Tourney: October 2nd 2011 Fall Poker Classic Event #2 $175

Today was another shot at me at the fall poker classic. This tournament had a much worse structure than yesterdays (which didnt have a good one in the 1st place). We started with 8000 in chips and the levels were 30 minutes long.

Level 1: 25-50. I opened to 125 with KQo from UTG +1 and everyone folded. A player UTG opened to 100, I called from the button with TT, and the SB called as well. The flop came QJ4 and I folded to a 200 bet from the opener. I made it 125 from the cutoff with A9o and the blinds both called. The flop came 888, they checked, I bet 200, and they both folded. I was at 8075 and we went to the next level.

Level 2: 50-100. A player UTG +2 opened to 250, I called right behind from MP with 99, and the guy right behind me called in MP. The flop came Q66, the raiser checked, I bet 325, and they both folded. There were 2 limps to me in the cutoff, I found AA and made it 425, and the button and one of the limps called. The flop came down 753, the BB and limper checked, I checked, the guy on the button bet 1100, the BB raised to 2525, the limper folded, I folded, the button went all in, and the BB called. The BB had 88 and the button had 55. Whew. I somehow didnt put another chip in with AA after I got outflopped on a pretty dry board. I was initially checking to 1)trap the aggressive kid on the button who I thought would bet if I checked to him or 2)for pot control just to keep the pot small. If the BB doesnt reraise 88 there I absolutely will be getting it in vs him but luckily the BB saved me by overplaying 88 like a champ and I somehow didnt lose another chip with AA there. To be honest, the turn was an A so I guess I would have won a big pot but that being results oriented. The button opened to 200, the SB called, I 3-bet from the BB to 750 with K9o, and they both folded. I was at 8225 and we went up to the next level.

Level 3: 100-200. I opened to 475 UTG with AKo and everyone folded. A player in EP opened to 400, a player in MP called, the button 3-bet to 1300, I found QQ in the BB and cold 3-bet it to 2700, the raiser and caller folded, and the 3-bettor flatted. The flop came down QJ4 2 hearts, I bet 1600, and he called. The turn came an offsuit K, I moved all in for my last 4200, and he folded. I was kind of in a tizzy over what to do preflop and I ultimately decided to just 4-bet/call off. An arguement could be made to just flat but then I would have let the other people in the hand and had to worry not just about overs but random sets as well. I kind of just thought if he had AA or KK Im never folding on the flop anyways so I might as well just go then. He must not have been too strong because he folded on the K turn meaning he didnt have AA or KK because he didnt stick it in pre nor did he have AK or JJ because hes not folding those hands on that board. I was up to 13625 and we went up to the next level.

Level 4: 200-400. The hijack limped and I checked the BB with ATo. The flop came J94, I checked, he bet 400, and I called. The turn came a Q, I checked, he bet 800, I made it 2500, and he called. The river filled my semibluff with a K giving me the nut straight, I put him all in for his last ~5k, and he folded J9 for flopped top 2 straight up. I didnt think he had that strong of a hand or else I wouldnt have tried to semibluff the turn (thought the Q was a good card for me to rep with him acting so weak and just being weak/tight in general) I hit my card and it worked out in the end. I was up to around 17k or so after this. A player in EP made it 800, I called the SB with KQss, and the BB called as well. The flop came A93 and I check folded to a bet. I opened to 850 from the hijack with JTo and everyone folded. I opened to 850 with KTdd from UTG +2 and player in MP and the BB called. The flop came A97 2 diamonds giving me a flush draw, I bet 1100, and they both folded. Last hand before break, I lost a big hand to a monster fish at the table. The fish limped UTG +1, a player in MP made it 800, I called in the BB with AJcc, and the fish called. The flop came J98 rainbow, I checked, the fish bet 1300, the raiser called, I made it 3025, and he called. The turn came a 6, I put him all in for his last 6500 or so, and he snap called showing 86hh for bottom 2. Ugh. The river came a Q and I doubled him up. Pretty brutal of him putting 4k of his 10k with 86 and bottom pair but cant really explain play like this. . .hes an idiot. I was down to 8250 (instead of being up to 28k or so) and we moved up to the next level.

Level 5: 200-400 25. During the break I moved tables and luckily for me (or unluckily because of what happened), the giant fish from the last table moved straight to my right. 1st hand after the break, I found 99 and opened to 850 UTG +2. It folded to the BB who moved all in for 4000 or so, I called, she showed 22, and I won the pot on AQ5KK. I was up to 12.5k or so. A couple of hands later, I met my unfortunate demise at the expense of the monster fish from my last table. It folded to me in the SB and I limped ATo to trap him and he raised it to 1000, and I just called. At this point, I got him to raise just like I wanted and I was thinking about 3-betting but I chose not to because I know that he is going to be calling any raise I make short of basically committing myself to all in (trust me he limp flatted 3k in the hand previous) and I didnt want to raise to like 2.5k-3k and have to fold on the flop. My choices were either to continue my trap or go all in. I decided 30 bbs was a little too much to jam so I just flatted. The flop came 752, I checked, he bet 1800, and I called. Im not really planning on trapping preflop and folding a ridiculously dry board like this to a guy who could have literally anything so I called. The turn came an A, I checked, he bet 3200, I moved all in for my final ~9000, and he called showing A5 for 2 pair. The river came a Q and I failed to improve busting myself out in a goofy pot to a giant donk. Oh well I trapped him and he hit his kicker. I dont really mind how I played this hand. Maybe I should just put it all in preflop and take the pot there or fold the flop but it is what it is and I busted in a stupid spot vs a retard.

Tomorrow is another tournament so hopefully I can represent better tomorrow.