Tourney: June 6th 2011 Venetian Deepstack Event #10: $560

Todays $560 had a massive turnout fielding 461 players with 45 spots paying and 1st prize being over $50k. My starting table was extremely easy and there really wasnt a talented player among the group at all. Todays tournament we started with 15000 in chips.

Level 1: 50-100. An EP player made it 225, an MP player called, and I called in the BB with AKo. We checked to the turn on A95K all diamonds (4-flushed) at which point I check/called 225 from the initial raiser. The river came an offsuit 3 and we both checked with my AK being good. An MP player made it 225 and I 3-bet the SB with K5dd. He called and the flop came A64. I bet out 625 and he called. We checked down the turn and river of 8Q and he showed AT for the winner. There were 3 limps to me on the button and I made it 525 with AJo. One of the limpers called and we checked down 98685 with 4 diamonds and he showed 44 with the 4d for the winner (I did not have a diamond). I made it 250 in the hijack when I found AJo again and the BB called. The flop came J93 and he check called my 325 bet. The turn came a 6 and he check folded to my 600 bet and I won the pot. I then was given the gift of the tournament. An EP raiser made it 325 and I found KK in MP and made it 1200. The BB decided to 4-bet to 4200 and I moved all in for my whole stack. He tanked for a while and decided to call with ATdd!!! Haha. The flop came a scary Q63 2 diamonds but he doomswitched himself by saying "I know its coming' and the turn and river came out 3T. I was at 29k after this. I made it 250 with T8ss on the button and the BB called. The flop came J33 and he checkfolded to my 325 bet. I made it 250 from the hijack with ATo, the BB called, and I folded to a bet on the turn of J937. I made it 250 with AJo in MP, the cutoff called, and I checkfolded a 986 flop (he showed TT). An EP raiser made it 250, I called in the SB with 55 and the BB called as well. The flop came J52 all diamonds and I donked out 400 with my set and they both folded. I was at 29325 and we went to the next level.

Level 2: 75-150. I made it 350 in the cutoff with JTdd and the BB called. He check called 400 when I c-bet the 962 flop. We checked down 27 and he showed T9 for the winner. I made it 350 from the cutoff with JTo and the SB was the only caller. The flop came 932 and he check-called my 400 bet. The turn came a 6 and he check folded to my 2nd barrel of 750. I made it 400 from MP with 1 limper with AJo. The BB and the limper called. The flop came 932, they checked to me, and I bet 550. The BB called and we checked to the river on a 76 board where he bet 1200 and I folded. I was at 28000 and we went to the next level.

Level 3: 100-200. There was a UTG limp and a lady in MP made it 800. She had been isoing limpers with big raises like crazy so I 3-bet he from the cutoff with ATo to 2025 and they all folded. I then played an interesting hand. I made it 475 with K9cc UTG +2. I got a call from the cutoff and the BB and we saw a flop of AcQx8c giving me the nut flush draw. The BB checked, I bet 625, the LP caller made it 2250, the BB folded, and I decided to just call and try to make my flush. The turn came the beautiful 2c making me the nuts. I checked, he bet 3650, I clicked it back to 7300, and he folded extremely quickly. This is weird because the guy played so straightforward I know he has to have something and I cant believe he folded so fast to my reraise. That is the reason why I called the flop, because I know he has to have a pretty strong hand and would likely pay me off when I hit. Even though he folded I still think he had something pretty good. . .I guess I should have just flat called here. Either way I was up to 35975 and we went on our 1st break.

Level 4: 100-200 25. I made it 475 in MP, the button called, and the SB 3-bet to 1750. I decided to keep the pot smaller by just calling and the button called as well. The flop came JT7, the SB lead for 2200, and I folded. At the time I thought I played this hand too weakly but looking back on it, that guy didnt play all that aggressive so Im leaning towards he had something pretty good. I limped UTG +1 (yes thats correct) with 88 and 2 others limped behind with the blinds. The flop came A93 and I folded to a bet from another limper. I was at 32950 and we went to the next level.

Level 5: 150-300 25. I made it 650 in the cutoff with KTdd and the BB was the only caller. The flop came KT4 2 clubs, he checked, I bet 800, and he called. The turn came the 7c putting a potential flush on board and we both checked. The river came a 3 and he check called my 2000 bet and mucked when I showed. I made it 650 UTG with the exact same hand, KTdd and the SB was the only caller. Amazingly, I flopped top 2 again on a KT9 flop but she check/folded to my 800 bet. I made it 650 from the button with 65dd and the BB called. The flop came T77 and he check called my 800 bet. The turn came another T and he check folded to my 2nd barrel of 1425. I was up to 38475 and we went to the next level.

Level 6: 200-400 50. I made it 950 UTG +2 with AQdd and everyone folded. I made it 950 UTG when I found 22 and UTG +2 made it 2300. He only had about 8000 total so I folded. The button made it 1000, I called in the SB, and the BB called as well. The flop came 953 2 spades, I lead out for 1650, the BB made it 4300 and we all folded (he later said he had top pair + flush draw). I made it 950 from MP with ATo and the button was the only caller. The flop came KQ2, I bet out 1325, he made it 4325, and I folded. I made it 950 with T9dd in the cutoff, the button made it 2500, and I folded. I was down to 31650 and we went to the next level.

Level 7: 300-600 50. I made it 1350 with ATdd from UTG +2 and everyone folded. There was a dead BB, the button limped into my SB, and I completed with 74ss. The flop came AK4, I lead out 800, he made it 2000, and I decided to call to see what happened on the turn. The turn came an A and I check folded to his 2500 bet. A player UTG +1 made it 1400, I 3-bet to 3150 on the button with Q9cc, me moved all in for about 27k, and I folded. There was a UTG limper and I made it 1500 with KK in MP. The hijack called as did the UTG limper. The flop came an ugly A62 but they both folded to my 1700 bet. I was then able to get my 2nd major gift of the day in a hand which I thought I played beautifully. I made it 1325 with 77 from UTG +1 and the BB was the only caller. The flop came 762, he checked, and I decided to check behind. The turn came a 2 giving me top full, he lead out for the minimum bet of 600, I quickly raised it to 2500 to make it look like I had nothing, and my quick raise got him as he decided to 3-bet to 8600. I quickly just called this bet to make it look like I was trying to discourage a river bet (which I wasnt, I was just trying to make it look that way). The river came a 3 and he instantly slid out all of his high denomination chips into the middle which totaled about 21k, I moved him all in for his last 450 behind, and he snapfolded! Haha. . .busted. Its nice to have the nuts (I guess I learned the other day that this isnt the nuts nuts but its very close) when someone moves into you but I thought I played this hand perfectly to get him to put it in here. I was up to 59525 and we went to the next level.

Level 8: 400-800 75. An EP player made it 1600, an MP player called, and I called the button with KQo but folded on an A65 flop. I then got tricky with a hand. It folded to me in the SB and I found AA. The guy in the BB only had about 12k so I decided just to limp. He checked behind and the flop came KJ9. I bet out 1025, he moved all in for about 12k, and I called quickly. He showed K4 for top pair and I faded his outs on s 75 turn/river. The hijack, who was a good player who I had played with quite a bit this summer, made it 1800 and I found AQo on the button and chose just to flat, keeping the pot small. The flop came T74 and I folded to his 2600 bet (he later said he had JJ here. I was at 66000 and we went to the 3rd break.

Level 9: 500-1000 100. By this time, all the donks from my original table had busted and their seats were filled with significantly tougher and younger players so that sucked. I made it 2300 with KJss from UTG +2 and everyone folded. I made it 2300 from the cutoff with 53o but folded when the button made it 14k. It folded to me in the SB and I found A9ss and made it 2300 into the BB and he called. The flop came QJ7, I bet 2600, he made it 7200, and I folded. An EP aggrokid made it 2400 and I made it 5800 from the cutoff with KJo. The SB decided to cold 4-bet to 25k and we both had to fold. The hijack made it 2300 and I flatted right behind him in the cutoff with KQo. The button called also and we saw a nice looking KQ4 flop. The raiser bet out 4000, I flatted (hoping the button caller would do something spazzy as he had made alot of strange plays throughout the time we were sitting together...2300--->14k from earlier), but the button folded. The turn came a Q filling me up, the raiser checked, and I checked behind. The river came a 2, checked, I bet 10k, and he called showing a K but mucking. I was up to 73100 and we went to the next level.

Level 10: 600-1200 100. I made it 2600 UTG with 77 and the button and BB called. The flop came J53 and I ended up check/folding to a bet and a raise. A tight EP player made it 3200, I found AQo in MP and made it 8500, and he moved all in for 29k on top. I folded and he said he had KK. I was down to 55500 and we went to dinner break.

Level 11: 800-1600 200. I made it 3500 UTG with 22 and the BB was the only caller. The flop came J95 all diamonds (I didnt have a diamond), he checked, I bet 5000, and he folded showing 22 as well. . .haha. This same guy made it 3500 in MP and I found AKo right behind him and made it 10.6k and everyone folded. I had 60500 and we went to then next level.

Level 12: 1000-2000 300. An aggrokid made it 4500 from EP and I found A7o in the BB and decided to call his raise. The flop came J83 2 spades, I checked, he bet 5100, I decided to check raise to 13500, he moved all in for about 50k, and I folded. Ugh. . .didnt need to try this I guess but I had a super tight image and thought I could push 1 play like this through. Should have just folded preflop I guess (I wasnt necessarily calling based on my hand strength but on his wide range and what I could do on future streets). I made it 4400 from the cutoff with J7cc and everyone folded. I then played another strange pot with a different aggrokid. I made it 4400 with KQo from UTG +1 and the BB called. The flop came J32, he checked, and I decided to just check behind here. The turn came a 2nd J, he lead out for only 4600, and I decided to call here. I am calling here to bluff most rivers but also because I might actually have the best hand some times and the fact that the bet size was so tiny. The river came a Q giving me a pair, he bet out 11800 which I quickly called (no need to bluff anymore). He announced "A high" and my rivered pair was good. I was at 62800 and we went to the next level.

Level 13: 1200-2400 300. Around this time, I was moved to a new table. This table was not nearly as high of quality as my last one. I made it 4800 (accidentally minbet) from MP with KTo, the SB moved all in, the BB moved all in as well, and I folded (99 vs AK). I then had 2 hands that I made incorrect decisions on that probably cost me the tournament. I was still new to the table so I didnt really know table dynamics at the time. I was in the BB, a player UTG limped, the button (an older man who I would assume plays tight) made it 6000, the SB jammed all in for 30k, and I found 99 in the BB. I decided to fold, the old man on the button reluctantly called with KQ and the SB showed 88. If I come over the top all in, the button folds, and I have 99 vs 88 for a good pot. However, I chose to just fold and it ended up beind the wrong decision. A couple of hands later, I made my next bad decision. A player UTG +1 who I had seen call/fold and raise/fold 2 times thus far made it 7500 with about 30k in chips total. I found 77 in MP and decided to 3-bet as an intention of isoing his potential all in. I made it 16k, it folded to him, he moved all in for 30k, I called, and he had KK. The board blanked out for me and I was down to 25k or so in chips. Ugh. I guess I should have called off with 99 before and I wouldnt have to worry about this situation but as it is 2 bad decisions left me on the shortstack. The SB limped into my BB and I jammed 22k with J9o and he folded. I moved all in with A9cc from MP and everyone folded. I was at 25700 and we went to the next level.

Level 14: 1500-3000 400. A couple of hands into this level, I found 77 UTG and jammed only to get rejammed by another guy and overcalled by a 2nd. They had AA and QQ and I didnt find a 7 on the board and busted out in about 75th place out of 461.

It was a long 11 1/2 hours to play and not get paid. It was especially frustrating because I really dont feel as if I played particularily well over the last 5-6 levels. Maybe I just feel that way because I just didnt find too many good spots. I guess I should have just went with the 99 there and I would have chips and not have to go with 77, run it into KK, get shortstacked, and have to shove. Hopefully I can learn to play better from this experience and tomorrow I will come back focused and ready to win.