Tourney: June 9th 2011 Caesars Megastack Event #23: $240

After taking the previous day off of poker, I went to Caesars to play another megastack hoping for similar results as the last time. There were 310 players paying 36 spots with 11.5k to first and you started with 20000 in starting chips. My opening table was absolutely terrible with only one decent player and he was 2 on my right so I had good position on him.

Level 1: 50-100. I folded almost every hand in this level. The button limped, the SB made it 350 and I called in the BB with AQcc. The button called as well and I folded to a bet from the SB on a K92 flop. I took 19450 to the next level.

Level 2: 100-200. There was 1 limper and the SB to me in the BB and I checked 54cc behind. The flop came K76 and I lead for 250 when the SB checked. Th limper called and the SB folded and the turn came an 8, completing my open ender. I bet 700 and he folded. A player in EP made it 450, a player in MP called, and I called from the BB with T8dd. The flop came 876 and I check/called a 600 bet from the initial raiser. The turn came another 8 giving me trips and we both checked. The river came a Q and I lead for 1750 and the raiser called showing 99 (no good). There were 2 EP limps and the only other good player at the table made it 750. I found AA in the cutoff and made it 2000 and he was the only caller. The flop came Q85, he checked, and I decided to check behind. The turn came a T, he bet out 2500, and I just called. The river came a 6, he lead out for 3300, I called and he annouced "just a queen" which was no good when I showed my AA. Maybe I missed value but I kind of wanted to try to keep the pot a little smaller so that if he made a hidden set/2 pair I wouldnt end up having to pay as much. I made it 475 from UTG +2 with K9cc and everyone folded. I was up to 32750 and we went to the next level.

Level 3: 150-300. A complete donkey made it 900 UTG +1 and I found 99 on the button and just flatted. The flop came QJ8 and we both checked. The turn came a 7, he bet 1000, and I called. The river came a 6, he bet 2000, and I called but mucked when he showed 88 for a flopped set of 8s. This might not have been the greatest call but I dont think its too bad because he was so bad I really really didnt think that he would ever slow play on the flop (oops) and the only way he would have improved is with 77 or 66. I guess he showed me what was up though. I made it 650 UTG with AKo and the cutoff made it 1750. The BB called and I decided to just call as well. The flop came Q72 and I check/folded when the 3-bettor bet 2250 (maybe I played this one weak but I think the guy was really strong). I made it 750 in the SB into the BB with AJdd and he called. We checked down 75495 and he showed A8 which was no good. I made it 650 with A5o in the hijack and the cutoff called. The flop came A99, I trap checked, he bet 1000, and I called. The turn came a third 9 giving me top full, I checked, and he checked behind. The river came a 7, I lead for 2500 and he folded. I guess I got 1000 extra by checking the flop. I was down to 29550 and we went to the next level.

Level 4: 200-400. I made it 950 in MP with A8o and the guy directly behind me called. The flop came J76, I c-bet 1100, and he folded. I made it 950 with AJo UTG +2 and got called by both of the blinds. The flop came AQ4 and they check/folded to my 1100 bet. I limped UTG +1 with 22 and the blinds were the only other players. The flop came AA7 and they check folded to my 525 bet. It folded to me in the SB and I put the BB all in for his last 1200 or so with J9ss and he called showing T3o. The board ran out J5375 and I won. I made it 950 from the button with K6dd and the blinds folded. I made it 950 with A8hh in the hijack and the button called. We checked down a board of QJTT2 and he showed 44 for the winner. The only good player at the table made it 950 UTG and I 3-bet from UTG +2 with AJo. He called and the flop came KTT. We both checked and the turn came a 7. He lead out for 2500 and I folded. I made it 950 with AJo UTG +1 and everyone folded. I was at 31775 and we went to the next level.

Level 5: 300-600. I decided to come out this level and play really aggressive, trying to run over the weak players to my left at the table. However, this plan failed miserably (and I remember why I stopped trying to play like this). There was 1 EP limper to me in the cutoff and I made it 1700 with J5o. Everyone folded to the limper who decided to pull the ole' limp/reraise making it 4400 and I folded. I made it 1400 with Q5hh from the hijack but had to fold when a tight player on the button made it 3400. I made it 1400 with JTo from MP and everyone folded. I made it 1400 from MP with 53hh and the only other good player called from the BB. The flop came 763, he checked, I bet 1600, he made it 6500, and I called. The turn came a J and he put me all in for my last effective ~20k and I folded. I know that if I am trying to run over the table I should absolutely not be trying to raise into the only other good players BB. I dont hate my flop call completely. It was kind of expensive but I played the AA real cally vs him so I figured that if I called here he might shutdown a bluff on future streets. Plus I have outs even if he does have a big hand and I have the position to make sure that I get paid if I do hit (if I dont have position I probably fold). I was down to 23000 and we went to the next level.

Level 6: 400-800. After my unsuccessful attempt at running a weak table over, I had to go back into tight mode to get my chips back. I opened to 1800 UTG with 22 but had to fold to a 3 and 4 bet (AA vs KK). I made it 1800 in the cutoff with A7o and both of the blinds called. They checked to me on a K44 flop, I c-bet 2200, the SB raised, the BB flatted, and I folded (they both had KQ). I was down to 16000 and we went to the next level.

Level 7: 500-1000. I came into this level shortstacked so I had to get something going. I made it 2300 in MP with QTo (I normally dont open like this here but because of the table dynamic I know I will get a ton of credit). The BB was the only caller and he check folded to my 3000 bet on KQ5. I made it 2300 from UTG +2 with KJo, a really really tight lady went all in in the BB for 14k and I folded (hate raise folding here but I am stacking off with KJo here to several of the players at the table). I then was able to get lucky to double up. The good player opened the cutoff to 3000 and I found KTss in the SB and decided to push my last 16.5k. He called quickly showing JJ but I was able to dog him on a Qx8x7s9s2s board when I turned an open ender with a flush draw and rivered my flush. I was up to 34000 and we went to the next level.

Level 8: 600-1200 100. The SB limped and I made it 2700 in the BB with JTo. He called but check/folded to my 3100 on a Q83 flop. I then was able to win a big pot. I made it 2700 from the button with Q4dd and the SB was the only caller. The flop came a nice looking K62 all diamonds flopping me the flush. He checked, I bet 3000, he made it 8000, and I just called. The turn came another 6, he lead out for 10k and I went all in for about 24k total and he quickly folded. I made it 2500 from the hijack with A4o and the BB was the only caller. The flop came T43 and he check/folded to my 2500 bet. I made it 2500 with A4o (again) from MP and a very tight LP player went all in for 11k, causing me to fold. A player UTG made it 2800, UTG +1 called, I found 88 UTG +2 and called as well. We got callers from LP and both blinds and we went to the flop 6-handed. The flop came KQ4 and I folded to a bet and a raise in front. I was up to 57200 and we went to the next level.

Level 9: 800-1600 200. A player in EP went all in for his last 3000, a player in MP called, I called in the SB with QTss, and the BB called as well. The 3 of us checked to the turn on AJT2 where I folded to a bet from the BB. I made it 3500 with KTo from MP, a somewhat strong player who was new to the table moved all in for 25k directly behind me and I folded. A player in EP made it 3500 and I called in the BB with QJo. I check folded to a bet on the 754 flop. I was at 50200 and we went to the next level.

Level 10: 1000-2000 300. After this level the blinds took a significant increase to 1500-3000 so I went into this level planning on playing aggressively to try to build a stack for the future levels. An above average (but not outstanding) aggro kid moved in 2 seats to my right and he was raising a ton of pots. He opened for 4500 MP and I moved all in for about 45k from the cutoff and everyone folded. I made it 4300 UTG +2 with A4hh and I got one caller from the cutoff. The flop came J97 and he folded to my 6000 bet. I made it 4300 UTG +1 and the BB was the only caller. The flop came a ridiculous 988 2 spades, giving me a straight flush draw but he check folded to my 6000 c-bet. A new loose aggro kid made it 4300 UTG, UTG +1 called, and I found AQdd in the BB and moved them all in for their effective 50k and 40k respectively. They both folded and I was up to 70k or so. However, things went downhill in 2 consecutive hands The first hand, an active but not good (he been raising and then playing really weak either folding to raises or check/folding flops) made it 4500 UTG. I found 98o in MP1 and decided this would be a good time to 3-bet him so I made it 12k. It folded to him and he decided to go all in for his last 50k and I had to fold. Then next hand I suffered a cooler for a bustout hand. This hand the aggro, above average kid player made it 4500 UTG. I knew I was going to start 3-betting him light/jamming on all of his opens super light (knowing he will never call). I was UTG +2 and found AQhh. I was planning on jamming like 40% of my hands here but AQhh is way too strong to just jam here vs him so I decided to 3-bet it to 12k and set a trap. I thought this play would especially work since I had just 3-bet/instant folded the last hand and the amounts/positions were exactly the same. It got back to him and he called. The flop came A84, he checked, and I decided to bet 12k. A great portion of the time here I will check behind my pair of aces and try to get value on future streets since his hand will be extremely hard to improve vs my hand most of the time here. However, this time I had a good aggro dynamic going with him so I decided to bet a small amount to induce a raise with his random range (which I was sure he was going to do). After I bet 12k, he decided to check raise to 26k after which instantly moved all in for my last 50k. However, he snapcalled and showed 44 for a flopped set and my plan backfired in my face. I failed to catch up on the turn/river and busted in about 100th place or so.

I really think that this hand is just a super cooler because of the general dynamic at the table. Im never folding this hand to him pre or post and it played out that he hit a really good flop against me. Oh well always frustrating to lose especially when you put it in drawing basically dead. Hopefully next time it works out better.