05-13-2002, 11:23 AM
$35 NLHE w/ 25 players, buyin = T500, unlimited rebuys during 1st 3 rounds of T500 for $30 if under T500, $30 addon of T1500 at break. Chipup when demoninations made it to next chip levels.
I made it thru the rebuy period without "needing" to rebuy but did not take a rebuy when I could ... wanted to keep my first tourney cheap. Next time will rebuy if possible before the break to increase chances of winning.
Fisrst rounds saw mostly limpers before the flop, with maybe 4 callers each time. There was one poker "legend" at my first table (199X WSOP HE limit event winner, well-known author) and he was getting a little too much respect - he stole a lot of chips.
I ran a couple bluffs myself, also made a hand but only tiny pots. Short-stacked after break, ran a couple semi-bluffs and won some chips. Mostly survival poker until I made the final table.
Final table dealt me a deluge of laughable cards. Able to run one semi-bluff (AXo) in the CO when no one came in to steal the blinds. Then more survival poker as there were two limpers or raisers before action made it to my smallish stack.
Finally, I got a hand: QTo. Monster. Angel choirs sang in my head as this was probably the best hand I'd seen all day. One EP limper, I was in LP and called. Button called, SB mucked and BB checked. Can't remember the board, but I got a str8 draw. River made a 2nd nut str8 for me. Checked to me, I moved in 1/2 of my small stack which was perhaps in 7th place size on this 9-player table. (Comments?)
Button moves all-in of which I can only cover maybe about 1/2 of his raise. BB and EP muck, I make a crying call as we are in seats 1 and 10 respectively; I cannot see him at all so cannot make a read. I assume my hand is perhaps 95% likely to be the best. (Comments?)
I turn over my 2nd nut str8, and he turns over the nut str8 sending me packing with a 9th place finish out of the money and this story.
1st place paid $800, down to 5th which paid $160. Prize pool is usually about 30% higher here with 1st taking down over a grand. Deal is usually cut b/t 5 in the money but no deal this week. Guy who knocked me out won 1st as I recall.
All in all had a lot of fun and will be betetr mentally prepared next time. Have played about 500 tournaments set up like this on Turbo, and will continue to practice and also read my Ciaffione PL/NL book when it comes.
If and when I finish this tourney in the money I'm driving across town to plop my winnings into the 5-5-10 PLHE ring game ... hey, might parlay $65 into thousands of dollars, or might simply come away as I did this time: a good time and a story to boot.
I made it thru the rebuy period without "needing" to rebuy but did not take a rebuy when I could ... wanted to keep my first tourney cheap. Next time will rebuy if possible before the break to increase chances of winning.
Fisrst rounds saw mostly limpers before the flop, with maybe 4 callers each time. There was one poker "legend" at my first table (199X WSOP HE limit event winner, well-known author) and he was getting a little too much respect - he stole a lot of chips.
I ran a couple bluffs myself, also made a hand but only tiny pots. Short-stacked after break, ran a couple semi-bluffs and won some chips. Mostly survival poker until I made the final table.
Final table dealt me a deluge of laughable cards. Able to run one semi-bluff (AXo) in the CO when no one came in to steal the blinds. Then more survival poker as there were two limpers or raisers before action made it to my smallish stack.
Finally, I got a hand: QTo. Monster. Angel choirs sang in my head as this was probably the best hand I'd seen all day. One EP limper, I was in LP and called. Button called, SB mucked and BB checked. Can't remember the board, but I got a str8 draw. River made a 2nd nut str8 for me. Checked to me, I moved in 1/2 of my small stack which was perhaps in 7th place size on this 9-player table. (Comments?)
Button moves all-in of which I can only cover maybe about 1/2 of his raise. BB and EP muck, I make a crying call as we are in seats 1 and 10 respectively; I cannot see him at all so cannot make a read. I assume my hand is perhaps 95% likely to be the best. (Comments?)
I turn over my 2nd nut str8, and he turns over the nut str8 sending me packing with a 9th place finish out of the money and this story.
1st place paid $800, down to 5th which paid $160. Prize pool is usually about 30% higher here with 1st taking down over a grand. Deal is usually cut b/t 5 in the money but no deal this week. Guy who knocked me out won 1st as I recall.
All in all had a lot of fun and will be betetr mentally prepared next time. Have played about 500 tournaments set up like this on Turbo, and will continue to practice and also read my Ciaffione PL/NL book when it comes.
If and when I finish this tourney in the money I'm driving across town to plop my winnings into the 5-5-10 PLHE ring game ... hey, might parlay $65 into thousands of dollars, or might simply come away as I did this time: a good time and a story to boot.