Thursday, December 14, 2006

Resist The Temptation To Swear (Part 2)

And i wont this time, im absolutely drained from a crazy night of highs and lows. Ive just busted in the 12k in 5th for £860 but im disgusted my luck wasnt better , the standard of the last 6 players was a joke to put it mildly. Ive actually made a nice profit on cash today also so thats the only reason im not swearing. So many hands i could blog about but i pick several mainly at final 2 tables as thats key ones for the real big money.

14 or 15 left blinds not relevant im already in top 3 and i move all in over the top of the tightest player at the tables utg raise expecting a call. I have AA and he has KK and i hold for a pot so push me back into 1st with spare chips.

11 left (well 10 its just gone to but we 5 handed), i have been highly active and already know ive pushed 1 guy off a better hand when i moved allin with bottom pair. I raise (again blinds not too relevant) to 8k. BB moves allin 40k i call with JJ as have over 100k and its a stitch up against QQ. I lose and im back to 5/10 with er 70k.

This is where it got nasty for a bit, i lose 10k in a blind battle. I push all in 60k with Q10 when a short stack has moved in for 10k to block the bb. The short stack has J10 and the board comes AKxQx and im down to 50k. Next UTG calls 2400 so there is over 10k in the pot so i push 50k all in with 88. I get called by a 40k stack only holding AK (this annoyed the heck out of me cos there is no way he would be ahead of the play i made there and i got them in first) and of course he spikes an ace on the river leaving me on 12k.

Basically i thought i destined to go out 10th at this point but i push with KQ and it beats A9 so im back in it all be it 10 x the bb on 30k. I pick spots well and calm down as im still gutted from the above. Basically i sustain that stack until i push with AK and get called by A8 which held up to push me back up again. Again i was patience in an all or nothing way with my chips and it paid off as players dropped off leaving us with 5 left.

Again it gets nasty, i tactically slow played to allow the blinds to go up to 6k as the table was very tight, the big stacks having no idea how to use them (made me cringe). It worked as i got 1 or 2 pushes away uncalled and then got a medium pot with AA and i was back up to 100k 3rd/5 but happy again and freerolling (sort of).

Now 2 times the 2 short stacks double here with the worst hand and its all close again. Then a key hand knocked a stack down to 12k 2 pair vs straight and i looked good for at least 4th again. But NO, the short stack antes down to 10k folding a 3k bb in the first instance (terrible play the pot is more than their stack) then pushes on my sb. I have A3std and decide to block the bb and move in 73k (Im playing to win and the pot is 22k, 4th place only slightly more money than 5th) , im against 74off and lose of course so now im down to 60k. I push next hand with 55 on the button and unbelievably get called by the 24k bb stack holding Q8, yes its a good call but wtf how can he fold a 3k sb holding 12k earlier then commit to Q8 here. Anyway the board sums up my tournament and comes (in order):

Q8658

I knew there was no way i was going to win this tournament at that point. The same guy had overraised with KQ and outdrawn AJ for a massive pot earlier before donking that stack off. It totally summed up my tournament and i know i couldnt have played any better with the luck i had in the end.

Anyway thats me crippled and blinds go up to 8k, i manage to get lucky (YES but its too late as its only for a 60k pot at 8k blinds). The hand was 69off vs A7 in the blinds allin as there was too much in the middle for me to fold.

Then another classic sum up of my night, it folds to the sb on my bb and i have J10off. I quickly text in "go on" and "i go" to entice a push as ive decided im not folding an 8k bb even though i have 50k left. The sb was a tight player but my text must have triggered something cos he pushed with 10,8, yes its christmas i thought. No its not yet, the board comes 2,5,10,2K and we split the pot (How am i not mad writing this LOL).

Thats it apart from 1 last push, i know i need a hand in the sb as my image is too loose to push 60k with any 2 and i get dealt A3. I go allin and the bb calls instantly with K8, the pot is to go back to 3/5 for 130k but of course i go out here. I induce the bad call from my image but there is just no justice some days.

A sick tale from 11 players down but thats poker i guess. £4000 and £2600 to 1st and 2nd and so much luck involved its very disappointing, especially with some of the shocking play i witnessed on that table.

.........................OK cash


One of my better days (so far as cant rule out playing later). Running OK but picking spots well and definitely could not be happier with my decision making. One monster pot to mention for fun.

3,6$NL 9 handed 3 callers and im in the sb with A5 off and top up.

flop 234 (2 hearts) i lead out for 24$ (into 30 less rake pot) and get 1 caller. (flush draw/overpair/trips are his holdings (if 56 i double him).

turn is 9d and i check he bets 48$ and i figure the pot is big enough to shut so i raise a further $200 so he gets no odds on any holding. He pushes all in for er another 150 maybe on top of that and i call.

He shows 99 and an ace on the river seals a 900$ pot for me on a day where i was already nicely up from cash.

Like i said i may play later but over $1400 up from 2,4$NL and 3,6$NL on the day and i only played 1 table in the evening for 3 hours. Earlier session was for 2 hours.

I guess my outburst yesterday worked exactly as intended. That being to help me relax after letting off the steam but also to remind me to put more effort in today which i certainly have done and been rewarded by.

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