Why I Hate Tourneys - A Short Journal

[Devbert]

Full Tilt Poker - Daily Double - 1300 players, $10-2 buy -in.

Buddy of mine has me play for him because he has to work (it's from a freeroll satelite he won). So I figure I'll take a shot - haven't played online poker in a while, but first place is $2400 and half of that sounds good to me.

Tourney Starts at 6 PM - GG Life -

6:00 PM - Tourney Starts - Hooray Life

6:03 PM - Limp 10-8 of Hearts in the CO for 20. Completes. 10-7-6 with 2 diamonds on the flop. SB bets 35. I just call. 10 on the turn. He leads 60, I raise to 200. He folds.

6:05 PM - Limp A-6 of Hearts in middle position. Completes around (one limper in early position). 2-6-9 flop two clubs. Early leads 65, I call. Turn 5 of clubs (makes straight and flush) - He leads 140, I fold.

6:10 PM - 7-6 of Diamonds in the BB - Early Limps, Button Limps, CO Completes, I check. 6-Q-A with one diamond. Check, ICheck, bet 40, buttons calls, SB folds, I fold.

6:13 PM - Cards have been semi-dry for the first level - blinds don't look like they will be of concern until an hour, butin a tourney like this it's best to get a big stack early (1300+ players) - no point in donking it off but should probably get aggressive during level 3 or 4 if I'm still running cold.

6:16 PM - A-2 offsuit in the CO - raise to 120 after 1 limper. Early calls. Flop is A-6-3. He leads 90, I call. Turn is 6 of Check, Check. River is Q of diamodns. He checks. I value bet 150 and he folds. Stack is at 2,270.

6:17 PM - 8-8 in middle position. Early limper, I limp, Button limps, SB completes, BB checks. A-4-4 on the flop (two spades. 7 on the turn (so close). Middle bets 180 and I fold.

6:21 PM - Min-raise 2-5 of spades in 2nd position. Button Calls, SB folds, BB calls. Q-10-7 rainbow. I lead 120 after checked to me, Buttons folds, BB calls. Q on the turn, Check-Check. 10 on the river. He leads 435, I fold (I was planning on bluffing river but that was a bad river card.

6:23 PM - limp A-K offsuit UTG, early raise to 120, BB calls, I open-shove for 2K. They both fold and I take it down. Stack is back up to 2,280.

6:28 PM - Raise Q-J offsuit to 120 in CO, SB calls, BB folds. Q-10-9 on the flop 2 spades. He leads 160, I call. K on the turn makes me the straight. He checks, I bet 520, he folds. Stack is at 2,560.

6:35 PM - Everything is going smoothly so far - slowly building a stack while running average and probably have a semi-aggressive image. Need to be at 3K by 7 PM though.

6:40 PM - Pissed away 250 when I thought big-stack at the table was trying the steal in the CO with a 8-2-4 flop and I had middle pair in the cut-off. Called an folded to his turn be when a 10 hit. Was trying to rep the weak 8, this guyseems good enough to check behind on the turn if he was bluffing or semi-bluffing the flop to draw for free. After blinds too I'm down to 2210.

6:45 PM - Almost back to 2K - seem to be running pretty cold, only one A-K and one pocket pair so far, have only hit a pair on the flop twice in raised pots. Need to keep up the semi-aggro style and hopefully hit a little rush.

6:48 PM - Average stack is about 3K, chip leader is at 20K.

6:49 PM - 10-7 offsuit in the BB, UTG limps, One more limper, SB completes, I check, 9-4-6 two diamonds on the flop. Check, I check, Checks around. Ace on the turn. Checks around. 2 of diamonds on the river. Check-fold. Sweet.


6:50 PM - Q-J offsuit in the BB. This constitutes a good hand based on how I'm running, 6 of us see the flop. 8-7-4. Time to check-fold.


6:52 PM - K-9 of clubs on the Button - I plan on raising this - folds around and I pop it to 180. Folds around. Sveet blind

6:56 PM - limp 4-6 of hearts in middle position, 5 of us see the flop. 10-8-7 with two clubs. Another sure-fire check-fold.

6:58 PM - Limp A-J in early position 4 to the flop. K-K-2 on the flop. SB leads and I gott a fold.

7:00 PM - Gets min-raised 4 ways I call and flop two pair with 2-8 checks around on flop. I lead Pot of 640 on turn of a King. Folds around. Probably should have led the flop but I was planning on check raising all in. Flop was 2-8-9 all clubs and I was sure a check-raise all in was the best play because I couldn't really lead call a big raise.

7:02 PM - Gets min raised again, I call with J-9 in SB and flop 10-8-A rainbow. Pot is 400. Checks to button who bets 80. I call, middle calls. Turn is a 2. Check, check, he bets 80 again. Call, Call. 7 for the nuts on the river. I lead 560, fold, fold. Stack is at 3 K. On break. Average stack is 3500 and chip leader is at 20K still. Would have liked to have run hotter but can't complain - I finally hit a draw! Also, I was aiming for 3K at the hour so whether or not that is the chip average at least I met my personnel goal.

7:09 PM - Break is over and blinds are at 50-100 - lucky for me I'm just on the button when it starts. first hand someone open shoves so it's time to speed up my play and hope for the best.

7:11 PM - Raise 8-8 to 300, one caller, shorty shoves, I call, so does other guy. 9-5-6 with two heart, I lead 600 planning to fold to a raise because then he'd have to have at least two overs and a flush draw. He folds, shorty has A-Q and it amazingly comes J and then a 5. Stack at 4K. Unbelieveable.

7:12 PM - Limp Q-J in early position, comletes. K-9-4. Check, check, I bet 200. They fold. Stack is at 4,220.

7:13 PM - Down to 700 players from over 1300 - money at 219, but I'm playing to win this bitch.

7:15 PM - A-K offsuit in the BB. Couple limpers (3), I pop it to 600. Hope the big stack at 6K doesn't call on the button. Folds around to SB who fcalls for pot odds with J-4. Flop is A-K-3 with one diamond, he picks up a back-door flush draw but misses. Stack is at 5K. Hope it keeps up like this.

7:16 PM - Complete with 6-9 of spades in SB, BB pops it to 300 and I fold. Don't feel like playing OOP much right now. so I muck.

7:20 PM - I'm hoping to get moved to a table with more shorties so I can put pressure on them. Half the table has 5K and only one guy is really short at 1300, nex tis like 2600 so a table move would be real nice. Gonna tighten up.

7:24 PM - Made a mistake. Called a 3-bet by guy to my left after it folded around and I completed with 10-4 of diamonds.Missed the flop and didn't feel like it was the time for a CR bluff. Need to 3bet or fold in the future.

7:25 PM - Raise K-9 offsuit up in on the button to 360 after one limper and everyone folds so I got the dumpage back. Will definitely not make that mistake against guy to my left again. Stack is at 4,705.

7:27 PM - Danger - get the "Bane" [K-Q] in middle position, UTG limps, I limp - please lets get a J-10 flop. Button pops it to 660, SB shoves, Gotta fold (was going to anyways). It was 6-6 against A-K and 6-6 holds up. J-10 on the flop to but didn't get there - algirithom theory anyways :^D

7:30 PM - Average stack is 4,535 and I've got 4,585. 577 players left. I'm on pace to make the money but still need to catch a rush or a luckbox hand to have a chance of winning this. Blinds are at 80-160 so I don't have to rush but don't really want to drop under 3K because then the big stacks can pick me off.

7:31 PM - A-J offsuit UTG, I 3 bet to 480, Shortie shoves for 672, please fold around - 2 middle stacks call, I'm getting 10-1 on this. Flop is K high and I probably have to check fold. Checks to last guy who bets 1,200 and turns over K-Q - Great call in last position there guy. He ends up scooping it against shortie who had J-J which I wouldhave lost to anyways so it didn't really matter.

7:33 PM - A-J in BB, SB limps, I 3-bet. He folds. Stack is at 4K.

7:40 PM - Average stack is at 5K and blinds are at 100-200 - it's time to get aggro and take a chance. Better to be at 8K then wittled down in a multi-way pot. 12 rounds sucks. In need to be at 20+ and play to win this thing. FUCK THE BUBBLE. The antes of 25 start at the next level so playing aggro will pay off or fuck me in the goat ass.

7:42 PM - Limp 4-4 in 2nd position. 4 of us to the flop. J-10-4. Perfect. Checks to me and I bet 600. can't fold no matter what the turn is. Late position calls. Turn is a 5. I shove. Hoping it looks bluff and he calls with a J. He folds and I take it down. Maybe I should have lead for 1200 instead of overbetting for 3600 but I didn't want him paying to draw with K-Q or 8-9 and then I couldn't fold on the river after I check and he shoves. Something to consider in hindsight.

7:44 PM - Q-Q in the BB. Definitely playing a big pot. SHortie shoves, another shortie shoves. I call and am against K-10 and A-8. I'm good until the river which sucks out an Ace and I lose a pot of 4K. Would have been at 8K.

7:46 PM - Trying to keep my composure after that sick hit - won a small pot with middle pair against the BB's OESD. Really weak about that Ace on the river, but what can you do.

7:47 PM - AK in late position. Big stack opens UTG with min-raise, I shvoe, SB calls with A-Q. biggie folds J-10-9, 10 on the turn, 9 on the river. WE chop with 10-10, 9-9 A high. I should be at 10K+ instead I'm at 4,700. Need to stay strong.

7:50 PM - 9-9 in early position. 3bet to 600. Middle calls. K-3-2. I check call a bet of 1K. Turn is an 8 and I lead all-in. If he has the K he's got it. Gotta go with my read. He calls with A-J of clubs (back-door club draw) and river is a 2. Perhaps there is some justice in poker - stack is at 9,600. Average is 6K, need to keep up the agressive.

7:52 Pm - dumped off about 2K trying to semi-bluff with a gut-shot - felt the guy was weak with an Ace or small pocket so I check-raised to 1200 off his flop lead of 500 with Q-10 on a K-9-4 flop and he 4-bet all in. Need to watch out.

8:00 PM - Blinds are gonna be 150-300 with a 25 chip ante. Need to make some hero plays here - I'm playing to WIN.

8:01 PM - win a nice pot from the SB when he completes and leads a flop of 7-4-4. I call a bet of 480 on the flop, turn is a J of hearts giving me a 9 high flush draw. HE bets 480 and I call again. K of diamonds. HE checks, I bet 1200, he folds. Gives me a nice 1K boost to 8,500.

8:02 PM - Steal on the CO by raising 10-6 of hearts. Nice little 600 chips. Stack at 9,200.

8:05 PM - I'm gonna slow down my play a little. Been pretty aggro, gonna try limping some stronger hands and making some reads to try and stack up.

8:08 PM - My goal is to be at 20K by 8:30 PM. Lets see if we can make it happen.

8:10 PM - Table break. Got 5-7 in the BB. folds around to Button who shoves for 2500. I gotta fold. No point pissing away 1/4th of my chips when I know I'm a dog.

8:15 PM - Blinds 200-440, antes of 50. I get A-J of clubs in SB - definitely gonna be spicy. Button mins, I go all in, SB calls, button Calls. I'm against A-K of diamonds in the big and 7-7 on the button. I lose the coinflip to the button for a 12K side pot. Shortie in BB only had 1500 to start the hand. I drop to 3500. Have to raise-call a shove the next hand I play. Super-weak. The key to winning these tourneys is always winning a big coin-flip and I think I just lost it. Probably gonna bubble though there isn't any good money until final table anyways.

8:18 PM - A-8 of Spades. middle limps, I open-shove, PLEASE HOLD IF I'M GOOD - everyone folds and I'm back to 5K. Still not good, average is 9K - what I WAS at. Need to stay positive and get in there in a good spot again.

8:25 PM - All in with A-J on the button. LEts do it. Double up vs K-Q with Ace high. SVEET!

8:28 PM - Call a shortie shove with J-8 on the button getting 2-1 with the dead money. He has Ace high as predicted and I'm at 11K. Comeback.

8:44 PM - Raised to 3K with A-10. Everyone folds and I have 10K. Still don't have nearly enough at this stage. NEed 20K.

8:48 PM - Limp A-9 Offsuit, Button shoves for 4500 - I call and he has 4-4. Flop is A-A-10, turn is a 9, river an Ace. I run good now???

8:50 PM - Lose 5 K when CO limps K-6 and I have Q-10. Flop middle pair and check call two bets on a K high flop.

8:51 PM - Raise to 4K when it folds arond with J-J. BB shoves for 10 K. I call. he has A-K - flop is K-Q-9. Turn 10. River 7. can't believe I run hot now. It's amazing.

8:57 PM - Have 20K, running good. Need to be at 40K by 9:15 Pm to have a shot at the final table.

8:58 PM - Call a shortie all in on the button with J-9. He has 7-6, flops a pair, I river a Jack. 25K stack.

9:00 PM - Raise to 3K with A-3 of hearts. BB calls, folds when I pot commit him with a 5K bet on a J-7-6 flop. STack at 30K. He says NH and says he folded 4-4.

9:23 PM - Back from break. Limp A-2 of spades on the CO, 3 to the flop (including BB who I know is a bot for sure) - Flop is A-K-Q two spades, bot checks, limper bets min, I raise to 4800 planning to build a pot. He folds and I take down a nice 5 K. Stack at 32K

9:30 PM - Call a 2 way shortie all in with Q-9 off in the sB. Good decision I'm against 7-7 and A-8. Don't catch but still a good chance to win 16K with 3-1 odds.

9:32 PM - Win a good pot with Q-7 of clubs. Big stack limps, I 3 -bet, he calls, flop is 9-7-4 rainbow. He check folds to my bet of 10K into a pot of 13K. Stack is back up to 34K.

9:34 PM - My eventual undoing - an error but I needed to build chips - leader was at $150K with 60 left, blinds at $1000/2000 with a 200 chip ante and the average stack is at $37K. I've got $32K..I Raise J-10 UTG to 6K, middle stacf of 19 shoves. I put him on A-K or 9-9 or less. With the antes of 2K and the dead blinds of 5K it's now 13K for me to call into a pot of 26. I call getting 2-1 and needing to stack up, he turns over A-K suited and takes it down with Ace high.

9:36 PM - Early guy goes all in for 40K, button calls, I call with 2-2 in SB getting like 3.5 to one and already having 1/5th of my stack in. I get 60th place for $28.91. Played as good as I could, made a late slip with J-10 that cost me. Didn't want to play myself into a hole though, Thought I made a good read afterwards to make the call. Need to get lucky to win these things.

[k3nt]

[mitcheze]