Satellite List #1: May 28th 2011

Today I decided to go to the Venetian and try to win some satellites to get some money for future deepstack events. The satellite are single table tournaments that pay out the top 2 places evenly in amounts for event buy ins. I figured I would have an inherent advantage because I played 9 man SNGs for a living for the past 4-5 years. I had a nice day winning some money and running pretty decently overall.

Satellite #1 $80 buy in 2 $340 winners (Venetian): I ran particularily good in this one. I made it 350 at 75-150 from the CO with AK and a lady jammed the button for about 1500, I called and she showed 99. The board ran out 864K6 and I won the race. I got a shortstack in for his last 300 with 99 vs KQ and the board ran out KJT5Q. I made it 500 at 100-200 with 66 and the BB went all in for 1500. I called and the board ran out 76428 making me 3/3 in coinflips! We were 5 handed and I had alot of chips already and I limped the SB into the BB with 76o. The BB had lot of chips (4k=2 stacks worth) and the flop came 854, flopping me the nut straight. I lead out 300, he made it 1000, and I put him all in for his last 4000 or so. He called showing 84 for a flopped 2 pair and I faded the full house draw to get a massive stack. 3 handed I got the short stack in for his last 1400 at 200-400 with K9hh vs his ATo and the board ran out 9x8x8hTh3h making me a flush and winning me the tournament. After I tipped the dealer $5, I was +$255 for the day.

NOTE: After this first tournament my buddy Levi showed up and we decided we were going to play satellites at 50% equity for each other, meaning that when we played satellites we would split our winnings and losses 50/50. This would pay dividends later in the day for me, but when I went to eat dinner after this first satellite, he lost a $130 satellite so I owed him $65 for the loss. +$190 for the day.

Satellite 2 $130 buy in 2 $570 winners (Venetian): In addition to the buy in, I did a $20 last longer bet with the players on the table. This was a pretty crazy satellite as I was involved in a ton of all ins. I was down to ~1500 or so and the button made it 350 at 50-100, the SB moved all in for 700, I found 99 in the BB and overshoved, and the button folded. The BB had AQ and I lost the race on a Q high board. A couple of hands later, I pushed with KTo from the button and the SB called with 88. The board came T high and I won. We were down to 6 handed at 100-200 and the cutoff made it 500, I shipped from the BB for about 1500 with 55, and he called with AK. The board came all low cards and I won the race. I was up to about 3200 or so and I made it 500 from the cutoff with 99. The SB shipped 2600 or so and I called and he showed Q9ss. The board came out Q high and he outdrew me for this large pot. I was down to 700 and I found 66 next hand and pushed and the lady in the SB called with K8 and I faded her overs to double to about 1700. The blinds went up to 200-400. I was down to my last 1200 and I pushed Q9hh in the cutoff and the SB called with 88. The board contained a 9 and that was good enough for me to double to 2800. The button pushed in for a similar stack to this and I found AQo in the BB and quickly called. He showed KK though and the board ran out KT35J, rivering me broadway and giving me the win. We went to 3 handed play and I had about 6000 in chips, and we decided to to a saver, giving the 3rd place finisher the $200 from the last longer and playing for the $570 seats. Luckily, the lady who was playing 3 handed with us was absolutely terrible (the guy wasnt very good either but he was Phil Ivey compared to the lady) and we were able to grind her down to about 2500 or so at 400-800 before she called my all in 52hh when I shoved the SB with ATo. The board came out AJ38K and I won the $570 for the win. I gave half to Levi so after all was said and done, this result looked like this: $570/2=$285-$130(Buy in)-$20(Last Longer)-$10(dealer tip)=+$125. I was +$315 for the day.

Satellite 3 $130 buy in 2 $570 winners (Venetian): I partipated in a $20 last longer in addition to the buy in in this satellite as well. A guy made it 400 at 50-100 and I pushed TT behind him for 1500. He called with 88 and I held and was up to 3000. A couple hands later, a guy open shoved for about 1700 and I found TT immediately behind him and called. He showed 99 and I held again and I was quickly up to 5k in chips. At 100-200, I made it 500 from the cutoff with 44 and the button called. The flop came J73 and we both checked. The turn came a 5d, putting a flush draw out there. I checked, he bet 1100, and I called. The river came an offsuit 5 and we both checked and he showed A9dd for the missed nut flush draw and I took in a nice pot. We were at 200-400 and were 5 handed and the SB made it 1000 into my BB. I found A7o and I put him in for his last 3000 or so and he called with A4. The board ran out KJ584 rivering him a pair of 4s for the win. I was down to 2000 or so after this. Fortunately, this guy knocked out 2 other people in the next hand, putting it 3 handed with both Levi and I. This meant one of us would cash and I was on a freeroll. A couple orbits later, I shoved 3000 from the button with QJo and the guy called from the BB with JTcc and ended up making a flush. Bummer. But at least Levi won the tournament to help me out. He won $80 from the last longer and $570 from the tournament winnings so $80+$570=$650/2=$325-$130(Buy in)-$20(Last Longer)=+$175. This made me +$500 for the day.

Satellite #4 $130 buy in 2 $570 winners (Venetian): This satellite contained another $20 last longer. This was an extremely uneventful satellite for me. I opened 1 pot with 44 at 50-100 but got 5 callers and folded when I missed my set. I was down to my last 1000 at 100-200. We were 6 handed and a guy opened the cutoff for 700, I moved all in for 1000 from the button with A8ss, the BB called, and so did the raiser. The board ran out AQ6TJ and they showed down KT and QJ meaning both of them hit the river to beat me. Bummer. However, Levi was able to win this one for me as well. He took down $60 in last longer bets and another $570 for the tournament win so $315 in winnings for each of us minus the $150 from the buy ins is a net of $165 for me meaning a total winnings for the day of $665.

A net winning of $665 for a couple of satellites is not a bad day. Id argue that it was a rather good one! I ran good and played well so hopefully this luck will be with me all day tomorrow during day 2 of this big event and I will be able to continue onto day 3 and beyond.