 1100 and got reraised to 3000 and I folded.
I was down to around 9600 or so and we went to 300-600 50 (level 6). I raised in EP with QJss to 1350 and got 2 callers behind. The flop came AAT and I c-bet 1525 (figuring that I would win if no one had an A). One guy called and another raised and I folded and was down to around 6k. I then caught a nice break which lead me on the right path. I pushed 6200 all in from UTG +1 with KQo and a guy repushed to iso me. He showed AQo and I was able to spike a K on the flop and double up to 14k or so. I was in the SB and Marc Karam raised the button to 1500. I found KQcc in the SB and decided to push about 12800 (after the BB and antes I was down to this much). He time banked and called and flipped over QTo. The board ran out giving me a flush and I doubled up again to around 26k through the great Marc Karam. Two hands later, Marc Karam raised to 1525 from the hijack and I found 99 from the cutoff and reraised to 3700. He called and the flop came Q94. He checked and I bet out 4000, he thought for awhile and said “I guess that I am going to have to call it an early day” an moves all in for about 10k total. I called and he showed. . .QT again and I faded his runner runner and took his 30k or so in chips in 2 hands AND I knocked him out! What a turn of events. I was up to 38.5k after this set of hands. I raised UTG with KQo to 1350 and someone reraised me and I folded. I then raised in MP to 1350 with JThh and it folded to the BB who reraised me and I folded and he showed QQ. I was down to around 35k or so and we went on break soon. At the 2nd break, I was at 34475.
We came back at level 7 (400-800 75). A guy limped UTG and the guy behind him made it 3200, the guy behind him called and I found 99. I decided to just fold here and I didn’t make my set anyways. There was one limper to me in the hijack and I made it 1925 with KJo and everyone folded. Then a hand that made me pretty sick happened. There were 2 limpers and I made it 1925 from the cutoff with KQo. The BB moved all in for about 10500 and the limpers folded. I thought for a while and finally decided to call and the d-bag showed me A4. A4. . .WTF man I raise 2 limpers and you push with A4 there so terrible (this was the same kid who knocked me out of a previous tournament with AT vs my QJ when he made a flush on the river). I flopped a Q but he turned an A and wont he pot and I was down to 25k (A4 WTF. . .BTW this kid ended up bubbling and I was really really happy to see that). I raised UTG with AJo to 1925 and it folded to the BB who pushed about 20k. I folded and was down to 22k. A guy raised in MP to 3200 and I found AA on the button and decided to trap by just calling. The flop came Q93 and he checked and I bet out 3500 and he folded.
I was up to 25100 and we went to level 8 (600-1200 100). I raised in EP to 2700 with J6o and Jean Gaspard was the only caller from the SB. The flop came AJ8 and he checked and I checked behind (because I didn’t want him outplaying me out of a big pot—keep the pot small). The turn came a gin for me in the form of a J. He lead out for 5000 and I thought for a while before deciding to flat call and pray for no A so I could punish him on the river. The river came a dreaded A and he lead out for 5000. I immediately called (it was one of those hands where you’ve gone too far to throw away bottom full house and the bet was so small) and he mucked his hand and I won the pot and was up to over 40k or so. I raised in the cutoff to 2700 with A9o. The BB only had about 7500 to start the hand and flat called my raise. The flop came AKQ and he moved his last 4500 or so in and I instacalled and he showed KT and I held and was up to 47500.
I folded for a couple of orbits, losing blinds and antes and we went up to 800-1600 200 (level 9). I raised UTG with AQhh to 3700 and got 2 callers. The flop came KT7 and I c-bet out 4100 and one of the callers called. We checked to the river on 76 and she bet out 10k on the river and I folded. I was in the BB and it folded to the SB who completed. I was down to 33k or so. I found AQo and put him all in for about 15k or so and he folded and I was back up to 36.5k. I was in the cutoff and the guy in the hijack attempted to go all in but got called for a string bet and they ruled it just a call. I found KK and raised it to 3700. It folded to that guy and he moved all in for 15k or so and I called and he showed AQ. The flop came Q high but no damage was done after that and I was up to 52.5k. I raised in MP with 76o and took down the blinds. Around this time, the level ended and we went to the 3rd break and I had 52000. We came back to play one more level before the dinner break.
We were at level 10, playing 1000-2000 300. I didn’t find much for hands at this level but still tried to maintain my stack. I raised it in EP to 5100 with 62o and took down the blinds. There was one weak player who limped in EP and I found 93o in the cutoff and raised to 5100. He was the only caller and my c-bet on QQ3 was good. I raised in the hijack with 23o and the button called me. I made him for a big hand just flat calling here so when I didn’t hit the Q85 flop, I check/folded. I finished the level at 52000 (again) and we went to dinner.
We came back at level 11 (1.5k-3k 500) and I was getting down there in chips. I tried to get something going as hard as I could. I raised in MP1 to 7000 with K9o and got 2 callers behind. The flop came Q63 and I check/folded. I raised in EP to 7000 with J6o and got a whole 4 callers (including the blinds). I missed the flop and folded and was down to 35.5k and needed some major help. However, I was able to hit an UNREAL rush after this that would absolutely SKYROCKET my chip stack. The same weak limper guy (from the 93 hand) limped UTG and I found KJo in MP. I almost just shoved here but thought against it, not because I was afraid of him limping with a big hand but because I knew that I could win the pot from him easily if he didn’t hit his hand and I thought he might call me with a weak A or a pair here so I could just force his hand on the flop. I made it 7000 and everyone folded to him and he called. The flop came 983 and he checked to me and I c-bet 7500 and he instantly folded. This hand increased my stack to 50k or so. Next hand, I found AKo in MP and raised it to 7000. Jean Gaspard (who was now sitting immediately on my left after a table change) moved all in for 30k or so and it folded back to me and I called and he flipped over 55 and I was able to flop an A and have it hold and win the race. Amazing, I knocked out 2 decently known pros in the same tournament. Pretty cool experience. I was all of the sudden up to 96k after this pot (average was around 70k so I was nicely above average). However, my rush wasn’t over quite yet as I got involved in a GIGANTIC and unreal pot.
This pot had to be one of the highlights of my poker career. I was in the BB and this huge donk (I mean, he was just awful, just terrible) raised it in EP to 7000. The guy on the button called, the SB called and I looked down at 22 in the BB and said a little “one time” prayer before calling. Low and behold, in the door I saw a beautiful 2. The flop completed 962 with 2 diamonds. The SB checked, I checked, the raiser went all in for about 120k and the button called all in for around 105k!!!! The SB folded and I went all in as fast as I fn could for my 90k or so. The donk flipped over KTdd for a flush draw and the button showed QQ (he was trying to trap the donk because the donk kept raising and going all in on the flop for way to much money, just like this). I was way ahead and the board ran out KT, giving the donk a no good 2 pair and missing his flush and missing the 2 out Q and shipping me the absurdly big pot. Right after this hand, our table broke (it took me a good 2 minutes to stack the chips I won before I moved to the new table) and I was up to 271k with the average being only 70k (I was probably chip leader of the tournament at this point). I moved to the new table and there were 4 tables (40 people) left.
Around this time, we went to level 12 (2k-4k 500). At the new table, I started stealing the blinds often and with little resistance I had worked my 271k to around 295k. I opened again to 9500 with KJo in MP and the button called my raise. The flop came KQ7 and I checked to him and he moved all in for 40k or so and I called and he showed AQo and the board ran out xQ, giving him a fortunate river and sending me back down to 230k. I was in the SB and it folded to me and I raised again to 9500 with Q4o and the BB pushed and I folded. A guy raised in EP to 12k and I found AcQx in the cutoff and reraised him to 28k. He called and the flop came QT7 all clubs, giving me top pair + nut flush draw. He lead out for 22k, I raised him to 47k and he folded and I was back up to 262k. After this hand, our table broke (we were down to 30 players or so) and we went on the 4th break. I was at 262k on the 4th break.
We came back and were at level 13 (3k-6k 1k) and only played about 5 hands of hand for hand before the money bubble broke and we were all in the money! We redrew for the final 3 tables and everything started to go backwards for me. First hand at the new table, I found KJo UTG and raised it to 14k. It folded to the BB and he called. The flop came AJ6 and he bet out 15k, I raised him to 37k, and he called. The turn and river came out blanks and we went check check and he showed A3 for a hand that beat mine. I dropped down to 200k or so on this hand. It folded to me on the button and I found AA. I made it 14k and the SB called me. The flop came J98 and he checked and I c-bet 18k and he called. The turn came a K (which worried me a little) and we both checked. The river came an A, but it completed a runner runner club flush. He bet out 25k and I just called because of flush and straight possibilities and he mucked and I was back up to 265k. I just couldn’t find very many spots for the next couple orbits. The kids in front of me were playing very aggressively and the 3 guys behind me were all short stacked so I couldn’t find spots to reraise or open a pot myself.
I slowly started to blind down and we went to level 14 (4k-8k 1k). I was able to steal the blinds from MP with Q2o once. I found AKss in EP and raised it to 19k and got 2 callers in the blinds. The flop came Q84 and it checked to me and I c-bet 22k and one of them called. We checked to the river on JQ and he lead out on the river and I folded. I was down to 220k or so. I still couldn’t find any steal spots or anything and continued to blind my stack little by little. Around this time, one of the other tables broke and we were down to the final 18 players. I was UTG and found 66 and made it 19k. A guy in MP moved all in for 28k total and the SB called. This sucks because I raised the BB of 8k 11k to 19k and he raised my bet only 9k more so I cannot make a reraise all in to isolate so I just have to call here and throw almost 30k into the pot in a bad spot. The flop did come a harmless looking T83 2 diamonds and the SB checked and I bet 25k just to iso the all in. However, the SB snapped me with a raise to 100k and I had to fold because I know that this is not a play here. The SB showed QTdd (a hand that I could have gotten out of there if I could have repushed) and the all in showed AK (a hand that I would have ended up beating if I would have gotten in there HU vs him). As it was though, I lost nearly 60k on the pot and was down to 160k or so. I wasn’t too worried as I still had 20 bbs or so though.
I folded for an orbit (not because I was playing tight but because I couldn’t find any spots) and lost a small amount of my stack, and all of the sudden, the blinds went up to level 15 (6k-12k 2k) and I was down to 132k! WTF I go from 20 bbs one orbit to just over 10 bbs. Man, just a tough spot—the blinds and antes just really caught up to me all of the sudden. I folded a couple hands but the 2k ante ate at my stack. I was down to 122k and found 95o UTG +1 and thought that this would be as good of a spot as any so I pushed my stack and it folded to the SB who snapped me off with AK. The flop came a beautiful J85 giving me a pair and the lead but the turn came an A, and the river blanked and I was knocked out in 15th.
I won $842 and finished 15/291. It was good and fun to get deep again but it still kind of sucks because once you get that deep, you really just want to win so badly and I guess it just wasn’t in the cards for me this time. Maybe next time it will turn out differently.
In the first level, I didn’t really play that many pots. I raised with Q4o and got 3 callers. The flop came QT2 and I bet out and got 2 callers. The turn came a J and I check/folded. I raised with A4hh from EP and got 2 callers. The flop came KT7 and I c-bet and got raised and folded.
I was down to 11400 and we moved to level 2 (50-100). I raised to 250 with KTo from MP and folded to a reraise. I raised with A9dd UTG to 250 and a lady minraised me to 500. I called and folded on a T86 flop and was down to 10300. I raised to 250 with K2ss in MP and got 3 callers. I folded on a flop that missed me and was down to 9850. I raised with A8hh from LP and folded to a reraise. I was in the SB and completed with Q7 with 3 other players. The flop came Q97 and I bet out 500 and got one caller. The turn came a 3 and I bet out 1000 and the caller folded and showed J8.
I was at 10200 and we went to level 3 (100-200). I raised in EP to 475 with KJo and got called by a LP and a blind. The flop came QT9 and the blind checked and I bet out 550 and they both folded. Next hand, I raised with 77 and got 2 callers and the flop came JTT. I c-bet out 550 and they both folded and I was up to 12300. I raised in EP with 475 to 44 and got one caller behind. The flop came 532 and I c-bet and he folded. It folded to me in the SB and I found TT and made it 475 and the BB called. The flop came 754 and I bet out and he folded. I was up to 13k or so after this. I found 98ss UTG and made it 475 and got 2 callers. The flop came 433 and I check/folded. I was down to 12.5k or so and we took a break soon after, with me having 12475 on the first break.
We came back and played level 4 (100-200 25). I raised a limper with KQo to 525 and everyone folded. Then a streak of 3 goofy hands happened. I was playing pretty tight and I finally decided to raise with 42o to 525 in MP. The guy on the button reraised and I folded and he showed AA. I raised in EP with 89ss and a guy in MP reraised me and I folded and he showed KK. I raised with 64o in LP and the guy in the BB reraised me and I folded and he showed AA This meant that 3 straight times I chose to raise, I got reraised and the guy had AA 2 times and KK once. Kind of sick.
I was down to 9800 or so after this series and the blinds went up to 200-400 25 (level 5). First hand of 200-400, I raised to 950 in EP with T8hh. One of the blinds called and the flop came J54. He checked, I c-bet 1100 and he folded. Next hand I raised in EP with T7o and took the blinds. A couple of hands later, I raised with J8o in LP and won the blinds. I was up to around 14k or so when I got moved to a new table. I sat down and look to my right and who do I see but none other than Marc Karam (2.3 million in career earnings, 2 WPT FTs, 2nd in EPT grand final 2 years ago) and 2 to his right is none other than Jean “Prince” Gaspard (just under 800k in career winnings, won an event at Bellagio Five Diamond 5 days prior, had just busted out of 25k event at bellagio the day before). I sit at the new table and look to get my aggressive image going. I raised the first pot I sat down in MP to 950 with K3o and Jean Gaspard reraised me from the button and I folded. 2 hands later, I raised to 950 UTG +1 with 97dd and Jean Gaspard reraised me again from LP and I folded. I should know better than to go effing around at a table with these pros (ha). A little later, I made it 950 to go in MP with AJo and got called in one spot. The flop came AQ7 and my c-bet of 1100 was good. I found AQss UTG and got 1 caller from MP. The flop came 853 and I bet out 1100 and got reraised to 3000 and I folded.
I was down to around 9600 or so and we went to 300-600 50 (level 6). I raised in EP with QJss to 1350 and got 2 callers behind. The flop came AAT and I c-bet 1525 (figuring that I would win if no one had an A). One guy called and another raised and I folded and was down to around 6k. I then caught a nice break which lead me on the right path. I pushed 6200 all in from UTG +1 with KQo and a guy repushed to iso me. He showed AQo and I was able to spike a K on the flop and double up to 14k or so. I was in the SB and Marc Karam raised the button to 1500. I found KQcc in the SB and decided to push about 12800 (after the BB and antes I was down to this much). He time banked and called and flipped over QTo. The board ran out giving me a flush and I doubled up again to around 26k through the great Marc Karam. Two hands later, Marc Karam raised to 1525 from the hijack and I found 99 from the cutoff and reraised to 3700. He called and the flop came Q94. He checked and I bet out 4000, he thought for awhile and said “I guess that I am going to have to call it an early day” an moves all in for about 10k total. I called and he showed. . .QT again and I faded his runner runner and took his 30k or so in chips in 2 hands AND I knocked him out! What a turn of events. I was up to 38.5k after this set of hands. I raised UTG with KQo to 1350 and someone reraised me and I folded. I then raised in MP to 1350 with JThh and it folded to the BB who reraised me and I folded and he showed QQ. I was down to around 35k or so and we went on break soon. At the 2nd break, I was at 34475.
We came back at level 7 (400-800 75). A guy limped UTG and the guy behind him made it 3200, the guy behind him called and I found 99. I decided to just fold here and I didn’t make my set anyways. There was one limper to me in the hijack and I made it 1925 with KJo and everyone folded. Then a hand that made me pretty sick happened. There were 2 limpers and I made it 1925 from the cutoff with KQo. The BB moved all in for about 10500 and the limpers folded. I thought for a while and finally decided to call and the d-bag showed me A4. A4. . .WTF man I raise 2 limpers and you push with A4 there so terrible (this was the same kid who knocked me out of a previous tournament with AT vs my QJ when he made a flush on the river). I flopped a Q but he turned an A and wont he pot and I was down to 25k (A4 WTF. . .BTW this kid ended up bubbling and I was really really happy to see that). I raised UTG with AJo to 1925 and it folded to the BB who pushed about 20k. I folded and was down to 22k. A guy raised in MP to 3200 and I found AA on the button and decided to trap by just calling. The flop came Q93 and he checked and I bet out 3500 and he folded.
I was up to 25100 and we went to level 8 (600-1200 100). I raised in EP to 2700 with J6o and Jean Gaspard was the only caller from the SB. The flop came AJ8 and he checked and I checked behind (because I didn’t want him outplaying me out of a big pot—keep the pot small). The turn came a gin for me in the form of a J. He lead out for 5000 and I thought for a while before deciding to flat call and pray for no A so I could punish him on the river. The river came a dreaded A and he lead out for 5000. I immediately called (it was one of those hands where you’ve gone too far to throw away bottom full house and the bet was so small) and he mucked his hand and I won the pot and was up to over 40k or so. I raised in the cutoff to 2700 with A9o. The BB only had about 7500 to start the hand and flat called my raise. The flop came AKQ and he moved his last 4500 or so in and I instacalled and he showed KT and I held and was up to 47500.
I folded for a couple of orbits, losing blinds and antes and we went up to 800-1600 200 (level 9). I raised UTG with AQhh to 3700 and got 2 callers. The flop came KT7 and I c-bet out 4100 and one of the callers called. We checked to the river on 76 and she bet out 10k on the river and I folded. I was in the BB and it folded to the SB who completed. I was down to 33k or so. I found AQo and put him all in for about 15k or so and he folded and I was back up to 36.5k. I was in the cutoff and the guy in the hijack attempted to go all in but got called for a string bet and they ruled it just a call. I found KK and raised it to 3700. It folded to that guy and he moved all in for 15k or so and I called and he showed AQ. The flop came Q high but no damage was done after that and I was up to 52.5k. I raised in MP with 76o and took down the blinds. Around this time, the level ended and we went to the 3rd break and I had 52000. We came back to play one more level before the dinner break.
We were at level 10, playing 1000-2000 300. I didn’t find much for hands at this level but still tried to maintain my stack. I raised it in EP to 5100 with 62o and took down the blinds. There was one weak player who limped in EP and I found 93o in the cutoff and raised to 5100. He was the only caller and my c-bet on QQ3 was good. I raised in the hijack with 23o and the button called me. I made him for a big hand just flat calling here so when I didn’t hit the Q85 flop, I check/folded. I finished the level at 52000 (again) and we went to dinner.
We came back at level 11 (1.5k-3k 500) and I was getting down there in chips. I tried to get something going as hard as I could. I raised in MP1 to 7000 with K9o and got 2 callers behind. The flop came Q63 and I check/folded. I raised in EP to 7000 with J6o and got a whole 4 callers (including the blinds). I missed the flop and folded and was down to 35.5k and needed some major help. However, I was able to hit an UNREAL rush after this that would absolutely SKYROCKET my chip stack. The same weak limper guy (from the 93 hand) limped UTG and I found KJo in MP. I almost just shoved here but thought against it, not because I was afraid of him limping with a big hand but because I knew that I could win the pot from him easily if he didn’t hit his hand and I thought he might call me with a weak A or a pair here so I could just force his hand on the flop. I made it 7000 and everyone folded to him and he called. The flop came 983 and he checked to me and I c-bet 7500 and he instantly folded. This hand increased my stack to 50k or so. Next hand, I found AKo in MP and raised it to 7000. Jean Gaspard (who was now sitting immediately on my left after a table change) moved all in for 30k or so and it folded back to me and I called and he flipped over 55 and I was able to flop an A and have it hold and win the race. Amazing, I knocked out 2 decently known pros in the same tournament. Pretty cool experience. I was all of the sudden up to 96k after this pot (average was around 70k so I was nicely above average). However, my rush wasn’t over quite yet as I got involved in a GIGANTIC and unreal pot.
This pot had to be one of the highlights of my poker career. I was in the BB and this huge donk (I mean, he was just awful, just terrible) raised it in EP to 7000. The guy on the button called, the SB called and I looked down at 22 in the BB and said a little “one time” prayer before calling. Low and behold, in the door I saw a beautiful 2. The flop completed 962 with 2 diamonds. The SB checked, I checked, the raiser went all in for about 120k and the button called all in for around 105k!!!! The SB folded and I went all in as fast as I fn could for my 90k or so. The donk flipped over KTdd for a flush draw and the button showed QQ (he was trying to trap the donk because the donk kept raising and going all in on the flop for way to much money, just like this). I was way ahead and the board ran out KT, giving the donk a no good 2 pair and missing his flush and missing the 2 out Q and shipping me the absurdly big pot. Right after this hand, our table broke (it took me a good 2 minutes to stack the chips I won before I moved to the new table) and I was up to 271k with the average being only 70k (I was probably chip leader of the tournament at this point). I moved to the new table and there were 4 tables (40 people) left.
Around this time, we went to level 12 (2k-4k 500). At the new table, I started stealing the blinds often and with little resistance I had worked my 271k to around 295k. I opened again to 9500 with KJo in MP and the button called my raise. The flop came KQ7 and I checked to him and he moved all in for 40k or so and I called and he showed AQo and the board ran out xQ, giving him a fortunate river and sending me back down to 230k. I was in the SB and it folded to me and I raised again to 9500 with Q4o and the BB pushed and I folded. A guy raised in EP to 12k and I found AcQx in the cutoff and reraised him to 28k. He called and the flop came QT7 all clubs, giving me top pair + nut flush draw. He lead out for 22k, I raised him to 47k and he folded and I was back up to 262k. After this hand, our table broke (we were down to 30 players or so) and we went on the 4th break. I was at 262k on the 4th break.
We came back and were at level 13 (3k-6k 1k) and only played about 5 hands of hand for hand before the money bubble broke and we were all in the money! We redrew for the final 3 tables and everything started to go backwards for me. First hand at the new table, I found KJo UTG and raised it to 14k. It folded to the BB and he called. The flop came AJ6 and he bet out 15k, I raised him to 37k, and he called. The turn and river came out blanks and we went check check and he showed A3 for a hand that beat mine. I dropped down to 200k or so on this hand. It folded to me on the button and I found AA. I made it 14k and the SB called me. The flop came J98 and he checked and I c-bet 18k and he called. The turn came a K (which worried me a little) and we both checked. The river came an A, but it completed a runner runner club flush. He bet out 25k and I just called because of flush and straight possibilities and he mucked and I was back up to 265k. I just couldn’t find very many spots for the next couple orbits. The kids in front of me were playing very aggressively and the 3 guys behind me were all short stacked so I couldn’t find spots to reraise or open a pot myself.
I slowly started to blind down and we went to level 14 (4k-8k 1k). I was able to steal the blinds from MP with Q2o once. I found AKss in EP and raised it to 19k and got 2 callers in the blinds. The flop came Q84 and it checked to me and I c-bet 22k and one of them called. We checked to the river on JQ and he lead out on the river and I folded. I was down to 220k or so. I still couldn’t find any steal spots or anything and continued to blind my stack little by little. Around this time, one of the other tables broke and we were down to the final 18 players. I was UTG and found 66 and made it 19k. A guy in MP moved all in for 28k total and the SB called. This sucks because I raised the BB of 8k 11k to 19k and he raised my bet only 9k more so I cannot make a reraise all in to isolate so I just have to call here and throw almost 30k into the pot in a bad spot. The flop did come a harmless looking T83 2 diamonds and the SB checked and I bet 25k just to iso the all in. However, the SB snapped me with a raise to 100k and I had to fold because I know that this is not a play here. The SB showed QTdd (a hand that I could have gotten out of there if I could have repushed) and the all in showed AK (a hand that I would have ended up beating if I would have gotten in there HU vs him). As it was though, I lost nearly 60k on the pot and was down to 160k or so. I wasn’t too worried as I still had 20 bbs or so though.
I folded for an orbit (not because I was playing tight but because I couldn’t find any spots) and lost a small amount of my stack, and all of the sudden, the blinds went up to level 15 (6k-12k 2k) and I was down to 132k! WTF I go from 20 bbs one orbit to just over 10 bbs. Man, just a tough spot—the blinds and antes just really caught up to me all of the sudden. I folded a couple hands but the 2k ante ate at my stack. I was down to 122k and found 95o UTG +1 and thought that this would be as good of a spot as any so I pushed my stack and it folded to the SB who snapped me off with AK. The flop came a beautiful J85 giving me a pair and the lead but the turn came an A, and the river blanked and I was knocked out in 15th.
I won $842 and finished 15/291. It was good and fun to get deep again but it still kind of sucks because once you get that deep, you really just want to win so badly and I guess it just wasn’t in the cards for me this time. Maybe next time it will turn out differently.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Tourney: Venetian April 20th $340 2009 Venetian Deepstack Extravaganza II Event #21 recap
Todays deepstack was a severe disappointment. I just couldn’t get anything going right. In level 1, I raised a lot of pots but never really played anything big. I picked up KK and reraised a raiser of 150 to 525 and he folded. I also picked up JJ and raised and won the pot with a c-bet on the flop. Other than that, I didn’t really have any hands or any big pots.
I was up to 12200 when we went to level 2 (50-100). I raised to 250 in MP with 99 and the button was the only caller. The flop came AQ5 and I c-bet out 325 and he called. The turn came a 9 and I bet out 700 and he folded. However, after this, things really started to go wrong. I raised in EP with A4dd and got 2 callers and the flop came 654. I 2-bet out 300 and got called in both spots and check folded after that (one guy had 78). I called a raise to 300 with 33 from the button but folded when I missed my set. I raised with QThh in MP and got called by a but in the BB. The flop came A62 and he checked and I c-bet and he raised and I folded. I was down to 10400 after this hand. I raised in the hijack to 250 with 99 and the cutoff reraised to 700. I called and the flop came 653. I checked and he bet 1000 and I decided to call just to see what he did on the turn. The turn came a Q and I checked, he bet 3000, and that was good enough for me to fold so I did and he showed AA.
I was down to 8600 after this hand and we went to level 3 (100-200). I raised with K5cc in MP to 475 and the SB was the only caller. The flop came AJ7 and he checked and I bet out 550 and he called. The turn came a 3 and he lead out and I folded and I was down to 7600. I raised in the cutoff with AJo to 475 and the cutoff was the only caller was the BB. The flop came TT5 and he checked and it really looked like he hit the flop so I checked behind. The turn came a 6 and he bet out and I folded. I really really really tightened up after this and I didn’t find anything for a while and it was the 1st break and I was down to 6350 in a really uneventful manner (I don’t even know how I got that low).
We came back to level 4 (100-200 25) and 1st hand, I found QJ from the hijack and made it 525. The button was the only caller and the flop came Q98 1 club. I bet out 650 and he called. The turn came 7c and I checked, he bet out 1200 and I came this close to going all in but I just called. The river came 9c and I checked, he bet 2000 and I called and he showed ATcc for runner runner flush and I was down to 2000 in chips or so. I folded for a couple of hands and was in the BB for 200. There were 4 limpers and I found 84dd (I should have just pushed it here but I checked). The flop came Q64 and it checked around. The turn came a 7 and I went all in for like 1600 and one guy called with 65 and I didn’t hit my river and was out. I wish I would have played this hand differently (pushed pre or on the flop) but alas, I was eliminated in an uneventful fashion. Oh well hopefully tomorrow I turn my luck around.
I was up to 12200 when we went to level 2 (50-100). I raised to 250 in MP with 99 and the button was the only caller. The flop came AQ5 and I c-bet out 325 and he called. The turn came a 9 and I bet out 700 and he folded. However, after this, things really started to go wrong. I raised in EP with A4dd and got 2 callers and the flop came 654. I 2-bet out 300 and got called in both spots and check folded after that (one guy had 78). I called a raise to 300 with 33 from the button but folded when I missed my set. I raised with QThh in MP and got called by a but in the BB. The flop came A62 and he checked and I c-bet and he raised and I folded. I was down to 10400 after this hand. I raised in the hijack to 250 with 99 and the cutoff reraised to 700. I called and the flop came 653. I checked and he bet 1000 and I decided to call just to see what he did on the turn. The turn came a Q and I checked, he bet 3000, and that was good enough for me to fold so I did and he showed AA.
I was down to 8600 after this hand and we went to level 3 (100-200). I raised with K5cc in MP to 475 and the SB was the only caller. The flop came AJ7 and he checked and I bet out 550 and he called. The turn came a 3 and he lead out and I folded and I was down to 7600. I raised in the cutoff with AJo to 475 and the cutoff was the only caller was the BB. The flop came TT5 and he checked and it really looked like he hit the flop so I checked behind. The turn came a 6 and he bet out and I folded. I really really really tightened up after this and I didn’t find anything for a while and it was the 1st break and I was down to 6350 in a really uneventful manner (I don’t even know how I got that low).
We came back to level 4 (100-200 25) and 1st hand, I found QJ from the hijack and made it 525. The button was the only caller and the flop came Q98 1 club. I bet out 650 and he called. The turn came 7c and I checked, he bet out 1200 and I came this close to going all in but I just called. The river came 9c and I checked, he bet 2000 and I called and he showed ATcc for runner runner flush and I was down to 2000 in chips or so. I folded for a couple of hands and was in the BB for 200. There were 4 limpers and I found 84dd (I should have just pushed it here but I checked). The flop came Q64 and it checked around. The turn came a 7 and I went all in for like 1600 and one guy called with 65 and I didn’t hit my river and was out. I wish I would have played this hand differently (pushed pre or on the flop) but alas, I was eliminated in an uneventful fashion. Oh well hopefully tomorrow I turn my luck around.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Cash Game: Caesars Palace April 19th 3:45 PM-1:15 AM
I went to Caesars again, looking to put in a long session to get some hours for the freeroll again. Ill be damned if I didn’t get my big pair/AK backlog to catch up to me today, but this also lead to a hand that will have me talking to myself for a long long time.
First hand of the day, I was in LP with several limpers and I found AKo and raised it up to $15. I got 3 callers and the flop came KT6 2 diamonds. It checked to me and I bet out $25 and got called in one spot. The turn came the Kd, giving me 3 kings but putting a flush on the board. It kind of worried me and he checked so I just checked behind. The river came another T, filling me up and he checked and I bet $30 and he called and mucked when I showed (I doubt that he had flush actually but maybe he did) and I was up to $300 or so after the first hand!
A little later, the same spewy kid from the previous hand raised it to $10 in the cutoff and I was in the BB and found AJhh. I know that I probably shouldn’t be calling here usually but he was pretty easy money and I felt like I might be able to win a good pot off of him so I called. The flop came 9h6h3x giving me 2 overs and a fl draw. I checked and he bet out $20. He only had about $110 on the flop so I raised it to $65, effectively committing myself to the hand. He instawent all in and I instacalled and he showed my Q9 and I was drawing very live. Ill be damned but an A hit the turn and my fl hit the river and I won the pot and was quickly up to $430 less than 15 minutes after I sat down.
I raised to $8 on the button when it folded to me with JTss and folded to a reraise by the BB. A guy in EP raised to $12 and one guy called and I found AKo on the button and called too. The flop came rags and I folded. It then folded to me in the SB and me and the BB chopped and I looked down and found AKcc (bummer but he had 66 so I may still have lost). I raised one limper from the cutoff with 33 to $11 and he was the only caller. My c-bet was good on a flop of A55. I raised in MP to $11 with JTdd and got reraised by one of the blinds and folded. I was up to $425 and I found QQ UTG and made it $15. I got 2 callers and a guy moved all in for $75 total. I reraised to $200 and the callers folded and he showed AA and I didn’t spike anything and was back down to $340. I raised 3 limpers from the cutoff to $16 with KJo. I got 2 caller and the flop came 875 and they checked, I c-bet $22, and he folded. I was back up to $370.
I called a raise to $15 with 66 and there were 3 other callers but I folded on the flop of K52. I made it $11 in MP with T8dd and got 3 callers. The flop came 932 with 2 diamonds, giving me a fl draw. I checked, one of the limpers bet out $15, and I was the only caller. The turn came an 8 and I checked, he bet $25, and I called. The river came a K and it went check/check and my pair of 8s was good enough to win. I was back to $420 after this hand. I raised one limper with ATo and he was the only caller. I c-bet a flop of 922 and it was good. I raised to $11 in EP with KQo and got 2 callers behind me and 2 callers in the blinds. The flop came Q74 with 2 spades and I bet out $25 and got called by one of the blinds. The turn came an offsuit 5 and he checked and I bet $30 and he folded and I was up to $480.
There were 6 limpers to me on the button and I found AsKx and decided to limp behind. The flop came A94 with 2 spades and one of the limpers bet out $10, one called, and I raised it to $35. The bettor called and the other guy folded. The turn came 3s and he checked and I checked behind (I had the A of spades now for the nut flush draw). The river came an offsuit 5 and he bet out $60 and I don’t know at all what he has here but I ultimately decided to call and he showed K2ss for a flush and I was back down to $390. I don’t know for sure what I can even beat on the river here. I probably should fold but the A of spades makes it a call I think because I know he doesn’t have the flush with AsXs. I don’t know, he probably doesn’t lead out here with an A with a worse kicker unless he made 2 pair or a straight on the river so I think that it was probably a bad call.
I raised with AJo to $11 in MP and folded when one of the blinds reraised me. I limped behind a bunch of limpers from the cutoff with 44 and folded on the flop when I missed my set. I then played a HILARIOUS hand with some drunk guy. Ive never seen anything quite like this hand and I was involved. There were a bunch of limpers to me on the button and I decided to limp with 65ss (I know Im not supposed to do this but I limped behind with small suited connectors 2 times in 10 hours today and it paid off both times so that’s kind of comical but still –EV in the long run). The flop came KQJ all spades, giving me a flush. It checked to me and I bet out $10 and it folded to the drunk guy and he started talking to me. He says “I have a monster draw, I have the best draw possible, I need the ten of spades to make a royal flush.” He proceeds to ask the dealer “Is it legal for me to show a card during play?” The dealer doesn’t answer but he shows his cards As5x for the nut flush draw and this makes me laugh. The turn comes another K pairing the board and he checks and I bet $20 and he calls (I know his cards. . .so funny). The river is the funniest part of the hand. The river comes an offsuit 10 giving him a straight. He checks and its such a funny spot here because I know that he made his straight but I know that I have it crushed. I bet out $35 and he decides to call and my flush is good. Its really funny to bet into a guy who you know his hand and you know you have a better hand than him. I was back to $435 or so after this.
A couple hands later I found 32hh in MP and raised a couple of limpers to $15 and got called in 3 spots. The flop came J72 and I fired a $22 c-bet and everyone folded and I was up to $480. I raised an EP limper with JThh and he was the only caller. The flop came AA5 and he lead out for $20 and I folded. I found QQ in the BB with 5 limpers and I raised it to $20. I got one caller and the flop came K54. I checked and he bet $40 and I folded and he showed KQ and I was back down to $420. I raised to $11 in EP with 76hh and both of the blinds called. The flop came A52 and one of the blinds lead out and I folded. I was in the BB and guy in MP minraised it to $6 and it folded to me so I called with 53dd. The flop came Q96 with 2 diamonds and I lead out for $6, he minraised to $12, and I called. The turn came Jd, giving me the flush and I checked and he made a big $35 bet and I just called. The river paired the board with the 9 and I checked and he checked behind and my flush was good. I limped in LP in a family pot with 77 and folded when I didn’t hit a set on the flop.
I was at $450 or so when the hand that will plague me for a while happened. I cannot say how painful it is to write about this but the hand plays itself kind of and little commentary on it is necessary. Its so hard to not slam on the keyboard for a while but I will restrain myself. A tighter older man raised in EP to $15 and got 3 callers to my SB. I looked down and found KK and I reraised it to $80 total. It folded to the raiser and he, pretty quickly, put his remaining $350 all in in the pot. Everyone else folded back to me. I had about $450 at the start of the hand so I had him covered by about $100. I thought for a really really long time and he seemed very confident about his hand. I didn’t think he was a good enough player to go into any psychological reverse tell battle or anything, but I didn’t really find any signs of weakness when I looked at him. By watching his play, he doesn’t make this play with AK, so he either has AA or QQ here. After a while, I decided to fold, giving him credit for AA and he ended up showing QQ. I mean, folding KK PF in a $1-$2 ($3 whatever) NL game is a WTF maneuver, but we were both playing pretty deep at the time. I probably should have called here but I really thought he had to have AA here. When it comes down to it (this hand is pretty much all I have thought about for the last 6 hours or so) is that I was either going to look like a genius or an idiot folded here. If he has AA, I look like a genius and save myself $270. If he has QQ, I look like an idiot and make myself $350. These are pretty much the only 2 hands that will ever play like this and more often than not, the hand he has here is going to be AA as opposed to QQ. This time, he had QQ and I looked like an idiot for folding KK (and losing all of his money). Even if it is maybe a winning play to fold here vs this player in the long run (which I don’t know if it is), it still sucks that I missed my chance at a HUGE pot and all of that money. After this hand, it was really hard for me to focus. I came really close to leaving, but luckily, the poker gods evened things out and smacked me in the face with the deck for a while.
I was down to $350 after this hand. I folded for a while, figuring I would be able to use my tight reputation (I had just folded KK preflop. . .who does that. . .I think my name goes on a 20 person list of folding KK in a $1-$2 ($3 whatever) NL game). There was one limper in EP and I found 52hh in MLP and made it $15. The limper was the only caller and the flop came 952. He bet out $40 on the flop and I put him all in for about $110 total. He called and showed T9 and missed his outs and I was back up to $460. There were a bunch of limpers in my SB and I found 99 and made it $16 and got one caller. The flop cmae KT5 and I bet out $20 and he folded.
I then raised one limper on the button with QQ to $12 and he was the only caller. The flop came J84 2 spades and he bet out $15, I raised to $50, and he folded. I raised in LP with $11 with 98dd and folded to a reraise from a blind. There were several limpers on my BB and I picked up AKo and raised to $15 and got only one caller. The flop came 755 and my c-bet was good. Then another pretty interesting hand came up. A guy limped UTG and I found JJ UTG +1 and made it $15. It folded to him and he made a speech about how “he thinks Im pushing him around” and reraised to $80 total. I ultimately folded my JJ here and he showed just one K. I don’t know if he had it or not but I just don’t know if I should get involved in a pot with JJ here. I mean even if he has AK or KQ I am struggling on the flop, even if it comes all unders and he bets big. I don’t know if this is the right play. Maybe its playing a little scared or whatever, but I know that I can find better spots to get my money in than that.
I was in MP and found AQdd and made it $12 and a guy in LP was the only caller. The flop came QJT and I bet out $15 and he called. The turn came a Q and I checked and he bet out $25 and I called. The river came a 5 and it went check/check and my AQ was good against his KQ (missed value here?). I was up to $550 or so after this. I raised in LP with 64o and the BB was the only caller. The flop came KJ4 and he check folded to my c-bet. There were 2 limpers to me in the cutoff and I found AA and made it $15 and both the limpers called. The flop came 963 and they checked and I c-bet $25 and they folded. I raised it to $11 in MP with 44 and got 2 callers. The flop came 995 and my c-bet of $15 was good.
It folded to the button and she made it $8 and I called with TT in the SB. The flop came 832 and I checked and she checked. The turn came a 9 and I bet out $15 and got called. The river came a Q and it went check check and my TT was good to take down a small pot. I was up to $600 or so after this pot. I raised from the hijack with A8o and the BB was the only caller. The flop came Q52 and my c-bet took it down. I raised with J6hh in the cutoff and both of the blinds called me. The flop came A64 and I folded to a lead out bet. I raised to $11 with 77 in EP and got called in 3 spots. The flop came 952 and I c-bet $22 and a blind was the only caller. The turn came a 4 and the blind lead out for $25. The bet really confused me but I decided to call. The river came an A and the blind checked and I should have bluffed here because it would have worked but I checked behind and she had J9 for a pair higher than mine and I was down to $550.
I found QQ in the SB and raised one limper to $12 and the limper was the only caller. The flop came 952 and I c-bet $15 and she called. The turn came a 7 and I c-bet $20 and she folded. I was in the BB and there was a minraise and 2 callers. I found AQo and tinkered with the idea of raising but just called. The flop came 998 and I took a stab for $12 and got called in multiple spots and folded on the turn. In the cutoff and I found 74dd and, for the 2nd time today, decided to limp behind a bunch of limpers. The flop came Q73 2 spades and it checked to me and I bet out $6. I got called in 2 spots and the turn came 4s, putting a flush on the board but giving me 2 pair. It checked to me and I checked behind. The river came an offsuit 4, filling me up. One of the guys bet out $25 and I raised It to $80 and he called with a flush and I got paid off.
I was up to $600 or so after this and left a little later cashing out with $588, up $388 for the day and with another successful session at Caesars. Too bad thought because it could have been much more successful with 2 words(I call) in the most important pot of the night. Crazy hand, crazy night, good winnings, but could have been a lot better. Never folding KK preflop again. . .ever.
First hand of the day, I was in LP with several limpers and I found AKo and raised it up to $15. I got 3 callers and the flop came KT6 2 diamonds. It checked to me and I bet out $25 and got called in one spot. The turn came the Kd, giving me 3 kings but putting a flush on the board. It kind of worried me and he checked so I just checked behind. The river came another T, filling me up and he checked and I bet $30 and he called and mucked when I showed (I doubt that he had flush actually but maybe he did) and I was up to $300 or so after the first hand!
A little later, the same spewy kid from the previous hand raised it to $10 in the cutoff and I was in the BB and found AJhh. I know that I probably shouldn’t be calling here usually but he was pretty easy money and I felt like I might be able to win a good pot off of him so I called. The flop came 9h6h3x giving me 2 overs and a fl draw. I checked and he bet out $20. He only had about $110 on the flop so I raised it to $65, effectively committing myself to the hand. He instawent all in and I instacalled and he showed my Q9 and I was drawing very live. Ill be damned but an A hit the turn and my fl hit the river and I won the pot and was quickly up to $430 less than 15 minutes after I sat down.
I raised to $8 on the button when it folded to me with JTss and folded to a reraise by the BB. A guy in EP raised to $12 and one guy called and I found AKo on the button and called too. The flop came rags and I folded. It then folded to me in the SB and me and the BB chopped and I looked down and found AKcc (bummer but he had 66 so I may still have lost). I raised one limper from the cutoff with 33 to $11 and he was the only caller. My c-bet was good on a flop of A55. I raised in MP to $11 with JTdd and got reraised by one of the blinds and folded. I was up to $425 and I found QQ UTG and made it $15. I got 2 callers and a guy moved all in for $75 total. I reraised to $200 and the callers folded and he showed AA and I didn’t spike anything and was back down to $340. I raised 3 limpers from the cutoff to $16 with KJo. I got 2 caller and the flop came 875 and they checked, I c-bet $22, and he folded. I was back up to $370.
I called a raise to $15 with 66 and there were 3 other callers but I folded on the flop of K52. I made it $11 in MP with T8dd and got 3 callers. The flop came 932 with 2 diamonds, giving me a fl draw. I checked, one of the limpers bet out $15, and I was the only caller. The turn came an 8 and I checked, he bet $25, and I called. The river came a K and it went check/check and my pair of 8s was good enough to win. I was back to $420 after this hand. I raised one limper with ATo and he was the only caller. I c-bet a flop of 922 and it was good. I raised to $11 in EP with KQo and got 2 callers behind me and 2 callers in the blinds. The flop came Q74 with 2 spades and I bet out $25 and got called by one of the blinds. The turn came an offsuit 5 and he checked and I bet $30 and he folded and I was up to $480.
There were 6 limpers to me on the button and I found AsKx and decided to limp behind. The flop came A94 with 2 spades and one of the limpers bet out $10, one called, and I raised it to $35. The bettor called and the other guy folded. The turn came 3s and he checked and I checked behind (I had the A of spades now for the nut flush draw). The river came an offsuit 5 and he bet out $60 and I don’t know at all what he has here but I ultimately decided to call and he showed K2ss for a flush and I was back down to $390. I don’t know for sure what I can even beat on the river here. I probably should fold but the A of spades makes it a call I think because I know he doesn’t have the flush with AsXs. I don’t know, he probably doesn’t lead out here with an A with a worse kicker unless he made 2 pair or a straight on the river so I think that it was probably a bad call.
I raised with AJo to $11 in MP and folded when one of the blinds reraised me. I limped behind a bunch of limpers from the cutoff with 44 and folded on the flop when I missed my set. I then played a HILARIOUS hand with some drunk guy. Ive never seen anything quite like this hand and I was involved. There were a bunch of limpers to me on the button and I decided to limp with 65ss (I know Im not supposed to do this but I limped behind with small suited connectors 2 times in 10 hours today and it paid off both times so that’s kind of comical but still –EV in the long run). The flop came KQJ all spades, giving me a flush. It checked to me and I bet out $10 and it folded to the drunk guy and he started talking to me. He says “I have a monster draw, I have the best draw possible, I need the ten of spades to make a royal flush.” He proceeds to ask the dealer “Is it legal for me to show a card during play?” The dealer doesn’t answer but he shows his cards As5x for the nut flush draw and this makes me laugh. The turn comes another K pairing the board and he checks and I bet $20 and he calls (I know his cards. . .so funny). The river is the funniest part of the hand. The river comes an offsuit 10 giving him a straight. He checks and its such a funny spot here because I know that he made his straight but I know that I have it crushed. I bet out $35 and he decides to call and my flush is good. Its really funny to bet into a guy who you know his hand and you know you have a better hand than him. I was back to $435 or so after this.
A couple hands later I found 32hh in MP and raised a couple of limpers to $15 and got called in 3 spots. The flop came J72 and I fired a $22 c-bet and everyone folded and I was up to $480. I raised an EP limper with JThh and he was the only caller. The flop came AA5 and he lead out for $20 and I folded. I found QQ in the BB with 5 limpers and I raised it to $20. I got one caller and the flop came K54. I checked and he bet $40 and I folded and he showed KQ and I was back down to $420. I raised to $11 in EP with 76hh and both of the blinds called. The flop came A52 and one of the blinds lead out and I folded. I was in the BB and guy in MP minraised it to $6 and it folded to me so I called with 53dd. The flop came Q96 with 2 diamonds and I lead out for $6, he minraised to $12, and I called. The turn came Jd, giving me the flush and I checked and he made a big $35 bet and I just called. The river paired the board with the 9 and I checked and he checked behind and my flush was good. I limped in LP in a family pot with 77 and folded when I didn’t hit a set on the flop.
I was at $450 or so when the hand that will plague me for a while happened. I cannot say how painful it is to write about this but the hand plays itself kind of and little commentary on it is necessary. Its so hard to not slam on the keyboard for a while but I will restrain myself. A tighter older man raised in EP to $15 and got 3 callers to my SB. I looked down and found KK and I reraised it to $80 total. It folded to the raiser and he, pretty quickly, put his remaining $350 all in in the pot. Everyone else folded back to me. I had about $450 at the start of the hand so I had him covered by about $100. I thought for a really really long time and he seemed very confident about his hand. I didn’t think he was a good enough player to go into any psychological reverse tell battle or anything, but I didn’t really find any signs of weakness when I looked at him. By watching his play, he doesn’t make this play with AK, so he either has AA or QQ here. After a while, I decided to fold, giving him credit for AA and he ended up showing QQ. I mean, folding KK PF in a $1-$2 ($3 whatever) NL game is a WTF maneuver, but we were both playing pretty deep at the time. I probably should have called here but I really thought he had to have AA here. When it comes down to it (this hand is pretty much all I have thought about for the last 6 hours or so) is that I was either going to look like a genius or an idiot folded here. If he has AA, I look like a genius and save myself $270. If he has QQ, I look like an idiot and make myself $350. These are pretty much the only 2 hands that will ever play like this and more often than not, the hand he has here is going to be AA as opposed to QQ. This time, he had QQ and I looked like an idiot for folding KK (and losing all of his money). Even if it is maybe a winning play to fold here vs this player in the long run (which I don’t know if it is), it still sucks that I missed my chance at a HUGE pot and all of that money. After this hand, it was really hard for me to focus. I came really close to leaving, but luckily, the poker gods evened things out and smacked me in the face with the deck for a while.
I was down to $350 after this hand. I folded for a while, figuring I would be able to use my tight reputation (I had just folded KK preflop. . .who does that. . .I think my name goes on a 20 person list of folding KK in a $1-$2 ($3 whatever) NL game). There was one limper in EP and I found 52hh in MLP and made it $15. The limper was the only caller and the flop came 952. He bet out $40 on the flop and I put him all in for about $110 total. He called and showed T9 and missed his outs and I was back up to $460. There were a bunch of limpers in my SB and I found 99 and made it $16 and got one caller. The flop cmae KT5 and I bet out $20 and he folded.
I then raised one limper on the button with QQ to $12 and he was the only caller. The flop came J84 2 spades and he bet out $15, I raised to $50, and he folded. I raised in LP with $11 with 98dd and folded to a reraise from a blind. There were several limpers on my BB and I picked up AKo and raised to $15 and got only one caller. The flop came 755 and my c-bet was good. Then another pretty interesting hand came up. A guy limped UTG and I found JJ UTG +1 and made it $15. It folded to him and he made a speech about how “he thinks Im pushing him around” and reraised to $80 total. I ultimately folded my JJ here and he showed just one K. I don’t know if he had it or not but I just don’t know if I should get involved in a pot with JJ here. I mean even if he has AK or KQ I am struggling on the flop, even if it comes all unders and he bets big. I don’t know if this is the right play. Maybe its playing a little scared or whatever, but I know that I can find better spots to get my money in than that.
I was in MP and found AQdd and made it $12 and a guy in LP was the only caller. The flop came QJT and I bet out $15 and he called. The turn came a Q and I checked and he bet out $25 and I called. The river came a 5 and it went check/check and my AQ was good against his KQ (missed value here?). I was up to $550 or so after this. I raised in LP with 64o and the BB was the only caller. The flop came KJ4 and he check folded to my c-bet. There were 2 limpers to me in the cutoff and I found AA and made it $15 and both the limpers called. The flop came 963 and they checked and I c-bet $25 and they folded. I raised it to $11 in MP with 44 and got 2 callers. The flop came 995 and my c-bet of $15 was good.
It folded to the button and she made it $8 and I called with TT in the SB. The flop came 832 and I checked and she checked. The turn came a 9 and I bet out $15 and got called. The river came a Q and it went check check and my TT was good to take down a small pot. I was up to $600 or so after this pot. I raised from the hijack with A8o and the BB was the only caller. The flop came Q52 and my c-bet took it down. I raised with J6hh in the cutoff and both of the blinds called me. The flop came A64 and I folded to a lead out bet. I raised to $11 with 77 in EP and got called in 3 spots. The flop came 952 and I c-bet $22 and a blind was the only caller. The turn came a 4 and the blind lead out for $25. The bet really confused me but I decided to call. The river came an A and the blind checked and I should have bluffed here because it would have worked but I checked behind and she had J9 for a pair higher than mine and I was down to $550.
I found QQ in the SB and raised one limper to $12 and the limper was the only caller. The flop came 952 and I c-bet $15 and she called. The turn came a 7 and I c-bet $20 and she folded. I was in the BB and there was a minraise and 2 callers. I found AQo and tinkered with the idea of raising but just called. The flop came 998 and I took a stab for $12 and got called in multiple spots and folded on the turn. In the cutoff and I found 74dd and, for the 2nd time today, decided to limp behind a bunch of limpers. The flop came Q73 2 spades and it checked to me and I bet out $6. I got called in 2 spots and the turn came 4s, putting a flush on the board but giving me 2 pair. It checked to me and I checked behind. The river came an offsuit 4, filling me up. One of the guys bet out $25 and I raised It to $80 and he called with a flush and I got paid off.
I was up to $600 or so after this and left a little later cashing out with $588, up $388 for the day and with another successful session at Caesars. Too bad thought because it could have been much more successful with 2 words(I call) in the most important pot of the night. Crazy hand, crazy night, good winnings, but could have been a lot better. Never folding KK preflop again. . .ever.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Cash Game: Caesars Palace April 18th 4:15 PM-3:45 AM
So today, I woke up ready to grind. I knew that the WPT championship was starting today so I headed over to the Bellagio to check out some of the action. I saw a lot of people I recognized and stood next to Barry Greenstein for like 5 minutes so that was cool. After this, I went to Caesars to check out the action there and to see what was going on. They have their WSOP circuit tournaments there and I didn’t realize until today that they had a 10 seat freeroll to the WSOP circuit championship for all players who play 40+ hours so I figured that I had to try it. The grind started today, as I played an extremely long session with the hopes of getting hours and making some money.
First hand I played, I raised in MP to $12 with J9hh and got called by the SB. The flop came K84 and he checked and I c-bet $15 and he called. We checked down a turn/river of K4 and he showed A high which was good. I was down to $167 or so and rebought in for another $40 so I was in for $240. I raised to $17 preflop in EP with KK and got 2 callers (one LP and one blind). The flop came T92 and I bet out $35 and the blind called me. The turn came another 2 and he checked and I checked behind. The river came a 7 and he check/called my $50 bet and mucked when I showed KK and I was up to $315. In my BB, I found A4ss with one limper and the SB. The flop came A74 and I bet out $8 and the limper called. The turn came a 6 and I bet $20, he minraised to $40, and I called. The river came a Q and I check/called his $25 bet and he showed 53o for a straight and I was back down to $240.
I raised a bunch of EP limpers with KQo to $18 and got 3 callers. The flop came QT7 and it checked to me and I bet out $22 and got one caller. The turn came another 7 and he checked and I checked behind. The river came an 8 and he bet out $25 and I called and he showed AQ, crushing me and I was down tot $180. I called a raise of $10 with 6 other callers with 22 but folded when I failed to hit my set. I raised to $12 in EP with AJcc and got 2 callers. I c-bet the Q97 flop and got called in both places and check/folded the turn. I then made it $12 in EP with KQo and got called by only the BB. The flop came Q4Q and he checked and I c-bet $15 and he folded. I was up to $150 and chose to rebuy for $60 more so I was in for $300 total.
With 6 limpers, I checked my option in the BB with K7cc and the flop came 982 all clubs giving me a flush. I bet out $10 and everyone folded. I then found AQo in the SB and just called behind with a bunch of limpers. The J72 flop checked around and the turn came an A and I bet out $8 and got one caller. The turn came a 5 and I bet $10 and he called and my AQ was good. I raised to $10 in LP with JTo and got 3 callers and the flop came 972. It checked around and the turn came a J. One of the callers bet out $27 and I just folded. I made it $15 in MP with QJo and one of the blinds was the only caller. The flop came K98 and he checked and I c-bet and he folded.
I then picked up QQ and made it $15 PF and got 3 callers. The flop came 982 and it checked to me and I bet out $40 and one of the blinds called. The turn cmae a J and he checked and I checked behind. The river came a T, giving me a straight, and the blind bet out $50 and I called and he mucked when I showed my QQ straight. I was back up to $330 after this hand. I raised to $15 in EP with 54hh and got 4 callers and check/folded when I missed the flop. I then was finally able to hit a set in a multiway raised pot. I called a raise to $10 on the button with 88 and 6 other callers. The flop came A82 and it checked to me and I bet $16 and only managed one caller. The turn came a 9 and he checked and I bet out $35 and he folded. WTF I finally hit a set in a pot like this and don’t get any action. . .so gay.
The guy UTG limped and I found ATdd and made it $15 UTG +1 and he was the only caller. The flop came AA6 with 2 spades and he lead out for $25 and I called. The turn came an offsuit J and he lead out for $50 and I just called. The river came the 2s and he checked and I checked behind (flush possibility) and he showed 64 and my AT was good and I was up to $440. There was a straddle and I round KQo in MP and made it $22 and got 2 callers. The flop came 873 2 diamonds and I c-bet out $27 and got one caller. The turn came a 6 and he pushed all in and I folded and he showed T9dd for a made str. I was down to $400 after this hand. I raised in MP with 73ss and got called by only the BB. The flop came A86 and he checked and I c-bet $15 and he called. The turn came a 5 and he lead out for $30 and I folded. I raised to $12 in EP with 66 and got one caller from LP. The flop came 843 and I bet out $15 and the caller raised to $45 and I folded. I was down to $350 or so after this hand.
I raised in EP with KJdd to $12 and the button was the only caller. The flop came K62 and I c-bet $15 and he called. The turn came an A and I checked and he bet out $25 and I didn’t think he would ever show up with an A here so I called. The river came a 9 and I checked and he bet $50. This bet really confused me and I really thought that I had the best hand so I called and he showed 88 and my KJ was good and I was up to $430. I raised in the cutoff to $11 with 89cc and got called by the BB. The flop came T64 and he lead out for $20 and I folded. I called a raise to $10 from the SB with 88 and multiple callers and I check/folded on an A high flop.
I then found AA in MP with a straddle and I made it $30 to go. The straddler was the only caller and The flop came K88 and he checked and I checked behind to trap him. The turn came a 9 and he bet out $35 and I just called to trap. The river came an A and he checked and I bet out $60 and he folded and I didn’t do a good job of trapping. I was up to $450 or so after this hand. I then missed a chance at a big pot. I raised in EP to $12 with 99 and the button called. The BB reraised me to $45 and I decided to just fold. The button called and the flop came 9 high and they got in all in on the flop and the BB had AA so that sucks that I missed that opportunity. I raised to $11 UTG with 33 and folded when it got reraised. I raised the button to $11 when it folded to me with 75hh and the BB called. The flop came K76 and he lead out and I just folded and was down to $425. I raised in MP with T9ss to $15 with limpers and one of the limpers reraised $100 more so I folded.
I picked up 99 in EP and made it $12 and got 3 callers. The flop came AKx and I check folded the flop came was down to $380. I raised to $12 from the SB with 2 limpers and AJo and both of the limpers called. The flop came K75 and I c-bet out and one of the limpers raised and I folded. I called a raise to $10 with 88 and multiple other callers and folded when I missed my set. I raised to $15 in MP and one limper in front with KJhh and the button minraised to $30. The limper cold called the 2 bets so I called too and the flop came AA5 and I folded on the flop. After this, I was down to $300. I raised in EP to $12 with ATo and got called by one guy in LP. The flop came KJT and I checked and he checked behind. The turn came a 4 and I checked and he bet $15 and I called. The river came an 8 and I checked and he bet out $35 and I thought he might be bluffing here so I called and he showed K9 and he wasn’t and I was down to $250.
There were 5-6 limpers to my BB and I found KK and made it $20 to go. One of the limpers called and the flop came T65 and I bet out $25 and he folded and I was back to $270. I raised to $15 in LP with 2 limpers with AJhh and got 3 callers. The flop came 843 with 2 hearts, giving me 2 overs + the nut flush draw. One of the EP callers bet out $25 and I raised it to $60 and everyone else folded but he called. The turn came a 7 and he checked and I really didn’t like this card so I checked behind. The river came a 2 and I missed all my outs and he bet out $110 and I folded and was down to $190.
I then played a really interesting pot. 2 guys limped in EP and a guy raised it to $22 in MP. I was on the button and found TT and just called the raise. The first limper called it and the 2nd limper reraised it $65 more. The original raiser thought for a while and decided to fold and it got to me. I thought that this would be a really really strange way to play a big pair (especially for this particular player) and that he would have raised with any big A or big pair so I really thought that he didn’t have much here and was just squeezing. I decided to go all in (it was for $107 more so like $190 or so total) and the first limper folded and he eventually decided to call and he showed 33 and missed his 2 outer and I was back up to $460 after this pretty crazy preflop action pot. I called a raise to $15 with 77 and there were 4 people in the pot. The flop came J66 and I bet out $22 and everyone else folded.
I raised to $15 in LP with TT and everyone behind me called (4 callers) and the flop came AQ4 and I check/folded. I called a raise to $15 with 33 and folded when I missed my set. I made some back when I raised with 1 limper in LP with ATo to $12 and the BB and the limper called. The flop came 543 and it checked around. The turn came an A and it checked around again. The river came a J and the limper bet out $30 and I called and he showed A9 and my AT was good. I found JJ with one limper in front and made it $17 and he called. The flop came K84 and he checked and I bet and he folded. Next hand, I found TT and made it $17 and a guy in LP and the BB called. The flop came 863 and my c-bet was good to take it down again and I was up to $500 or so.
There were 6 limpers in my BB and I found KQhh. I checked and the flop came Qx9c7c and I checked, one of the limpers bet out $15, another called, and I called as well. The turn came the 6c completing a Fl and str and I decided to jump on this card and bet out $25 and both of the limpers folded. There were 5 limpers and a guy in LP made it $22. I was in the SB and found KK and reraised to $90 and everyone folded. I think that I may have misplayed this hand because the raiser was a really weak player and would have paid me off but I don’t really know. I was up to $550 or so after this hand. I raised in EP with AJo to $12 and folded to a reraise.
It was 3:30 AM by now and I finally was able to make a big hand in a big pot (after all this time). There was one limper ahead and I found 99 in MP and made it $15. 2 guys called behind and so did the limper and the flop came QQ2 2 diamonds. I bet out $22 and the 2 guys behind folded and the limper called. The turn came a 9d, filling a flush and making my full house. He checked and I bet out $40, he minraised to $80 and I decided to just call and pray for a river blank and just punish him. The river came an offsuit 8 (blank one time TY) and he lead out for $75. I raised it to $220 and he thought and said “against any other player at the table I would call but I fold for you” and showed 34dd and folded. Ladkjlasdkjfl;asdfj;alj. I guess Im glad that I got that much value out of a 4 high flush but I really wish he would have called there. Maybe I should have just minraised or raised less on theriver and he probably would have called. Oh well, something to think about. A little later I raised in EP to $12 with 76ss and got called by the BB. The flop came QQ6 and he checked and I bet out $12 and he raised to $25 and I folded and he showed AA. I left shortly after this, cashing out with $762, up $462 for the session, and putting myself back in the black in the cash games which is a good start but Im ready to get going again.
First hand I played, I raised in MP to $12 with J9hh and got called by the SB. The flop came K84 and he checked and I c-bet $15 and he called. We checked down a turn/river of K4 and he showed A high which was good. I was down to $167 or so and rebought in for another $40 so I was in for $240. I raised to $17 preflop in EP with KK and got 2 callers (one LP and one blind). The flop came T92 and I bet out $35 and the blind called me. The turn came another 2 and he checked and I checked behind. The river came a 7 and he check/called my $50 bet and mucked when I showed KK and I was up to $315. In my BB, I found A4ss with one limper and the SB. The flop came A74 and I bet out $8 and the limper called. The turn came a 6 and I bet $20, he minraised to $40, and I called. The river came a Q and I check/called his $25 bet and he showed 53o for a straight and I was back down to $240.
I raised a bunch of EP limpers with KQo to $18 and got 3 callers. The flop came QT7 and it checked to me and I bet out $22 and got one caller. The turn came another 7 and he checked and I checked behind. The river came an 8 and he bet out $25 and I called and he showed AQ, crushing me and I was down tot $180. I called a raise of $10 with 6 other callers with 22 but folded when I failed to hit my set. I raised to $12 in EP with AJcc and got 2 callers. I c-bet the Q97 flop and got called in both places and check/folded the turn. I then made it $12 in EP with KQo and got called by only the BB. The flop came Q4Q and he checked and I c-bet $15 and he folded. I was up to $150 and chose to rebuy for $60 more so I was in for $300 total.
With 6 limpers, I checked my option in the BB with K7cc and the flop came 982 all clubs giving me a flush. I bet out $10 and everyone folded. I then found AQo in the SB and just called behind with a bunch of limpers. The J72 flop checked around and the turn came an A and I bet out $8 and got one caller. The turn came a 5 and I bet $10 and he called and my AQ was good. I raised to $10 in LP with JTo and got 3 callers and the flop came 972. It checked around and the turn came a J. One of the callers bet out $27 and I just folded. I made it $15 in MP with QJo and one of the blinds was the only caller. The flop came K98 and he checked and I c-bet and he folded.
I then picked up QQ and made it $15 PF and got 3 callers. The flop came 982 and it checked to me and I bet out $40 and one of the blinds called. The turn cmae a J and he checked and I checked behind. The river came a T, giving me a straight, and the blind bet out $50 and I called and he mucked when I showed my QQ straight. I was back up to $330 after this hand. I raised to $15 in EP with 54hh and got 4 callers and check/folded when I missed the flop. I then was finally able to hit a set in a multiway raised pot. I called a raise to $10 on the button with 88 and 6 other callers. The flop came A82 and it checked to me and I bet $16 and only managed one caller. The turn came a 9 and he checked and I bet out $35 and he folded. WTF I finally hit a set in a pot like this and don’t get any action. . .so gay.
The guy UTG limped and I found ATdd and made it $15 UTG +1 and he was the only caller. The flop came AA6 with 2 spades and he lead out for $25 and I called. The turn came an offsuit J and he lead out for $50 and I just called. The river came the 2s and he checked and I checked behind (flush possibility) and he showed 64 and my AT was good and I was up to $440. There was a straddle and I round KQo in MP and made it $22 and got 2 callers. The flop came 873 2 diamonds and I c-bet out $27 and got one caller. The turn came a 6 and he pushed all in and I folded and he showed T9dd for a made str. I was down to $400 after this hand. I raised in MP with 73ss and got called by only the BB. The flop came A86 and he checked and I c-bet $15 and he called. The turn came a 5 and he lead out for $30 and I folded. I raised to $12 in EP with 66 and got one caller from LP. The flop came 843 and I bet out $15 and the caller raised to $45 and I folded. I was down to $350 or so after this hand.
I raised in EP with KJdd to $12 and the button was the only caller. The flop came K62 and I c-bet $15 and he called. The turn came an A and I checked and he bet out $25 and I didn’t think he would ever show up with an A here so I called. The river came a 9 and I checked and he bet $50. This bet really confused me and I really thought that I had the best hand so I called and he showed 88 and my KJ was good and I was up to $430. I raised in the cutoff to $11 with 89cc and got called by the BB. The flop came T64 and he lead out for $20 and I folded. I called a raise to $10 from the SB with 88 and multiple callers and I check/folded on an A high flop.
I then found AA in MP with a straddle and I made it $30 to go. The straddler was the only caller and The flop came K88 and he checked and I checked behind to trap him. The turn came a 9 and he bet out $35 and I just called to trap. The river came an A and he checked and I bet out $60 and he folded and I didn’t do a good job of trapping. I was up to $450 or so after this hand. I then missed a chance at a big pot. I raised in EP to $12 with 99 and the button called. The BB reraised me to $45 and I decided to just fold. The button called and the flop came 9 high and they got in all in on the flop and the BB had AA so that sucks that I missed that opportunity. I raised to $11 UTG with 33 and folded when it got reraised. I raised the button to $11 when it folded to me with 75hh and the BB called. The flop came K76 and he lead out and I just folded and was down to $425. I raised in MP with T9ss to $15 with limpers and one of the limpers reraised $100 more so I folded.
I picked up 99 in EP and made it $12 and got 3 callers. The flop came AKx and I check folded the flop came was down to $380. I raised to $12 from the SB with 2 limpers and AJo and both of the limpers called. The flop came K75 and I c-bet out and one of the limpers raised and I folded. I called a raise to $10 with 88 and multiple other callers and folded when I missed my set. I raised to $15 in MP and one limper in front with KJhh and the button minraised to $30. The limper cold called the 2 bets so I called too and the flop came AA5 and I folded on the flop. After this, I was down to $300. I raised in EP to $12 with ATo and got called by one guy in LP. The flop came KJT and I checked and he checked behind. The turn came a 4 and I checked and he bet $15 and I called. The river came an 8 and I checked and he bet out $35 and I thought he might be bluffing here so I called and he showed K9 and he wasn’t and I was down to $250.
There were 5-6 limpers to my BB and I found KK and made it $20 to go. One of the limpers called and the flop came T65 and I bet out $25 and he folded and I was back to $270. I raised to $15 in LP with 2 limpers with AJhh and got 3 callers. The flop came 843 with 2 hearts, giving me 2 overs + the nut flush draw. One of the EP callers bet out $25 and I raised it to $60 and everyone else folded but he called. The turn came a 7 and he checked and I really didn’t like this card so I checked behind. The river came a 2 and I missed all my outs and he bet out $110 and I folded and was down to $190.
I then played a really interesting pot. 2 guys limped in EP and a guy raised it to $22 in MP. I was on the button and found TT and just called the raise. The first limper called it and the 2nd limper reraised it $65 more. The original raiser thought for a while and decided to fold and it got to me. I thought that this would be a really really strange way to play a big pair (especially for this particular player) and that he would have raised with any big A or big pair so I really thought that he didn’t have much here and was just squeezing. I decided to go all in (it was for $107 more so like $190 or so total) and the first limper folded and he eventually decided to call and he showed 33 and missed his 2 outer and I was back up to $460 after this pretty crazy preflop action pot. I called a raise to $15 with 77 and there were 4 people in the pot. The flop came J66 and I bet out $22 and everyone else folded.
I raised to $15 in LP with TT and everyone behind me called (4 callers) and the flop came AQ4 and I check/folded. I called a raise to $15 with 33 and folded when I missed my set. I made some back when I raised with 1 limper in LP with ATo to $12 and the BB and the limper called. The flop came 543 and it checked around. The turn came an A and it checked around again. The river came a J and the limper bet out $30 and I called and he showed A9 and my AT was good. I found JJ with one limper in front and made it $17 and he called. The flop came K84 and he checked and I bet and he folded. Next hand, I found TT and made it $17 and a guy in LP and the BB called. The flop came 863 and my c-bet was good to take it down again and I was up to $500 or so.
There were 6 limpers in my BB and I found KQhh. I checked and the flop came Qx9c7c and I checked, one of the limpers bet out $15, another called, and I called as well. The turn came the 6c completing a Fl and str and I decided to jump on this card and bet out $25 and both of the limpers folded. There were 5 limpers and a guy in LP made it $22. I was in the SB and found KK and reraised to $90 and everyone folded. I think that I may have misplayed this hand because the raiser was a really weak player and would have paid me off but I don’t really know. I was up to $550 or so after this hand. I raised in EP with AJo to $12 and folded to a reraise.
It was 3:30 AM by now and I finally was able to make a big hand in a big pot (after all this time). There was one limper ahead and I found 99 in MP and made it $15. 2 guys called behind and so did the limper and the flop came QQ2 2 diamonds. I bet out $22 and the 2 guys behind folded and the limper called. The turn came a 9d, filling a flush and making my full house. He checked and I bet out $40, he minraised to $80 and I decided to just call and pray for a river blank and just punish him. The river came an offsuit 8 (blank one time TY) and he lead out for $75. I raised it to $220 and he thought and said “against any other player at the table I would call but I fold for you” and showed 34dd and folded. Ladkjlasdkjfl;asdfj;alj. I guess Im glad that I got that much value out of a 4 high flush but I really wish he would have called there. Maybe I should have just minraised or raised less on theriver and he probably would have called. Oh well, something to think about. A little later I raised in EP to $12 with 76ss and got called by the BB. The flop came QQ6 and he checked and I bet out $12 and he raised to $25 and I folded and he showed AA. I left shortly after this, cashing out with $762, up $462 for the session, and putting myself back in the black in the cash games which is a good start but Im ready to get going again.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Tourney: Venetian April 16th $340 2009 Venetian Deepstack Extravaganza II Event #16 recap
I went into todays tournament knowing that I would do better than I did yesterday. I was extremely motivated to do well and felt like I was poised for a deep run. There were 290 players in the tournament and 1st prize was about 27k or so. I came out firing again early on. I started off raising a ton of pots taking control of the table. This table happened to be a little better players than any of my previous tournaments so that part was not good.
Early on, I raised to 125 with Q4cc from EP. I got one caller from the button and the flop came T96. I c-bet out 200 and he called. The turn came an A and I figured that this was a good bluff card for me so I bet out 525. He called and the river came another T and I check folded to his bet. I was down to 10.8k or so after this hand. I was in the SB with 4 limpers and found 99 and made it 200 to go. I got 3 callers and the flop came KJ3 and I check/folded. Next hand, I was in the SB and there were 5 limpers and I found QQ and made it 300. Everyone folded except for the button and the flop came KQJ. I lead out for 525 and he folded. I was back to around 11.5k after this hand.
There were 2 limpers and I raised from the hijack with T7o to 125 and got called by the button, the blinds, and both of the limpers. The flop came KT7 with 2 clubs and the first limper bet out 225 and I raised it to 925. Everyone else folded and he called. The turn came the A and he lead out for 1000. This really confused me but I still thought I had the best hand. I figured that he would be raising PF with AK and that he would fold a hand like AT to my raise on the flop. I figured him for more of an AcXc hand but I still didn’t want to push too hard with bottom 2 pair here so I just called. The river came the 5c and he lead out for 1000 again. I thought that this was an odd play to make with a flush (1000 on turn 1000 on river) especially with the way he bet it out. I figured that it was just too small of bet for me to fold to so I called and he showed QcJc for a turned straight and rivered full house! I was crushed the whole way. I was down to 8800 or so after this hand.
A couple hands later, I made it 125 with AQo. I got 2 callers and the flop came 543. I c-bet 150 on the flop and got called in both spots. I checked down to the river and one of the opponents bet and I folded. I was in the BB with 5 limpers and I found T6o and the flop came 9JQ. It checked around and the turn came the K. I checked and one of the limpers bet out 200 and I was the only caller. The river came the T putting a straight on board and I checked and he bet out 400 and I figured I had to call and he showed A9 for another lucky hand for me. I was downt to 7000 or so after this hand.
I had an eventful 1st level and around this time, we went to level 2 (50-100). There was one limper to me in the cutoff and I found AA and made it 300. The SB called and so did the limper. The flop came AJ7 2 spades and it checked to me and I bet out 650 and the SB called and the other caller folded. The turn came an offsuit Q and he checked and I bet out 1250 and he folded and I was back up to 9500. Soon after, I got involved in a big pot. Everyone folded to me in MP and I made it 250 with 56o and the button called and so did both of the blinds. The flop came 873 2 clubs, giving me a str draw. The blinds checked to me and I bet out 325. The button minraised me to 750 and the blinds folded. While there is a fl draw out there, I still called here because of the minraise. The turn came gin for me as an offsuit 4 came giving me the nuts. I checked to him and he lead out for a large bet of 2500. I figured him for a big hand just because of the minraise on the flop and the big bet on the turn so I thought I would get a call if I just pushed here so I pushed in for around 7500 total and he didn’t take to long to call. He showed 43 for a much smaller hand than I thought he would have but I dodged his outs on the river and doubled up to 17200.
The blinds went up to level 3 (100-200). I tightened up considerably but still found multiple spots to raise less than premium hands (for image). I raised in LP to 475 with K5o and the guy behind me called. The flop came A82 and I c-bet 550 and he called. The turn came a 9 and I checked and folded to his bet. I then raised UTG to 475 with 98cc and got 2 callers behind me. The flop came T84 and I bet out 625 and one of the callers raised me to 1500 and I ended up folding and was back down to around 15k. There was a limper ahead of me and I found A8o in MP and raised to 525. Everyone folded except the limper and the flop came KKJ. He checked and I decided not to c-bet. The turn came a 5 and he bet out and I folded and I was down to 14.4k. I raised with Q9ss and got 2 callers and the flop came A93. I c-bet 600 and got called in one spot. We checked down a board of K8 and he fired on the river and I folded. I then raised to 475 in EP with AQhh and got called in one spot before someone else reraised to 2500. One guy behind him flat called and it got back to me and I decided to folded. We went to the first break shortly after this and I had 13625 on the 1st break.
We came back to 100-200 25 (level 4). I called a raise to 600 with position and 88 and the flop came AK9 and the guy c-bet and I folded and he showed AJ. I raised UTG +1 to 525 with A5hh and got 5 callers. The flop came Q62 with 2 hearts, giving me the nut flush draw. I lead out for 800 and got one caller. The turn came an offsuit 8 and I lead out 1125 and the caller thought for a while before folding and I was up to 16.5k. Unfortunately, this was the climax of my day. I raised UTG with 55 and got reraised to 1400. There was another cold caller and I decided to call too. The flop came 832 and I checked and the reraiser bet out 3000 and I folded. I raised in LP with A9ss but folded to a reraise.
I then ended up on the wrong side of a big pot. There was one limper in front and I raised it in MP to 550 with QThh. One of the blinds and the limper called and the flop came Jx9x2h and the blind checked, the limper bet out 1000. I raised it to 2500, the blind folded, and the limper called. The turn came the 5h giving me a fl draw with my str draw. The limper checked and I bet out 3300 and he called. The river was a blank and he checked and I thought about bluffing all in but it really looked like he was going to call so I just checked and he showed me QJ. I really wish I could have gotten him to fold at some point here because I figured that he would think I had a big hand because, while I raised a lot, I didn’t really put a lot of my chips at risk unless I had a hand. I suppose that’s why I play so many hands preflop though so people don’t give me credit here. Looking back on it, I wish I would have just pushed the turn. I would bet that if I did this, he would have probably folded and it would have been a legitimate play.
Oh well. After this hand I was down to 6500 or so and the blinds went up to 200-400 25. I tightened up a lot and waited for a spot to get a nice double. I blinded down to 5500 or so before I raised it UTG +1 to 950 with A5ss. I got 2 callers (one blind and one behind) and the flop came AKJ. The blind checked and I bet out 1250 and the behind caller folded and the blind put me all in. I only had about 3500 back here and I thought for a really long time. There was one spade on the flop so I had backdoor outs and I thought if he had KJ, I had a decent amount of outs to win. I knew that he didn’t have AJ or AK because he would be reraising me so I thought it likely we might be heading for a split pot. I decided to go with my A5 here and he showed QTo and I was drawing pretty much dead. As I headed out of the room, I got to thinking that I really wish I would have folded here but oh well. I busted out in another early level.
I still feel like I am playing pretty well but making some very poor decisions in big pots. I know that playing like this gives me an advantage over the table but I have to make sure Ill do it right. I will continue to work on my game and I know that good things will come when I play like this.
Early on, I raised to 125 with Q4cc from EP. I got one caller from the button and the flop came T96. I c-bet out 200 and he called. The turn came an A and I figured that this was a good bluff card for me so I bet out 525. He called and the river came another T and I check folded to his bet. I was down to 10.8k or so after this hand. I was in the SB with 4 limpers and found 99 and made it 200 to go. I got 3 callers and the flop came KJ3 and I check/folded. Next hand, I was in the SB and there were 5 limpers and I found QQ and made it 300. Everyone folded except for the button and the flop came KQJ. I lead out for 525 and he folded. I was back to around 11.5k after this hand.
There were 2 limpers and I raised from the hijack with T7o to 125 and got called by the button, the blinds, and both of the limpers. The flop came KT7 with 2 clubs and the first limper bet out 225 and I raised it to 925. Everyone else folded and he called. The turn came the A and he lead out for 1000. This really confused me but I still thought I had the best hand. I figured that he would be raising PF with AK and that he would fold a hand like AT to my raise on the flop. I figured him for more of an AcXc hand but I still didn’t want to push too hard with bottom 2 pair here so I just called. The river came the 5c and he lead out for 1000 again. I thought that this was an odd play to make with a flush (1000 on turn 1000 on river) especially with the way he bet it out. I figured that it was just too small of bet for me to fold to so I called and he showed QcJc for a turned straight and rivered full house! I was crushed the whole way. I was down to 8800 or so after this hand.
A couple hands later, I made it 125 with AQo. I got 2 callers and the flop came 543. I c-bet 150 on the flop and got called in both spots. I checked down to the river and one of the opponents bet and I folded. I was in the BB with 5 limpers and I found T6o and the flop came 9JQ. It checked around and the turn came the K. I checked and one of the limpers bet out 200 and I was the only caller. The river came the T putting a straight on board and I checked and he bet out 400 and I figured I had to call and he showed A9 for another lucky hand for me. I was downt to 7000 or so after this hand.
I had an eventful 1st level and around this time, we went to level 2 (50-100). There was one limper to me in the cutoff and I found AA and made it 300. The SB called and so did the limper. The flop came AJ7 2 spades and it checked to me and I bet out 650 and the SB called and the other caller folded. The turn came an offsuit Q and he checked and I bet out 1250 and he folded and I was back up to 9500. Soon after, I got involved in a big pot. Everyone folded to me in MP and I made it 250 with 56o and the button called and so did both of the blinds. The flop came 873 2 clubs, giving me a str draw. The blinds checked to me and I bet out 325. The button minraised me to 750 and the blinds folded. While there is a fl draw out there, I still called here because of the minraise. The turn came gin for me as an offsuit 4 came giving me the nuts. I checked to him and he lead out for a large bet of 2500. I figured him for a big hand just because of the minraise on the flop and the big bet on the turn so I thought I would get a call if I just pushed here so I pushed in for around 7500 total and he didn’t take to long to call. He showed 43 for a much smaller hand than I thought he would have but I dodged his outs on the river and doubled up to 17200.
The blinds went up to level 3 (100-200). I tightened up considerably but still found multiple spots to raise less than premium hands (for image). I raised in LP to 475 with K5o and the guy behind me called. The flop came A82 and I c-bet 550 and he called. The turn came a 9 and I checked and folded to his bet. I then raised UTG to 475 with 98cc and got 2 callers behind me. The flop came T84 and I bet out 625 and one of the callers raised me to 1500 and I ended up folding and was back down to around 15k. There was a limper ahead of me and I found A8o in MP and raised to 525. Everyone folded except the limper and the flop came KKJ. He checked and I decided not to c-bet. The turn came a 5 and he bet out and I folded and I was down to 14.4k. I raised with Q9ss and got 2 callers and the flop came A93. I c-bet 600 and got called in one spot. We checked down a board of K8 and he fired on the river and I folded. I then raised to 475 in EP with AQhh and got called in one spot before someone else reraised to 2500. One guy behind him flat called and it got back to me and I decided to folded. We went to the first break shortly after this and I had 13625 on the 1st break.
We came back to 100-200 25 (level 4). I called a raise to 600 with position and 88 and the flop came AK9 and the guy c-bet and I folded and he showed AJ. I raised UTG +1 to 525 with A5hh and got 5 callers. The flop came Q62 with 2 hearts, giving me the nut flush draw. I lead out for 800 and got one caller. The turn came an offsuit 8 and I lead out 1125 and the caller thought for a while before folding and I was up to 16.5k. Unfortunately, this was the climax of my day. I raised UTG with 55 and got reraised to 1400. There was another cold caller and I decided to call too. The flop came 832 and I checked and the reraiser bet out 3000 and I folded. I raised in LP with A9ss but folded to a reraise.
I then ended up on the wrong side of a big pot. There was one limper in front and I raised it in MP to 550 with QThh. One of the blinds and the limper called and the flop came Jx9x2h and the blind checked, the limper bet out 1000. I raised it to 2500, the blind folded, and the limper called. The turn came the 5h giving me a fl draw with my str draw. The limper checked and I bet out 3300 and he called. The river was a blank and he checked and I thought about bluffing all in but it really looked like he was going to call so I just checked and he showed me QJ. I really wish I could have gotten him to fold at some point here because I figured that he would think I had a big hand because, while I raised a lot, I didn’t really put a lot of my chips at risk unless I had a hand. I suppose that’s why I play so many hands preflop though so people don’t give me credit here. Looking back on it, I wish I would have just pushed the turn. I would bet that if I did this, he would have probably folded and it would have been a legitimate play.
Oh well. After this hand I was down to 6500 or so and the blinds went up to 200-400 25. I tightened up a lot and waited for a spot to get a nice double. I blinded down to 5500 or so before I raised it UTG +1 to 950 with A5ss. I got 2 callers (one blind and one behind) and the flop came AKJ. The blind checked and I bet out 1250 and the behind caller folded and the blind put me all in. I only had about 3500 back here and I thought for a really long time. There was one spade on the flop so I had backdoor outs and I thought if he had KJ, I had a decent amount of outs to win. I knew that he didn’t have AJ or AK because he would be reraising me so I thought it likely we might be heading for a split pot. I decided to go with my A5 here and he showed QTo and I was drawing pretty much dead. As I headed out of the room, I got to thinking that I really wish I would have folded here but oh well. I busted out in another early level.
I still feel like I am playing pretty well but making some very poor decisions in big pots. I know that playing like this gives me an advantage over the table but I have to make sure Ill do it right. I will continue to work on my game and I know that good things will come when I play like this.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Tourney: Binions April 15th $125 6 PM nightly recap
After the disaster at the Venetian, I had enough time to recoup and me and Sean decided that we were going to play in the nightly Binions tournament at 6 PM. I had played in this tournament before and it has a good structure and terrible terrible players so with a little luck, I would be able to get far. Also, since Sean was playing, we swapped 20% of each other so that would be good for business. This was a weird structure with the first 3 levels being 20 minutes but every level after that was 30 minute levels.
For the first hour, I raised so many hands it was ridiculous. Of the first 20 hands, I was in the blinds for 4, and I raised 14 of the other 16. The funny thing is, I hardly got anyone to play back at me. I raised UTG with Q4ss and got the 2 blinds to call. The flop came QQ6 and it checked to me and I bet out 150 and the BB called. The turn came another Q and the BB bet out 300 and I raised to 1000 and he folded. I then raised in MP to 125 with 5h9x and the button minraised me to 250. He got called in one spot and I called as well. The flop came 678 all hearts and the first caller bet out 150, I raised to 525, the button called and so did the first caller. The turn came an offsuit K and the caller checked, I bet out 800, the button called, and so did the first caller. The river came the Kh and everyone checked and no one was calling with a heart! LOL. These guys play so bad. The button had AA and the first caller had 78 so I guess they had legit hands but honestly, my table was so bad. I picked up KQss and raised and got 2 callers and the flop came Q32. It checked to me and I bet and got called in one spot. The turn came another 2 and he checked and I bet again and he called. The river came a 5 and he check/folded to my bet.
Another interesting hand, I raised with JTo and got called in 4 spots. The flop came J87 and it checked to me and I bet out 225. The guy behind me raised it to 500 and everyone else folded and I called. The turn came another J and I checked and he bet out 1000 and I decided that I was probably beat here (no one had raised any of my bets all night) so I folded. Another hand I raised with JTss and the flop came Jx8s5x. I checked and one guy bet out 300 and another guy called and I called too. The turn came 9s giving me a str flush draw and I checked, the guy bet 500, the other guy called, and I called. The river came another 9 and I checked, the bettor checked, and the caller bet out 800. I folded and the bettor called and the caller had A high and the bettor had J4 (and I folded the best hand LOL). Anyways I steamrolled through the table for levels 1 (25-50), 2 (50-100), and 3 (100-200) and we went to the first break and I had 14800.
We came back and played 100-200 25 (level 4). I tightened up a little but still stole the blinds up a couple times. Finally, I found myself involved in a big pot. I raised to 525 in EP with 84o, the button called, and so did the BB. The flop came 9c6x4c the BB checked, I c-bet 625, the button folded and the BB called. The turn came an offsuit 8, giving me 2 pair. The BB checked, I bet 1625 and the BB INSTANTLY went all in. I thought for a long time and eventually asked for a count. He had about 4600 more. I was getting pretty decent odds but I was thinking I was worried about a set. I thought that he might also have a fl draw or even a bare 9. The more I thought, the more I thought a set was unlikely because he would have raised me on the flop with a Fl draw on board. I was still a little worried but after looking at him for a couple of minutes, I realized that he wasn’t that strong and I finally decided to call. He flipped over T8cc for a pair, str draw, and fl draw and I needed to avoid a large amount of outs on the river. Unfortunately, the river came a T and I was knocked down to 6700.
Things got much worse extremely fast. Next hand I picked up A9o UTG +1 and I raised it to 550. The button called and so did the BB. The flop came J84 and the BB checked, I c-bet out 725, the button folded, and the BB called. The turn came a K and he checked and I checked behind. The river came a 9 and he checked. I thought that I had the best hand and I thought about a value bet but I just decided to check and the BB showed KT for a WTF flop call and I was down to 5600 (god this hand is so much sicker than the big pot even. . .calling on the flop with K high no draws).
After this hand, the blinds went up to level 5 (200-400 25) and next hand, I found AKo UTG and raised it to 975. I got called in 2 spots and I check/folded a terrible looking T98 flop and I was down to 4600 or so (sick set of 3 hands in a row). I decided to tighten a LOT and just wait for a spot to put my chips in. A couple orbits later, I found a spot. It folded to me in the cutoff and I went all in for 4000 with 73o. It folded to the BB and he called for less (he only had about 3500) with KTcc. To be truthful, I didn’t realize that the BB had so few chips or else I wouldn’t have made this play, but I got in with live cards and the board ran out A2574 and I crushed his KT and was back up to 7600.
After this, my table broke and we went to level 6 (300-600 50). I ended up sitting right next to Sean at the next table and didn’t really do much in level 6. I pushed a couple times to maintain but by the end of the level, I was down to 5500 at the 2nd break. We came back and I was incredibly short stacked at 400-800 100. First hand from break, I was UTG and found K4 and folded because there was a guy with 1500 chips and I didn’t want to get involved. 2nd hand after break, I was in the BB and there was a raise and 3 callers so I folded. 3rd hand after break, I was in the SB and had 4500 after the blind and ante. There were 3 limpers + the BB so there was already 4400 in the pot by the time it got to me (800x4=3200+800(antes)=4000+400(SB)=4400) so it doesn’t really matter what I have because if I push and get called, I am getting 2 to 1 on my money and since I know that no one has an overpair, I will not be a 2 to 1 dog no matter what. I found J3dd and pushed. The first limper called (which I thought he would, I hoped he had a hand like AT and his call would drive out pairs like 44 and 55 behind him) but he showed 88 instead and I didn’t win the race vs his hand and I was eliminated.
Sean had a little better luck in the tournament, finishing 2nd out of 29 players (he was a big chip leader HU but lost 2 massive pots A9 vs Q2 and A2 vs KQ AIPF to lose the tournament) and won $720. I got 20% of his winnings so I got $120 back and technically only lost $5 with the tournament
For the first hour, I raised so many hands it was ridiculous. Of the first 20 hands, I was in the blinds for 4, and I raised 14 of the other 16. The funny thing is, I hardly got anyone to play back at me. I raised UTG with Q4ss and got the 2 blinds to call. The flop came QQ6 and it checked to me and I bet out 150 and the BB called. The turn came another Q and the BB bet out 300 and I raised to 1000 and he folded. I then raised in MP to 125 with 5h9x and the button minraised me to 250. He got called in one spot and I called as well. The flop came 678 all hearts and the first caller bet out 150, I raised to 525, the button called and so did the first caller. The turn came an offsuit K and the caller checked, I bet out 800, the button called, and so did the first caller. The river came the Kh and everyone checked and no one was calling with a heart! LOL. These guys play so bad. The button had AA and the first caller had 78 so I guess they had legit hands but honestly, my table was so bad. I picked up KQss and raised and got 2 callers and the flop came Q32. It checked to me and I bet and got called in one spot. The turn came another 2 and he checked and I bet again and he called. The river came a 5 and he check/folded to my bet.
Another interesting hand, I raised with JTo and got called in 4 spots. The flop came J87 and it checked to me and I bet out 225. The guy behind me raised it to 500 and everyone else folded and I called. The turn came another J and I checked and he bet out 1000 and I decided that I was probably beat here (no one had raised any of my bets all night) so I folded. Another hand I raised with JTss and the flop came Jx8s5x. I checked and one guy bet out 300 and another guy called and I called too. The turn came 9s giving me a str flush draw and I checked, the guy bet 500, the other guy called, and I called. The river came another 9 and I checked, the bettor checked, and the caller bet out 800. I folded and the bettor called and the caller had A high and the bettor had J4 (and I folded the best hand LOL). Anyways I steamrolled through the table for levels 1 (25-50), 2 (50-100), and 3 (100-200) and we went to the first break and I had 14800.
We came back and played 100-200 25 (level 4). I tightened up a little but still stole the blinds up a couple times. Finally, I found myself involved in a big pot. I raised to 525 in EP with 84o, the button called, and so did the BB. The flop came 9c6x4c the BB checked, I c-bet 625, the button folded and the BB called. The turn came an offsuit 8, giving me 2 pair. The BB checked, I bet 1625 and the BB INSTANTLY went all in. I thought for a long time and eventually asked for a count. He had about 4600 more. I was getting pretty decent odds but I was thinking I was worried about a set. I thought that he might also have a fl draw or even a bare 9. The more I thought, the more I thought a set was unlikely because he would have raised me on the flop with a Fl draw on board. I was still a little worried but after looking at him for a couple of minutes, I realized that he wasn’t that strong and I finally decided to call. He flipped over T8cc for a pair, str draw, and fl draw and I needed to avoid a large amount of outs on the river. Unfortunately, the river came a T and I was knocked down to 6700.
Things got much worse extremely fast. Next hand I picked up A9o UTG +1 and I raised it to 550. The button called and so did the BB. The flop came J84 and the BB checked, I c-bet out 725, the button folded, and the BB called. The turn came a K and he checked and I checked behind. The river came a 9 and he checked. I thought that I had the best hand and I thought about a value bet but I just decided to check and the BB showed KT for a WTF flop call and I was down to 5600 (god this hand is so much sicker than the big pot even. . .calling on the flop with K high no draws).
After this hand, the blinds went up to level 5 (200-400 25) and next hand, I found AKo UTG and raised it to 975. I got called in 2 spots and I check/folded a terrible looking T98 flop and I was down to 4600 or so (sick set of 3 hands in a row). I decided to tighten a LOT and just wait for a spot to put my chips in. A couple orbits later, I found a spot. It folded to me in the cutoff and I went all in for 4000 with 73o. It folded to the BB and he called for less (he only had about 3500) with KTcc. To be truthful, I didn’t realize that the BB had so few chips or else I wouldn’t have made this play, but I got in with live cards and the board ran out A2574 and I crushed his KT and was back up to 7600.
After this, my table broke and we went to level 6 (300-600 50). I ended up sitting right next to Sean at the next table and didn’t really do much in level 6. I pushed a couple times to maintain but by the end of the level, I was down to 5500 at the 2nd break. We came back and I was incredibly short stacked at 400-800 100. First hand from break, I was UTG and found K4 and folded because there was a guy with 1500 chips and I didn’t want to get involved. 2nd hand after break, I was in the BB and there was a raise and 3 callers so I folded. 3rd hand after break, I was in the SB and had 4500 after the blind and ante. There were 3 limpers + the BB so there was already 4400 in the pot by the time it got to me (800x4=3200+800(antes)=4000+400(SB)=4400) so it doesn’t really matter what I have because if I push and get called, I am getting 2 to 1 on my money and since I know that no one has an overpair, I will not be a 2 to 1 dog no matter what. I found J3dd and pushed. The first limper called (which I thought he would, I hoped he had a hand like AT and his call would drive out pairs like 44 and 55 behind him) but he showed 88 instead and I didn’t win the race vs his hand and I was eliminated.
Sean had a little better luck in the tournament, finishing 2nd out of 29 players (he was a big chip leader HU but lost 2 massive pots A9 vs Q2 and A2 vs KQ AIPF to lose the tournament) and won $720. I got 20% of his winnings so I got $120 back and technically only lost $5 with the tournament
Tourney: Venetian April 15th $340 2009 Venetian Deepstack Extravaganza II Event #15 recap
Todays event started off good enough. First of all, when I went to buy in, there was someone there who had just won a satellite and sold me $305 in tournament dollars for $300 so I was only in for $335 dollars as opposed to the standard $340. However, things quickly went sour. I do not know how many people there were or the prize pool because I think I set some sort of record for the quickest elimination in Deepstack history.
I knew that things would go bad when, first hand, I raised UTG without looking at my cards, everyone folded around, and I looked down and found AA. Gross way to start a tournament. I raised in EP with K9hh and got called in 3 spots. The flop came K53 and one of the callers lead out for 200 and I called. The turn came a 3 and he lead out for 200 more and I called. The river came a 2 and he bet 200 and I had to call here and he showed KT and I was down to 11k or so.
Then, the first disaster of a hand came up. I was in the BB with 2 limpers + the SB and found AJhh. I decided to check and the flop came Jd7d2s. The SB bet out 150 and I raised it to 525 and one of the limpers called. I figured him for a flush draw at this point. The turn came an A giving me top 2 pair. I bet out 750, he raised to 2750, and he only had like 7k total at this point so I put him all in and he instacalled and showed A2dd for 2 pair + fl draw. I was in good shape until the turn hit the 5d and I was knocked down to 3500 or so.
2 hands later, A guy raised to 150 in EP and I found 99 in MP and called. A guy behind me called and the BB raised to 600. I was the only caller and the flop came T43. The BB bet out 1025 and I called to see what he would do on the turn. The turn came another 3 and he bet out 2100, which was all of the chips I had left. I knew that I was beat here but for some reason, I decided to waste my chips and just call them off here like an IDIOT. Im so furious at myself for this play but I guess I have to live and learn from my mistakes. He had QQ and I couldn’t hit my miracle river and I was eliminated, exactly 24 minutes into the tournament. 24 minutes, 240 big blinds, and $335 later it was a bad bad tournament.
I knew that things would go bad when, first hand, I raised UTG without looking at my cards, everyone folded around, and I looked down and found AA. Gross way to start a tournament. I raised in EP with K9hh and got called in 3 spots. The flop came K53 and one of the callers lead out for 200 and I called. The turn came a 3 and he lead out for 200 more and I called. The river came a 2 and he bet 200 and I had to call here and he showed KT and I was down to 11k or so.
Then, the first disaster of a hand came up. I was in the BB with 2 limpers + the SB and found AJhh. I decided to check and the flop came Jd7d2s. The SB bet out 150 and I raised it to 525 and one of the limpers called. I figured him for a flush draw at this point. The turn came an A giving me top 2 pair. I bet out 750, he raised to 2750, and he only had like 7k total at this point so I put him all in and he instacalled and showed A2dd for 2 pair + fl draw. I was in good shape until the turn hit the 5d and I was knocked down to 3500 or so.
2 hands later, A guy raised to 150 in EP and I found 99 in MP and called. A guy behind me called and the BB raised to 600. I was the only caller and the flop came T43. The BB bet out 1025 and I called to see what he would do on the turn. The turn came another 3 and he bet out 2100, which was all of the chips I had left. I knew that I was beat here but for some reason, I decided to waste my chips and just call them off here like an IDIOT. Im so furious at myself for this play but I guess I have to live and learn from my mistakes. He had QQ and I couldn’t hit my miracle river and I was eliminated, exactly 24 minutes into the tournament. 24 minutes, 240 big blinds, and $335 later it was a bad bad tournament.
Tourney: Venetian April 14th $340 2009 Venetian Deepstack Extravaganza II Event #14 recap
Todays tournament was a little bigger, with around 270 players first place was worth around 25k. I went into todays tournament planning on playing hyper aggressive early on again to build my image and then getting paid off in the big pots when I make hands.
The first 2 levels kind of all blended together. I played a TON of pots and was able to steal on a lot of flops after I missed. I did make some hands. I won a small pot when I raised with AJo in EP and I bet the A92 flop and got called in one spot. The turn came a J and I bet out again and he folded. I was able to win a funny pot. I raised in MP to 125 with 23o and got called by a guy in LP and a guy in the BB. The flop came 459 and I checked it around. The turn came a K and the BB checked, I bet 150 and both guys called. The river came a 6, giving me a straight. The BB bet out 500 and I raised to 2000 and the LP guy folded and the BB called and my straight was good and I was up to 14.5k or so. I split a couple of decent sized pots with AKdd vs AKhh on an A high flop and another with A9o vs A9o on an A high flop.
I peaked at the 14.5k in the first 2 levels and dropped to about 12.8k by the time we went to level 3 (100-200). I raised to 475 with K7o in MP and got called by an EP limper and a LP guy. The flop came JT2 with 2 hearts and I bet out 625 on the flop. The first guy folded and the next guy called. The turn came the A hearts and he checked. I thought that this would be a perfect bluff card for me if he had a J or a T so I bet out 1450 and he called. The river came a blank and he lead out for 4000 and I folded and he showed KQ for the straight. I was down to 9k or so after this hand. A littler later, I raised UTG to 475 with T7cc and got called by one guy behind me. I c-bet a flop of 942 and he called and I check folded a Q on the turn. I was down to 8300 or so after this hand and went to the 1st break with this much (8300).
After the break, we came back to level 4 (100-200 25). I raised with 27o in MP to 525 and got called by a guy in LP and the BB. The flop came T42 and I c-bet 625 and the LP guy raised me and I folded and I was down to 7k or so. I then was able to get very lucky in a hand (I shouldn’t have to do this playing the way im playing but whatever, maybe Im playing poorly but I feel very in control of the game). I raised UTG+1 with KQo and the person behind me called and so did the cutoff. The flop came Q52 with 2 clubs and I bet out 750, the person behind me raised to 2200 and she only had about 4500 total after the flop so I put her all in for her last 2300 and he called and showed KK and I was drawing almost dead. . .until the turn came another Q and I sucked out big time in a decent sized pot and was up to 12k again.
A shorter stacked guy raised in MP to 600 and got 2 callers and I decided to call from the button with KQcc. The flop came JT9 rainbow flopping me the nuts and the short stack moved all in for 4k. One of the callers called the 4k and I pushed all in for about 12k and the caller called me as well and showed KQss. The short stack showed AJo and we faded his runner runner full house and split his chips and I was up to 13.5 k or so. I then raised in LP with J6ss and got called by the SB. The flop came A86 and he checked and I c-bet 625 and he called. The turn came another 8 and he lead out for 1200 and I folded and I went back down to 12.5k.
After this, the blinds went to 200-400 25 (level 5) and it was time to play some poker. A shortstack pushed about 2500 in UTG and it folded to me in the BB and I found QQ and instacalled and won the race vs his QJ and was up to 14.5k. I rasied to 975 in MP with QJo and got 2 callers, one from LP and the BB. The flop came QT7 with 2 diamonds. The BB checked, I bet out 1125, the LP caller folded, and the BB called. The turn came the Ad, putting an over on the board and completing a Fl draw. He checked and I checked behind. The river came a blank and he bet out 4k and I thought a long time before deciding to fold and I was back down to 13k or so. Then a pretty big pot came up. I was in the BB and it folded to the lady in the SB and she raised it to 1200. I found QQ in the BB and reraised to 3000 and she called. The flop came AQ3 and she checked, I bet out 2500, she minraised to 5000, and I pushed all in for 9500 total. She thought for a while before deciding to call and she showed A9o and I dodged her runner runner full house outs and was up to 25k or so.
After this, the blinds went up to 300-600 50. I raised with A8o in EP to 1450 and got one caller in the BB. The flop came JT8 and my c-bet was good to take it down and I was up to 27k. I then called a raise to 1500 from the BB with 99 with one other caller. The flop came all overs and I folded to a bet on the flop. I then raised with 84o in LP and got called by the SB. The flop came Q52 and my c-bet was good enough to take it down. After this my table broke and I got moved to a new table. First hand at the new table, I found 44 from UTG +1 and raised it to 1450. I got a caller in MP and a caller in the SB. The flop came AQ3 and I c-bet 1600 and the MP caller called. The turn came an A and I checked and he bet out and I folded and he showed me an A. Next hand at the new table, I found 99 UTG and made it 1450 again but everyone folded this time. Next hand, I was in the BB and found AQo but folded to a raise to 2k and a call. Soon after this, the level ended and I went on the 2nd break with 24275 in chips.
We came back and played level 7 (400-800 75). I raised in MP with 85cc to 1925 and got called by a guy in MP. The flop came out AQ9 and I c-bet out 2200 and he called. The turn came a blank and I checked and he bet out and I folded. A little later, I raised in MP with Q3o and I got 2 callers. The flop came KTT and it checked around. The turn came a 5 and I took a stab with 2350 and I got raised by one of the callers and folded. I was down to 18k or so and the level ended.
We colored up the green chips and I finished the level with 17500, and we went to level 8 at 600-1200 100. I was on the button and a short stack pushed all in for 7500 in MP and I found JJ on the button and reshipped and he showed A2ss and my JJ held and I was up to 26.3k. I raised 2 weak/tigher players blinds from MP to 2700 with 72o and one of the blinds called. The flop came KT8 and the blind bet out 4k and I folded. Then an interesting hand came up. I was down to about 24k or so and I found 64cc UTG +1 and made it 2700. The guy who had called all of my previous raises called me from MP and everyone else folded. The flop came QcTd8d and I c-bet 3300. He called and the turn came 3c, giving me a fl draw. I didn’t want to push all in here and get instacalled but I didn’t just want to check fold. I had about 17.5k behind and I figured that since I had c-bet and check/folded in 2 or 3 previous pots with this guy, I would get respect if I 2 barrelled here. I fired the 2nd barrel for 5100 in chips, leaving myself with about 12k. He thought for a while and decided to put me all in. I thought about calling with my draw but ended up folded and saving my last 12k. He showed the Qd after I folded and said that he had top pair + fl draw. I know hes not going anywhere on this board but its too bad that I wasn’t able to see the river. I blinded down to 9500 or so waiting for a spot to push. A guy in EP raised to 5k and I found AQdd in mp and pushed my remaining chips in the middle and he called and showed TT. The board ran out A high and I was able to win this race and double to 20.6k. A couple hands later, I found 55 UTG and made it 2700. The guy right behind me pushed for 12.5k and it folded to me and I timebank folded and I was back down to 18k or so.
The blinds went to level 9 (800-1600 200) and it was time for me to get moving. I maintained my stack by pushing with some garbage hands once/round or so (T7o, 96o) and was at 18k or so when the following hand occurred. I was in the SB and the BB in my SB only had about 14k so I was planning on just putting him all in with ATC just to take his blinds and the antes to build my stack if it folded to me. It folded to me and I found 95o and put him all in and he decided to call and he showed A9o. The flop came an LOL of A95 but the board blanked for me and I was down to 3400 or so. Next hand, I had 3200 after my ante and there was a raise and a call in front of me so I just pushed my stack with 62o. Im pretty certain that I flopped the best hand when they both checked the flop of Q52 3 hearts but the turn came a 4th heart (which I didn’t have) and one of the players had the A of hearts and I was eliminated. There were only 7 tables left when I got out so I finished about 70th place or so. It was a decent run but I had to get lucky a couple of times to make it there so hopefully I wont have to do that from here on out.
The first 2 levels kind of all blended together. I played a TON of pots and was able to steal on a lot of flops after I missed. I did make some hands. I won a small pot when I raised with AJo in EP and I bet the A92 flop and got called in one spot. The turn came a J and I bet out again and he folded. I was able to win a funny pot. I raised in MP to 125 with 23o and got called by a guy in LP and a guy in the BB. The flop came 459 and I checked it around. The turn came a K and the BB checked, I bet 150 and both guys called. The river came a 6, giving me a straight. The BB bet out 500 and I raised to 2000 and the LP guy folded and the BB called and my straight was good and I was up to 14.5k or so. I split a couple of decent sized pots with AKdd vs AKhh on an A high flop and another with A9o vs A9o on an A high flop.
I peaked at the 14.5k in the first 2 levels and dropped to about 12.8k by the time we went to level 3 (100-200). I raised to 475 with K7o in MP and got called by an EP limper and a LP guy. The flop came JT2 with 2 hearts and I bet out 625 on the flop. The first guy folded and the next guy called. The turn came the A hearts and he checked. I thought that this would be a perfect bluff card for me if he had a J or a T so I bet out 1450 and he called. The river came a blank and he lead out for 4000 and I folded and he showed KQ for the straight. I was down to 9k or so after this hand. A littler later, I raised UTG to 475 with T7cc and got called by one guy behind me. I c-bet a flop of 942 and he called and I check folded a Q on the turn. I was down to 8300 or so after this hand and went to the 1st break with this much (8300).
After the break, we came back to level 4 (100-200 25). I raised with 27o in MP to 525 and got called by a guy in LP and the BB. The flop came T42 and I c-bet 625 and the LP guy raised me and I folded and I was down to 7k or so. I then was able to get very lucky in a hand (I shouldn’t have to do this playing the way im playing but whatever, maybe Im playing poorly but I feel very in control of the game). I raised UTG+1 with KQo and the person behind me called and so did the cutoff. The flop came Q52 with 2 clubs and I bet out 750, the person behind me raised to 2200 and she only had about 4500 total after the flop so I put her all in for her last 2300 and he called and showed KK and I was drawing almost dead. . .until the turn came another Q and I sucked out big time in a decent sized pot and was up to 12k again.
A shorter stacked guy raised in MP to 600 and got 2 callers and I decided to call from the button with KQcc. The flop came JT9 rainbow flopping me the nuts and the short stack moved all in for 4k. One of the callers called the 4k and I pushed all in for about 12k and the caller called me as well and showed KQss. The short stack showed AJo and we faded his runner runner full house and split his chips and I was up to 13.5 k or so. I then raised in LP with J6ss and got called by the SB. The flop came A86 and he checked and I c-bet 625 and he called. The turn came another 8 and he lead out for 1200 and I folded and I went back down to 12.5k.
After this, the blinds went to 200-400 25 (level 5) and it was time to play some poker. A shortstack pushed about 2500 in UTG and it folded to me in the BB and I found QQ and instacalled and won the race vs his QJ and was up to 14.5k. I rasied to 975 in MP with QJo and got 2 callers, one from LP and the BB. The flop came QT7 with 2 diamonds. The BB checked, I bet out 1125, the LP caller folded, and the BB called. The turn came the Ad, putting an over on the board and completing a Fl draw. He checked and I checked behind. The river came a blank and he bet out 4k and I thought a long time before deciding to fold and I was back down to 13k or so. Then a pretty big pot came up. I was in the BB and it folded to the lady in the SB and she raised it to 1200. I found QQ in the BB and reraised to 3000 and she called. The flop came AQ3 and she checked, I bet out 2500, she minraised to 5000, and I pushed all in for 9500 total. She thought for a while before deciding to call and she showed A9o and I dodged her runner runner full house outs and was up to 25k or so.
After this, the blinds went up to 300-600 50. I raised with A8o in EP to 1450 and got one caller in the BB. The flop came JT8 and my c-bet was good to take it down and I was up to 27k. I then called a raise to 1500 from the BB with 99 with one other caller. The flop came all overs and I folded to a bet on the flop. I then raised with 84o in LP and got called by the SB. The flop came Q52 and my c-bet was good enough to take it down. After this my table broke and I got moved to a new table. First hand at the new table, I found 44 from UTG +1 and raised it to 1450. I got a caller in MP and a caller in the SB. The flop came AQ3 and I c-bet 1600 and the MP caller called. The turn came an A and I checked and he bet out and I folded and he showed me an A. Next hand at the new table, I found 99 UTG and made it 1450 again but everyone folded this time. Next hand, I was in the BB and found AQo but folded to a raise to 2k and a call. Soon after this, the level ended and I went on the 2nd break with 24275 in chips.
We came back and played level 7 (400-800 75). I raised in MP with 85cc to 1925 and got called by a guy in MP. The flop came out AQ9 and I c-bet out 2200 and he called. The turn came a blank and I checked and he bet out and I folded. A little later, I raised in MP with Q3o and I got 2 callers. The flop came KTT and it checked around. The turn came a 5 and I took a stab with 2350 and I got raised by one of the callers and folded. I was down to 18k or so and the level ended.
We colored up the green chips and I finished the level with 17500, and we went to level 8 at 600-1200 100. I was on the button and a short stack pushed all in for 7500 in MP and I found JJ on the button and reshipped and he showed A2ss and my JJ held and I was up to 26.3k. I raised 2 weak/tigher players blinds from MP to 2700 with 72o and one of the blinds called. The flop came KT8 and the blind bet out 4k and I folded. Then an interesting hand came up. I was down to about 24k or so and I found 64cc UTG +1 and made it 2700. The guy who had called all of my previous raises called me from MP and everyone else folded. The flop came QcTd8d and I c-bet 3300. He called and the turn came 3c, giving me a fl draw. I didn’t want to push all in here and get instacalled but I didn’t just want to check fold. I had about 17.5k behind and I figured that since I had c-bet and check/folded in 2 or 3 previous pots with this guy, I would get respect if I 2 barrelled here. I fired the 2nd barrel for 5100 in chips, leaving myself with about 12k. He thought for a while and decided to put me all in. I thought about calling with my draw but ended up folded and saving my last 12k. He showed the Qd after I folded and said that he had top pair + fl draw. I know hes not going anywhere on this board but its too bad that I wasn’t able to see the river. I blinded down to 9500 or so waiting for a spot to push. A guy in EP raised to 5k and I found AQdd in mp and pushed my remaining chips in the middle and he called and showed TT. The board ran out A high and I was able to win this race and double to 20.6k. A couple hands later, I found 55 UTG and made it 2700. The guy right behind me pushed for 12.5k and it folded to me and I timebank folded and I was back down to 18k or so.
The blinds went to level 9 (800-1600 200) and it was time for me to get moving. I maintained my stack by pushing with some garbage hands once/round or so (T7o, 96o) and was at 18k or so when the following hand occurred. I was in the SB and the BB in my SB only had about 14k so I was planning on just putting him all in with ATC just to take his blinds and the antes to build my stack if it folded to me. It folded to me and I found 95o and put him all in and he decided to call and he showed A9o. The flop came an LOL of A95 but the board blanked for me and I was down to 3400 or so. Next hand, I had 3200 after my ante and there was a raise and a call in front of me so I just pushed my stack with 62o. Im pretty certain that I flopped the best hand when they both checked the flop of Q52 3 hearts but the turn came a 4th heart (which I didn’t have) and one of the players had the A of hearts and I was eliminated. There were only 7 tables left when I got out so I finished about 70th place or so. It was a decent run but I had to get lucky a couple of times to make it there so hopefully I wont have to do that from here on out.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Cash Game: Stratosphere April 13th 4 PM-6 PM
After busting from the tournament, I went to the stratosphere to put in a couple of hours at the cash games. It was a weird session because we played 5-6 handed most of the time and Sean was at the table so there was little value there. I was able to work my stack up at the beginning. I raised a limper to $8 on the button with K7hh and got called by a blind and the limper and the flop came Q77. It checked to me and I bet out $15, and the limper minraised to $30 and I put him all in for about $80 total and he folded. I was up to $225 and I chipped up to $250 or so by just playing small pots.
However, nothing really went right for me after this. I raised a limper on the button to $8 with A9cc and got called by the BB and the limper. The flop came J99 2 diamonds and it checked to me and I bet $12 and the BB called and the limper folded. The turn came 2d and he checked and I checked behind. The river came an offsuit 7 and he checked and I value bet $20 and he called and flipped T8 for the rivered straight (hit your hand and no value WP him). I was down to $210 or so after this and dwindled a little bit to $200 or so. I picked up AKhh and made it $8 UTG +1 (6 handed) and a guy playing his first hand on the button reraised to $20. He had only bought in for $75 total dollars so I just put him all in. He almost folded but then he ended up calling and showing KK and I didn’t hit my A and was down to $120 or so. Nothing really noteworthy happened for the last 30 minutes or so and I cashed out the session at $105, down $95 for the session. Im still almost to the positive in cash games and I know that it will turn around very soon.
However, nothing really went right for me after this. I raised a limper on the button to $8 with A9cc and got called by the BB and the limper. The flop came J99 2 diamonds and it checked to me and I bet $12 and the BB called and the limper folded. The turn came 2d and he checked and I checked behind. The river came an offsuit 7 and he checked and I value bet $20 and he called and flipped T8 for the rivered straight (hit your hand and no value WP him). I was down to $210 or so after this and dwindled a little bit to $200 or so. I picked up AKhh and made it $8 UTG +1 (6 handed) and a guy playing his first hand on the button reraised to $20. He had only bought in for $75 total dollars so I just put him all in. He almost folded but then he ended up calling and showing KK and I didn’t hit my A and was down to $120 or so. Nothing really noteworthy happened for the last 30 minutes or so and I cashed out the session at $105, down $95 for the session. Im still almost to the positive in cash games and I know that it will turn around very soon.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Tourney: Venetian April 13th $340 2009 Venetian Deepstack Extravaganza II Event #13 recap
Another day, another deepstack. Todays deepstack was not as big of a draw (possibly because it was on a Monday) but only 226 players showed up. First prize was still around 20k so it would be a nice scoop. I sat down and it took me about 15 minutes for me to realize that my table was full of donks. The players at my table were just so bad. However, I still wanted to give myself an aggressive image so I came out firing early.
I raised one limper on the button to 125 with 84o and one of the blinds and the limper called. The flop came AJ2 and it checked to me and I c-bet 250 and the binds called. The turn came a 4 and he checked and I checked behind and the river came another 4. He bet out 600 and I raised to 3000 and he folded. I was up to 13.5k or so after this hand. I limped with 66 behind a bunch of other limpers and the flop came T96 with 2 diamonds. One of the limpers bet out 250 and I raised to 800 and a guy behind called and so did the original raiser. The turn came the 8d putting the flush and a 4 card straight on the board and it checked around. The river came an offsuit Q and the raiser checked, I checked, and the cold caller bet out 1100. The first guy folded and I made a pretty bad call and he showed a straight flush (thankfully, the board didn’t pair or give me quads on the river) and I was back down to 11.5k.
The blinds went to level 2 (50-100). I raised 2 limpers in LP with Q7cc and got 3 callers. The flop came AQJ and it checked to me and I bet out 325 and got one caller. The turn came a 5 and he checked and I bet out 600. The river came a 2 and he checked and I checked behind and he showed J8 and I was up to 12.8k. Around this time, I realized that my table really would not fold so I would have to tighten up and just get hands and get paid off. I found AJss in the BB and the flop came A97 and I bet out and everyone folded. I then found QQ in the SB with 5 limpers and raised it to 600 and everyone folded. I found AQo in LP and raised 3 limpers to 450 and the guy on the button reraised to 1700 and I folded. I raised to 250 in EP with AQo and got 6 callers and check/folded the flop when I missed.
I was down to 11.5k or so when we went to level 3 (100-200). After this, I thought people would tighten up a little so I tried to open 1-2 pots an orbit just to get some chips going (right or wrong way. . .hopefully I would be able to build a stack). Unluckily for me, things just didn’t go my way and my stack started to dwindle. I raised in EP to 475 with 69o and got called in 1 spot. The flop came TT5 and I c-bet and got called and I check/folded a turn and was down to 11k. A little later, I made it 525 to go from the cutoff with 1 limper with J4o. The button, blinds, and limper called and the flop came JT6. It checked to me and I bet out 1025 and the button raised all in and I folded and he showed TT. I was down to 9k or so after this hand.
I then raised in MP to 475 with A9o and got called by one guy in LP and the BB. The flop came 877 and it checked to me and I c-bet 725 and the LP guy folded and the BB raised to 2100. I folded and he showed 87. I then raised UTG +1 with 65ss and got 4 callers. The flop came 722 and it checked around. The turn came another 2 and I bet out 1050 and one of the limpers raised to 2100 and I folded and he showed 88. I was down to 6k or so after this and was stuck in the wrong direction. It folded to me on the button and I found TT and made it 525 and the BB called. The flop came KJ3 and he checked and I bet out 750 and he called. The turn came an A and he checked and I checked. The river came an 8 and he bet out 500 and I called and he showed J9 and I was down to 3.5k.
I then raised to 475 in MP with QJo and the BB called. The flop came 763 with 2 clubs and he checked and I c-bet 700. He called and the turn came 2c. He checked and I 2 barreled 1200 and he called. The river came an offsuit Q and he checked and I went all in for 1450 and he instafolded and I was back to 5.5k or so. We took the first break and I had 5675 in chips and I was confident and with this terrible table I would be able to play tight and work it back up.
We came back to 100-100 25 and 1st hand after break, a guy raised it in MP to 600 and I found AA in the SB and reraised to 1650 and he called. The flop came K98 2 spades and I lead out for 2k and he folded and I was up to 7800 again. I folded for a while and lost a little from blinds and antes. I raised to 550 with 53o UTG +1 and the BB called. The flop came AAT and he checked and I c-bet 700 and he called. The turn came another T and he checked and I checked behind. The river came a 4 and he checked and I decided I had to bet a little because I couldn’t even beat 77 or 88 so I bet out 1200 and he called and showed K high and was down to 4.5k or so.
The blinds went to 200-400 25 and my good table broke but, fortunately, I got put at another good table but I was incredibly short stacked. I was looking for a good spot to push. Some lady limped in EP and I pushed J8o in MP and everyone folded and I was up to 6k or so. Next time I was in the SB, that lady limped from the cutoff and the button limped and I found A6o in the SB and pushed all in for 5400 or so and the lady time bank called and showed 44. The board ran out 8654Q and I flopped the best hand but she turned a set and I was eliminated halfway through the 200-400 25 level. Tomorrow is a new tournament and I hope to do better then.
I raised one limper on the button to 125 with 84o and one of the blinds and the limper called. The flop came AJ2 and it checked to me and I c-bet 250 and the binds called. The turn came a 4 and he checked and I checked behind and the river came another 4. He bet out 600 and I raised to 3000 and he folded. I was up to 13.5k or so after this hand. I limped with 66 behind a bunch of other limpers and the flop came T96 with 2 diamonds. One of the limpers bet out 250 and I raised to 800 and a guy behind called and so did the original raiser. The turn came the 8d putting the flush and a 4 card straight on the board and it checked around. The river came an offsuit Q and the raiser checked, I checked, and the cold caller bet out 1100. The first guy folded and I made a pretty bad call and he showed a straight flush (thankfully, the board didn’t pair or give me quads on the river) and I was back down to 11.5k.
The blinds went to level 2 (50-100). I raised 2 limpers in LP with Q7cc and got 3 callers. The flop came AQJ and it checked to me and I bet out 325 and got one caller. The turn came a 5 and he checked and I bet out 600. The river came a 2 and he checked and I checked behind and he showed J8 and I was up to 12.8k. Around this time, I realized that my table really would not fold so I would have to tighten up and just get hands and get paid off. I found AJss in the BB and the flop came A97 and I bet out and everyone folded. I then found QQ in the SB with 5 limpers and raised it to 600 and everyone folded. I found AQo in LP and raised 3 limpers to 450 and the guy on the button reraised to 1700 and I folded. I raised to 250 in EP with AQo and got 6 callers and check/folded the flop when I missed.
I was down to 11.5k or so when we went to level 3 (100-200). After this, I thought people would tighten up a little so I tried to open 1-2 pots an orbit just to get some chips going (right or wrong way. . .hopefully I would be able to build a stack). Unluckily for me, things just didn’t go my way and my stack started to dwindle. I raised in EP to 475 with 69o and got called in 1 spot. The flop came TT5 and I c-bet and got called and I check/folded a turn and was down to 11k. A little later, I made it 525 to go from the cutoff with 1 limper with J4o. The button, blinds, and limper called and the flop came JT6. It checked to me and I bet out 1025 and the button raised all in and I folded and he showed TT. I was down to 9k or so after this hand.
I then raised in MP to 475 with A9o and got called by one guy in LP and the BB. The flop came 877 and it checked to me and I c-bet 725 and the LP guy folded and the BB raised to 2100. I folded and he showed 87. I then raised UTG +1 with 65ss and got 4 callers. The flop came 722 and it checked around. The turn came another 2 and I bet out 1050 and one of the limpers raised to 2100 and I folded and he showed 88. I was down to 6k or so after this and was stuck in the wrong direction. It folded to me on the button and I found TT and made it 525 and the BB called. The flop came KJ3 and he checked and I bet out 750 and he called. The turn came an A and he checked and I checked. The river came an 8 and he bet out 500 and I called and he showed J9 and I was down to 3.5k.
I then raised to 475 in MP with QJo and the BB called. The flop came 763 with 2 clubs and he checked and I c-bet 700. He called and the turn came 2c. He checked and I 2 barreled 1200 and he called. The river came an offsuit Q and he checked and I went all in for 1450 and he instafolded and I was back to 5.5k or so. We took the first break and I had 5675 in chips and I was confident and with this terrible table I would be able to play tight and work it back up.
We came back to 100-100 25 and 1st hand after break, a guy raised it in MP to 600 and I found AA in the SB and reraised to 1650 and he called. The flop came K98 2 spades and I lead out for 2k and he folded and I was up to 7800 again. I folded for a while and lost a little from blinds and antes. I raised to 550 with 53o UTG +1 and the BB called. The flop came AAT and he checked and I c-bet 700 and he called. The turn came another T and he checked and I checked behind. The river came a 4 and he checked and I decided I had to bet a little because I couldn’t even beat 77 or 88 so I bet out 1200 and he called and showed K high and was down to 4.5k or so.
The blinds went to 200-400 25 and my good table broke but, fortunately, I got put at another good table but I was incredibly short stacked. I was looking for a good spot to push. Some lady limped in EP and I pushed J8o in MP and everyone folded and I was up to 6k or so. Next time I was in the SB, that lady limped from the cutoff and the button limped and I found A6o in the SB and pushed all in for 5400 or so and the lady time bank called and showed 44. The board ran out 8654Q and I flopped the best hand but she turned a set and I was eliminated halfway through the 200-400 25 level. Tomorrow is a new tournament and I hope to do better then.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Cash Game: Hard Rock Hotel April 12th 4 PM-6:45 PM
Today was the day of the weekly 5k freeroll at the Hard Rock. I did not qualify but Sean did so I went there to play some cash games while the freeroll was going on.
Early on, I raised with 77 UTG to $10 and got called by one guy behind me and one blind. The flop came T84 and I bet out $12 and the blind called. The turn came a 9 and he lead out for $30 and I folded. A couple of rounds later, I picked up AA UTG and I made it $12. One guy called behind and the SB reraised to $25. I 3-bet to $55 and both of the guys called (I don’t know why). The flop came 866 and I went all in for my last $115 or so and they both folded (the SB folded KJdd LOL wtf). I was up to $265 after this hand but I slowly started to dwindle.
I raised to $10 in EP with 55 and the SB was the only caller. The flop came T43 and he checked and I c-bet $12. He called and we checked down a board of 92 and he showed A5 for the rivered gutterball and I was down to $240. I won a small pot when I was in the bb with 66 and 3 limpers and I bet the flop of KK4 and won. I called a raise to $12 with 55 and 6 people called. I missed my set (I really wish I could have hit one here) and folded. I then limped behind a bunch of limpers with 55 and the flop came 942. One of the limpers bet out $10 and I called. The turn came a Q and he bet out $15 and I called. The river came a 2 and he checked and I checked behind and he showed J9 and I was no good and down to $195.
I then found KK in LP with a bunch of limpers and made it $15. I got called in 3 spots and the flop came 732 and I bet $40 and everyone folded and I was back to $220. I found K9 in the SB with 3 limpers and I completed. The flop came T97 2 diamonds and it checked around. The turn came the 4 of diamonds putting 3 diamonds on the board. I bet out $6 and got called in 1 spot. The river came another 9 giving me trips and I checked and the guy bet out $25. It was a really big overbet and I know its an easy fold but I made a bad call and he showed the nut flush and I was back down to $185. A guy raised to $10 in EP and I called behind with 33 and it got 3-bet and 4-bet before it got back to me so I folded.
I then made a really big misplay that cost me a lot of chips. I decided to open my game up a little and I raised in MP with no limpers to $12 with 24o. The button called and everyone else folded. The flop came AJ2 and I c-bet $13 and he called. The turn came a 4, giving me 2 pair and I bet out $25. The guy raised it to $120, pretty much making it an all in or fold situation for me. I thought for a really long time. He played pretty tight and he told me “AK is no good” and “AK is no good for you you know” and he said “AK is no good”. I thought a little longer and I really put him on a hand like AJ or something so I decided to fold. I really should have called because he showed A8 and I would have had the best hand for pretty much a stack and probably won a nice sized pot. I should have known he was bluffing because he got really talkative (which he never talked before), he was staring at me in a way that looked like he was bluffing, and he said “Ill show you if you fold” but it was in a way that he was a little worried. I saw all the signs but didn’t follow through and I missed a good chance to win some chips. Also, a guy that I had played with before and made semi-friends with was at the table. After the hand he took me aside from the table and told me he was trying to tell me to call through motions the whole hand because he had played with that guy a bunch and he knew he was bluffing. Too bad I didn’t see him.
Anyways, I was down to $135 and I bought in for $100 more so I was in for $300 total. I picked up QQ behind 2 limpers and raised it to $15 and a guy behind me moved all in for $40 or so. I called and he showed QQ as well and I dodged a spade on the river to get the chop. I folded for a long time and eventually found KQo on the button with 2 limpers. I raised it to $15 and both of the blinds and both of the limpers called. The flop came AKJ and it checked to me and I c-bet $40 and everyone folded and I took a pretty substantial pot on the flop there. This pot got me to around $280 and I left soon thereafter with $279, which left me down $21 for the session.
In other news, Sean won the freeroll (well, he chopped it when it was 10 handed. . . everyone else wanted to chop and he didn’t want to chop and he had a huge chip lead so everyone else took $400 and he took $1000 so he technically didn’t win it but he basically did so its still good). I don’t know for sure what I will be doing for poker tomorrow but I will be playing in the deepstacks Monday-Thursday probably so hopefully I hit a final table there.
Early on, I raised with 77 UTG to $10 and got called by one guy behind me and one blind. The flop came T84 and I bet out $12 and the blind called. The turn came a 9 and he lead out for $30 and I folded. A couple of rounds later, I picked up AA UTG and I made it $12. One guy called behind and the SB reraised to $25. I 3-bet to $55 and both of the guys called (I don’t know why). The flop came 866 and I went all in for my last $115 or so and they both folded (the SB folded KJdd LOL wtf). I was up to $265 after this hand but I slowly started to dwindle.
I raised to $10 in EP with 55 and the SB was the only caller. The flop came T43 and he checked and I c-bet $12. He called and we checked down a board of 92 and he showed A5 for the rivered gutterball and I was down to $240. I won a small pot when I was in the bb with 66 and 3 limpers and I bet the flop of KK4 and won. I called a raise to $12 with 55 and 6 people called. I missed my set (I really wish I could have hit one here) and folded. I then limped behind a bunch of limpers with 55 and the flop came 942. One of the limpers bet out $10 and I called. The turn came a Q and he bet out $15 and I called. The river came a 2 and he checked and I checked behind and he showed J9 and I was no good and down to $195.
I then found KK in LP with a bunch of limpers and made it $15. I got called in 3 spots and the flop came 732 and I bet $40 and everyone folded and I was back to $220. I found K9 in the SB with 3 limpers and I completed. The flop came T97 2 diamonds and it checked around. The turn came the 4 of diamonds putting 3 diamonds on the board. I bet out $6 and got called in 1 spot. The river came another 9 giving me trips and I checked and the guy bet out $25. It was a really big overbet and I know its an easy fold but I made a bad call and he showed the nut flush and I was back down to $185. A guy raised to $10 in EP and I called behind with 33 and it got 3-bet and 4-bet before it got back to me so I folded.
I then made a really big misplay that cost me a lot of chips. I decided to open my game up a little and I raised in MP with no limpers to $12 with 24o. The button called and everyone else folded. The flop came AJ2 and I c-bet $13 and he called. The turn came a 4, giving me 2 pair and I bet out $25. The guy raised it to $120, pretty much making it an all in or fold situation for me. I thought for a really long time. He played pretty tight and he told me “AK is no good” and “AK is no good for you you know” and he said “AK is no good”. I thought a little longer and I really put him on a hand like AJ or something so I decided to fold. I really should have called because he showed A8 and I would have had the best hand for pretty much a stack and probably won a nice sized pot. I should have known he was bluffing because he got really talkative (which he never talked before), he was staring at me in a way that looked like he was bluffing, and he said “Ill show you if you fold” but it was in a way that he was a little worried. I saw all the signs but didn’t follow through and I missed a good chance to win some chips. Also, a guy that I had played with before and made semi-friends with was at the table. After the hand he took me aside from the table and told me he was trying to tell me to call through motions the whole hand because he had played with that guy a bunch and he knew he was bluffing. Too bad I didn’t see him.
Anyways, I was down to $135 and I bought in for $100 more so I was in for $300 total. I picked up QQ behind 2 limpers and raised it to $15 and a guy behind me moved all in for $40 or so. I called and he showed QQ as well and I dodged a spade on the river to get the chop. I folded for a long time and eventually found KQo on the button with 2 limpers. I raised it to $15 and both of the blinds and both of the limpers called. The flop came AKJ and it checked to me and I c-bet $40 and everyone folded and I took a pretty substantial pot on the flop there. This pot got me to around $280 and I left soon thereafter with $279, which left me down $21 for the session.
In other news, Sean won the freeroll (well, he chopped it when it was 10 handed. . . everyone else wanted to chop and he didn’t want to chop and he had a huge chip lead so everyone else took $400 and he took $1000 so he technically didn’t win it but he basically did so its still good). I don’t know for sure what I will be doing for poker tomorrow but I will be playing in the deepstacks Monday-Thursday probably so hopefully I hit a final table there.
Cash Game: Hard Rock Hotel April 11th 8:40 PM-11:10 PM
After we were done playing the Stratosphere, we had to head over to the Hard Rock so Sean could finish his last 2 ½ hours for the freeroll (I failed to achieve the necessary amount of hours because I was so busy with deep stacks). We went to play for those 2 ½ hours though.
I folded for a while and I finally raised a couple of limpers to $12 with KJo and got called in 2 spots. We checked down a board of 95259 and my K high was no good. A couple hands later, I raised the button to $10 with 99 and no limpers. The flop came K86 and he checked and I c-bet $12 and he called. The turn came a 6 and he lead out for $35 and I folded.
I was down to $155 or so after this hand. I raised to $12 in EP with KJo and the BB was the only caller. The flop came 987 and he checked and I decided to check behind (which I rarely will do but it looked like he hit the flop). The turn came a K and he bet out $20 and I called. The river came a 4 and he checked and I checked behind and my KJ was good and I was back to $185 or so.
I then played an interesting pot. There was one limper in front and I found AQss in the hijack. One of the blinds called and the limper also called. The flop came T92 with 2 spades giving me 2 overs to the board and a flush draw. It checked to me and I bet $15. The SB folded and the limper raised to $45. I thought a long time about what to do here. The guy was actually really tight and had a lot of chips. I was worried about him having a big pair here but I actually put him on a hand more like AT. I didn’t think that he had a set nor did I think he had a T9 hand. I decided to call just to see what would come off on the turn. The turn came a Q, giving me top pair top kicker, and the nut flush draw. The guy lead out for $80 and I only had $116 total so I had to make a decision. I wasn’t positive that I was good here but I thought that $80 was a really odd bet. If I didn’t end up being good, I would always have the nut flush redraw. I still put him on AT though so I went with my gut and pushed all in for my last $35 chips. He called and showed JJ and I had the best hand and he was drawing to 7 outs once. The river came the Js, giving him a set but giving me the nuts. The dealer accidentally pushed the pot to him but I quickly corrected that I made the nut flush and he sent the pot my way. I was up to $340 or so and I really didn’t play another meaningful pot the whole session (just 4 writable pots in the 2.5 hour session!). I cashed out for $341, up $141 for the session and a decent session.
I folded for a while and I finally raised a couple of limpers to $12 with KJo and got called in 2 spots. We checked down a board of 95259 and my K high was no good. A couple hands later, I raised the button to $10 with 99 and no limpers. The flop came K86 and he checked and I c-bet $12 and he called. The turn came a 6 and he lead out for $35 and I folded.
I was down to $155 or so after this hand. I raised to $12 in EP with KJo and the BB was the only caller. The flop came 987 and he checked and I decided to check behind (which I rarely will do but it looked like he hit the flop). The turn came a K and he bet out $20 and I called. The river came a 4 and he checked and I checked behind and my KJ was good and I was back to $185 or so.
I then played an interesting pot. There was one limper in front and I found AQss in the hijack. One of the blinds called and the limper also called. The flop came T92 with 2 spades giving me 2 overs to the board and a flush draw. It checked to me and I bet $15. The SB folded and the limper raised to $45. I thought a long time about what to do here. The guy was actually really tight and had a lot of chips. I was worried about him having a big pair here but I actually put him on a hand more like AT. I didn’t think that he had a set nor did I think he had a T9 hand. I decided to call just to see what would come off on the turn. The turn came a Q, giving me top pair top kicker, and the nut flush draw. The guy lead out for $80 and I only had $116 total so I had to make a decision. I wasn’t positive that I was good here but I thought that $80 was a really odd bet. If I didn’t end up being good, I would always have the nut flush redraw. I still put him on AT though so I went with my gut and pushed all in for my last $35 chips. He called and showed JJ and I had the best hand and he was drawing to 7 outs once. The river came the Js, giving him a set but giving me the nuts. The dealer accidentally pushed the pot to him but I quickly corrected that I made the nut flush and he sent the pot my way. I was up to $340 or so and I really didn’t play another meaningful pot the whole session (just 4 writable pots in the 2.5 hour session!). I cashed out for $341, up $141 for the session and a decent session.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Cash Game: Stratosphere April 11th 3:45 PM-6:15 PM
I busted from the deepstack at 11 PM that night and I was exhausted and far too depressed to play any more poker that night. However, the next afternoon, I was at it again. I went to the Strat to play some $1-$2 NL.
The table was so easy but I kind of got in some bad situations. I raised it to $17 with AKo with a couple of limpers in front and one of the limpers called. The flop came T54 and he checked and I bet out $20 and he folded and showed AJ. I limped behind a bunch of limpers with 55 and the flop came 965 all diamonds, flopping me a set but still on a very dangerous board. One of the limpers bet out $10 and one of the l other limpers called and I just called behind to see what the turn would be. The turn came the Jd and the first limper bet out $40 and the next limper called. I thought about calling here because I KNOW that one of them has the Ad and I would get paid but I decided just to fold (one had the A and one had the K but the board didn’t pair so it doesn’t matter).
I raised UTG with 88 to $10 and got called in multiple spots and I check folded an A95 flop. I then raised 4 or so limpers on the button to $21 with AQss. The first limper reraised to $200 and I instafolded. I was down to $160 or so after this hand. I picked up 99 and raised it to $12 in EP and the BB was the only caller. The flop came J93 2 diamonds and the BB checked to me. He usually fast played all of his hands so I figured that he had nothing so I checked behind to try to let him catch. The turn came a 7 and he checked and I figured I had to bet with the str and fl draws out there so I bet $13 and he folded.
There was a raise to $10 in EP and I found AKo in LP and reraised to $40 and it folded to him and he instafolded. There was a raise to $10 and a caller and I found JJ in LP and reraised to $35. Both the raiser and the caller called and the flop came 842. They checked to me and I bet out $60 and they both folded and I had used multiple small pots to work my stack up to $240.
We were playing 6 handed and I raised UTG with A7o and both the blinds called. The flop came Q64 and I bet out $15 and the SB called. The turn came a T and the SB lead out for $40 and I folded and I was back down to $215. I folded for a while and last hand before I left, I picked up KK and raised to $10 in LP and no one called. I won this pot and left with $212, up $12 for the session.
The table was so easy but I kind of got in some bad situations. I raised it to $17 with AKo with a couple of limpers in front and one of the limpers called. The flop came T54 and he checked and I bet out $20 and he folded and showed AJ. I limped behind a bunch of limpers with 55 and the flop came 965 all diamonds, flopping me a set but still on a very dangerous board. One of the limpers bet out $10 and one of the l other limpers called and I just called behind to see what the turn would be. The turn came the Jd and the first limper bet out $40 and the next limper called. I thought about calling here because I KNOW that one of them has the Ad and I would get paid but I decided just to fold (one had the A and one had the K but the board didn’t pair so it doesn’t matter).
I raised UTG with 88 to $10 and got called in multiple spots and I check folded an A95 flop. I then raised 4 or so limpers on the button to $21 with AQss. The first limper reraised to $200 and I instafolded. I was down to $160 or so after this hand. I picked up 99 and raised it to $12 in EP and the BB was the only caller. The flop came J93 2 diamonds and the BB checked to me. He usually fast played all of his hands so I figured that he had nothing so I checked behind to try to let him catch. The turn came a 7 and he checked and I figured I had to bet with the str and fl draws out there so I bet $13 and he folded.
There was a raise to $10 in EP and I found AKo in LP and reraised to $40 and it folded to him and he instafolded. There was a raise to $10 and a caller and I found JJ in LP and reraised to $35. Both the raiser and the caller called and the flop came 842. They checked to me and I bet out $60 and they both folded and I had used multiple small pots to work my stack up to $240.
We were playing 6 handed and I raised UTG with A7o and both the blinds called. The flop came Q64 and I bet out $15 and the SB called. The turn came a T and the SB lead out for $40 and I folded and I was back down to $215. I folded for a while and last hand before I left, I picked up KK and raised to $10 in LP and no one called. I won this pot and left with $212, up $12 for the session.
Tourney: Venetian April 9th $340 2009 Venetian Deepstack Extravaganza II Event #8 recap
The plan for todays tournament was much the same as it was in yesterdays tournament. Raise a ton of pots to make it look like I am playing really aggressive but actually play cautious and just give myself the aggressive image so I would be able to get paid off. Todays tournament had a good turn out. I think the amount of players was 336 and first place was just under 30k. It paid off 27 places. The tournament started off OK for me. I didn’t wait for the 2nd level to start raising a lot of pots this time, I dove right in.
I raised UTG to 125 with 87o and got called in several spots (I had already raised a ton of pots before this so my image was getting there) and the flop came 764, giving me top pair and a gutshot. I bet out 250 and one of the callers raised me to 700 and I decided to call. The turn came a Q and I checked and he bet out 2500 and I folded and I was down to 11.3k. I then raised UTG with 66 to 125 and got 3 callers (the button and both the blinds). The flop came A62 2 spades and it checked to me and I bet 325 and got 2 callers. The turn came an offsuit 3 and it checked to me again and I bet 700 and got the same 2 callers. The river came a K and it checked to me and I bet 1600 and the first guy instafolded (probably a FL draw. . .lucky dodge by me) and the second caller tanked and folded 63 (2 pair) face up saying she put me on AK. Missed value here I guess. I was up to 13k or so and I raised the cutoff to 125 with Q7dd and got called by both the blinds. The flop came Q32 and they checked and I bet 250 and one of them called. The turn came a 5 and he checked and I bet 300 and he called. The river came another Q and he checked and I bet out 700 and he folded and I was up to 14k.
Around this time, the blinds went up to level 2 (50-100) and I went into super LAGtard mode (its so much fun to play like this and Ive came to find that it really isn’t that risky. . .it makes perfect sense). Since I am playing so many hands, its hard to keep track of them all so I will just write down the biggerish ones. There were a couple of limpers and this tight old player on the button made it 500. I was in the BB and found QQ and just flat called and one of the limpers called. The flop came 662 and I bet out 800 to see where I was at and they both folded and I was up to 15.5k or so. I raised in EP to 250 with A6o and the BB called. The flop came A63 and the BB checked, I bet out 325, he raised to 825, and I 3-bet to 2000 and he called. The turn came a 6 and he checked and I bet out 2200 and he folded, showing an A (missed value?). I was up to 16.5k after this hand. After a bunch of other smaller pots, we went to level 3 (100-200).
Then, a hand that almost set me on tilt happened. I raised to 475 in EP with 66 and this guy behind me reraised to 1500 and I decided to call to try to make another set. The flop came Q84 all hearts and I checked to him and he checked behind. The turn came an offsuit 6, giving me a set. I checked it and he bet out 2000 and I called. The turn came an 8, filling me up and I decided to check to him so I could check raise him but he instachecked behind and stood up and yelled “ship it” and slammed down AA. I said “no good” and flipped over my full house. I missed SO MUCH value in this hand but I am trying not to think about this hand that much because I really don’t know if I misplayed it that badly, I just picked the wrong time to check the river with a monster. What is up with me making all these hands by the way? I never make these hands in cash games. Sick.
Anyways, I was at 18.5k and a couple hands later, a guy made it 600 UTG, UTG +1 called, I called in the next seat with 55, and the guy in the SB called. The flop came QT5 2 diamonds and the first guy bet out 1200, the girl next to me raised to 3500, I put enough chips in the middle to cover everyone in the pot (str and fl draws dictate this play). The guy in the SB folded (what he would later say was AQ. . .bad spot for him he said he was thinking about reraising PF which would have sucked for me) the guy UTG folded, and the lady next to me instacalled with like 11k behind at least and showed KQ and was drawing dead by the turn. I don’t know what she puts me on here to instacall with KQ there. She still had a ton of chips behind. She claimed that she was good and she was wearing a bracelet from a bellagio event but she was actually garbage. . .too bad she doesn’t realize it yet. I was up to 35k or so and riding high. After this hand, people started to get the fact that I was raising every pot and one guy in particular started reraising me almost every time I raised. It was so crazy that like 3 out of 4 times I raised, he reraised and I would just fold. He was really starting to piss me off but I know that Ill get action out of him so I keep folding. Last hand of the level, I picked up KK in MP, raised to 475 and the BB called and I c-bet J94 flop and won the pot. At the first break, I was up to 35100 in chips and doing really well.
I texted my friend and as a joke, told him I should easily be up to 75k by the next break. We got back at level 4 (100-200 25) and I continued to LAGtard it up and I continued to get reraised by the same guy. Im not going to lie, he was getting in my head a little and it made me start raising a lot less. However, I still had a good image so when I found AA in EP, I knew I would get some good action. I made it 550 and, unfortunately, that guy folded but a guy in LP called and the 2 blinds called. The flop came QJ7 with 2 diamonds and it checked to me and I bet out 1450. The guy in LP was a pretty spastic donkey and he had about 22k in chips and wasn’t afraid to spew them in the middle with less than premium hands. He raised me 8000 more to 9450 (overbet much?) and the blinds folded. It got back to me and I knew that he didn’t want action and that I had him crushed so I went all in and he instacalled (oops?. . .not quite) for his last like 12k or so and I was freaked for a couple of seconds until he turned over 65dd for a small Fl draw. LOL. . .50k pot at 100-200 and he has that hand. I had the Ad for the redraw as well. The turn and the river blanked out and I won the GIGANTIC pot and was up to 59k.
A little later, I found KK in EP and made it 550. This time, the guy reraised me (again) to 1500. It got back to me and for the first time in the day, I 3-bet him to 4000. I did it really fast and I threw the chips in the pot in a way that made it look like I was fed up with his reraising me. It worked as he called the raise and the flop came J93. I bet out 5500 on the flop, he minraised me to 11000, and I put him all in and he instafolded! SO FUNNY he had 4k in chips behind after his flop raise and folded on the flop after he had put 15k in the pot. I knew that I would catch him trying to play a pot with me at the wrong time. After this hand, I was up to 73k at 100-200 25 and I would be willing to bet that I was the chip leader of the tournament at this time.
Around this time, the blinds went up to level 5 (200-400 25) and I decided to tighten up a little bit (but not that much) because there were like 5-6 people at the table who had a stack of like 5k-7k and were just looking for any excuse to push (and they will never believe me because I have so many chips). I still raised 1-2 times an orbit but I kept having to fold to pushes. I found JJ UTG and made my standard opening raise to 975 and got 4 callers. The flop came K85 and I check/folded my big pair. I then found AKo in LP and raised and got one caller and the flop came KQ4 and I bet out 1575 and he folded.
After this, the blinds went up and we went to level 6 (300 600 50). I found AKo and raised it to 1450 from MP and a short stack pushed the button for 6k or so and I called and he showed A6o. The board ran out 865TK and I hit the river and won that pot. Next hand, I picked up AKo again and a guy raised in font of me to 2k. He only had 8k behind so I raised enough to cover him and he called and showed AKo also and we ended up chopping the pot. I was at 74.5k or so after this hand. Later in the level, I raised UTG +1 with KTdd and the BB called. The flop came Q86 and the BB checked and I c bet 2150 and she called. We checked down a turn and river of 86 and she showed AQ. I didn’t really play any other noteworthy pots and at the 2nd break I was at 69825.
After the break, we came back at level 7 (400-800 75) and I still had a TON of chips. I wasn’t raising as much as I probably should have been because of the short stacks and the guy who kept reraising me had doubled up a couple of times was still giving me trouble. I made it 1925 with 76dd in EP and that guy pushed for his last 6500 or so and I called and he showed KQo. The board ran out 752Q2 as I hit the flop but he hit the turn. I was down to 63.5k after this hand. Next hand I played, I raised with K8o from UTG and the guy reraised me (as usual) but this time it was a minraise. I thought about folding here but I decided to call the min raise. The flop came AK2 and I checked and he checked behind. The turn came another K and I checked to him and he bet out 8k and I put him all in for his last 4k behind and he decided to fold! He did it again SOOO FUNNY.
After this pot I was back up to 74.5k and The blinds went to level 8 (600-1200 100). One of the first hands of the level, the reraise guy pushed all in in EP for like 6k and it folded to me in the BB and I found A3 and decided to call and he showed A2 and we ended up chopping. Next hand, he pushed all in in EP again for 6.5k and it folded to me in the SB and I found A9o and decided to call. He showed 72o (I don’t think that he actually looked at his cards) and the board blanked out and I finally was able to knock him out (I know that I didn’t write about a lot of hands vs him but he honestly reraised me probably 15-20 times throughout the tournament so I was glad to be rid of him). I was up to 84.5k or so. I raised in EP with KJo and got called by the BB and the flop came Q53 and I c-bet and he folded. I then raised 3 straight hands (KT KJ AT) and folded to reraises each of those times and my stack dropped to 78k.
The blinds went to level 9 (800-1600 200) and my table broke around this time and I moved to a new table. I thought my stack was pretty big for the tournament but I moved to this new table and all 3 guys on my left had me covered (like 160k-125k-140k) just massive. I was down to 75k or so and there were 2 limpers and I found 97o in the SB and completed. The flop came K93 and I bet out 3600 and the first limper called me. The turn came another 3 and I followed through with another bet of 7100. He decided to raise me to 20k and I folded (Im pretty positive that he has AA or KK here because he doesn’t raise the turn with just KQ or KJ here). I was down to 64k or so after this hand.
I then saw one of the sickest hands that ive seen in a tournament. I wasn’t involved in it but I feel like I have to share it because of how sick it was. This hand was between the 2 biggest stacks at the table (the one with 160k and the one with 140k when I mentioned them before). They were both younger and had been playing pretty aggressively, especially against each other. The one with 160k or so made it 4100 UTG and the 2nd guy flat called him. The flop came K73 rainbow and the first guy lead out for about 6k and the 2nd guy raised him to 16k and the first guy called. The turn came the A of diamonds (putting 2 diamonds on the board) and the first guy checked and the 2nd guy checked behind. The river came T of diamonds and the first guy be out 11k and the 2nd guy raised to 25k and the first guy snap calls and shows KK and the guy behind shows AA! UNREAL how he didn’t go broke at any part of that pot and that he only lost like less than 50k on the hand that he should have lost most of his chips in. After the hand, the guy who won with AA had to take a break because he was so steamed that he didn’t win more chips from the guy.
Anyways, back to my tournament I was down to 60k or so and was in the SB. It folded to the button and he raised it to 5k and I found 88 and reraised enough to put the guy all in. He only had like 18k total to start the hand with and called when it got back to him. He showed KK and I made my first real misstep of the tournament. I wasn’t able to spike and was down to 38k or so after this hand. A short while later, we went on the 3rd break and after stealing a pot, I had 42100.
We came back to level 10 (1000-2000 300). I found 77 UTG +1 and raised it to 5100 and got one cold caller behind me. The flop came QT3 and I lead out for 7400 and he pushed all in and I folded and I was down to 25k or so. My next BB, The guy on the button raised it to 6k and I found KJo and pushed all in for like 24k total. He called and showed QJss and I avoided a Q, str, and flush and was able to double up the first time I have been all in in the tournament. I had 50k or so after this hand. Next hand I was in the SB and the guy on the button (from the KK vs 88 hand) raised to 6k. I found QQ and pushed for my stack and he folded and I was back up to 58k. I tightened up for a while and eventually tried to steal from EP with 52o into 2 really tight players in the blinds. It folded to the BB who pushed all in and then showed AA. After this and the blinds, I was at 47800 at the end of the level and we went for an hour long dinner break.
I ate a comped dinner at the food court in the Venetian and we came back to play level 11 (1500-3000 500) and to color up our black 100 chips. We sat at the table for about 5 minutes of play before our table broke (and we were down to the final 6 tables ~60 players). I got to the new table and I soon realized something. . .this table was still playing with black chips. I was extremely confused and as soon as I noticed, I brought it up to the other guy who moved tables with me. He got really confused too and called the floor over. The floor freaked out and we had to take like an 8 minute break while everything got situated and they raced off the black chips and colored everyone up. . .another just bizarre thing that happened in the trip. Shortly after the color up, I made a sick sick play (and was pretty lucky while doing so).
I had actually came back and opened like 3 of the first 8 pots or so and won the blinds twice and folded to a reraise once. I was on the button and it folded to me and I found 77 and made it 7000. The SB folded and the BB looked at me and reraised to 23k. He had a very similar stack as me and I really thought about this one. First of all, I knew he wasn’t that great of player because of his mannerisms at the table. Second of all, once I took like 2 minutes or so (almost just folding a couple of times) I looked at him longer and he looked extremely uncomfortable. Third, I tried to range his hand. I thought that he would probably push with big pairs here so I ruled those out. I didn’t really know if he was a player capable of raising a button raise with nothing, but if he was this is an amount he would raise as he wouldn’t just want to get snapped with nothing but he would get me to fold most midrange hands. I didn’t really get his range down pat, but I knew he didn’t have a big pair and a resteal was a possibility. Fourth, I had to determine what his moves would be depending on what I did. He only had about 37k or so behind and normally, a person would never just laydown after putting 23k in the pot already. However, the way he was looking just made me think that he really didn’t want to gamble with an AK AQ hand (if he even had that and wasn’t on a steal). I decided to go all in for like 37k or so more and he timebanked and said “I guess you can have my chips for now, Ill give them to you but theyre just a loan” and folded. I didn’t really care what he said at that point I was just like yeah I know and was really glad to take the 23k in free chips that he gave me. After this hand, I was back to 85k. My table broke again after this and we were down to the final 5 tables.
We went to level 12 (2000-4000 500) and I was at a new table. As the tournament got deeper and deeper, the hands took longer and longer so we played less hands per level and therefore, I played less hands per level so that explains the lack of hands for the previous few and upcoming levels. I raised in MP with QTo to 9500 and it folded to the BB and he called. The flop came KQT and he checked and I c-bet 15500 and he folded and I was up to over 90k. I then raised with 88 in EP to 9500 and the guy on my left reraised to 30k and it folded to me and I folded behind. The level finished with 30 players (3 tables and 3 away from the money) and I had 79500 on the 4th break.
We came back at level 13 (3000-6000 1000) and I was kind of short, but still had like 13 bbs and if I would be able to double once, I would be above average. A couple of people got eliminated early and we went to hand for hand at 28 players and 3 tables. Hand for hand took forever and we only played like 10-12 hand in the 30 minutes that we played it (pretty much the whole level 13). I did play 2 hands. I picked up AA UTG and raised it to 14k. It folded to the BB and he called. The flop came K92 and he checked and I c-bet 22k and he folded and I was up to over 100k. I then raised in EP with QTo and everyone folded and I took down the blinds and maintained my stack. With 9 minutes or so left in the level, someone finally got eliminated and we were in the money! We redrew for tables and another bizarre-funny thing happened. When we redrew, the tournament directors somehow screwed up the seat cards and everyone ended up at a different table, but with the same players as they were with on the table before! The tournament director was like “this is such a weird coincidence we have to do this again” (I was like “ummm I don’t think that this is a coincidence I think that you screwed up by not shuffling the seat cards” but I obviously didn’t say that to his face) so we redrew again.
I moved to the new table and I stole a couple of blinds by raising to 14000, once with K7 and once with KT, and the blinds went to level 14 (4000-8000 1000). I raised with 88 to 19000. The lady in the BB reraised me to 55000 and I decided to fold rather than play for my whole stack. I was down to 95k or so and folded for an orbit or so and was down to 81k. A guy raised it in EP to 22k and I found a magical AA from LP. I tinkered with just calling but this guy had a lot of chips and I figured that hed call me for pot odds if anything so I pushed all in for 59k more and he timebanked and said “Im just giving you my chips kid” before deciding to call. He flipped over T9ss for 2 live unders and the board ran out T985Q for another sick beat deep in a big buy in live tournament.
I suppose that that is how I will be getting out of the majority of tournaments but it still sucks big time. Im not too sure about where this would go in my worst beats of all time list but I know that its up there. I ended up finishing 23rd and getting paid $519 (a net profit of $179). I was so so close to that final table and the 30k for first. If I win this pot, I am up to 180k or so and am able to have some steal value after showing down AA so I know that I would be able to build my stack pretty easily. Hopefully, Ill get down to this spot again soon.
I raised UTG to 125 with 87o and got called in several spots (I had already raised a ton of pots before this so my image was getting there) and the flop came 764, giving me top pair and a gutshot. I bet out 250 and one of the callers raised me to 700 and I decided to call. The turn came a Q and I checked and he bet out 2500 and I folded and I was down to 11.3k. I then raised UTG with 66 to 125 and got 3 callers (the button and both the blinds). The flop came A62 2 spades and it checked to me and I bet 325 and got 2 callers. The turn came an offsuit 3 and it checked to me again and I bet 700 and got the same 2 callers. The river came a K and it checked to me and I bet 1600 and the first guy instafolded (probably a FL draw. . .lucky dodge by me) and the second caller tanked and folded 63 (2 pair) face up saying she put me on AK. Missed value here I guess. I was up to 13k or so and I raised the cutoff to 125 with Q7dd and got called by both the blinds. The flop came Q32 and they checked and I bet 250 and one of them called. The turn came a 5 and he checked and I bet 300 and he called. The river came another Q and he checked and I bet out 700 and he folded and I was up to 14k.
Around this time, the blinds went up to level 2 (50-100) and I went into super LAGtard mode (its so much fun to play like this and Ive came to find that it really isn’t that risky. . .it makes perfect sense). Since I am playing so many hands, its hard to keep track of them all so I will just write down the biggerish ones. There were a couple of limpers and this tight old player on the button made it 500. I was in the BB and found QQ and just flat called and one of the limpers called. The flop came 662 and I bet out 800 to see where I was at and they both folded and I was up to 15.5k or so. I raised in EP to 250 with A6o and the BB called. The flop came A63 and the BB checked, I bet out 325, he raised to 825, and I 3-bet to 2000 and he called. The turn came a 6 and he checked and I bet out 2200 and he folded, showing an A (missed value?). I was up to 16.5k after this hand. After a bunch of other smaller pots, we went to level 3 (100-200).
Then, a hand that almost set me on tilt happened. I raised to 475 in EP with 66 and this guy behind me reraised to 1500 and I decided to call to try to make another set. The flop came Q84 all hearts and I checked to him and he checked behind. The turn came an offsuit 6, giving me a set. I checked it and he bet out 2000 and I called. The turn came an 8, filling me up and I decided to check to him so I could check raise him but he instachecked behind and stood up and yelled “ship it” and slammed down AA. I said “no good” and flipped over my full house. I missed SO MUCH value in this hand but I am trying not to think about this hand that much because I really don’t know if I misplayed it that badly, I just picked the wrong time to check the river with a monster. What is up with me making all these hands by the way? I never make these hands in cash games. Sick.
Anyways, I was at 18.5k and a couple hands later, a guy made it 600 UTG, UTG +1 called, I called in the next seat with 55, and the guy in the SB called. The flop came QT5 2 diamonds and the first guy bet out 1200, the girl next to me raised to 3500, I put enough chips in the middle to cover everyone in the pot (str and fl draws dictate this play). The guy in the SB folded (what he would later say was AQ. . .bad spot for him he said he was thinking about reraising PF which would have sucked for me) the guy UTG folded, and the lady next to me instacalled with like 11k behind at least and showed KQ and was drawing dead by the turn. I don’t know what she puts me on here to instacall with KQ there. She still had a ton of chips behind. She claimed that she was good and she was wearing a bracelet from a bellagio event but she was actually garbage. . .too bad she doesn’t realize it yet. I was up to 35k or so and riding high. After this hand, people started to get the fact that I was raising every pot and one guy in particular started reraising me almost every time I raised. It was so crazy that like 3 out of 4 times I raised, he reraised and I would just fold. He was really starting to piss me off but I know that Ill get action out of him so I keep folding. Last hand of the level, I picked up KK in MP, raised to 475 and the BB called and I c-bet J94 flop and won the pot. At the first break, I was up to 35100 in chips and doing really well.
I texted my friend and as a joke, told him I should easily be up to 75k by the next break. We got back at level 4 (100-200 25) and I continued to LAGtard it up and I continued to get reraised by the same guy. Im not going to lie, he was getting in my head a little and it made me start raising a lot less. However, I still had a good image so when I found AA in EP, I knew I would get some good action. I made it 550 and, unfortunately, that guy folded but a guy in LP called and the 2 blinds called. The flop came QJ7 with 2 diamonds and it checked to me and I bet out 1450. The guy in LP was a pretty spastic donkey and he had about 22k in chips and wasn’t afraid to spew them in the middle with less than premium hands. He raised me 8000 more to 9450 (overbet much?) and the blinds folded. It got back to me and I knew that he didn’t want action and that I had him crushed so I went all in and he instacalled (oops?. . .not quite) for his last like 12k or so and I was freaked for a couple of seconds until he turned over 65dd for a small Fl draw. LOL. . .50k pot at 100-200 and he has that hand. I had the Ad for the redraw as well. The turn and the river blanked out and I won the GIGANTIC pot and was up to 59k.
A little later, I found KK in EP and made it 550. This time, the guy reraised me (again) to 1500. It got back to me and for the first time in the day, I 3-bet him to 4000. I did it really fast and I threw the chips in the pot in a way that made it look like I was fed up with his reraising me. It worked as he called the raise and the flop came J93. I bet out 5500 on the flop, he minraised me to 11000, and I put him all in and he instafolded! SO FUNNY he had 4k in chips behind after his flop raise and folded on the flop after he had put 15k in the pot. I knew that I would catch him trying to play a pot with me at the wrong time. After this hand, I was up to 73k at 100-200 25 and I would be willing to bet that I was the chip leader of the tournament at this time.
Around this time, the blinds went up to level 5 (200-400 25) and I decided to tighten up a little bit (but not that much) because there were like 5-6 people at the table who had a stack of like 5k-7k and were just looking for any excuse to push (and they will never believe me because I have so many chips). I still raised 1-2 times an orbit but I kept having to fold to pushes. I found JJ UTG and made my standard opening raise to 975 and got 4 callers. The flop came K85 and I check/folded my big pair. I then found AKo in LP and raised and got one caller and the flop came KQ4 and I bet out 1575 and he folded.
After this, the blinds went up and we went to level 6 (300 600 50). I found AKo and raised it to 1450 from MP and a short stack pushed the button for 6k or so and I called and he showed A6o. The board ran out 865TK and I hit the river and won that pot. Next hand, I picked up AKo again and a guy raised in font of me to 2k. He only had 8k behind so I raised enough to cover him and he called and showed AKo also and we ended up chopping the pot. I was at 74.5k or so after this hand. Later in the level, I raised UTG +1 with KTdd and the BB called. The flop came Q86 and the BB checked and I c bet 2150 and she called. We checked down a turn and river of 86 and she showed AQ. I didn’t really play any other noteworthy pots and at the 2nd break I was at 69825.
After the break, we came back at level 7 (400-800 75) and I still had a TON of chips. I wasn’t raising as much as I probably should have been because of the short stacks and the guy who kept reraising me had doubled up a couple of times was still giving me trouble. I made it 1925 with 76dd in EP and that guy pushed for his last 6500 or so and I called and he showed KQo. The board ran out 752Q2 as I hit the flop but he hit the turn. I was down to 63.5k after this hand. Next hand I played, I raised with K8o from UTG and the guy reraised me (as usual) but this time it was a minraise. I thought about folding here but I decided to call the min raise. The flop came AK2 and I checked and he checked behind. The turn came another K and I checked to him and he bet out 8k and I put him all in for his last 4k behind and he decided to fold! He did it again SOOO FUNNY.
After this pot I was back up to 74.5k and The blinds went to level 8 (600-1200 100). One of the first hands of the level, the reraise guy pushed all in in EP for like 6k and it folded to me in the BB and I found A3 and decided to call and he showed A2 and we ended up chopping. Next hand, he pushed all in in EP again for 6.5k and it folded to me in the SB and I found A9o and decided to call. He showed 72o (I don’t think that he actually looked at his cards) and the board blanked out and I finally was able to knock him out (I know that I didn’t write about a lot of hands vs him but he honestly reraised me probably 15-20 times throughout the tournament so I was glad to be rid of him). I was up to 84.5k or so. I raised in EP with KJo and got called by the BB and the flop came Q53 and I c-bet and he folded. I then raised 3 straight hands (KT KJ AT) and folded to reraises each of those times and my stack dropped to 78k.
The blinds went to level 9 (800-1600 200) and my table broke around this time and I moved to a new table. I thought my stack was pretty big for the tournament but I moved to this new table and all 3 guys on my left had me covered (like 160k-125k-140k) just massive. I was down to 75k or so and there were 2 limpers and I found 97o in the SB and completed. The flop came K93 and I bet out 3600 and the first limper called me. The turn came another 3 and I followed through with another bet of 7100. He decided to raise me to 20k and I folded (Im pretty positive that he has AA or KK here because he doesn’t raise the turn with just KQ or KJ here). I was down to 64k or so after this hand.
I then saw one of the sickest hands that ive seen in a tournament. I wasn’t involved in it but I feel like I have to share it because of how sick it was. This hand was between the 2 biggest stacks at the table (the one with 160k and the one with 140k when I mentioned them before). They were both younger and had been playing pretty aggressively, especially against each other. The one with 160k or so made it 4100 UTG and the 2nd guy flat called him. The flop came K73 rainbow and the first guy lead out for about 6k and the 2nd guy raised him to 16k and the first guy called. The turn came the A of diamonds (putting 2 diamonds on the board) and the first guy checked and the 2nd guy checked behind. The river came T of diamonds and the first guy be out 11k and the 2nd guy raised to 25k and the first guy snap calls and shows KK and the guy behind shows AA! UNREAL how he didn’t go broke at any part of that pot and that he only lost like less than 50k on the hand that he should have lost most of his chips in. After the hand, the guy who won with AA had to take a break because he was so steamed that he didn’t win more chips from the guy.
Anyways, back to my tournament I was down to 60k or so and was in the SB. It folded to the button and he raised it to 5k and I found 88 and reraised enough to put the guy all in. He only had like 18k total to start the hand with and called when it got back to him. He showed KK and I made my first real misstep of the tournament. I wasn’t able to spike and was down to 38k or so after this hand. A short while later, we went on the 3rd break and after stealing a pot, I had 42100.
We came back to level 10 (1000-2000 300). I found 77 UTG +1 and raised it to 5100 and got one cold caller behind me. The flop came QT3 and I lead out for 7400 and he pushed all in and I folded and I was down to 25k or so. My next BB, The guy on the button raised it to 6k and I found KJo and pushed all in for like 24k total. He called and showed QJss and I avoided a Q, str, and flush and was able to double up the first time I have been all in in the tournament. I had 50k or so after this hand. Next hand I was in the SB and the guy on the button (from the KK vs 88 hand) raised to 6k. I found QQ and pushed for my stack and he folded and I was back up to 58k. I tightened up for a while and eventually tried to steal from EP with 52o into 2 really tight players in the blinds. It folded to the BB who pushed all in and then showed AA. After this and the blinds, I was at 47800 at the end of the level and we went for an hour long dinner break.
I ate a comped dinner at the food court in the Venetian and we came back to play level 11 (1500-3000 500) and to color up our black 100 chips. We sat at the table for about 5 minutes of play before our table broke (and we were down to the final 6 tables ~60 players). I got to the new table and I soon realized something. . .this table was still playing with black chips. I was extremely confused and as soon as I noticed, I brought it up to the other guy who moved tables with me. He got really confused too and called the floor over. The floor freaked out and we had to take like an 8 minute break while everything got situated and they raced off the black chips and colored everyone up. . .another just bizarre thing that happened in the trip. Shortly after the color up, I made a sick sick play (and was pretty lucky while doing so).
I had actually came back and opened like 3 of the first 8 pots or so and won the blinds twice and folded to a reraise once. I was on the button and it folded to me and I found 77 and made it 7000. The SB folded and the BB looked at me and reraised to 23k. He had a very similar stack as me and I really thought about this one. First of all, I knew he wasn’t that great of player because of his mannerisms at the table. Second of all, once I took like 2 minutes or so (almost just folding a couple of times) I looked at him longer and he looked extremely uncomfortable. Third, I tried to range his hand. I thought that he would probably push with big pairs here so I ruled those out. I didn’t really know if he was a player capable of raising a button raise with nothing, but if he was this is an amount he would raise as he wouldn’t just want to get snapped with nothing but he would get me to fold most midrange hands. I didn’t really get his range down pat, but I knew he didn’t have a big pair and a resteal was a possibility. Fourth, I had to determine what his moves would be depending on what I did. He only had about 37k or so behind and normally, a person would never just laydown after putting 23k in the pot already. However, the way he was looking just made me think that he really didn’t want to gamble with an AK AQ hand (if he even had that and wasn’t on a steal). I decided to go all in for like 37k or so more and he timebanked and said “I guess you can have my chips for now, Ill give them to you but theyre just a loan” and folded. I didn’t really care what he said at that point I was just like yeah I know and was really glad to take the 23k in free chips that he gave me. After this hand, I was back to 85k. My table broke again after this and we were down to the final 5 tables.
We went to level 12 (2000-4000 500) and I was at a new table. As the tournament got deeper and deeper, the hands took longer and longer so we played less hands per level and therefore, I played less hands per level so that explains the lack of hands for the previous few and upcoming levels. I raised in MP with QTo to 9500 and it folded to the BB and he called. The flop came KQT and he checked and I c-bet 15500 and he folded and I was up to over 90k. I then raised with 88 in EP to 9500 and the guy on my left reraised to 30k and it folded to me and I folded behind. The level finished with 30 players (3 tables and 3 away from the money) and I had 79500 on the 4th break.
We came back at level 13 (3000-6000 1000) and I was kind of short, but still had like 13 bbs and if I would be able to double once, I would be above average. A couple of people got eliminated early and we went to hand for hand at 28 players and 3 tables. Hand for hand took forever and we only played like 10-12 hand in the 30 minutes that we played it (pretty much the whole level 13). I did play 2 hands. I picked up AA UTG and raised it to 14k. It folded to the BB and he called. The flop came K92 and he checked and I c-bet 22k and he folded and I was up to over 100k. I then raised in EP with QTo and everyone folded and I took down the blinds and maintained my stack. With 9 minutes or so left in the level, someone finally got eliminated and we were in the money! We redrew for tables and another bizarre-funny thing happened. When we redrew, the tournament directors somehow screwed up the seat cards and everyone ended up at a different table, but with the same players as they were with on the table before! The tournament director was like “this is such a weird coincidence we have to do this again” (I was like “ummm I don’t think that this is a coincidence I think that you screwed up by not shuffling the seat cards” but I obviously didn’t say that to his face) so we redrew again.
I moved to the new table and I stole a couple of blinds by raising to 14000, once with K7 and once with KT, and the blinds went to level 14 (4000-8000 1000). I raised with 88 to 19000. The lady in the BB reraised me to 55000 and I decided to fold rather than play for my whole stack. I was down to 95k or so and folded for an orbit or so and was down to 81k. A guy raised it in EP to 22k and I found a magical AA from LP. I tinkered with just calling but this guy had a lot of chips and I figured that hed call me for pot odds if anything so I pushed all in for 59k more and he timebanked and said “Im just giving you my chips kid” before deciding to call. He flipped over T9ss for 2 live unders and the board ran out T985Q for another sick beat deep in a big buy in live tournament.
I suppose that that is how I will be getting out of the majority of tournaments but it still sucks big time. Im not too sure about where this would go in my worst beats of all time list but I know that its up there. I ended up finishing 23rd and getting paid $519 (a net profit of $179). I was so so close to that final table and the 30k for first. If I win this pot, I am up to 180k or so and am able to have some steal value after showing down AA so I know that I would be able to build my stack pretty easily. Hopefully, Ill get down to this spot again soon.
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