07-31-2004, 05:04 AM
Most of these are from memory and scribbled notes because I have not formed the habit requesting hand histories. So please bear with me.
Started on Table 1 with 720 hopefuls. How is that for a start at the finals table? As normally the case, I did not get a decent, playable hand for the entire first level. I decided to change my strategy thinking that I will be playing catch up for the rest of the night or an early exit.
I noticed that when there are several limpers at the lower level, they are wishfully drawing to hit the flop. With about T720 with 10-20 blinds, gritted my teeth and raised on the button to T100 after 5 limpers with 7 /images/graemlins/club.gif2 /images/graemlins/club.gif. How is that for an early tilt?. Bu it is sooted! /images/graemlins/grin.gif I was really hoping at everyone would fold as is normally the case but an MP player hesitated and then called /images/graemlins/frown.gif. I read his hesitation as a sign of weakness and decided that if an ace or a face card flops but not both, I will push. Flop was K x x, Villain checked, and without hesitation, I pushed. Villain almost used the entire clock and to my relief, folded. Now, I am back close to starting stack and can go back to my normal game. Same level, I then called at MP2 with K /images/graemlins/diamond.gifQ /images/graemlins/heart.gif after 2 limpers. A limper bet T50 on a Q high board, folded to me and I went over the top with T120, he mucked. Then stupidity sat in. I got black cowboys in SB with 25-50 blinds. One limper to CO who was playing loosely and short stacked who raised to T150. I mulled for a moment and decided to just call. An ace flopped, I pushed, he called, he tabled A3o and I was crippled to T730. I was so disgusted with the stupidest play I just made, that I run to the bathroom and yelled at myself in front of the mirror. But wait, there may still be some hope if I can recompose myself. I got back to the game, got TT in the CO and won the blinds and one caller uncontestesd on my obvious push. I became very selective with my hands, and being in the same table was really advantageous. I was able to make good reads of my opponents who stuck around. I won mostly on steals with AT, A9, 33, etc., with no showdown mostly against a player who got me outchipped 4 to 1. I figured that he knows that because he got me covered, I will not be taking too many chances and he obligingly folded everytime I pushed. But was still a long, uphill climb with stack hovering in the T3000 range with 150/300 blinds.
Then my fortune started to change with about 110 players left and there were still 4 who started on the same table as me. I went all-in with JJ, got called by a QQ, and got my set on the turn. I got AKs in BB, a call from UTG, a hefty raise from MP who got me covered, I folded, MP went all-in. UTG called and tabled KK. A short-stacked UTG with about T1800 pushed, folded to me at MP and I re-raised to T3000 (I have about T7330 at this time) with As9s to get it heads up. Others obliged and my hand held up when he showed KQo and no help on the board.
Hand for hand now with 90 players left and my stack is a healthier T9450. With blinds at 300/600 I got JJ again and raised T2000 at MP1 after a limper to my right. My immediate left, short-stacked with about T3100 went all-in. Everyone folded to limper who with about T4400 pushed too. Without hesitation, I called. I flopped a set and my hand was obviously good.
Although already in the money, the swings were big with the increasing blinds and my stack hovering in the T15000-T22000 range. I then realized that I was the only one left among the starters and then the fateful hand:
Seven-handed with 43 players left and blinds at 750/1500. I was on the button with T20296 and got A /images/graemlins/club.gifK /images/graemlins/diamond.gif CO who got moved to the table about 3 orbits ago, and playing quite tight, raised to T4900. I forgot he got me covered and I pushed without thinking. He called with 9 /images/graemlins/spade.gif9 /images/graemlins/club.gif. The board was J /images/graemlins/club.gifT /images/graemlins/club.gif4 /images/graemlins/club.gifJ /images/graemlins/heart.gif6 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif. And I was out at 43rd.
In retrospect, I knew did some unorthodox plays I have never tried before, careless at times that either paid off or I paid dearly. Just like the last hand. Would it have been more prudent if I had just called PF, and pushed on the flop with my nut-flush draw? But again, that's poker. For one thing, I learned a lot on this tourney and hopefully I can do better on the million gurantee I am playing this afternoon after a good day sleep, I hope /images/graemlins/grin.gif /images/graemlins/wink.gif
Started on Table 1 with 720 hopefuls. How is that for a start at the finals table? As normally the case, I did not get a decent, playable hand for the entire first level. I decided to change my strategy thinking that I will be playing catch up for the rest of the night or an early exit.
I noticed that when there are several limpers at the lower level, they are wishfully drawing to hit the flop. With about T720 with 10-20 blinds, gritted my teeth and raised on the button to T100 after 5 limpers with 7 /images/graemlins/club.gif2 /images/graemlins/club.gif. How is that for an early tilt?. Bu it is sooted! /images/graemlins/grin.gif I was really hoping at everyone would fold as is normally the case but an MP player hesitated and then called /images/graemlins/frown.gif. I read his hesitation as a sign of weakness and decided that if an ace or a face card flops but not both, I will push. Flop was K x x, Villain checked, and without hesitation, I pushed. Villain almost used the entire clock and to my relief, folded. Now, I am back close to starting stack and can go back to my normal game. Same level, I then called at MP2 with K /images/graemlins/diamond.gifQ /images/graemlins/heart.gif after 2 limpers. A limper bet T50 on a Q high board, folded to me and I went over the top with T120, he mucked. Then stupidity sat in. I got black cowboys in SB with 25-50 blinds. One limper to CO who was playing loosely and short stacked who raised to T150. I mulled for a moment and decided to just call. An ace flopped, I pushed, he called, he tabled A3o and I was crippled to T730. I was so disgusted with the stupidest play I just made, that I run to the bathroom and yelled at myself in front of the mirror. But wait, there may still be some hope if I can recompose myself. I got back to the game, got TT in the CO and won the blinds and one caller uncontestesd on my obvious push. I became very selective with my hands, and being in the same table was really advantageous. I was able to make good reads of my opponents who stuck around. I won mostly on steals with AT, A9, 33, etc., with no showdown mostly against a player who got me outchipped 4 to 1. I figured that he knows that because he got me covered, I will not be taking too many chances and he obligingly folded everytime I pushed. But was still a long, uphill climb with stack hovering in the T3000 range with 150/300 blinds.
Then my fortune started to change with about 110 players left and there were still 4 who started on the same table as me. I went all-in with JJ, got called by a QQ, and got my set on the turn. I got AKs in BB, a call from UTG, a hefty raise from MP who got me covered, I folded, MP went all-in. UTG called and tabled KK. A short-stacked UTG with about T1800 pushed, folded to me at MP and I re-raised to T3000 (I have about T7330 at this time) with As9s to get it heads up. Others obliged and my hand held up when he showed KQo and no help on the board.
Hand for hand now with 90 players left and my stack is a healthier T9450. With blinds at 300/600 I got JJ again and raised T2000 at MP1 after a limper to my right. My immediate left, short-stacked with about T3100 went all-in. Everyone folded to limper who with about T4400 pushed too. Without hesitation, I called. I flopped a set and my hand was obviously good.
Although already in the money, the swings were big with the increasing blinds and my stack hovering in the T15000-T22000 range. I then realized that I was the only one left among the starters and then the fateful hand:
Seven-handed with 43 players left and blinds at 750/1500. I was on the button with T20296 and got A /images/graemlins/club.gifK /images/graemlins/diamond.gif CO who got moved to the table about 3 orbits ago, and playing quite tight, raised to T4900. I forgot he got me covered and I pushed without thinking. He called with 9 /images/graemlins/spade.gif9 /images/graemlins/club.gif. The board was J /images/graemlins/club.gifT /images/graemlins/club.gif4 /images/graemlins/club.gifJ /images/graemlins/heart.gif6 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif. And I was out at 43rd.
In retrospect, I knew did some unorthodox plays I have never tried before, careless at times that either paid off or I paid dearly. Just like the last hand. Would it have been more prudent if I had just called PF, and pushed on the flop with my nut-flush draw? But again, that's poker. For one thing, I learned a lot on this tourney and hopefully I can do better on the million gurantee I am playing this afternoon after a good day sleep, I hope /images/graemlins/grin.gif /images/graemlins/wink.gif