Zinzan's WSOP Main Event

[Zinzan]

I've posted some of this in Chief911's tracking thread, but here are the key hands and general comments about my table in my 3+ levels at the Main Event. Please give me your thoughts on specific hands and general play.

* Table 155 is very aggressive. Very difficult to limp; though this was often attempted, the vast majority of hands are raised preflop.
* No name players at my table.
* We played a lot of hands pretty quickly, and those small blinds managed to dent my stack faster than expected.
* No read on any of the players I tangled with, except they were aggressive and very few hands went to showdown.
* I raise with AK twice in the first level, miss the flop completely, check to me, 50-60% pot continuation bet, both immediately raised, and I fold.
* I did make a few calls with mediocre hands, but only in an attempt to play position against a couple aggressive players. Never really hit, though, and this probably cost me about 1500 chips in the first two levels.

* HAND 1 - In the first level, I do manage to limp in LP with 7d9d. Five of us see the flop of Td6dKx. Check, 1/2 pot bet, fold, I call, and BB folds.
- Should I have raised here with the straight flush draw?
- Turn brings a low diamond, and it goes check, check.
- Probably should have bet here, but thought I'd trap.
- River brings a fourth diamond, and villain leads out for t1000 (2x pot). I think about it, and fold.
- Call? Raise?

* I'm down to about t8000 at the first break. Best hand in Level 1 was 99 in SB, which I folded to a preflop raise and reraise, both from EP.

* HAND 2 - Level 2 (50/100), MP is really aggressive and a bit loose, and opens to 300 (he raised > 60% of the time PF when it was folded to him in UTG+2 or later). I call with Ahxh. Flop comes something like Jh2h2c, and he gives me a free draw, which I take. Turn is a Kh, he checks, and I bet about t800 (pot t1350). He calls and immediately says, "and I check the river." Third two comes on the river and I check behind. He takes the pot with pocket sevens.
- Anybody play this one differently?

* At the second break, I'm at about t5400. Best hands in Level 2 were 44 and AK, and I only managed to steal the blinds with them.
* Third level (100/200), I look for opportunities to be aggressive, but I get a run of really unplayable cards. I'm not joking when I say I had a deuce in my hole cards approx. 70% of the time (at least 60%). In addition, the hands were raised in front of me approx. 60% of the time I was in MP or later.

* HAND 3 - UTG (one of the tighter, less aggressive players at the table) limps (he has about t7500), and I am in BB with K9 and about t4700. I check (pot t500). Flop comes 9 high, rainbow, and I lead out with a pot-sized bet. He calls (pot t1500). Turn brings an Ace, and I make a continuation bet of t1100. He counts my chips and goes all-in. I fold. He tells me a couple hands later he had AA, which seems reasonable, considering his line of play: limp UTG was almost always raised at our table, and he probably thought I was pretty committed on the turn, after putting in t1800 of my t4700.
- I should have probably been able to get away from this hand. Thoughts?

* That one really hurt me, as I was down to less than t3K.
* I looked for opportunities to steal, but almost all pots were opened in front of me in MP or later.
* I looked for opportunities to resteal, but was still receiving unplayable cards (72, 82, 42, Q2, J4). No pocket pairs or big Aces in the third level.
* Down to t2350 at third break. I know I have to gamble.

* HAND 4 - First hand of fourth level (100/200, ante 25). UTG+2 opens to t600, CO (same guy with the 77 from HAND 2) calls, and I look down at KQs. I push all-in, attempting a squeeze play with my first playable cards in a couple hours. UTG+2 folds, but CO calls fairly quickly.
- Anybody have problems with my all-in?
- I have to admit I thought the CO had a bigger stack than he did. He only had about t3000. Anyway, his call was probably reasonable, as he also had to gamble, and the pot was now t3875 and would cost him t1725 to call.
- He turns over QJs, and I'm happy. Flop comes Kxx, and I'm very happy. Turn brings a 9, and only a T will save him (I'm 90% to win). River sends me home.

So that was my Main Event. I left feeling pretty disappointed that I never saw any big pairs, never got lucky, and took two fairly bad beats (90% to win on river). But I felt okay about my play, as I thought I was pretty constrained in my opportunities.

But now looking back at the key hands, there were opportunities to play them differently. Please share your thoughts, as I would like to get better at this. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

-Z

[sammysusar]

Did not get that deep into specific details. But sometimes when you are attempting a resteal or steal preflop you should play the player and not the cards. attempt a resteal against a player who raises alot but will fold to a reraise. 2 7 against AK will win about 1/3 of the time. or steal the weakest players blind once in awhile.

[durron597]

I think both of your flush hands were too much FPS. I would bet more on the turn in both hands.

[Zinzan]

[ QUOTE ]
I think both of your flush hands were too much FPS. I would bet more on the turn in both hands.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hmmm... maybe on the first flush. But the second one I bet 800 into a 1350 pot. Fancy play?

-Z

[Matador225]

In those kind of situations you really want a call so betting more than 800 might be a bit much. I would say you played both hands well and just got plain rivered.