Percula
03-27-2005, 05:38 PM
Well, here is yet another live MTT tournament report from AZ.
I got up early for a Saturday or a poker player however you want to look at it. I went over to CAZ to play the monthly $150 $20K tournament. I like to get there early (the tournament starts at 10am) so I can pick my table if there is no line to sign up. I know which two are going to be the final table and not get broken up. So when I get there at 8:45 there is no one in line and I walk up to the window and ask for 37-3 or 4 or 44 5 or 6 and am told I can not pick when there is a line, to my shock there are now 4 people standing behind me! There wasnt a sole even moving near the window when I walked up there.
This is a nice tournament, 30min levels, 2000 starting chips. First hand I get the BB and dealt QQ. No real reads other than general impressions on the other players. I have a WPT wannbe on my right in the SB. I get 4 limps at the 25/50 blinds including the SB. I decide to limp too, risky but it could have rewards. Flop is T35 rainbow and sure enough the SB leads out with a AI bet, and I call "time" as two players muck out of turn and I can see the other guy was about to muck too but caught himself as I called time. So I know I am going to be HU with the SB. It was a tough choice to make, he could have two pair or a limped a pair and hit a set and I would be a big dog, but it just did not feel like he was really that strong, I call, he has KT for TP and I double up on the first hand!
I manage to double thru again when I raise from MP to 4xBB with QQ again and get a call from a big stack that just moved to the table on the button. The flop is all rags and I check to the big stack, he pushes AI and think about it for a minute or two and call, he shows AK and does not improve.
Not too much else happened during the rest of the first and second hour, I killed a couple of short stacks and did some liberal stealing and ended the second hour at about $T12,000.
Shortly after the start of the 3rd hour my table breaks and I get moved to what will be the final table, YES! no more moves! Very first hand at the new table I am in MP+1 and have a AI from a short stack on my right and have JJ, I push AI to isolate him and get a call from the BB for ~T$4500. The short stack has AT and the BB has KK and takes down a massive pot, damn! I am down to ~T$8000, still a good stack but I am no longer the table chip leader. Very next hand I pickup KK and raise to 4xBB and it folds around to the guy that just nailed me with his KK and he annouces AI, I was stoked and called expecting to see AK or the like, nope AA and I am out. I stayed around for few to watch the table as this guy went on a mad run... Including the two hands I played with him he picked up a big PP 6 times in about 3 orbits taking down big pots everytime, the guy went from a less than average stack to overall chip leader in about 15mins, I left feeling that at least I got taken out by the guy that will likely win the thing.
I headed over to the Fort. I played 4/8 until the evening MTT rebuy. Left the 4/8 up a little, very tight table, but fun as hell!
We had a smaller than normal turnout for the MTT, only about 120, I guess a lot of players were at home or the bar watching AZ lose the game. /images/graemlins/frown.gif
I got a great table, weak/tight or LAG all the way around. I played my normal TAG game during the first two levels and got the casino's tournament points leader moved to the table directly to my right. I have never played with him, but see right off he is a super LAG. I am in the BB (50/75) with about what I started with (3000) and have K4o, and we get a rare multi-way flop without a raise from one of the LAGs. The flop comes KT3 and it checks around, turn is 3 again all checks although I thought about taking a stab at the pot, but checked as did the rest of the table, river is 3. SB the super LAG annouces AI, and now I have a problem... I have the second best hand and know he well could have the case 3 or a K or any two for that matter. We are only going to get one or two more hands before the break and add-on period. I decide to call AI figuring I can rebuy and add-on and still be viable and at least split the pot if I dont bust, everyone else folds and super LAG shows a T, MHIG . I take the add-on for $20 and start the second hour with a little less than $T10,000.
I met another 2+2'er on the break, nice guy, sorry I do not remember your name, I am horable with names. It was nice to meet you and you played well from what I got to see! Tough beat to go out on man...
Second hour I go pretty much card dead with an aggressive table with little chance to steal. I come into the 3rd hour with about T$8000 and continue on the blinding off phase and it is not looking good for me in this one.
I finally get moved to a other table, thank god! Our fellow 2+2'er is in the 10 seat and also short stacked, but has made a good showing considering where he was at the end of the second hour. Too bad neither of us have enough chips to really play the 2+2 game at the table. /images/graemlins/frown.gif
I pick up JJ from MP and have a couple of limpers ahead of me and push, and pick up the pot, I really needed that! An orbit or so later I pickup KK with a early raiser and push and get the call and double up, yes! A couple of hands later our fellow 2+2'er pushes from the BB with UTG limping and gets the UTG call, AQ vs A8, UTG hits the 8 and I have to say goodbye to my fellow 2+2'er, tough beat man.
I get moved back to my nasty table a hand later but this time have enough chips to make some moves. I pick up 77 from MP+2 and riase and get an AI from a LAG to TAG player on my left for a little more than my raise and have to call for so little more even though I feel I am beat, yep KK vs 77 and I am hurting again...
The table is changing as the bubble is coming and the two good players that the table are waiting out the bubble, dumb move if you ask me, but they do have a solid track record in these tournaments. I am a AI machine stealing 3-4 times a orbit, avoiding the short stacks, not looking for calls here. I manage to pick up a couple of decent hands and break the bubble and come to the final table in 4th or 5th chip position.
A deal is proposed 10 handed and rejected. I am playing to win here and play tight, I do not want a big swing or to double up a short stack. First hand I play we are now 8 handed and I have the chip leader on the button, I am MP with AK and raise to 3xBB, all fold around to the chip leader and he calls and the BB calls AI. Flop come A36 and I think for a second, trying to let a sad look like a boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar look and check, he annouces AI and I call in a heart beat, AJ vs AK vs K3o MHIG! I am now 2nd in chips. A deal is proposed again and rejected again.
A couple of hands later I pick up QQ UTG and raise to 3xBB, everyone folds around to the BB who is 3rd in chips and he is AI, I call so fast no one is sure I have really called and had to repeat myself a couple of times to snap them out of their daze. LOL. BB shows A6s vs QQ MHIG. I am now a solid chip leader, but decied to continue to play tight as I have a dangerious player to my left who has been hot and a solid vet in 4th place and a LAG/TAG in second with enough chips to hurt.
Several hands go by and we are down to three, I haven't played a hand since the QQ hand. I still have a solid chip lead of about 1.75:1 over second and 3rd is fairly short. Again the 2nd place proposes a deal (same guy each time is proposing a deal), this time I am the one to say "no". This really makes them mad, and the 2nd place guy gets a little mouthy about it making the classic "anything can happen and you know we are going to be gunning for you" type statements, so I pull a black out of pocket and lay it on table and say "here is my bounty, take me out and I will give you an extra $100 for doing it", the 3rd place guys joking says "what if we both take you out?" and I pull another black out and lay it on the table and say in a dealy serious tone "then you both get the bounty, lets play". Even the dealer and director were shocked by this, it really throw the whole thing into a weired place, the place I really like to play from. /images/graemlins/smile.gif
Next hand I am on the button and have QQ again! Got to love the ladies! I rasie 3xBB and 2nd calls from the BB. Flop comes QJJ, BB pushes MHIG and we are heads up. I am on the button with QJo and raise 1xBB and BB calls, flops is KT3 givng me the OESD and I bet about half the pot and get called, good he doesnt have the K. Turn is a blank and its checked around, river is a wonderful 9, BB checks and I bet 2xBB and he mucks, damn! I am in the BB with K4s and the button is short now with only about 3 or 4 BB left and pushes, I think for a minute or two and say "OK lets gamboool a little" and call, QJ vs K4s, 4 on the flops and K on the river and I am cashing out for the win (~$1500) in the first non deal win in over two months in this MTT.
I got up early for a Saturday or a poker player however you want to look at it. I went over to CAZ to play the monthly $150 $20K tournament. I like to get there early (the tournament starts at 10am) so I can pick my table if there is no line to sign up. I know which two are going to be the final table and not get broken up. So when I get there at 8:45 there is no one in line and I walk up to the window and ask for 37-3 or 4 or 44 5 or 6 and am told I can not pick when there is a line, to my shock there are now 4 people standing behind me! There wasnt a sole even moving near the window when I walked up there.
This is a nice tournament, 30min levels, 2000 starting chips. First hand I get the BB and dealt QQ. No real reads other than general impressions on the other players. I have a WPT wannbe on my right in the SB. I get 4 limps at the 25/50 blinds including the SB. I decide to limp too, risky but it could have rewards. Flop is T35 rainbow and sure enough the SB leads out with a AI bet, and I call "time" as two players muck out of turn and I can see the other guy was about to muck too but caught himself as I called time. So I know I am going to be HU with the SB. It was a tough choice to make, he could have two pair or a limped a pair and hit a set and I would be a big dog, but it just did not feel like he was really that strong, I call, he has KT for TP and I double up on the first hand!
I manage to double thru again when I raise from MP to 4xBB with QQ again and get a call from a big stack that just moved to the table on the button. The flop is all rags and I check to the big stack, he pushes AI and think about it for a minute or two and call, he shows AK and does not improve.
Not too much else happened during the rest of the first and second hour, I killed a couple of short stacks and did some liberal stealing and ended the second hour at about $T12,000.
Shortly after the start of the 3rd hour my table breaks and I get moved to what will be the final table, YES! no more moves! Very first hand at the new table I am in MP+1 and have a AI from a short stack on my right and have JJ, I push AI to isolate him and get a call from the BB for ~T$4500. The short stack has AT and the BB has KK and takes down a massive pot, damn! I am down to ~T$8000, still a good stack but I am no longer the table chip leader. Very next hand I pickup KK and raise to 4xBB and it folds around to the guy that just nailed me with his KK and he annouces AI, I was stoked and called expecting to see AK or the like, nope AA and I am out. I stayed around for few to watch the table as this guy went on a mad run... Including the two hands I played with him he picked up a big PP 6 times in about 3 orbits taking down big pots everytime, the guy went from a less than average stack to overall chip leader in about 15mins, I left feeling that at least I got taken out by the guy that will likely win the thing.
I headed over to the Fort. I played 4/8 until the evening MTT rebuy. Left the 4/8 up a little, very tight table, but fun as hell!
We had a smaller than normal turnout for the MTT, only about 120, I guess a lot of players were at home or the bar watching AZ lose the game. /images/graemlins/frown.gif
I got a great table, weak/tight or LAG all the way around. I played my normal TAG game during the first two levels and got the casino's tournament points leader moved to the table directly to my right. I have never played with him, but see right off he is a super LAG. I am in the BB (50/75) with about what I started with (3000) and have K4o, and we get a rare multi-way flop without a raise from one of the LAGs. The flop comes KT3 and it checks around, turn is 3 again all checks although I thought about taking a stab at the pot, but checked as did the rest of the table, river is 3. SB the super LAG annouces AI, and now I have a problem... I have the second best hand and know he well could have the case 3 or a K or any two for that matter. We are only going to get one or two more hands before the break and add-on period. I decide to call AI figuring I can rebuy and add-on and still be viable and at least split the pot if I dont bust, everyone else folds and super LAG shows a T, MHIG . I take the add-on for $20 and start the second hour with a little less than $T10,000.
I met another 2+2'er on the break, nice guy, sorry I do not remember your name, I am horable with names. It was nice to meet you and you played well from what I got to see! Tough beat to go out on man...
Second hour I go pretty much card dead with an aggressive table with little chance to steal. I come into the 3rd hour with about T$8000 and continue on the blinding off phase and it is not looking good for me in this one.
I finally get moved to a other table, thank god! Our fellow 2+2'er is in the 10 seat and also short stacked, but has made a good showing considering where he was at the end of the second hour. Too bad neither of us have enough chips to really play the 2+2 game at the table. /images/graemlins/frown.gif
I pick up JJ from MP and have a couple of limpers ahead of me and push, and pick up the pot, I really needed that! An orbit or so later I pickup KK with a early raiser and push and get the call and double up, yes! A couple of hands later our fellow 2+2'er pushes from the BB with UTG limping and gets the UTG call, AQ vs A8, UTG hits the 8 and I have to say goodbye to my fellow 2+2'er, tough beat man.
I get moved back to my nasty table a hand later but this time have enough chips to make some moves. I pick up 77 from MP+2 and riase and get an AI from a LAG to TAG player on my left for a little more than my raise and have to call for so little more even though I feel I am beat, yep KK vs 77 and I am hurting again...
The table is changing as the bubble is coming and the two good players that the table are waiting out the bubble, dumb move if you ask me, but they do have a solid track record in these tournaments. I am a AI machine stealing 3-4 times a orbit, avoiding the short stacks, not looking for calls here. I manage to pick up a couple of decent hands and break the bubble and come to the final table in 4th or 5th chip position.
A deal is proposed 10 handed and rejected. I am playing to win here and play tight, I do not want a big swing or to double up a short stack. First hand I play we are now 8 handed and I have the chip leader on the button, I am MP with AK and raise to 3xBB, all fold around to the chip leader and he calls and the BB calls AI. Flop come A36 and I think for a second, trying to let a sad look like a boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar look and check, he annouces AI and I call in a heart beat, AJ vs AK vs K3o MHIG! I am now 2nd in chips. A deal is proposed again and rejected again.
A couple of hands later I pick up QQ UTG and raise to 3xBB, everyone folds around to the BB who is 3rd in chips and he is AI, I call so fast no one is sure I have really called and had to repeat myself a couple of times to snap them out of their daze. LOL. BB shows A6s vs QQ MHIG. I am now a solid chip leader, but decied to continue to play tight as I have a dangerious player to my left who has been hot and a solid vet in 4th place and a LAG/TAG in second with enough chips to hurt.
Several hands go by and we are down to three, I haven't played a hand since the QQ hand. I still have a solid chip lead of about 1.75:1 over second and 3rd is fairly short. Again the 2nd place proposes a deal (same guy each time is proposing a deal), this time I am the one to say "no". This really makes them mad, and the 2nd place guy gets a little mouthy about it making the classic "anything can happen and you know we are going to be gunning for you" type statements, so I pull a black out of pocket and lay it on table and say "here is my bounty, take me out and I will give you an extra $100 for doing it", the 3rd place guys joking says "what if we both take you out?" and I pull another black out and lay it on the table and say in a dealy serious tone "then you both get the bounty, lets play". Even the dealer and director were shocked by this, it really throw the whole thing into a weired place, the place I really like to play from. /images/graemlins/smile.gif
Next hand I am on the button and have QQ again! Got to love the ladies! I rasie 3xBB and 2nd calls from the BB. Flop comes QJJ, BB pushes MHIG and we are heads up. I am on the button with QJo and raise 1xBB and BB calls, flops is KT3 givng me the OESD and I bet about half the pot and get called, good he doesnt have the K. Turn is a blank and its checked around, river is a wonderful 9, BB checks and I bet 2xBB and he mucks, damn! I am in the BB with K4s and the button is short now with only about 3 or 4 BB left and pushes, I think for a minute or two and say "OK lets gamboool a little" and call, QJ vs K4s, 4 on the flops and K on the river and I am cashing out for the win (~$1500) in the first non deal win in over two months in this MTT.