Stars Tourney Report

[DOTTT]

Ok guys here you go Stars $10 re buy tourney 873 enter. I’ll post this in a 3 parts. Any comments are welcomed.

I was very close to not re buying in this one. What happened was I had built a nice stack to 5200 half way in to the re buy period when this hand came up. Blinds at 25/50 I’m utg+2 and get dealt kk open raise to 200, and get a caller in mp, lp player who is the chip leader makes it 1000 to go, I re raise all in mp folds lp calls and turns over A8. Well ace hits on the flop and just like that I lost my stack. I really didn’t want to re buy I was discouraged by the bad beat I just took and thought it might be to late to play catch up, but I remembered what Greg told me about how re buying is always +ev. So I decided to re buy and took a single.

Didn’t see a decent hand the rest of the round, and blinds moved to 50/100. I picked up kk again, this time utg. I bet 300 mp players moves all in and has me covered by 2000, lp calls and is all in. I quickly called with my last 1300 knowing these guys can have anything. mp turn over 44 and lp has kq I triple up! I stole a couple times afterward and by the break I had built my stack to 6800.

I took the add on and began the round with 8800. Blinds at 75/150 I only played one hand in this round it was my first one. I was in the bb with Q8o got 3 limpers sb folded. I decided to try and steal the pot right there I made a raise to 1200. EP player who is very loose called everyone else folded flop came ten high I bet out 1600, he folded and I took down the pot. That brought my stack to 10000.

The blinds went up to 100/200. This is where I started to make a move.
Hand #75:
MP1 (t24955)
MP2 (t14325)
MP3 (t6450)
CO (t10260)
Hero (t10275)
SB (t14595)
BB (t7185)
UTG (t20180)
UTG+1 (t10950)

Preflop: Hero is Button with T/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, A/images/graemlins/heart.gif.
UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, MP1 folds, MP2 folds, MP3 folds, CO raises to t1400, Hero calls t1400, SB folds, BB folds.

Flop: (t3100) A/images/graemlins/club.gif, 5/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 5/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
CO bets t2200, Hero calls t2200.

Turn: (t7500) 7/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
CO bets t2200, Hero calls t2200.

River: (t11900) 6/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
CO bets t4460 (All-In), Hero calls t4460.

Final Pot: t20820

What do you think of my calling it down? I originally put him on a steal but after his bets on the flop and turn I decided he might be holding Ax. He showed QQ.

My strategy now was to play tight and aggressive poker, steal the blinds whenever I can and get out if someone shows strength.

Hand #85:Blinds are still at 100/200 I have 23600 in chips and get jj in early position. utg limps in I bet 1200, everyone folds ep calls(t5000) . Flop comes 6 9 t. I move in he folds.. At this point I was second in chips at the table the other big stack was playing a solid game and had built it up to 43000. I tried to avoid any confrontation with him, unless I was holding the nuts.

Six hands later I get dealt jj again. This time I limp in ep, lp limps as well, sb folds bb (t4700) checks. Flop comes q q a. It’s checked around. Turn 6 bb checks I bet 600 lp folds bb raises to 1200. I call. River 8 bb moves in I fold. What do you think, anyone bet the flop here?

This was a really a big hand for me, blinds still 100/200.
Hand #100:
MP3 (t22055)
CO (t13570)
Button (t7675)
SB (t4300)
Hero (t25035)
UTG (t13630)
UTG+1 (t9080)
MP1 (t34800)
MP2 (t12375)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 5/images/graemlins/club.gif, 7/images/graemlins/spade.gif.
UTG folds, UTG+1 calls t200, MP1 calls t200, MP2 folds, MP3 calls t200, CO calls t200, Button folds, SB folds, Hero checks.

Flop: (t1200) 6/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 8/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 4/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="blue">(5 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="CC3333">UTG+1 bets t1200</font>, MP1 folds, MP3 folds, CO calls t1200, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises to t4000</font>, UTG+1 calls t2800, <font color="CC3333">CO raises to t13345</font>, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises to t24810</font>, UTG+1 calls t4855 (All-In).

Turn: (t48210) 9/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="blue">(3 players, 1 all-in)</font>

River: (t48210) 7/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="blue">(3 players, 1 all-in)</font>

Final Pot: t48210

Resultsbelow: <font color="blue">
Hero shows 5c 7s (straight, nine high).
UTG+1 shows 9s As (one pair, nines).
CO shows Ad Ks (high card, ace).
Outcome: Hero wins t48210. </font>

From then on I stole the blinds a coupe times, but didn’t see a flop for another 29 hands. I was running cold, I mean ice cold my stack had been cut down to 37000 as the blinds went up, and a couple of my raises were met with re raises. Then this hand took place.

Hand 127: Blinds 300/600 with 50 ante it’s folded around to me on the button. I hold kd 5h I raise to 1800 to try and pick up the pot right there. sb folds bb (31600) calls. Flop comes:
8c kd 8s
He bets 1600 I raise it to 3200 he makes it 7200 to go I think about it and decide to call.

Turn comes: qs
He bets 6600, I call.

River: qh

He checks I check. He shows 92c. I take down the pot worth 32000.

Hand 133: Another big hand. I’m in the big blind with qh 6d. Folded around to sb, who is very loose aggreasive. He’s raised the last 4 hands he’s been in. Oddly enough he just completes. Flop comes 6h 8c 3h. He bets 600 I decide to test him and raise to 1800, he calls. Turn comes: qc. I bet 7200 he calls.
River: As. He moves in for 26000. I replay the hand in my head and figure if he was holding an ace he would surely have raised me pre flop. I call he show 6c9c. I take down the pot 71908. I know have 88000 in chips and second overall in the tourney.

[cferejohn]

Hand 75: I fold this preflop. Nice calls, I guess, but I think most of the time you are up against a player who plays a hand like this you are going to be up against a better ace.

Hand 100: Pretty much played itself. Make some sort of note that the CO is just a wee bit overaggressive with overcards, seeing as he shoved his money in with exactly 0 outs, even of the runner-runner variety (well, OK, runner runner to chop with identical straights).

Hand 127: I'd make a bigger flop raise, but I'd lay it down when he comes over the top like that. Once you've called that you pretty much need to call the fairly small turn bet. Good read or good guess (did you have a read on this player as particularly aggressive?).

Hand 133: Good raise on the flop. That call is kind of scary though. Good call on the river (though I'd be more afraid of a raggy 2 pair than an ace).

I think I would have laid most of these hands down at some point (except the flopped straight, of course). You made some good guesses/reads (the only player you called 'aggressive' is the SB in 133, but the 92s player in #133 and the QQ in #75 seem even more so. I'm curious if you would call most players here or if there was something about these players that prompted a call from you.

Congrats on doing so well!

Chris

[DOTTT]

[ QUOTE ]
Hand 75: I fold this preflop. Nice calls, I guess, but I think most of the time you are up against a player who plays a hand like this you are going to be up against a better ace.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree, but I had put him on a steal with a weak ace, and his turn bet was a little odd, so I called.

[ QUOTE ]
Hand 127: I'd make a bigger flop raise, but I'd lay it down when he comes over the top like that. Once you've called that you pretty much need to call the fairly small turn bet. Good read or good guess (did you have a read on this player as particularly aggressive?).

[/ QUOTE ]

I was ready to lay this one down on a strong turn bet, didn't come.

[ QUOTE ]
Hand 133: Good raise on the flop. That call is kind of scary though. Good call on the river (though I'd be more afraid of a raggy 2 pair than an ace).


[/ QUOTE ]
I played this hand strictly based on my read of the player. This guy was a maniac.

[ QUOTE ]
I think I would have laid most of these hands down at some point (except the flopped straight, of course). You made some good guesses/reads (the only player you called 'aggressive' is the SB in 133, but the 92s player in #133 and the QQ in #75 seem even more so. I'm curious if you would call most players here or if there was something about these players that prompted a call from you.


[/ QUOTE ]
I didn't have a read on either player. The 92 player had just been moved to the table, and the qq came two hands ago and did'nt see him play a hand yet.

[Greg (FossilMan)]

Congrats. Good thing you paid attention to the rebuy advice. ;-)

The AT call was a mistake. You just can't call a 7xBB raise for 1/7th of your stack with ATo. If you think he's stealing, reraise. If you're not sure enough, or don't want to risk it, then just fold.

Just think what would've happened here if the flop had come T high.

Later, Greg Raymer (FossilMan)

[DOTTT]

Greg, I see your point. I guess I really got lucky on that one.

[DOTTT]

My stack was at 88000 and I was second overall in the tournament, but I had a major problem. They had just moved two of the larger stacks, including chip leader to my table. Worse part they were seated to my left. This was really an unbalanced table; out of the top ten chip leaders four were seating to my left. I had to cut down on my steals, as I didn’t want to get tangled with any of them. I had another bad run of cards, just kept on hitting the fold button. I think I was dealt J5 4 times in a row at one point, but I was determined not to blow my stack off on marginal hands. Well lets just say things didn’t go according to plan.

Hand 150: PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t800 (8 handed) 50 ante
UTG+1 (t40180)
MP1 (t12238)
MP2 (t22454)
Hero (t84984)
Button (t6560)
SB (t43813)
BB (t78866)
UTG (t7313)

Preflop: Hero is CO with Q/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, A/images/graemlins/club.gif.
UTG folds, sounlucky folds, UTG+1 folds, MP1 folds, MP2 raises to t2400, Hero calls t2400, Button folds, SB folds, BB folds.
MP2 checks, Hero bets t1600, MP2 raises to t4800, Hero raises to t82534, MP2 calls t15204 (All-In).

Final Pot: t107688

Results: MP2 wins t45158. with 8c 9c (flush)

I tried to buy this pot I figured even if he was holding a pair my two over cards and nut flush draw were still good. Do you like the raise all in on the flop or was it to aggressive?

Hand 161: Well the blinds moved up now 600/1200 with a 75 ante. I tried to steal the pot here but got called. I should’ve checked the turn, and laid it down to any bet, but I didn’t. I took one last shot to steal the pot on the river, but got called. I was expecting at least two pair here, and was surprised when he showed me kj. I really hated my play on this hand.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t1200 (8 handed)
BB (t57830)
UTG (t6463)
UTG+1 (t42783)
Hero (t58955)
MP2 (t8035)
CO (t41638)
Button (t78141)
SB (t4338)

Preflop: Hero is MP1 with 6/images/graemlins/heart.gif, A/images/graemlins/heart.gif.
BB folds, UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, Hero raises to t3600, MP2 folds, CO calls t3600, Button folds, SB folds, sounlucky folds.
*** FLOP *** [2d 5c Kd]
Hero bets t4800, CO calls t4800.
*** TURN *** [2d 5c Kd] [Tc]
Hero bets t7200, CO raises to t14400, Hero calls t7200.
*** RIVER *** [2d 5c Kd Tc] [7d]
Hero bets t19200, CO calls t18763 (All-In).

Final Pot: t84088

Results:CO wins t83651 with kj.

At this point I was really steaming, I couldn’t believe how quickly I blew my stack. However, what happned next was completely amazing.

Hand 162:
PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t1200 (8 handed)
SB (t57755)
BB (t6388)
UTG (t42708)
Hero (t17317)
MP1 (t7960)
MP2 (t85601)
CO (t78066)
Button (t3663)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with J/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, Q/images/graemlins/spade.gif.
BB folds, UTG folds, Hero calls t1200, MP1 folds, MP2 raises to t3600, CO folds, Button folds, sounlucky folds, SB folds, Hero calls t2400.

FLOP [9c 9h Js]

Hero bets t13642 (All-In), MP2 calls t13642.

*** TURN *** [9c 9h Js] [5h]
*** RIVER *** [9c 9h Js 5h] [6c]

Final Pot: t35009

Results:
Hero wins t35009 with jq. Co shows AT

Well that helped cool me down a bit. The next hand I pick up jj utg+1. I decide to limp in, mp(68000) the aggressive player who I had lost the A6 hand to makes it 3600 to go, lp player (t56000) calls, and it’s folded back to me. I thought about this hand for a long time, I ran my time blank down to 5 seconds, and finally decided to push in. I felt he might be holding something like AT-AK or a smaller pair. I wasn’t worried about lp player because if he were holding something like qq or higher he would’ve raised to isolate. Utg+2 called lp folded. He showed AK. Flop came 88595, and I double up again.

Suddenly I was back where I started from ten hands ago, but it got better. Two hands later blinds still at 600/1200 I find myself in the bb with T9c. All fold to the sb (t41200) who completes. Flop comes 6 7 8 with two diamonds. sb bets 2400, I raise to 8000, he re raises me to 16000, and I push in he calls. He shows T8o and I take down the pot worth 83000 with my straight. I was up to t120000 and second overall in the tournament. I was telling myself how lucky I was to go from almost getting knocked out to back in second place in under ten hands. I got another cold run of cards but this time I stole the blinds more often to try and stay afloat The next hand I played came 26 hands later .
Hand 210:Blinds had moved up to 1000/2000 with a 100 ante. I had about 120000 in chips, and picked up jj again in ep I bet out 6000, mp (t45500) calls and the button (t72000) calls. Flop comes 9 high rainbow. I bet 12000, mp raises to 24000, lp folds. I push in he quickly calls, and shows a pair of tens. I take down the pot worth t102000.

P.S sorry to have to write out these hands, but the hand converter seems to be malfunctioning.

[cferejohn]

I'll comment later, but hand 150 doesn't say what the flop is. One presumes 3 clubs?

[DOTTT]

ooops. Yest the flop was 3 clubs. I had to go back and type the flop for some of these hands manualy because the hand converter just wasn't showing them, is everyone having this prblem or is it just me? Thanks.

[DOTTT]

I was just moved to another table, which I was somewhat happy about. No big stacks at the table to worry about, but no clue how these people played. We were very close to the money at this point, I think there were 130 left, and any kind of bet was taking the blinds down. I took full advantage of this and stole my way to t220000 from my starting point of 180000. Once we were in the money people started to loosen up, and all in raises were very common as the small stacks try to make moves before the blinds got to them. No real memorable hands took place here, which I guess was a good thing because I was being dealt absolute junk. People started to drop off much faster, and within half an hour were down to 60 from 97. Now things started to get interesting.

Hand #241: Blinds had gone up to 3000-6000 with a 300 ante. At this point I had a better feel for the players at the table, and felt they respect my raises. I was on the button with Akd. A player in the CO bet 20000, he had t117500 and was a solid player from what I saw. It’s folded to me and I call the 20000 bet. Blinds fold and the flop comes 8h Ah 4c. He bets out 24000 I raise to 60000 he calls. Next card is the 5d he checks I bet 52000 putting him all in, he calls and shows AT, doesn’t improve and I take sown the pot worth 260000.

Do you like the flat call, or is raising a better play pre flop?

I didn’t make any moves for a while, stole only once in 23 hands, but a player two seats to my right was really starting to irritate me, he kept on bullying people around and got extremely lucky when his KT beat TT. With that pot he was tied with me for second overall, we both had about 290000 when the next hand took place.

Hand 265: Blinds were still at 3000/6000 with a 300 ante. I’m in the bb with 23o. Villain is in on the button, all fold to him and he makes it 18000 to go. sb folds I wanted to show him he couldn’t bully me around, and raised him 36000. He takes his time and calls flop comes 6h Td Qs . I bet 32000 he calls. Now I’m thinking what did I get myself into. Turn is a 2s. I check he checks. River Ts. I check he makes a bet of 15497, I raised to 90000. He folds.

Two questions, 1. What do you think he had if anything? 2. Should I have raised at all on the river. I ended up showing my hand to him and he went on complete tilt after that. That pot was worth 136000.

I settled down for a while and we got down to 34 players.

Hand #295: Blinds are up to 6000/12000 with a 600 ante. I have t360000 and get dealt 99 in ep. All fold to me and I make it 36000 to go, all fold to the bb who pushes in it’s only 32000 more for me to call. He has AA takes down the pot. No problem couple hands later I win it back from him on a nice bluff, I bet 28000 into a 130000 when the river paired the board. I played a little more aggreasive here stole a lot more, which brings me to the next had.

Hand #306: This was a big hand, and I would appreciate all input here. Blinds still the same I have t396000 in the co and get dealt AJ. I make my standard raise to 36000. All fold to the bb who pushes in it’s 111000 more for me to call. I thought about the possible hands he could have. I figured I was either a huge favorite or a slight dog if he’s holding Ax or a small pair. I would only be a big dog if he’s got a big pair, or AQ and higher. I figured he would call if he was holding AQ, I decided to call he had 33 and I failed to improve, he takes down the pot worth 285000.

Who folds here and who calls? A factor that made me call here was that I was starting to bully around, and he could have something like Ax and decided to make a stand.

I’m reposting this hand form my previous post.
Blinds at 10000/20000 and 1000 ante. utg was chip leader at the table with t428200. He makes it 60000 to go I was second in chips at the table with t314000 and in lp. While at the same table I think I saw about 70 hands with him, I had never every seen him raise utg. Everyone folded around to me so when I looked down at AQ I was actually about to muck the hand, but forced myself to call. The sb had 72000 in chips left and decided to move in here, so it was 12000 more, we both call. Flop came q 5 2. He checked I bet 60000, he raised me all in. The pot had close to 310000 in it, I decided to fold and gave him credit for a set of 5's, kk or aa. I don't know what I was thinking, I got the flop I wanted and just completely chickened out. I think if I had more time I would've called the problem was my time bank only had 5 seconds left, so that kind of rushed my decision. He showed 66 sb had aq, so he takes down the pot.

Obviously I should’ve called here!

We were down to 20 players and I still felt I had a good chance to make the final table. My eyes were set on a top 3 finish. Players were playing tight again because we were close to the next pay out level. I had just gotten move to this table and didn’t have a good read on any of the players. Except for the player in seat 2, I had played with him in my first table and seen him open raise with suited connectors and small pairs in early and mid position. Besides that I had nothing

Hand #317: Blinds are now 10000/20000 with a 1000 ante. I have t271000 and in mp. Utg fold, utg+1 (the player I have a read on) makes it 60000 he has t205000. It’s folded to me and I push in. Folded to the bb who has 310000 and he goes all in himself utg+1 folds. bb shows AA. Flop brings a ten but an ace with it, and just like that I’m out

Question, do you like my push in? Should I have been more patient and folded this one? I thinks I made my play more because of my read on the player, what if you had no read at all? I’m sure this is a raise or fold situation. A call here can’t be right can it?

Even though I didn’t make the final table, I liked the way I played, it was my highest showing in a 500+ person tournament, so I was proud of that. All comments and feedback are appreciated. Thanks.

[cferejohn]

Any of the clubs a queen?

[DOTTT]

No flop was 527 clubs.Thanks.

[cferejohn]

Hand 150:
Well, I don't know if one of those clubs was a queen. If so, no way you can lay this down. I think I probably play this the same way against a short stack.

Hand 161: What do you know about the CO? Can he lay down a K? If I'm not sure he has a K when he calls the flop, I'm damned sure he has one (or something better) when he calls the turn. I'm almost always bet out out on the flop when my preflop raise is called and its heads-up, but once it is called, I am usually done with the hand unless I improve.

Hand 162: Sounds like you knew you misplayed this one, but at this point in the tournament, with that stack, you probably shouldn't be limping. You ended up having to call a raise out of position, but you got a good flop. Good for you, but I wouldn't play this hand like this again. Usually in that position, I'm folding that hand preflop (especially as a short stack), but if I play it, it's a raise.

Hand ??? (the one where you flopped the straight with the flush draw): Not much to say here. Great flop, and you were lucky enough to be up against someone who flopped and fell in love with top pair.

Hand 210: Pretty standard. You hate getting called in two places at this point in the tournament with a hand like JJ, but once the flop comes undercards, you've got to play it like you have the best hand. I'm not really scared of the button in this situation, if he had QQ-AA after a raise and a caller, he would have pushed in. He could have flopped a set of course, but at this point in the money, I don't see how you fold an overpair here.

[cferejohn]

Hand 241 (your AK v. AT): Time was I would have raised this preflop (and if his stack was a bit smaller, say 60-90K, I would have). I'm experimenting with calling in this situation. I like it better if your opponent will be aggressive enough to bet your hand for you when you flop TP/TK and he has something like TT or JJ. After that well played, although if he did have a pair, you might have been able to take advantage of his aggressiveness by just calling all the way down.

Hand 265: I think he had a medium pair and he put you on a ten. If you put him on a medium pair here, then your play is good if you think he can lay it down. If you are going to resteal preflop, you probably need to make it a bigger re-raise (say to 45K or so). I'd just let it go and wait for the next hand, personally.

Hand 306: I ran into an extremely similar situation in yesterday's $10+1 rebuy. I had AJo and I folded (I think I was in earlier position though, so I figured the playback was more likely a strong hand. Did this player see you flash your 32o? Do you think he thinks of you as an aggressive bully? If so, I think you must call.

Hand 317: You don't say, but I'm assuming you have TT here? In any case, I push here every time against an opponent like you describe. Obviously you hate the BB coming in, but them's the breaks. It seems quite likely you had the raiser beaten, and the vast majority of the time no one will wake up in the blinds with AA/KK and push. Tough luck, but (IMHO) good move.

[DOTTT]

Hand 317: Correct I had TT.
I really appreciate your comments and input. Thanks a lot.