Legends Report (long)

[scott8]

Started the day with a table of familiar faces, but with Tuan Le the only real known.

Stacks are 10k to begin with blinds 25/50. Each level is 90 min.

The first level has been going quietly until I find AA in the sb. EP had raised to 200 folded to me. I called. EP had already been involved in a few hands, but had only shown down AK.

2 to the flop, QJJ.

I check, he bets 300, I call.

Turn is a 4, I bet 700, he raises to 1700, I think and call.

River is another blank, I check, he bets 2200, I throw up in my mouth, call and he turns over AJ, and half my stack is gone in the first ½ hour. There are many different ways I could have played this hand, but given my action, I hated the river call – does anyone fold the turn or the river given this line?

It certainly wasn’t part of the plan to be around 5k when the first level ended, but blinds were so low, now 50/100, that there wasn’t any reason to change my play.

I did however, begin to pick up small pots, and slowly was building my stack back up. One hour into the second level and I was back to around 8.5 k when this hand occurred:

EP limp, MP raise, I call with AQ in sb, EP call.

Flop is 59Q. Check, Check, bet. I call, EP call.

Turn is a 5, I bet, EP fold, MP call.

River is a 6, I bet, MP all-in, I fold.

3.8k left.

At the end of level 2, Tuan raises utg (he had done this with a wide variety of hands, and had played at least 1/3 of all hands he was dealt.)

I re-raise with AKs, folded around he called. Flop is QJ2, he checks, I bet he folds.

End level 2 with 5k.

Blinds are now 100/200, and things get fun.

New player with a decent stack arrives from the table that broke right behind us. He had been loud and active and certainly drawn some looks.
Early into the level, new player raises to 600 UTG + 1, big stack who had 25k calls (same guy who cracked my Aces), I find QQ in sb and raise to 1800, both call. Flop is 732 with two diamonds and one club. I push, EP mucks, big stack begins the routine of counting his stack, the pot, blah, blah. Obviously my hand is good, I ask if he wants to borrow my calculator, he calls and turns over A4 of clubs. Turn is a 7, river is a Q, and for the first time today I have over 10k in chips.

The call may look bad, but the math was actually right, someone can break it down if they wish.

A note on the big stack – it was obvious that Tuan Le picked up something on this guy, b/c he began to call every pre-flop raise and began to take away pot after pot. He called all-in at one point with A7 on a board of 79QQK. By the end of level 3 the guy was gone and Tuan Le had the rest of his chips.

Few hands later I open raise in MP with 89c, Button (same new player growing a hard-on for me) calls, former big stack BB calls.

Flop 10s6s4c. BB checks, I check, button quickly bets the pot, BB folds, I call. Turn is the Ks. Check, check. River is a red 4. I bet the pot, and button mucks.

Some may have read how Matusow was busted by Grinder, when Grinder checked thru on top pair, Matusow turned two pair, got all-in with Grinder, and then was rivered. Well, he started yelling at how terrible Grinder played, left, came back yelled at Grinder some more, left, came back again and yelled some more – good stuff.

At the end of level 3, I have 18k, and am a new man.

Table breaks, I get moved to Cindy Violette’s table, and some other faces from this year’s ESPN.

Level 4 was fairly uneventful and I finished with 15k.

Level 5, blinds are now 100/200 with a 25 ante.

UTG raises to 1000, I call on the button with 1010, BB calls.

Flop is K105 with 2 hearts. UTG bets 2k, I raise to 4k , BB thinks and goes all-in for 12k. UTG mucks, I call, BB turns over 107 hearts. Turn is the 4h river is a blank and I am in trouble.

With about 5 minutes left in level 5, I was all-in with 8s vs. AA, and I was done.

Overall, there many other pots and hands that should be discussed, but this is a fairly decent account of the key hands in my tournament. Some of the hands I listed, were played very poorly IMO.
Thanks again to any that took the time.

-SC

[ansky451]

Great report.

The aces vs AJ hand. I like slowplaying with deep stacks, early in a tournament, but not from an EP raiser, and out of position. I repop it here to ~700 or so, and proceed from there. The way you played it however, I think is ok. You didn't lose too much, and the only thing I may have done differently would be a flop check raise. If he puts in a 3rd raise I may fold, and if he smooth calls, I check/call the turn, and river I think. If he reraises me on the flop I think I call with the intention of check/folding to any significant bet on the turn, and if he checks behind on the turn I lead out for a half pot value bet on the river hoping to get paid off by AQ, KQ, and KK. This line may suck though, so feel free to disagree.

I am by no means a tight tournament player- early on or late, but I definitely fold the AQ hand preflop. If he's putting in a raise with a limper already in the pot then I know that represents a lot of strength, and it is less likely that it is a steal. Not to mention you are playing the hand from the SB, and will be acting first before 2 players. As for the rest of the hand, I think I lead out at the flop, and if I check, I think I'm check raising not check/call/lead turn. That way if EP puts any money into the pot I'm done from that point on, and if MP guy calls I'm proceeding very cautiously. If he reraises, its then an easy fold. I really don't like the river. I am definitely check/ calling, because I can't really see any hands that you beat that pay you off. Looks like he flopped a set of 9s IMO though, and you made a good fold. I suppose your blocking bet could be better, as you can easily fold if he has a better hand, and you dont lose a lot if you check and he puts in a big river bet.

In your QQ hand I think I go to 2000 preflop-- but thats just nitpicking [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]. On the flop if the other 2 are wackos I may try to get tricky and check, but otherwise the push looks good, especially if you think 99 will call you.

The tens hand: I really think you should have raised the flop. This is a VERY draw heavy board, and you have 2 players in the hand with you. You hate for BB to peel one with JQs or AJ/AQ, or a random heart draw. If UTG has AA or AK I really don't know why you would want him to see another card. Theres a good chance you could get him all in now, but if a heart, jack, queen, or 9 comes, he may very well slowdown. Not to mention any of those cards could kill your hand as well.

Sucks that his card hit though with the flush draw. I'm really starting to like your reports-- great stuff.

[scott8]

You know, I did raise with the set of 10s and changed my post to fix the mistake. I however, only raised the minimum.

[DonT77]

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Great report.

the only thing I may have done differently would be a flop check raise

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[Jdanz]

i don't really like the check call flop, bet out turn play with a big hand, it makes more sense with a hand like a mid pocket pair that wants to fold hands with a lot of outs, i feel it shows a fair amount of strenght and will be folding hands you want in, and lossing money to hands that have you beat. i think the best like is check/call, check/call, and then either check/call or bet out on the river, depending on a wide variety of variables not the least of which is if you can confidently fold to a raise. I think this line makes more against any pair other then qs or js and losses less when against a random j.

[ononimo]

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A note on the big stack – it was obvious that Tuan Le picked up something on this guy, b/c he began to call every pre-flop raise and began to take away pot after pot. He called all-in at one point with A7 on a board of 79QQK. By the end of level 3 the guy was gone and Tuan Le had the rest of his chips.

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very nice report ... sounds like Tuan Le is more than the luckbox he appears to be on TV.

[MrMoo]

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End level 2 with 5k.

Blinds are now 100/200, and things get fun.

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Level 5, blinds are now 100/200 with a 25 ante.

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Am I missing something here?

Thanks for the trip report. Always interesting to read these.

[scott8]

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End level 2 with 5k.

Blinds are now 100/200, and things get fun.

[/ QUOTE ]

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Level 5, blinds are now 100/200 with a 25 ante.

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Am I missing something here?

Thanks for the trip report. Always interesting to read these.

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Left out the 75/150.

[burningyen]

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i think the best like is check/call, check/call, and then either check/call or bet out on the river, depending on a wide variety of variables not the least of which is if you can confidently fold to a raise. I think this line makes more against any pair other then qs or js and losses less when against a random j.

[/ QUOTE ]
After reraising pre-flop, this is the line I would have taken. To quote AZK quoting TheGiftOfGab:

"have one pair see paired board play small pot"

[betgo]

Why did you flat call with AA? Were you in early position? i think it is best to reraise with AA unless you think there is decent chance someone else will reraise.

Why did you bet the turn on the AA hand with a QJJ4 board? I think it might be best to check/call all the way. A lot of people play jacks.

The guy who called the push with A4s on the flop probably did have odds with his overcard, gutshot, and backdoor against an overpair. However calling a raise and reraise preflop for a large portion of his stack with A4s was terrible.