Played the daily deepstack again at the Venetian today and ran card dead for five hours. The best two hands I got before my demise were AQo early and I lost both pots.
Never saw a pair till near my end when I was down to around $13,000 and there was a raise to $3,000 and a re raise to $12,000 ahead of me - and I was looking at a pair of 6's in the small blind, which I folded of course.
My demise was a classic race - another good hand finally - I picked up AKo and the player two spots to my right shoved in an equal stack which I called.
She had 22 but nothing connected with the board and I was out around 27th of 104.
Sigh
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Two chips and a chair
Tonight I lived my own version of the famous poker fable “ A chip and a chair”.
I was down to only one $200 big blind, early (level 2) in the Venetian nightly tournament. More than three hours later, my magical run ended in level 11, with about twenty players left.
How did I even get there? First, I made a horrendous call decision for half my stack when a smaller stack went all in after the turn(with QJ) on a board of 2 8 J Q with the river still to come. I was down to only three outs with my AQ, and none came.
I get impatient with a small stack early in the tournament so I began looking for all-in opportunities. I found one soon with 10 10 and ended up in a race with an equal stack who had AK unsuited.
After the river spiked an ace and the dealer counted out the chips, it turned out I was not eliminated - I still had $200 left. (we began with $7,500)
I went all in on the next hand with J 10 suited and ran up against the same player holding KJ suited.
We split the pot when the board came out 8 10 Q K and a miracle ace on the river. Now I had $900. I then manoeuvred several more all-ins during the next few orbits and found myself back up to $6,000 in chips not much later.I then hung in and zigged and zagged for a few more hours as the blinds and antes increased very rapidly.
In fact my stack grew to over $15,000 at one point, but in the middle of level 11 I lost a crucial "race" holding QQ against another AK unsuited, and was back down to around $6,000 chips. But by then, the blinds were already $1,000/$2,000 with a $300 ante – so being the big blind, I pretty much had to go all-in with any two cards – which I did – a suited 7 3.
Two other players in similar predicaments were also all in with 96 and KJ. The 96 connected for two pairs and all of a sudden I was a railbird.
I can’t explain why, but this is the most bummed I have been about exiting from any of the tournaments I have played in so far.
On the bright side, I was at a really friendly table the whole evening. On my right was Jairus, owner of Maui Mike’s Fire Roasted Chicken restaurant in Wahiawa, Hawaii, and a bona fide surfer dude.
Two to Jarius’s right was Dean, from Western Australia, who entered the tournament with four of his buddies who are all on vacation from here. Dean is also a very serious surfer as well as a drag racing commentator back in OZ. Cool stuff.
Not so cool though, as it was one of Dean’s buddies whose AK bested my queens, and another whose 96 secured my exit from the tournament. Haha, such is tournament poker – by the late stages of a tournament, it really is not poker as purists would know it.
But it was fun honing my short stack strategies for several hours successfully – not to mention I did get lucky myself once or twice. (Like when my Q10 all-in beat an AQ all-in when a ten hit the river.)
In the afternoon tournament I went out in the late middle stages – this time as the victim of a “bad beat” when I called a shorter stack’s all-in holding A9 suited and he had K9 offsuit, and his rivered king removed half my stack.
This left me short stacked, and I was not so lucky trying to double up my own stack from there on.
So interestingly, my results in the daily tournaments so far are no different on balance (maybe even slightly worse) than prior trips – even though I know I am a far better player.
It means very little though as the sample size is hardly large - for example, serious online players will enter up to 40 tournaments in a single day – failing to cash in maybe 33 to 36 of them, while cashing in the remaining 10 to 15%.
I should be pleased then my first cash of the week has covered most of my entry fees – and I have even played a few sessions of cash poker (which has been quite exciting with lots of variance in my results – that’s for another blog entry.)
I have played a little blackjack with mixed results, but the last few trips I have come down here, it has been less interesting for me to even sit down at a blackjack table – I much much prefer poker now.
Most importantly, I am really enjoying the trip – I am doing what I love doing in my favourite place to do so, with my favourite person in the world as my travel companion. It’s all good.
I was down to only one $200 big blind, early (level 2) in the Venetian nightly tournament. More than three hours later, my magical run ended in level 11, with about twenty players left.
How did I even get there? First, I made a horrendous call decision for half my stack when a smaller stack went all in after the turn(with QJ) on a board of 2 8 J Q with the river still to come. I was down to only three outs with my AQ, and none came.
I get impatient with a small stack early in the tournament so I began looking for all-in opportunities. I found one soon with 10 10 and ended up in a race with an equal stack who had AK unsuited.
After the river spiked an ace and the dealer counted out the chips, it turned out I was not eliminated - I still had $200 left. (we began with $7,500)
I went all in on the next hand with J 10 suited and ran up against the same player holding KJ suited.
We split the pot when the board came out 8 10 Q K and a miracle ace on the river. Now I had $900. I then manoeuvred several more all-ins during the next few orbits and found myself back up to $6,000 in chips not much later.I then hung in and zigged and zagged for a few more hours as the blinds and antes increased very rapidly.
In fact my stack grew to over $15,000 at one point, but in the middle of level 11 I lost a crucial "race" holding QQ against another AK unsuited, and was back down to around $6,000 chips. But by then, the blinds were already $1,000/$2,000 with a $300 ante – so being the big blind, I pretty much had to go all-in with any two cards – which I did – a suited 7 3.
Two other players in similar predicaments were also all in with 96 and KJ. The 96 connected for two pairs and all of a sudden I was a railbird.
I can’t explain why, but this is the most bummed I have been about exiting from any of the tournaments I have played in so far.
On the bright side, I was at a really friendly table the whole evening. On my right was Jairus, owner of Maui Mike’s Fire Roasted Chicken restaurant in Wahiawa, Hawaii, and a bona fide surfer dude.
Two to Jarius’s right was Dean, from Western Australia, who entered the tournament with four of his buddies who are all on vacation from here. Dean is also a very serious surfer as well as a drag racing commentator back in OZ. Cool stuff.
Not so cool though, as it was one of Dean’s buddies whose AK bested my queens, and another whose 96 secured my exit from the tournament. Haha, such is tournament poker – by the late stages of a tournament, it really is not poker as purists would know it.
But it was fun honing my short stack strategies for several hours successfully – not to mention I did get lucky myself once or twice. (Like when my Q10 all-in beat an AQ all-in when a ten hit the river.)
In the afternoon tournament I went out in the late middle stages – this time as the victim of a “bad beat” when I called a shorter stack’s all-in holding A9 suited and he had K9 offsuit, and his rivered king removed half my stack.
This left me short stacked, and I was not so lucky trying to double up my own stack from there on.
So interestingly, my results in the daily tournaments so far are no different on balance (maybe even slightly worse) than prior trips – even though I know I am a far better player.
It means very little though as the sample size is hardly large - for example, serious online players will enter up to 40 tournaments in a single day – failing to cash in maybe 33 to 36 of them, while cashing in the remaining 10 to 15%.
I should be pleased then my first cash of the week has covered most of my entry fees – and I have even played a few sessions of cash poker (which has been quite exciting with lots of variance in my results – that’s for another blog entry.)
I have played a little blackjack with mixed results, but the last few trips I have come down here, it has been less interesting for me to even sit down at a blackjack table – I much much prefer poker now.
Most importantly, I am really enjoying the trip – I am doing what I love doing in my favourite place to do so, with my favourite person in the world as my travel companion. It’s all good.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
The trouble with pairs
Today, August 28, 2010 I entered the $340 Saturday tournament at the Venetian. 40 minute blind levels and $12,000 starting chips. Everyone loves the structure. I was looking forward to this event the most of my trip.
The event was a free roll for me virtually, as I had cashed $725 the previous day coming 7/141 in the weekday noon tournament, and also I won $275 after breakfast at the blackjack tables.
Prior to leaving Toronto I had made final table in three of the four previous small tournaments I had entered on Full Tilt. The field sizes (90 or 135) were comparable to what I will experience here in Vegas.
I couldn't find my footing in the early going - losing the first five pots I entered without doing anything wrong as I could see.
Then I picked up 9D 9H and the dealer button was to my left, with blinds still only $25/$50.
All folded to me and I made it $150 to go. The SB and the BB both called.
The flop was 8S 7S 6C.
My hand is fine for this flop. I have an open ended straight draw and an over pair. The small blind bet $500 (into a $450 pot) and I called, as the big blind folded.
The turn was the 2 of hearts. The small blind bet $500 again (into a $1450 pot)
I called. I should have raised here - his bet size was pretty small compared to the pot, so it looks like he was feeling his way around. Maybe he is on a flush draw or second pair with a good kicker or some hand like that.
The turn was an ugly spade 6.
The small blind now bet $3000 into a $2450 pot. I folded, but felt I had mangled the hand pretty well.
In the second level, with the blinds at $50/$100 I picked up JC JS in second position. The guy UTG limped in and I elected to call rather than raise and risk the pot getting out of control.
Two other players limped in and then the big blind increased to $500 - a not very hearty squeeze play I thought.
I could have called, and kept position on him, but thought the guys behind me would be priced in to call. So I raised to $1,500 to isolate the big blind. I ended up being the guy isolated. Everyone folded back to the big blind who quickly went all-in!
I threw my hand away as another promising pair lay mashed up in the muck.
A few hands later I picked up 10H 10S and I raised to $300 under the gun. The button and the guy to my left both called.
The flop was 7H 2S 7C
We all checked the flop.
The turn was the 4 of spades, and I bet $700 into the $1050 pot. The guy on my left called, and the button pushed $5000 into the middle of the table !
I was pissed off and folded, and the guy on my left folded a pair of 6’s face up after some agony, and the aggressive over betting button took down a nice pot.
Blinds were still 50/100 and I am getting beaten up pretty badly as I pick up a pair of red queens in the big blind.
The guy in third position bet $425, and the guy on his left called. The button also called, and I had around $7900 left in my stack. I shoved all in and was insta-called by the initial raiser.
He turned over a pair of kings, including the king of hearts. With a flop of three heart rags, I was down to two outs and no hearts please dealer.
I spiked a sick queen on the river and doubled up sheepishly.
Shortly after that the blinds increased to $100/$200 and I found myself in third position with a pair of kings. (I was certainly getting my share of cards early in the tournament)
I raised to $300, forgetting the blinds had just gone up. So instead of betting three times the big blind, I was forced to limp in for $200 as I had failed to say “raise” when I entered the pot.
This opened the pot to five players in total and I had a bad feeling in my stomach.
The flop was KH QH 5S.
The SB led out for $300 into the $1000 pot. The BB folded, and here I was with a flopped top set. It could be worse I guess.
Still, I wanted to eliminate the flush drawers, if any, so I raised the bet to $1200. All folded except the small blind who called smoothly.
The turn was the jack of hearts – a very ugly card for me. This completed any flush draws, and also could fill a broadway straight if that’s what he was playing.
The SB checked and I bet $2100 into the $3400 pot. The other guy shoved all in for another $8000, as I looked down at my remaining $14,000.
I hated the way the whole hand had played out, but I decided he for sure had me beat, and I would need to spike a king or pair the board to win the hand on the river. Basically I had ten outs. Should I risk such a large part of my stack? I thought not as I laid down my lovely kings, face down.
The guy showed me his 53 suited in hearts – a hand he would never have been involved with had I not screwed up with the blind structure right at the beginning.
I guess I could have forced him out of the hand after the flop with a larger raise too, but the amount I bet, at this early stage of the tournament, felt right. Do I really want him to go away under all circumstances?
A couple of levels later I picked up AJo and raised to $700 in second position with around $11,000 in front of me, and nothing much happening.
The big stack on the button expectedly called, and the SB shoved all in for $3900. If I had a bigger stack, I would have called him pretty quickly, even if I were an underdog, but with my stack size and the big stack still behind me, I decided a call would not get the job done.
Therefore I should either fold or go all-in to isolate the small blind. I elected to fold, as did the button. Maybe I am too passive.
Level 5 the blinds are $200/$400 with a $25 ante.
I am the small blind with a pair of jacks. UTG limped in, and there as one caller in late position. I had about $16000 in front of me and I made it $5000 to go. After much thought, UTG called (almost half his stack).
The flop was 8H 5H 2C
I shoved all in and he called pretty quickly with the ace queen of hearts. He was actually a favourite I believe with his two overcards and the nut flush draw. But I won this race, and my stack was building nicely at this point.
Level six was $300/$600/$50
UTG limped in for $600, and the guy in second position (to my immediate right) also limped in; and I had a pair of queens. I was second stack at the table with over $40,000 and he had me covered.
How to play this one?
I decided to raise to $4,500.
All folded to my RHO, who now raised it up to $10,000 !!!
Who are these guys??
He had been playing tight aggressive poker all day, so my gut was already flashing warning signals. My gut told me to lay it down, he probably has aces or kings. But I did have queens (third best starting hand in poker) and I had position on him, and the call was for just over 20% of my stack, so I called.
I did not think a re-raise was in order.
The flop was a rainbow K 10 2
The guy checked the flop to me, but I smelled a check raise coming up.
He seemed to have begun with either AA, KK, or maybe AK.
So I checked too.
The turn was a brick, and he led out for a quiet $8,000 into a pot size of $22,000.
I folded, and he showed me a pair of aces.
I was regretting even calling his $10,000 bet (maybe I am too miserly with my chips during tournaments?) But the local pro to my left (good guy named Nick Gorman) congratulated me for preserving as many chips as I did on the hand.
Level 7 was $400/$800/$75 and I was sitting around $45,000.
All folded to the SB who completed on my right, and I held K10 offsuit, and elected not to raise. Maybe I should have as he had only $14,000 or so.
The flop was A 10 7
The SB led out for $2,000 and I called.
The turn was a harmless 5 and the SB shoved all-in.
I felt he did not have an ace, as he had raised (and shown ) his aces many times previously
So I called and he turned over 10 4 offsuit.
Great !
He got up to leave just as the dealer turned over a four on the river and my pair of tens was bested by his two pair on the river.
A couple of hands later I held Q10 offsuit, and there were two limpers ahead of me on the button. I elected to limp in also, creating a five way pot.
The flop was 7 2 2 rainbow.
The small blind on my left led out for $2,000, and all reluctantly folded to me. Like a wussy pussy, I folded without wasting any chips.
He, of course, had smelt an opportunity with such a dangerous board and only limpers, and was bluffing on air. I could have given him a healthy raise and taken down the pot (unless he in turn tried a bluff re-raise, which, as a pro, he is capable of doing)
I did not regret the chips so much as I regret not making the moves I know I should be – I justify it I guess because it is a tournament and you are always in survival mode, and looking to preserve chips, and pick up chips in favourable situations, but this was one of them – I just failed to pull the trigger.
The blinds went up to $400/$800/$75 and I had been bleeding a bit.
As the dealer dealt my cards into the small blind, she accidentally exposed my king of hearts, so it became a burned card.
The guy under the gun with a stack a bit smaller than mine opened for a weird $7,000, and I looked down at the matching king of spades (my first card !!) and the eight of clubs.
Daggnabbit – she had just burnt my pocket cowboys into a guy about to spew chips in my direction. I was pretty bummed to say the least as I folded and he took down the pot uncontested.
A few hands later I picked up pocket aces and opened for $2700 under the gun – and nobody called!
I finally went out in level ten when the blinds were $1,000/$2000 with a $300 ante, so it was costing $6,000 per orbit, and I was down to $23,000 in chips.
I had been bleeding for the most part – if I played too tight, I could not enter any pots as I was no longer getting any cards. If I made a raise it seemed the hands I was getting to do this were usually in mid position and not great either – KJ offsuit and the like. I’d usually get pushed off my hand before the flop.
I got into several pots cheaply with suited and unsuited connectors , but the texture of the board and the immediate action before it was on me meant I had to throw those hands away.
So I picked up pocket 8’s in the big blind. A guy in third position limped in and the button (big stack) raised to $4,500.
I felt he had a wide range in this situation, and my hand would be a favourite a good percentage of the time, so I shoved all in and he called smoothly with AQ offsuit.
An ace on the flop meant the end of my tournament – finishing 26th of an original 126.
The tournament pays thirteen places, with first place being around $11,000. I am told it often ends in a four or five way chop since most players want to avoid a tax hassle, and thus keep their cashes below $5,000.
I felt I played my C game today, and will review some of the issues I am facing overnight. I admire the game in other people – including Nick on my left who I made buddies with and who was giving me lots of pointers.
Although I lasted longer than him both yesterday and today, no question his game is better and more polished and I am asking myself where do I have to improve.
I think my mid tournament play is weakest. I have a good feel how to play early when we all have deep stacks. When we get to the final table, there is less skill required there, and I am pretty sure I know what to do most times, though I would like more experience at being a huge stack and running over table without being stupid about it. But in general, and in particular in the mid to late stages, my issues seem to be
1) I play in fear sometimes.
2) Bet sizing and raise amounts
3) Good players will come over the top more than I would or just risk chips
4) I am weak (I feel) at blind vs blind confrontations
I also have trouble with multi way pots – when to enter and how to enter.
So I think I have to just keep plugging away and watch and learn from people.
The event was a free roll for me virtually, as I had cashed $725 the previous day coming 7/141 in the weekday noon tournament, and also I won $275 after breakfast at the blackjack tables.
Prior to leaving Toronto I had made final table in three of the four previous small tournaments I had entered on Full Tilt. The field sizes (90 or 135) were comparable to what I will experience here in Vegas.
I couldn't find my footing in the early going - losing the first five pots I entered without doing anything wrong as I could see.
Then I picked up 9D 9H and the dealer button was to my left, with blinds still only $25/$50.
All folded to me and I made it $150 to go. The SB and the BB both called.
The flop was 8S 7S 6C.
My hand is fine for this flop. I have an open ended straight draw and an over pair. The small blind bet $500 (into a $450 pot) and I called, as the big blind folded.
The turn was the 2 of hearts. The small blind bet $500 again (into a $1450 pot)
I called. I should have raised here - his bet size was pretty small compared to the pot, so it looks like he was feeling his way around. Maybe he is on a flush draw or second pair with a good kicker or some hand like that.
The turn was an ugly spade 6.
The small blind now bet $3000 into a $2450 pot. I folded, but felt I had mangled the hand pretty well.
In the second level, with the blinds at $50/$100 I picked up JC JS in second position. The guy UTG limped in and I elected to call rather than raise and risk the pot getting out of control.
Two other players limped in and then the big blind increased to $500 - a not very hearty squeeze play I thought.
I could have called, and kept position on him, but thought the guys behind me would be priced in to call. So I raised to $1,500 to isolate the big blind. I ended up being the guy isolated. Everyone folded back to the big blind who quickly went all-in!
I threw my hand away as another promising pair lay mashed up in the muck.
A few hands later I picked up 10H 10S and I raised to $300 under the gun. The button and the guy to my left both called.
The flop was 7H 2S 7C
We all checked the flop.
The turn was the 4 of spades, and I bet $700 into the $1050 pot. The guy on my left called, and the button pushed $5000 into the middle of the table !
I was pissed off and folded, and the guy on my left folded a pair of 6’s face up after some agony, and the aggressive over betting button took down a nice pot.
Blinds were still 50/100 and I am getting beaten up pretty badly as I pick up a pair of red queens in the big blind.
The guy in third position bet $425, and the guy on his left called. The button also called, and I had around $7900 left in my stack. I shoved all in and was insta-called by the initial raiser.
He turned over a pair of kings, including the king of hearts. With a flop of three heart rags, I was down to two outs and no hearts please dealer.
I spiked a sick queen on the river and doubled up sheepishly.
Shortly after that the blinds increased to $100/$200 and I found myself in third position with a pair of kings. (I was certainly getting my share of cards early in the tournament)
I raised to $300, forgetting the blinds had just gone up. So instead of betting three times the big blind, I was forced to limp in for $200 as I had failed to say “raise” when I entered the pot.
This opened the pot to five players in total and I had a bad feeling in my stomach.
The flop was KH QH 5S.
The SB led out for $300 into the $1000 pot. The BB folded, and here I was with a flopped top set. It could be worse I guess.
Still, I wanted to eliminate the flush drawers, if any, so I raised the bet to $1200. All folded except the small blind who called smoothly.
The turn was the jack of hearts – a very ugly card for me. This completed any flush draws, and also could fill a broadway straight if that’s what he was playing.
The SB checked and I bet $2100 into the $3400 pot. The other guy shoved all in for another $8000, as I looked down at my remaining $14,000.
I hated the way the whole hand had played out, but I decided he for sure had me beat, and I would need to spike a king or pair the board to win the hand on the river. Basically I had ten outs. Should I risk such a large part of my stack? I thought not as I laid down my lovely kings, face down.
The guy showed me his 53 suited in hearts – a hand he would never have been involved with had I not screwed up with the blind structure right at the beginning.
I guess I could have forced him out of the hand after the flop with a larger raise too, but the amount I bet, at this early stage of the tournament, felt right. Do I really want him to go away under all circumstances?
A couple of levels later I picked up AJo and raised to $700 in second position with around $11,000 in front of me, and nothing much happening.
The big stack on the button expectedly called, and the SB shoved all in for $3900. If I had a bigger stack, I would have called him pretty quickly, even if I were an underdog, but with my stack size and the big stack still behind me, I decided a call would not get the job done.
Therefore I should either fold or go all-in to isolate the small blind. I elected to fold, as did the button. Maybe I am too passive.
Level 5 the blinds are $200/$400 with a $25 ante.
I am the small blind with a pair of jacks. UTG limped in, and there as one caller in late position. I had about $16000 in front of me and I made it $5000 to go. After much thought, UTG called (almost half his stack).
The flop was 8H 5H 2C
I shoved all in and he called pretty quickly with the ace queen of hearts. He was actually a favourite I believe with his two overcards and the nut flush draw. But I won this race, and my stack was building nicely at this point.
Level six was $300/$600/$50
UTG limped in for $600, and the guy in second position (to my immediate right) also limped in; and I had a pair of queens. I was second stack at the table with over $40,000 and he had me covered.
How to play this one?
I decided to raise to $4,500.
All folded to my RHO, who now raised it up to $10,000 !!!
Who are these guys??
He had been playing tight aggressive poker all day, so my gut was already flashing warning signals. My gut told me to lay it down, he probably has aces or kings. But I did have queens (third best starting hand in poker) and I had position on him, and the call was for just over 20% of my stack, so I called.
I did not think a re-raise was in order.
The flop was a rainbow K 10 2
The guy checked the flop to me, but I smelled a check raise coming up.
He seemed to have begun with either AA, KK, or maybe AK.
So I checked too.
The turn was a brick, and he led out for a quiet $8,000 into a pot size of $22,000.
I folded, and he showed me a pair of aces.
I was regretting even calling his $10,000 bet (maybe I am too miserly with my chips during tournaments?) But the local pro to my left (good guy named Nick Gorman) congratulated me for preserving as many chips as I did on the hand.
Level 7 was $400/$800/$75 and I was sitting around $45,000.
All folded to the SB who completed on my right, and I held K10 offsuit, and elected not to raise. Maybe I should have as he had only $14,000 or so.
The flop was A 10 7
The SB led out for $2,000 and I called.
The turn was a harmless 5 and the SB shoved all-in.
I felt he did not have an ace, as he had raised (and shown ) his aces many times previously
So I called and he turned over 10 4 offsuit.
Great !
He got up to leave just as the dealer turned over a four on the river and my pair of tens was bested by his two pair on the river.
A couple of hands later I held Q10 offsuit, and there were two limpers ahead of me on the button. I elected to limp in also, creating a five way pot.
The flop was 7 2 2 rainbow.
The small blind on my left led out for $2,000, and all reluctantly folded to me. Like a wussy pussy, I folded without wasting any chips.
He, of course, had smelt an opportunity with such a dangerous board and only limpers, and was bluffing on air. I could have given him a healthy raise and taken down the pot (unless he in turn tried a bluff re-raise, which, as a pro, he is capable of doing)
I did not regret the chips so much as I regret not making the moves I know I should be – I justify it I guess because it is a tournament and you are always in survival mode, and looking to preserve chips, and pick up chips in favourable situations, but this was one of them – I just failed to pull the trigger.
The blinds went up to $400/$800/$75 and I had been bleeding a bit.
As the dealer dealt my cards into the small blind, she accidentally exposed my king of hearts, so it became a burned card.
The guy under the gun with a stack a bit smaller than mine opened for a weird $7,000, and I looked down at the matching king of spades (my first card !!) and the eight of clubs.
Daggnabbit – she had just burnt my pocket cowboys into a guy about to spew chips in my direction. I was pretty bummed to say the least as I folded and he took down the pot uncontested.
A few hands later I picked up pocket aces and opened for $2700 under the gun – and nobody called!
I finally went out in level ten when the blinds were $1,000/$2000 with a $300 ante, so it was costing $6,000 per orbit, and I was down to $23,000 in chips.
I had been bleeding for the most part – if I played too tight, I could not enter any pots as I was no longer getting any cards. If I made a raise it seemed the hands I was getting to do this were usually in mid position and not great either – KJ offsuit and the like. I’d usually get pushed off my hand before the flop.
I got into several pots cheaply with suited and unsuited connectors , but the texture of the board and the immediate action before it was on me meant I had to throw those hands away.
So I picked up pocket 8’s in the big blind. A guy in third position limped in and the button (big stack) raised to $4,500.
I felt he had a wide range in this situation, and my hand would be a favourite a good percentage of the time, so I shoved all in and he called smoothly with AQ offsuit.
An ace on the flop meant the end of my tournament – finishing 26th of an original 126.
The tournament pays thirteen places, with first place being around $11,000. I am told it often ends in a four or five way chop since most players want to avoid a tax hassle, and thus keep their cashes below $5,000.
I felt I played my C game today, and will review some of the issues I am facing overnight. I admire the game in other people – including Nick on my left who I made buddies with and who was giving me lots of pointers.
Although I lasted longer than him both yesterday and today, no question his game is better and more polished and I am asking myself where do I have to improve.
I think my mid tournament play is weakest. I have a good feel how to play early when we all have deep stacks. When we get to the final table, there is less skill required there, and I am pretty sure I know what to do most times, though I would like more experience at being a huge stack and running over table without being stupid about it. But in general, and in particular in the mid to late stages, my issues seem to be
1) I play in fear sometimes.
2) Bet sizing and raise amounts
3) Good players will come over the top more than I would or just risk chips
4) I am weak (I feel) at blind vs blind confrontations
I also have trouble with multi way pots – when to enter and how to enter.
So I think I have to just keep plugging away and watch and learn from people.
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