Final Table Blunder??

[davidross]

Well I finally made another final table last night in the EMpire 10K guaranteed $50 event. It was certainly the strangest tournament I've ever played. I lost 70% of my chips on the 4th hand when my opponent spiked his kicker on the river. But before the round was over I had got myself back to 2000 chips. In the middle rounds back to back sets got me a huge stack and I cruised into the money (30 places paid) THen Iwent on a roller coaster ride where I would move up to top 3 in chips, then run into AA on back to back hands. THen I doubled again with AQ against KK, and then lost with AK to JJ. Every time I ran into the big pair I had chips though and I kept surviving. I played a very cautious final table and was 1st or 2nd in chips the whole time. Because I was playing so tight I was able to pick up blinds at will and maintain my position, but we took over na hour to get down to 6 people. Everyone was pretty tight, and the small stack kept winning the showdown hands.

Anyway with 6 people left I was on the button with Qs Js. Blinds were 4K and 8K. THe cutoff limped in front of me with 50K in chips, I had 75K. THe SB folded and the BB(21K) checked. THe flop came Kc Ts 5c.

THey both checked to me. THe CO limp was unusual, there had been some limping from the blinds, but not in front of them at all. I was a little suspicious, but the 28K in the pot sure looked good to me, and very few of my bets had been called. Instead of taking the free cars I decided to bet and maybe take it down there, and if not, probably get the free card on the turn. I had to decide how much to bet though. I decided on 12K. THe BB folded and after a real long think, the CO raised it to 30K. Ruh ROh. Now I'm stuck. 18K to call a 70K pot. I called. Turn was 7s giving me a lot more outs. He pushed his last 18K in and I had to call. River didn't help me and he turned over a set of Kings. I was down to 20K and went out against another KK hand shortly after in 4th place.

I think my calls were correct on the trurn and river, but the flop bluff cost me big time. If I check that flop I probably get a price to see the river anyway, but escape with a lot more chips.