tateissy says

Thanks for the report. Did you play the main event yesterday?

02/24/08

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I arrived in LA Sunday night and played the 2.5k tournament yesterday. I started out on a really good table with a lot of people who didn't seem to be very good at this game. As an example, early in the 25/50 level there is a limper UTG and an older gentleman makes it 300 from utg+1. The BB calls and the limper folds. The flop comes Qd7d6h. The BB checks and then utg+1 instantly moves all in for 5000 total. The BB starts tanking and finally makes the hero call with QdJh, the older man has AQ and BB gets knocked out.

Unfortunately I didn't have much luck accumulating chips early. One interesting hand I played also took place at the 25/50 level. The old man from AQ hand limps utg. There are two more limpers including the button. I complete the SB with 8d7d. BB checks and the flop comes 8c7h4s. I lead out for 200, the bb folds and the AQ gentleman makes it 700. I'm pretty overpairs to the board are a very large portion of his utg limping range that raises me on this flop. I start thinking about the best way to get all the chips in, then the button starts thinking and playing with his chips. It's still early in the tournament and I haven't seen the button get out of line yet - so this is not particularly good that he hasn't folded yet. He finally makes it 1600, leaving himself about 2.5k behind. Now I have a problem, top 2 pair isn't looking nearly as good. I have to fold as it is way too likely the button can beat my hand. UTG moves allin with TT and button snap calls him and shows 8s7s - the same hand I had. The button doubles up and I miss out on a nice opportunity, but I'm pretty happy with my fold as chopping with the button was probably the best case scenario.

Things don't go well for me at the 50/100 level and I somehow end up with about 1100 chips remaining at 75/150. With 7BB left, I really need to find a spot to open shove but the guy two to my right is limping or minraising 6 out of the last 7 hands. He limps utg and I look down at A9o and decide to go with it. I think it's ahead of his range as he will have a lot of broadway hands and suited connectors. It folds around to him and he snap calls with AK. I get there with a 9 on the flop and double up to about 2500.

The very next hand I get dealt AQs. This hand can be somewhat awkward to play from early position with 16bbs for a standard raise. Since I just shoved last hand with A9, I thought there was a good chance someone would look me up light if I just open shove. I get called by the AQ gentleman from earlier, this time he has A8o and I double up again to over 5600.

A few hands later AQ gentleman limps for 150. Button makes it 400. I have 44 in the BB and make the call. limper calls as well. Flop comes 652 2 diamonds. It gets checked around and the turn is a black 3. I lead out for 1k and AQ gentleman calls and button folds. The river is a Jack of diamonds and I think about it for a second and decide to check. I think vs this player that this is a mistake. I should make a blocking bet here of about 1k, I think he will pay off with worse hands despite 4 to a straight and 3 to a flush on board. Also, I think he is very unlikely to bluff raise me off the best hand. He checks behind with a set of 3s and I win another pot.

Later I have about 6k at 100/200/25a. I make it 600 AA in early position. AQ guy calls on the button with about 5k. BB also calls and covers us both. Flop comes KhJhTd. I have about 3x pot on a very scary board for AA and check. In a cash game when stack to pot ratios are much greater, a check is a pretty standard play on this flop. However, in a tournament with these shallow stacks, I think I need to just pot the flop and shove the turn if I get called. I'm in ok shape vs 2 pair hands and sets other than TTT aren't that likely since I would probably get 3 bet preflop by KK or JJ. The only hand that is really bad news for me is AQ or Q9. Button also checks behind and the turn is a black Q and I take it down with a bet. It turns out button apparently had TTT and decided to slow play this flop, which is a pretty terrible play on a board of this texture.

I get moved to a new table after this and ended up losing a small pot getting blinded down to about 5k. It folds to me in the small blind at 200/400/50a and I have K5s and make a pretty standard shove. Small blind calls with 99, but there is a K on the flop. For the 2nd time I get it in way behind and get lucky.

At 300/600/75a utg opens to 1800 and utg+1 calls. I'm utg+2 with 10k and have AKo. I move allin. Vannessa rousso is in the BB and pretty quickly moves allin for 20k. Everyone folds and she shows JJ. The river is an Ace and I double up to about 24k.

Later in the level I have 19k. Guy two to my right open limps like he does a lot. I look down at AJs and make it 2500. Button moves all in for 8.5k. It folds to me and I do some quick math and figure out I'm getting a little better than 2-1. Not a great spot, but I have to call. He has AK and I don't get lucky this time.

Now I'm down to 10k again still at 300/600/75a. Guy two to my right open limps, I complete the SB with Q9s. BB checks and the flop is J99 2 hearts. I lead out for 1800 and both players call. I say to myself, no heart please. Turn is the 5h. I check, BB checks, Button bets pot. I have only about a pot sized bet left so I'm getting 2-1 to call. I'm pretty sure BB doesn't have a flush. I'm not happy about it, but decide that since button bet so much he's possibly trying to protect a worse 9 or semibluffing with a hand with a big heart in it and make the call. Button shows 3h4h and I don't get lucky on the river and finish the tournament in 40th place.

After the tournament, I'm hanging out at the hotel with Vanessa, Thayer, and Andy. It's 1:30am, they decide they are hungry but room service is closed. Thayer mentions there is a carl's burger two blocks away and he offers to go fetch for $1000. Vanessa offers to do it for $900. Bids continue until I offer to do it for $150. They accept and pay me $50 each to fetch some burgers and oreo shakes. It's kinda nice hanging out with such ballas.

Later we play $20 a point chinese, I set one of my hands wrong and cost myself 5 or 6 points, but still end up $40. One of my only winning chinese sessions ever, I'm such a fish at that game.