Playing a Mini-Step 3

[suited_ace]

Last week I opened an account at PP just to play the Step tourneys. I adapted my usual strategy to the different prize structure and so far, so good: I placed 1st in the 2 tourneys I played.

I now have a freeroll for a mini-step3, but this will be my first tournament with 1000 chips, and in a way it *is* a $50+5, so I don't expect my opponents to be the brainless type I get at the $11s and $22s.

Should I play more hands than usual in lvl 1-3? Should I make any other adaptations in my game?

[tigerite]

You should play less

[KingDan]

The players at the 50s still are donks.

Assuming you are OK preflop I would play any pp, and suited connectors if a few people limp. UTG fold sc, call pp.

If there are a few folds, I fold PP.

However, there are a few tables that in early levels are very tight. If you notice this, I would tighten up also. These tables also tend to be too tight on the bubble, so try to take advantage.

[suited_ace]

I just finished playing the damn thing. Overall I think I played it very well. The table was very, very tight, so I went for a few re-steals with speculative hands that worked very well. Everything was doing very well until I got AQo in the BB. UTG limps, folded to me. I push and the guy AUTO-CALLS with KTs. I had ~1200, he had ~1000, blinds went to 100/200 in the very next hand. I lose the damn coinflip.

I doubled up when I got JJ in the CO+1 and then I get hit by the BB holding AKs and it's folded to me (*sigh*). I see a raise and a re-raise all-in from the SB so I auto-much my junk cards, and I'm just waiting for the next un-opened pot.

Then this happens:
#Game No : 2347992862
***** Hand History for Game 2347992862 *****
NL Texas Hold'em $50 Buy-in + $5 Entry Fee Trny:13849863 Level:6 Blinds(100/200) - Monday, July 11, 19:38:32 EDT 2005
Table Mini Step 3 #1023146 (Real Money)
Seat 4 is the button
Total number of players : 6
Seat 1: Ermak333 ( $520 )
Seat 4: Hero ( $730 )
Seat 6: Harold_Nootz ( $1875 ) Villain
Seat 10: allinmark ( $2190 )
Seat 5: FreddyB777 ( $1045 )
Seat 9: zzz_Fred ( $3640 )
Trny:13849863 Level:6

Blinds(100/200)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to Hero [ 2c 5s ]
zzz_Fred folds.
allinmark folds.
Ermak333 folds.
Hero is all-In [730]
FreddyB777 folds.
Harold_Nootz: sob
Harold_Nootz: i have to try to get lucky again
Harold_Nootz calls [530].
** Dealing Flop ** [ 5d, 4c, 9s ]
** Dealing Turn ** [ 6h ]
** Dealing River ** [ Th ]
Harold_Nootz shows [ Qs, Tc ] a pair of tens.
Hero shows [ 2c, 5s ] a pair of fives.
Harold_Nootz wins 1560 chips from the main pot with a pair of tens.
Hero finished in sixth and wins Entry to Mini Step 2
Harold_Nootz: son of a XXXXX
Hero has left the table.

I guess this is a bad beat post, only this is not a bad beat. Flame away. I pushed thinking that the guy wasn't going to call again with junk. I should've known better.

ARGGHHHHHHHH. I guess I'll be mad for the next few hours, but I think I played it the way I should. What else can you do?

[dmmikkel]

[ QUOTE ]
ARGGHHHHHHHH. I guess I'll be mad for the next few hours,

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't wanna read when u bust in the bubble at step5 =)

[suited_ace]

[ QUOTE ]
don't wanna read when u bust in the bubble at step5 =)

[/ QUOTE ]

Nah, I learned my lesson. Disabled chat for now on. It wasn't the hand that p*ssed me off, but the guy's comments saying that he was going to call me because "he might get lucky again".

I went through the HH and there are a lot of interesting spots that showed up when I analysed the whole thing with ICM. I'll post them on a new thread in a few minutes.