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View Full Version : I won a trip to Reno


Bozeman
09-14-2002, 09:07 PM
Thought I'd share my good fortune with y'all. I took third in Bay 101's tournament promotion to win a trip to Reno for the Fall Poker tournament at the Peppermill. First and second got trips to Amsterdam and Foxwoods, respectively.

Tournament was limit HE, 200-1000 chips based on how many daily tourneys you had finished well in. There were about 40 people, since many of lower of the 50 qualifiers didn't show up. I had 800, but lost a lot early: to a very aggressive player who hit his kicker, and on a steal where I hit the turn, but he hit the river, and a few drawing hands. At Bay101, they usually raise the limits every 15 minutes, and often double them, so there is not much play. I managed to double up a couple times to make the final table.

At the final table with 7 left, the stacks were about 2,5,6,6,8,12,15 with blinds of 1&2, so you can see how much of a crap shoot it was (I had 8). Going card dead for a cycle, I was down to 5 when the blinds hit me, one player had busted and there were three players with 2,1, and 1 chip and two relatively large stacks, so I folded when the aggressive big stack bet. He'd been raising or calling raises on most hands, but ever time his cards were shown he had at least a medium ace. What hands would you play in this position? On my small blind, all folded to me and the big blind was all in for 2, so I called with 83o, figuring I was a 3:2 or 2:1 dog, but I needed to beat her to get 3rd (6-4 paid $200, 3rd was a trip worth face value $800 + $200, 1&2 were worth ~$1500 and $2500, maybe?). I had hoped a better hand would come in to take her out, but no such luck. Her trash (96o?) beat mine, so she had 4 chips, I had 1, 2 others had 1, and two big stacks had ~20+ each. UTG, I got A8o and called, my left hand neighbor raised her last 3 chips (T7o), big stack SB called(A7) and BB was all-in for 1(54s?). The flop brought a 7, but T96 came as well, so I survived, with LHO taking the 4 chip side pot. Since she was playing for 1st, I waited her out to take 3rd.

Not exactly feeling like a conquering hero,
Craig

Greg (FossilMan)
09-14-2002, 10:23 PM
Congrats!

Too bad I won't see you at Foxwoods.

Later, Greg Raymer (FossilMan)

ohkanada
09-15-2002, 02:15 AM
Congrats! Have fun in Reno!

Ken Poklitar

09-15-2002, 11:44 AM
the trip to reno a punishment. Sort of like banishment to poker Hell! /forums/images/icons/smile.gif Still congratulations on your win.

Jimbo

scalf
09-15-2002, 12:19 PM
/forums/images/icons/shocked.gif nah that's two weeks in elko...check archives...lol...gl

HDPM
09-15-2002, 01:26 PM
Less than 300 mi. from Reno to Elko. Rent a car. See the stuffed bear. /forums/images/icons/tongue.gif

scalf
09-15-2002, 04:59 PM
lol hdpm...gl /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

whiskeytown
09-15-2002, 06:04 PM
do they still got that big ass rocket ship in the park there....my parents used to meet in Elko to trade me and my brother off (one lived in Cali, the other in MT - Elko was about halfway) -

used to play a lot on that rocket....

RB

Bozeman
09-15-2002, 06:56 PM
Well, thanks for raining on my parade, everyone /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

Mark Heide
09-15-2002, 10:05 PM
Congradulations on your win.

When you had the small blind and had only two chips left and need to call with one of your chips, you can play any hand without looking. The reason why I say this, is because you will have at least one chip for the next time the blinds come around and you'd have to play both chips, so if you have one or two, it does not matter. Now, if you didn't play that hand UTG, and you had decided to wait it out until you get the big blind and you win the you would still have the choice of folding on the small blind. In this particular situation you gain a tremendous opportunity to play this hand without any risk.

If these players are ready to go broke, I would have not played the A8 UTG. Especially, since the blinds have to play and you know they are going to be up against the others. Plus, your oppenent with 96 unsuited appeared to be willing to go for broke, when her best chance was to make third. Furthermore, when you already know that you will be forced to play against two blinds, A8 is not a favorite to win.

Good Luck in Reno

Mark

Bozeman
09-16-2002, 01:06 AM
Mark,

Thanks for the analysis. You are probably right about waiting out UTG. The SB was a big stack that hand, the small stacks were UTG(me), UTG+1, cutoff, and BB. At that time, while I thought that LHO was shooting for a bigger payoff, I thought the cutoff with 1 chip would wait (I may not remember all details correctly), so I would not get 3rd without winning a hand. Since A8 was likely better than my random BB hand, I went for it. After seeing LHO's call here, I knew she was shooting for 1st, so I shut down, and she and the tight short stack busted out. I really don't know how to play this sort of final table, where the money is really short, but the players are loose and aggressive. Come to think of it, I have problems with LAG in general.

Craig

HDPM
09-16-2002, 02:40 PM
Dunno. I spend as little time in Elko as possible. I posted something a while back on it. The last time I had to go there was a mad dash for court records in the middle of a trial. I almost didn't get there in time because of a big truck with mining equipment that blocked off the whole highway and went 1 MPH> Then I got there and had to try to find records at public buildings that seemed to have no doors. I know jails are supposed to be hard to get out of, but usually there's a door going in. Yeah, I found it and found a door at the courthouse. The food at the Red Lion made me think I was at the jail, except for the smoke. LOL. Anyway, that's a long way of saying I don't know. But things seem pretty stable in Elko, so I bet its still there. When I hit Wells I try to go left to Wendover or straight to Las Vegas. Elko is avoided.

HDPM
09-16-2002, 02:43 PM
Hey, you don't have to ruin your free trip by going to Elko. Just an idea. /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

P.S. Good job on the win.

scalf
09-16-2002, 06:10 PM
we're just giving you a hard time cause your're from the land of z...actually my biggest win in tourney poker was in reno...gl..the gr8test little big city...lol..gl /forums/images/icons/shocked.gif

Mark Heide
09-16-2002, 06:37 PM
I was unsure of the outcomes, so I ran some numbers on Caro's Poker Probe and came up with the following:

If you play A8 unsuited UTG and get a four way pot:

As8c wins 29.00%, Ad7h wins 16.36%, Ts7d wins 23.96%, and 5s4s wins 30.68%.

If you play A8 in a three way pot:

As8c wins 38.08%, Ad7h wins 26.41%, and 5s4s wins 35.51%.

If you wait and can get it heads-up and your opponent has two overcards, for example AsKh, and you look at your cards and see 2d3c, you will win 34.55% and AsKh wins 65.45.

Let's say that you can get it heads up in the big blind, even though you have the worst possible hand, your chances of winning are not that much different, so the key to waiting is hoping others but out, so you can slide into a higher position.

Good Luck

Mark